Passwords are the worst things ever. Okay, maybe that’s a bit hyperbolic, but they are pretty annoying. Here are the top hits of their most obnoxious qualities: One, they cause friction to get things done. Two, who can remember all their passwords? Three, it’s easy for bad actors to steal them. Four, practically everything requires a password now, so there are just too many. Mickey Boodaei , the CEO of Transmit Security , also agrees that passwords are terrible, but he has a solution to get rid ...
Dec 30, 2021•43 min•Ep. 344
Just like there’s too much junk on Earth, we’re sending up too much junk into space now too. As private enterprise gains more access to space, even more satellites are launched up there — taking up space. It’s a real problem with the potential to get worse as businesses have greater interest and access to get their gear into space. Bruno Carvalho , the Director of D-Orbit , contends that the answer is better space logistics in order to support space sustainability. Main Takeaways Space Sustainab...
Dec 28, 2021•32 min•Ep. 343
Running fast is good but not headfirst into a brick wall. Similarly, software development needs to move fast, but moving too fast typically is not secure and can cause headaches. Furthermore, old security protocols are insufficient and inefficient. Idan Plotnik , the Co-Founder & CEO of Apiiro , makes the case for a platform that quickly provides contextualized information concerning coding Main Takeaways Contextualized Info: An old way of checking code often involved the coders themselves answe...
Dec 23, 2021•32 min•Ep. 342
If data is in a pool that only keeps getting deeper as data inventory is accounted for, when is the exact moment for a business leader to jump in to do something with all the accumulated information? Leaders who care about data appreciate that it’s necessary to take stock before analyzing and strategizing. But taking inventory could be all one does because, whether it’s in a small or large business, the amount of data is only increasing. Mara Reiff , the Chief Data Officer of FreshBooks , sugges...
Dec 21, 2021•33 min•Ep. 341
The healthcare industry in the U.S. can feel like a slow moving, bureaucratic, dysfunctional mess. But the question is: What is the best way to activate a digital transformation that leads to better care for people? Sean Duffy , the Co-founder and CEO of Omada Health , suggests that fitting innovative digital care into the current model is the best strategy to make the most constructive change. Main Takeaways Providing Proactive Care: Proactive care is difficult in the current in-person model; i...
Dec 16, 2021•41 min•Ep. 340
When it comes to IT security, there are a lot of marketing pitches out there offering bullish assessments of certain technologies, and, of course, the particular products being pitched. Really, there’s nothing wrong with marketers doing their jobs, and it’s especially useful when this information leads to learning about emerging technologies and innovative products with a great deal of potential. But it’s also nice to get some security straight talk. Frankly, so much noise concerning security pr...
Dec 14, 2021•36 min•Ep. 339
The word “cloud” is often uttered up in an almost reverent tone by anyone even tangentially affiliated with the IT world. A big reason for this is because cloud computing has been a tremendous boon for all manner of institutions. Getting away from on-prem servers has reduced cost and increased the speed at which organizations operate as well as the amount of data and applications that can be used to add value. But there is a tremendous amount of complexity in the cloud. With so many developers w...
Dec 09, 2021•38 min•Ep. 338
Recent disruptions have stretched supply chains all over the world. In some cases, supply chains have been broken in their weak places and have needed to be repaired. But there will always be unexpected events and outcomes. What helps are predictive models that can aid in decision-making. Dr. Madhav Durbha , the VP of Supply Chain Strategy at Coupa Software , suggests simulations can help companies make smart decisions that will lead to great heights. Main Takeaways Macroeconomics: In order to b...
Dec 07, 2021•39 min•Ep. 337
There is a lot of conversation among IT security leaders about engaging the workforce in order to mitigate threats. But how do security professionals actually win people over to their side? Many employees are willing to comply but what can be done to really get through to those that are resistant? Johanna Baum , the CEO and Founder of S3 (Strategic Security Solutions), contends that to enact change, leaders must involve those that are most reluctant to go along with security protocols — especial...
Dec 02, 2021•41 min•Ep. 336
If the topic of databases is brought up to certain people, their eyes may gloss over. But if that happened, that would be because they just don’t know the awesome power of databases. Data can be valuable but only if it is contextualized, and time is an extremely relevant aspect to consider when analyzing huge amounts of data. Paul Dix , the founder and CTO of InfluxData and the Creator of InfluxDB , explains how a time series database can help provide that temporal contextual information to prom...
