The Future Of The Future

Every year, universities produce groundbreaking research, new algorithms, new hardware, new scientific breakthroughs. But turning those ideas into real products that solve real problems in the world is a completely different challenge. There’s often what people call the “valley of death” between a promising proof of concept in the lab and a scalable, commercially viable technology. Crossing that gap requires not just technical brilliance, but a deep understanding of customers, markets, and the realities of building a company. Today’s guest has spent his career right at that intersection. Dr. Seth Hollar is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of WISER Systems, a company developing advanced real-time location and tracking technology using ultra-wideband radio systems to help industries track assets with extreme precision. He’s been the primary inventor behind key innovations in the company’s technology and has helped build a growing portfolio of patents in real-time localization systems. Before building WISER, Seth worked across some of the most demanding environments in engineering—from aerospace work at Lockheed Martin on space exploration missions, to research in MEMS and nanotechnology as a fellow at Toshiba, and later shaping the next generation of founders as Associate Director of the Engineering Entrepreneurs Program at North Carolina State University. With degrees from MIT and a PhD from UC Berkeley, he has spent decades thinking about how deep technical innovation actually makes its way from research labs into real-world impact. In this conversation, we’re going to talk about that journey—what it takes to translate academic research into real companies, the mindset shift from scientist to founder, and how deep-tech innovators can bridge the long road between breakthrough ideas and scalable products.

Technology often gets framed as a tool for profit, scale, and disruption. But another powerful story is unfolding in the digital world—one where technology becomes a force for social good. Today’s episode explores that intersection: how thoughtful digital strategy can help mission-driven organizations amplify their impact, reach more people, and ultimately change lives. Nonprofits and charities often operate with limited resources, yet they face increasingly complex digital challenges—from building effective websites to communicating their mission, raising donations, and engaging communities online. When the digital foundation is right, it can multiply an organization’s impact. When it’s not, even the most meaningful missions can struggle to reach the audiences that need them most. That’s exactly where today’s guest has dedicated much of his career. David Pisarek is the founder and CEO of Wow Digital, a digital agency focused exclusively on helping nonprofits, charities, and mission-driven organizations succeed online. With roots in web development going back to the early days of the internet in the 1990s, David has spent decades building expertise across web design, UX, digital marketing, and strategic planning. Over the years, he’s led hundreds of digital projects for organizations in healthcare, education, and the nonprofit sector, helping them modernize their digital presence and better serve their communities.  Today we’re going to talk about technology for social good, leadership and entrepreneurship in the digital space, and what it takes to help mission-driven organizations thrive in an increasingly digital world.

This episode is about happiness. What is happiness? When, how, and why do we feel happy or unhappy? We are taught that the "right" career, the "right" marriage, and the "right" faith are the blueprints for a joyful life.  Yet, for many, the reality is a persistent and gnawing sense that even after checking most of the proverbial boxes, something is still missing. So why do we keep doubling down on the scripts that fail to deliver on the promise of happiness? Today, I have the privilege of interviewing Craig Robinson, C-suite executive, professor, advisor, and most importantly, author of the newly released book, *The Happiness Reboot*.  Rather than offering a “get happy quick” formula, his book provides simple yet effective frameworks to replace your deepest-held convictions with a spirit of curiosity. For those who have tried to do everything “right” but still feel happiness eluding them, this episode, and the book behind it, might be the first step on your new path. Enjoy!

Welcome to another episode of The Future of the Future. Today we’re exploring the journey from engineer to founder—and what it takes to turn years of technical experience into a company solving meaningful problems. My guest is Kamil Mansuri, a technologist and entrepreneur who has worked at companies like Comcast, Take-Two Interactive, and Vapor IO, building systems at scale before eventually launching his own startup. In this conversation, we talk about how Kamil first got into technology, the formative experiences that shaped his career, and the technical and leadership skills he developed along the way. We also dive into the origin story of Telepath—the problem it aims to solve, the challenges of building it, and what it takes to lead a team and create a strong culture as a founder. Finally, we reflect on the lessons from his journey and the advice he’d give to aspiring tech founders who want to build impactful products. Enjoy!

