Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

At TransUnion, creating innovative products, building talent, and delivering excellent customer experiences start with an environment where trust is possible. Swati Shah, U.S. Markets CIO, talks with Patrick and Shelli this week about what cultivating that trust looks like for the organization. She also describes the various programs in place to support continuous learning for cross-functional teams and the importance of helping engineers understand the ‘why’ in addition to the ‘what’ for the solutions they are building. (01:24) - Swati’s role at Transunion(02:57) - Delivering Value to customers(04:40) - B2B2C(06:47) - Understanding your customer's customer(09:14) - It’s about the people(12:38) - Building talent(17:23) - Trust within the organization(20:05) - A philosophy of life-long learning(22:33) - Resiliency & grit(25:33) - Seeking mentorshipSwati Shah is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at TransUnion for US Markets where she is responsible for all technology and delivery within the US Market. Prior to TransUnion, Swati served as Senior Vice President of Emerging Technologies at US Bank. There she was responsible for leading the enterprise API and microservices strategy, bringing business and technology together to produce API-as-a-Product. She also led the DevOps strategy to drive business agility, cloud adoption and modernization. Swati has also held leadership positions at CapitalOne, Thomson Reuters, and Motorola. Swati holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, a Master's of Science degree in Computer Science, and an MBA from Lake Forest School of Management in Chicago.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Experiencing a sudden 90% revenue drop is a formidable challenge for any business. When SpotHero found themselves there at the start of the pandemic, the team took it as an opportunity to pause and rethink their business. In this episode Matt DiBari, Chief Product Officer at SpotHero, talks with Patrick and Shelli about how creative thinking and a strong team foundation allowed SpotHero to weather the sudden downturn. He also discusses how a culture of looking around corners and reacting with wonder fuels innovation both today and for the company’s ‘horizon 3’ plans. (04:19) - COVID’s influence on parking trends(08:06) - Weathering a 90% revenue downturn(13:09) - Transparency to countering uncertainty(16:17) - Looking around corners to maintain an edge(23:17) - Remember to react with wonder(25:21) - Fostering cross-team learning(28:38) - Curiosity and humility as keys to leadershipMatt DiBari (he/him/his) is Chief Product Officer at SpotHero. He joined SpotHero in 2019 as VP of Product, bringing more than 15 years of experience to the role. At SpotHero, Matt is primarily responsible for product vision and strategy, bringing together his love of product innovation and more than a decade of automotive experience. Prior to SpotHero, Matt was the Senior Director of Product Management at Cars.com, after having honed his automotive expertise at CDK Global. Matt has a BA in computer science, math, and philosophy from Augustana College and an MS-MIS and MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

While eye-popping capital rounds make headlines, sometimes smaller is better when it comes to venture fundraising. Will McGivern-Smith, Chief Strategy Officer of TrueData joined Patrick and Shelli to discuss what questions to answer for your business when considering venture capital. Understanding the type of company you’re building, the problem you’re solving and the total addressable market is a good place to start. Listen in to get Will’s take on what factors to weigh when looking for the best fundraising partner, how to nail your pitch by keeping it simple, and what motivates different types of investors(01:13) - Will’s origins(08:02) - TrueData’s start(11:18) - The pros and cons of venture capital(14:39) - Smaller versus larger funds(19:59) - Series A, B, and C funding(28:08) - Investor focal points(30:14) - K.I.S.S.(33:29) - Finding the right network of people(36:21) - Being vulnerable with mentorsWill McGivern-Smith is the Chief Strategy Officer of TrueData and brings an emphasis on desktop and mobile activation, optimization, and analytics. Prior to joining TrueData, Will worked at Nielsen Catalina Solutions for five years, shaping and growing a diverse set of functions including Data Science, Product, Business Development and Sales. Will holds a BA in Economics from Carleton College, and an MS in Predictive Analytics/Data Science from Northwestern University.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Timothy Alvis is the Chief Product Officer at SPINS and has over 20 years of experience marrying product, consumer needs, and business outcomes. He joined the podcast today to offer his tips for product teams and why they should focus on understanding problems rather than coming up with solutions. Having started his career as the founder of multiple gaming companies, Tim also discusses the creativity involved with popular video games like Minecraft and Roblox. Tune in for his insights.