The Digital Executive

Navigating Cyber Risk in Critical Infrastructure: A DeNexus Perspective with CEO Jose M. Seara | Ep 841

Send us a textIn a compelling episode of The Digital Executive, Brian Thomas delves into the intricate world of cyber risk quantification and management with Jose M. Seara, the visionary Founder and CEO of DeNexus. Transitioning from a successful career in renewable energy to tackling the pressing challenges of cybersecurity in operational technology, Seara shares his journey and the pivotal experiences that shaped his current venture.Jose highlights the critical need for advanced cybersecurity solutions in the face of growing threats to operational technology and industrial control systems, particularly in sectors responsible for critical infrastructure. His insights reveal the vulnerabilities of legacy systems and the escalating risks posed by state-sponsored attacks, emphasizing the importance of resilience and swift, informed response to cyber incidents.The discussion also unpacks the distinction between cyber threats, which are largely uncontrollable external factors, and cyber risks, which organizations can mitigate through strategic security measures and risk transfer. Seara elaborates on the complex nature of cyber risk in critical infrastructure, pointing out the unique challenges posed by the physical and digital integration of these systems.Moreover, Seara addresses the recent regulatory changes requiring public companies to disclose their cyber risk management practices. He underscores the significance of Cyber Risk Quantification and Management (CRQM) tools in complying with these new mandates, offering a clear explanation of how DeNexus is at the forefront of providing solutions that not only meet these compliance requirements but also enhance the overall security posture of companies in critical sectors.This episode offers a deep dive into the necessity of understanding, quantifying, and managing cyber risks to protect the infrastructures that underpin modern society. Jose M. Seara's expertise and DeNexus' innovative approach present a compelling narrative on the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and the strategic responses needed to safeguard our collective digital future.

Revolutionizing Sales in the Trades: A Deep Dive into AI and Sales Mastery with CEO Gene Slade | Ep 840

Send us a textIn an enlightening session of The Digital Executive, Brian Thomas explores the cutting-edge intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and sales strategies with Gene Slade, CEO of LeadNinja system. Gene, with his rich background in helping his father's HVAC company to owning a rapidly growing construction company, shares invaluable insights into the trades industry's unique challenges and opportunities.Gene's journey from the grassroots of HVAC to the pinnacle of business success illustrates the transformative power of listening, understanding customer needs, and providing unparalleled value. He emphasizes the crucial role of silence and questions in sales, learning from his early days of navigating his father's moods and body language, skills that would later become foundational in his sales approach.Diving into the competitive landscape of the trades industry, Gene discusses how LeadNinja system stands out by offering AI-driven solutions for outbound sales, training, and business development. He tackles the common misconception that competitive pricing is key, instead advocating for the importance of selling oneself and the company, thus justifying higher prices through unmatched service and value.Gene also highlights the revolutionary impact of AI on sales strategies. He shares his experience with conversational AI technology, which enables real-time interactions with clients for up to 40 minutes, providing a scalable, efficient solution for outbound calling, appointment scheduling, and sales follow-ups. This technology not only fills a critical gap in the market but also positions LeadNinja at the forefront of innovation in sales training and business development.For those embarking on a sales career in the trades, Gene underscores the importance of finding a mentor, diving deep into their teachings, and applying knowledge with action. Drawing from personal experience and the wisdom of mentors like Grant Cardone, he advocates for focused learning and the application of proven strategies to accelerate success.Join us as Gene Slade shares his journey, insights, and the groundbreaking integration of AI into sales processes, offering a blueprint for success in the competitive trades industry. This episode is a treasure trove for entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and anyone looking to harness the power of AI and innovative sales strategies to drive business growth.

Unlocking Actionable Insights in Media Intelligence with CEO Tan Sukhera | Ep 839

Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, Brian Thomas dives into the fascinating world of media intelligence with guest Tan Sukhera, CEO and Founder of Piar. Based in New York, Sukhera brings a wealth of experience from his tenure at leading media intelligence companies worldwide. He discusses the transformative journey that led him to establish Piar, highlighting his diverse background from starting a marketing agency in Canada to becoming a news anchor in South Africa, and eventually, his pivotal role in media monitoring across the globe.Sukhera sheds light on the critical issue plaguing the industry: the abundance of data without meaningful insights. With Piar, he aims to bridge this gap by providing actionable intelligence that aligns with strategic goals, moving beyond mere reporting for the sake of it. He elaborates on the challenges of traditional media monitoring and the innovative approaches Piar employs, leveraging machine learning and natural language processing to sift through data and deliver real value to clients.Further, Sukhera discusses the importance of media intelligence in understanding public sentiment and market trends, emphasizing the need for standards aligned with the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC). He offers advice to organizations still hesitant to integrate media intelligence into their strategic planning, underlining the competitive advantage it brings.Join us as Tan Sukhera enlightens us on making data meaningful and how companies of all sizes can leverage media intelligence to stand out in a crowded marketplace. This episode is a must-listen for marketing, social, public relations, and communication professionals looking to transform information into actionable insights.