The role of the CFO has changed dramatically. Today, it’s no longer just about financial reporting or managing risk,  it’s about strategy, leadership, and helping organizations make better decisions in complex, fast-moving environments. CFOs are expected to be true business partners, talent developers, and increasingly, coaches within their organizations. At the same time, leadership itself is evolving. Skills like influence, communication, and people development are becoming just as critical as technical expertise. And now, with AI reshaping how work gets done, finance leaders are being challenged to rethink how teams operate, how decisions are made, and what effective leadership really looks like going forward. To unpack all of this, I’m joined by Natalia Castellucci. Natalia has built her career from early roles in finance all the way to the CFO seat, where she’s operated at the intersection of strategy, leadership, and organizational development. Along the way, she developed a strong focus on coaching, working closely with leaders and teams to help them grow, stay motivated, and perform at their best. In this conversation, we’ll explore what makes a CFO a strategic asset today, the skills finance leaders must cultivate, the leadership lessons Natalia has learned throughout her career, her transition into coaching, and how she sees AI influencing the future of work, leadership, and finance.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, but most companies still don’t really understand what it means to implement it. My guest today, Rich McGhee, argues that AI actually operates across three distinct layers: productivity, automation, and innovation, and that confusing these layers is one of the biggest mistakes organizations are making right now. In this episode, we talk about the future balance between humans and machines in the workplace, what the “man vs. machine ratio” might look like by 2030, and why AI could reshape not just businesses, but entire economies, especially as aging societies face workforce shortages. Enjoy!

Outbound sales is one of those areas of tech where everyone wants results, but very few teams get it right. Today’s guest is John Karsant, a sales operator and entrepreneur who’s spent years deep in the trenches of B2B outbound, pipeline creation, and sales development. John is the founder of LevelUp Leads, an SDR and outbound sales company helping startups and growth-stage teams build predictable pipeline without burning out their internal sales orgs. In a world where inboxes are crowded, buyers are more skeptical than ever, and AI is changing how outreach is done, LevelUp Leads is tackling a very real problem: how do you run outbound in a way that actually works, consistently, ethically, and at scale? In this episode, we’ll talk about John’s path into sales and tech, what pushed him to start LevelUp Leads, the mistakes companies keep making with SDRs and outbound, and how he thinks about the future of sales development in an increasingly automated world. Let’s dive in.

Today’s conversation is about outbound, but not the kind you usually hear about. My guest is Toan Dang, someone who’s spent nearly two decades in outbound sales, not just running plays, but surviving them. Long before outbound became a discipline full of tools, dashboards, and frameworks, Toan learned it the hard way: through pressure, uncertainty, and the need to make judgment calls when there was no playbook to lean on. In an era where sales teams have more data than ever, more signals, more activity metrics, and more automation, outbound somehow feels harder—not easier. And Toan has a sharp perspective on why. He argues that the real bottleneck in modern sales isn’t effort or messaging, but decision-making. Knowing what to do matters far less than knowing when to do it, and when not to. Toan is also a surfer, so we’ll explore the parallels between outbound and the ocean... patience, timing, reading signals, and the discipline of knowing when to paddle hard and when to wait. This isn’t an episode about doing more outbound. It’s about doing it with better judgment. Enjoy!

Today, I’m joined by Lynn Cheramie, a seasoned technology and cybersecurity leader with decades of experience operating at the intersection of strategy, risk, and people. Over the course of his career, Lynn has held senior leadership roles where the stakes are high and the margin for error is slim, in environments that demand not just technical excellence, but clarity of thought, strong values, and real leadership.  His journey offers a front-row seat into what it actually takes to lead teams, make hard decisions, and stay grounded in moments of uncertainty. In this conversation, we explore Lynn’s professional path and the key milestones that shaped him as a leader, why leadership matters more than ever today, and what truly defines a good leader beyond titles and frameworks. We also dig into the idea of whether leadership can be taught, the role belief systems play in guiding leaders through complexity, and whether we’re facing a broader leadership crisis in modern organizations. Enjoy!

Today’s episode is about something that sounds simple but is incredibly hard to scale: building high-performing teams without compromising kindness.  In a world obsessed with speed, metrics, and technical excellence, we’re exploring a different competitive edge, the power of nice people, strong culture, and values-driven leadership. Our guest today is Mahesh Paolini Subramanya, a seasoned technology leader with a track record of building and scaling engineering organizations across global environments. His trajectory spans major leadership milestones, he has delivered results and shaped cultures where collaboration, trust, and high standards coexist. If you care about leadership, scaling teams, hiring right, and building organizations where performance and kindness reinforce each other, this episode is for you.

Today’s guest is Yevgeny Khessin, CEO and founder at DIMO, a Company that is helping reshape one of the most entrenched industries in the world: automotive. Yevgeny's journey spans software, blockchain infrastructure, and building products in emerging tech ecosystems, but what makes his work stand out is the ambition behind it. DIMO isn’t just another connected-car platform. It’s a decentralized mobility network designed to give drivers ownership of their vehicle data, something traditionally controlled by OEMs and legacy telematics providers. At a time when data sovereignty, privacy, and interoperability are becoming defining themes of the digital economy, Yevgeny is applying those principles to the physical world, starting with cars.  In this episode, we’ll explore Yevgeny’s path into tech, what led him to build in mobility, and how decentralized networks could fundamentally change the relationship between people, their vehicles, and the data they generate.

