Podcasts about group vice president

In this episode of Beyond Rockets, Clark sits down with David Fernandes, Senior Vice President at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing and Group Vice President for Toyota, to go inside one of North Alabama's most transformative projects. David shares his journey from growing up near the Indy 500 and working at GM and Rolls-Royce to leading multiple Toyota plants across the U.S., South Africa, and now the joint Mazda Toyota facility in Huntsville. He explains how the $2.3B plant was built during the pandemic, how it now produces Corolla Cross and Mazda CX-50 models at incredible volume, and why they've grown to a 4,000-person workforce pulled from a 60-mile radius. David also talks about culture, career paths that don't require a four-year degree, local partnerships with schools and nonprofits, and why he believes “nothing's impossible” when a team is aligned. If you've ever driven past the massive facility near Greenbriar and wondered what happens inside, this conversation pulls back the curtain.https://mazdatoyota.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mazdatoyotamanufacturing/

Welcome back to the Ultimate Guide to Partnering® Podcast. AI agents are your next customers. Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://theultimatepartner.com/ebook-subscribe/ Check Out UPX:https://theultimatepartner.com/experience/ Jen Odess, Group Vice President of Partner Excellence at ServiceNow, joins Vince Menzione to discuss the company’s incredible transformation from an IT ticketing solution to a leading AI-native platform for business transformation. Jen dives deep into how ServiceNow has strategically invested in and infused AI into its unified platform over the last decade, enabling over a billion workflows daily. She also outlines the critical role of the partner ecosystem, which executes 87% of all implementations, and reveals the company’s strategic initiatives, including its commitment to the hyperscaler marketplaces, the goal to hit half a billion dollars in annual contract value for its Now Assist AI product, and the push for partners to adopt an ‘AI-native’ methodology to capitalize on the fact that customers still want over 70% of AI buying to be done through partners. Key Takeaways ServiceNow is an ‘AI-native’ company, having invested in and built AI directly into its unified platform for over a decade. The company’s core value today is in its unified AI platform, single data model, and leadership in workflows that connect the entire enterprise. ServiceNow will hit $500 million in annual contract value for its Now Assist AI products by the end of 2025, making it the fastest-growing product in company history. An astonishing 87% of all ServiceNow implementations are done by its global partner ecosystem, highlighting their crucial role. The company is leveraging the half-trillion-dollar opportunity of durable cloud budgets by driving marketplace transactions and helping customers burn down cloud commits using ServiceNow solutions. To win in the AI era, partners must adopt AI internally, co-innovate on the platform, and strategically differentiate themselves to rank higher in the forthcoming agentic matching system. Key Tags: ServiceNow, AI-native platform, Now Assist, Jen Odess, partner excellence, workflow leader, AI platform for business transformation, hyperscalers, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, AWS, marketplace transactions, cloud commits, AIDA model, agentic matching, F-Pattern, Z-Pattern, group vice president, MSP, GSI, co-innovation, autonomous implementation, technical constraints, visual hierarchy, UX, UI, responsive design. Ultimate Partner is the independent community for technology leaders navigating the tectonic shifts in cloud, AI, marketplaces, and co-selling. Through live events, UPX membership, advisory, and the Ultimate Guide to Partnering® podcast, we help organizations align with hyperscalers, accelerate growth, and achieve their greatest results through successful partnering. Transcript: Jen Odess Audio Podcast [00:00:00] Jen Odess: The AI platform for business transformation, and I love to say to people, it sounds like a handful of cliche words that just got stacked together. The AI platform for business transformation. Yeah. We all know these words, so many companies use ’em, but it is such deliberate language and I love to explain why. [00:00:20] Vince Menzione: Welcome to, or welcome back to The Ultimate Guide to Partnering. I’m Vince Menzi on your host, and my mission is to help leaders like you achieve your greatest results through successful partnering. Today we have a special leader, Jen Odes is the GVP for Partner Excellence at ServiceNow. And joins me here in the studio in Boca Raton. [00:00:40] Vince Menzione: Jen, welcome to the podcast. Thanks, Vince. It’s so great to be here. I am so thrilled to welcome you. To Boca Raton, Florida. Our podcast home look at this amazing background we have Here is this, and this is where we host our ultimate partner Winter retreat. Actually, in February, we’re gonna give that a plug. [00:00:58] Vince Menzione: Okay. I’d love to have you come back. I’d love to have an invite. And you flew in this morning from Washington DC [00:01:04] Jen Odess: I did. It was 20 degrees when I left my house this morning and this backdrop. Is definitely giving me, island South Florida like vibes. It’s fabulous. [00:01:13] Vince Menzione: And we’re gonna talk about ServiceNow. [00:01:14] Vince Menzione: And you’re also opening an office down here? We [00:01:17] Jen Odess: are [00:01:17] Vince Menzione: in West Palm Beach. Not too far from where we are. Yes. Later 2026. Yeah. I love that. And then so we’ll work on the recruiting year, but let’s dive in. Okay. So thrilled to have ServiceNow and to have you in the room. This has been an incredible time for your organization. [00:01:31] Vince Menzione: I have been watching, obviously I work with Microsoft. We’ve had Google. In the studio, Amazon onboard as well. And other than those three organizations, I can’t think of any other legacy organization that has embraced AI more succinctly than ServiceNow. And I thought we’d start there, but I really wanna spend some time getting to know you and getting to know your role, your mission, and your journey to this incredible. [00:01:57] Vince Menzione: Leadership role as a global vice president. We’ll talk about Or [00:02:01] Jen Odess: group. Group Vice president. I know it doesn’t roll off the tongue. I get it. A group vice president doesn’t roll. [00:02:05] Vince Menzione: G-V-P-G-V-P doesn’t roll off the time. And in some organizations it is global. It is in other organizations, it’s group. So let’s, you’re not [00:02:12] Jen Odess: the first to say global vice president. [00:02:14] Jen Odess: Okay. I’ll take either way. It’s fine. [00:02:15] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Yeah. And might be a promotion. Let’s talk. Let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about you and your career journey and your mission. [00:02:22] Jen Odess: Yeah, so I’ve been at ServiceNow for five years. In fact, January will be like the five year anniversary and then it will be the beginning of my sixth year. [00:02:31] Jen Odess: Amazing. And I actually got hired originally to build out the initial partner enablement function. So it didn’t really exist five years ago. There was certainly enablement that happened to Sure. All individuals that were. Using, consuming, buying ServiceNow, working with ServiceNow. But the partner enablement function from pre to post-sale, that whole life cycle didn’t exist yet. [00:02:54] Jen Odess: So that was my initial job. I got hired to run partner enablement and it before. And how big [00:02:59] Vince Menzione: was your partner organization at that point? It must have been pretty small. [00:03:01] Jen Odess: It was actually not as small as you would think. Gosh, that’s a great question. You’re challenging my memory from five years ago. [00:03:08] Jen Odess: I know that we’re over 2,500 partners today and we add hundreds every year, so it had to have been in the low one thousands. Wow. Is where we were five years ago. But the maturity of the ecosystem is grossly larger today than it was then. I can imagine. So back then there was less than 30,000 individuals that were skilled on ServiceNow to sell or solution or deliver. [00:03:34] Jen Odess: Today there’s almost a hundred thousand. Wow. So yeah that’s like the maturity in the capability within the ecosystem. But before I start on my ServiceNow and my group vice president. Which is a great role, by the way. Group Vice President. Yeah. Partner Excellence group. I’m very proud of it. [00:03:49] Jen Odess: But but let me tell you what brought me here, please. So I actually came from a partner, but not in the ServiceNow ecosystem. Okay. I won’t name the partner, but let’s just say it’s a competitor, a competitive ecosystem. And I worked for a services shop that today I would refer to as multinational. [00:04:11] Jen Odess: Kind of a boutique darling, but with over 1,500 consultants, so Okay. A behemoth as well? Yeah. Privately held. And we were a force to be reckoned with, and it was really fun. I held so many roles. I was a customer success manager. I led the data science practice at one point. I ran global alliances and partnerships. [00:04:35] Jen Odess: At one point I was the chief of staff to the CEO at the time that company was acquired. Big global si. And and then at one point I even spun off for the big global SI and helped run a culture initiative to transform co corporate culture. Wow. Very inside the whole organization. Wow. That is very, yeah. [00:04:54] Jen Odess: Really interesting set of roles. And the whole reason I came to ServiceNow is by the time I was concluding that journey in that ecosystem on the services side, I felt like. I didn’t fully understand what it meant to be on the software product side. And I often felt like I approached friction or moments of frustration and heartache with resentment for the software company. [00:05:20] Jen Odess: Sure. Or maybe just a lack of empathy for what they must be going through as well. It always felt like I was on the kind of [00:05:26] Vince Menzione: negative you were on the other side of the table. Totally. [00:05:27] Jen Odess: Yeah. And, or maybe like the redheaded stepchild kind of a concept as a partner. And so I sought out to. Learn more, which is probably a big piece of my journey is just constant curiosity. [00:05:38] Jen Odess: Nice. And I thought I think the thing I’m missing is seeing what it means firsthand to be on the software product side. And that was what led me to a career at ServiceNow. Five years strong. Yeah. So [00:05:50] Vince Menzione: talk about partner experience for those who don’t know what that means. [00:05:53] Jen Odess: Yeah. Today my role is partner excellence, but it used to be partner experience. [00:05:58] Jen Odess: Okay. And so the don’t. Yeah, that’s normal to say both things. And they actually mean two very different things. [00:06:04] Vince Menzione: Yeah, I would say so. [00:06:05] Jen Odess: And we deliberately changed the title about a year ago. So today, partner Excellence is about really ensuring that we build a vibrant AI led ecosystem. And that’s from the whole life cycle of the partner, from the day they choose to be a partner and onboard, and hopefully to the day they’re just. [00:06:23] Jen Odess: Thriving and growing like crazy, and then across the whole life cycle of the customer pre to post sale. So it’s, we are almost like the underpinning and the infras infrastructure. Someone once said it’s like we’re the insurance policy of all global partnerships and channels. That’s how we operate across global partnerships and channels and service Now. [00:06:42] Vince Menzione: And you have a very intimate relationship with those partners. We’re gonna dive in on that as well. Yes. But let’s talk about this time like no other. I talk about tectonic shifts at all of our events. People that listen to our podcasts know we talk about the acceleration of transformation, and it’s happening so fast. [00:06:58] Vince Menzione: It was happening fast even during COVID. But then. I’ll call this date or time period, the November 20, 22 time period when Chat GPT launched. Oh yeah. And that really changed the world in many respects, right? Yeah. Microsoft had already leaned in with chat, GPT, Google, we talked to Google about this. [00:07:17] Vince Menzione: Even having them in the room was like, they were caught flatfooted in a way, and they had a lot of the technology and they didn’t lean in. But it feels like ServiceNow was one of the first, certainly on the ISV side of the house and refer to the term ISV. Loosely, because hyperscalers are ISVs as well. [00:07:34] Vince Menzione: They were early to lean in and have leaned it in such a way from a business application perspective that I believe we haven’t seen embracing and infusing AI into your platform. I was hoping we could dive in a little bit on ServiceNow from a. Kinda legacy, what the organization was and is today. [00:07:56] Vince Menzione: And then also this infusion of AI into the platform. If you don’t mind, [00:07:59] Jen Odess: I love this topic. Okay. And I feel like it’s such a privilege to talk about ServiceNow on this topic because we really are a leader in the category. I’ll almost rewind back to over 20 years ago when the company was founded. [00:08:11] Jen Odess: Today, fast forward, we are so much more than an IT ticketing company. We are, [00:08:16] Vince Menzione: but that was the legacy. That’s how I knew service now 20 years ago. [00:08:19] Jen Odess: And what a beautiful legacy. Yeah. But we have expanded immensely beyond that. And that’s the beautiful story to tell customers. That’s so fun. [00:08:28] Jen Odess: But what what I love is that. So 20 years ago, that was where we started. And today, do you know that over a billion workflows are put to work every single day for our customers? A billion [00:08:38] Vince Menzione: workflows, over a billion workflows. That’s crazy. [00:08:40] Jen Odess: And 87% of all implementations for ServiceNow were done by partnerships. [00:08:46] Jen Odess: And channels. That’s fantastic. So you think about those billion plus workflows daily, all because of our partner ecosystem. This is my small plug. I’m just very proud 80, proud 86%. [00:08:56] Vince Menzione: Did you hear that? Part’s 86%. [00:08:57] Jen Odess: Amazing. And so that’s like what we’re, that’s what we’re a leader in the category. We are a leader in workflows categorically. [00:09:05] Jen Odess: But then over a decade ago, we started investing in ai. We started building it right into our platform, and this becomes the next kind of notch on our belt, which is we are a unified platform. Nothing is bolted on, nothing is just apid in. Yeah, it is a unified platform. So all of that AI that for the past decade we’ve been building in into our platform. [00:09:28] Jen Odess: Just in our AI platform, which is now what we are calling it, the AI platform. [00:09:34] Vince Menzione: And I would say that unless you were a startup starting up from scratch today and building on an LLM, we were building in a way I don’t think any other organization’s gonna actually state that [00:09:45] Jen Odess: what’s actually why we call ourselves AI native. [00:09:47] Jen Odess: Yeah, beca for that exact reason. And that’s who we’re competing with a lot these days, is the truly AI native startups where they didn’t have, the 20 years. Previously that we had, but that’s what makes us so unique in the situation, is that unified AI platform, a single data model that can connect to anything. [00:10:07] Jen Odess: And then the workflow leader. And when you put all those things together, AI plus data, plus workflows and that’s where the magic happens. Yeah. Across the enterprise. It’s pretty cool. [00:10:17] Vince Menzione: That is very cool. And you start thinking about, and we start talking about agent as a, as an example. Let’s talk about this for a second. [00:10:23] Vince Menzione: You, when what is this bolt-on, we could use the terms co-pilot, we could use Ag Agent ai, but they are generally bolted onto an existing application today. So take us through the 10 years and how it has become a portion or a significant portion. Of ServiceNow. [00:10:41] Jen Odess: When say the question a little bit more. [00:10:43] Jen Odess: Like when you say it’s, yeah, when which examples have bolted on? [00:10:47] Vince Menzione: So exa, we, what we see today is the hyperscalers coming out with their own solution sets, right? They’re taking and they’re offering it up to their ecosystem to infuse it into their product and portfolio. To me, those that look like bolted on in many respects, unless it’s an AI need as a native organization, a startup organization. [00:11:07] Vince Menzione: They’re mostly taking and re-engineering or bolting onto their existing solutions. [00:11:12] Jen Odess: I follow. Yeah. Thank you for giving me a little more context. So I call this our any problem. It’s like one of the best problems to have we can connect into. Anything, any cloud, any ai, any platform, any system, any data, any workflow, and that’s where any hyperscaler, and that’s the part that makes it so incredible. [00:11:32] Jen Odess: So your word is bolt on, and I use the word any the, any problem. Yeah. We’ve got this beautiful kind of stack visual that just, it’s like it just one on top of the other. Any. Any, and no one else can really say that. I gotta see [00:11:45] Vince Menzione: that