The Tech Blog Writer Podcast - Inspired Tech Startup Stories & Interviews With Tech Leaders, Entrepreneurs And Innovators

I sit down with Marcus Harvey, General Manager and EMEA Sales Director at Targus, to explore their groundbreaking work in sustainability and the tech-accessories sector. With over 40 years of experience in understanding materials' social, environmental, and chemical impact, Targus is a leading force against greenwashing and a pioneer of sustainable business. Marcus shares with me how Targus has continued to innovate and prioritize sustainability, creating long-lasting, environmentally friendly tech protection. I also learn more about the collaborative efforts between Targus and their channel partners in preventing over two million plastic bottles from ending up in the ocean and landfill. One example is the Targus 15.6" EcoSmart ® Zero Waste Backpack which utilizes recycled materials in all elements of the product, even its packaging. It uses it to create the bag's standup silhouette. Thoughtfully designed to help reduce waste, the bag's external packaging is flattened into a rectangle, slipped into a pocket a

Sheila Kloefkorn, the multi-award-winning marketing thought leader and Founder of KEO Marketing, joins me on Tech Talks Daily.  Sheila's B2B marketing agency has been instrumental in helping Fortune 1000 companies and mid-market businesses in 100+ countries scale faster by executing well-rounded, goal-oriented marketing plans. In today's episode, Sheila shares her insights on common marketing mistakes companies make and offers actionable marketing tips that entrepreneurs can apply to increase the profits and value of their businesses. Sheila also discusses how leveraging a fractional CMO can lead to faster and more economical business growth. As a marketing visionary, Sheila explores the future of blockchain in the realm of marketing and advertising. She emphasizes the potential of this groundbreaking technology to revolutionize the industry and shares her predictions on how blockchain will shape advertising in the coming years. With over 25 years of experience in the marketing industry, Sheila began her care

On today's episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm thrilled to welcome Kunal Agarwal, the rising under-30 CEO of Dope Security, who's on a mission to disrupt the multi-billion dollar SWG (Secure Web Gateway) market. Kunal shares the story behind Dope, his perspective on entrepreneurship, and the opportunity he sees in the underserved SWG market. Having recently announced a $16M Series A funding round (bringing their total funding to $20M), Dope Security is making waves in the industry. Before founding Dope, Kunal led product management teams at SWG giants Symantec and Forcepoint. There, he recognized an inevitable flaw in legacy technology - the reliance on stopover data centers for security checks, a method designed before the advent of cloud computing and remote work. With today's distributed workforces, the traditional approach to SWG no longer works efficiently, leading to data center congestion, performance issues, and privacy concerns. Dope Security addresses these problems by performing security checks on the

On today's episode of Tech Talks Daily, we're excited to bring you an exclusive interview with Lubo Smid, the CEO & Co-founder of STRV, an award-winning software design and engineering company that has built products for high-profile startups and Fortune 500 brands. Lubo is a tech entrepreneur passionate about cutting-edge technology, especially in Web3. I learn more about his origin story from humble beginnings as a freelance web developer in high school to building a $20M company. In this episode, Lubo shares his insights on the ups and downs of building STRV, the importance of embracing Web 3.0 and blockchain, and how he keeps himself mentally and physically fit to handle the challenges of running a successful company. He also dives into the world of Web 3.0, discussing the potential and challenges of blockchain technology and why he believes it's the future for businesses and entrepreneurs.   Key takeaways from this episode: The journey of building STRV: from humble beginnings to working with Fortune

In this episode, I am joined by Eugene Le Roux, Vice President of Digital Government at NEC Corporation of America, to discuss the ever-evolving landscape of biometrics and digital identity. With digital access to government services becoming increasingly essential, we delve into the importance of a robust governance framework built upon the four key pillars of authentication, accessibility, interoperability, and data protection. We explore the role of biometrics in digital identity tools and the necessity of a national framework that ensures security, accuracy, and accessibility for all citizens. We also discuss how NEC's Digital Identity Platform, trusted by numerous government agencies worldwide, aligns with these pillars to prioritize privacy and accuracy. As the conversation unfolds, we address the challenges and roadblocks governments face in implementing digital identity solutions, such as privacy and security concerns, technological infrastructure challenges, and budget constraints. They emphasize the