Today, we’re diving into one of the most powerful and underestimated forces reshaping our world: the Silver Tsunami, the rise of the Silver Economy, and the role of technology in an aging society.  As populations around the globe grow older, the social, economic, and technological implications are profound. This isn’t just a demographic shift, it’s a transformation that will redefine healthcare, work, innovation, and how we design products and services for the future. To help us unpack this, I’m joined by Christopher Kunney, a global digital health leader, AgeTech advocate, and speaker whose work sits at the intersection of aging, innovation, and impact. Christopher has been a vocal thought leader on the Silver Tsunami and the opportunities within the Silver Economy, and his deeply personal TEDx Talk has inspired many to rethink how we approach longevity, healthcare, and human-centered technology. This will be a conversation about longevity, opportunity, responsibility, and designing a future that works for all ages. Enjoy!

Today’s guest sits right at the intersection of creativity, communication, and what it really means to be human at work. Victoria Flynn has built her career in marketing and communications, helping brands find their voice, tell better stories, and connect in ways that actually resonate. But Victoria isn’t just a go to market expert, she’s also a stand-up comedian, and that combination makes her perspective especially interesting in a world increasingly shaped by AI, automation, and templated communication. In this conversation, we’ll explore her professional journey and the milestones that shaped her path, how comedy influences the way she thinks about storytelling and authenticity, and why humor can be a powerful tool not just for marketing, but for navigating uncertainty and pressure. If you’re interested in marketing, storytelling, creativity, or how to stay human in an increasingly automated world, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear.

Today’s guest is Tom Lenoble, a leader whose career spans Fortune 500 giants, fast-moving startups, and some of the most human, high-pressure environments you can imagine. Tom has led global customer care and service organizations at companies like Walmart, Palm, and Facebook.  But long before boardrooms and global teams, his career started in hospitals, hotels, and restaurants. Those early experiences didn’t just shape how he thinks about customer service; they shaped how he thinks about leadership, empathy, and what it really means to serve people. He’s the author of a powerful book on growth and leadership - My Life in Business Suits, Hospital gGowns, and High Heels- he is the founder of Taranga Enterprises, and the CEO of the Academy for Coaching Excellence, where he works with leaders around the world to move from survival mode to bold, purpose-driven action. Along the way, Tom has built and led teams across cultures and continents, navigated moments of massive professional change, and faced life-threatening health challenges that profoundly reshaped his definition of resilience. In this conversation, we’ll explore the pivotal moments that shaped Tom’s leadership philosophy, what truly effective customer care organizations get right, what he learned inside Facebook during a defining period of growth, and how storytelling, performance, and lived experience have influenced his ability to connect with people at every level. We’ll also dig into his deep commitment to philanthropy and mentorship, and what responsibilities leaders have beyond the walls of their organizations. This episode is about leadership as a mindset, growth as a human journey, and impact that goes far beyond metrics. Enjoy!

APIs are one of the most fundamental building blocks of modern software. They’re how products talk to each other, how teams move fast, and how developers avoid reinventing the wheel every time they ship something new. For years, APIs have been the quiet infrastructure layer that makes scale, integration, and reuse possible. Now AI is putting real pressure on that layer. As more applications become AI-enabled, expectations around speed, flexibility, and abstraction are changing. Developers don’t just need endpoints anymore, they need composable, reliable building blocks that work seamlessly with AI systems, automate complexity, and still give them control. The way APIs are built, discovered, and consumed is starting to shift. To explore that shift, I’m joined by Samuel Kaluvuri, CEO & Chief Architect at ApyHub. Samuel has over 15 years of experience building and scaling developer platforms, and at ApyHub he’s focused on making APIs more accessible, reusable, and developer-friendly in a world that’s rapidly becoming AI-first. In this conversation, we talk about the evolution of APIs, how AI is changing what developers need from platforms like ApyHub, the decision to open-source Voiden, what it means to bootstrap a developer marketplace, and what really matters when leading and scaling technical teams today. Enjoy!

If Scrum was designed today from scratch, in a world of autonomous agents, large language models, and software written at the speed of thought, would it look any different? There’s a provocative idea emerging right now: that Scrum was always, in a way, an AI protocol.  A system built on empiricism, rapid feedback loops, small batch sizes, and adaptive planning,  principles that align almost perfectly with how intelligent systems learn and improve.  And now, as we move from purely human teams to hybrid human-AI teams, that idea isn’t theoretical anymore. It’s being built. Today we’re exploring what might be the next major evolution in software development: Scrum in the age of AI,    and what happens when AI becomes not just a tool, but a teammate. There is no better person to lead this conversation than Jeff Sutherland. Jeff is the co-creator of Scrum, one of the original signatories of the Agile Manifesto, and the founder of Scrum Inc..  His work has transformed how millions of teams build software, and increasingly, how organizations operate far beyond tech. He’s also the author of the bestselling book Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time, which helped bring Scrum principles into the mainstream. Before all of that, Jeff was a fighter pilot, a West Point graduate, and a technologist who has consistently operated at the intersection of discipline, experimentation, and innovation. Now, with his work on ScrumAI, he’s once again pushing the boundaries ,  asking what happens when AI participates directly in backlog refinement, sprint planning, estimation, and delivery.  What does velocity mean in a world where part of the team is non-human? How do we preserve accountability, creativity, and team cohesion in hybrid environments? And what does this mean for the future of the software engineer? Stay tuned to learn the answers.  Enjoy!