visual. Yeah. Yeah. So talk about this a little bit more. So you’re uniquely positioned. [00:11:52] Vince Menzione: Let’s talk about how you position, you talked about being AI native. What does that imply and what does that mean in terms of the evolution of the platform? From ticketing to workflows to the business applications? What are the type of applications Yeah. Markets, industries that you’re starting to see. [00:12:08] Jen Odess: So I’ll actually answer this with, taking on a small, maybe marketing or positioning journey. So there was a time when our tagline would be The World Works with ServiceNow. There was a time when it was, we put AI to work for people and today and it, I think it was around Knowledge 2025, this came out. [00:12:28] Jen Odess: It was the AI platform for business transformation. And I love to say to people, it sounds like a handful of. Cliche words that just got stacked together. The AI platform for business transformation. Yeah. We all know these words, so many companies use ’em, but it is such deliberate language and I love to explain why. [00:12:46] Jen Odess: So the first is the AI platform is calling out that we are an AI native platform. We are a unified platform. It’s a chance to say all that goodness I already shared with you. Yeah. And the business transformation is actually telling the story of no longer being a solution. Point or no longer being an individual product that does X. [00:13:06] Jen Odess: It’s about saying. The ServiceNow platform can go north to south and east to west across your entire enterprise. Okay. Up and down the entire tech stack. Any. And then east to west, it can cut across the enterprise, the C-suite, the buying centers, all into one unified AI platform. With one data model. [00:13:26] Jen Odess: I love it. And so I love that AI platform for business transformation actually has so much purpose. [00:13:32] Vince Menzione: It does. So you’re going across the stack, so you’re going all the way from the bottom layer, all the way up to the top from the ue. Ui. And then you’re going across the organization, right? You’re going across the C-suite, you’re going across all the business functions of an organization. [00:13:46] Vince Menzione: Correct. And so the workflows are going across each of those business functions? [00:13:49] Jen Odess: Correct. And then our AI control tower is sitting at the very top, governing over all of it. [00:13:53] Vince Menzione: I love the control tower. [00:13:54] Jen Odess: I know the governance, security risk protocol, managing all the agents interoperability. Yeah. [00:14:01] Vince Menzione: And then data at the very bottom right. [00:14:03] Vince Menzione: Controlling all those elements and the governance of the data and the right, the cleanliness of the data and so on. Yeah. That’s incredible. I we could probably talk about business applications. I know one, in fact, I’ve had a person sit in this, your chair from we’ll call it a large GSIA very significant GSI one of the top five. [00:14:21] Vince Menzione: And they took ServiceNow and they applied it to their business partnering function. And they used, and we, you probably don’t know about this one, but I know that that’s a, an example of taking it and applying it all across all the workflows, across all the geographies of the organization and taking a lot of the process that was all done manually. [00:14:40] Vince Menzione: That was stove pipe business processes that were all stove piped and removing the stove pipe and making for a fluid organizational flow. [00:14:47] Jen Odess: And I’ll bet you the end user didn’t even realize ServiceNow was the backend. That’s some of the greatest examples actually. [00:14:53] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Yeah. So Jen, we work with all the hyperscalers. [00:14:56] Vince Menzione: We have a very strong relationship with Microsoft. Goes back many years, my back to my days at Microsoft and we’ve had Google in the room. We have AWS now as well. We bring them all together because we believe that partners work with, need to work with all three. And I know that you have had an interesting transformation at ServiceNow around the hyperscalers. [00:15:16] Vince Menzione: I was hoping you could dive in a little deeper with us. [00:15:19] Jen Odess: Yeah. We are so proud of our relationships with the hyperscalers, so the same three, so it’s Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and AWS. And really it’s it’s a strategic 360 partnership and our goal is really to drive marketplace transactions. [00:15:34] Jen Odess: So ServiceNow selling in all of their marketplaces and then. Burn down of our customers cloud commits. I love it. It’s really a beautiful story for our customers and for the hyperscalers and for ServiceNow. And so we’ve, it’s brand, it’s a brand new announcement from late in the year 2025. Love it. And we’re really excited about it. [00:15:51] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And then we, and we get all of the marketplace leaders in the room. So we’ve worked with all of those people. And one of the key points about this is there is over a half a trillion dollars in durable cloud budgets with customers that [00:16:08] Vince Menzione: Already committed to, I know, so that tam available, a half a trillion dollars is available to customers to burn down and utilize your solutions and professional services with partners as well in terms of driving a complete solution. [00:16:21] Jen Odess: That’s exactly the motion we’re pushing is to go and leverage those cloud commits to get on ServiceNow and in some cases, maybe even take out other products to go with ServiceNow and actually end up funding the transition to ServiceNow. Yeah. Yeah. [00:16:37] Vince Menzione: So you serve thousands of customers today, thousands of customers. [00:16:42] Vince Menzione: I can’t even. Fathom the exact number, but you have this partner ecosystem that you described, and their reach is even more incredible, like hundreds of thousands. Yeah. So tell us a little bit more about how you think about that, and then how do you drive the partner ecosystem in the right way to drive this partner excellence that you described. [00:17:02] Jen Odess: Yeah, that’s a great question. So yeah, thousands of ServiceNow customers and we’re barely scratching the surface in comparison to our partners customers. So we have over 2,500 partners Wow. In our ecosystem. And today they cut across what I would call five routes to market. That partners can go to market with ServiceNow. [00:17:21] Jen Odess: Okay. The first is consulting and implementation. This will be your classic kind of consulting shop or GSI approach. The second is resell, just like it sounds. Yep. [00:17:30] Vince Menzione: Transactional. [00:17:31] Jen Odess: Yep. The third is managed service provider. [00:17:33] Vince Menzione: Okay. [00:17:34] Jen Odess: The fourth is what we call build, which is. The ISV, strategic Tech partner realm, and then the fifth is hyperscaler. [00:17:43] Jen Odess: Those are the five routes to market. So partners can choose to be in one or all or two. It doesn’t matter. It’s whichever one fits the kind of business they want to go drive. Nice. Where they’re. Expertise lies. And then we’ve got partners that show up globally, partners that show up multinational and partners that show up regionally and then partners that show up locally, in country and that’s it. [00:18:06] Jen Odess: And we really want a diverse set of partners capable of delivering where any of our customers are. So it’s important that we have that dynamic ecosystem where we really push them. We’re actually trying hard to balance this. Yeah, you would’ve heard it from many of your other partners. This direct versus indirect. [00:18:24] Jen Odess: Yes. Motion. For anyone listening that doesn’t know the difference, right? Direct is ServiceNow is selling direct to a customer, there might be a partner involved influencing that will implement. Yeah, likely but ServiceNow is really driving the sale versus indirect where the whole thing routes through the partner. [00:18:39] Jen Odess: Right? Which is your classic reseller or managed service provider and often a an ISV. And you know that balance is never gonna be perfect ’cause we’re not gonna commit to go all direct or all indirect. We’re gonna continue to sit in this space where we’re trying to find a healthy balance. [00:18:56] Jen Odess: So I find a lot of our time trying to figure out how do you set all those parties up for success? Yeah. The parties are the ServiceNow field sellers? And then you’ve also got the partnerships and channels, so the ecosystem, and then you’ve got the people in global partnerships and channels. So my broader organization, and we’re all trying to figure out how to work harmoniously together and it’s a lot of, it is my job to get us there. [00:19:19] Jen Odess: And so we use lots of things like incentives and benefits and we will put in place gated entry, really strategic gated entry. What does [00:19:29] Vince Menzione: gated entry mean? [00:19:30] Jen Odess: Yeah. What I mean is if you want to have a chance at being matched with a customer Yeah. For a very specific deal. Or it’s really one of three to get matched. [00:19:41] Jen Odess: ‘Cause you can never match one-to-one. It has to be three or more. Okay. We have good compliance rules in place. Yeah. But in order to even. Like surface to the top of the list to be matched. There’s a gated entry, which is, you’ve gotta have validated practices. Okay. Which is how, it’s these various ways, as you described, you quantify and qualify the partner’s capabilities. [00:20:00] Vince Menzione: Yeah. So you have to meet these qualifications. Yes. And you could be one of three to enter and be. Potentially matched, considered significant or Yes. Match for this deal? [00:20:08] Jen Odess: Yes, that’s exactly right. So we use, various things like that. And then we try to carve what I would call dance card space reseller in commercial, try to sit here and like carve by geo, by region, by country dance card space as well to help the partners really know exactly where they can unleash versus, hey, this is the process and the rules of engagement. To go and sell alongside the direct org sales organization [00:20:33] Vince Menzione: and you’re gonna have multiple partners in the same opportunities. [00:20:37] Vince Menzione: Absolutely not. Not necessarily competing with each other. There’s three competing each with each other, but also you’re gonna have other partners that provide different capabilities as well. You might have that have some that are just transac. Those are gonna be those channel or reseller partners. [00:20:52] Vince Menzione: You might have an MSP that’s actually delivering, or at least providing some type of managed service on top of the stack. Like supporting the customer. Yeah. And then you might have an SI GSI an integration partner that’s also doing the con the consulting work around getting the solution to meet with the customer’s requirements. [00:21:12] Vince Menzione: Would you say [00:21:13] Jen Odess: so? That’s exactly right. Yeah. And actually in. AI era, we’re seeing more of it than ever. And even on the smaller deals, maybe not the GSIs on the smaller deals, but we’re seeing multiple partners come in to serve up their specific expertise, which is actually a best practice. That’s [00:21:33] Vince Menzione: terrific. [00:21:33] Jen Odess: We don’t want. If you’ve got an area that’s a blind spot and you’re a partner, but that’s something your customer is buying from you, there’s no harm in saying let’s bring in an expert in that category to deliver that piece of the business. That’s right. And we’ll maybe shadow and watch alongside. [00:21:46] Jen Odess: So we’re seeing more and more of it. And I actually think like the world of. Partnerships and ecosystems. If I go back to like my previous ecosystem as well, it’s become so much more communal than ever before. Yes. This idea that we can share and be more open and maybe even commiserate over the things, gosh, I can’t believe we have the same frustrations or we have the same. [00:22:09] Jen Odess: Wow, that’s amazing. And you’re in this country. And I’m in this country. And so we’re seeing more and more coming together on deals which I really respect a lot. ’cause So one of the new facts we’ve just learned actually, Vince, is that. Of all the ai buying that customers are doing out there, they actually still want over 70% of it to be done by partners. [00:22:32] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:22:33] Jen Odess: So even though it looks like it could be maybe set up easy configured, easy plug and play it. It to get, it’s not real ROI. You still need a partner with expertise in that industry or that domain, or in that location or in that language to come and bring the value to life. And we will certainly accelerate, help accelerate time to value with things that ServiceNow will do for our partners. [00:22:56] Jen Odess: But if over 70% is gonna go to partners and AI is so new, wouldn’t you want more than one partner Sometimes on a absolutely on a deal, at least while we’re all learning. I think we can keep ebbing and flowing [00:23:07] Vince Menzione: on this. We you, I dunno if Jay McBain, ’cause we’ve had him in the room here and he is a, he’s an analyst that does a lot of work around this topic. [00:23:14] Vince Menzione: And we talk about the seven seats at the table because there are, again, you need more you, first of all, you need to have your trusted, you need to have the organizations that you work with. And you also, in the world of ai, with all of the tectonic shifts, all the constant changing that’s going on right now, I need to make sure that I have the right. [00:23:31] Vince Menzione: People by my side that I can trust, they can help me deliver what I need to deliver. ’cause it might have changed from six months ago. And the technology is changing. Everything is changing so rapidly right now. So again, having all those right people I want to pick up on something ’cause we talked a little bit about MSPs and they’ve become a favorite topic of ours. [00:23:52] Vince Menzione: I have become acutely aware of the Ms P community recently. I kinda looked at them as well. There’s little small partners, but you’ve suggested this as well. They have regional expert, they have expertise in a specific area. And can be trusted, and maybe you’re integrating multiple solution sets for a customer. [00:24:11] Vince Menzione: But we’ve seen this MSP community become very vibrant lately, and I feel like they woke up to technology and to AI in such a big way. Can you comment on that? [00:24:20] Jen Odess: So we feel and see the same thing I’ve always valued what managed service providers bring to the table. It’s like that. [00:24:26] Jen Odess: Classic are you a transformation shop or are you a ta? The tail end or the run business shop? And so many partners are like we’re both, and I wanna be like, but are you? But now I feel like we finally are seeing the run business is so fruitful. So AI is innovating. All the time. [00:24:46] Jen Odess: We, we are innovating as a AI platform all the time. What used to be six month, every six months family releases of our software. Yeah. It became quarterly and now we’re practically seeing releases of new innovation every six to eight weeks. So why wouldn’t you want a managed service provider? Paying close attention to your whole instance on ServiceNow and taking into account all the latest innovation and building it into your existing instance, and then looking out for what new things you should be bringing in. [00:25:20] Jen Odess: So that’s the beauty of the, it’s almost partnerships, observing, and then suggesting how to keep. Doing better and more and better versus always jumping straight back to complete redesign and transformation. Yeah, and that’s one of the things I like about the MSPs in this space. [00:25:36] Vince Menzione: So let’s broaden out from this part of the conversation ’cause you’re giving specific guidance to the MSPs, but let’s think about this whole partner community. [00:25:43] Vince Menzione: And you’ve seen this transformation coming over to ServiceNow and even within ServiceNow these last five years. How do these organizations need to think differently? And how do they need to structure their services in this newent world? [00:25:58] Jen Odess: Great question. There’s really four things that I think they have to be thoughtful of. [00:26:02] Jen Odess: The first is maybe the most obvious they have to adopt AI as their own ways of doing work methodology. Delivery, whatever it is, because only through the, it’s not about taking out people in jobs, it’s about doing the job faster, right? It’s about getting the customer to value faster so that adoption of AI will make or break some partners. [00:26:24] Jen Odess: And our goal is that every partner comes on the other side of this AI journey, thriving and surviving. So we’re really pushing. This agenda. And maybe later I can talk to you a little bit more about this autonomous implementation concept. Please. ’cause I that will [00:26:37] Vince Menzione: resonate. So you’re saying they need to, we used to use the term eat their own dog food. [00:26:41] Vince Menzione: Now it’s drink your own champagne. Yeah. But they need to adopt it as well internally. [00:26:46] Jen Odess: Yeah. And I think whether they’re using, I hope they’re using ServiceNow as like a client, zero. To do some of that adoption. But there’s lots of other tools that are great AI tools that will make your job and your