Daniele Mensi, Managing Director at DigitalBits Foundation, joins me for a deep dive into the world of DigitalBits blockchain and its transformative impact on the brand economy and consumer engagement. DigitalBits aims to drive the adoption of blockchain technology in the retail and brand sectors, partnering with renowned brands and organizations to offer innovative blockchain-based loyalty programs and enhance customer experiences. Daniele, a seasoned Italian serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in technology, finance, and telecommunications, shares his insights on how the DigitalBits blockchain is tailored to cater to brands and the retail sector by creating a more meaningful way for brands and consumers to engage. He discusses the importance of authenticity and imperfections in their work and how partnerships with companies like CoinBar and Dr. Gungar enable digital Bitcoin as a payment tool for retail products. In this episode, you'll also learn about DigitalBits' collaborations with sport

On this Tech Talks Daily Podcast episode, I speak with Oliver Linch, the London-based lawyer, and CEO of Bittrex Global, a leading cryptocurrency exchange. With Europe's central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) rapidly developing, Oliver offers a unique perspective on the current landscape and future of digital money in the region. Following the UK's decision to move forward with its Digital Pound project, CBDC initiatives are gaining momentum across Europe. However, significant opposition remains to digital currencies, with some arguing that central banks should not be involved in CBDCs due to the associated costs and risks. As Bittrex Global's General Counsel and with a background in advising on regulatory policy in financial regulation and fintech, Oliver Linch is well-equipped to discuss the evolving CBDC landscape in Europe. In this episode, Neil and Oliver delve into why the UK decided to embrace the Digital Pound despite a fragile economy and ongoing political uncertainty. We also explore the causes of

In today's episode of Tech Talks Daily Podcast, I am joined by David Schwed, the COO of Halborn, an award-winning blockchain cybersecurity firm providing end-to-end cybersecurity advisory services and products to both Web2 and Web3 organizations, such as Coinbase and Avalanche. David shares his insights on the unique challenges posed by Web3 security and how Web2 and Web3 must collaborate to ensure a secure digital ecosystem. Before joining Halborn, David served as the Global Head of Digital Assets Technology for BNY Mellon. In addition, he held various senior roles in the financial services sector for Merrill Lynch, Salomon Smith Barney, Citigroup, and Galaxy Digital. In addition, David is the founding director and professor of the cybersecurity Master's program for the Katz School of Science and Health at Yeshiva University, where he is also their practitioner-in-residence. During the episode, David delves into why Web3 projects often overlook cybersecurity. He shares his transition from traditional finance

On today's episode of Tech Talks Daily Podcast, I am joined by Cody Coleman, the inspiring co-founder, and CEO of Coactive AI, a Cloud 100-recognized startup transforming how organizations analyze and search image and video data. Cody shares his remarkable personal journey, from humble beginnings to earning his Ph.D. at Stanford and leading a cutting-edge visual data analytics company. Cody is also a passionate advocate for sustainable and ethical AI, working relentlessly to fight algorithmic bias in computer vision. He discusses his recent research in this area and shares exciting news about Coactive AI's $14 million funding round, led by Andreessen Horowitz and Bessemer Venture Partners. We dive into how this investment will fuel the development of their visual content analytics platform and help refine their go-to-market strategy. Discover how Coactive's platform is set to benefit both enterprises and startups by unlocking the hidden value in the world's images and videos. Cody also talks about their close