Today’s episode is a special one. It’s not often that you get to sit down with someone who has operated at the highest levels of public-sector technology, advised global organizations on the future of innovation, and brought that experience into the classroom and onto the page as a professor and author. That’s why it’s truly an honor to welcome Jonathan Reichental to the show. Jonathan served as CIO for the City of Palo Alto, right in the heart of Silicon Valley, where he helped transform how a city can use technology to better serve its residents, from open data initiatives to digital services that made government more accessible, transparent, and responsive. Since then, through his advisory work and founding Human Future, he’s continued to help cities, governments, and organizations think more boldly, and more practically, about how emerging technologies can improve real lives. What makes Jonathan’s perspective so powerful is the unique combination he brings: hands-on experience inside government, deep roots in the tech industry, and the reflective lens of a professor and author who studies leadership, innovation, and the future of cities. He doesn’t just talk about what’s possible, he understands what’s workable. In this conversation, we’re exploring a critical question: How can cities and governments actually use technology to serve people better? Enjoy!

Today we’re joined by a guest who’s built his career at the intersection of Latin American entrepreneurship, tech, and global opportunity,  Matias Barbero. Matias is an entrepreneur, investor, and ecosystem builder. He is the Founder of 401, a Miami-based platform investing in bold ideas and venture funds, accelerating high-potential startups, and connecting Latin America with the U.S. through a strong cross-border community of founders, investors, and operators.  His work is all about connecting ecosystems, building bridges, and unlocking opportunities,  especially between Latin America and the U.S., whether that’s through mentorship, investment, community programming, or hands-on operational leadership. In this episode, we’ll dive into Matias’s journey: what he’s doing today, the reasons he believes Latin American founders should think globally, especially toward the U.S., and whether there’s truly something special about the bond between these regions.

The way we discover, consume, and trust news is changing faster than at any point in modern history. Audiences are no longer loyal to platforms, distribution is no longer owned, and technology, especially AI, is reshaping not just how content is delivered, but how media organizations think about their very purpose and sustainability.Today’s guest sits right at the intersection of media, technology, and strategy. Allison McHenry is a seasoned media and tech leader who has spent her career helping news organizations navigate digital transformation, audience strategy, and the hard business questions that come with building sustainable, mission-driven media in a fragmented world.In this conversation we will talk about how people are actually consuming news today and how distribution strategies are being rethought from the ground up, through the lens of Allison's story and experience as a Technology and Product Leader in this space. This is a thoughtful, honest conversation about the future of news, and what it will take to build media organizations that truly serve people in the years ahead.

My guest today is Bobby Tahir,  a highly experienced CTO and technology executive with a track record of building, scaling, and modernizing engineering organizations in high-growth and private equity–backed companies.In this conversation, we unpack what really changes for a CTO the moment private equity enters the picture: the shift in expectations, the compressed timelines for value creation, and the strategic mistakes that can quietly derail even strong technical leaders. Bobby shares what PE-backed CTOs often underestimate,  and what the best ones do differently when the pressure is on.We also dig into how AI is reshaping the CTO role in very real ways. Not the hype, but how it actually changes where a CTO spends their time, which teams feel the impact most, and where productivity gains are truly showing up versus being oversold.And finally, we get into people leadership, specifically the hard realities of leading distributed and outsourced engineering teams across cultures and geographies. Bobby offers a grounded take on what great leadership looks like today when teams may never share the same room, but standards still can’t slip.If you’re a CTO, a technical leader, or anyone navigating scale under pressure, this one’s for you.Bobby, thank you so much for being here!

Today’s guest lives right at the intersection where strategy, technology, and organizational reality collide.Noureddine Oirkha is a Strategy & Transformation Director at Deloitte, where he works with large, complex organizations on some of their most ambitious, and most risky, initiatives: digital transformations, global ERP implementations, and enterprise-wide change programs. This is the kind of work where decisions ripple across thousands of people, dozens of systems, and years of execution.In this conversation, we will unpack what digital transformation really means when you strip away the marketing language, why so many large ERP and transformation programs struggle or fail, and why process, discipline, and fundamentals matter just as much as vision and outcomes. If you’ve ever wondered why transformation is so hard, why it fails so often, or how to do it with more honesty and rigor, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Today’s guest has lived through several major waves of technology, and helped shape a few of them along the way. Rupen Chanda is currently the CTO at Bluescape, and over the years he’s held senior engineering and product leadership roles at companies like Adobe and BlackBerry, working at the intersection of platforms, collaboration, and large-scale technology change.In this conversation, we go beyond titles and talk about the inflection points that shaped Rupen’s career, how mindset plays a role in navigating uncertainty, and what it’s really like to lead teams through constant technological disruption. We’ll dive deep into AI, how Rupen sees it transforming the tech industry over the next decade, how he’s applying it in practice at Bluescape, and what concepts like “Industry 5.0” mean when theory meets reality.We’ll also explore what this rapid pace of change means for education, careers, and personal growth, and why human qualities still matter deeply in an AI-driven world. And to round things out, we’ll step away from the keyboard and talk about how Rupen recharges, stays inspired, and keeps perspective outside of tech.Enjoy!