day-to-day life and the execution of that job easier. [00:26:59] Jen Odess: So we want them adopting all of that. The second is, we really need to see partners. Innovating on the ServiceNow platform. Yeah. And whether that’s building agents AI agents that go into the ServiceNow store, whether it’s building a really fantastic solution that we wanna joint jointly go to market with, or maybe it’s one of those embedded solutions you were commenting where the end user doesn’t even know that the backend, like a tax and audit solution that is actually just. [00:27:29] Jen Odess: The backend is all ServiceNow. Yeah. But that partner is going to market and selling it to all their customers. Exactly. So I think this co-innovation is gonna be a place that we will really win in market. The third is if a partner wants to stand out right now, they have to differentiate on paper too. [00:27:47] Jen Odess: It’s gotta like what does that mean? So if there’s 2,500 partners. And it’s not like we don’t walk around and just say, you should talk to this partner. Yeah. Or here’s my secret list. You should, we don’t do that. That’s not good business and it’s not compliant. So we have algorithms that take all the quantitative and qualitative data on our partners and they know all the data points ’cause it’s part of the partner program Nice. [00:28:10] Jen Odess: That they adhere to and then ranks them on status. And all those data points are what I’m referring to as on paper. You’ve gotta be differentiated. So whether or not you wanna be great at one thing or great across the whole thing, think about how all of those quantitative and qualitative data points are making you stand out, because that’s where those matches that I was referring to. [00:28:35] Jen Odess: Yes. That’s where that’s gonna come to life. And it’s skills, it’s capabilities. It’s deployments. So Proofpoint and deployments, customer success stories, csat, all the things. So [00:28:47] Vince Menzione: those are all the qualifi qualifiers for and more, but those are the types [00:28:49] Jen Odess: of qualifications. Yeah. [00:28:51] Vince Menzione: And then do your, does your sales organization do a match against that based on a customer’s requirements that they’re working with and who they work with and co-sell with? [00:29:00] Jen Odess: And I feel like you just lobbed me the greatest question. I didn’t even know you were gonna ask it, but I’m so glad you did. So today. Today there is something called a partner finder, which is which is nice, but it’s a little bit old school in a world of ai. Yeah. So you go to servicenow.com, you click partner from the top navigation, and then it says find a partner and you can literally type in the products you’re buying the country, you’re, that you’re headquartered out of. [00:29:26] Jen Odess: Whatever thing you’re looking for. And it will start to filter based on all those data points, the right partners, and you can actually click right there to be connected to a partner. So lead generation. Okay, interesting. But where we’re going is a agentic matching right in our CRM for the field. Oh. So those data points are gonna matter even more, and that’s where the gated. [00:29:48] Jen Odess: I say gated entry, which is probably too extreme, right? It’s really gated. If you wanna surface toward the top, there’s gated parameters to try to surface to the top, but those data points will feed the algorithm and it will genetically match right in our CRM for the field. Who are the best suited partners? [00:30:09] Jen Odess: Would you like to talk to them? [00:30:10] Vince Menzione: Okay. And so is it. Partner facing? Is it sales team facing [00:30:14] Jen Odess: Right now? It’s sales. It’ll, when it goes live, it will be sales team facing. Okay. But we have greater ambition for what partners can do with it. Yeah. Not just in the indirect motion, but also what partners may be able to do with it to interface with our field. [00:30:30] Jen Odess: The. [00:30:31] Vince Menzione: The, yeah the collaboration [00:30:33] Jen Odess: opportunity. Which is always a friction point that we’re working on [00:30:36] Vince Menzione: always because it’s very manual. It’s people intensive. Yeah. Partner development managers sitting on both sides of the equation and the interface between the sales organization and a partner organization is not always the. The easiest. So right. Automated, quite a bit of that. [00:30:49] Jen Odess: My boss is obsessed with the easy button, which I know is a phrase many of us in the US know from I think it’s an Office Depot, all these ways in which we can have easy button moments for the partner ecosystem is what we’re trying to focus on. [00:31:01] Jen Odess: I love the easy button. [00:31:02] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And I love your boss too. Yeah, he’s fabulous. Fabulous. So Michael and I go back like many years ago. You must have, [00:31:08] Jen Odess: yeah. You must have had paths crossing on numerous occasions. [00:31:12] Vince Menzione: Yeah we we worked together micro I’m going to hijack the session for a second here. [00:31:16] Vince Menzione: But when I first came to Microsoft, he was leading a, the se, a segment of the business, and he invited me to come to his event and interviewed me on stage at his event. [00:31:26] Jen Odess: No way. [00:31:26] Vince Menzione: And we got to know each other and yeah. So he was terrific. He was what a great find for, oh, he’s for service now. [00:31:32] Vince Menzione: He’s really [00:31:32] Jen Odess: has been a fantastic addition [00:31:34] Vince Menzione: to the global partnerships and channels team. And Michael, we have to have you on the podcast. Yes. Or cut down here in the studio at some point too with Jen and I. That’d be great. So this is terrific. We are getting it’s an incredible time. [00:31:44] Vince Menzione: It’s going so fast this time, 2022 was, seems like it was five, it feels like it was almost 10 years ago now. It wasn’t that we just started talking about it and you were implementing AI 10 years ago, but it wasn’t getting the attention that it’s getting today. And it really wasn’t until that moment that it really started to kick off in a way that everybody, yeah. It became pervasive overnight I would say. But now we’re starting 2026, like we’re at. This precipice of time and it’s continuing. I don’t even know what 2030 is gonna look like, right? So I’m a partner. [00:32:16] Vince Menzione: What are the one, two, or three things that I need to do now to win over and work with ServiceNow? [00:32:23] Jen Odess: One, two or three things? I’ll tell you the first thing. So today ServiceNow will end up hitting 500 million in annual contract value in our Now Assist, which is our AI products by the end of 2025, which is the fastest growing product in all of ServiceNow history. [00:32:37] Jen Odess: That’s one product that’s so there’s lots of SKUs. Yeah, but it is. It’s our AI product. Yeah. And it is, but yeah, because of all the various ways. [00:32:45] Vince Menzione: So half a billion dollars, [00:32:46] Jen Odess: half a billion by the end of 2025. And I think, someone’s gonna have to keep me honest here, but if memory serves me right, the first skews didn’t even launch until 2024. [00:32:54] Jen Odess: So we’re talking about wow, in a year it’s fast. Over 1,700 customers are live with our now assist products. Again, in a matter of, let’s call it over, a little over a year, 1,700 partners. So I think the first thing a partner needs to do is they’ve gotta get on this AI bandwagon, and they’ve gotta be selling and positioning AI use cases to their customers, because that’s the only way they’re gonna get. [00:33:20] Jen Odess: Experience and an opportunity to see what it feels like to deliver. So we have to do that. And I think you could sell a big use case like that big, we talked north, south, east, west, you could do that whole thing. Brilliant. But you could also start small. Go pick a single use case. Like a really simple example of something you wanna, some work you wanna drive productivity on. [00:33:41] Jen Odess: Yeah. And make sure you’ve got multiple stakeholders that love it and then go drive proving that use case. That’s what we’re telling a lot of partners. That’s the first thing. The second is they have got to build skills on AI and they have to keep up with it. And so we’re trying to really think about our broader learning and development team at ServiceNow is just next level. [00:34:00] Jen Odess: And they’re really re-imagining how to have more real time bite size. Training and enablement that will help individuals keep up with that pace of innovation. So individuals have got to get skilled. Yes. On AI today, of that a hundred thousand or so individuals in the ecosystem right now, about 35% of those individuals hold one or more AI credential. [00:34:25] Jen Odess: Again, that’s in a little over a year, which is the fastest growing skill development we’ve ever had, but it should be a hundred percent. Yeah. All of our goals should be that every account is being sold ai. ’cause that’s where the customer’s gonna get to value a ServiceNow is if they have the AI capabilities. [00:34:40] Jen Odess: And [00:34:41] Vince Menzione: how are you providing enablement and training? Is it all online? It’s, we have [00:34:44] Jen Odess: all sorts of ways of doing it. So that we have ServiceNow University, which is just a really robust, learning platform. Elba is our professor in residence. Very cool. Which is very cool. And they’re all content. [00:34:57] Jen Odess: Is free to partners. The training is free to partners that is on demand. Beyond that, partners can still get, instructor led training, whether that’s in person or virtual. And then my team offers enablement. That’s a little bit more, it’s like not formal training, it’s more like hands-on labs and experiences. [00:35:17] Jen Odess: We bring in lots of groups that sit around me that help and we very cool hands on with partners face-to-face. And do you do an annual event where you bring all these partners together? No, because we do we have three major milestones a year for partners. So the first is at sales kickoff, which is coming up the third week in January. [00:35:33] Jen Odess: And alongside sales kickoff is partner kickoff. Okay. And so we do a whole day of enabling them. So that’s your [00:35:39] Vince Menzione: partner kickoff? [00:35:40] Jen Odess: That’s partner kickoff. But of the, of all the partners in the ecosystem, it’s not like they can all make it. So we still also record and then live stream some of the content there. [00:35:49] Jen Odess: Then at Knowledge, there’s a whole partner track at Knowledge and same concept. Yeah, it’s like it’s all about customers and we wanna, build as much pipeline and wow as many customers as possible, but we also need to help our partners come along the journey. Then the third and final moment is in September, always, and it’s called our Global Partner Ecosystem Summit. [00:36:08] Jen Odess: We should have you, I’d love to join this next year. I love that. And it’s really, that’s the one time if sales kickoff is all about the sales motion in the field and knowledge is all about the customers and getting customers value. Global Partner Ecosystem Summit is only about the partners, what they need, why they need it, and what we’re doing to make their lives easier. [00:36:28] Jen Odess: I love it. Yeah. I’ll be there September. I love it. Dates yet set yet? I have to, it’s getting locked. I’ll get it to you. [00:36:34] Vince Menzione: Okay. All right. I’ll, we’ll be there. Okay. So you’ve been incredible. I just love having you. We could spend hours, honestly, and I want to have you back here. I’d love to, I have you back for a more meaningful conversation with the hyperscalers. [00:36:45] Vince Menzione: Talk to some of the partners that join us at Ultimate Partner events. We’ll find a way to do that, but I have this one question. It’s a favorite question of mine, and I love to ask all my guests this. Okay. You’re hosting a dinner party. And you could host a dinner party anywhere in the world. We could talk about great locations and where your favorite places are, and you can invite any three guests from the present or the past to this amazing dinner party. [00:37:11] Vince Menzione: We had one guest who wanted to do them in the future, like three people that hadn’t reached a future date. Whom would you invite Jen and why? [00:37:21] Jen Odess: Oh, first of all, you’re hitting home for me because I love to host dinner parties. I actually used to have a catering company. This is like one of those weird facts that, we didn’t talk about my pre services and ecosystem days, but I also had a catering company, so I love cooking and hosting dinner parties. [00:37:38] Jen Odess: So this is a great question. I feel like it’s a loaded question and I have to say my spouse. I love my husband dearly, but I have. To invite Lee to my dinner party. Okay. He’s in [00:37:47] Vince Menzione: Lee’s guest number one. Lee’s [00:37:49] Jen Odess: guest, number one. And the reason why is, first of all, I love him dearly, but he’s super interesting and he has such thought provoking topics to, to discuss and ways of viewing the world. [00:38:00] Jen Odess: He’s actually in security tech, so it’s like a tangential space, but not the same. [00:38:05] Vince Menzione: Yeah. But an important space right now, especially. Yeah. And [00:38:07] Jen Odess: he, yeah. And he’s, he’s just a delight to be around. So he’d be number one. Number two would be Frank Lloyd Wright. [00:38:15] Vince Menzione: Frank. Lloyd Wright. [00:38:17] Jen Odess: Yeah. I am an architecture and design junkie. [00:38:21] Jen Odess: Maybe I don’t do any of it myself, though. I dabble with friends that do it, and I try to apply it to my home life when I can. And Frank Lloyd Wright sort of embodies some of my favorite. Components of any kind of environment that you are experiencing, whether it’s a home or it’s an office building or it’s an outdoor space. [00:38:39] Jen Odess: I love the idea of minimalism and simplicity. I love the idea of monochromatic colors. I love the idea of spaces that can be used for multipurpose. And then I love the idea of the outside being in and the inside being out. I love it. So I would like love to pick his brain on some of his, how he came up with some of his ideas. [00:38:59] Jen Odess: Fascinating for some of his greatest. Yeah. Designs. Okay. That’s number two. Number three, I think it would be Pharrell Williams. Really? Yeah, I, Pharrell Williams. Yeah. I love fashion music and all things creativity. He’s got that, Annie’s philanthropic. He’s just yeah. The whole package of a good person. [00:39:26] Jen Odess: That’s super interesting and I very cool. I would love to pick his brain on what it was like to be behind the scenes on some of the fashion lines he’s collaborated with on some of his music collabs he’s had, and then just some of the work he’s doing around philanthropy. I would. I could just spend all night probably listening to him. [00:39:43] Jen Odess: This would be a [00:39:44] Vince Menzione: really cool conversation night. [00:39:45] Jen Odess: Don’t you wanna come to my dinner? Was gonna say, I’m sorry I didn’t invite you to identify. No [00:39:49] Vince Menzione: I was, can I bring dessert? [00:39:50] Jen Odess: Yeah. I come [00:39:50] Vince Menzione: for dessert. I, but it can’t, [00:39:51] Jen Odess: it has to be like a chocolate dessert. It’s gotta have [00:39:54] Vince Menzione: I love chocolate dessert. [00:39:55] Vince Menzione: Okay, great. So it would not be a problem for me, Jen. This is terrific. You have been absolutely amazing. So great to have you come here. Yeah. Such a busy time of year to have you make the trip here to Boca. We will have you back in the studio. I promise that I’ll have you back on stage. Stage. [00:40:10] Jen Odess: This is beautiful. [00:40:10] Jen Odess: Look at it. Yeah. This is [00:40:11] Vince Menzione: beautiful. And we transformed this into, to a room, basically a conference room. And then we also have our ultimate partner events. I would love to come, we would love to have you join us. Like I said, ServiceNow is such an impactful time. Your leadership in this segment market, and I wouldn’t say segment across all of AI in terms of all the use cases of AI is just so meaningful, especially for within the enterprise. [00:40:33] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Right now. So just really a jogger nut right now within the industry. So great to have you and have ServiceNow join us. So Jen, thank you so much for joining us. [00:40:42] Jen Odess: Thanks Vince. Appreciate the time. It’s a pleasure to be here. [00:40:44] Vince Menzione: Thank you very much. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Ultimate Eye to Partnering. [00:40:50] Vince Menzione: We’re bringing these episodes to you to help you level up your strategy. If you haven’t yet, now’s the time to take action and think about joining our community. We created a unique place, UPX or Ultimate partner experience. It’s more than a community. It’s your competitive edge with insider insights, real-time education, and direct access to people who are driving the ecosystem forward. [00:41:16] Vince Menzione: UPX helps you get results. And we’re just getting started as we’re taking this studio. And we’ll be hosting live stream and digital events here, including our January live stream, the Boca Winter Retreat, and more to come. So visit our website, the ultimate partner.com to learn more and join us. Now’s the time to take your partnerships to the next level.

