Podcast appearances and mentions of austin technology council

In this episode of the Drop In CEO podcast, Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council. Tom shares his journey from sales and marketing to becoming a keynote speaker and author. He emphasizes the value of building strong relationships and the role of human interaction in navigating today's AI-driven world. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, Thom illustrates how connections and community can propel career success and business growth, especially for C-Suite leaders. Episode Highlights: 03:48 Navigating Career Transitions and Challenges 05:02 Balancing Multiple Roles and Family Life 08:51 The Importance of Networking and Building Relationships 20:07 The Human Side of Business Thom Singer is the CEO of the Austin Technology Council and a dynamic keynote speaker who specializes in the power of relationships, trust, and accountability in business. With over a decade of experience, Thom has energized more than 1,000 audiences through high-energy, action-driven presentations. Known as “The Conference Catalyst,” he fosters lasting connections before, during, and after his talks. A Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), Thom is also the author of 12 books and host of the Making Waves At C-Level podcast, where he interviews top business leaders. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and two daughters. Connect with Thom Singer: Company Website: Https://thomsinger.com Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/in/thomsinger For More Insights from The Drop In CEO:

"We bring a national network of Leaders to support Technology ecosystems." -- Julie Huls, Founder Waymaker Group Hailing from the rural heartlands of Illinois, a farm girl like Julie Huls appreciates the importance of natural systems. While technology has the potential to supplant human efforts, a profound understanding of people is crucial to ensure its effective implementation. Julie's prior experience as the CEO of the Austin Technology Council puts her in a very unique position of understanding how technology allows for exponential growth in a very short period of time.  Those who sense that technology is propelling them forward at an uncomfortable pace should connect with Julie. Waymaker boasts an exceptional network of leaders nationwide who are well-equipped to assist industries seeking guidance on integrating technology for improved outcomes.  

After a long time away, the "Making Waves at C-Level" podcast is trying to come back into regular production. Host Thom Singer has been serving as the CEO of the Austin Technology Council, and has been hosting that organizations show "Austin Tech Connect". But this show has been around for 10 years, and it has had a good following over the years. Thom is ready to come back and share ideas and promote his message of community, collaboration, and conversations. In this episode he talks about building friendships and business relationships over the age of 50. Check out his short episode and share with him your thoughts. https://thomsinger.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join me for a conversation with Thom Singer. Thom is the CEO of the Austin Technology Council and a keynote speaker. In the episode, we talk about how he became a professional speaker and about his experience as a two-time TEDx speaker. We also talked about the National Speakers Association (NSA), and why he recommends that people in the speaking business should become a part of the association. Thom was the original host of the Speakernomics podcast - the official podcast of NSA. We also discussed the importance of being part of a community and networking. He believes that Community, Collaboration, and Conversations can help us solve our problems.Link to Thom's website:https://thomsinger.com Link to YouTube video of Thom's TEDx “I Did That”:https://youtu.be/KtuIppR84MY?si=EjCiHjxQ5TShxAo7 Link to Austin Technology Council:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.orgOur goal is to connect you to leaders and leadership principles from all sectors. We want your feedback! Give us a 5-star review if you like what you hear, and leave a comment. We also want to know what you want to hear about when it comes to leadership! Email us at info@jcleadershipconsulting.com LeaderLink Podcast is an ad-free product of J&C Leadership Consulting LLC, hosted by Charles Heasley and Joshua Conner. LeaderLink Podcast is produced by Charles. The intro and outro music were mixed by Charles using stock Studio One music loops. Equipment and software: RODECaster Pro mixer, MXL 990 condenser microphones, and Presonus Studio One 6 Professional. Note - the intro/outro music on episodes published before season three episode four were excerpts from the Prelude of cello suite #1 by J.S. Bach, arranged and performed by Charles.

 How to successfully approach networking events and what your local technology council can do for you. It was a true pleasure to have a conversation with Thom Singer. His career has taken a winding path guided by the powerful connections he's made over the years. Thom is a successful public speaker, author, and podcaster and his most recent role is the Chief Executive Officer of the Austin Technology Council where his mission is to bring Austin's technology companies together to engage the wider Austin community and ensure the future of Austin's technology business landscape.In this podcast episode we discuss Thom's background in marketing and his genius take on networking and adding value to events and to the people you meet."Networking is not a verb, it's a lifestyle. You can't just show up at an [industry event] and think 'this networking stuff doesn't work, nobody sent me tons of business'. It takes years to build a reputation in your community, in your industry.-Thom Singer CEO, Austin Technology Council We also extend the philosophy of adding value to the concept of content marketing. Many businesses are apprehensive to share their IP with the public, but ultimately, in mine and Thom's experience, sharing valuable information wins business and trust.Of course, we had to talk about Thom's plans for the Austin Technology Council. He shared why these councils are so important for their communities and how technology and related service companies can get involved.ResourcesAustin Technology CouncilThom Singer on LinkedInThom Singer's WebsiteConnect with TREW Marketing Learn About TREW Marketing Order the book! Content Marketing, EngineeredConnect with WendyTREW Marketing is a strategy-first content marketing agency serving industrial companies that target highly technical buyers. With deep experience in electronics, test and automation, software, and engineering services, TREW Marketing helps clients build trust and generate demand.

What does your business look like now compared to before 2020? The speaking industry has completely evolved and while some speakers had the expertise and the means to completely adapt, other speakers were not in the same position. This week on Speakernomics, we invited this podcast's original host Thom Singer to share how he rebuilt his business coming out of the pandemic. Send us a voicemail! Head over to www.Speakernomics.com/voicemail and leave us a voicemail answering the our question and we may use your recording on an upcoming episode of Speakernomics! Question: What business building tactic did you use when you started your business that you should use again? Who is Thom Singer, CSP? Thom is the former host of Speakernomics, the author of 12 books, and the current CEO of the Austin Technology Council. His expertise is on community, collaboration and conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The tech reset is well documented, yet many Austin-area firms are still searching for talent. Is the worst still to come, or are we sheltered from the impacts of larger tech hubs like Silicon Valley & the Seattle-area.  In this episode, ABJ Managing Editor Will Anderson invites longtime Austin resident Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council to offer his perspective.

Today, Equalman sits down with Thom Singer on the Speakernomics Podcast. The Speakernomics Podcast is about giving entrepreneurs the tools they need to make more money and build a better business as a professional speaker. And in this episode, Erik offers advice on how to do just that. He speaks on the value of focus in our business and how staying true to our expertise will lead to more business.   Thom Singer is the CEO of the Austin Technology Council and an active speaker for associations and companies who care about community, collaboration, and conversations. He is the host of the popular “Making Waves at C-Level” podcast and a paid host for "Speakernomics". On these podcasts Thom interviews business leaders, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and others who possess an extra dose of the entrepreneurial spirit.   5x #1 Bestselling Author and Motivational Speaker Erik Qualman has performed in over 55 countries and reached over 50 million people this past decade. He was voted the 2nd Most Likable Author in the World behind Harry Potter's J.K. Rowling.   Have Erik speak at your conference: eq@equalman.com   Motivational Speaker | Erik Qualman has inspired audiences at FedEx, Chase, ADP, Huawei, Starbucks, Godiva, FBI, Google, and many more on Focus and Digital Leadership.   Learn more at https://equalman.com