We often wonder why the transition from being a great engineer to becoming a great leader feels so hard.Why do some individual contributors thrive when they step into leadership, while others struggle?At what point does technical excellence stop being enough, and what new skills need to take its place?How much do networking and personal branding really matter in an engineering career, and why do so many engineers resist them? These are the kinds of questions and topics we’ll be exploring today with our guest, Mitch Kosowski.Mitch is an experienced engineering leader who has lived this journey firsthand, from individual contributor to team lead and now executive leadership.He’s deeply thoughtful about what effective leadership actually looks like in practice, how engineers can grow into influence without abandoning their technical roots, and how intentional networking and personal branding can accelerate career growth.Enjoy!

Today’s guest is Franco Pinto, CTO and co-founder of The Mobile-First Company, a startup helping small businesses build mobile-first digital experiences without the traditional complexity of software development.Franco is an engineer and entrepreneur from Argentina who has built his career at the intersection of technology, product, and scale. Alongside his co-founder, Jérémy Goillot, he’s growing a truly global company with teams in Buenos Aires, Miami, and Paris, and an ambitious expansion into the U.S. market.In this episode, we’ll explore Franco’s journey and the milestones that shaped him, the founding story of The Mobile-First Company, and why they chose a horizontal, general-purpose platform over a vertical approach. We’ll also talk about building a cross-border founding partnership, leveraging LATAM talent, scaling globally, what drives Franco, and how he disconnects outside of work.Enjoy!

Today’s guest is Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa; founder, engineer, and one of the sharpest voices thinking about how AI is changing search, visibility, and attention on the internet. He’s built search systems from the ground up and now helps companies understand how they’re discovered by AI, not humans. We’ll talk about AI retrieval, startup lessons, and what founders are getting wrong about visibility today. Let’s dive in.

Today’s guest is Mo Balakrishnan, a software engineering leader working at the intersection of building products, leading teams, and navigating the fast-moving world of AI.In this episode, we’ll talk about how Mo is using AI in his own work, how it’s changing the way teams build software, and what engineers should be excited, or cautious, about as AI becomes part of everyday development. We’ll explore how quickly ideas can now turn into prototypes, whether the AI hype is real or overblown, and how the role of the software engineer is evolving.And of course, we’ll get to know Mo beyond work, what he’s experimenting with and what he enjoys outside of tech.Enjoy!

Today on The Future of the Future, we’re joined by someone who embodies the intersection of creativity, entrepreneurship, and human-centered innovation: Simone Vascotto.Simone is a founder, builder, and global thinker whose work spans branding, marketing, human capital, and now, through his latest venture, HumanaQ, the future of how organizations understand and empower their people.His journey has taken him across industries and across borders, shaping a unique perspective on what it really takes to create companies that are both meaningful and sustainable.In this conversation, we  will dig into the origins of HumanaQ, the milestones that shaped Simone's career, and the lessons he’s learned about balancing passion and skill with financial sustainability.It’s a conversation about culture, vision, discipline, and what it means to build with intention in a world that’s constantly changing.Simone, thank you so much for being here!

If you follow me, you know there is a phrase I like to say over and over.Relationships Matter.The way we get along... with coworkers, clients, etc, matters. We want to have fun and thrive in our own unique ways.Well, today's guest is a living testament of this mantra.Mickeli Bedore is a relationship builder. He is amazing at it!And I want you to hear his story, what he does for a living, and HOW he does it.Enjoy!

Today's episode is about Marketing and AI.My guest is Victoria Olsina, a global marketing strategist, SEO expert, and award-winning stand-up comedian. Victoria has built a truly international career, working across multiple countries and industries, from fintech and Web3 to SaaS and major global brands.In our conversation, we’ll explore her story: how she got started in marketing, how living around the world shaped her perspective, and how she balances creativity and strategy in her work.We’ll also talk about AI and how it’s transforming marketing, how she uses it in her day-to-day, and why many people still aren’t leveraging it to its full potential. And of course, we’ll talk about the future of the industry and her advice for young professionals.Stay tuned, and enjoy the ride.