From Personal Struggle to Nutritional Revolution: Journey to Transforming Health with CEO Ari Tulla | Ep 838

Send us a textIn this compelling episode of The Digital Executive, Brian Thomas hosts Ari Tulla, the visionary entrepreneur behind Elo, a groundbreaking smart nutrition service leveraging AI to tailor food into a powerful medicine. Ari's foray into the health and wellness sector is deeply rooted in personal adversity, beginning with his wife's health challenges and their arduous journey through the complexities of healthcare. These experiences ignited Ari's passion for making a substantial difference in people's lives through technology and nutrition.Ari shares the inception story of Elo, describing how a decade-long battle with healthcare woes led to the discovery that food could indeed be the best medicine. This realization spurred the creation of Elo, which stands out for its AI-driven approach to analyze personal health biomarkers and create precision nutrition plans tailored to individual needs. Ari delves into the technological and scientific challenges overcome in developing Elo's unique solution, highlighting its impact on users, with 95% showing biomarker improvement within just six months.The conversation shifts to the broader implications of personalized nutrition and the future of health tech. Ari envisions a world where food and nutrition play central roles in preventative care, potentially revolutionizing the healthcare industry by shifting focus from pharmaceuticals to food as medicine. With Elo, Ari aims to address the alarming trends in obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related diseases by offering personalized, data-driven nutritional guidance.Brian and Ari discuss the potential of AI and technological advancements to transform the way we approach health and wellness, making personalized nutrition accessible to all, not just the "worried well." Ari's mission with Elo is to lead a change in the healthcare paradigm towards preventative care, using food as a foundational pillar to improve national health outcomes and extend life expectancy.This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of health, technology, and nutrition, offering insights into the future of personalized healthcare and the power of innovation to solve some of our most pressing health challenges.

Breaking Barriers and Fostering Innovation: Journey from Healthcare Clinician to Tech CEO with CEO Pam Saechow | Ep 837

Send us a textIn this inspiring episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas welcomes Pam Saechow, the dynamic CEO of Elite Groups and a seasoned IT executive with a rich background in healthcare. With over two decades of experience, Pam shares her transformative journey from her early days in Laos, inspired by her grandmother's healthcare work, to leading major digital transformations in prestigious institutions like the Cleveland Clinic and New York City Health and Hospitals.Pam's story is one of overcoming challenges, including racism and gender bias, to emerge as a powerful leader in technology and healthcare. She discusses the importance of patient advocacy, the art and science of leadership, and her agile approach to navigating the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous landscape of today’s healthcare and technology sectors.This episode dives into Pam's strategic thinking and planning, emphasizing her ability to balance short-term targets with long-term visions to propel organizational value forward. Listeners will be captivated by her philosophy of breaking barriers, empowering others, and ensuring technology enhances patient care and provider experiences.Pam also outlines her approach to digital transformation, highlighting her unique 90-to-120-day plan for understanding and actioning organizational needs. She stresses the significance of alignment between technology and healthcare, aiming to improve patient outcomes by focusing on intentional change and knowledge alongside people, process, and tools.Ending on a personal note, Pam shares her life and professional philosophy centered around the 5 L's: Lead, Live, Learn, Laugh, and Listen, showcasing how these principles guide her leadership and decision-making at Elite Groups. Join us for an episode that not only highlights a remarkable career journey but also provides profound insights into leading with integrity, passion, and a focus on impactful outcomes.