Listen now for lessons in PR from the founder and president of Grapevine PR in Austin, Texas.   This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too. Learn more at https://AustinTechnologyCouncil.org. Steven Le Vine has released a new book called "Stories That F*cking Matter: Three pillars of epic storytelling to dominate media headlines, win clients, and grow your business". This is a must read for all business leaders.   About Steven Le Vine: Steven Le Vine is an award-winning publicist and PR strategist, and founder of Grapevine PR, since 2006. The firm's clients include tech and consumer brands, celebrities and high-profile experts. He has secured clients wide-ranging press from sit-down interviews with Oprah, The View, The Talk, NBC Today, CNBC, and CNN, to placements in Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, The New York Times, TechCrunch, WIRED, Fast Company, Business Insider, Men's Journal, USA Today, People, Variety, and more. He is a frequent media personality and contributor for prominent publications, including Forbes and Rolling Stone, where he offers his expert insight on PR and entrepreneurship. He has taken home nearly two dozen awards for his firm, including "Agency of the Year" and "Campaign of the Year," on behalf of his work for clients including William Shatner, Lisa Loeb, Danny Pintauro, and many others. Le Vine is the co-author of the new PR book, Stories That F*cking Matter: Three Pillars of Epic Storytelling to Dominate Media Headlines, Win Clients and Grow Your Business. He resides in Austin, TX. About the book, Stories That F*cking Matter Three Pillars of Epic Storytelling to Dominate Media Headlines, Win Clients and Grow Your Business: A well-crafted story has the power to literally mold reality, win over hearts and change minds! The story is the most powerful tool humans have ever discovered. But what makes up a great, expertly constructed story? What's the difference between a good story and a really f*cking great story? In this book, PR and media industry experts Steven Le Vine and Garrett McClure share their secret formula and winning playbooks from over two decades of proven success in earned, owned and paid media. This book reveals proven and effective PR & Media strategies, insider tips and growth hacks to tell a story that f*cking matters in order to cut through the noise of today's fragmented media landscape and get seen and heard. Get an insider's behind-the-scenes look into the world of PR, delivering proven methods and strategies along the way for entrepreneurs and experts to take media outreach into their own hands, tell a great story, make headlines, and succeed at growing their brands and businesses. www.storiesmatterbook.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFQ1YJ13?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420 https://thomsinger.com/podcast/steven-levine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too. Learn more at https://AustinTechnologyCouncil.org. Today we chat with Nad Elias, CEO at recruitAbility. His story of working in the recruiting business for nearly 25 years, and his commitment to growing his team and culture will inspire you.   About Nad Elias Nad Elias has been in the search recruitment industry for 20+ years. Recognized as one of the top 50 recruiters in Texas, he is known for working with and advising companies on their talent acquisition and retention strategies, consistently delivering on-target results, and building high-performing teams. Nad founded recruitAbility with the purpose-driven mission to make the lives of everyone they connect with better. Nad's career has spanned all aspects of employer and people development. He's trained, lead, and developed recruiting organizations serving various industries while always focusing on the value-added services they provide when it's done right. His experience includes running executive searches and managing nationwide projects with companies ranging in size from start-ups to the Fortune 500. He began his career out of college in the recruiting industry, and it's all he's ever known. Austin is home to Nad and his family. A University of Texas graduate, he is the incoming President of the Central US Entrepreneurs Organization (EO). He has been a finalist for Austin's best CEO's by the Austin Business Journal for the last 2 years and has lead recruitAbility to one of Austin's best places to work the last 4 out of 5 years. When he's not following the active lifestyles of his two kids, Nad plays and coaches basketball and enjoys a round of golf whenever he can fit it in! About recruitAbility  recruitAbility is a tech enabled consulting firm in the recruiting industry that partners with business leaders to strategically grow their organizations. We set out to reimagine recruiting by building a process and platform that helps our clients find and retain the right people. We help our clients grow through our direct hire, contract, and managed recruiting solutions. HTTPS://thomsinger.com/podcast/recruitability  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too. Learn more at https://AustinTechnologyCouncil.org. Today we chat changes in the world of "search" with Madhu Basu from Unnanu. In this episode we talk about how the right tech brings more opportunities, and how he sees "search" as broken. About Madhu Basu   Madhu has been an Austinite for over 23 years, living in Austin metropolis. He is the CEO and Founder of Unnanu, a technology startup from Austin that helps businesses by utilizing a patented contextual weighted keyword search. Also, the founder and CEO of PMCS Services, provides IT consulting, staffing, and solutions services for over 16 years.   He also co-founded three more businesses previously. Madhu is the former President of a non-profit organization that focuses on community services and awareness within the Austin sub-continent Indian community. Madhu is married to Sheela and has two children, Charita and Praneel. About Unnanu   Unnanu technology will help get relevant information to people or businesses faster. We put forth effort to find data, media, or content in a business-driven society where people can get the advantage of services by businesses investing in society and people by creating jobs, healthy living, and support. We currently provide a simple solution for businesses to have resumes scored to be able to find the best candidate and a complete hiring platform with an integrated JobBoard, ATS, and OnBoard solution. We built a disruptive technology to bring highly qualified individuals to companies, and we want to make their hiring process seamless, effective, and efficient. Unnanu offers users a plethora of highly useful features like in-app messaging, offers, referrals, an on-boarding process, and even the ability to conduct interviews right within the app. Also, the ability to compare new opportunities and offers side by side so that you can make your next career move with confidence.  Our approach is seamless, effective, and simple. It is much faster than traditional job boards and job sites. Unnanu is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with more offices to be open in the near future. https://thomsinger.com/podcast/Madhu-Basu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too. Learn more at https://AustinTechnologyCouncil.org. Michael Ward Jr from the Austin Urban Technology Movement joins the conversation on the "Making Waves at C-Level" podcast to take about how to train new employees with internships and apprenticeships. Tech companies need great employees, and many skip training and growing talent and just poach from their neighbors. But this episode will dive deep into other ways to build your community of engaged employees. About Michael Ward Jr. Michael Ward Jr. is a social entrepreneur who focuses on STEAM, workforce development, and economic empowerment. Originally from Miami, FL, Michael began his career at Oracle in enterprise sales, focusing on cloud and on-premise technology. During this time, Michael also led Oracle's Black employee resource group to increase the recruitment, engagement, and upward mobility of Oracle's Black employees. After Oracle, Michael spent some time at ADP and Primal7 where he gained a better understanding of human capital management and Austin's startup ecosystem. Currently, Michael leads Austin Urban Technology Movement (AUTMHQ) as President and CEO. He is also the Co-Founder of TwoWards Solutions, Co-Hosts Culture Crawl ATX, and sits on the following boards throughout Central Texas: Greater Austin STEM Ecosystem, the University of Texas at Austin Cockrell School of Engineering, and the Texas Science and Engineering Fair. Michael is also a community partner of the IT Caucus of the Texas House. Before starting his tech career and entrepreneurship journey, Michael earned a degree in International Relations at Miami Dade College and two degrees in Political Science and Global Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Michael is also a father, husband, Miami Heat fan, Tar Heel alum, and enjoys good food made with love! https://thomsinger.com/podcast/Austin-Urban-Technology-Movement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too. Learn more at https://AustinTechnologyCouncil.org. Today we chat about Behavioral Health with Ray Wolf and Brain Tucker from Televero Health. They are rewriting the way people get access to behavioral health by providing better access to the care people need. About Televero Health Televero Health provides Virtual Behavioral Health services across Texas, including psychiatry, therapy, and counseling for moderate and acute patients. Our mission is to improve the lives of individuals needing care and our community's safety. Televero breaks through the behavioral health access paradigm by offering access to licensed clinicians within seven days of the referral and accepting insurance. We operate an evidence-based integrated care model, partnering with Primary Care Physicians to deliver "whole patient" care to improve outcomes. Televero has a goal of screening 10 Million Texans for suicide and violence by 2025.   About Ray Wolf As the Chief Information Officer, Ray leads the development and execution of the growth and operational strategies for Televero Health, from human capital to financial.   Ray brings three decades of global business experience across various industries and growth stages—from start-up to established enterprise – through inverting the healthcare inflation curve, designing patentable Mach 2+ jet engines, and developing space defense systems.   Ray's healthcare experience ranges from reducing Kaiser Permanente's operating cost by 20%, receiving the Apple Healthcare award for creating the first HIPAA-compliant mobile communication for physicians, transforming Essence Health into a cloud-based enterprise, and increasing clinical technology adoption from 15% to more than 85%, and inverting the healthcare inflation curve through an innovative gain sharing managed care model at Redirect Health, reducing the cost of self-funded company healthcare costs by 25%.     About Brian Tucker As Chief Digital Officer, Brian Tucker is the "transformer in chief," charged with leveraging technology to create unmatched, easy, frictionless client, patient, and provider experiences. Brian brings over two decades of strategic cross-business transformation, process innovation, and delivering profitable business and customer outcomes through technology solutions. https://thomsinger.com/podcast/televero-health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too. Learn more at https://AustinTechnologyCouncil.org. Connecting with your constituents (internally and externally) and understanding your message is important for companies of all sizes. Technology companies need to pay attention to their messaging, think about communication with employees (do not let them learn about your company events in the media), and to position their brands for long term success.   This episode is an important conversation with Kathleen Lucente from Red Fan Communications. She is a C-Suite Whisperer to high tech B to B companies, and has a team of experts that kicks butt in assisting clients with their internal and external messaging, investor relations, and crisis communications.   She also shares what makes Austin, Texas a vibrant place for tech companies and how her firms helps local organizations.   About Kathleen Lucente Kathleen Lucente moved to Austin just as the city began its meteoric rise as a hotbed for tech startups and investment. Before she adopted the lone star state as home, she built an award-winning career working domestically and internationally for IBM, JPMorgan, Ketchum Worldwide, and other global brands and agencies. With solid experience in the evolution of communications within the tech industry, first as a journalist, then as a PR professional, Kathleen realized she was ready to build her own team to deliver superior integrated marketing and communications services to B2B tech companies. Since the start of Red Fan Communications almost 15 years ago, she has helped countless companies of all stages clarify their purpose, tell their unique stories, differentiate from their competitors and establish lasting relationships with clients and customers. The Red Fan team is built of experts with the same tenacity in which Kathleen approaches her work and weaves it into everything she does.  Kathleen serves on several boards—including Austin Gives, PelotonU and the ABC Kite Fest—and donates much of her and her staff's time to local nonprofits that have a tangible impact throughout the community, including the Corporate Engagement Council for the Austin mayor's office and the Mike & Sherry Project, an Austin-based organization providing mental health support to local bar and restaurant workers. You can also catch Kathleen as a regulator contributor to the Forbes Agency Council, covering critical communications topics like crisis management, brand positioning, thought leadership, corporate communications and the fundamentals of great brand storytelling. In addition, she's been a guest speaker on influential podcasts, at accelerators, and communications and business schools, including the Wharton School, the University of Texas at Austin, the Confident Communications podcast, and the MassChallenge startup accelerator, where she serves as a mentor. https://thomsinger.com/podcast/kathleen-lucente Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of things have changed since we last had Thom Singer on the podcast. We talk about Thom's new role, what the networking environment looks like now, and how that impacts the creative collisions between the foundations of Austin. What's next Austin? Notable Links Our first conversation with Thom Singer Austin Technology Council Austin Technology Twitter Thom Singer Thom Singer Twitter Podcast Production Services by EveryWord Media Our music is “Tech Talk” by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons 4.0 License 

