Tech Talks Daily

How do you build a thriving tech company that supports tradespeople while revolutionizing an industry rooted in tradition? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Sam Pillar, the co-founder and CEO of Jobber, to uncover the remarkable journey of transforming how small home service businesses operate. Sam shares his inspirational story of meeting his co-founder, Forest, in a coffee shop and how their shared vision led to the creation of a powerful platform that makes everyday tasks easier for home service providers like HVAC technicians, painters, and landscapers. Jobber helps these tradespeople move from pen-and-paper inefficiency to streamlined, profitable operations, allowing them to focus on their craft and create "blue-collar millionaires." We discuss the challenges of convincing small businesses to trust cloud software, the critical importance of consistency, and the unique opportunities that exist in traditional industries ripe for disruption. Sam also reveals how emerging AI technologies will further streamline back-office processes and enhance customer service. As you listen, consider the untapped potential within your industry or community. How can technology improve lives and foster business growth in ways that have yet to be explored? Please share your thoughts with us after the episode!

In this Tech Talks Daily Podcast episode, I sit down with Richard Hummel from NETSCOUT to delve into the ever-evolving DDoS threat landscape. Why has there been an explosion in hacktivist groups and DDoS attack activity this year, and what does this mean for organizations across all sectors? With over 1,200 hacktivist groups active in 2023 alone, the threat landscape is more challenging than ever. We explore how geopolitical tensions are directly influencing attack strategies and targets, resulting in a continuous onslaught of sophisticated attacks that challenge traditional defense mechanisms. Critical infrastructure, particularly DNS servers, is being targeted with unprecedented frequency, posing significant risks to the stability of the internet itself. Richard provides valuable insights into how attackers are employing more advanced tactics, including leveraging public cloud hosting to evade defenses and utilizing AI to generate potent attacks. He also highlights how global conflicts, elections, and political unrest directly trigger hacktivist activity, with adversaries often striking both sides of a conflict. To help organizations defend themselves, Richard shares the importance of adopting a predictive defense strategy based on real-time threat intelligence, stressing that visibility into network traffic is critical. With proactive blocking of known adversary infrastructure and AI chatbots identifying new attack vectors, Richard outlines practical recommendations for staying ahead of the curve. Tune in to understand the risks, challenges, and the strategies organizations can implement to bolster their defenses. Do you feel adequately prepared for this evolving threat landscape, or is your organization vulnerable to these increasingly sophisticated attacks? Listen and share your thoughts!    

Have you ever wondered how the evolving role of finance is being transformed by AI and new technology? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Pam McIntyre, Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller at OneStream Software, to explore how AI tools are reshaping finance roles and tackling the industry's talent shortage. We'll discuss the current challenges facing finance professionals and the shortage of candidates with the right skills. Pam shares her perspective on how AI is automating routine tasks, empowering finance teams to focus on strategic decision-making and become true partners in business growth. She reveals how OneStream's platform provides real-time insights, allowing finance leaders to look around corners and deliver trusted data and insights that support forward-looking decisions. Pam draws on her wealth of experience in senior finance leadership to highlight how AI is changing the profession, not just by automating tasks, but by shifting finance from being mere record-keepers to strategic advisors. Learn how companies can leverage these tools to attract emerging talent, retain tenured employees, and equip finance professionals with the analytics and skepticism skills necessary for success. Join us as we delve into how technology is changing the role of finance, the CFO, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. How will AI impact finance as it continues to evolve? Listen in, and then share your thoughts!

How is AI reshaping supply chain management, and what role is Logility playing in this transformation? In today's episode, I sit down with Scott Tillman, Senior Vice President of Innovation at Logility, to explore the company's groundbreaking approach to integrating artificial intelligence into supply chain operations. Logility's digital supply chain platform leverages AI to recognize patterns and improve forecast accuracy, helping clients reduce inventory by 20% and unlock significant working capital. Scott shares insights into how AI empowers supply chain managers with real-time insights, significantly reducing latency and enabling more effective decision-making. He provides a comprehensive look at how Logility tailors its platform to scale with clients, meeting them wherever they are on their digital transformation journey. We'll delve into how the company has focused its AI efforts on specific use cases that deliver tangible value, such as optimizing inventory and improving demand forecasting. We'll also discuss future trends like prescriptive AI guidance and the intelligent automation of routine tasks. As AI use becomes more pervasive, companies must adopt a portfolio approach, targeting high-value use cases that drive tangible business impact. Are you ready to understand how AI can transform your supply chain strategy and operations? Join us to uncover how Logility's innovative platform can redefine your approach. What are your thoughts on AI's role in supply chain management, and where do you see the most significant opportunities? We'd love to hear from you!

What makes a leader fail? Dr. Chase Cunningham, affectionately known in the cybersecurity realm as "Dr. Zero Trust," offers an unfiltered look at the pitfalls of leadership through his latest book, "How NOT to Lead." In this episode, we'll explore Dr. Cunningham's transformation from a cybersecurity expert to a thought leader on what makes or breaks leaders today. He brings a fresh perspective with his vivid metaphors like "dumpster chickens" and "mushroom farming" to vividly describe the leadership failures he's witnessed firsthand. Dr. Cunningham emphasizes the necessity of the three critical 'currencies' of leadership—time, trust, and respect—and the peril of missing any one of these in a leadership role. Join us as he shares lessons from consulting at companies that led to these insights, and hear his candid advice on handling 'brilliant jerks,' drawing from the drastic measures taken by leaders like Steve Jobs to refocus and save an entire company. If you're looking to avoid common leadership traps and inspire genuine respect and productivity in your team, this conversation is a must-listen. What are the biggest leadership challenges you've faced, and how have you tackled them? Join the discussion online and share your experiences!    