Over the past few weeks, we've heard many experts and leaders share their thoughts about the impact of generative AI on the future of work and the global workforce. While there are many opinions on this controversial topic, I wanted to gain a unique perspective - what does AI have to say about working alongside humans and being called a co-pilot or a tool? Inspired by a recent podcast interview with Christoph Trappe, I was inspired to perform a technological experiment by interviewing ChatGPT 4, a language model trained by OpenAI, to learn more about generative AI and the future of its impact in the workplace. So, instead of asking a human guest, I asked the AI model and recorded its responses. To add an extra layer of depth to the conversation, I then used Synthesia to create an AI-generated avatar and provided it with the answers from ChatGPT 4. This allowed me to bring the words of AI to life. After recording the interview, I used Descript to transcribe the video and edit it like a document. This allowed m

In today's episode of Tech Talks Daily, we're joined by Kofi Gyekye, a self-made tech entrepreneur who successfully sold his prop-tech company Lane for $200 million. Born to African parents and raised in Italy, Kofi's journey has taken him from founding the award-winning digital agency Little Room to co-founding Lane, the world's largest and most innovative workplace experience platform, connecting over 300 properties across 22 cities and 8 countries. Listen in as Kofi shares his unique experiences and insights into how he turned multiple companies into thriving businesses that disrupted the workplace industry. Discover the challenges and triumphs he faced while building and scaling these businesses, and learn about the impact of his work on the property technology landscape. Alongside his work in the tech industry, Kofi has also led multiple digital strategies and fundraising initiatives for non-profits, such as the Leyaata Project, which aimed to reduce mother and infant mortality in 50 villages in Northern

In today's episode of Tech Talks Daily Podcast, we welcome Simon Walker and Tim Smeaton from Kubrick Group, as we tackle the challenge of under-skilling in basic digital skills, which could affect 5 million workers by 2030. We dive into the UK's digital sector, its exponential growth, and the future impact of the UK's Digital Strategy, which aims to contribute an additional £41.5bn to the economy and create 678,000 jobs. Join us as Simon and Tim emphasize the importance of recruiting and cultivating talent from non-traditional backgrounds, focusing on the "frozen middle" – a group with 5-10 years of experience at risk of being left behind in the digital economy. Learn how companies can address this issue and help shape the future of work in the tech industry. Don't miss this insightful conversation on bridging the digital skills gap!

In today's Tech Talks Daily Podcast episode, I sit down with the inspiring Zsuzsa Kecsmar, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder of Antavo, the leading loyalty technology platform used by major brands like BMW, KFC, Simply Be, Ripcurl, Kathmandu, and Luisaviaroma. Zsuzsa shares her journey from Journalist of the Year in Hungary (2009) to being listed by Forbes as one of Europe's top 100 female founders in tech (2016). Zsuzsa's fascinating origin story unfolds as she reveals how her experience as a local radio producer in Hungary shaped her path into the tech industry. She also discusses the vibrant tech scene in her home country. Discover how Antavo is revolutionizing loyalty programs, enabling next-gen solutions that go beyond transactions. Zsuzsa explains how their platform helps brands like BMW and KFC revamp their loyalty strategies and achieve business goals. Learn about the importance of gradual change in loyalty programs, the innovative technology that supports these strategies, and the challenges bran

In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, we're joined by Jesper Trolle, CEO of Exclusive Networks, a global cybersecurity and cloud transformation specialist dedicated to safeguarding data and helping companies navigate the complex world of cybersecurity. Listen in as Jesper shares insights on how Exclusive Networks scouts the market for innovative cybersecurity manufacturers, partners with them, and brings their solutions to market through their extensive network of over 26,000 partners. Together, we discuss the pressing issue of the cybersecurity skills shortage and the importance of initiatives that connect young people and professionals from other industries to cybersecurity education and opportunities. Jesper emphasizes the need for diversity in the industry and the value of on-the-job experience in training. Together we delve into the challenges posed by the accelerating threat landscape of cybercrime, highlighting the necessity for international collaboration between businesses and governments. We also exp