We live in a world where technology moves faster than most organisations can keep up. Every boardroom conversation, every team meeting, even casual watercooler chats now include discussions about AI. But here's the truth: AI isn't magic. Its promise is only as strong as the data that powers it. Without trust in your data, AI projects will be built on shaky ground.In this episode of Don't Panic, It's Just Data podcast, Amy Horowitz, Group Vice President of Solution Specialist Sales and Business Development at Informatica, joins moderator Kevin Petrie, VP of Research at BARC, to tackle one of the most pressing topics in enterprise technology today: the role of trusted data in driving responsible AI. Their discussion goes beyond buzzwords to focus on actionable insights for organisations aiming to scale AI with confidence.Why Responsible AI Begins with DataAmy opens the conversation with a simple but powerful observation: “No longer is it okay to just have okay data.” This sets the stage for understanding that AI's potential is only as strong as the data that feeds it. Responsible AI isn't just about implementing the latest algorithms; it's about embedding ethical and governance principles into every stage of AI development, starting with data quality.Kevin and Amy emphasise that organisations must look at data not as a byproduct, but as a foundational asset. Without reliable, well-governed data, even the most advanced AI initiatives risk delivering inaccurate, biased, or ineffective outcomes.Defining Responsible AI and Data GovernanceResponsible AI is more than compliance or policy checkboxes. As Amy explains, it is a framework of principles that guide the design, development, deployment, and use of AI. At its core, it is about building trust, ensuring AI systems empower organisations and stakeholders while minimising unintended consequences. Responsible data governance is the practical arm of responsible AI. It involves establishing policies, controls, and processes to ensure that data is accurate, complete, consistent, and auditable.Prioritise Data for Responsible AIThe takeaway from this episode is clear and that is responsible AI starts with responsible data. For organisations looking to harness AI effectively:Invest in data quality and governance — it is the foundation of all AI initiatives.Embed ethical and legal principles in every stage of AI development.Enable collaboration across teams to ensure transparency, accountability, and usability.Start small, prove value, and scale — responsible AI is built step by step.Amy Horowitz's insight resonates beyond the tech team: “Everyone's ready for AI — except their data.” It's a reminder that AI success begins not with the algorithms, but with the trustworthiness and governance of the data powering them.For more insights, visit Informatica.TakeawaysAI is only as good as its data inputs.Data quality has become the number one obstacle to AI success. Organisations must start small and find use cases for data governance.Hallucinations in AI models highlight the need for vigilant

