The Leadership Exchange

Dondi Black, Chief Product Officer of Issuer Solutions at TSYS, to explore the transformative journey of innovation, cultural shifts, and emerging technologies in the payments industry. Dondi shares her insights from three decades in the field, discussing how her organization leverages synergies, empowers teams, and implements measurable strategies to drive innovation and transformation. The conversation dives into the practical applications of generative AI, privacy-enhancing technologies, and a North Star approach to cultural transformation. Tracy and Dondi also touch on the importance of self-advocacy, honest feedback, and creating inclusive environments to foster innovation at every level. Chapters 00:00:04 Welcome & Introductions   00:00:34 Reflections on Transformation & Innovation   00:01:28 Synergies & Organizational Transformation   00:02:19 Measuring Success in Cultural Transformation   00:05:07 Empowering Individuals & Leadership Growth   00:08:07 Emerging Innovations: Generative AI in Fraud & Risk   00:10:15 Security Investments & AI's Industry Impact   00:12:28 The Future of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies   00:15:30 Sustaining Momentum in Transformation   00:18:28 The Industry’s Pragmatic Shift   00:20:39 Inclusive Innovation & Cultural Change   00:23:12 Advocating for Yourself & Your Ideas   00:25:27 Leaders as Coaches: The Power of Feedback   00:28:56 Sponsor Spotlight: This Dot   00:29:53 Where to Connect with Dondi   00:30:39 Closing Remarks   Follow Dondi Black on Social Media Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dondi-black/

In this episode of Leadership Exchange, host Rob Ocel chats with Jerry Reghunadh, Senior Director of Enterprise Architecture at Data Nimbus, about leadership, AI adoption, and data-driven decision-making. Jerry shares his career journey, insights on leveraging tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, and strategies for building effective data pipelines. They explore how companies can avoid "analysis paralysis," adopt AI strategically, and evaluate new technologies to solve real-world problems. Tune in for practical advice on aligning innovation with business goals and staying competitive in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction   00:31 – Jerry’s Leadership Journey   02:01 – Discussing AI in Leadership   03:59 – Experimenting with AI Tools   06:24 – Overcoming Analysis Paralysis   09:18 – Importance of Early AI Adoption   13:12 – AI’s Impact on Efficiency   14:30 – Sponsor Message   16:26 – Setting Realistic Goals for AI   19:41 – Data Management and AI   23:09 – Is AI Just a Fad?   27:22 – Testing New Technologies   29:56 – Final Thoughts on AI   30:25 – Connect with Jerry   30:44 – Closing Remarks   31:20 – Outro   Follow Jerry on Social Media Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrymannel/ Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

In this episode of The Leadership Exchange, host Rob Ocel, VP of Innovation at This Dot Labs, sits down with Scott Roehrenbeck, CTO of Apptegy, for an in-depth discussion on leadership, process improvement, and the role of people in building effective teams. Scott shares insights from his 20+ years in tech, reflecting on the evolution of his leadership style, the importance of balancing process with flexibility, and how to support team autonomy while maintaining consistency. They also discuss the challenges of navigating turbulent times in tech and strategies for aligning team outputs with business goals. Perfect for anyone interested in tech leadership, process optimization, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Chapters - Introduction to the Leadership Exchange (00:00 - 00:23)   - Scott’s Journey to CTO (00:23 - 02:15)   - Cyclical Trends in Tech (02:15 - 03:27)   - The Challenges of Leadership (03:27 - 06:07)   - The Purpose of Process (11:43 - 14:09)   - Process vs. Output: What Really Matters (14:09 - 17:20)   - Building vs. Buying Process Frameworks (17:28 - 20:57)   - The Role of Adaptation in Process Improvement (20:57 - 24:08)   - Navigating ‘Religious’ Arguments in Process (24:08 - 27:02)   - Defining a Team’s Unique Process (27:02 - 29:41)   -Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts (29:41 - 30:40)   Follow Scott Roehrenbeck on Social Media Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-roehrenbeck-5a573431/ 