This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too.  Learn more at https://AustinTechnologyCouncil.org. This episode is a great conversation about change, the rate of change, and the power of Community. Rebecca (Becky) Taylor has been an active software engineer, entrepreneur, community activist, and advisor for over three decades in the Austin community and beyond. She was an early member of the Austin Technology Council (originally called the Austin Software Council) and remains active working with the Austin Technology Incubator - the oldest continuous tech incubator in the United States.   Check out this episode and be inspired.  About Becky Taylor Rebecca (Becky) Taylor is Executive-In-Residence at the Austin Technology Incubator, and Industry Fellow at UT-Austin's Ethics Project. Ms. Taylor is a senior level executive with 35 years' experience inventing new technologies, forming startups, building committed teams and raising funds. She has led advanced development and strategy efforts at organizations from very small start-up companies to large multinationals including the launch team at Shell Technology Ventures, and senior advisory roles at the U.S. Department of State. She has executed and advised on monetization involving licensing, venture capital investing, sales negotiations, expanded market opportuni5es. An inventor and multiple patent holder, she created technology that among other things, makes your phone smarter. She served as an Entrepreneur-In-Residence at the University of Texas at Austin in 2009, advising the University on commercialization alternatives for promising research. Ms Taylor has advised dozens of startups in the course of her professional career, helping them with funding strategies, technology planning, and negotiations. She is a mentor and very much enjoys presenting to diverse audiences, large and small. She has had a lifelong commitment of raising money and awareness for important community needs. Becky Taylor is a Senior Member of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and serves Vice Chair of the IEEE-USA Government Relations Committee. She holds a BS in Computer Science from Iowa State University and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas' LBJ School of Public Policy. She is certified as a Winemaker by the University of California – Davis. She holds a Series 79 FINRA designation and is affiliated with a NYC-area boutique early stage investment bank. Her board service has included board and advisory roles with multiple startups, election as a director of TruWest Credit Union ($750 MM assets), service on Austin Community College's Foundation Board and service for other non-profit organizations in the Austin area. A resident of Austin for 40 years, she has fun with family – her son, lovely daughter-in-law, adorable granddaughter, happy dogs, and is traveling as often as possible. www.thomsinger.com/podcast/becky-taylor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too.  Learn more at https://AustinTechnologyCouncil.org. Min Choe and Angell Tsang sit down to talk about their unique company, Tso Chinese Delivery. Many would not expect a delivery and carry-out quick service restaurant to also be a leading technology company. But in Austin, Texas you find unique tech pioneer in many forms. This interview is both inspiring and informative.  If you have never heard of Tso Chinese Delivery, you will. They are on their way to being the leading provider of great food to your door anywhere in the world....and they do it with proprietary technology.  About Tso Chinese Delivery Tso Chinese Delivery is a delivery and carryout-only, quick service restaurant concept in Austin, TX. Offering free delivery and a no tipping policy, Tso offers one of the best, value-driven delivery services of fresh Chinese food, anywhere. Tso offers its transparent pricing model by offering free delivery and a strict no-tipping policy. Tso is able to execute this service by utilizing a virtual kitchen platform which focuses on online ordering -- no app necessary -- with the ability to track order progress on one's computer or mobile phone. Since launching in Central Austin in 2017, they have since opened a second location in Fall 2019 in North Austin and followed up with a third location in South Austin in November 2021, with a Round Rock location in the pipeline for late 2022. Tso proudly serves high-quality, affordable Chinese-American food. Culinary direction comes from Jenna Choe, Chief Culinary Officer, who has created a menu of classic Chinese-American dishes made with the freshest ingredients possible. Everything is made to order in Tso's kitchen and vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are readily available. Tso offers appetizers like real crab rangoons, potstickers, vegetarian spring rolls, and Szechuan dry green beans as well as a selection of soups like hot & sour soup and egg drop soup. About Min Choe Min Choe is the Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board, and Co-Founder at Tso Chinese Delivery, a delivery and carryout only restaurant concept in Austin, TX. Tso offers free delivery and has a no tipping policy for fresh, high-quality yet affordable, Chinese-American food. After the success of the first Tso location in Central Austin, the second Tso opened in fall of 2019 in North Austin. Min's primary role at Tso is to provide vision and direction for Tso to one day become America's #1 choice for Chinese food delivery. He leads the team by establishing core values that are centered on providing a benefit to the communities and employees they serve, while also building a company focused on growth and profitability. About Angell Tsang Angell Tsang is the Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder at Tso Chinese Delivery, a delivery and carryout only restaurant concept in Austin, TX. Tso offers free delivery and a no tipping policy for fresh, high-quality yet affordable, Chinese-American food. After the huge success of the first Tso location, the second Tso opened in fall of 2019 in North Austin. Angell helped develop the cloud based kitchen platform on which Tso functions. Https://www.thomsinger.com/podcast/tso-chinese-delivery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too.  Learn more at https://AustinTechnologyCouncil.org. This is a great conversation with Sarah Jones Simmer about resilience and the courage to show up. Sarah has a wonderful story that lead her from majoring in music to the CEO of a leading digital health company innovating in the weight space. You must hear this interview!   Sarah Jones Simmer will be the featured Keynote Speaker at the Austin Technology Council's CEO Summit on October 17, 2022. If you are a C-Suite executive, you will want to be sure to be present for this event in Austin, Texas.  About Sarah Jones Simmer Sarah Jones Simmer is an executive, investor, board member and C-level operator. In September 2021, she joined Found as CEO, with a mission to make evidence-based, sustainable weight care accessible for all. Found is quickly emerging as a leader with its innovative approach to weight loss by leveraging the best of modern medicine with personalized support. Prior to Found, Sarah was an executive at Bumble, the women-first social networking app for four years. From 2017-2020, she was the Chief Operating Officer of the Bumble app, where she was responsible for core strategy, international growth, marketing initiatives, and business operations, as well as the expansion of Bumble's rapidly growing team. Sarah also led the investment strategy for the Bumble Fund, Bumble's early-stage investing vehicle launched in 2018, focused on the next generation of women-led businesses. Sarah has spoken at Dreamforce, SXSW, Techcrunch Disrupt, Traction, the Global Partnership for Education, and UN special sessions on topics ranging from venture investing to girls' and women's rights to the future of ethical business, and the challenges and opportunities of scaling rapid growth businesses. She has a Masters' in Public Policy from Northwestern University. She used to run marathons and has completed an Ironman, but now spends her time outside of work raising two young daughters. About Found:  Found is an evidence-based weight care solution that combines the best of modern medicine with personalized coaching and community. Centered around clinical care and lasting behavior change, Found provides its members with a comprehensive weight loss program that delivers long term, sustainable results. Found designs personalized treatments around every factor that makes people unique — from biology, medical history, mental health, existent lifestyle, goals, and more. Found's members are supported by the best of consumer technology, and a team that includes doctors to prescribe safe medication, and coaches to guide them on nutrition, movement, sleep, and emotional health. For more information, visit www.joinfound.com. https://thomsinger.com/podcast/sarah-jones-simmer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Thom Singer talks to Carlos Martin from macami.ai. They talk about the future of AI and RPA as well as why Austin, Texas is a great place for business.  This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too.  Learn more at https://AustinTechnology Council.org. About Carlos Martin: Carlos Martin is the CEO of macami.ai, a company focused in bringing efficiency to the enterprise by leveraging Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and AI. Formerly Director of Strategic Alliances for Brazil for the company Blue Prism, which pioneered the RPA market, and where he worked for 5+ years. Carlos has a degree in Computer Science and a Master's in Technology Commercialization from UT Austin. He has more than 20 years in IT with a solid experience in technology, systems, problem solving, research and business strategy.   Carlos is the author of the upcoming book “The Efficient Enterprise”, which will discuss topics on how to leverage these technologies for bring exponential benefits to business. About macami.ai: macami.ai is an AI consultancy headquartered in Cedar Park, Texas that demystifies the use of artificial intelligence and robotic process automation to make businesses more efficient and allow them to scale effectively. The founders have trained and mentored the top consulting firms on best case use of AI and practices of automation. macami.ai analyzes companies' financials and the cost of business processes with a top down approach to recommend and execute simple financial and software methodologies that incorporate AI and RPA technology. The company will also be providing free trainings online and within local communities on spotting financial scams. https://thomsinger.com/podcast/macami-ai Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode was produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too. Learn more at https://AustinTechnology Council.org. Today's guest is Carolyn Jenkins, the co-founder and CEO of We Are Here. In this interview she shares her ideas around resilience and how individuals and bosses can better understand the need for resilience in the workplace (and life). She has a long history working in tech companies, and has held many roles from HR, COO, Chief Product Officer, and CEO.   Carolyn also shares her points of view on the city of Austin: past, present, and future....and why the city continues to grow and thrive.   About Carolyn Trevino Jenkins Carolyn Jenkins is an award-winning technology executive and entrepreneur who has an extensive and diverse background. Teams she's led have won international recognition for outstanding customer success and national awards for cutting edge work in HR. Several of her companies have won growth awards. Ms. Jenkins believes a culture of strategy, execution, and accountability can be achieved with servant and compassionate leadership. While CEO of Khorus software, Carolyn was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has first-hand experience in how challenging it is to balance a cancer journey with the demands of family and work. She began advocating for early detection and helping those with fewer resources while on that journey. Here is a mission driven endeavor for Carolyn. In her spare time, she mentors emerging leaders, advises startups, and volunteers with several local non-profits. Https://thomsinger.com/podcast/carolyn-jenkins Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too.  Learn more at https://AustinTechnology Council.org. About Kurt Wilkin Kurt Wilkin is a trusted advisor for high-growth, middle-market companies as founder and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital and Co-Founder of HireBetter. With a passion for growth and a hard-earned, proven set of tools in his toolbox, Wilkin works with other entrepreneurs and CEOs to help them escape the start-up mindset and achieve next-level success.   His debut book, Who's Your Mike?, reveals how entrepreneurs can transform their companies by minimizing hiring mistakes, investing in high potentials and making the difficult decisions to drop dead weight from their team. Wilkin draws on his extensive experience launching and growing businesses to help leaders navigate people challenges and tap into the power of making better hires. By putting the right talent in the right places—and pinpointing who is holding the company back—entrepreneurs can unlock meaningful change that will enable their organization to grow, scale and thrive.   Over more than 20 years, Wilkin has built long-lasting partnerships and helped hundreds of business leaders achieve their goals. He began his career in accounting, serving at Ernst & Young before joining an online retailer and discovering his aptitude for entrepreneurship. Wilkin founded The Controller Group (TCG) in 2001 and successfully sold it to Tatum in 2006. During those five years he rapidly grew the firm's revenue, growing it into a $20 million company with more than 100 employees. During his time at TCG, he also co-founded Bee Cave Capital, a Texas-based early-stage venture group where he serves as managing partner.   Wilkin is an alumnus of the University of Arkansas, a graduate of Stagen Leadership Academy, a certified public accountant and an officer of Young Presidents' Organization. Passionate about entrepreneurship, he is an active angel investor and serves on the boards of more organizations than he'd care to count. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and three sons. Visit www.kurtwilkin.com for more information. About "Who's Your Mike?" Book In Who's Your Mike?, Wilkin aims to help readers put into practice techniques he's spent decades fine-tuning. His no-BS guide isn't the traditional business book: every chapter guides the reader through a different people challenge, so readers can quickly identify how to solve troubling scenarios. In fact, he encourages readers not to read the whole thing. It's written a la “choose your own adventure,” so entrepreneurs can pick and choose the sections that will be most helpful to them. Who's Your Mike? tells the stories of both Wilkin's own experience building a community of growth-minded leaders and people pitfalls he's witnessed first-hand from other business leaders. In Who's Your Mike?, readers will learn: ● That there's no secret formula to hiring smart – we all make hiring mistakes ● If they've outgrown their current team, and what to do next ● How to handle the people they're sure to meet on their entrepreneurial journey Kurt has called Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas home his entire life and proudly claims to have “Redneck, Cajun, and Hillbilly rolled into one beautiful package.” That might explain his natural BS detector. He is the father of three active boys who don't let him take life too seriously, and he resides in Austin with his wife, Carrie, who didn't think he could focus long enough to get the grocery list right, much less write an entire book! https://thomsinger.com/podcast/kurt-wilkin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of If Not Now Wen, we're talking with special guest Joel Trammell. Joel is a serial entrepreneur and lifelong learner who is super passionate about building great organizations. His leadership has led to multiple successful exits and exceptional investor returns over his 30-year career. Joel is the owner of Texas CEO Magazine, which reaches more than 10,000 CEOs across the state. He is a pioneer in the field of CEO education and training. After discovering there might be some gaps for business leaders who are struggling to build great businesses, Joel launched American CEO to provide educational resources for chief executives. He is also the author of The CEO Tight Rope, a comprehensive guide featuring proven techniques and approaches for overcoming the unique challenges of being a CEO. As a leading CEO educator, Joel regularly speaks at conferences and events nationwide. He has contributed to Entrepreneur, Forbes and Inc.com, sharing his experienced-based insight on business leadership topics. He has served on the boards of public, private and non-profit organizations. He was named Chairman Emeritus of the Austin Technology Council and regularly teaches a course for Austin CEOs. Joel is the ultimate chief educator to chief executives. He believes that great CEOs make great jobs, and great jobs and great success in business drives success for a country. He is passionate about helping others make their organizations as successful as possible. In this episode we'll talk about:

This episode was produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council. ATC is a 30 year old association focused on promoting and facilitating growth of technology companies in Central Texas. Over the past three decades the business ecosystem in Austin has changed, and ATC is actively changing, too.  Learn more at https://AustinTechnology Council.org. Today's guest is Brain Beck, the co-founder and managing partner at Sabio Tech Partners. In this interview he shares his experience from the past five years in working with private equity firms, and companies, in reviewing and improving their tech to ensure better growth and valuations. About Brian Beck Brian Beck is the Managing Partner and co-founder of Sabio Tech Partners, an Austin-based technology advisory firm focused on helping middle market private equity firms achieve greater investment valuation with reduced risk. In today's world, every company uses technology to both run the business and to produce its products and services. Brian's core belief is that all firms considering significant investments must factor technology into their diligence process, because “what you don't know will hurt you.” Leveraging the expertise and knowledge gained over a long career in the technology and financial services industries, Sabio has developed an innovative approach and toolset, called “Quality of Technology” (Q·of·T), specifically designed to enable private equity firms to conduct robust and rapid technology diligence of their potential acquisitions. Though Brian has worked and traveled extensively in Canada, Europe, India and Asia Pacific, he has called Austin home for the past 20 years and is passionate about the Austin food scene, its new professional soccer club (Austin FC), and grilling on his back porch. https://thomsinger.com/podcast/sabio-tech-partners  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura Kilcrease, CEO of Alberta Innovates discusses Inventures, Alberta's largest innovation  conference. The event brings together investors, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders who are redefining the future.  For the transcription of this episode please visit: https://www.rainforestab.ca/yyc-blog/podcast-episode-165-transcription Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta. Host: Peter Beaudoin Peter manages strategy and partnerships for an innovative alliance of energy companies committed to reducing environmental impacts through collaborative R&D efforts. Peter worked for more than 20 years in Asia building and investing in a variety of businesses. His most recent role outside of Canada was with the World Wildlife Fund, where he was the Chief Executive Officer of WWF China, based in Beijing. Prior to that, Peter lived in Hong Kong for 15 years working in the technology industry. Guest: Laura Kilcrease is the Chief Executive Officer for Alberta Innovates, including its subsidiaries InnoTech Alberta and C-FER Technologies. Recruited from Austin, Texas, Laura is the founder and former-managing director of the venture capital fund Triton Ventures, LP. She is widely recognized as one of the key figures in changing Austin's economic landscape from one struggling with the economic ups and downs that come with oil dependence to a high-tech environment that is today recognized as one of the #1 Entrepreneur City and best place to live and work in the U.S. She is the founder of the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), one of the United States' first technology business incubators, and co-founder of the Austin Technology Council, a premier networking organization that cultivated the growth of the Austin economy. Laura also launched Capital Network, one of the largest angel investor networks in the U.S. with over $150 million in completed transactions. Laura has more than 25 years of hands-on experience in commercializing technology, and a deep understanding of how to identify and build new business opportunities. Prior to accepting the role as Alberta Innovates' CEO, Laura was a seven-year member of the Alberta Research and Innovation Advisory Committee, which guided the former Alberta Innovates' corporations. In Austin, she gave her time and expertise to a number of non-profit boards, including the Women's Leadership Advisory Board of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, the Beyster Institute, World Congress for Information Technology 2006, and the IC² Institute at The University of Texas at Austin, among many others. Laura has often been recognized for her outstanding achievements. She has received numerous honors and awards, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Austin Business Journal's Profiles in Power Award, and the University of Texas McCombs School of Business Women in Business Leadership Conference Trailblazer Award. Born in London, Laura received her certification as a Chartered Management Accountant in the U.K. and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Texas.  Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show. If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider giving a listen to the Shift Podcast by Alberta Innovates Show Links: Inventures Canada Alberta Innovates Show Quotes: "the last real live Inventures in 2019, within six months, there was $116 million of transactions done. And within the first year, even under COVID, it was approximately $246 million of deals done." "I'm also hoping that everyone can come out and reconnect with their old friends, but also meet their new partners. Because this is a time where we need to come together, post COVID, and really kick butt with the rest of the world." Credits... This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine Episode Music: Tony Del Degan Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan  