Nov 30, 2021•36 min•Ep. 335
Human beings have an ability to tolerate quite a bit. Oftentimes, this is a helpful survival strategy. Rather than being overwhelmed by life’s frailties to the point flight or fight is kicking in, it’s generally a good thing to accept the realities of existence that cannot be changed and then operate accordingly on that basis. This is better than being constantly unnerved by real and sometimes alarming things that it seems one cannot control. But sometimes a huge disruption lets people know that...
Nov 25, 2021•43 min•Ep. 334
With so much change happening at such a fast pace, the digital transformation process can feel like it must be extremely far along and, perhaps, near completion. Companies have been moving as speedily as possible to adapt their businesses to the digital realm and, in many cases, to create new digital territories altogether. If digital transformation was a baseball game, it could be easy to assume that the transition is in the latter innings. Rich Nanda , the US Monitor Deloitte Practice Leader a...
Nov 23, 2021•41 min•Ep. 333
Technology can no longer be isolated from the rest of life and only discussed in particular circles among scholars, professionals, or those that just like to geek out on tech. This is because the innovation is too rapid, the tools are too powerful, and the stakes are too high. Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau , the CEO & Publisher of the MIT Technology Review , explains that people must consider how technology is impacting their lives and suggests journalists need to play a role in framing these conve...
Nov 18, 2021•46 min•Ep. 332
There’s a general tendency for people to desire to fit in — to want to be on the inside of systems and institutions. The drive to be in the in-crowd or on the team is so embedded in the socialization process that the idea of being an outsider often becomes associated with something undesirable. But many times people who come into a situation with an outsider perspective see things more clearly and can come up with alternative solutions to problems. That was the case for Rory San Miguel , the CEO...
Nov 16, 2021•41 min•Ep. 331
There’s an obvious tension in the crypto world between decentralization and centralization. Of course, Bitcoin was a reaction against the power of the entrenched banking systems and a move toward individual economic empowerment. The essential element of blockchain technology is a distributed ledger, so it’s a reasonable desire for those who care about the technology to want the scale tipped toward decentralization. It’s also undeniable that some centralization often proves useful with scaling an...
Nov 11, 2021•47 min•Ep. 330
Disruption is a word that gets thrown around a lot in business. It’s curious because most people don’t want their day to day to be disrupted in regular life. People don’t just casually offer up the phrase, “I can’t wait for some disruption today.” But that’s why it’s absolutely necessary. It helps to change things up and see the world differently. Umesh Sachdev , the Co-founder and CEO of Uniphore , explains how he first realized the call center industry was ready for an evolution. Main Takeaway...
Nov 09, 2021•41 min•Ep. 329
In business, there can be a tendency to label, categorize, and then make corresponding assumptions. This is very reasonable. In order to organize, it’s necessary. One less than ideal aspect of this mentality is that certain responsibilities may be assumed to be mostly relevant to only one title, team, or department. With that sort of thinking, the concept of communication tends to be more associated with marketing or sales. But the need to communicate well cuts across every area of a company. To...
Nov 04, 2021•51 min•Ep. 328
Storytelling defines how we see ourselves in the world. Telling the story of one’s own life can be empowering or disempowering, depending on the story a person tells. This is true for companies too. The story of a company’s work can be told in a limited or an expansive way. The difficulty is that not only does the company tell its story, their audience — consumers, media, and even other companies — all help tell the story too. For a legacy company, that story can calcify until an effort is made ...
Nov 02, 2021•42 min•Ep. 327
There’s a whole new manner of interacting at work now, especially with the rise in remote and hybrid workflows. The digital transformation was already well under way and then, if the transition was a campfire, the pandemic poured lighter fluid on it. Fortunately, lots of companies responded by making s’mores rather than getting burned, and utilized the technological tools that were already developed to help. Main Takeaways Organizational Alignment: The pace of technological change is breathtakin...
Oct 28, 2021•52 min•Ep. 326
It’s easy to feel unmoored in a fast-changing world with such choppy waves. With so much change, there’s a natural tendency to want to drop the anchor in the nearest calm waters and remain there, hoping this approach will be the most secure. But the water’s never really placid. There are extremely strong currents beneath the surface. Even the most gigantic anchor won’t be able to keep the ship from moving. It’ll just slow it down a little, and, maybe, even pull the vessel apart no matter the qua...
