Podcast: Reshaping the Probate Industry with John Catnach
Podcast – Episode 72:
Reshaping the Probate Industry
Making life less challenging in emotional times
End-of-life is a challenging time for loved ones. The bereavement process is difficult at the best of times, adding further challenges when the legal and financial questions arise from the event. Well, the guest we have on this podcast is working hard to make this smoother. John Catnach, the CTO of Exizent, is working hard with his team to create a smoother and more efficient process. It reduces time to find information, provides it to all the relevant parties, and eliminates duplication of information. This solution that Exizent is providing is a great example of how technology can make people’s lives easier, even in the most trying of times.
“Staying in touch with your team, what they do, how they feel, and how they think – is the path to creating a close-knit bunch of people that will work together amazingly. Be the catalyst in your team.“
John’s experience and success is what made him a very interesting prospect to sit down and learn more about the hows and whys of the tech world, and we did just that. The results? Just click play.
Key takeaways from the podcast are:
- Just how complex the bereavement process can be and how Exizent is providing a solution to that.
- The art of over-communication when working remotely (especially in the COVID-19 era)
- The importance of making yourself expendable so you can be agile, nimble, and free in your career with ease and elegance (not being so important you become pigeon holed into a project)
TLDR: Straight to the point
(Quick Links)
We all live busy lives, and sometimes a long podcast is too much of a time-footprint for our busy schedules. So, to help you get to the bit you’re more interested in, use our table of contents below. Quick links to help you get straight to the point.
1. Introducing the podcast and the guest
2. The heaviness of the corporate world
3. The problem Exizent is solving
4. What's John’s passion on the tech field?
5. Code Club and STEM ambassador
6. John’s leadership purpose
7. John’s opinion on using emojis for communication
8. Unit testing
9. John’s book recommendations
10. A wish to the tech genie
11. Key takeaways from the podcast
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Podcast: Major pivot to Major success with Eoin O’Brien
Podcast – Episode 71:
Major pivot to Major success
Tracking assets and people for workflow visibility, predictability, and efficiencyworld
In business development and in particular start-ups, we talk about pivoting whenever the situation has changed or an even better idea has appeared. One that solves a real problem and pain point in the real world.
Well, our guest in this episode of CTO Confessions, Eoin O’Brien, tells about a huge pivot that led to an immense success. He is the CTO of Tracworx, a company that offers a cloud-hosted Wi-Fi-based patient flow management and asset tracking solution. This is all in the spirit of improving operational efficiency within organizations. Eoin joins us to share his leadership and start-up journey and lessons learned so far.
“Take a human-centered approach in everything you build, otherwise you risk ending up with something that’s technically impressive, but no one will want to use.“
Key takeaways from the podcast with Eoin are:
- How having a varied set of leaders allows for a blend of leadership that can create a solid foundation for success.
- Why pivoting is not just a cool jazz dance move, it’s an important and potentially high return business tool
- How to build a good strong, resilient team around you, so your business has resilience in tough times
TLDR: Straight to the point
(Quick Links)
We all live busy lives, and sometimes a long podcast is too much of a time-footprint for our busy schedules. So, to help you get to the bit you’re more interested in, use our table of contents below. Quick links to help you get straight to the point.
1. Introducing the podcast and the guest
2. How did the company adapt to COVID times?
3. Eoin’s journey to becoming a tech leader
4. Tracworx’s growth plan
5. Eoin’s passion that gets him going
6. Eoin’s leadership style
7. Eoin’s opinion on using emojis
8. Engineering challenges in the company
9. Eoin’s advice to aspiring tech leaders out there
10. Key takeaways from the podcast
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Podcast: For the love of data with Arend-Jan Nijhuis
Podcast – Episode 70:
For the love of data
Leading innovation and learning in the data spaceworld
There are mountain ranges of it! There are oceans of it! Not only do we climb the mountains, but we also swim in it as well. Yes! We are talking about data. And yes, it’s an understatement to say there is a bit of it about. To help us tech leaders get clarity on this bonkers situation, we have Arend-Jan Nijhuis, a data expert who joins us on CTO Confessions, to share his experience and some tips about how to harness its potential. Also, some sharing of cases where the use of data went curly at the edges and created a huge undesirable impact.