Today’s guest, Bruce D. Randall, has spent more than 25 years at the front lines of that question — leading teams at Oracle Cloud, AT&T, and multiple startups through waves of digital transformation. As a CEO, COO, and strategist, he’s helped organizations harness AI, cloud, and now quantum computing to drive real innovation.But Bruce also brings something rare to the tech world — a lifelong practice of meditation and energy awareness. As a Reiki Master and author of the upcoming book The AI Human Paradox, he explores how consciousness, intelligence, and technology are converging in ways that could redefine what it means to be human.In this conversation, we’ll dive into the next leap in intelligence — where AI meets quantum computing, where cybersecurity must adapt to an entirely new threat landscape, and where brain–computer interfaces challenge our sense of identity.Bruce shares why awareness may be the most important leadership skill of the 21st century — and how we can stay grounded, ethical, and human in an era of accelerating change.So settle in — this is not just a discussion about technology. It’s a conversation about consciousness, responsibility, and the future we’re all building together.

Today’s guest is a leader who has proven time and again that true success starts in the mind. Des Hague is a globally recognized CEO, author, and leadership strategist who has led multibillion-dollar organizations across industries,  from hospitality and retail to sports and philanthropy. Des is the author of Think Your Way to the Top: Like a Boss!, a year-long leadership journey designed for ambitious entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who want to think clearer, lead stronger, and scale smarter.  He’s also the founder of Thinking Academy, an initiative created to reshape how leaders learn, grow, and, most importantly, think about thinking itself.In today’s conversation, we’ll explore how Des came to see mindset as the true differentiator in leadership success, the pivotal moments that shaped his leadership journey, and how he’s helping the next generation of leaders think better, lead better, and live better.Enjoy!

Jennifer Larson is back in our show to talk about her latest Coffee Shop adventures.I interviewed Jennifer last year to talk about Diversity in the Tech Industry through the lens of her 20+ years of experience in the field (episode 89 if you want to check it out).And then I met her in Minneapolis for Coffee, and she told me she was jumping on a new adventure, owning a Coffee Shop in Wisconsin.This is the story of how and why she decided to do that, and how things are coming along. The lessons she’s learned, what she likes, what she doesn’t like, and what’s next for the Coffee Shop and for her.She recorded the episode at the shop, during the last day of the season.  Enjoy!

When you get to a certain age in life, you start wondering. What are the next decades going to look like? What am I going to do during this time? How can I make the most of it?We reflect more on what success is, what makes us happy.On this podcast, I get to interview a lot of people that I admire. Today's guest, Dan O'Sullivan, is no exception. Dan has an impressive career in Sales. He is a passionate Leader that cares deeply about the growth of his team. He knows his success is directly related to the success of his people.Dan is a surfer. He loves the ocean. Talk to him about waves, and he won't stop smiling. He has surfed all over the world, but he has a special type of connection with the West African Coast region, where he is working with the NGO "Provide the slide" to help young people get into surfing and enjoy all the benefits and new perspectives in life that this sport provides.This is an episode about joy, giving, and surfing. This is the story of Dan O'Sullivan.Enjoy!

Today, we are diving into the critical connection between design and business success. For organizations striving to unlock the full potential of their design capabilities, our guest offers a blueprint for transforming the design function into a powerful strategic asset.Our guest is Dean T. Barker, author of Advance: How to Move Your Business Forward with Design Strategy. The book blends the best of design strategy with actionable insights, providing a robust framework of knowledge, process, and tools for design leadership.Dean’s expertise is extensive: he is one of the rare User Experience (UX) professionals who has been a successful consultant and led a large UX organization in a Fortune 100 company. His career spans over two decades in the design and development of software products.In our conversation, we will explore Dean’s experience and his story in the technology industry, his philosophy and methodology for design strategy and the reasons why this is so close to his heart.Whether you are new to the field or have decades of experience, you will find inspiration and valuable frameworks in this episode that will help make you indispensable to your organization.

What is magic? Is it an art? A performance? A show?How do we feel about it? and why?What is a magician? Maybe most importantly, who is a magician? How does a person become a magician and why?This is the story of Daniel K, a talented Magician from the small and remote country of Uruguay. And The only Uruguayan magician who made it to the historic Hollywood Magic Castle. How do you go from small performances for your family, in a remote 3 million people country, to Hollywood?Stay tuned, and enjoy the ride.

Today’s guest is Sandy Carter, a trailblazer at the intersection of technology, business, and innovation. From leading transformative growth at IBM and AWS to now serving as COO of Unstoppable Domains, Sandy has consistently been at the forefront of shaping how enterprises and consumers embrace emerging technologies.Recognized as one of the most influential women in Web3 and a passionate advocate for digital identity, she’s not only an accomplished executive but also an author of multiple influential books, including her latest, AI First, Human Always. Sandy brings a unique perspective on how culture, leadership, and “innovation superpowers” can empower organizations to thrive in disruptive times.In this conversation, we’ll explore her career journey, the convergence of AI and Web3, the cultural challenges of digital transformation, and the lessons she’s learned bringing both traditional and forward-looking brands into the future of decentralized technology.