Americans' trust of the media is absolutely in the gutter https://notthebee.com/article/americans-trust-of-the-media-is-completely-in-the-gutter-and-boy-you-just-hate-to-see-it And the Bee notes about the Gallup research:  “when political differences are accounted for, the results diverge sharply along party lines: Just 11% of Republicans trust the media, while 68% of Democrats do. But even the Democratic numbers have declined notably in recent years, as have those of Independents.” I can't help but to insert Club plug here. This is sort of self serving, but I cannot think of a better way to fight mainstream media, than by first joining a solid bible believing church, and secondly joining our club. Our goal here, and I hope we are doing a pretty good job of this, is to proclaim the Lordship of Christ over politics, produce quality news and commentary that you can trust, and build a network that surpass unprincipled legacy media like Fox News. So, go to FightLaughFeast.com to sign up and support our efforts.  Texas governor bans Covid-19 vaccine mandates by any employer in state https://apple.news/AbFpB3TM-RoeortH-jmAnHA Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday issued an executive order banning all state entities, including private employers, from enforcing vaccine mandates, the latest escalation in the Republican's resistance to public health measures during the Covid-19 pandemic. The order states that "no entity in Texas" can enforce vaccination against anyone in the state who objects "for any reason of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for medical reasons, including prior recovery from COVID-19," according to a news release from the governor's office.  "The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and our best defense against the virus, but should remain voluntary and never forced," Abbott said in a statement.  Abbott also called on the Texas state Legislature to pass a law with the same effect. The executive order would be rescinded upon the passage of such legislation, the governor's office said.  Southwest, American among Texas businesses defying Abbott to comply with federal vaccine mandate https://www.statesman.com/story/business/2021/10/12/southwest-american-plan-ignore-abbott-comply-vaccine-mandate/8423456002/ Now according to the Satesman, there is a battle of the gods, and it looks like the federal god won: “Two of the national's largest airlines — Southwest Airlines and American Airlines — both based in Texas, said Tuesday they plan to follow looming federal guidelines and require that their employees are vaccinated against COVID-19, despite an order from Gov. Greg Abbott that attempts to block such mandates. Dallas-based Southwest Airlines last week ordered all of its estimated 55,000 employees to be vaccinated against COVID 19 by Dec. 8. That folowed a directive from President Joe Biden, who in September said all private companies with more than 100 workers must require employees to be vaccinated or conduct weekly tests for the coronavirus. Southwest said in a written statement Tuesday that the president's executive order “supersedes any state mandate or law,” saying the company is required to adhere to it despite Abbott's action “to remain compliant as a federal contractor.”” But listen to this. In the same article:  “Amber Gunst, CEO of the Austin Technology Council, said most companies in Texas are unlikely to follow the governor's mandate. Employers don't have the option to defy OSHA standards, both for legal reasons and for insurance-related concerns, she said. "When the federal government comes in with OSHA and they say, 'this is what we need to do in order to keep employees safe,' companies have to follow those rules in order to be in compliance with OSHA, so I don't really feel that most companies are going to look at the mandate that the governor created and want to adhere to that," Gunst said.  "Companies don't have an option to choose to not be in compliance with OSHA. They will have a very strict, and steep price to pay if they're not in compliance with OSHA." Gunst said she thinks most companies will see Abbott's order "as a nuisance that the governor has created." The question is a nuisance to who? Who is being the nuisance? Who is forcing people to vax?  The Wallstree Journal captures this gem:  https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-mandate-fight-between-texas-and-biden-has-companies-caught-in-the-middle-11634073605 “The Greater Houston Partnership, which represents some 900 companies including Exxon Mobil Corp., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Chevron Corp. and Accenture PLC, said Tuesday that Mr. Abbott's order would make it more difficult for Texas businesses to operate safely. The organization has been generally supportive of Mr. Biden's efforts to require vaccines for large employers.” Texas companies are showing more loyalty to the federal government, than to their state. We be tripp'n. Joe Biden's Vaccine Mandate Doesn't Exist. It's Just A Press Release https://thefederalist.com/2021/10/07/joe-bidens-vaccine-mandate-doesnt-exist-its-just-a-press-release/?s=04#.YV9Ab7sLmEY.twitter According to Joy Pullmann over at The Federalist: “Yes, we've heard all about Joe Biden's alleged vaccine mandate for private companies employing 100 or more people. It was all over the news even before he announced it on September 9. His announcement has jeopardized the employment of millions of Americans and increased worker shortages in critical domains such as health care. There's only one problem. It's all a mirage. Biden's so-called vaccine mandate doesn't exist — at least, not yet. So far, all we have is his press conference and other such made-for-media huff-puffing. No such rule even claiming to be legally binding has been issued yet. That's why nearly two dozen Republican attorneys general who have publicly voiced their opposition to the clearly unconstitutional and illegal mandate haven't yet filed suit against it, the Office of the Indiana Attorney General confirmed for me. There is no mandate to haul into court. And that may be part of the plan. According to several sources, so far it appears no such mandate has been sent to the White House's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs yet for approval. The White House, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Department of Labor haven't released any official guidance for the alleged mandate. There is no executive order. There's nothing but press statements. Despite what you may have been falsely led to believe by the media fantasy projection machine, press statements have exactly zero legal authority. To impose the public perception of a mandate, the Biden administration is following an unusual rule-making process it also employed earlier this year, called an emergency temporary standard (ETS). The spring ETS rule took nearly six months to issue. Meanwhile, companies are telling reporters their vaccine mandates will have at the latest December deadlines. (For those who can't calendar, that's four months after Biden's non-existent mandate was proclaimed. According to OSHA, an ETS takes up to six months to go into effect after the initial mandate is issued in the Federal Register — which, again, for the proclaimed 100-employee mandate hasn't happened yet.) Lawyers for big business were blunt about their love for this mandate mirage: “Everybody loves this cover,” Minneapolis employment lawyer Kate Bischoff told Bloomberg Law in September. “Many were already looking down the road at doing this, but the fact that they get to blame Biden is like manna from heaven.” Using the ETS procedure instead of normal federal rule-making processes both allows the Biden administration to push its demands faster and without any public input or requirement of responding to public input, which is normally required of even legally laughable federal rule-making like this one would be. That is part of why ETS rules have been overwhelmingly overturned in courts. Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal published a letter from Bruce Atkinson making several excellent observations about the nonexistent mandate, including the following:” “The mandate's nonexistence shields the Biden administration from legal challenges that may ultimately restrict the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's authority. Yet the mandate is still effective at compelling industries and companies into compliance, as it leaves room for any eventual issuance to target noncompliant entities. This implied cudgel is particularly effective on industries and companies that are dependent on federal spending or the goodwill of federal regulators. The nonexistent mandate also allows so-inclined state and local governments and companies to issue their own mandates, seemingly in lockstep with Washington. The Biden White House has been well-served by presenting a nonexistent mandate as a done deal.” Guitar AD Have you always wanted to play guitar but didn't know where to start? Learning to play the guitar can be a lonely, confusing and expensive experience. But it doesn't have to be that way. Fight Laugh Feast member David Harsh has created a unique, online monthly membership, that has community, a clear success path, and it's super affordable. David has spent decades of touring, leading worship, and teaching guitar. He's helped thousands of guitar players discover their potential. You may have heard us talk about GuitarSuccess4U. Here's an update. Several of our listeners have joined this membership, and they are having a blast! Maybe it's time for you to hop on board! When you join this membership, you can learn at your own pace, from home, alongside a community of guitarists including worship leaders, hobbyists, retirees, stay-at-home moms and more. Through video lessons, worksheets, and weekly Zoom calls, David will take you step-by-step towards becoming the musician you were made to be. GuitarSuccess4U is only $29 a month – that's less than a dollar a day, and a fraction of the cost of guitar lessons. Learn more and join now at GuitarSuccess4U.com. That's “Guitar Success,” the number “4” and the letter “U,” dot com. Join today and get 5 instant bonuses to help accelerate your progress! Head on over to GuitarSuccess4U.com to start your guitar journey. That's Guitar Success, the number “4” and the letter “U,” dot com. A record 4.3 million workers quit their jobs in August, led by food and retail industries https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/12/a-record-4point3-million-workers-quit-their-jobs-in-august-led-by-food-and-retail-industries.html According to CNBC: “Workers left their jobs at a record pace in August, with bar and restaurant employees as well as retail staff quitting in droves, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. Quits hit a new series high going back to December 2000, as 4.3 million workers left their jobs. The quits rate rose to 2.9%, an increase of 242,000 from the previous month, which saw a rate of 2.7%, according to the department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The rate, which is measured against total employment, is the highest in a data series that goes back to December 2000. Quits have been seen historically as a level of confidence from workers who feel they are secure in finding employment elsewhere, though labor dynamics have changed during Covid-19 crisis. Workers have left their jobs because of health concerns and child care issues unique to the pandemic's circumstances. A total of 892,000 workers in the food service and accommodation industries left their jobs, while 721,000 retail workers departed along with 534,000 in health care and social assistance. “As job openings and hires fell in August, the quits rate hit a new series high, surging along with the rise in Covid cases and likely growing concerns about working in the continuing pandemic,” said Elise Gould, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute.” Now two questions for me arise out of this information. Why are these people quitting, and where are they going?  I could not dig up the answer for where these quitters went, and the best answer I could dig up for why they are quitting coming from the Business, Insider where they speculate:  https://www.businessinsider.com/over-4-million-workers-quit-record-labor-shortage-great-resignation-2021-10 “Workers are likely quitting over work conditions, pay, the virus, or contemplation of their lives.” Bottom line is the government has created a catawampus economy, and screws up all the incentives, this makes it hard to understand what is really going on here.  Pelosi signals big spending package will shrink to $2 trillion https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/pelosi-signals-2-trillion-spending-bill Facing intractable opposition from party centrists, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats will have to “make tighter decisions” on a massive social welfare spending package that is stalled in Congress. Pelosi, a California Democrat, acknowledged in a press conference Tuesday that the $3.5 trillion package planned by Democrats will have to shrink to about $2 trillion, telling reporters, “The fact is there are fewer dollars to spend, there are choices to be made, and the members have said let's get the results we need, but we will not diminish the transformative nature of what it is.” Pelosi, in a memo to Democrats late Monday, told them caucus members are calling for a spending package that will “do fewer things well so that we can still have a transformative impact on families in the workplace and responsibly address the climate crisis.” Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, set an Oct. 31 deadline to advance the package. Tight race in Virginia gubernatorial showdown with three weeks until election https://www.foxnews.com/politics/virginia-gubernatorial-showdown-three-weeks-until-election Tuesday marks three weeks to go until Election Day in Virginia, and the top-of-the- ticket race remains an extremely close contest in one of just two states to hold gubernatorial elections in the year after a presidential contest. An average of the latest polls in the race indicates that former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe – who's running for his old job – holds a slight, single-digit edge over Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin in a state that President Biden won by 10 points in last year's election and where Republicans haven't won a statewide contest in a dozen years.  The margin-of-error race in Virginia – a one-time key battleground but still competitive state which is seen as a key bellwether ahead of the 2022 midterm elections – has national Democrats on edge as they defend their razor-thin majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate in next year's contests. "Folks, the Virginia Governor's race is a big deal not just for the Commonwealth but for our country," Biden wrote to supporters in a fundraising email. And McAuliffe asked in a fundraising email last week, "Are we blowing this?" Virginia and New Jersey's elections for governor always grab outsized attention as they're the only states to hold such contests the year after the presidency's decided. And there's a long-running trend of voters in the commonwealth defeating the gubernatorial nominee of the party that controls the White House. McAuliffe broke with that tradition in 2013 with his election as governor. McAuliffe was unable to run for reelection in 2017 because Virginia governors are barred from serving two straight terms. And the McAuliffe campaign announced on Tuesday that the biggest name of all - former President Obama - will team up with the former governor on Oct. 23. Closing This is Gabriel Rench with Crosspolitic News. Support Rowdy Christian media by joining our club at fightlaughfeast.com, downloading our App, and head to our annual Fight Laugh Feast Conference next fall. With your partnership, together we will fight outdated and compromised media, engage news and politics with the gospel, and replace lies and darkness with truth and light. Go to fightlaughfeast.com to take all these actions. Have a great day. Lord bless 

