Episodes

Monday Jan 29, 2024
Monday Jan 29, 2024
Send us a textIn an insightful episode of "The Digital Executive" podcast, host Brian Thomas interviews Amir Krayden, the innovative CEO and co-founder of Senser, an AIOps platform reshaping IT infrastructure monitoring. Krayden, with a rich background in overseeing network infrastructure at DriveNets and spearheading R&D for the Israeli Defense Forces, discusses his leap into the AI Ops world and the inception of Senser.Krayden reveals that Senser's creation was driven by the challenges he experienced in debugging large, distributed systems. Traditional monitoring tools, he explains, were often cumbersome to install and configure, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs. Senser stands out by adopting a zero-instrumentation approach, requiring no code or infrastructure changes, thereby simplifying deployment of observability.One of the key differentiators of Senser is its focus on a service-based approach rather than just infrastructure monitoring. It evaluates how services are performing from both a technical standpoint and a user-experience perspective. This dual focus allows Senser to proactively predict and identify issues, enabling businesses to swiftly address potential service outages.Krayden delves into the benefits of Senser for SLA-driven industries like retail, finance, and hospitality. The platform's ability to anticipate and alert teams before issues escalate minimizes the time and resources spent in troubleshooting, thereby protecting customer loyalty and reducing hidden costs.Finally, Krayden offers advice to decision-makers in the tech and AI ops fields. He emphasizes the importance of staying open to new developments, understanding the business impact of technology choices, and carefully considering the hidden costs of observability tools. Krayden concludes by inviting listeners to explore Senser's website and experience the significant benefits the platform offers to various industries.

Sunday Jan 28, 2024
Sunday Jan 28, 2024
Send us a textIn this insightful episode of "The Digital Executive," host Brian Thomas engages with Aaron Painter, the CEO of NameTag, a pioneering company in identity verification. Painter, with his rich global experience and a strong belief in the power of listening, shares his journey from working with giants like Microsoft in China to spearheading NameTag. He delves into how his personal experiences during the pandemic led to the inception of NameTag, addressing the critical need for secure digital identity verification.Painter recounts the inadequacies of traditional security measures and highlights the alarming rise in social engineering attacks, particularly at employee IT help desks. He emphasizes NameTag's mission to eradicate these vulnerabilities through innovative technology. Discussing his book "Loyal," Painter also reflects on the importance of listening in leadership and its impact on customer and employee engagement.As the conversation unfolds, Painter provides fascinating insights into how NameTag's unique approach to identity verification is combating the escalating threat of digital impersonation and account takeovers. He envisions a future where robust online identity protection is the norm, and how NameTag aims to be at the forefront of this transformation. The episode concludes with Painter expressing gratitude for the opportunity to share his thoughts and the impactful work being done at NameTag.

Saturday Jan 27, 2024
Saturday Jan 27, 2024
Send us a textIn this compelling episode of "The Digital Executive," Brian Thomas interviews Rich Feola, a renowned entrepreneur and founder of Solar Exclusive and Ad-visory. Feola shares his journey from starting as a door-to-door salesman for a roofing company to becoming a nine-figure entrepreneur. His transformation began when he ventured into the world of financial advising, where he recognized the limitations of traditional marketing and began exploring digital advertising. This led to the birth of Solar Exclusive, a leading marketing firm in the solar energy sector, which generates a staggering 4 million dollars in monthly revenue.Feola’s latest venture, Ad-visory, is where he imparts his vast experience to help other agency owners scale their businesses. Through Ad-visory, he has aided over 400 agency owners in tripling their revenue using his patented REAP (Residual Exponential Agency Process) method. He elaborates on the REAP process, emphasizing the importance of residual income and how restructuring his agency to integrate salespeople as account managers exponentially grew the business.Rich's approach has garnered endorsements from industry heavyweights like Russell Brunson, Cole Gordon, and Alex Hormozi. He also touches on the importance of hiring strategies and team retention, highlighting his never having lost an employee due to his effective management techniques.Feola concludes with advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in the clean energy sector and marketing agency field. He stresses the significance of starting as a generalist in marketing to gain diverse experience before niching down. For those interested in clean energy, he suggests exploring various opportunities within the sector, including residential, commercial, and utility-scale projects. Feola's story is not only inspiring but also a testament to the power of strategic thinking, innovation, and resilience in business.

Friday Jan 26, 2024
Friday Jan 26, 2024
Send us a textIn this episode of "The Digital Executive Podcast," Brian Thomas welcomes Thomas Ryan, CEO and founder of Bigly Sales, a company at the forefront of AI-driven sales solutions. Ryan's transition from a staffing industry background to leading a tech company is a story of adaptation and innovation. He shares how his involvement in a CRM project sparked his interest in sales automation, leading to the development of Bigly Sales.Ryan emphasizes the transformative power of AI in sales, particularly how Bigly Sales leverages AI for lead generation and client engagement. He discusses the company's main tool, an AI that sits atop SMS and email systems, revolutionizing the way businesses connect with potential clients. By automating immediate responses and follow-ups, Bigly Sales significantly increases the chances of closing deals.Under Ryan's leadership, Bigly Sales has embraced a global talent pool, employing a remote workforce that spans several countries. This approach, he believes, is key to accessing the best talent worldwide. He also shares his excitement about sponsoring a coding competition in India, highlighting his commitment to fostering innovation and talent in the tech space.Ryan concludes with insightful advice for entrepreneurs looking to enter the AI and technology market. He encourages starting with available tools like ChatGPT and Claude, and utilizing platforms like Fiverr and Deal.com to overcome technical and financial barriers. Finally, Ryan teases an upcoming AI calling feature by Bigly Sales, poised to revolutionize phone-based customer interactions in industries like healthcare and insurance.

Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Send us a textIn an engaging episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Rob Ellin, the innovative founder, CEO, and chairman of LiveOne. Rob delves into his remarkable journey in the digital entertainment industry, detailing the inception of LiveOne and its rise to prominence. His vision for LiveOne was born from a desire to unify the world around live music, transcending barriers of race, color, and religion. He aimed to create an environment where music could foster love and passion universally.Rob's strategy for LiveOne hinged on forming strategic B2B partnerships with major players like Tesla, Verizon, and T-Mobile, allowing the platform to grow its subscriber base significantly. These partnerships, combined with a focus on a creator-first approach, have enabled LiveOne to attract a vast array of artists and generate over 5 billion engagements, a testament to the platform's expansive reach and community-building prowess.Discussing the spin-out of Podcast One, Rob explains how LiveOne has built a robust platform for content creators, focusing on offering a comprehensive suite of services from marketing to product development. This creator-centric approach has led to substantial growth in podcast subscriptions and an expanding roster of podcasts.Rob also touches on LiveOne's mission to be the authentic voice in music. Strategies like forming alliances with influential figures in the industry and focusing on subscriber and sponsorship growth have been pivotal. He highlights LiveOne's success in adopting and integrating emerging technologies like virtual reality and AI, showcasing the company's commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation in entertainment.Finally, Rob shares his insights on future trends in the entertainment industry. He anticipates significant developments in areas like AI for music discovery and channel creation, emphasizing LiveOne's readiness to embrace and lead these changes. His story is a powerful narrative of resilience, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of connecting people through the universal language of music.

Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas interviews Doug Howarth, a visionary entrepreneur who has made significant strides in the field of economics. Doug's journey began at 14, when he questioned the limitations of Cartesian systems, leading him to explore new frontiers in economic analysis. His groundbreaking work in Hypernomics, a field that analyzes economic patterns in multiple dimensions, is reshaping how we understand and predict market behaviors.Doug explains how the foundational principles of Hypernomics emerged from a simple shopping experience for a washing machine with his wife. This everyday event unveiled the multi-dimensional decision-making processes inherent in consumer behavior, inspiring Doug to develop a system that could analyze markets beyond traditional two or three-dimensional models. He observed that markets self-organize in recognizable patterns across multiple dimensions, and he sought to capture this complexity in Hypernomics.One of Doug's most significant achievements is the development of a multivariable regression analysis software, for which he and his colleagues were awarded a U.S. patent. This tool deconstructs markets into their 4D structures, offering a more comprehensive understanding of economic dynamics. His work has attracted the attention of major organizations like NASA, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon, who have utilized Hypernomics to gain strategic insights.In one of his peer-reviewed publications, Doug delves into an 8D Cost Trade analysis, showcasing how Hypernomics can be used to analyze complex economic relationships, like those between business jets and their engines. This paper, which he considers his proudest work, highlights the practical applications of Hypernomics in real-world scenarios.Looking to the future, Doug believes Hypernomics will continue to evolve and have a profound impact on economic analysis and business strategy. He envisions a world where governments and corporations utilize Hypernomics to make informed decisions, potentially leading to more stable and predictable economic environments.Doug's passion for Hypernomics and his innovative approach to economic analysis make this episode a fascinating journey into the depths of a field that could redefine our understanding of market dynamics.

Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Send us a textIn this insightful episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas engages with Dom Farnan, a pioneer in conscious leadership and founder of DotConnect and DoseConnect. Dom shares her transformative journey from being deeply entrenched in the corporate world to embracing mindfulness and conscious connection in her leadership style.Dom's story begins with a realization during the COVID-19 pandemic, which served as a catalyst for self-reflection and change. She talks about how starting her career at 17 led her to feel disconnected from her soul essence, prompting a shift towards personal and professional transformation. This journey involved embracing coaching and delving into conscious leadership, a turning point that reshaped her approach to business and life.At DotConnect, Dom initiated a culture of mindfulness by introducing a book club focusing on the 15 commitments of conscious leadership and sharing these principles with clients. This process was not just about changing business practices but also about embodying these new values, a transition that Dom admits was challenging but transformative.Dom highlights the importance of being in a community of like-minded leaders and entrepreneurs, underscoring the power of mutual support and learning. She reflects on the resilience and adaptability required in her journey, especially during tough economic times, and stresses the significance of embodying the values one preaches for genuine impact.Her book, "Now Here: A Journey from Toxic Boss to Conscious Connector," is a candid recount of her experiences, offering readers a variety of healing modalities and real-life lessons. Dom hopes to inspire others to embark on their healing journeys, emphasizing self-reflection and personal responsibility in overcoming life's challenges.This episode is a testament to the power of mindful leadership and the impact of personal growth on professional success. Dom's story serves as an inspiration for those seeking to lead more consciously and connect more deeply in their personal and professional lives.

