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In der heutigen Folge sprechen die Finanzjournalisten Nando Sommerfeldt und Holger Zschäpitz über die Rückkehr der Sorgen bei SAP, Eincashen bei Nordex, die SanDisk-Sensation und Elon Musks neuen Masterplan. Außerdem geht es um Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Deutsche Bank, Adidas, Siemens, ABB, Southwest, Lockheed Martin, Caterpillar, Honeywell, Royal Carrabean, Joby Aviation, Deckers Outdoor, Meta. Wir freuen uns an Feedback über aaa@welt.de. Noch mehr "Alles auf Aktien" findet Ihr bei WELTplus und Apple Podcasts – inklusive aller Artikel der Hosts und AAA-Newsletter. Hier bei WELT: https://www.welt.de/podcasts/alles-auf-aktien/plus247399208/Boersen-Podcast-AAA-Bonus-Folgen-Jede-Woche-noch-mehr-Antworten-auf-Eure-Boersen-Fragen.html. Der Börsen-Podcast Disclaimer: Die im Podcast besprochenen Aktien und Fonds stellen keine spezifischen Kauf- oder Anlage-Empfehlungen dar. Die Moderatoren und der Verlag haften nicht für etwaige Verluste, die aufgrund der Umsetzung der Gedanken oder Ideen entstehen. Hörtipps: Für alle, die noch mehr wissen wollen: Holger Zschäpitz können Sie jede Woche im Finanz- und Wirtschaftspodcast "Deffner&Zschäpitz" hören. +++ Werbung +++ Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte! https://linktr.ee/alles_auf_aktien Impressum: https://www.welt.de/services/article7893735/Impressum.html Datenschutz: https://www.welt.de/services/article157550705/Datenschutzerklaerung-WELT-DIGITAL.html
My guest today is Gokul Rajaram, Founding Partner at Marathon Management. Gokul is one of the most prolific product builders and investors of the last twenty years. He has built the core ad and product businesses at Google, Facebook, Square, and DoorDash, working at each company during its most formative scaling periods. Alongside his operating career, Gokul has invested in more than 700 companies, giving him an unusually broad view into how products are built and scaled. This conversation is about how product building is changing with AI. We discuss the one thing Gokul believes is truly future-proof in AI, why companies like Zendesk and Slack are more exposed than Salesforce or NetSuite, and the only sources of defensibility. We also talk about everything Gokul has learned from helping build the most important ads businesses, including the only three ways an ad business can make money, how those constraints shape product decisions, and what consumer behavior change threatens every major platform. Gokul shares lessons from working closely with Larry and Sergey, Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, and Tony Xu. Please enjoy my conversation with Gokul Rajaram. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here. ----- This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp's mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. ----- This episode is brought to you by Vanta. Trusted by thousands of businesses, Vanta continuously monitors your security posture and streamlines audits so you can win enterprise deals and build customer trust without the traditional overhead. Visit vanta.com/invest. ----- This episode is brought to you by Rogo. Rogo is an AI-powered platform that automates accounts payable workflows, enabling finance teams to process invoices faster and with greater accuracy. Learn more at Rogo.ai/invest. ----- This episode is brought to you by WorkOS. WorkOS is a developer platform that enables SaaS companies to quickly add enterprise features to their applications. Visit WorkOS.com to transform your application into an enterprise-ready solution in minutes, not months. ----- This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. Visit ridgelineapps.com. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Timestamps (00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like The Best (00:00:53) Meet Gokul Rajaram (00:02:05) How Product Development is Changing with AI (00:07:32) Philosophy of Product Management (00:10:19) What is Future-Proof in AI Era (00:11:25) Building AI Applications Today (00:15:03) Systems of Record vs Agent Companies (00:16:58) Which Legacy Software Companies Are Most Exposed (00:22:15) Stickiness in the AI Era (00:24:10) Learning from Larry Page and Sergey Brin (00:28:15) Learning from Mark Zuckerberg (00:31:31) Learning from Jack Dorsey (00:35:40) The Art of Great Product Design (00:36:49) Weekly CEO Communication (00:40:27) Three Ways to Succeed in Advertising (00:44:27) What Should Scare Major Ad Platforms (00:48:24) North Star Metrics (00:50:09) Self-Serve Products (00:54:50) Careers in the AI Era (00:59:03) Stay Long Enough to Have Impact (01:00:10) Founder Authenticity and Superpowers (01:02:21) Navigating the Idea Maze (01:03:42) Role of Boards (01:06:31) Excellence in Customer Acquisition (01:09:11) The Kindest Thing
Today on the Salesforce Admins Podcast, we talk to Cheryl Feldman, Senior Director of Product Management at Salesforce. Join us as we chat about how Agentforce will make Setup smarter, faster, and way more helpful. You should subscribe for the full episode, but here are a few takeaways from our conversation with Cheryl Feldman. Setup […] The post Setup with Agentforce Makes Salesforce Admin Tasks Easier appeared first on Salesforce Admins.