Can technology foster an ethical, user-controlled future? Today's episode features Jonathan MacDonald, a visionary leader and the force behind self.app, a platform dedicated to reshaping how personal AI assistants interact with user data under a banner of ethics and empowerment. From his early exposure to computers in the 1970s to becoming a stalwart advocate for digital rights, Jonathan has consistently championed the need to reverse big tech's overpowering influence. Self, rooted in blockchain and quantum computing, embodies his commitment to transparency, control, and human rights in technology. Jonathan shares compelling insights on navigating the complex landscape of fundraising, where human principles often clash with profit-driven motives, and paints a vivid picture of a tech future that prioritizes user empowerment over exploitation.  Join us as we dive deep into the ethical challenges and transformative potential of today's tech landscape with a pioneer who believes in technology's power to enhance human freedom rather than constrain it. Where is technology taking us, and how can we ensure it remains a force for good? Share your thoughts and continue the conversation online!

Deboshree Dutta, CEO of Criya, discusses revolutionizing personal branding with AI tools for professional success. She shares her journey from an immigrant to a tech leader, emphasizing the significance of resilience and storytelling. Explore the intersection of technology and personal branding, and learn practical steps to enhance your professional visibility using AI.

How does technology shape the future of education for teenagers? In today’s episode, we’re joined by Aditya Advani, co-founder of Best Parents, an innovative education technology platform revolutionizing how parents select summer camps and enrichment programs for their teens. With a reach spanning 68 countries, Best Parents leverages AI to match teenagers with programs that not only aim to boost their chances of getting into prestigious universities like Harvard and Oxford but also cater to a wide range of interests from medicine to business management. Join us as Aditya shares insights on the journey of Best Parents, the impact of tailored educational experiences, and how they maintain high standards amidst diverse cultural expectations. What does it take to provide a safe, seamless, and culturally inclusive educational adventure?

Are machines really capable of thinking like humans, or are we merely programming them to mimic our own patterns? Today on Tech Talks Daily, we delve into this intriguing question with Tal Shaked, an American chess grandmaster and Chief Machine Learning Officer at Moloco, a leading machine learning performance solutions innovator. In a world rapidly transforming through the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence, the distinction between additive and transformative technology becomes blurred. Tal offers a unique perspective on how ML is reshaping not just individual industries but the entire landscape of software engineering. Unlike previous advancements such as SQL and relational databases, ML's evolution seems to forge a new path, one that might redefine the essence of software itself. Throughout the episode, Tal discusses the underappreciated art of ML engineering—a discipline that extends beyond traditional software engineering to balance robust infrastructure with high-quality outputs. This intricate balance is crucial for building systems that not only perform well but are also trustworthy and free from biases. The conversation takes a deeper dive into why the tech community has focused intensely on AI, yet the broader concept of 'machine intelligence'—a perspective that acknowledges the fundamental differences between human and computer cognition—remains less discussed. Tal explores this oversight and its implications for future technologies. We also address the practical aspects of eliminating bias in machine learning models. Tal shares insights into how engineers can refine their approaches to data to ensure fairness and accuracy in AI systems, and the skills that are becoming essential as ML grows more prevalent across sectors. As we explore these complex themes, we invite you to reflect on the following: How can we ensure that the pursuit of machine intelligence does not lose sight of human values? Share your thoughts and join the conversation on how we can harmonize human creativity with machine efficiency.

Are we on the brink of a new era in cybersecurity, one where artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how we protect our digital frontiers? Join us on this episode of Tech Talks Daily as we delve into this fascinating topic with Andrew Hollister, Chief Information Security Officer and Vice President of Labs R&D at LogRhythm. In our conversation, Andrew shares his insights on the evolving role of generative AI in cybersecurity. Despite widespread apprehension that automation may displace human analysts, Andrew suggests a different narrative—AI as a collaborator enhancing human capabilities, not replacing them. With its rapid development, generative AI is finding its place in cybersecurity, aiding in tasks like summarizing threat reports, detecting patterns in massive datasets, and translating technical log data into understandable language. However, the technology has its challenges. Andrew points out the potential risks of AI, such as producing misleading information—what he terms "hallucinating false facts." This underscores the irreplaceable role of human oversight, where seasoned analysts apply critical judgment to AI outputs. Looking ahead, we explore the future skills necessary for cybersecurity professionals. As AI takes over more routine, data-heavy tasks, there's a growing need for roles focused on strategy, problem-solving, and lifelong learning to adapt alongside evolving technologies. What will the future security operations centers (SOCs) look like? How will AI transform the cybersecurity landscape? After listening to our discussion, what are your thoughts on AI's role in cybersecurity?  Share your views with us as we explore these questions and more.