Monday Jan 22, 2024
Monday Jan 22, 2024
Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas interviews Will Pigeon, the visionary CEO and co-founder of Tablet Command. Will shares his journey from being a dedicated firefighter and paramedic in the San Diego region to becoming an assistant fire chief and eventually transitioning into a tech entrepreneur. This evolution was sparked by his background in computer science and information systems, combined with his frontline experience in emergency services.The inspiration for Tablet Command was rooted in a tragic incident: the line-of-duty deaths of two firefighters in Contra Costa County. This event led to introspection within the department about improving safety and operations. Will, along with co-founder Andy Bozzo, conceptualized Tablet Command following Andy's epiphany while playing Words with Friends. This moment of insight led to the idea of using a drag-and-drop interface for deploying fire engine companies in emergency scenarios.Will emphasizes the importance of keeping Tablet Command user-friendly for first responders who may have varying levels of comfort with technology. By focusing on simplicity and avoiding distraction, the tool has been designed with real-life firefighting scenarios in mind, ensuring easy accessibility in high-pressure situations.One poignant story Will recounts is from the Carr Fire in 2018, where Tablet Command played a crucial role. A Marin County fire crew, separated from their strike team and trapped in near-blackout conditions caused by the firestorm, used Tablet Command to navigate to safety. This and many other incidents highlight the significant impact of the app in enhancing emergency response effectiveness.Looking ahead, Will discusses the continuous improvement of Tablet Command. Key developments include the introduction of shared automatic vehicle location, allowing for greater collaboration and visibility among different departments during emergencies. While there are other exciting features in the pipeline, some remain confidential due to their innovative nature.Will Pigeon's story is a testament to how technology, when thoughtfully applied, can significantly enhance public safety and save lives in critical situations.

Sunday Jan 21, 2024
Sunday Jan 21, 2024
Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive podcast, host Brian Thomas welcomes Peter Schroeder, a multifaceted personality known for his achievements as a top DJ in Denmark and a tech entrepreneur. Schroeder shares his unique career trajectory, which began as a radio host at age 12 and led to him becoming one of Denmark's most celebrated DJs, bagging over 20 platinum records, 40 gold records, and multiple nominations for the Danish DJ awards.Schroeder's journey into entrepreneurship seems almost serendipitous. He explains how his innate entrepreneurial spirit and perhaps a bit of ADD led him to seize opportunities as they came, rather than meticulously planning his career shifts. From starting his first company at 14 to facing the challenges of scaling a business and managing staff, Peter's journey epitomizes the roller coaster that is entrepreneurship.He highlights three critical traits for entrepreneurial success: naiveté or the belief in one's ability to achieve seemingly impossible goals, stubbornness to prove naysayers wrong, and the persistence to do whatever it takes to get the job done. These qualities have been instrumental in Peter's ability to adapt and succeed in various ventures.On the tech front, Schroeder delves into how his current company is leveraging AI and blockchain-like technologies to create innovative solutions in telecommunications. They are developing tools that allow businesses to identify and communicate with customers seamlessly across various platforms, whether it be a phone call, text, email, or social media interaction.Peter's story is a testament to the power of passion, adaptability, and resilience in navigating the dynamic landscapes of music and technology. His ability to blend creativity with technical acumen offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and technologists alike.

Saturday Jan 20, 2024
Saturday Jan 20, 2024
Send us a textIn this episode of The Digital Executive Podcast, host Brian Thomas sits down with David Carter, a serial entrepreneur and globally renowned CEO mentor with a 40-year legacy in innovative business creation. David shares his journey from investment banking to becoming a pioneer in CEO mentoring, touching on his rich experiences in various global cultures and industries.David's career began in investment banking, where he developed the concept of the 'performance x factor'—a key differentiator in business success. He then transitioned into entrepreneurship, where he led successful ventures in the UK hospitality industry, culminating in a flotation on the AIMS stock market. A personal shift led him to CEO mentoring, which he excelled in, building a worldwide organization and cementing his status as a leading mentor.The core of David's philosophy lies in the concept of 'entelechy'—realizing one's fullest potential—inspired by Aristotle. This philosophy became the foundation of Entelechy Academy, where he aims to unlock human potential through the development of 54-character qualities. These qualities, he believes, are critical in the age of AI and are vital for future-proofing the workforce.David emphasizes self-leadership and the nurturing of innate character strengths. He advocates for leading by example, whether in a corporate or entrepreneurial role. For David, true entrepreneurship is about passion, brilliance, financial viability, and making a difference, regardless of the scale of operation.In closing, David offers his advice to aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs: focus on self-improvement, passion, and making a meaningful impact. His insights provide valuable guidance for those looking to excel in leadership and entrepreneurship in today's dynamic world.