The Digital Executive

Navigating Expat Taxes: Insights from CEO Katelynn Minott | Ep 921

Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Katelynn Minott, the dynamic CEO of Bright!Tax, a pioneering cloud-based tax firm specializing in the needs of American expatriates. Katelynn shares her inspiring journey from starting at PwC in Denver to becoming a leader in expatriate tax compliance while living in Chile and now Spain. She delves into the innovative technological advancements Bright!Tax has implemented, such as customized tax organizers and leveraging cloud-based solutions, to enhance client experiences. Recognized as a 40 under 40 CPA by the AICPA, Katelynn discusses how this accolade has influenced her career and expanded her professional network. She also addresses the impact of the global pandemic on remote work, highlighting how Bright!Tax adapted and thrived by embracing digital nomadism and remote collaboration.Looking ahead, Katelynn shares her cautious yet optimistic plans to integrate AI and machine learning into their services, ensuring the firm remains at the forefront of the industry while maintaining a personal touch. Tune in to gain valuable insights on expatriate tax challenges, remote work dynamics, and the future of tax services from a seasoned expert in the field.

Empowering Women: Journey from Infertility to Innovation with Founder Dr. Amy Beckley | Ep 920

Send us a text In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas welcomes Dr. Amy Beckley, an experienced infertility expert and the inventor of Proov. Dr. Beckley shares her deeply personal and inspiring journey through infertility, detailing how her scientific background led her to discover a luteal phase defect as the root cause of her struggles. Driven by her own experience and the broken healthcare system, she developed Proov, an at-home hormone monitoring system designed to help women better understand their fertility.Dr. Beckley discusses the unique features of Proov, its impact on the lives of women worldwide, and shares heartwarming success stories, including her sister's. She also introduces Proov's new test, Empower, aimed at helping women navigate hormonal changes during menopause. Tune in to learn how Dr. Beckley's dedication is making a difference in reproductive health.

Transforming Payments: Leading Innovation in the Payments Technology Industry with CEO Jodie Kelley | Ep 919

Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Jodie Kelley, CEO of the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA). With over 25 years of experience, Jodie leads the charge in representing the dynamic payments technology industry. She discusses her journey from practicing law to becoming a key figure in the payments ecosystem, highlighting pivotal career moments and the invaluable advice from her mentor.Jodie sheds light on the rapidly evolving payments industry, emphasizing its technological advancements and the critical role of public policy and security in fostering innovation. She addresses the significant opportunities and challenges faced by the industry, including fraud prevention and the impact of digital transformation on small businesses. Additionally, Jodie shares how ETA educates and advocates for its members, ensuring they adapt to and capitalize on technological advancements.Looking ahead, Jodie explores emerging trends such as artificial intelligence and biometrics, which are set to shape the future of payments. This insightful conversation offers a comprehensive view of the payments industry's landscape and the innovations driving its growth. Tune in to learn more about the strategies and technologies revolutionizing the way we make transactions.

From Aerospace Engineering to Global Marketing: Dr. Masha Petrova’s Journey of Innovation and Leadership | Ep 918

Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Dr. Masha Petrova, an accomplished executive with a rich background in aerospace engineering and marketing. Dr. Petrova shares her unique journey from growing up in the Soviet Union and being inspired by her grandfather's work in the space race, to pursuing her own dreams of space travel and eventually transitioning into the world of engineering and marketing.With over 15 years of experience leading multidisciplinary global teams, Dr. Petrova delves into key leadership principles that foster innovation and success, emphasizing the importance of psychological safety and effective management. She also discusses the critical role of engineering simulation software in the tech industry, highlighting emerging trends and the need for modern engineering tools. Join us as we explore Dr. Petrova's inspiring story and gain valuable insights into the future of engineering and marketing in the high-tech industry.

Revolutionizing Pet Care: How Groomit is Transforming the Grooming Industry with Anna Zege | Ep 917

Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas interviews Anna Zege, President and Co-founder of Groomit. Anna shares her entrepreneurial journey from a banker in Manhattan to co-founding an innovative on-demand pet grooming service. Driven by her love for her dog and a passion for convenience, Anna created Groomit to provide pet owners with a reliable and transparent grooming experience.She discusses the challenges of finding quality grooming services, the importance of pet health, and Groomit's rapid growth and success. Anna also delves into the future of Groomit, including AI-driven services, a grooming academy, and subscription-based models. Tune in to learn how Anna is set on making Groomit a household name and revolutionizing the pet grooming industry.