Over the course of this podcast, we have explored the Austin ecosystem from a variety of different angles. The sectors here, the major trends, and the entrepreneurial support system. One question that has percolated through has been why has Austin continued to punch above its weight when it comes to funding, startups, growth, etc. What is it about Austin that is resonating beyond our borders? Today we explore our observations of the Austin Narrative and the regional superpowers that are underlying it with Amber Gunst, CEO of the Austin Technology council. The stories that travel are helping shape…. What's Next Austin? Podcast Production Services by NCC Audio Our music is “Tech Talk” by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons 4.0 License

Americans' trust of the media is absolutely in the gutter https://notthebee.com/article/americans-trust-of-the-media-is-completely-in-the-gutter-and-boy-you-just-hate-to-see-it And the Bee notes about the Gallup research: “when political differences are accounted for, the results diverge sharply along party lines: Just 11% of Republicans trust the media, while 68% of Democrats do. But even the Democratic numbers have declined notably in recent years, as have those of Independents.” I can't help but to insert Club plug here. This is sort of self serving, but I cannot think of a better way to fight mainstream media, than by first joining a solid bible believing church, and secondly joining our club. Our goal here, and I hope we are doing a pretty good job of this, is to proclaim the Lordship of Christ over politics, produce quality news and commentary that you can trust, and build a network that surpass unprincipled legacy media like Fox News. So, go to FightLaughFeast.com to sign up and support our efforts. Texas governor bans Covid-19 vaccine mandates by any employer in state https://apple.news/AbFpB3TM-RoeortH-jmAnHA Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday issued an executive order banning all state entities, including private employers, from enforcing vaccine mandates, the latest escalation in the Republican's resistance to public health measures during the Covid-19 pandemic. The order states that "no entity in Texas" can enforce vaccination against anyone in the state who objects "for any reason of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for medical reasons, including prior recovery from COVID-19," according to a news release from the governor's office. "The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and our best defense against the virus, but should remain voluntary and never forced," Abbott said in a statement. Abbott also called on the Texas state Legislature to pass a law with the same effect. The executive order would be rescinded upon the passage of such legislation, the governor's office said. Southwest, American among Texas businesses defying Abbott to comply with federal vaccine mandate https://www.statesman.com/story/business/2021/10/12/southwest-american-plan-ignore-abbott-comply-vaccine-mandate/8423456002/ Now according to the Satesman, there is a battle of the gods, and it looks like the federal god won: “Two of the national's largest airlines — Southwest Airlines and American Airlines — both based in Texas, said Tuesday they plan to follow looming federal guidelines and require that their employees are vaccinated against COVID-19, despite an order from Gov. Greg Abbott that attempts to block such mandates. Dallas-based Southwest Airlines last week ordered all of its estimated 55,000 employees to be vaccinated against COVID 19 by Dec. 8. That folowed a directive from President Joe Biden, who in September said all private companies with more than 100 workers must require employees to be vaccinated or conduct weekly tests for the coronavirus. Southwest said in a written statement Tuesday that the president's executive order “supersedes any state mandate or law,” saying the company is required to adhere to it despite Abbott's action “to remain compliant as a federal contractor.”” But listen to this. In the same article: “Amber Gunst, CEO of the Austin Technology Council, said most companies in Texas are unlikely to follow the governor's mandate. Employers don't have the option to defy OSHA standards, both for legal reasons and for insurance-related concerns, she said. "When the federal government comes in with OSHA and they say, 'this is what we need to do in order to keep employees safe,' companies have to follow those rules in order to be in compliance with OSHA, so I don't really feel that most companies are going to look at the mandate that the governor created and want to adhere to that," Gunst said. "Companies don't have an option to choose to not be in compliance with OSHA. They will have a very strict, and steep price to pay if they're not in compliance with OSHA." Gunst said she thinks most companies will see Abbott's order "as a nuisance that the governor has created." The question is a nuisance to who? Who is being the nuisance? Who is forcing people to vax? The Wallstree Journal captures this gem: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-mandate-fight-between-texas-and-biden-has-companies-caught-in-the-middle-11634073605 “The Greater Houston Partnership, which represents some 900 companies including Exxon Mobil Corp., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Chevron Corp. and Accenture PLC, said Tuesday that Mr. Abbott's order would make it more difficult for Texas businesses to operate safely. The organization has been generally supportive of Mr. Biden's efforts to require vaccines for large employers.” Texas companies are showing more loyalty to the federal government, than to their state. We be tripp'n. Joe Biden's Vaccine Mandate Doesn't Exist. It's Just A Press Release https://thefederalist.com/2021/10/07/joe-bidens-vaccine-mandate-doesnt-exist-its-just-a-press-release/?s=04#.YV9Ab7sLmEY.twitter According to Joy Pullmann over at The Federalist: “Yes, we've heard all about Joe Biden's alleged vaccine mandate for private companies employing 100 or more people. It was all over the news even before he announced it on September 9. His announcement has jeopardized the employment of millions of Americans and increased worker shortages in critical domains such as health care. There's only one problem. It's all a mirage. Biden's so-called vaccine mandate doesn't exist — at least, not yet. So far, all we have is his press conference and other such made-for-media huff-puffing. No such rule even claiming to be legally binding has been issued yet. That's why nearly two dozen Republican attorneys general who have publicly voiced their opposition to the clearly unconstitutional and illegal mandate haven't yet filed suit against it, the Office of the Indiana Attorney General confirmed for me. There is no mandate to haul into court. And that may be part of the plan. According to several sources, so far it appears no such mandate has been sent to the White House's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs yet for approval. The White House, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Department of Labor haven't released any official guidance for the alleged mandate. There is no executive order. There's nothing but press statements. Despite what you may have been falsely led to believe by the media fantasy projection machine, press statements have exactly zero legal authority. To impose the public perception of a mandate, the Biden administration is following an unusual rule-making process it also employed earlier this year, called an emergency temporary standard (ETS). The spring ETS rule took nearly six months to issue. Meanwhile, companies are telling reporters their vaccine mandates will have at the latest December deadlines. (For those who can't calendar, that's four months after Biden's non-existent mandate was proclaimed. According to OSHA, an ETS takes up to six months to go into effect after the initial mandate is issued in the Federal Register — which, again, for the proclaimed 100-employee mandate hasn't happened yet.) Lawyers for big business were blunt about their love for this mandate mirage: “Everybody loves this cover,” Minneapolis employment lawyer Kate Bischoff told Bloomberg Law in September. “Many were already looking down the road at doing this, but the fact that they get to blame Biden is like manna from heaven.” Using the ETS procedure instead of normal federal rule-making processes both allows the Biden administration to push its demands faster and without any public input or requirement of responding to public input, which is normally required of even legally laughable federal rule-making like this one would be. That is part of why ETS rules have been overwhelmingly overturned in courts. Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal published a letter from Bruce Atkinson making several excellent observations about the nonexistent mandate, including the following:” “The mandate's nonexistence shields the Biden administration from legal challenges that may ultimately restrict the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's authority. Yet the mandate is still effective at compelling industries and companies into compliance, as it leaves room for any eventual issuance to target noncompliant entities. This implied cudgel is particularly effective on industries and companies that are dependent on federal spending or the goodwill of federal regulators. The nonexistent mandate also allows so-inclined state and local governments and companies to issue their own mandates, seemingly in lockstep with Washington. The Biden White House has been well-served by presenting a nonexistent mandate as a done deal.” Guitar AD Have you always wanted to play guitar but didn't know where to start? Learning to play the guitar can be a lonely, confusing and expensive experience. But it doesn't have to be that way. Fight Laugh Feast member David Harsh has created a unique, online monthly membership, that has community, a clear success path, and it's super affordable. David has spent decades of touring, leading worship, and teaching guitar. He's helped thousands of guitar players discover their potential. You may have heard us talk about GuitarSuccess4U. Here's an update. Several of our listeners have joined this membership, and they are having a blast! Maybe it's time for you to hop on board! When you join this membership, you can learn at your own pace, from home, alongside a community of guitarists including worship leaders, hobbyists, retirees, stay-at-home moms and more. Through video lessons, worksheets, and weekly Zoom calls, David will take you step-by-step towards becoming the musician you were made to be. GuitarSuccess4U is only $29 a month – that's less than a dollar a day, and a fraction of the cost of guitar lessons. Learn more and join now at GuitarSuccess4U.com. That's “Guitar Success,” the number “4” and the letter “U,” dot com. Join today and get 5 instant bonuses to help accelerate your progress! Head on over to GuitarSuccess4U.com to start your guitar journey. That's Guitar Success, the number “4” and the letter “U,” dot com. A record 4.3 million workers quit their jobs in August, led by food and retail industries https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/12/a-record-4point3-million-workers-quit-their-jobs-in-august-led-by-food-and-retail-industries.html According to CNBC: “Workers left their jobs at a record pace in August, with bar and restaurant employees as well as retail staff quitting in droves, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. Quits hit a new series high going back to December 2000, as 4.3 million workers left their jobs. The quits rate rose to 2.9%, an increase of 242,000 from the previous month, which saw a rate of 2.7%, according to the department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The rate, which is measured against total employment, is the highest in a data series that goes back to December 2000. Quits have been seen historically as a level of confidence from workers who feel they are secure in finding employment elsewhere, though labor dynamics have changed during Covid-19 crisis. Workers have left their jobs because of health concerns and child care issues unique to the pandemic's circumstances. A total of 892,000 workers in the food service and accommodation industries left their jobs, while 721,000 retail workers departed along with 534,000 in health care and social assistance. “As job openings and hires fell in August, the quits rate hit a new series high, surging along with the rise in Covid cases and likely growing concerns about working in the continuing pandemic,” said Elise Gould, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute.” Now two questions for me arise out of this information. Why are these people quitting, and where are they going? I could not dig up the answer for where these quitters went, and the best answer I could dig up for why they are quitting coming from the Business, Insider where they speculate: https://www.businessinsider.com/over-4-million-workers-quit-record-labor-shortage-great-resignation-2021-10 “Workers are likely quitting over work conditions, pay, the virus, or contemplation of their lives.” Bottom line is the government has created a catawampus economy, and screws up all the incentives, this makes it hard to understand what is really going on here. Pelosi signals big spending package will shrink to $2 trillion https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/pelosi-signals-2-trillion-spending-bill Facing intractable opposition from party centrists, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats will have to “make tighter decisions” on a massive social welfare spending package that is stalled in Congress. Pelosi, a California Democrat, acknowledged in a press conference Tuesday that the $3.5 trillion package planned by Democrats will have to shrink to about $2 trillion, telling reporters, “The fact is there are fewer dollars to spend, there are choices to be made, and the members have said let's get the results we need, but we will not diminish the transformative nature of what it is.” Pelosi, in a memo to Democrats late Monday, told them caucus members are calling for a spending package that will “do fewer things well so that we can still have a transformative impact on families in the workplace and responsibly address the climate crisis.” Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, set an Oct. 31 deadline to advance the package. Tight race in Virginia gubernatorial showdown with three weeks until election https://www.foxnews.com/politics/virginia-gubernatorial-showdown-three-weeks-until-election Tuesday marks three weeks to go until Election Day in Virginia, and the top-of-the- ticket race remains an extremely close contest in one of just two states to hold gubernatorial elections in the year after a presidential contest. An average of the latest polls in the race indicates that former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe – who's running for his old job – holds a slight, single-digit edge over Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin in a state that President Biden won by 10 points in last year's election and where Republicans haven't won a statewide contest in a dozen years. The margin-of-error race in Virginia – a one-time key battleground but still competitive state which is seen as a key bellwether ahead of the 2022 midterm elections – has national Democrats on edge as they defend their razor-thin majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate in next year's contests. "Folks, the Virginia Governor's race is a big deal not just for the Commonwealth but for our country," Biden wrote to supporters in a fundraising email. And McAuliffe asked in a fundraising email last week, "Are we blowing this?" Virginia and New Jersey's elections for governor always grab outsized attention as they're the only states to hold such contests the year after the presidency's decided. And there's a long-running trend of voters in the commonwealth defeating the gubernatorial nominee of the party that controls the White House. McAuliffe broke with that tradition in 2013 with his election as governor. McAuliffe was unable to run for reelection in 2017 because Virginia governors are barred from serving two straight terms. And the McAuliffe campaign announced on Tuesday that the biggest name of all - former President Obama - will team up with the former governor on Oct. 23. Closing This is Gabriel Rench with Crosspolitic News. Support Rowdy Christian media by joining our club at fightlaughfeast.com, downloading our App, and head to our annual Fight Laugh Feast Conference next fall. With your partnership, together we will fight outdated and compromised media, engage news and politics with the gospel, and replace lies and darkness with truth and light. Go to fightlaughfeast.com to take all these actions. Have a great day. Lord bless