“Data is all about perspectives – each one leads to its own unique conclusion, but the one thing to remember is that as leaders, we should always keep the business perspective in mind.“
Key takeaways from the podcast with Arend are:
- How companies and governments are using big data and the pitfalls and benefits of using it
- The gravitation towards harmonized systems so data can be shared in standardized forms
- Some tips on outsourcing (Arends experience)
- The importance of multidisciplinary teams so that innovation can emerge from the exportation of data
- The role of an analytical translator to help understand and use the data
TLDR: Straight to the point
(Quick Links)
We all live busy lives, and sometimes a long podcast is too much of a time-footprint for our busy schedules. So, to help you get to the bit you’re more interested in, use our table of contents below. Quick links to help you get straight to the point.
1. Introducing the guest and the podcast
2. The journey to becoming a tech leader
3. Arend’s advice for inspiring tech leaders
4. Why is Data so important?
5. Data projects gone horribly wrong
6. Using AI/ML to process data
7. Tips on leading teams
8. Arend’s wish from the tech genie
9. Key takeaways from the podcast
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Podcast: Tech'ing up the last-mile with Lachlan Laycock
Podcast – Episode 69:
Tech’ing up the last-mile
Advanced and efficient delivery through geo-localized couriersworld
We are all served by them in these modern times. Those helpful men and women bringing our orders to our homesteads. The complexity of this last logistical mile becomes evident as one scales, and constraints become evident. Expected costs are being driven down, and time to deliver ever smaller.
In this episode, we speak to the CTO of Stuart, a company in this space; Lachlan Laycock joins us to celebrate his lessons learnt and his team’s efforts.
“Before you get any help, you need to know what you need help for – a trait that’s really underappreciated and not so talked about, but as leaders we need to be fully aware of this as this reasoning can be the backbone of every successful project.“
TC sat down with Lachlan to learn more about his exciting journey in the tech world, the challenges he’s facing as a CTO, and how he leads his team every day.
Key takeaways from the podcast are:
- Making your life easier as a leader by employing people better than you
- How using data sharpens the edge of the competitive blade
- The importance of addressing the really good, the bad, and the damn right ugly. Those towers-of-knowledge and toxic members of your team
TLDR: Straight to the point
(Quick Links)
We all live busy lives, and sometimes a long podcast is too much of a time-footprint for our busy schedules. So, to help you get to the bit you’re more interested in, use our table of contents below. Quick links to help you get straight to the point.
1. Introducing the podcast and the guest
2. Becoming a tech leader
3. The logistic chain
4. Key challenges around optimization
5. Lachlan’s leadership style
6. Dealing with COVID 19 times
7. Using technologies such as AI/ML
8. Lachlan’s book recommendations
9. Stopping for a moment to plan ahead
10. Key takeaways from the podcast
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Podcast: Simplifying Holidays and Leisure One Project at a Time with Christian Rudolph
Podcast – Episode 68:
Simplifying Holidays and Leisure One Project at a Time
The tech behind making holidays more accessible and more funworld
A techie who started out as a system administrator, and slowly worked his way up the ladder, ending up as the Director of DevOps at TUI Travel Group, the world’s number one holiday business group – Christian Rudolph. We sat down with him in an episode, and he just let us pick his brain as we tried to see what’s really ‘techy’ that’s going on behind the scenes in a big corporation like TUI, as well as learn about his experience as a tech leader.
“Always challenge the status quo inside your teams, otherwise you risk not just efficiency and productivity inside the teams, but also stagnation on a company level.“
From his humble beginnings, all the way to leading teams in a big company, Christian has wisdom that we’re sure many of you would like to hear – from his advice on how to put together high performing teams, all the way to how he manages them, there’s not much else to say than: this is an episode you must hear.