Oct 26, 2021•36 min•Ep. 325
Threats are not new to business. Whenever there has been a plentiful economic prize, there have also been pirates. In the swashbuckling days, the captain and the crew were charged with protecting the merchandise on board. The difference today is the sheer volume of cyber attacks inbound to companies. Carolyn Crandall , the Chief Security Advocate and CMO at Attivo Networks , describes the attack as an enormous wave. Main Takeaways A Security Threat Tsunami: Cyber attacks are like giant perpetual...
Oct 21, 2021•43 min•Ep. 324
Freedom is not something to fear; in fact, it’s an essential component of creativity. Chaos is something to avoid, however. Many creative people confuse freedom with chaos and think a chaotic environment inspires creative passion. The most creative environments are those that provide enough order, and essential security, that allows individuals to stretch out to create something new. As security information management has evolved with the cloud, a new form of defense has been required. Dave Fram...
Oct 19, 2021•48 min•Ep. 323
Even when trying really hard to please people, it’s difficult. Most people don’t know exactly what they want. And when they do know, they often don’t know how to articulate it. In our personal lives, this can be frustrating, for sure. In the professional world, it can be crippling for a company if they don’t have a pulse on their customers’ wants; but, even more importantly, their needs. Michael Peachey , the VP of User Experience at RingCentral , suggests the best practice for understanding cus...
Oct 14, 2021•44 min•Ep. 322
Certain types of technology are easier to understand for some people than for others, and that’s okay. Passion is contagious; iIt attracts employees and customers. Strong, passionate leadership with clear vision increases employee satisfaction that then translates to satisfied customers. Developers who make products that build and maintain infrastructure toil to solve problems so their customers can pursue their own desires. Idit Levine , the Founder and CEO of Solo.io , shares her zeal for her ...
Oct 12, 2021•40 min•Ep. 321
When a new technology with tremendous potential rolls out, expectations are sky high. It’s going to be a magical technology that changes the world, right? If it doesn't take off immediately with consumers, there can be a tendency to overreact, be let down, give up, and move on to the next new thing that’s supposed to change the world. But what if the technology is augmented reality and it does, truly, change the way people see the world? Even though everyone isn’t walking around every second, us...
Oct 07, 2021•44 min•Ep. 320
The world has changed; work has too. Many people are reassessing both their personal and professional lives. The truth is that the personal and professional worlds have always been intertwined. People never left their humanity outside the front door of the office. Now, due to the increase in remote work, there may not even be a physical office. And the integration of personal and professional life is more obvious today than ever before. Work is being done at home, but so is taking care of the ho...
Oct 05, 2021•50 min•Ep. 319
A lot of times people look at someone who changes the world and think that person must have known exactly what they were doing right from the very beginning. A lot of times, people are dead wrong. Creating comes from a place of not knowing exactly what comes next, and being willing to try to make something new anyway. Sure, trying something new takes courage; but, it’s more about being willing to try things and not be concerned with the outcome. Also, in reality, individuals don’t change culture...
Sep 30, 2021•53 min•Ep. 318
In the sport’s world, some teams have all the talent they need to win championships, but, oftentimes they can’t seem to put it all together to be the last team standing at the end of the season. On the other hand, there have been moments when the most unlikely teams come together to shock the world. But when you look back, their success is not so surprising. It’s simply that their culture, their togetherness, was underrated. Championship teams don’t just appear; instead they are built. Company c...
Sep 28, 2021•47 min•Ep. 317
In general, creative-types fall into two camps. The first camp loves the excitement of creating something flashy — things that people can identify, experience, and viscerally respond to. The second camp is made up of those who care about building a foundation so that other people can create great things upon it. If they do their jobs really well, their work may go relatively unnoticed. But that’s okay with them. They can sit back and smile, knowing they helped other creators do their best work. ...
Sep 23, 2021•35 min•Ep. 316
One way to think about data is that it is like rain, and it is pouring outside. Imagine c-suite executives running around in a parking lot with huge buckets trying to capture as much as they can. Afterward, they return to the office, analyze the data, and then decide what to do based upon their discoveries. But in this example, it’s not about how many buckets you come back with, it’s what’s in the buckets that matters most. Data is interpreted based upon a person’s values. In fact, certain types...
Sep 21, 2021•52 min•Ep. 312