Episode 652 of “Making Waves at C-Level” is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members through insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive. This episode is an in-depth interview with Patrick Emmons, founder and DEO of Dragonspears, a consulting firm for software excellence. He wants to empower clients to become great SAS level organizations. He is all about partnering with clients to hit strategic initiatives. Check out this conversation about entrepreneurship, influence building, and the city of Austin is awesome place to start or expand a business. Based in Chicago, Patrick and his team have gotten involved with the Austin Technology Council and the local tech community as they grow their company.   About Patrick Emmons If you can’t appreciate a good sports analogy, movie quote, or military reference, you may not want to work with him, but if you value honesty, integrity, and commitment to improvement, Patrick can certainly help take your business or your career to the next level. “Good enough,” is simply not in his vernacular. Pat’s passion is for relentlessly pushing himself and others to achieve full potential. Patrick Emmons is a graduate of St. Norbert College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Mathematics. Patrick co-founded Adage Technologies in 2001 and in 2015, founded DragonSpears as a spin-off dedicated to developing custom applications that improve speed, compliance and scalability of clients’ internal and customer-facing workflow processes. When he is not learning about new technology, running a better business, or becoming a stronger leader, he can be found coaching his kids’ (FIVE of them) baseball and lacrosse teams and praising his ever-so-patient wife for all her support. www.thomsinger.com/podcast/patrick-emmons-dragonspears Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 636 of "Making Waves at C-Level" is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members through insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive. This episode is an in-depth interview with Arie Stavchansky, founder and CEO of Dataclay. Check out this conversation about pivoting to a profitable business model, making customers lives easier, entrepreneurship, and the city of Austin. Check out this episode. I especially like the quote "When you believe you are giving back, that is when society will reward you back". Arie has a great attitude about entrepreneurship and growing a business. He also believes deeply about the "soul" of the City of Austin, and how that adds to the business success of those growing companies in the Texas Hill Country.  About Arie Stavchansky Dr. Arie Stavchansky is a multi-disciplinary professional. As a practitioner of digital media for more than two decades, he works in all phases of production and has carried the titles of designer, developer, creative director, and educator. An Austin native and first generation American, his cross cultural influences, diverse industry experience and extensive education inform his analytical, creative, and technical work. Currently, he works to design interactive media products, code software applications, produce and direct video content, and guide creative and technical professionals toward delivering innovative solutions. Arie completed his Ph.D. in Digital Media Studies and Production at The University of Texas at Austin. For his dissertation he researched how video production techniques affect viewers’ trust in television news. He also holds a Master of Design in Interaction Design from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in Radio, Television, Film from UT Austin. After completing his doctorate, he worked as a lecturer at UT Austin educating graduate and undergraduate students. His industry experience spans across a range of brand and studio sizes. He has worked on shipped products for well-known companies such as Nintendo, Warner Brothers, Sony, Dell, and Cisco Systems. Agencies and studios he has worked with include Chicago-based Digital Kitchen, Los Angeles-based Mac Guff, New York-based Radical Media, Sony Online Entertainment and NFL Digital. Currently he is founder of Dataclay, a company providing automation systems for video production workflow. Enterprises such as Netflix, Amazon, Apple, the NFL, facebook, Google, Saatchi & Saatchi, and NBCUniversal have adopted Dataclay's technology to automate their video production needs for various distribution channels. About Dataclay Dataclay was founded in 2014 with a simple but important mission: to free video content creators from the inefficiencies of menial data entry, empowering them to develop greater quantities of higher quality content in less time, and with less cost. Since then, their mission has broadened to enable new modes of video communication. They want to improve the way video is created and consumed. The team at Dataclay believes in the power of customized video to forge strong connections between video creators and their audiences. These connections facilitate better customer experiences and can enrich the lives of viewers. https://thomsinger.com/podcast/dataclay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mastering imposter syndrome when we start doing something new in our careers is tough, in this no holds barred episode Scott Francis shares so much valuable information Kim Adele and Nat Schooler thoroughly enjoyed it.  Scott is the CEO and co-founder of BP3. "Where our mission is to help our clients find a faster way - to their business outcomes. Scott is also president of the board of Magellan International School and on the board of the Austin Technology Council.Previously Scott worked at Lombardi Software. Scott graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Computer Science, and came down to Austin in ‘94 to work for Trilogy Software. For the shownotes, access to the Amy Cuddy talk and Kim Adele's 7 step breakthrough process visit:  https://www.influentialvisions.com/imposter-syndrome

This episode we're talking with Alberta's Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation, Doug Schweitzer; and Alberta Innovates CEO Laura Kilcrease about diversification and Alberta's economy and more.BIOSDoug SchweitzerMinister Doug Schweitzer was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on April 16, 2019, as the MLA for Calgary-Elbow.A dedicated husband, father of 2 young girls and a long-serving community volunteer, Schweitzer has a strong record of public service, including previously raising funds for military families and serving as Vice Chair of the Calgary Drug Treatment Court. He is passionate about restoring Alberta's promise – an Alberta in which, no matter where you came from, if you worked hard, you could succeed.Schweitzer was a partner at a leading Alberta law firm as a restructuring and bankruptcy lawyer. This experience gave him a first-hand view of the staggering impacts of failed policies that have led to job losses, economic stagnation and a loss of hope.Doug Schweitzer was appointed as Alberta's Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation on August 25, 2020. Schweitzer will oversee the implementation of Alberta's Recovery Plan, its sector strategies and Alberta's growth agenda.Schweitzer previously held the position of Alberta's Minister of Justice and Solicitor General where he made important progress tackling rural crime, advancing aspects of the fair deal panel report recommendations, and creating a faster, fairer and more responsible justice system. (Minister Schweitzer's bio was taken from the GoA's website.)Laura KilcreaseLaura Kilcrease is the Chief Executive Officer for Alberta Innovates, including its subsidiaries InnoTech Alberta and C-FER Technologies.Recruited from Austin, Texas, Laura is the founder and former-managing director of the venture capital fund Triton Ventures, LP. She is widely recognized as one of the key figures in changing Austin's economic landscape from one struggling with the economic ups and downs that come with oil dependence to a high-tech environment that is today recognized as one of the #1 Entrepreneur City and best place to live and work in the U.S.She is the founder of the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), one of the United States' first technology business incubators, and co-founder of the Austin Technology Council, a premier networking organization that cultivated the growth of the Austin economy. Laura also launched Capital Network, one of the largest angel investor networks in the U.S. with over $150 million in completed transactions.Laura has more than 25 years of hands-on experience in commercializing technology, and a deep understanding of how to identify and build new business opportunities. Prior to accepting the role as Alberta Innovates' CEO, Laura was a seven-year member of the Alberta Research and Innovation Advisory Committee, which guided the former Alberta Innovates' corporations.In Austin, she gave her time and expertise to a number of non-profit boards, including the Women's Leadership Advisory Board of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, the Beyster Institute, World Congress for Information Technology 2006, and the IC² Institute at The University of Texas at Austin, among many others.Laura has often been recognized for her outstanding achievements. She has received numerous honors and awards, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Austin Business Journal's Profiles in Power Award, and the University of Texas McCombs School of Business Women in Business Leadership Conference Trailblazer Award.Born in London, Laura received her certification as a Chartered Management Accountant in the U.K. and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Texas. 