Empowering Data Literacy with AI: Journey from Dremio CEO to Innovator with Founder Tomer Shiran | Ep 836

Send us a textIn this episode of the Digital Executive, hosted by Brian Thomas at Coruzant Technologies, we delve into the groundbreaking journey of Tomer Shiran, a pioneer in the big data analytics space and a key figure in the evolution of Dremio. Shiran, with a rich background as Dremio's founding CEO and a former VP product at MapR, discusses the transformative path of Dremio from its inception to becoming a major player in data analytics, serving large enterprise customers and embracing generative AI technologies to enhance user productivity and data accessibility.Shiran shares insights into Dremio's innovative features, like Text to SQL, which converts natural language queries into SQL code, democratizing data querying for users across varying degrees of data literacy. Additionally, he highlights the significant impact of emerging technologies, such as Apache Iceberg and Apache Arrow, on the data analytics and management sector, emphasizing gen AI's potential to revolutionize the field. This episode provides a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into data analytics platforms, the importance of self-service data access, and the future trends that will shape the industry.

From Dropout to DeFi Dynamo: Journey to Revolutionizing Finance with CEO Connor O’Shea | Ep 835

Send us a textIn this enlightening episode of The Digital Executive Podcast, host Brian Thomas dives into the fascinating world of decentralized finance (DeFi) with Connor O'Shea, the visionary CEO behind Bril Finance. O'Shea shares his unconventional path from dropping out of high school to founding a San Francisco-based payment startup, CCKB, and his subsequent roles at JPMorgan Chase, WPP Kantar, and Strategy&, before making a bold pivot into the DeFi and blockchain space.O'Shea's journey is a testament to the power of innovation and the drive to disrupt traditional financial services. At the heart of the discussion is Bril Finance, a platform that democratizes access to professional-grade portfolio management algorithms, allowing everyday users to earn like experts. O'Shea explains the motivation behind Brill Finance was to move beyond the speculative nature of cryptocurrency holding and enable users to actively deploy their assets for yield generation.With its flagship product, Yield IQ, Bril Finance introduces a concentrated liquidity provision algorithm designed for compelling returns and a user-friendly experience. O'Shea's transition from traditional finance (TradFi) to DeFi is fueled by his recognition of the slow pace and bureaucracy in banking, contrasted with the agility and innovation possible in the startup and blockchain world.The conversation also explores the importance of strategic partnerships in blockchain and DeFi, highlighting O'Shea's experiences at Binance in forging pivotal Web 3 and Web 2 collaborations. He underscores the critical role of payments in blockchain adoption and the strategic positioning of Bril Finance to ease the entry of new users from centralized finance to DeFi platforms.Looking ahead, O'Shea anticipates the future of DeFi amidst the evolving regulatory landscape and the increasing interest from traditional financial giants. He predicts a dynamic where both centralized and decentralized finance will coexist, with major banks potentially integrating DeFi tools and technologies to maintain competitive advantages.Brian Thomas and Connor O'Shea engage in a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities within DeFi, the impact of incidents like the FTX scandal on public perception, and the ongoing need for education and innovation to foster mainstream adoption of blockchain technologies. O'Shea's insights offer a compelling glimpse into the potential of DeFi to transform the financial ecosystem, making this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of finance.

Pioneering a Universal Swag Platform and Disrupting Traditional Promotional Product Distribution with Co-Founder Jeremy Parker | Ep 834

Send us a textIn this compelling episode of The Digital Executive Podcast, host Brian Thomas welcomes Jeremy Parker, a visionary entrepreneur and the driving force behind Swag.com. Parker's journey from an award-winning filmmaker at Boston University to a serial entrepreneur showcases a relentless pursuit of innovation and disruption in the promotional products industry. His early fascination with storytelling through documentary filmmaking set the stage for a career that would blend creative passion with entrepreneurial acumen.Parker recounts the pivotal moment at the Vail Film Festival, where an Audience Award win led him to question his career path in film, setting him on a trajectory towards entrepreneurship. He shares insights from launching various startups, including the formation of a T-shirt company straight out of college and pioneering product placement in YouTube videos through Tip Media. These experiences laid the groundwork for Swag.com, a company he co-founded to revolutionize how businesses purchase and distribute quality promotional products.Swag.com's success story is marked by rapid growth, making it onto the Inc 500 list twice under Parker's leadership. He credits this to a customer-centric approach, innovative strategies, and a willingness to pivot and adapt, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Parker emphasizes the importance of listening to customers and learning from failures, revealing how a focus on office managers rather than marketing teams became a game-changer in their strategy.As Swag.com was acquired by Custom Ink, Parker initiated Swag Space, aiming to create a universal swag platform. He envisions this new venture as a solution for the fragmented promotional product industry, offering a white-labeled e-commerce experience that empowers promo distributors, screen printers, designers, and event planners to efficiently sell and distribute branded merchandise.Throughout the episode, Parker's passion for fostering a culture of innovation and creativity shines through. He discusses the transition from being CEO of Swag.com to leading Swag Space, highlighting the importance of empowering team members and embracing leadership that nurtures growth and ideas at all levels. Parker's journey is a testament to the power of asking the right questions, embracing change, and pursuing a vision with relentless enthusiasm and dedication.