Today’s guest is Laura King, a transformation guide, strategist, and author of Shine Brighter: The High Performer’s Guide to Purpose, Presence, and Peak Living. After conducting over 30,000 interviews and navigating her own journey through burnout, Laura has distilled powerful insights into how we can redefine success, not just by achieving more, but by aligning with who we truly are.In this conversation, we’ll explore what it means to step away from performance-based living, how to balance ambition with inner peace, and the practical tools Laura shares to help us all shine brighter in life and work.

Today, I’m joined by Joe Dunleavy — a technology leader with deep experience in software development and innovation. Joe has built his career at the intersection of strategy, engineering, and emerging technology, and today he’s helping teams harness the power of AI to transform the way software is built and delivered.In this conversation, we’ll explore Joe’s career journey and the milestones that brought him to his current role. We’ll dig into how his team is already using AI in their work, the changes AI is driving in software development today, and what the future might look like in the next few years. We’ll also talk about the biggest opportunities and risks AI introduces for developers and engineering teams, the evolving skillsets needed to succeed, and how culture plays a role in adapting to this new era.And finally, Joe will share his perspective on what it takes to thrive in a leadership role like his. Whether you’re a developer, a team lead, or just curious about where software is headed, this is a conversation packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

What does it take to lead a global, distributed team?What skills are needed to succeed? How can you get the most of your team members, no matter where they are located? How can you give them the most, and make them feel valued and integrated?These are some of the questions we will talk about today, with my guest John "Ten" Dougherty.We will also talk about his personal journey in technology, how he started leading teams, and what are the biggest joys and challenges that come with the role. And maybe, just maybe, we will get to know the reason behind his nickname "Ten". Tune in, and enjoy the ride.

Today, we’re diving deep into one of the most pressing challenges of our time: how to build artificial intelligence responsibly.My guest is Quentin Reul, a leader in AI ethics and governance, and an active contributor to the IEEE working group on AI Ethics Oversight. Quentin has spent years helping organizations unlock the potential of data and AI while keeping responsibility, transparency, and trust at the core.In this conversation, we’ll unpack some of the most urgent headlines in generative AI—from models resorting to manipulation and unsafe outputs, to the governance gaps that make these risks possible. Quentin will help us cut through the noise, explaining in plain language why these systems behave the way they do, what Responsible AI really means in practice, and how companies can start embedding ethical principles before—not after—something goes wrong.We’ll also explore the debates shaping the future of AI: additive vs. subtractive approaches to governance, the promise of hybrid neuro-symbolic systems, and the processes leaders often overlook in their rush to innovate. And finally, we’ll look ahead—what guardrails and cultural shifts will be needed to ensure AI remains not just powerful, but also sustainable and trusted?So, whether you’re an AI builder, policymaker, or just someone trying to make sense of the headlines, this episode will give you both a framework and a forward-looking perspective.Let’s dive in with Quentin Reul.

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Alex Blinov, a product and operations leader who’s helped shape high-performing teams across global companies. Currently at Zendrop, Alex is driving innovation in hybrid fulfillment models, blending technology and operations to empower e-commerce entrepreneurs around the world.In this conversation, we’ll explore how Alex transformed Zendrop’s product team into a metric-driven, high-velocity unit, his perspective on how AI will reshape fulfillment and global commerce, and the future of product operations in an increasingly remote, AI-assisted world. We’ll also dive into his unique background in physics and economics, and how those disciplines influence his approach to product leadership and strategy.Beyond work, Alex is a big advocate for personal well-being and balance in leadership, so we’ll discuss how leaders can sustain creativity, health, and decision-making in an era where AI takes over more of the operational load.Alex has a fascinating mix of rigor, vision, and humanity, and I’m excited to get into it. Let’s dive in.

Architecture is often described as the discipline where science meets art, because it combines creativity with technical precision, to shape the spaces we live in.This is the story of Hilario Canessa, an experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the intersection of technology and design.Hilario is the CEO & Founder of Studio 4D - an innovation company focused on immersive digital environments for Urbanism & Masterplanning, Industrial Training, Media & Entertainment. In this episode, we will talk about Architecture, the intersection between rationality and creativity, immersive digital experiences, AI, Music, Rugby, and so much more.Stay tuned and enjoy the ride.