Arjan de Roy joined Dentsply Sirona in 2015. In his position as Group Vice President of Essential Dental Solutions (EDS) he leads the Global Business Unit including Endodontics, Restorative and Preventive. Before that Arjan served as GVP Lab Strategy Commercialization, GVP of the Commercial Organization DACH (Germany/Austria/Switzerland) and General Manager at the VDW Division.   Prior to Dentsply Sirona, Arjan earned his first accolades in the dental industry with Ormco Europe, where he served as their Country Manager Germany/Austria/Switzerland. He is a graduate of Erasmus University Rotterdam and Michigan State University.  

Successful marketers are able to anticipate and act on opportunities and trends, but what happens when the next 10 days can be as difficult to predict as the next 10 years? Agility requires not only rapid responses to changing market conditions, but also the ability to anticipate and proactively shape those conditions to your advantage. It's no longer enough to react; you have to predict and influence.Today, we're going to talk about navigating the uncertainties of the current digital advertising environment and maximizing ROI when forecasting feels like gazing into a crystal ball. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Heidi Bullock, CMO at Tealium. About Heidi Bullock Currently the CMO of Tealium, a customer data platform (CDP) provider, Heidi Bullock is an experienced marketing executive who has built a 20+ year career working at both global enterprise technology companies and start-ups. Prior, she was the CMO of Engagio, where she was responsible for the go-to-market strategy, product marketing, internal sales, corporate communications and ABM initiatives. Before Engagio, Heidi was the Group Vice President of Global Marketing at Marketo. Heidi has contributed to key thought leadership guides, including the Clear and Complete Guide to ABM Analytics and the Definitive Guide to Account-Based Marketing, Lead Generation, Content, Mobile Marketing, and Engaging Email. Heidi is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer for B2B marketing. Heidi Bullock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hbullock/ Resources Tealium: https://www.tealium.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Try ZipRecruiter for FREE at ZipRecruiter.com/audio Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Successful marketers are able to anticipate and act on opportunities and trends, but what happens when the next 10 days can be as difficult to predict as the next 10 years? Agility requires not only rapid responses to changing market conditions, but also the ability to anticipate and proactively shape those conditions to your advantage. It's no longer enough to react; you have to predict and influence.Today, we're going to talk about navigating the uncertainties of the current digital advertising environment and maximizing ROI when forecasting feels like gazing into a crystal ball. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Heidi Bullock, CMO at Tealium. About Heidi Bullock Currently the CMO of Tealium, a customer data platform (CDP) provider, Heidi Bullock is an experienced marketing executive who has built a 20+ year career working at both global enterprise technology companies and start-ups. Prior, she was the CMO of Engagio, where she was responsible for the go-to-market strategy, product marketing, internal sales, corporate communications and ABM initiatives. Before Engagio, Heidi was the Group Vice President of Global Marketing at Marketo. Heidi has contributed to key thought leadership guides, including the Clear and Complete Guide to ABM Analytics and the Definitive Guide to Account-Based Marketing, Lead Generation, Content, Mobile Marketing, and Engaging Email. Heidi is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer for B2B marketing. Heidi Bullock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hbullock/ Resources Tealium: https://www.tealium.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Try ZipRecruiter for FREE at ZipRecruiter.com/audio Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

What if the key to transformation isn't a new app, a coach, or a seminar—but a 99-cent notebook? In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Peter Winick sits down with Klint Guerry, Group Vice President at Sewell Automotive Companies and author of "A Guide to Self Disruption". Klint reveals how a simple daily practice evolved into a powerful system for accountability, focus, and lifelong learning. At the heart of Klint's thought leadership is the Guerry Notes Process—a structured, five-step method that has shaped his career, his leadership, and now, the lives of others. It's not about lofty theories or abstract models. It's about discipline. Responsibility. Curiosity. Service. Humility. These principles are practical, repeatable, and deeply transformative for anyone serious about growth. Klint explains how great leaders, teams, and individuals thrive not on charisma alone, but on process. Just as top athletes rely on rigorous training, professionals need daily systems to harness their strengths, stay focused, and deliver extraordinary results. His framework isn't just personal—it applies to mentoring, team development, and building high-performance cultures. The book itself functions as both a mentor and a tool. With prompts, exercises, and curated wisdom, it bridges the gap between intention and action. For leaders, it's a way to instill accountability and growth in their organizations. For individuals, it's a guide to disrupting old patterns and unlocking potential. Klint's work is a reminder that thought leadership is about more than ideas—it's about building processes that others can adopt, adapt, and thrive within. Whether you're a CEO, a rising professional, or a mentor, his insights will challenge you to ask: What system am I using to become the best version of myself? Three Key Takeaways: • Process beats charisma. Long-term success isn't about charm or improvisation—it's about having a disciplined, repeatable system that drives accountability and results. • Five principles power growth. Responsibility, focus, curiosity, humility, and service form the foundation of the Guerry Notes Process, helping leaders and teams consistently elevate performance. • A simple tool creates transformation. A 99-cent notebook, used daily with intention, can become a personal operating system for lifelong learning, stronger mentorship, and building high-performance cultures. If Klint's episode got you thinking about the power of process, discipline, and structure in driving growth, you'll want to dive into this conversation with Manja Horner on Thought Leadership and Adult Learning. Both episodes explore how simple, repeatable systems can transform potential into performance—whether through a daily notebook practice or by designing learning experiences that stick. Together, they show you how to move beyond inspiration into measurable impact. Listen here to see how you can apply these ideas to sharpen focus, accelerate growth, and create lasting change: Thought Leadership and Adult Learning with Manja Horner.

Fatih Nayebi is the Vice President of Data & AI at ALDO Group where he leads AI initiatives that transform retail operations and customer experiences. He's also a Faculty Lecturer at McGill University and the author of Foundations of Agentic AI for Retail, the first book on autonomous AI systems in retail. He demystifies agentic ai, federated learning and the promise of A2A (agents to agents) and while these advances will still need humans in the loop. Come learn how AI is reshaping retail and the opportunities of scaling these technologies.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand, where we explore the latest technological advancements and their impact on Canadian businesses. Today, we're diving into how Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing customer service.Joining us is Chris Ellison, Group Vice President and General Manager for ServiceNow Canada, with over 22 years of experience in sales and leadership. Chris will discuss the rise of Agentic AI in customer service, how Canadian consumers' expectations are evolving, and how businesses can tackle the challenges and opportunities that come with integrating AI solutions.Key Highlights:The New Era of Customer Service with Agentic AI: Chris will explain what Agentic AI is and how it differs from the rule-based chatbots of the past, and the practical benefits for businesses. Emotional Context and Seamless Customer Service: Chris will discuss how Agentic AI understands emotional context and offers a more seamless and empathetic customer service experience, including its ability to hand off to human support when necessary. Canadian Consumer Expectations and the Trust Gap in AI: Chris will share the key findings from the Consumer Voice Report, particularly regarding Canadian expectations for emotional cue recognition and current trust levels in AI voice assistants. Bridging the Trust Gap in AI for Sensitive Interactions: Chris will discuss how companies can bridge the trust gap when implementing Agentic AI in customer service, especially for more sensitive interactions, given the significant majority of Canadians still prefer human support for emotionally charged issues. Special Thanks to Our Partners:RBC: https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/dms/business/accounts/beyond-banking/index.htmlUPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWAGoogle: https://www.google.ca/For more expert insights, visit www.canadiansme.ca and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

What if AI could do more than just make decisions? What if it could make the right ones? In this episode, Hamilton Mann, Group Vice President, Global Digital and AI Transformation for Strategy, Marketing and Sales, Thales, and author of Artificial Integrity book, invites us to rethink the very foundation of artificial intelligence. Instead of chasing ever-greater computational power, he proposes a paradigm shift: designing AI systems that are not only intelligent but also guided by integrity, baked into their code. 

In color cosmetics, product function is the priority. Creating a makeup brand that looks and feels expressive, statement making, and attuned to consumer preferences is nearly—if not equally—as important. This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we open a conversation about makeup, neuromarketing, creative packaging design, brand loyalty, niche product benefits, and so much more. Our guest is Anna Blasco Salvat, Vice President of Marketing at ARTDECO Cosmetic Group. She's also the Creative Director of that company's ARTDECO makeup brand. This Germany-based business was founded in 1985 and comprises the consumer brand ARTDECO, a nail color brand called ANNY, and Make Up Factory which is a color brand for professional makeup artists. In early May of 2025 (not long after this interview was recorded), Sodalis Group acquired a majority stake in the company.   If you liked this episode: SHARE it with a friend!SUBSCRIBE to the CosmoFactory podcast so you never miss an episode.And please LEAVE US A REVIEW today. With your help, even more cosmetic industry professionals can discover the inspiring interviews we share on CosmoFactory! ABOUT CosmoFactoryBeauty industry stakeholders listen to the CosmoFactory podcast for inspiration and for up-to-date information on concepts, tactics, and solutions that move business forward. CosmoFactory – Ideas to Innovation is a weekly interview series for cosmetics and personal care suppliers, finished product brand leaders, retailers, buyers, importers, and distributors. Each Tuesday, CosmoFactory guests share experiences, insights, and exclusive behind-the-scenes details—which makes this not only a must-listen B2B podcast but an ongoing case study of our dynamic industry. Guests are actively working in hands-on innovation roles along the beauty industry supply chain; they specialize in raw materials, ingredients, manufacturing, packaging, and more. They are designers, R&D or R&I pros, technical experts, product developers, key decision makers, visionary executives. HOST Deanna UtroskeCosmetics and personal care industry observer Deanna Utroske hosts the CosmoFactory podcast. She brings an editorial perspective and a decade of industry expertise to every interview. Deanna is also Editor of the Beauty Insights newsletter and a supply-side positioning consultant. She writes the Global Perspectives column for EuroCosmetics magazine, is a former Editor of CosmeticsDesign, and is known globally for her ability to identify emerging trends, novel technologies, and true innovation in beauty. A PRODUCTION OF Cosmoprof Worldwide BolognaCosmoFactory is the first podcast from Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna, taking its place among the best B2B podcasts serving the global beauty industry.   Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna is the most important beauty trade show in the world. Dedicated to all sectors of the industry, Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna welcomes over 250,000 visitors from 150 countries and regions and nearly 3,000 exhibitors to Bologna, Italy, each year. It's where our diverse and international industry comes together to build business relationships and to discover the best brands and newest innovations across consumer beauty, professional beauty, and the entire supply chain. The trade show includes a robust program of exclusive educational content, featuring  executives and key opinion leaders from every sector of the cosmetics, fragrance, and personal care industry. Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna is the most important event of the Cosmoprof international network, with exhibitions in Asia (Hong Kong), the US (Las Vegas and Miami), India (Mumbai) and Thailand (Bangkok). Thanks to its global exhibitions Cosmoprof connects a community of more than 500,000 beauty stakeholders and 10,000 companies from 190 countries and regions. Learn more today at Cosmoprof.com    

In this new episode of Hunters & Unicorns, we sit down with Shakira Talbot, the Group Vice President at ServiceNow, for one of the most inspiring conversations we've ever had. From growing up in foster care to leading revenue responsibility for over $10B at one of the most influential enterprise software companies, Shakira's story is a masterclass in grit, champion building, and unapologetic ambition. She shares how she developed her tenacity, why she dropped out of university, and how she found her path through selling timeshares at 14 to leading massive enterprise deals. We dive deep into her early influences, her playbook for high-performance sales leadership, and what truly drives her to never settle. This is not just about sales. It's about identity, impact, and proving you belong—on your own terms.  Thanks to our Sponsors! PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai Selr: https://selr.ai

Stacey Hofert, Group Vice President of Labor and Trust for Progyny, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss National Infertility Awareness Week, the prevalence of infertility and how Progyny, fertility, family building and women's health benefits fund, addresses the issue. Donnie Blatt, District 1 Director for the United Steelworkers (USW), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the USW Constitutional Convention, the impact of tariffs on the steel industry and the union's community outreach efforts.

