New Rules of the Game

In this episode of New Rules of the Game, we sit down with Murli Thirumale, a serial entrepreneur and seasoned tech executive whose journey spans three major startups—Net6, Ocarina, and Portworx—all of which ended in successful acquisitions. Murli shares behind-the-scenes insights into how each company was built, what differentiated them in crowded markets, and the lessons learned from scaling through acquisition by industry giants like Citrix, Dell, and Pure Storage. Murli also reflects on the changing enterprise landscape, the rise of container-native storage, and what it means to lead with integrity in the venture world. Whether you're an IT leader, founder, or investor, this conversation is a masterclass in navigating the intersection of innovation, timing, and strategic exits.

He joined as employee #52. He helped turn a small Florida startup into a $3 billion software powerhouse. In this extended conversation, former Citrix CEO Mark Templeton reflects on the defining moments that shaped Citrix into a global software leader. From IPO highs to crisis lows, cultural transformation to product reinvention, this is the definitive story of Citrix’s rise—told by the leader who lived it. Discover: - How a trampoline photo became a metaphor for the customer experience - The 3 human values that built an award-winning culture - How Citrix went from a "one-trick pony" to a diversified product giant Why GoToMeeting was the tech that thrilled him most - The boldest risk, biggest lesson, and one decision he’d take back - And don’t miss the Speed Round where Mark opens up about his favorite book, boldest bets, and why his bucket “runneth over.”

What happens when you quit your graduate program and land in New York City with nothing but instinct and 13 weeks to find a job? For Harry Labana, it led to an unexpected launchpad into Wall Street and a trailblazing career across Citrix, VMware, and now Proofpoint. In this compelling episode, Harry shares how he helped redefine the future of desktop virtualization (VDI), built relationships with legends like Mark Templeton and Brad Pedersen, and drove innovation from the inside—whether on the trading floor or in enterprise tech strategy. We talk legacy vs. cloud-native architecture, employee experience, Citrix vs. VMware, AI’s next wave, and why empathy and timing matter more than ever in tech leadership. 📌 Watch to the end for Harry’s candid take on innovation, the one thing enterprise IT keeps getting wrong, and his dream to reshape field hockey in the U.S.

In this episode of New Rules of the Game, we sit down with Kevin Goodman, a legend in the world of VDI, DaaS, and Enterprise IT. Kevin co-founded FSLogix, a groundbreaking company that transformed user profile management in virtual environments—so much so that Microsoft acquired it in 2018. He later joined AWS, bringing his expertise to one of the biggest cloud providers in the world. Now retired, Kevin shares decades of insights into VDI, cloud computing, AI, and where the tech industry is heading next. 💡 Topics Covered: 🔹 The rise and fall of on-prem VDI & the shift to DaaS in the cloud 🔹 How FSLogix revolutionized virtualization & why Microsoft acquired it 🔹 The real costs of moving to AWS & Azure – Why some companies fail 🔹 The future of AI & electricity – Why power grids will dictate the next tech wave 🔹 Why AWS will dominate cloud computing over Microsoft & Google 🔹 Kevin’s biggest tech prediction for the next 10 years 🔹 Career advice for IT pros & college students navigating the AI era   👇 Let’s Continue the Conversation: ✅ What’s your take on the future of VDI & DaaS? ✅ Do you agree with Kevin’s prediction about power grids & AI? ✅ Drop your thoughts in the comments below!   #VDI #CloudComputing #FSLogix #Microsoft #AWS #AI #DaaS #TechPodcast #NewRulesOfTheGame

🔥 In this gripping episode of New Rules of the Game, we sit down with Ruben Spruijt, a world-renowned Field CTO, industry expert, and eternal collaborator, to discuss his near-death experience, the latest trends in VDI & DaaS, and the future of AI in IT. 🔹 Topics Covered: ✔️ Ruben’s life-changing freak accident – A true test of resilience and faith ✔️ The biggest misconceptions about VDI & DaaS ✔️ AI’s impact on IT and whether it's overhyped ✔️ Cloud vs. Hybrid – What’s the smartest long-term play? ✔️ The rise of enterprise browsers and their role in security ✔️ Job market trends – Why so many IT pros are struggling to find work ✔️ Career advice for IT leaders navigating a changing landscape   #VDI #DaaS #AI #CloudComputing #ITTrends #EUC #TechPodcast #NewRulesOfTheGame #RubenSpruijt

AI is evolving faster than ever—every four weeks, its capabilities are doubling. But what does this mean for the future of work, technology, and even human society? In this episode of New Rules of the Game, I sit down with Reuven Cohen, a pioneer in AI and agentic systems, to discuss the cutting edge of artificial intelligence, from AI that improves itself to autonomous systems shaping industries. Reuven shares his insights into the rapid advancements in AI, its impact on businesses and jobs, and how AI is transitioning from centralized cloud systems to edge computing and intelligent IoT devices.   🔥 Topics Covered in This Episode: ✅ How AI is self-improving and reshaping industries ✅ The rise of agentic engineering and autonomous AI ✅ AI at the edge – intelligent IoT devices ✅ How AI is replacing traditional jobs & what jobs are safe ✅ The future of AI-powered robotics & human augmentation ✅ Why AI is developing emergent capabilities beyond human comprehension ✅ What the next 10 years of AI will look like – the coming age of enlightenment   🚀 About Reuven Cohen: Reuven is a trailblazer in AI, having played a key role in the development of EY’s Enterprise AI Stack (EY.ai), used by over 400,000 employees and 1.5 million users. He’s an expert in agentic engineering, a cutting-edge field focused on building self-directed AI systems that think, adapt, and act autonomously.   #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AgenticEngineering #ReuvenCohen #FutureOfWork #Automation #TechPodcast #AIInnovation #NewRulesOfTheGame

In this mind-blowing conversation, I sit down with Natalie Lambert, an AI strategist who got her start at Google and now runs GenEdge, a consulting firm helping businesses gain a competitive edge with AI. We break down the real impact of AI—what’s hype, what’s happening now, and what’s coming next.   🔥 Topics Covered in This Episode: ✅ How AI is already replacing and transforming jobs ✅ Why startups can now scale to $100M+ with just 5 employees ✅ The future of content creation in an AI-driven world ✅ The AI infrastructure race—who’s leading the charge? ✅ AI in healthcare, marketing, coding, and everyday life ✅ The rise of AI-powered CEOs—will they replace humans? ✅ Will AI solve aging and extend human lifespan? ✅ How YOU can stay ahead in the age of AI   🎯 Whether you're an entrepreneur, a tech enthusiast, or just AI-curious, this episode is packed with insights you can’t afford to miss!   🔹 The Game is Changing—AI is Writing the Rules. 🔹 #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AGI #FutureOfWork #MarketingAI #AIRevolution #TechPodcast #NewRulesOfTheGame

What if the story of remote computing started with just seven engineers and a radical idea? In this epic 2-hour interview, Brad Pedersen, the original architect behind Citrix’s ICA protocol and employee #7 at Citrix, sits down with Brad Peterson to share the untold story of how Citrix was built—from the earliest days of bootstrapped engineering to defining an entire industry. In this exclusive, unfiltered conversation, Brad walks us through Citrix’s early architecture, the birth of the ICA protocol, battles with Microsoft, and the bold moves that made Citrix a global force in remote work technology. 🚀 We cover the company’s founding, product pivots, going public, and the legendary “monkey ceremony.” Whether you're a longtime Citrix fan or a newcomer curious about the origins of virtual desktops, this is the ultimate behind-the-scenes tech history.