Episode 613 of the “Making Waves at C-Level” podcast (formerly the “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” podcast) is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members through insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive. This episode is an in-depth interview with Joyce Durst, co-founder and CEO of Growth Acceleration Partners (GAP). Check out this conversation about leadership, company growth, and the city of Austin.   About Joyce Durst   Growing up, Joyce Durst refused to accept that girls don't do math and kids from her hometown don’t pursue college degrees. After graduating from Texas A&M University with an engineering degree, she began her engineering career at IBM, where her experience served as a springboard for a lifetime of professional growth. In the 90’s, she became one of the few women to rise to the executive ranks at a $1 billion enterprise software company, before pivoting into the role of CEO of a venture-backed software startup. She successfully navigated the company through the 2001 tech bust, raising over $21 million in funding over six years. In 2007 she co-founded Growth Acceleration Partners (GAP), and has since guided it through 13 years of profitable growth. GAP has been recognized by Inc. 5000 and Austin Fast50 as one of the fastest growing nearshore software companies. Joyce’s biggest passion, however, is helping others. She is a servant leader, mentoring young entrepreneurs and women executives. A sought-after speaker on leadership and women in business, Joyce contributes to Inc. Magazine’s Springboard Enterprises, Special Olympics Texas, and serves on the board of the Austin Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of WPO - Women Presidents’ Organization, and Hipower - an organization focused on accelerating women’s professional success.   About GAP     GAP provides an exceptional experience in analytics, cloud, and QA Automation services. Their business model is built on strategic, long-term client partnerships, achieved through a deep understanding of their clients’ business, and offering a vastly superior experience and quality compared to offshore. They fully integrate their engineering teams into our clients’ organization, providing continuous delivery with uncompromising, transparent communication. GAP allows companies to find, afford, and keep world-class engineering talent at the perfect balance of quality and cost, helping them scale smarter and more economically, transforming objectives into data and software solutions that drive business outcomes.   https://thomsinger.com/podcast/joyce-durst

Carrie Vanston works with organizations and people to escape the alligator pit of stress and frustration and move on to energized growth mindsets overflowing with opportunities.Carrie co-authored the award-winning book "MiniTrends: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends.”. Her article "7 Tips for Getting Out of the COVID-19 Alligator Pit” recently appeared in the prestigious Texas CEO Magazine.Carrie previously led Corporate Cultures That Rock, where she helped build transformational organizations. Prior to that she was Vice President of Communications for Technology Futures, Inc. and led TFI’s MiniTrends Strategic Initiative. She is presently a TFI Board Member.She is a popular speaker on being a more energized, visionary leader. Her presentations have included the Project Management Institute, ETWG, World Futures Society, International Coaching Federation, IEEE, Texas Women’s Chamber, and many others. Carrie is the Ambassadors Officer at the Association of Corporate Growth Central Texas and directs their Corporate Executives Austin/San Antonio Roundtable. She is also an active member of Austin Technology Council and several other industry organizations.She is an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP), iPEC Certified Professional Executive Coach (CPC), and Accredited ICF Coach (ACC).On the personal side, Carrie loves to dance, travel, and spend time with her two children.In this episode, she shares how to Energize Your Mindset: 3 Secrets for Getting Out, Staying Out, and Moving On From the Alligator Pit: Secret #1: Get Out of the Pit: Shift your fixed mindset of stress and frustration to an energized growth mindset full of opportunities. Secret #2: Stay Out of the Pit: Change communication to Win-Win instead of Compromise Secret #3: Move On From the Pit: Embrace your leadership whys in order to inspire others to follow your lead.So, if you’re ready, take out your pencils and let’s begin!Connect with Carrie here.If you enjoyed this episode, check out more or connect with Chris here.Support the show (https://paypal.me/pencilleadership)

Episode 590 of the "Making Waves at C-Level" podcast (formerly the “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” podcast) is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members through insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive. This episode is an in-depth interview with David Franklin, founder and CEO of knowRX. Check out this conversation about leadership, company growth, helping employees thrive, and the city of Austin.     About David S. Franklin   David, a Navy veteran, is a seasoned technologist with more than 22 years of experience. He has participated in two IPOs and delivered more than 10 applications to the market. Over the last decade, Franklin has focused on cloud computing and machine learning for health care applications. He has studied at Moody Bible Institute (Biblical Studies), Penn State University (Organizational Leadership), and MIT (Machine Learning). David created knowRX after the passing of his father largely due to a medication-induced side-effect during an ICU stay.   About knowRX    The mission of knowRX is to establish a digital health platform to deliver relevant data and tools that empower patients to better assist physicians, health institutions, and innovators in providing them the best possible care. Their patient-centered platform reduces morbidity and mortality associated with drug treatment, reduces the impact of medication mismanagement on healthcare expenses and inefficient use of medical resources, and promotes patient influence on the development of healthcare innovations.   Their goal is to develop and deploy easy-to-use technology that continually improves in its ability to provide the data and platform that assists patients and caregivers in personalizing drug selection and providing near real-time feedback on drug intake performance, and treatment response for the best possible outcomes. knowRX seeks to remove the barriers to adherence in the use of drugs as prescribed and offer the information that promotes health and wellness specific to the individual. knowRx uniquely provides alerts to assist patients in maintaining a prescribed drug intake schedule supported by alerts to an accountability partner to address missed doses. Patient self-assessments and data from wearables are captured in near real-time with programmed thresholds to notify caregivers. Alerts on intake performance and drug response to assess treatment effectiveness also provide the opportunity for caregivers to intervene to avoid minor issues becoming major adverse events.   https://thomsinger.com/podcast/knowrx

This episode of Shift is brought to you by Inventures Unbound, the ultimate platform for innovators, investors and industry to share, inspire and interconnect virtually. If you have a pass to Inventures 2020, you already have access to all of Unbound's goodies. If you'd like access to just Unbound, there's a pass for that at Inventures Canada Get your pass today!Todd's bioTodd Hirsch is the Vice President and Chief Economist for ATB Financial. For over 20 years, he's worked as an economist at numerous organizations including the Canada West Foundation and the Bank of Canada. ​Laura's bioLaura Kilcrease leads Alberta Innovates as its Chief Executive Officer. Recruited from Austin, Texas, she is recognized as a significant motivator in shaping Austin's economic revitalization.  Laura influenced the creation of the Austin Technology Council and founded the Austin Technology Incubator, where companies have raised over $3 billion to date. With over 25 years' experience in commercializing technology, Laura is sharing her enthusiasm and entrepreneurial expertise to create innovation coalitions that leverage the talent and spirit of Alberta. Prior to becoming Alberta Innovates' CEO, Laura was a seven-year member of the Alberta Research and Innovation Advisory Committee. 

Episode 550 of “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members through insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive. This episode is an in-depth interview with Amber Gunst, CEO of the Austin Technology Council.  In this episode she talks about the state of Austin's technology community in the face of the global Coronavirus pandemic.        About Amber Gunst   Amber Gunst first joined ATC as Head of Sales and Membership Services with 20 years of experience in business development and member association sales, including four years at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. She was the top sales and retention leader of all Chambers of Commerce in the state of Texas, ranking in the top ten nationally in sales for Chambers with revenue over $1.5MM. She also worked for a global staffing firm where she was responsible for client development and consulting staff management.   Since her time working at ATC, she has more than doubled membership and increased retention by over 18 percent.   About Austin Technology Coucil   Austin Technology Council is the leading unifying voice of technology in Central Texas. Since 1992, ATC has been the informed opinion leader, providing their member companies with the insights, resources and connections they need to grow and thrive.   For 28 years ATC has led Austin and Central Texas in the journey to become one of the most important and relevant tech and innovation regions in the world. ATC connects their members to the people and knowledge critical for success.     As the oldest and largest tech industry organization in Central Texas, with a history of tech community leadership, knowledge and connectivity, Austin Technology Council is part of Austin Technology’s DNA and links their heritage to our future.     ATC supports the growth goals of their member businesses by providing knowledge and access in the areas of capital, talent, business mentoring and networking. They advocate for a robust and supportive environment for the success of tech companies through public policy, education and thought leadership. ATC leads and engages collaboratively with their partners in the community to ensure that Austin remains a great place for innovation.   https://www.thomsinger.com/podcasts/state-of-austin-tech 

Amber Gunst first joined The Austin Technology Council in the role of Head of Sales and Membership Services and worked alongside the leadership team to craft a new vision for member engagement and growth. Their efforts resulted in doubling membership in less than a year while also significantly increasing the retention rate of current members.Austin Technology Council is the leading unifying voice of technology in Central Texas. Since 1992, ATC has been the informed opinion leader, providing technology companies with the insights, resources and connections they need to grow and thrive.Prior to being appointed Interim CEO of the Austin Technology Council, Amber spent an impressive 20-year career in sales and business development. She is an expert in member association sales and services, having spent four years at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, where she was the top sales and retention leader of all Chambers of Commerce in the state of Texas. She ranked in the top seven nationally in sales of Chambers with revenue over $1.5M. Directly prior to her role at ATC, Gunst worked for a global staffing firm where she was responsible for client development and management and consulting staff management. This role allowed her to develop a strong understanding of the talent and staffing needs for our region’s tech companies. She also serves as a mentor for the Founder Institute’s global accelerator program.

CEO Insider host sits down with Amber Gunst, CEO of Austin Technology Council.  Amber discusses the history of the Austin Technology Council, tech growth in Austin and SXSW.

Episode 533 of "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do" is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members by using insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive. This episode is an in-depth interview with Mathias Ihlenfeld, the CEO and Founder of woom bikes USA . Check out this conversation about life, entrepreneurship, and Austin.   About woom bikes   woom designs high-quality, lightweight bikes for children of all ages. Our attention to detail sets our company apart—from the careful selection of materials to our commitment to safety and performance, our bikes are tailor-made for a child’s anatomy and needs. woom bikes are often half the weight of conventional kids’ bikes found at traditional retail stores, and 85 percent of our bike parts are individually developed and produced for woom. In all design elements, woom emphasizes safety, ergonomics, handling, and non-toxic, environmentally friendly components.     Riding is easy to learn and easy to enjoy on woom bikes, which range in size from balance bikes designed for children who’ve just learned to walk (18 months+) to pedal bikes for young teens (13-14 years). woom ships directly to customers, and assembly is quick and simple.   Family owned and operated, woom was founded in Vienna, Austria, by Christian Bezdeka and Marcus Ihlenfeld with the mission to create the ideal kids’ bike. Helmed by Marcus’ brother, Mathias Ihlenfeld, woom USA began operating at our headquarters in Austin, Texas, in 2014; our aim is to bring the same unparalleled European design and love of riding to families across North America. In 2019, woom USA was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing companies in the U.S., ranked No. 259 overall and 20th in Texas. For more information, visit us at us.woombikes.com or call 855-966-6872.    Https://thomsinger.com/podcast/woombikes

Episode 526 of Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members by using insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive. This episode is an in-depth interview with David Periz, the CEO and Founder of Lumen Insurance Technologies. Check out this conversation about life, entrepreneurship, and Austin. About David Perez: David Perez is the Founder of Lumen Insurance Technologies, an Austin based commercial insurance firm serving the technology startup ecosystem. Lumen helps early stage companies navigate corporate risk at the major inflection points in a startup’s journey. David specializes in Cyber Liability, Errors & Omissions (E&O), Directors and officers (D&O) and other complex lines of coverage relevant to his clientele. His clients span a wide range of new technologies such in areas such as Fintech, InsureTech, Quantum Computing and data analytics. David is a Co-Organizer of the InsureTech ATX Meetup, a mentor at MassChallenge TX, and serves as an advisor to several startups. David is a military veteran and served over 6 years in the Airforce as a nuclear weapons officer. He went to Texas A&M and has an M.B.A. from Colorado State. David lives in Austin with his wife and three kids. The Man in the Arena In the episode Thom and David talk about the Teddy Roosevelt quote "The Man in the Arena". Here is the quote: "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." https://www.thomsinger.com/podcast/lumeninsurance

Episode 517 of Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members by using insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive.  This episode is an in-depth interview with Lionel Felix, the CEO and Founder of Felix Media Solutions.  Check out this conversation about life, entrepreneurship, and Austin.   About Lionel Felix:   Raised in NYC, Santa Fe and Los Angeles. Techie and side-hustle since I got my first Commodore 64. Went to school for film and ended up in IT. Worked as an IT helpdesk, manager, director and VP for Dell, Motorola, frogdesign, Sony Pictures and Y&R. Left IT for AV as a lark and suddenly we had employees and a warehouse! I'm marrying our CFO in December 2019, dad to two big dogs and constantly playing with blinky things in my spare time   About FMS:   We started our commercial AV integration business in 2014 having managed global IT organizations for 20 years. Our team is all based in Austin and work mainly in Austin but follow our clients all over the world for upgrades and deployments. As of now we have 25 people on staff and will do 6M in business in 2019. We focus mainly on Class-A corporate projects but also love to work on hospitality because it is nice to have places to take clients.    http://felixmediasolutions.com http://avtakeout.com - e-commerce site we built to let people buy a conference room in a box.   https://thomsinger.com/podcast/felix-media-solutions   About Thom Singer   Thom Singer is a keynote speaker and professional EmCee. He is the host of two podcasts and the author of 12 books.  