AWG members will soon be able to take advantage of a new cross-dock program with KeHE. Group Vice President of Center Store Merchandising & Sales Scott Evans joins Sean Kosednar in the studio this week to explain the new program and how it will help AWG member retailers. 

This episode is available in audio format on our Let's Talk Loyalty podcast and in video format on www.Loyalty.TV.Today's episode features a truly global loyalty perspective coming from Indonesia, which is in fact the 4th most populous country in the world!Our featured brand is one of the largest retail conglomerates in Indonesia with nearly 200 stores and a market leadership position particularly in the kids and baby segment.Kanmo Group is the official distributor for Indonesia of multiple world class brands and their portfolio includes global icons such as Mothercare, COACH, Adidas, Havaianas, Liverpool Football Club & Nespresso.Our guest is Rajesh Grover, Kanmo's Group Vice President of AI, Digital and Omnichannel, which includes responsibility for the Kanmo Circle loyalty programme.Separately, Rajesh has also recently written and published a book called “Start Unselling Now” which introduces his customer-first approach that prioritizes the buying journey over sales targets.Please enjoy this episode from the Kanmo Group in Indonesia.Show notes:1) Rajesh Grover2) Kanmo Group3) Kanmo Circle4) Start Unselling Now: The Sales Manifesto for Winning Customers (Book)5) One Click: Jeff Bezos and the Rise of Amazon.com (Book)

After Chris' report this week, Will and Ben are joined by Luis Cubel, Group Vice President and Managing Director of Arla Foods Ingredients to discuss the acquisition of the Volac Whey nutrition business last year. Luis gives an overview of why AFI was interested in Volac, with a change in consumer habits and the growth in popularity of Whey protein and where Volac sits in the context of other investments. He discusses what products they will be marketing, plans for investment in the site and what this means for current Arla farmers, especially in terms of adding value to the Arla business.Please note: The information provided during this podcast has been prepared for general informational purposes only and does not constitute advice. The information must not be relied upon for any purpose and no representation or warranty is given as to its accuracy, completeness or otherwise. Any reference to other organisations, businesses or products during the podcast are not endorsements or recommendations of Dairy Consulting Ltd or its affiliated companies. The views of the presenter are personal and may not be the views of Dairy Consulting Ltd. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of Dairy Consulting Ltd.

Cameron Stewart, Group Vice President at SciPlay, shares valuable insights on the robust growth of social casinos, emphasizing retention and monetization strategies. We explore how SciPlay operates with low concentration levels in the market, the importance of personalizing user experiences, and the innovative approaches driving their success. Get an insider's look at the strategic decisions, including talent investment and the unified infrastructure for game development, that make SciPlay a leader in the field. Additionally, Cameron speaks on the benefits and challenges of a return-to-office workplace culture and the strategic value of acquisitions and portfolio diversification. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:28 Understanding the Social Casino Market 03:15 Challenges and Strategies in Game Development 06:15 Segmentation to Personalization 10:25 Retention and Engagement Metrics 16:39 Monetization and Live Operations 33:09 Direct-to-Consumer Strategies 37:19 Exploring the Social Casino Market 38:32 Partnerships and Strategies 40:37 Innovations and Player Behavior 42:11 The Role of IP in Casino Games 43:45 Player Engagement and Retention 51:05 Work Culture and Talent Investment 59:04 Strategic Acquisitions and Diversification 01:06:18 Key Learnings and Advice 01:10:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Social Casino, Monetization, Retention, Personalization, Gaming KPIs, Player Experience, Live Operations, Direct to Consumer, Market Trends, SciPlay, social casino, game development, innovation, acquisitions, player engagement, market strategy, IP integration, casino industry --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

This week on the podcast, Mark and Corey sit down with Joe Leone, GRB's Group Vice President and Residential Mortgage Manager. They delve into the latest trends and changes in the mortgage industry, discussing how these could impact homebuyers and homeowners alike.

Send us a textIn this episode, we'll sit down with Julie Vida, a distinguished technology and business executive with a career that spans military service, high-impact roles in the public sector, and leadership in the tech industry. Currently, Julie leads the growth team for the Defense sector at ManTech, focusing on innovative solutions to secure the Department of Defense's future. With past roles like Group Vice President & Chief Strategy Advisor for the Public Sector at Splunk and Executive Partner at Gartner, Julie brings deep insight into the intersection of data, analytics, and government operations.Julie shares her journey from her 24-year service in the U.S. Navy, where she served as both a Surface Warfare Officer and Naval Aviator, earning high honors like the Navy Air Medal for bravery in armed conflict during Operation Enduring Freedom. Transitioning from the military to the tech industry, she leveraged her expertise as the Navy's Deputy Chief Information Officer, overseeing technology policy, investments, and cybersecurity.A passionate advocate for veterans and women in tech, Julie discusses her work mentoring transitioning military personnel and encouraging women and girls to pursue STEM careers. Tune in to hear her insights on leadership, resilience, and creating meaningful impact in both the public and private sectors experience.Find Julie - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianavida?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appVisit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTERRead my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.comWatch episodes of my podcast:https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76

Laurie Buczek, Group Vice President, Executive Insights & Leadership Services, IDC discusses the CIO Executive Council program including highlights on peer networking, access to IDC research, data, and the Pathways executive coaching program. Tune in and to learn more https://www.idc.com/research/tech-buyer/leadership-and-development/cio-executive-council

Can grocery stores become the new front lines for health and wellness? This week on Health Coach Talk, Dr. Sandi sits down with Irina Pelphrey, Group Vice President of Health at Albertsons Companies, to reveal how major retail outlets are transforming into wellness hubs. Irina shares her journey and vision for making health services and nutritional guidance accessible through innovative platforms like Sincerely Health, which empower customers to build healthy habits right from their grocery list. Show notes: https://functionalmedicinecoaching.org/podcast/irina-pelphrey-104/

Kevin DiLallo - Group VP of the Acute Care Division, who oversees the development of many operations in Florida, joined Colin Russo of ESPN West Palm to discuss the development of the Alan B. Miller acute care hospital, opening in Alton, Palm Beach Gardens in Spring 2026.

This episode features an interview with Des Cahill, Chief Marketing Officer at Tipalti. Des has served as CMO at multiple startups, such as Ensighten, Samepage and BridgeSpan, while also having successful experiences at companies like Apple and HP. Most recently, he drove global product marketing strategy for Oracle's Advertising & Customer Experience as Group Vice President.In this episode, Kailey and Des discuss the importance of foundational experiences and adapting to different company environments, crafting a solid messaging framework, and the evolving role of content marketing in the age of generative AI.-------------------Key Takeaways:A well-defined messaging framework is foundational, informing content across various channels such as websites, marketing collateral, sales pitches, and internal communications. Organizations can effectively tailor their communications and improve customer engagement through a phased approach to personalized marketing. Starting with a strong foundational messaging framework and then expanding it to specific personas and behaviors.Training AI tools like Grammarly to maintain brand tone and partnering with specialized AI vendors to leverage data in impactful ways can improve efficiency and ensure company communications remain aligned with brand messaging.-------------------“A lot of people think customer experience is about delighting the customer and I disagree. I think most of us, in our day-to-day lives, what we're trying to achieve is we're trying to get the information we want and we're trying to move on to the next thing. If you're marketing correctly, you've captured that signal, you've given them a message and you can always follow up with a nurture.” – Des Cahill-------------------Episode Timestamps:‍*(02:35) - Des's career journey*(06:21) - Trends impacting customer experience*(12:02) - Personalization strategies*(22:24) - How Tipalti is building practical AI strategies‍*(35:04) - Des's recommendations for upleveling customer experience strategies-------------------Links:Connect with Des on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorGood Data, Better Marketing is brought to you by Twilio Segment. In today's digital-first economy, being data-driven is no longer aspirational. It's necessary. Find out why over 20,000 businesses trust Segment to enable personalized, consistent, real-time customer experiences by visiting Segment.com

Oh How The Tables Are TurnedI trust you've listened to Part the First of the interview with Gabby.  This episode is better.  Why?  Simply because Gabby starts interviewing us and we get a taste of what it's like to be on the other side of the metaphorical table. I'm not going to reveal any more than that – it's simply too good and if you don't end up laughing at Gabby's interrogation techniques and our squeamish answers, well, you must be bereft of humor. Join us, won't you?

In this episode, Scott Becker speaks with Chris Briggs, Group Vice President at Providence, about key technology trends in healthcare. Chris highlights the role of connected medical devices, technology convergence, cybersecurity in clinical devices, and the evolution of centralized device management at Providence.

This episode is sponsored by Lockton, click here to learn more Watch the full video on YouTube - click hereIn this episode of the Automotive Leaders Podcast, Jan Griffiths interviews Craig Keeys to talk about his leadership style, impressive career journey, and how he's leading INFINITI through industry changes as their Group Vice President for the Americas.Starting in 1998 as a warehouse operator at Nissan, Craig's early days were far from the glamorous start many imagine. Juggling afternoon shifts at Nissan's parts distribution center while attending Rutgers University, he learned the true meaning of hard work. After graduation, Craig transitioned from a blue-collar role into sales and marketing, which sparked his passion for the industry and fueled his desire to explore its dynamic nature.Craig's early mentor, Mark Grimm, played a pivotal role in shaping his career. Mark's belief in Craig's potential gave him the confidence to overcome self-doubt and pursue opportunities. Today, Craig is committed to empowering others, championing diversity, and driving change in the automotive industry—evident in his recognition as the 2023 Automotive News Champion of Diversity.He also dives into the industry's shift toward electrification, sharing how INFINITI balances innovation with stability while maintaining an exceptional customer experience. He stresses the importance of maintaining stability for his team during such rapid change.In a personal twist, Craig shares how his family is the driving force behind everything he does and even gives a glimpse into his morning routine and passions outside of work. He also points out that younger generations prioritize a balanced, stress-free life over pursuing paychecks. Craig believes that if leaders don't adjust their mindset to this change, they will struggle to attract the next wave of talent.Tune in to hear insights into Craig's journey to the top, the importance of authentic leadership, and how leaders can transform their organizations by embracing change and empowering others. If you want to make a real impact in the automotive world, this conversation is for you.Themes discussed in this episode:The importance of staying true to one's values and being genuine in leadership rolesHow Craig's early experiences and the mentorship he received shaped his approach to leadershipThe challenge of maintaining a consistent leadership style amidst varying top-down philosophies and industry changesHow leadership styles have changed over time, particularly from command-and-control leadership to more genuine, empowering approaches that resonate todayInfiniti's approach to innovating both its products and its people strategies to lead industry changeThe importance of giving people the freedom and support they need to reach their full potentialThe role of self-reflection, especially through the lens of family, in understanding and adapting to the needs of younger generationsFeatured guest: Craig KeeysWhat he does: As Group Vice President for INFINITI Americas, Craig Keeys oversees the brand's operations across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Israel. Since his appointment in April 2022, Craig has been focused on relaunching the INFINITI brand, placing a strong emphasis on strategic planning, marketing, and strengthening the retail network. He also prioritizes employee engagement, ensuring a motivated and high-performing team.With over...