Key takeaways from this podcast are:
- How leading teams can actually help you maintain your passion
- Why maintaining team spirit is more important than ensuring efficiency
- How trust shapes the teams and ensures longevity efficiency
TLDR: Straight to the point
(Quick Links)
We all live busy lives, and sometimes a long podcast is too much of a time-footprint for our busy schedules. So, to help you get to the bit you’re more interested in, use our table of contents below. Quick links to help you get straight to the point.
Transform your technology organization with IT Labs teams.
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Podcast: All roads lead to data with Ian Gordon
Podcast – Episode 67:
All roads lead to data
The journey of a young techie and his efforts to modernize vital public infrastructure that connect us all – roadsworld
Most tech leaders can be found plying their trade in the private sector, but there are those with big dreams and the willingness to make the world a better place by rolling up their sleeves, and getting down in the mud. Ian Gordon, Head of Data Architecture at Highways England is just that. This starry-eyed young techie with big dreams and goals understood what it means to provide value for customers and users, and just set about doing that by working with a network bigger than the internet – the road network.
“Big projects are all about knowing how to take advantage of different domains, but also getting them to work more effectively together – in there lies the true magic of technology.“
We talked with Ian about his journey through tech world, how he envisages roads in the 21st century, and how to find pockets of imperfection in which one can make a telling contribution. His curiosity, modesty, and willingness to tackle problems that most people shy away from is something that every aspiring tech leader should learn from.
Key takeaways from the podcast:
- How large amounts of data can actually hinder progress if they lack quality
- Why looking at the bigger picture is a “quick fix” when looking for areas in which you need to improve
- How do the public and private sector differ in terms of functionality and keeping up with the times
TLDR: Straight to the point
(Quick Links)
We all live busy lives, and sometimes a long podcast is too much of a time-footprint for our busy schedules. So, to help you get to the bit you’re more interested in, use our table of contents below. Quick links to help you get straight to the point.
Transform your technology organization with IT Labs teams.
Reach out to us.
Podcast: Making Management Easy – Hornbill Style with Gerry Sweeney
Podcast – Episode 66:
Making Management Easy – Hornbill Style
Using technology to improve efficiency and deliver success world
What started out as a quest to develop a tool for management, tracking progress, and streamlining work processes, turned into a business which is helping other businesses deliver high quality products and improving workflow! The man behind this business? Gerry Sweeney, the Founder & CEO at Hornbill – a techie with a natural affinity for technology who loves automation and solving problems, and a tech leader with a vast experience in various IT fields.
“Focusing on problem solving while working on projects can be a slippery slope, as there is the risk of not tapping into creativity that can help introduce new, revolutionary ideas and concepts. A balance between the two is needed.“
In this episode, we talk with Gerry about his journey as a tech leader, how it started, how it’s going, as well as his thoughts on how teams can become more efficient, and why the concept of uniqueness in the tech world is so much more than just providing the next big thing.
Key takeaways from the podcast are:
- How creativity is not always about something new, but an improvement on something existing
- Why focusing on providing value for your customers almost always delivers success
- How to learn from past mistakes by revisiting them every now and then
TLDR: Straight to the point
(Quick Links)
We all live busy lives, and sometimes a long podcast is too much of a time-footprint for our busy schedules. So, to help you get to the bit you’re more interested in, use our table of contents below. Quick links to help you get straight to the point.
Transform your technology organization with IT Labs teams.
Reach out to us.
Podcast: The Unnoticeable Yet Important Bits of the Virtual World with Adam Leach
Podcast – Episode 65:
The Unnoticeable Yet Important Bits of the Virtual World
Connecting businesses with the world, one domain at a time
When we think of tech leaders, we usually think of people who knew where they wanted to be in the future, always with a clear picture of the destination, or position, that they were going after. And sometimes it’s like that, but it’s far from a straight line to the top – just ask Adam Leach, Chief Information Officer at Nominet. A techie who let the current drive him around the industry, but who knew how to take advantage of that and get to where he is now – a tech leader.