Episode 509 of “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members by using insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive. This conversation is with ATC member Jason Ragolli – People Analytics Consultant with Your6. In this episode Jason talks to Cool Things host, Thom Singer, about business, the Austin Tech scene, and the importance of working for a company that matters to the world. He shares his story and that of the company where he is proud to work. Founded on the goal of helping Veterans, YOUR6 has built a cloud-based system to enhance Talent Management performance and Organizational Effectiveness. The YOUR6 system is named Lillian, after Lillian Gilbreth, the mother of industrial/ organizational psychology. Lillian is a dual-purpose system designed to support both the Military and Non-Military Talent infrastructures. Lillian provides the user with ground-breaking insights into the Competency, Character and Chemistry of people by harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence, Psychometric Assessments, and Machine Learning. The current version of Lillian contains a Hiring module and a Team Analysis module with other modules coming online over the coming months. Lillian is being used for the US Air Force to support career progression and to enhance training and development. Lillian’s Hiring module is being used with Veterans to provide the user with ground-breaking insights into the Competency, Character and Chemistry of Veterans by analyzing their DD-214s, resumes, and job requirements. Lillian is being used with several Non-Military entities to increase hiring accuracy, decrease hiring time, increase team performance, and to enhance 1-on-1 coaching (to name a few). About Jason Rigolli During his time as a People Analytics expert, Jason partners with organizations to align their Human Capital with their business priorities, fueled by business intelligence. Jason leverages data and analytics to drive value, improve performance, and increase competitive advantage. Throughout his career, Jason has leveraged his ability to navigate fast-paced, ambiguous environments, and focus on solutions. He has been accountable and results-focused with the ability to plan at the executive level and ensure precise execution. Jason is a dynamic leader who is excited to build not only the organization but also a team around him. He understands what it takes to attract, nurture and retain top talent. https://www.thomsinger.com/podcast/your6

Episode 491 of “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members by using insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive.   In this episode Thom Singer interviews Robert McKee and Dr. David Altounian about the new "Scaling Series" that will be hosted by the Austin Technology Council.     The 2019 Scaling Series is designed to equip your executives with the MBA-Level skills necessary to transform your company into a $10M-$100M in revenue enterprise. Each of your executives will join us for the evening session(s) that is(are) tailored to their area of discipline within your company during this 10-week seminar series. You will learn from MBA professors and expert practitioners who provide thought leadership around critical growth, operations, and governance issues to executives who are growing and scaling their business.   For more information or to register to participate, email Amber Gunst (amber@austintechnologycouncil.org).    The 2019 Scaling Series is in partnership with Rice Alliance, St. Edward’s University, and Baker Botts L.L.P.   https://thomsinger.com/podcast/atc-scaling-series

In this podcast we talk to Amber Gunst, the CEO at the Austin Technology Council, a membership based organization geared toward leaders in the Austin Tech Community. Key topics in this episode include: -How the ATC utilizes events as part of their community engagement and membership strategy. -The challenges of organizing events across a wide ranging member base. -Identifying the right marketing channels for B2B events -The best way to approach businesses for event sponsorships. As a female leader in the tech space, Amber shares her personal experience of being perceived as aggressive when displaying the same behaviors as her male colleagues. Amber gives advice on how to manage this double standard and reframe the conversation.

Episode 473 of "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do" is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members by using insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive. About Cendea  Cendea is an intriguing mix of innovation and the tried-and-true, and best known for our high touch approach. Our partners’ careers started at firebrand companies like PC’s Limited and Federal Express, better known to the world these days as Dell and FedEx. While innovation has been at the core of these brands, we believe that it takes persistence, depth and execution to truly differentiate from the rest of the field. We don’t see walls, we see solutions. We’re national in scope, but proudly Austin-based and in our 25th year of becoming a key Partner for companies to recruit the right people to maximize their organizational results. We help navigate through this critical process because we have all been executives in multiple industries. We mix the traditional and the innovative…for positive results. That’s what we’re good at! About Wade H. Allen – President & CEO Wade has a keen, innate ability to convey his own personal experience, understanding of business and technology – specifically how to drive a profit – to help firms get to the next level. He developed a unique process to obtain the Human Capital that has established Cendea’s Partners as innovators and advisors who are true business assets to their clients. His 30+ years range from Fortune 50 to start-ups and turnarounds where he has personally helped drive company growth by applying his executive management experience. Wade holds an Executive MBA from the University of Texas as well as an MEE and BSEE from Rice University. About Jim Bledsoe – Senior Partner Jim has had a rich career consisting of executive positions with FedEx and Pulte Homes as well as entrepreneurial ventures in several industries. One if his many skills is that he has always matched great talent with great opportunities. Jim holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Memphis State University. He has been chairman of the board for March of Dimes and a member of Make a Wish’s Board of Trustees

Episode 465 is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in Central Texas. ATC empowers members by using insights, resources, and connections so their members can succeed and thrive.  Janice Omadeke is the CEO and Founder of The Mentor Method, an enterprise platform helping companies keep and develop their diverse talent using the proven power of mentorship.  Using a double-blind algorithm, The Mentor Method is closing the opportunity equity gap in the workplace.  Her company won Capital Factory's Women in Tech Challenge, is a MassChallenge Texas Gold winner, and has been featured in The Washington Business Journal, Entrepreneur Magazine, is a Startup to Watch in 2018 from DC Inno, and a 2017 Startup Grind Global Exhibition selection.  Janice served as a DC Ambassador at SXSW, was selected to attend The 2016 White House Summit on Building the Tech Workforce of Tomorrow, and a top 10 finalist in Rent the Runway's Project Entrepreneur.  Janice Omadeke is certified in entrepreneurship from MIT, built a mentorship program scratch as a Manager at PwC, and is PMP certified with over 10 years of corporate leadership experience for Fortune 500 companies. https://www.thomsinger.com/podcast/

This episode is co-produced in partnership with the Austin Technology Council, the largest tech industry organization in central Texas that empowers members by using insights, resources, and connections their members need to succeed and thrive  Join Underminer Studios CEO, Alex Porter and CTO Timothy Porter for a look into their startup company and how Austin has played a role in their growth. They are candid about working together as a married couple and how they navigate emerging technology markets.  Underminer utilizes Visualization Technology like Augmented and Virtual Reality as well as Volumetric Video to design innovative products for business that will help define the future of human-computer interaction.  Alex’s background in physical and digital design started with her education in Interior Design and made its way to founding a tech company. She drives the vison for the company with a focus on how their work can contribute to accessibility and functional uses for technology. Tim spent a decade in games and movies specializing in optimization, automation, and pipelines. He uses many of those entertainment paradigms in leading-edge technology applications across health, marketing, education, and business tool creation.  Together they are working to humanize the digital world. They were both recognized by Intel Software as 2018 Top Innovators. Austin is home to their family which includes their two young kids, a cat, and their business.  Check out this interview with host Thom Singer. https://underminerstudios.com/ https://www.thomsinger.com/podcast

Amber Gunst is the CEO of the Austin Technology Council. She took over the job in January after serving as interim CEO since last May/ She is determined to help ten Austin software companies reach $1 billion in revenue and another 100 reach $100 million in revenue in the next ten years. Austin is one of the leading technology centers in the country and it’s going to continue to expand, Gunst said. And the Austin Technology Council, founded in 1992, is one of the most instrumental organizations for established companies that are earning at least $1 million per year in revenue, she said.

This episode is co-produced with the Austin Technology Council, the regions largest tech industry organization who empower members by using insights, resources, and connections their members need to succeed and thrive".  Rob Kaczmarek is the managing director for projekt202. Rob has a love and passion for introducing innovation and transforming experiences Globally. He has an entrepreneurial background launching two global technology companies and a service company aimed at transforming peoples’ experience with technology. With a background firmly rooted in Computer Science he has spent his career bringing innovation to challenging markets and worked with the likes of Apple, Intel, Microsoft, Amazon, Formula 1, Roush Yates, McLaren, BMW, GE, Rolls Royce and numerous others to implement technology into the engineering and retail industries. With over 15 years perfecting our approach, projekt202 has the experience, teams, skills and scale to deliver sophisticated software solutions that improve any and all touchpoints across the user journey. projekt202 is the leader in applying experience strategy and observational insights to the development of mobile, cloud, web and workplace software. The company is actively redefining the user experience (UX) and changing the ways people interact with technology around the world. Recognized by industry analysts for setting the standard for the way modern businesses develop software, projekt202 builds emotionally rich, resonant solutions that enable customers and end users to fully realize technology’s potential in today’s connected world. Check out episode 431 of the “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” podcast as Rob has a powerful conversation, with host Thom Singer, about entrepreneurship, business success, and the Austin tech scene.

As CEO of the Austin Technology Council, Barbary Brunner spends her days singing the praises of Austin as a place to locate a company while she coaches tech leaders to deepen their commitment for the long haul. Check out her journey to this leadership role and her vision for the city's future. 

Joel Trammell is the founder and CEO of Khorus, which he founded with the mission of helping chief executives run their businesses as effectively as possible. A 20-year software veteran, he is also chairman emeritus of the Austin Technology Council and co-founder and managing partner of private equity firm Lone Rock Technology Group. In addition, he serves on the boards of several public, private, and nonprofit companies.In his book, The CEO Tightrope, recognized by the 2015 Axiom Business Book Awards, Joel masterfully explains how no CEO can find a point of balance and then stand still—that’s not possible on a tightrope, or in the role of chief executive. The expectation is that the business will always move forward. Drawn from years of study and experience, the book explores the various points of balance that challenge every CEO. Joel identifies what it looks like when a CEO has lost balance and offers modern techniques and approaches for regaining it.

Joel Trammell is the founder and CEO of Khorus, which he founded with the mission of helping chief executives run their businesses as effectively as possible. A 20-year software veteran, he is also chairman emeritus of the Austin Technology Council and co-founder and managing partner of private equity firm Lone Rock Technology Group. In addition, he serves on the boards of several public, private, and nonprofit companies.In his book, The CEO Tightrope, recognized by the 2015 Axiom Business Book Awards, Joel masterfully explains how no CEO can find a point of balance and then stand still—that’s not possible on a tightrope, or in the role of chief executive. The expectation is that the business will always move forward. Drawn from years of study and experience, the book explores the various points of balance that challenge every CEO. Joel identifies what it looks like when a CEO has lost balance and offers modern techniques and approaches for regaining it.

Joel Trammell is a successful CEO and entrepreneur with a 20-year career in IT-related software companies. He is currently CEO of Khorus, which provides a business management system for CEOs and other leaders. He is also Chair Emeritus of the Austin Technology Council and Co-founder and Managing Partner of private equity firm Lone Rock Technology Group. In addition, he serves on the boards of several public, private and nonprofit companies.Joel’s leadership as a CEO has resulted in successful nine-figure acquisitions by two Fortune 500 companies. As CEO of network management software firm NetQoS, he delivered 31 consecutive quarters of double-digit revenue growth and nearly $60 million in revenue. CA Technologies acquired the company in 2009, generating more than 10x return on capital to its private equity investors. In 2010, he co-founded Cache IQ, a storage software company that NetApp acquired two years later.Joel is committed to using his experience to help current and aspiring CEOs. In addition to The American CEO blog and his new book – The CEO Tightrope – he has regular columns at Forbes.com and Entrepreneur.com. In addition, he runs a CEO seminar in Austin every year in conjunction with the Rice Alliance and the Austin Technology Council.Joel holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Louisiana Tech University and is a former instructor at the Naval Nuclear Power School.He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Cathy and three children.