Stacey Hofert, Group Vice President of Labor and Trust, and Andrea Stelk, Vice President of Commercial Solutions, for Progyny joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss women and fertility healthcare for union members. They discussed the unknowns around the future of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and reproductive rights. They also shared how Progyny has supported family members through the family-building process and then successfully returning to work. Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the August Jobs Report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the potential impact on inflation and interest rates. He also discussed how investments in American-made products and infrastructure have given him hope for the future of manufacturing in America.

In this podcast episode, Amir Bormand interviews Michelle Avery, Group VP of AI at WillowTree, a TELUS International Company. They discuss the process of prototyping Generative AI (Gen AI) solutions and transitioning from prototypes to production-ready applications. Key points include identifying business problems, the importance of intentional prototyping, overcoming data access challenges, and ensuring user acceptance and ROI. Michelle shares insights from her work at WillowTree, emphasizing the role of strategic planning and cross-disciplinary collaboration in successful AI implementation. Highlights 01:34 Prototyping Gen AI Solutions 03:25 Identifying Business Problems for AI Solutions 06:40 Challenges in Prototyping and Data Access 07:55 From Prototype to Production 09:57 Ensuring User Acceptance and Feedback 16:01 Moving Beyond Chatbots Guest: With 17 years of experience across engineering, AI, FinTech, and Robotics, Michelle Avery is a technical leader in the Data and AI space. As the Group Vice President of AI at WillowTree, a Telus International Company, Michelle is passionate about building responsible, production-ready AI applications that address real-world business problems. She leads innovative initiatives in generative AI, oversees impactful research projects, and drives the development of data-intensive applications for Fortune 100 clients. www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-avery-63729bb7 ---- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

What's past is prologueI (and the rest of your EPM Conversations hosts) first knew Gabby from his time in Essbase product management, a role he has long left.  Celvin and I (50% of your host population) have been out of the Oracle space since 2017 so it's difficult to remind ourselves that nothing stands still, and certainly not a dynamic personality like Gabby.  Forgive us two if some of our questions dwell overmuch on the past, where Natalie's and Tim's are focused on today.   However, Gabby's past story is one worth exploring as it informs the present – from the military to multiple startups to Big Red.  Throughout it, he's his inimitable self, bringing humor (yeah, this is the plug for the first episode, but wait till the second episode – it's…incredible, and it doesn't make sense unless this episode is heard first) and a playful wit to the performance management space.Just some of the highlightsHyperRoll and its first home in Oracle Express, ASO, the lawsuit, HyperRoll's purchase by Oracle. just what exactly is Hybrid Essbase (the number of hours we've debated just what is happening under the covers), Essbase's place today and tomorrow, working at small and large firms alike, helping out idiots who write multiple books on Essbase, and philosophy.  That's an awful lot to cover in an hour, hence this episode as part one of two.Join us, won't you?

Featuring:Mandeep Singh, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Technology AnalystMario Morales, Group Vice President of Enabling Technologies and Semiconductors at IDCDan Newman, CEO of The Futurum Group Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bloomberg-daybreak-asia/id1663863437Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Ccfge70zthAgVfm0NVw1bTuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Asian-Talk/Bloomberg-Daybreak-Asia-Edition-p247557/?lang=es-es See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to win the Epicor Optimization Champion Award? In this special episode, we dive deep with @KerrieJordan, host of the "Manufacturing the Future" Podcast and Group Vice President for Product Management at @Epicor, to explore how @FramelessHardwareCompany (FHC) and @SKOSolutions earned this prestigious award for 2024. Join us as we delve into: The winning formula of Frameless Hardware Company (FHC) and SKO Solutions. The challenges they overcame before implementing Epicor CPQ. How Epicor CPQ 3D configurators revolutionized their ability to capture client needs and offer dynamic pricing. The key performance indicators (KPIs) they use to measure the impact of these innovations. The valuable lessons learned during their optimization journey with Epicor CPQ. Ready to optimize your CPQ solution? Tune in for this episode packed with valuable tips and inspiring examples, and find even more great stories here. Don't miss out! Guest: Kerrie Jordan, Host - "Manufacturing the Future" Podcast & Group Vice President for Product Management at Epicor Contact FHC and/or SKO Solutions: Website: https://fhc-usa.com                    https://skosolutions.net   Contact Info: Armando Rodriguez: Armando@FHC-USA.com  Jesse Dorado: Jesse@FHC-USA.com Reid Lehner Reid@SKOSolutionsinc.com  Kerrie Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerriejordan

897: Successfully adopting AI within an organization hinges on aligning people and processes first, rather than relying solely on the technology. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Leo Bodden, Group Vice President and Chief Digital and Technology Officer at New York-Presbyterian. Leo discusses the transformative journey of the hospital system through strategic digital initiatives, the integration of AI in healthcare, and the balance between centralized and decentralized IT management. With nearly three decades at the organization, Leo offers valuable insights into the evolution of healthcare technology and shares his thoughts on the future trends that will shape the industry.

897: Successfully adopting AI within an organization hinges on aligning people and processes first, rather than relying solely on the technology. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Leo Bodden, Group Vice President and Chief Digital and Technology Officer at New York-Presbyterian. Leo discusses the transformative journey of the hospital system through strategic digital initiatives, the integration of AI in healthcare, and the balance between centralized and decentralized IT management. With nearly three decades at the organization, Leo offers valuable insights into the evolution of healthcare technology and shares his thoughts on the future trends that will shape the industry.

What does it take to win the Epicor CPQ Collaboration Champion Award? In part two of a special three-part series, we dive deep with @KerrieJordan, host of the "Manufacturing the Future" Podcast and Group Vice President for Product Management at @Epicor, to explore how @CMTP leveraged @EpicorCPQ to collaborate in their business. Join us as we uncover: The secret sauce behind CMTP's award-winning collaboration. The challenges they faced before implementing Epicor CPQ. How CMTP revolutionized their customer engagement and satisfaction. The notable improvements CMTP has experienced since implementing Epicor CPQ. The story of successful collaboration between Epicor CPQ and CMTP. Looking to elevate your own customer experience? This episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration, and you can find even more great stories here. Don't miss out! Guest: Kerrie Jordan, Host - "Manufacturing the Future" Podcast & Group Vice President for Product Management at Epicor Contact CMTP:| https://www.cmtp.com.au  Travis Meade (Managing Director) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-meade-95072416/ Josh Martin (Digital Project Lead) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-martin-906181102/ Kerrie Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerriejordan

What does it take to win the Epicor CPQ Innovation Champion Award? In part one of a special three-part series, we dive deep with @KerrieJordan, host of the "Manufacturing the Future" Podcast and Group Vice President for Product Management at @Epicor, to explore how @SchoolSpecialty leveraged@EpicorCPQ to innovate their business. Join us as we uncover: The secret sauce behind School Specialty's award-winning innovation. The challenges they faced before implementing Epicor CPQ. How School Specialty revolutionized their customer engagement and satisfaction. The power of integrating Epicor CPQ with their Salesforce CRM. The key metrics they use to measure the impact of these innovations. The story of successful collaboration between Epicor CPQ and School Specialty. Looking to elevate your own customer experience? This episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration, and you can find even more great storieshere. Don't miss out! Guest: Kerrie Jordan, Host - "Manufacturing the Future" Podcast & Group Vice President for Product Management at Epicor Contact School Specialty:|  https://select.schoolspecialty.com/ Adam Halfmann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-halfmann Kerrie Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerriejordan  

Send us a Text Message.In this episode, Jad Allam discusses his journey into engineering, starting as a process engineer at Applied Medical and eventually becoming a Group Vice President. He shares his experiences in scaling up the Gen 2 Voyant device production, including the challenges faced and how his team overcame them. Allam also talks about his involvement in educational initiatives as the chairman of the board of the International School for Science and Culture.Main Topics:Jad Allam's path to becoming an engineerHis career progression at Applied Medical, from process engineer to Group Vice PresidentThe scaling up of the Gen 2 Voyant device production and the challenges encounteredAllam's contributions to educational initiatives as the chairman of the board for the International School for Science and CultureAbout the guest: Jad Allam is an accomplished Group Vice President at Applied Medical, specializing in product development, analytics, and finance. With over 16 years of experience, he has led cross-functional teams to enhance manufacturing efficiency and product quality. Jad's notable achievements include the development of the Gen 2 Voyant generators and devices, increasing their yield significantly and boosting profitability. He holds advanced degrees in Engineering and Operations Research and actively contributes to educational initiatives as Chairman of the Board for the International School for Science and Culture in Costa Mesa, CA.Links:Jad Allam - LinkedIn About Being An Engineer The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community. The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

This BLUE CAST Episode, Tuncay Kilickan talks to Daniel Rufenacht CEO of bluesign®  Daniel Rufenacht has over 25 years of experience in corporate sustainability, institutional marketing, and public relations, working both for the public and private sectors. With a background in business management and communications, he began his career with the Swiss government, identifying new market opportunities for sustainable trade from developing countries, and overseeing the development of the first sustainable label in Switzerland for the textile industry.He then worked for 8 years as Operational Director of CSR, Compliance and Integrity, Marketing and Communication for a famous textile company where he transformed a traditional clothing company into what is now a widely recognized sustainable brand that offers product traceability throughout the lifecycle. Before joining bluesign technologies ag he worked as Group Vice President, Corporate Communications and Sustainability at SGS for more than 10 years.As CEO of bluesign he has developed a new service portfolio and extending the bluesign partnership and services to new market segments and geographies. Tuncay Kilickan - Highly respected Industry figure, having cut his teeth at Turkish giant ISKO spanning 19 years. Most recently Tuncay was part of R&D team of ISKO. Tuncay has a number of patents under his name. No doubt most of us have worn fabrics developed by him and his team. Tuncay takes on the Head of Global Business Development - Denim at LENZING. @carvedinblue  @tencel_usa   #tenceldenim #tencel #Circularity  #circulareconomy  BLUE CAST by TENCEL™ / CARVED IN BLUE®  A podcast series created Lenzing's TENCEL™ Denim team. Each month, they will host an in-depth talk with a special guest working in the industry or on the fringes of the denim community. Listen for discussions on sustainability, career trajectories, personal denim memories and more.  Graphics, recording and editing by Mohsin Sajid and Sadia Rafique from ENDRIME® for TENCEL™ / CARVED IN BLUE®.  Find us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @carvedinblue. And get in touch

