Episodes

  • Special Edition: End Of Year Review 2024

    Special Edition: End Of Year Review 2024
    Dec 31 2024
    Hosts Howard Holton, Paul Lewis, and Carlos Vargas delve into leadership in the tech industry, examining the effects of the current economic climate and recent layoffs on employees. They emphasize the need to view jobs as part of a broader career strategy and advocate for a company culture that values employee contributions. The discussion highlights leveraging AI for growth and the importance of understanding market dynamics to prepare for job instability, urging listeners to focus on career resilience and invest in their professional development.
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    42 mins
  • Why Are You so Tired CTO?

    Why Are You so Tired CTO?
    Dec 25 2024
    Carlos Vargas Anderson introduces SwissPA, a platform for IT leaders to exchange insights, while sharing personal updates about his vacation and a 3D printing project called Gridfinity, which offers customizable organizers. He discusses the affordability of 3D printing and the challenges of food-safe materials. As year-end approaches, he highlights the stress tech leaders face with budgeting and the importance of building strong relationships with CFOs for effective financial planning. Carlos emphasizes employee management, retention strategies, and the need for leaders to practice patience and prioritize team well-being during the holiday season.
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    43 mins
  • Did Your Spend It All Yet? - Part 1

    Did Your Spend It All Yet? - Part 1
    Dec 19 2024
    Carlos Vargas Anderson introduces SwissPA, a platform for IT leaders to exchange insights, while sharing personal updates about his vacation and a 3D printing project called Gridfinity, which offers customizable organizers. He discusses the challenges tech leaders face during Q4, including budgeting pressures and the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with CFOs for accurate financial planning. Strategies for managing stress and fostering a positive work environment are highlighted, emphasizing the need for leaders to encourage their teams to take time off to prevent burnout.
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    43 mins
  • Pastries, Coffee and AI

    Pastries, Coffee and AI
    Dec 3 2024
    A podcast episode recorded at a CISO conference in Miami features discussions with Chester Conforte and David Letterman on the transformative impact of Generative AI on enterprises. The conversation delves into the balance between risk and innovation, the potential job market disruption, and the ethical implications of AI, emphasizing the need for human oversight. The speakers explore AI's limitations, the importance of workforce specialization, and the philosophical effects of AI on society, while advocating for critical thinking and continuous learning in an AI-driven world.
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    56 mins
  • Know Thyself: Navigating the AI Hype — Insights from the Gartner CIO Symposium

    Know Thyself: Navigating the AI Hype — Insights from the Gartner CIO Symposium
    Oct 26 2024
    Insights from the Gartner IT Symposium highlight the critical role of AI, particularly generative AI, for IT leaders and CIOs. While predictions about AI's impact have been validated, many organizations struggle with maturity and data quality for successful implementation. The discussion identifies two distinct races in AI adoption—one for vendors and another for enterprises—differentiating between simple and complex use cases. A shift in tone from urgency to caution emphasizes the need for organizations to assess their capabilities and adapt to potential job displacement, particularly in middle management. Leadership skills, self-awareness, and a focus on unique organizational strengths are essential for effectively leveraging AI.
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    34 mins
  • What to expect from this year's Gartner Conference 2024 Key Message

    What to expect from this year's Gartner Conference 2024 Key Message
    Oct 18 2024
    Hosts Harold Hilton and Paul Lewis share their enthusiasm for the upcoming Gartner conference at Epcot, reflecting on past experiences and improvements at the venue. They discuss the conference's significance in shaping industry trends and AI strategies, emphasizing the need to grasp Gartner's messaging for the year ahead. The hosts critique Gartner's focus on tools without addressing enterprise readiness and integration issues, expressing concerns about the rise of siloed AI systems. They advocate for a unified approach to AI implementation, highlighting the importance of data quality and trust in AI outputs, and eagerly anticipate insights on AI developments and their business implications from the conference.
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    48 mins
  • Don't Call Me, I'll Call You. You Need SPIN

    Don't Call Me, I'll Call You. You Need SPIN
    Oct 4 2024
    Carlos Vargas, Howard Holton, and Paul Lewis delve into essential leadership insights, sharing Carlos's experiences from attending Black Hat and DEF CON. He unexpectedly delivered a keynote presentation while on the go and expressed frustration over irrelevant vendor solicitations post-conference. The discussion critiques traditional sales methodologies that prioritize quantity over quality, highlighting the challenges of cold outreach. Emphasizing the importance of trust and relationship-building, the hosts advocate for a customer-centric approach to enhance sales effectiveness and transparency. The key takeaway underscores the necessity of genuine connections in sales for improved outcomes.
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    36 mins
  • The Dark Side of an Executive

    The Dark Side of an Executive
    Sep 27 2024
    Carlos Vargas, Howard Holton, and Paul Lewis delve into the leadership challenges faced in the tech industry, discussing the often negative perception of IT departments and the unrealistic expectations surrounding budgets and service delivery. They explore the complexities of chargebacks, prioritization of IT projects, and the importance of managing employee expectations during technological transitions. The conversation highlights the need for effective stakeholder engagement and clear communication of the value and ROI of IT initiatives, encouraging listeners to share their own experiences in navigating these challenges.
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    41 mins