In today's episode of Tech Talks Daily, we are joined by Sam Flynn, a Digital Wellbeing Coach with 12 years of experience as a social media trainer. Sam discusses the importance of managing the negative aspects of technology in our lives and shares valuable insights into how we can consciously use the digital world to minimize its negative impact on our focus, time, sleep, mental health, and creativity.   In this episode, Sam covers: The challenges of smartphone addiction and its consequences Strategies for maintaining a healthy relationship with technology Tips for managing digital wellbeing in personal and professional life Turning off notifications, using blocking apps, and other practical steps How Sam overcame her own phone addiction and now helps others Leveraging Business Psychology to improve productivity in teams Join us for an enlightening conversation with Sam Flynn as she shares her expertise and personal journey to help individuals and teams achieve a healthy balance between the digital world a

 In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, we are joined by Ben Canning, the Senior Vice President of Product at Smartsheet, an enterprise platform for modern work management. Ben discusses the recent findings of Smartsheet's inaugural Future of Work Management Report, which reveals a "resource recession" affecting businesses across the globe as they operate with limited personnel, technology, and support.  The report uncovers a rise in "citizen project managers," junior employees taking on additional work outside their job descriptions and without proper training. Key talking points in this episode include: Work management trends and the future of work Insights from Smartsheet's Future of Work Management Report The rise of the "citizen project manager" How businesses can turn the resource recession into a resource revolution The importance of support, training, and technology for project teams Focusing on the "middle work" for project success and employee satisfaction The value of scalable, repeatable processes

Join me for an engaging conversation with Alex Svinov, CEO and Co-Founder of Insquad, as he shares his journey from a career in finance and banking to becoming a successful serial entrepreneur. After realizing his passion for IT, Alex launched his first startup while working full-time, eventually co-founding five businesses, four of which achieved remarkable success. In this episode, Alex offers valuable insights on: Pivoting in your startup journey: Learn when and how to pivot when your startup isn't reaching the desired results, emphasizing the importance of execution and the ability to test hypotheses quickly. The significance of AI: Explore why AI is the most crucial technology of this decade and how it's changing the landscape across various industries, with recent breakthroughs like ChatGPT showcasing its revolutionary potential. The future of tech growth: Alex discusses the recent massive layoffs in the tech industry and explains why this is just a temporary setback, with the fundamental growth story

In this episode, we are joined by Rod Cope, Chief Technology Officer at Perforce Software, a company that has made 11 acquisitions in the past six years, including his own. Rod shares his unique insights on navigating the challenges and uncertainties that come with mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and provides valuable advice on eliminating friction and ensuring successful integration between companies. Rod's extensive experience in M&A has taught him that it typically takes at least two years for companies to fully integrate and become a cohesive unit. He shares his top tips for tech leaders on both sides of an M&A to support a positive experience: Host a Town Hall early on with an AMA (Ask Me Anything) section to build trust and open communication among the entire team. Set clear expectations through transparent and constant contact, ensuring everyone is on the same page throughout the process. Swap out the brands early on, including building signs, email signatures, and more, as these small deta

Univention is a leading supplier of Open Source products for the major operation and management of IT infrastructures - either classic on-premises, in the cloud, or in hybrid environments, for companies of any size. It also provides standardized identity management systems for organizations from 5 people to 5 million.  Kevin Korte joins me in a conversation about how companies can adopt leading-edge cybersecurity practices and turn IT from a hindrance into an asset. We also discuss digital identities, password management, single sign-on, and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

The shift to remote work has brought numerous changes to the professional landscape. Still, one often overlooked aspect is the need for robust security measures to protect employees and organizations. In this episode, we discuss the crucial topic of cybersecurity in the era of remote work with Alec Nuñez, Director of Business Compliance at Poll Everywhere. With many organizations transitioning to hybrid or fully remote work models, ensuring proper security protocols are in place has never been more important. In fact, only 32% of companies with existing cybersecurity plans updated their security measures after shifting to a remote work model, leaving them vulnerable to a range of cyber threats. Alec shares his valuable insights and experiences, as Poll Everywhere has been a hybrid company since its inception in 2007 and is now fully remote. He discusses what proper work-from-home (WFH) security looks like and how organizations can adapt and strengthen their security measures to safeguard against attacks and b