Donna, a retired speech-language pathologist and public-speaking teacher who has been living with polycythemia vera (PV), a rare, chronic blood cancer known as a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), joins Peg Squier, M.D., Ph.D., Group Vice President, U.S. Medical Affairs at Incyte, to discuss Donna's journey with PV since diagnosis. Tune in as they share advice for patients who are looking for new options to help manage their MPN and the importance of being an advocate. This episode of The Mighty Podcast is sponsored by Incyte. Episode Transcript: https://bit.ly/3y3LQYO

In this episode of Coach2Scale host Matt welcomes Alix Douglas, Group Vice President, Partner Solutions at ServiceNow. Alex shares her extensive leadership experience from tenures at Microsoft, Oracle, and Salesforce. Debunking the myth of fear-based leadership, Alex discusses why long-term performance requires inspiration and purpose rather than fear and pressure. Highlighting the psychological and physical effects of fear-driven environments, she emphasizes the importance of leading with conviction, mission, and accountability. Alex also explores the unique challenges in tech sales, the critical role of vulnerability, and how to maintain psychological safety among teams during uncertain times. Takeaways: ~ Lead with Inspiration, Not Fear: Great leadership isn't about instilling fear but inspiring your team. Understanding and mitigating the effects of fear can help you build a more productive and resilient team.~ Promote Psychological Safety: Create an environment where your team feels safe to express themselves and take risks without fear of retribution. This leads to greater innovation and more honest communication.~ Be Vulnerable and Authentic: Showing your own vulnerability helps build trust and encourages your team to be more open about their challenges. Admitting mistakes openly and demonstrating how to address them can inspire similar behavior in your team.~ Understand and Support Individual Motivations**: Know what inspires each team member and what their fears are. This personal connection allows you to better support and motivate them effectively.~ Provide Clear Direction During Uncertainty: During volatile times, keep your team grounded by focusing on the fundamentals and maintaining transparency about what you know and don't know. Provide daily touchpoints to address concerns and keep everyone aligned.~ Model Desired Behaviors: Whether it's being transparent about your values or demonstrating how to balance work and life, modeling the behavior you wish to see in your team is crucial for setting the standard.~ Champion Diversity: Promote inclusive practices like supporting women returning from maternity leave with leadership opportunities. This demonstrates your commitment to diversity and inclusion, boosting morale and setting your organization apart as a rewarding place to work.Quote of the Show:“Leadership has to come from a place of nurturing and care, to ultimately guide a team towards its full potential.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alix-douglas-9221155/ Website: https://www.servicenow.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Yb1wPzUxyrfR0Dx35ym1A Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coach2scale-how-modern-leaders-build-a-coaching-culture/id1699901434 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL2NvYWNoMnNjYWxlLWhvdy1tb2Rlcm4tbGVhZGVycy1idWlsZC1hLWNvYWNoaW5nLWN1bHR1cmU Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd188af6-7c17-4b2e-a0b2-196ecd6fdf77 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/coach2scale-how-modern-leaders-5419703 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Coach2Scale CoachEm™ is the first Coaching Execution Platform that integrates deep learning technology to proactively analyze patterns, highlight the "why" behind the data with root causes, and identify the actions that will ultimately improve business results going forward.  These practical coaching recommendations for managers will help their teams drive more deals, bigger deals, faster deals and loyal customers. Built with decades of go-to-market experience, world-renowned data scientists and advanced causal AI/ML technology, CoachEm™ leverages your existing tech stack to increase rep productivity, increase retention, and replicate best practices across your team.Learn more at coachem.io

Precision education in medicine is the topic this week on the Faculty Factory Podcast with our distinguished guest Sanjay Desai, MD. Dr. Desai is the Chief Academic Officer and Group Vice President of Medical Education with the American Medical Association (AMA). Dr. Desai joined the AMA in 2021. He had previously served as Myron L. Weisfeldt Professor of Medicine, Director of the Osler Medical Residency, and Vice Chair for Education at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In this week's interview, Dr. Desai highlights the need for personalized learning, leveraging data and technology to ensure a better future of lifelong learning for academic medicine faculty. We explore reducing friction in medical education, empowering learners, and leveraging insights for continuous development. Dr. Desai's vision extends to creating a culture of growth mindset and adaptive learning, shaping the future of education in healthcare. To learn more, we encourage you to check out Precision Education: The Future of Lifelong Learning in Medicine in Academic Medicine: https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/fulltext/2024/04001/precision_education__the_future_of_lifelong.3.aspx

Join host Ed Marx on this exciting episode of DGTL Voices as he sits down with Greg Aaron, Group Vice President and General Manager for Investor Owned & Emerging Markets at Oracle Cerner. Get an exclusive look into Aaron's passion for music and explore both the personal and professional sides of his journey. This episode is brimming with invaluable advice for leaders aspiring to advance their careers, focusing on problem-solving and bringing effective solutions to the table. The conversation concludes with a compelling call to action, inspiring listeners to drive large-scale impact by advancing healthcare with enhanced information and unleashing unprecedented innovation. Don't miss this engaging discussion that will ignite your passion for change.   Aaron's Life Mantra "I'm going to have a good day today, because I choose to!" You can't control what happens to you , but you can control how you react.  

The heart and soul of any successful business is the overall customer experience. Many believe that for this to be successful you must be able to interact with an actual person, But what if AI has become the new employee? How could this affect our jobs?To give us better insight on AI customer service, co-host Ruth Zive spoke with Nir Galpaz, Group Vice President of Technical Services and Support at 8x8. The two shed light on how AI augments human skills, improves the customer experience, and impacts the ever-evolving job landscape. It's all about bridging the gap between business and customers, as well as solutions for technological hiccups along the way.Join us as we discuss:The top mistakes companies make when putting bots in front of peopleThe tension between cutting costs and putting customers firstThe kinds of employees who will win and lose as AI comes into its own

We are back for another enlightening episode!  In this episode, we dive deep into the dynamic world of workforce education and upskilling with a remarkable guest, Molly Ellenberg Friedland. As the Group Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at InStride, Molly's career has been dedicated to expanding access to quality education and transforming the workforce landscape. We explore the critical importance of upskilling, the integration of soft skills into professional development, and the future of strategic workforce education in a rapidly evolving world. Join them for an insightful conversation that promises to inspire leaders and learners alike! In her role, Molly focuses on expanding access to excellent education and upskilling opportunities. With a background in education and partnership leadership, Molly brings expertise in building impactful partnerships and driving outcomes for learners and organizations alike. She shares insights into the transformative power of upskilling and its role in shaping the future of work. For full show notes and links, visit  https://www.missinglogic.com/truleader If you found value in this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: https://www.linkedin.com/company/missinglogic-llc https://www.facebook.com/missinglogicLLC https://twitter.com/MissingLogicLLC https://www.instagram.com/missinglogic_llc/

Ready to unlock the full potential of GrowthDay as your ultimate acquisition tool AND the driving force behind your business and the Health Esteem revolution? On this week's Wake-Up call, hear from 15 Star Diamond Kim Fitzpatrick – the leading GrowthDay seller steering the highest GrowthDay selling organization in the network! Kim is a Top 10 Partner, a top earner, and an expert at acquiring new people. She's prepared to share her tips for leveraging GrowthDay as an acquisition tool, and her method for using BODi's products, programs, business opportunity, and community to bring fresh faces on board. Kim will be interviewed by Group Vice President of International Markets, Arnauld Nakaha, who works directly with Kim and some of the top Partners in the network! Get ready for a Wake-Up Call that will transform your approach to GrowthDay and your business!

Success at multimodal, multi-indication, deep-pipelined Incyte—where commercial operations are as familiar as pre-discovery activity is—begins at the earliest opportunity to achieve research and discovery efficiencies. The company's a bit larger than those we typically cover on the Business of Biotech, and that's okay! Sometimes, the smartest approach to creating your own masterpiece is to study the masters On this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Incyte's Group Vice President and head of its Inflammation and AutoImmunity Group, Jim Lee, M.D., Ph.D. for a dissection of the company's approach to the comprehensive and efficient R&D that leads to repeated clinical and commercial success. Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Stephen Streich is the Group Vice President of Product Management for Oracle Marketing. He brings over two decades of expertise in martech, adtech, and customer experience software. Known for his role in the successful IPO of Eloqua and its integration into Oracle Marketing Cloud, Stephen talks about the evolution of Oracle, highlights the advancements in oracle's Unity Customer Data Platform (CDP), and provides practical examples of Eloqua's impact on simplifying customers' experiences.

Our guest today is Molly Ellenberg Friedland who is the Group Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at InStride where she leads InStride's healthcare and financial services practices. InStride is a groundbreaking company at the forefront of education and workforce development. With partnerships between leading universities and health care organizations, InStride is strengthening and supporting the retention of the health care workforce by providing essential certifications and educational opportunities. Listen in to hear about Molly's career journey and her commitment to ensure educational opportunities for our diverse healthcare labor force.

Steve Goldberg is the Chief Revenue Officer at Salesloft, the sales engagement platform that was acquired by Vista in 2022 for $2.3BN. Prior to Salesloft, Steve was Group Vice President of Enterprise at Yext and before that was a Senior VP @ InsideSales.com. In Today's Episode with Steve Goldberg: 1. Becoming a Sales Leader: When did Steve first fall in love with sales? Why does Steve believe sales is more psychology than anything else? What can sales reps do to master the psychology of their prospects? What does Steve know now about sales that he wishes he had known in the beginning? 2. How to Close Prospects Faster Than Ever: How does Steve build relationships with prospects very fast? What questions does he ask? How does Steve know if he is really speaking to a buyer? What are the signals? How does Steve advise sales reps on getting multiple relationships within an account to prevent the potential of losing your champion? How does Steve feel about discounting? When is the right time to do it? 3. How To Do The Best Deal Reviews: What makes good vs great deal reviews? Who is invited? Who is not? Who sets the agenda? Who is responsible for what? How do deal reviews change throughout the quarter and throughout the year? Is a deal slipping into the next quarter an acceptable excuse for a sales rep to give? 4. How to Ensure Renewals in a World When They are Not Guaranteed: Have all budgets centralized back to the control of the CFO? Are people right to say that no CFOs are buying new technology today? What is the best way to show to customers the value you provide? Why does Steve believe revenue operations is the most valuable role within an org?

How do you prepare to join the C-Suite after years of working as a marketing leader? Jim wraps up the final episode from the 2023 Deloitte University Next Generation CMO Academy with a roundtable panel discussion featuring Brad Hiranaga (Chief Brand Officer of Cotopaxi), Erica Taylor (Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Genentech), and Lisa Materazzo (Group Vice President of Marketing at Toyota Motor North America). Brad Hiranaga is a returning guest to the podcast. He spoke to Jim in 2021 as Chief Marketing Officer at General Mills, where he spent 18 years. Now a year into his new role as CMO for Cotopaxi, a sustainable outdoor apparel brand, Brad looks to build on the mission of the founder, who–fun fact–named the company after a volcano in the Andes in central Ecuador. Erica Taylor is Genentech's first CMO. Erica actually worked at Genentech for 10 years before leaving to join another pharmaceutical giant, Gilead. Erica returned to Genentech in 2021 and was promoted to CO in 2022. She is also the first CO on our show with a PhD in Immunology.Lisa Materazzo has spent over two decades at Toyota, with a brief intermission at AOL and Build-a-Bear, before returning to the company and ultimately becoming the Group Vice President of Toyota Division Marketing at Toyota Motor North America in 2021. Raised in a car-fanatic family, it's extremely fitting that Lisa finds herself leading marketing for one of the most prominent motor companies in the world. Tune in as these guests share how they prepared for the C Suite, what they got right and wrong in their career, and how they deal with imposter syndrome. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Barbie hype is real - let's learn how it's powering good