“As a leader, understanding problems is much more important than solving them. Doing it yourself is all fine, but guiding teams to solve them is what leadership is all about. “
In this episode, we talked with him about his seemingly simple journey through the world of tech, his efforts in making the virtual space more accessible to users, and his effective hands-off approach when leading his teams!
Key takeaways from the podcast:
- How to lead teams efficiently to allow for maximum focus on the important stuff
- Why it’s important to think creatively and remain ahead of the curve
- How awareness of problems in general makes it easier to look at them from various perspectives
TLDR: Straight to the point
(Quick Links)
We all live busy lives, and sometimes a long podcast is too much of a time-footprint for our busy schedules. So, to help you get to the bit you’re more interested in, use our table of contents below. Quick links to help you get straight to the point.
Transform your technology organization with IT Labs teams.
Reach out to us.
Podcast: Scientist in a Data science world with Fabricio F. Costa
Podcast – Episode 64:
Scientist in a Data science world
Using mega data in the micro world
We here at IT Labs love people who are bees. What we mean by that is people with varied careers bring opportunities for cross-pollination. Cross-pollination of ideas and new ways of doing things. Like bee’s these individuals are the backbone of innovation and industry leaps. They play an important part in the industry landscape, buzzing around doing their thing. Simultaneously, creating bridges for all kinds of concepts to travel and blend with the organization at the other end of that bridge.
One of these bees is Fabricio F. Costa, Senior Product Developer & Strategy Executive at Accenture. His varied experience and passions create an interesting tech leadership mix.
“Putting yourself in someone’s shoes is not just about understanding his point of view, it’s also about understanding his possibilities and capability to carry out something. And this insight is invaluable – not just of the person, but of the management obstacles you might have to overcome on a wider scope.“
In our episode with him, we learned about his journey from academia to tech – starting out as a molecular biologist, then moving on to IT, and using his knowledge in creating technology that saves lives, and also the struggles a tech leader faces on a daily basis – involving people, projects, and the desire to deliver something that makes a change in the world.
Key takeaways from the podcast are:
- The importance and balancing of communication. Managing how that is exposed. Not too much, and not too little.
- The emergence of data and its impact on the micro to the mega. The emerging tools will speed up the emergence of new insights
- Never forget the importance of seeing businesses as a collection of human beings. The lens through which any collective human endeavor starts.
TLDR: Straight to the point
(Quick Links)
We all live busy lives, and sometimes a long podcast is too much of a time-footprint for our busy schedules. So, to help you get to the bit you’re more interested in, use our table of contents below. Quick links to help you get straight to the point.
Transform your technology organization with IT Labs teams.
Reach out to us.
Podcast: Democratising the data science space with David Kell
Podcast – Episode 63:
Democratising the data science space
The importance of simplifying data analysis and how it can help businesses grow
Some of the most dynamic and battle-scarred tech leaders are those who have lived through a start-up journey — and in this episode, our guest David Kell shares his own wild ride, leaving university to start a successful series of start-ups. We also talk about Gyana’s innovative platform — a no-code, data science tool that is democratizing the art of using data that many companies have pooled up.
“The most important thing a leader needs to do at the beginning is find focus. For his team, for himself, the market, for the whole business. Otherwise, you can easily get sidetracked and end up with a lot of project and technical debt.“
From his switch from academia to entrepreneurship, through his learning curve, all the way to how Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can be applied to data science. All in all, a conversation that will surely give you a new perspective on data science, its uses, and how it can help you shape into a better tech leader.
Key takeaways from the podcast are:
- Seeing a gap in the market and solving a big challenge for many companies
- Looking at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs for data
- How the tech leadership (and business leadership) wisdom many leaders yearn for is already articulated
TLDR: Straight to the point
(Quick Links)
We all live busy lives, and sometimes a long podcast is too much of a time-footprint for our busy schedules. So, to help you get to the bit you’re more interested in, use our table of contents below. Quick links to help you get straight to the point.