Matt Biilmann, CEO and co-founder of Netlify, for an in-depth discussion about the company's incredible growth journey—from a bootstrapped two-person startup to a global platform serving over 5 million developers and powering sites for major companies like Unilever and Asana. Matt reflects on the key lessons he’s learned while scaling Netlify, including raising $212 million in venture capital and growing the team to 200 employees. He shares valuable insights on balancing day-to-day operations with long-term vision, navigating the challenges of hiring experienced leaders, and fostering a culture of clarity and focus. Matt also highlights the importance of reducing friction for web development teams and ensuring fast time-to-market for web projects.  Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:00 - The Origins of Netlify 02:30 - Netlify’s Growth Journey 04:00 - Impact of Netlify on the Web Ecosystem  05:30 - Building the Right Team 07:45 - From Developer to CEO: Evolving as a Leader  10:00 - The Balance Between Vision and Operations  12:00 - Delegating vs. Staying Hands-On  15:30 - Hiring Experienced Leaders  18:00 - Building Diverse Teams  20:00 - Intuition in Leadership 22:30 - Simplifying Goals and Objectives  25:00 - The Shift in Tech Leadership 28:00 - Changing Expectations for Engineers   30:00 - Advice for Startup Founders   32:00 - Where to Find Matt Online   33:00 - Conclusion Follow Matt Biilmann on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/biilmann Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathias-biilmann-christensen-a5a3805/ Github: https://github.com/biilmann Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

In this episode of the Leadership Exchange, host Tracy Lee welcomes Jeremy Edberg, CEO of DeVos and former first employee at Reddit, to discuss leadership, engineering culture, and team building. They review Jeremy's career journey from Reddit to Netflix and beyond, sharing insights on scaling engineering teams, the impact of culture on development practices, and hiring strategies. Jeremy reflects on the evolution of his management style, emphasizing the importance of human connection in leadership, while also sharing lessons learned from his time at companies with strong engineering cultures. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:48 - Jeremy’s Background and Career Journey 01:51 - Introduction to DeVos and Its Founders 02:30 - Throwback: Reddit Meetups and "Chad Berg" Chanting 03:05 - Rebuilding the Reddit Engineering Team 05:16 - Challenges of Scaling and Maintaining Reddit's Culture 07:08 - The Role of Code in Driving Team Culture 08:14 - Differences in Team Dynamics at Reddit and Netflix 09:07 - Working at Netflix vs. Cloudflare 09:38 - The "Sports Team, Not a Family" Philosophy at Netflix 11:21 - Understanding the Keeper Test at Netflix 14:27 - Evolving Netflix's Culture to Support Diversity and Inclusion 16:05 - Misconceptions About Netflix's Work Environment 17:17 - Work-Life Balance at Netflix: High Performance in a Chill Setting 20:28 - Key Elements of a Good Engineering Culture 23:09 - How Jeremy's Leadership Style Has Evolved 24:34 - Advice for Building Successful Engineering Teams 25:26 - Closing Remarks and Sponsor Thanks 26:13 - Where to Follow Jeremy Online Follow Jeremy Edberg  Twitter: https://x.com/jedberg Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jedberg/

In this episode of the Leadership Exchange, Tracy Lee welcomes Anita Ballaney, Founder of MyHealthQ, to discuss the future of healthcare delivery models and the impact of technology. Anita discusses the evolution of care, from its community-driven roots to today's telemedicine and AI-driven advancements, while emphasizing the need for change in payment models that have long been stuck in outdated practices. They explore how AI can revolutionize healthcare by eliminating inefficiencies, improving risk prediction, and reducing costs.  Chapters [00:00 - 00:25] Introduction [00:26 - 01:11] Challenging the Healthcare Status Quo [01:12 - 03:17] The Evolution of Healthcare Delivery Models [03:18 - 06:30] Technology’s Role in Revolutionizing Healthcare [06:31 - 10:19] Breaking Free from Outdated Coding Systems [10:20 - 12:16] AI and Risk Prediction in Healthcare [12:17 - 15:36] Enhancing Care Through Technology and Telemedicine [15:37 - 19:02] The Future of Telemedicine and Sustainable Models [19:03 - 22:37] Innovating Healthcare Accessibility and Affordability [22:38 - 26:56] People Problems: The Biggest Barrier to Healthcare Innovation [26:57 - End] Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks Follow Anita Ballaney on Social Media Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitab/ MyHealthQ: https://myhealthq.com/about-us/