(01:18) - Providing shaped retail insights(03:51) - The eras of the gaming industry(10:07) - Practicing team dynamics(16:47) - Bad/lucky vs. good/unlucky(20:42) - How to get truthful feedback(25:15) - Finding the “why” in product leadership(30:35) - Being problem-focused(37:00) - Driving toward your destination(38:23) - Shifting mentorsTimothy Alvis is the EVP of Product Innovation at SPINS, a leading provider of retail, consumer insights, and analytics for the natural, organic and specialty products industry. As EVP of Product Innovation. He is responsible for the technology and product strategy and leads the data governance, engineering, product management, product design, and development operations team.Before becoming the EVP of Product Innovation. Tim held numerous other positions at SPINS, including president of retail operations and vice-president of product. Prior to SPINS, Timothy held positions at Microsoft, Right Point, and Amazon. He launched his first software startup at the age of 20 and has co-founded another five companies.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Founders looking to secure funding face a long, arduous process. Founders of color can find it almost impossible and often receive significantly less money than their white counterparts. Desiree Vargas Wrigley believes that the tech ecosystem in Chicago needs to do more to support and nurture the untapped potential of Black and Latinx founders.Desiree is our guest this week on Innovation and the Digital Enterprise. She shares her experience as one of the two Latinx women in the last decade to have raised over a million dollars and her vision for an inclusive Chicago tech community. Listen to the episode for more from Desiree and her company, P33.(01:05) - Making Chicago an innovation hub(03:07) - Finding founders(04:51) - New areas of focus(07:57) - Network access(09:49) - Need for speed(14:59) - First levels of support(17:18) - Founding Give Forward(19:23) - Developing Chicago(26:20) - Tech is changing(28:34) - Inspiration and mentorship(30:34) - Blame & creditDesiree Vargas Wrigley is a Latina serial entrepreneur and Executive Director of TechRise by P33. Her companies include Pearachute, a company that helps parents and children drop into the best family activities in town. Prior to launching Pearachute, Desiree co-founded GiveForward, the world’s leading crowd giving platform for people facing a major life event. Under her leadership, the company helped friends and family contribute nearly $160M to loved ones in need. After graduating from Yale, Desiree worked at the Kauffman Foundation as a specialist in entrepreneurship and at Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors. She taught New Venture Discovery at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Desiree has been named Inc's 30 Under 30, Crain's 40 Under 40, one of Parents Magazine's Most Inspiring Moms, one of Forbes' Women to Watch, and has appeared on Shark Tank, closing one of the largest deals on the show to date. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her 2 young sons, stepdaughter, and crime-fighting husband.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are powerful tools that companies can leverage to create better customer experiences. However, they traditionally require millions of dollars' worth of investment. Alex Muller believes that every product team, regardless of size, should benefit from the same machine learning capabilities used at the most successful companies in the world.Alex, the founder of SAVVI AI, is our guest this week on Innovation and the Digital Enterprise. Listen to the episode to learn more about democratizing machine learning.(01:47) - SAVVI AI(03:41) - Machine learning barriers(09:02) - AI and ML for everyone(11:04) - Target clients(14:02) - Little AI decision maker(17:40) - Who knows the customer best?(19:21) - Family of entrepreneurs(22:49) - Fintech impact(26:44) - Military mentors(31:29) - Chicago talentAlex Muller is a founder of SAVVI AI, an AI company focused on helping every product team leverage AI/ML to meet their software goals without the need of data scientists, pre-existing data or expensive tools and consultants. Prior to founding SAVVI AI, Muller served as Senior Vice President, AI Enabled Products & EIR Synchrony Ventures at Synchrony Financial. In this role, he led innovation and product development in several domains, including mobile and artificial intelligence. Previously he was the CEO and co-founder of GPShopper, which had been acquired by Synchrony Financial in 2017. Forbes named Muller one of ten CEOs whose companies are disrupting the retail industry through technology. He is revered as an industry expert on the topics of mobile payments and security. Inc. named Alex a person “at the top of his game” and a leader in his industry, and CIO Magazine cited him as a go-to expert in the retail and ecommerce space. Alex has served as an Adjunct Professor at NYU, lecturing on mobile application strategy and execution. Alex graduated from Tufts University with a BS in Engineering before earning his MS Engineering and his MBA (Tepper School), from Carnegie Mellon University.