Ever wonder how things actually get done in a tech company? This week, John and Nate sit down with Jennifer Silvestre, Business Unit Operations Lead at insightsoftware, to decode the art of cross-functional alignment.

Jen shares her journey from market research to becoming a functional chief of staff (even if that's not her official title), and reveals the playbook for getting things done when you don't have direct authority. From "herding cats" across departments to knowing the "beats of the business," she breaks down what it really takes to turn organizational politics into productivity.

Lessons Learned: John worries about AI replacing product managers, Jenn reflects on work-life balance heading into Q4, and Nate discovers that Beethoven (the dog movie) has a deeply disturbing plot.

Jen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifersilvestre/

New Episodes every Tuesday

Videos and clips available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GettintoMarketPod

"One throat to choke." "Peek behind the kimono." "Let's go." You've heard them all, probably cringed, and maybe said a few yourself.

John ran an experiment: he analyzed earnings calls from the top 50 tech companies and found that buzzword usage spikes when performance tanks. Turns out corporate jargon is just expensive filler.

We go through our personal lists of phrases we'd retire, debate better alternatives, and admit which ones we're guilty of using. John hates "fly the plane while we build it." Nate makes the case against military jargon in software. And we discover that "puts and takes" might actually be useful.

Also: the difference between bison and buffalo, why crystallized knowledge matters more as you age, and John's continued quest to disconnect from his phone.

New Episodes every Tuesday

Videos and clips available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GettintoMarketPod

What starts as "I need to practice presenting" can turn into a personal brand that opens doors. Ann Marie Chrudimsky, Enterprise Account Executive at Box, joins John and Nate to share how her Blue Microphone interview series evolved from Instagram book reviews to interviewing executives at her company's annual conference.

The conversation explores why some of the best side projects start with skill-building rather than ambition, how to navigate organizational politics when you want to create content, and why writing and project management are becoming more valuable as AI floods inboxes with generic messages. Ann Marie also breaks down the reality of enterprise sales cycles, navigating increasingly complex procurement processes, and how relationship-building remains the differentiator when everyone else is automating.

Plus: How AI may solve a decades old OCR challenge, why tech barriers stop more projects than fear does, the strategic advantage of starting with low-stakes personal content, and proof that John was once good at talking to customers.

Topics covered:

• Building skills through low-stakes practice
• Creating content that serves your development (not just your company)
• Navigating organizational support for personal brand initiatives
• Enterprise sales in an era of security scrutiny
• Why human touch matters more as automation increases

Lessons learned: Dead mice at school require parental conversations, 5.5 million devices still run Windows XP, and Best Buy now helps your grandma stay at home longer.

Find Ann Marie and the Blue Microphone series on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annmariechrudimsky/

New Episodes every Tuesday

Videos and clips available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GettintoMarketPod