Stacie Frederick, Chief Product Officer at Stanza, discusses how her engineering background informs her work in product management, particularly in understanding user needs and building solutions for Stanza, which focuses on improving reliability engineering for development teams. Stacie shares her approach to balancing the needs of current users with future growth, the importance of clear customer personas, and how friction can arise when product teams misalign with user goals. The conversation also touches on how technologists can develop a product mindset by staying connected with customers, and the unique challenges of working across different industries where technology intersects with non-tech domains. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:00 - Transition from CTO to CPO 03:00 - Understanding Users in Product Development 06:00 - Role of Personas in Building for Users 09:00 - The Balance of Serving Current and Future Users 11:30 - Challenges of Startups and Growing with Users 14:00 - Product vs. Engineering: The What and the How 17:00 - Blending Product and Engineering Roles 21:00 - Encouraging Product Mindedness in Engineers 24:00 - The Importance of Understanding Users in Tech 28:00 - Industry-Specific Challenges for Technologists 31:00 - Closing Remarks Follow Stacie Frederick on Social Media: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacie-frederick/ Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

Dr. Mike Saylor, CEO of Black Swan Cybersecurity and professor of cybersecurity at UT San Antonio, shares his journey from starting his first computer business to leading a successful cybersecurity company. He discusses entrepreneurship, the challenges of building and growing a business, and the importance of strong partner relationships. Along with Rob Ocel, he covers strategies for managing client relationships, navigating partner models, and balancing direct sales with partnerships. 00:00 - Introduction of the episode and guest Dr. Mike Saylor  00:41 - Dr. Saylor's journey to becoming CEO of Black Swan Cybersecurity  03:17 - Early entrepreneurial ventures and building his own computer company  04:57 - Challenges in selling cybersecurity services  06:53 - Building reputation and generating leads through various methods  07:50 - Navigating different business models for growth  09:24 - Managing client relationships and the importance of business development  11:17 - Exploring different partner models in the business  13:57 - Working with partners to grow opportunities and manage risks  15:24 - The referral business model and subcontracting challenges  16:20 - Complacency and the need for diversification in sales channels  17:24 - The importance of knowing your business and finding the right partner strategy  18:38 - Developing strong partnerships and managing conflicts  20:38 - Recognizing when a partner has different priorities  22:48 - Risks of over-reliance on partners and how to hedge bets  25:41 - Managing long-term relationships with partners  27:28 - Closing remarks and where to find more information about Black Swan Cybersecurity Follow Dr. Mike Saylor on Social Media Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/misaylor/

Paul McCollum, author of "Practical Salesforce Architecture", shares his journey from microbiology to tech, discussing his work at Nortel Networks, and his transition into enterprise architecture with Salesforce. They explore the importance of empathy in engineering, how user-centric design motivates developers, and the evolution of agile development. Paul emphasizes solving real user problems over technical tasks and how continuous learning keeps work exciting. Chapters 1. Introduction – [00:00:00] 2. Early Career & Transition into Tech – [00:00:58] 3. The Evolution of Technology Stacks – [00:03:15] 4. Learning Through Play & Empathy – [00:04:52] 5. Agile Development & Challenges – [00:18:51] 6. Value-Driven Software Development – [00:21:23] 7. Avoiding Burnout in Tech Careers – [00:25:42] 8. Conclusion – [00:36:17] Follow Paul McCollum on Social Media Paul McCollum Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realpaulmccollum/ Paul McCollum Twitter: https://x.com/uxaholic Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

In this episode, Rob Ocel sits down with Gant Laborde, CIO at Infinite Red, to explore Gant's journey in the tech industry, his transition into leadership, and his role as a Chief Innovation Officer. Gant shares insights into the challenges and rewards of innovation within a company, how to manage upward and downward effectively, and the importance of trust in leadership. They also discuss the evolving landscape of AI, the significance of experimentation, and the courage needed to make bold decisions. Chapters 1. Introduction and Opening Remarks - 00:00 2. Gant's Background and Journey in Tech - 02:05 3. Transitioning to Leadership at Infinite Red - 05:08 4. Defining Innovation at an Agency - 07:28 5. The Role of AI in React Native - 09:39 6. Navigating the Hype and Troughs of Technology - 11:35 7. The Challenges of Middle Management - 15:12 8. Building Trust and Managing Upwards - 16:25 9. Empowering Teams and Passing the Torch - 19:40 10. Developing Courage and Taking Risks - 22:30 11. Why Leadership is Worth It - 30:28 12. Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up - 31:53 Follow Gant Laborde on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/GantLaborde Github: https://github.com/GantMan Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gant-laborde/ Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@gantlaborde