Today’s conversation takes us to the intersection of technology and humanity in a way that few people explore. My guest, John Kammer, began his career in cybersecurity, protecting data, privacy, and trust in the digital world. But his path took an unexpected turn: into the deeply human, deeply personal realm of grief. Now, as a grief support innovator, John is pioneering the use of AI to create tools that honor loss, respect vulnerability, and provide comfort without shortcuts, surveillance, or exploitation.In this episode, we’ll explore how John’s background in security informs his approach to protecting people at their most vulnerable moments, how AI can play a role in grief without ever replacing human empathy, and how lived experience shapes the technology he built. We’ll also talk about trust, impact, and his vision for a future where technology supports healing in the most ethical and compassionate ways possible.This is a conversation about innovation, vulnerability, and the ways we can design technology that serves the human soul. Let’s dive in.

Today, I'm excited to welcome Armin Aghili, a seasoned technologist who has transitioned from being an in-house employee to forging his own path as an entrepreneur and contractor. Armin brings a unique perspective at the intersection of cutting-edge technologies like AI and Extended Reality (XR), and currently leads innovation at Ultimate Dimension, a company revolutionizing renovation estimating with advanced tech solutions. We’ll explore his journey, his insights on the evolving tech landscape, and how AI and XR are reshaping industries, including the world of construction estimates and beyond.Enjoy!

Today, I’m joined by Fahrzin Hemmati; an engineer, entrepreneur, and former big tech leader who’s spent his career at the intersection of product, engineering, and innovation. In this episode, we explore Farz current work and what’s motivating him as a founder today. We talk about his transition from big tech to entrepreneurship, the hype versus reality around AI, and the sustainability of VC-subsidized business models.Farz brings a thoughtful, grounded perspective to topics like the future of work, how AI is reshaping software development, and what technical founders often get wrong early on.Stick around; this one’s packed with insight.

In a world where artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool but a constant companion, what’s happening to the very way we think?From how we solve problems to how we teach our children, AI’s influence is not just reshaping our jobs; it’s reshaping our minds.Today, we’re joined by Dr. Ashwin Mehta, an AI Strategist and Organizational Futurist who explores the deep and often overlooked impact of AI on human cognition.With decades of experience guiding industries through technological change, Dr. Mehta helps us understand the silent trade-offs of cognitive offloading, the skills we must urgently preserve, and how we can strike a balance between the efficiency of machines and the intuition of the human mind.This is a conversation about the future of our thoughts, and the future of ourselves.Enjoy!

Generative AI is everywhere right now,  but implementing it in a meaningful way is a whole different story. Whether you're a scrappy nonprofit or a fast-moving startup, the challenges of adopting AI go way beyond just plugging into ChatGPT. Today, we’re diving into what it really takes to bring generative AI into both nonprofit and for-profit organizations: the obstacles, the opportunities, and the practical steps leaders can take to move forward.To help us unpack all of that, I'm joined by Dr. Stephen Huff, someone who’s been working at the intersection of technology, strategy, and education for years. He advises businesses and nonprofits alike on how to make AI work for them, and he brings a really grounded, no-nonsense perspective to the conversation. Enjoy!

The most common educational path for HR leaders is a bachelor's degree in HR, Business or Psychology, with a master in business or HR. Most HR leaders spent most of their career in HR. At Xseed, we are trying something new.  We are a software development company after all. So why not try someone with a background in software development? This is the story of Diego Castro. From QA Automation Lead, to People Manager. Why? When? How? Stay tuned to learn more. Enjoy!

This episode is about running Operations for a Software Development Company.What does it mean to run Operations?What are the keys to success?How do you keep up with all the moving pieces?These are some of the questions I will be asking to our very own Agustina Suarez, Operations Manager at Xseed Solutions.Mind you, I am as biased as it gets. Because I have the privilege of working with Agus daily, and I know what she is capable of. She is the reason I can go on vacations and simply forget about work. Need I say more?But,  I will let you learn more on your own, and I promise I will stick to asking questions only.Enjoy!!!

Today on The Future of the Future, we sat down with someone who’s been at the center of Charleston’s growing tech scene and has spent the last decade connecting some of the most innovative minds in the Southeast: Stanfield Gray.Stanfield is the founder and force behind DigSouth, the premier tech summit and media platform showcasing what's next in technology, business, and culture across the South. From launching the first editions of DigSouth to bringing major tech leaders to Charleston, Stanfield has built something bigger than just an event—he’s helped shape a regional movement.In this conversation, we unpack his journey: how he got started in the tech world, what inspired him to create DigSouth, and how the landscape has evolved—especially through the COVID era. We’ll dive into his playbook for attracting big names to Charleston, his perspective on networking in a digital-first world, and what he sees coming next for the Southeast’s innovation economy.And of course, we’ll take a step back to learn more about the person behind it all—his lessons as an entrepreneur, his vision for the future, and what keeps him grounded when he’s not working.If you’re curious about building communities, driving innovation outside of Silicon Valley, or just want to hear a great story from someone at the intersection of tech, media, and the South—this one’s for you.Let 's get into it.