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Banking has been around for hundreds of years. How do you teach an old dog new tricks? Chintan Mehta, CIO and Head of Digital Technology and Innovation at Wells Fargo, joined Patrick and Shelli to discuss the technological revolution happening right now in banking. He talks about what the next five years look like for innovations such as quantum computing and cultural shifts such as the gig worker economy. Listen in and get inspired.(02:23) - Deep tech work in banking(03:59) - Risks & challenges(08:50) - Five years out(11:02) - Quantum computing(12:34) - Fundamental shifts in powering our lives(15:51) - Gig worker expectations(20:53) - Investing in culture and vision(25:46) - Remote on-boarding(28:06) - Mentorship(30:06) - Commitment to improvement(34:07) - Impostor syndromeChintan Mehta is the Chief Information Officer and head of Digital Technology and Innovation for Wells Fargo. He is also a member of the Wells Fargo Technology executive leadership team. Chintan has joint reporting relationships to the Head of Wells Fargo Technology as well as the CEO for Corporate Strategy, Digital Platform & Innovation business.Chintan has a master’s degree in computer science from University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. He is based in San Francisco, California with his wife and two children.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

The Chicago Innovation Roundtable, a group that connects visionary Chicago leaders and the brainchild of IDE host Patrick Emmons, recently wrapped up their yearly Summit. For part 2 of the IDE season finale, Patrick shares some of the thought leadership from the Summit’s brightest stars.Take a listen to the episode to hear from Dick Burke, Adam Kanouse, Thru Shivakumar, Greg Svitak, and Ari Kaplan. IDE will be back with all new episodes soon.(00:44) - Dick Burke(03:18) - Adam Kanouse(12:08) - Thru Shivakumar(16:14) - Greg Svitak(21:09) - Ari KaplanIf you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

In addition to hosting Innovation and the Digital Enterprise, Pat is also the founder of the Chicago Innovation Roundtable, a group that connects visionary Chicago leaders. Recently, the group hosted a summit where leaders could share their insights on what has helped them innovate in their respective fields.For the IDE season finale, Pat shares some of the highlights from the Innovation Summit. In part 1, you will hear from Betsy Ziegler, Scott Prugh, Dustin Kirkland, and Catherine Clay. Tune in for the latest innovation thought leadership.(00:43) - Betsy Ziegler(05:07) - Scott Prugh(11:11) - Dustin Kirkland(17:41) - Catherine ClayIf you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Brian Case is the Chief Digital Officer at GE Renewable Energy. In his field, the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the importance of switching over to digitization. He is our guest this week on the podcast and chatted with Patrick and Shelli about his approach to leadership.Tune in to the episode to learn more about the importance of a company’s motivation to adopt digital, how repeatability of a problem leads to product advancement, and how to train the ideal team player.(01:04) - Driving the energy transition(02:50) - Building escape velocity(04:55) - Navigating customer needs(06:43) - Accelerated digital transformation(07:46) - Repeatability of the problem(09:42) - Culture of customer obsession(13:06) - The customer of my customer is my customer(14:12) - Internal vs. external metrics(16:06) - Lessons from West Point(19:32) - Veteran talent(22:31) - The Ideal Team Player(23:05) - Team of Teams(23:24) - The DevOps Handbook(23:29) - Accelerate(24:01) - Talent development(26:27) - Professional supportAs CDO, Digital Services, Brian leads product strategy, development, and delivery of the digital product portfolio for GE Renewable Energy Digital Services. Brian’s team is focused on transforming the renewable energy industry by delivering innovative digital solutions that help GE’s customer’s increase revenue, reduce cost, and reduce financial risk across their wind, solar, and hydro assets. Over the last 13 years, Brian has held multiple roles across GE Renewable Energy, Current powered by GE, GE Ventures, and GE Power. Prior to joining GE Renewable Energy, Brian led the incubation of a distributed energy resource platform as Executive Director, New Energy Platform in GE Ventures. His efforts resulted in the launch of Current, powered by GE, a newly created business focused on leading in the distributed energy transition by deploying and integrating commercial and industrial energy resources with the grid. Brian also led the America’s Project Development team within the GE Power business responsible for customer partnering and energy project development & investment initiatives with a specific focus on combined cycle, wind, and utilityscale solar development assets. Brian joined GE in 2006 through the Junior Officer Leadership Program, a two-year, cross functional, business rotational program designed for transitioning military officers. Prior to joining GE, Brian served six years as an armor officer in the United States Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the United States Military Academy and was awarded a Bronze Star with Valor device for service in Iraq. He continues to invest in the development and support of military veterans by leading the GE Renewable Energy Veterans Network.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.