Revolutionizing Team Development: The Future of Hybrid Work and AI Integration with Projjal Ghatak | Ep 916

Send us a text In this episode of The Digital Executive Podcast, host Brian Thomas welcomes Projjal Ghatak, founder of OnLoop, to discuss his innovative approach to collaborative team development (CTD) and the future of work. Projjal shares his journey from leading roles at Uber and Accenture to creating OnLoop in response to the inefficiencies in traditional performance management systems.He delves into how OnLoop addresses the unique challenges of hybrid and remote teams by fostering intentionality and continuous feedback using advanced AI tools. The conversation explores the seismic shifts in the workplace driven by hybrid work, AI ubiquity, and immersive VR, highlighting OnLoop's role in enabling optimal productivity and team cohesion in this new era. Projjal's insights offer a compelling vision for leveraging technology to transform workforce management and drive significant improvements in team development and collaboration.

Resilience and Growth: Journey from Challenges to Entrepreneurial Success with Ian MacIntyre | Ep 915

Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas interviews Ian McIntyre, a seasoned entrepreneur and coach who has navigated two decades of challenges to build successful ventures and guide aspiring entrepreneurs. Ian shares his compelling story of overcoming a decade-long misdiagnosed injury that catalyzed his entrepreneurial spirit, leading him to the realms of e-commerce and coaching.Ian delves into the mental hurdles faced by entrepreneurs, such as decision paralysis and imposter syndrome, offering strategies to overcome these barriers through the power of asking the right questions. He emphasizes the significance of a growth mindset in personal and professional development, detailing how this perspective has fueled his own success and can benefit others.Listeners will gain insights into effective scaling strategies for businesses, understanding the importance of developing the necessary skills and planning for sustainable growth. Ian's practical advice and inspirational journey provide a roadmap for entrepreneurs striving to turn their challenges into triumphs. Tune in to learn from Ian McIntyre's wealth of experience and discover how resilience and strategic thinking can lead to entrepreneurial success.

Revolutionizing Smart Cities: Insights from Visionary CEO, Catalina Valentino | Ep 914

Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, Brian Thomas sits down with Catalina Valentino, the dynamic Group CEO and Co-Founder of ELIXR. ELIXR, known for being the world’s first global giga project, aims to develop smart cities that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Catalina discusses the company's comprehensive approach to creating interconnected technological solutions for infrastructure, energy, education, and more. She highlights innovative tools like Metaconnex, an urban master planning tool, and shares case studies showcasing their impact on communities.Catalina reflects on how accolades such as being named Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 and one of the Global Top 100 Women in Tech 2023 have bolstered her credibility and network. She emphasizes the importance of blending professional and personal rapport in business, sharing strategies for building meaningful relationships that drive success. Catalina also offers advice to young entrepreneurs and women in tech, underscoring the power of genuine connections and continuous learning. Tune in for a deep dive into the future of smart cities and the entrepreneurial journey of one of the tech industry's rising stars.

Revolutionizing Unstructured Data Workflows: A Conversation with CEO Kirk Marple | Ep 913

Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Kirk Marple, the visionary CEO and founder of Graphlit. Kirk shares his impressive journey from key roles at Microsoft, General Motors, and STATS to the founding of Graphlit, a company revolutionizing the way unstructured data is handled. Graphlit's serverless, cloud-native platform automates data ingestion, knowledge extraction, and LLM conversations, bringing unprecedented efficiency to data processing and retrieval.Kirk delves into the technology behind Graphlit, explaining how the platform's innovative use of metadata indexing and AI-powered analysis transforms various data formats into actionable insights. He also discusses the integration of knowledge graphs with large language models (LLMs) and their practical applications, such as enhancing data processing and retrieval through a web of interconnected information.Looking ahead, Kirk envisions Graphlit as an essential middleware layer that simplifies the handling of unstructured data for developers, allowing them to create powerful applications with ease. Tune in to discover how Graphlit is setting new standards in data management and what the future holds for this groundbreaking company.

Transforming Industries with Computational Intelligence: Journey with CEO Jim Scapa | Ep 912

Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas interviews Jim Scapa, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Altair. With nearly 40 years of experience in business growth, innovation, and cultural stewardship, Jim shares his journey from founding Altair in 1985 to leading it as a global leader in computational intelligence. He discusses the early challenges of starting the company with limited resources and how they overcame these obstacles through innovation and agility.Jim delves into the key leadership principles that have guided Altair’s growth to serve over 16,000 customers with 3,000 employees across 81 offices in 29 countries. He emphasizes the importance of building a strong culture of innovation and mutual respect, which has been instrumental in sustaining the company’s success.The conversation explores how Altair has adapted its technologies and services to stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving fields of computational science and AI. Jim highlights their strategic investments in electronics, high-performance computing, and data science, which have expanded their reach across various industries including automotive, aerospace, finance, and life sciences.Jim also shares insights into emerging trends in computational science and AI that excite him the most, such as the move towards 3D integrated circuit design and the development of analytical graph database technology. He explains how Altair is preparing to address these trends and continue its legacy of innovation.Join us to hear Jim Scapa’s inspiring story and learn how Altair is poised to drive the next wave of technological advancements in computational intelligence.