Championing Financial Justice: Crusade Against Market Corruption with James Koutoulas | Ep 833

Send us a textIn this compelling episode of The Digital Executive, Brian Thomas sits down with James Koutoulas, Esq., the formidable founder of Typhon Capital Management and a staunch advocate for financial transparency and ethics. Koutoulas, known for his pivotal role in the Commodity Customer Coalition, where he fought for the recovery of $6.7 billion in customer assets during the MF Global bankruptcy, shares insights from his journey at the intersection of law, finance, and advocacy.Starting with the origin story of Typhon Capital Management, Koutoulas delves into how his classics background influenced the firm’s unique approach to investment, focusing on stress events and leveraging volatility to protect and profit investors. He highlights Typhon's success in navigating financial crises and its expansion into long-short strategies and cryptocurrency funds, emphasizing the firm's adeptness at risk management and benefitting from market fluctuations.The conversation takes a deeper turn as Koutoulas recounts the formation and achievements of the Commodity Customer Coalition during the MF Global crisis. His pro bono work not only led to significant financial recoveries for affected customers but also exposed systemic flaws in financial regulation and the management of customer funds. Koutoulas's story reveals the challenges and triumphs of advocating for justice in the face of corporate malfeasance and regulatory shortcomings.Reflecting on the broader implications of these events, Koutoulas critiques the current state of financial regulation in the U.S., highlighting conflicts of interest, lack of accountability, and the pressing need for reform. His ongoing legal battles, including a lawsuit against the SEC, underscore his commitment to challenging corruption and advocating for sensible digital asset regulation.As the discussion concludes, Koutoulas shares his vision for the future of commodities and futures trading, emphasizing the importance of integrating technology and digital assets into the financial markets responsibly. His insights into the evolving landscape of investment, combined with his fierce advocacy for ethical management and transparency, offer a powerful perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the financial industry today.This episode of The Digital Executive not only sheds light on James Koutoulas' remarkable contributions to financial justice but also serves as a call to action for more transparent, ethical, and effective regulation and management of financial markets.

Blending Tech Prowess with Culinary Passion: Journey to Revolutionize the Food Industry with Founder Fisayo Oluwadiya | Ep 832

Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, Brian Thomas engages with Fisayo Oluwadiya, the brain behind OKAO, Inc., a platform where technology meets gastronomy. Fisayo, with a robust 16-year background in the tech world, having contributed to giants like Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, and Nordstrom, shares her unique journey from tech enthusiast to food industry innovator. Fueled by her deep-rooted love for food, inherited from a family lineage of chefs and farmers, and her serendipitous dive into technology, Fisayo has created OKAO to address the gaps in the food industry through a sophisticated AI-driven recommendation engine.Fisayo recounts the genesis of OKAO, inspired by her desire to merge her two passions: technology and food. This revelation led to the creation of a platform designed to enhance dining experiences through personalized recommendations while also solving critical industry challenges such as real-time data accessibility for restaurants. OKAO aims to empower not only diners but also restaurateurs and chefs, particularly solopreneurs, by providing valuable insights to tailor their offerings to consumer preferences and trends.Further delving into the impact of technology on the food industry, Fisayo discusses the pivotal role of efficiency, scalability, and innovation in bridging the gap between culinary arts and business acumen. She highlights OKAO’s commitment to fostering a space for chefs to connect with investors, aiming to transform culinary talents into successful entrepreneurs. Fisayo also touches on the future of food personalization, emphasizing the growing necessity for tailored dining experiences driven by AI and machine learning to meet individual dietary needs and preferences.Concluding the episode, Fisayo offers sage advice to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to blend their technological skills with personal passions. Drawing from her own experience of building OKAO single-handedly, she stresses the importance of perseverance and the power of passion as the ultimate fuel for overcoming challenges. Through her story, Fisayo Oluwadiya exemplifies how innovative thinking and a relentless pursuit of one’s passions can lead to groundbreaking solutions that not only fulfill personal aspirations but also significantly contribute to industry advancements.