I've got a very special guest from all the way on the other side of the globe to talk about how to tell the right story to make your message stick, why storytelling is more important than ever, and how AI can help.Gabrielle Dolan is a global expert and highly sought-after international keynote speaker and educator on strategic storytelling and real communication. Her clients include the Obama Foundation, Uber, EY, Accenture, VISA, Salesforce, Amazon and Vodafone.In 2024 she launched the successful podcast Keeping it Real with Jac and Ral that was rated in the top 5% of video produced podcasts on Spotify.Gabrielle is also the bestselling author of nine books. Her latest title, Story Intelligence. The Craft of Authentic Storytelling, Made Smarter with AI was released in November 2025.Tune into this episode to hear:Why personal stories can be more powerful than facts, figures, or case studiesWhy you have to be clear on your message before your identify a storyThe key elements of an effective storyHow a good story can become a rallying cry that connects teams long after the tellingWhat you can and can't use AI for when crafting your messagingLearn more about Gabrielle Dolan:WebsiteInstagram: @gabrielledolan.1Connect on LinkedInMentioned:Story IntelligenceKeeping it Real with Jac and RalResources:No BS Clients LabNo BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com
In this episode, Avanish and Drew discuss:Drew's early journey from systems integrator to one of Salesforce's first top sales leadersHow Salesforce's “connect the dots” sales motion enabled enterprise expansion beyond PLGWhy relationship visibility—not lack of relationships—is the real bottleneck in enterprise salesThe concept of “social capital” and why misused intros burn trust instead of creating itCTD's hybrid model for individuals and enterprises—and why both matterDrew's vision for CTD as a trust layer and emerging relationship platformHost Avanish SahaiAvanish Sahai is a Tidemark Fellow and served as a Board Member of Hubspot from 2018 to 2023; he currently serves on the boards of Birdie.ai, Flywl.com and Meta.com.br as well as a few non-profits and educational boards. Previously, Avanish served as the vice president, ISV and Apps partner ecosystem of Google from 2019 until 2021. From 2016 to 2019, he served as the global vice president, ISV and Technology alliances at ServiceNow. From 2014 to 2015, he was the senior vice president and chief product officer at Demandbase. Prior to Demandbase, Avanish built and led the Appexchange platform ecosystem team at Salesforce, and was an executive at Oracle and McKinsey & Company, as well as various early to mid-stage startups in Silicon Valley.About Drew SechristDrew Sechrist is a Salesforce veteran who helped grow the company from $0 to over $1B in revenue. As the #1 global sales manager and account executive, Drew mastered the art of leveraging relationships for warm introductions to close deals faster and bigger.With co-founder Ian Swinson, another Salesforce alum with deep expertise in CRM and social networks, they've built Connect The Dots™ to empower professionals and companies to harness the power of their networks. The vision? A free, intuitive way for individuals to carry their relationships with them, while helping companies replace expensive, ineffective cold outreach with strategic network intelligence.About Connect The Dots (CTD)CTD is the Relationship Activation Platform that helps go-to-market teams instantly find and request introductions to key decision-makers using real relationships from across their company, board, investors, advisors, customer champions, and more.Whether it's a warm path through your CEO, a trusted investor, a strategic partner, or even a personal connection, CTD reveals who actually knows your target buyers and makes it easy to request and track trusted intros at scale. We turn hidden networks into a repeatable, high-impact channel for modern sales teams. Learn more at www.ctd.aiAbout TidemarkTidemark is a venture capital firm, foundation, and community built to serve category-leading technology companies as they scale. Tidemark was founded in 2021 by David Yuan, who has been investing, advising, and building technology companies for over 20 years. Learn more at www.tidemarkcap.com.Relevant LinksFollow our host, Avanish SahaiLearn more about Tidemark
In this episode of the Shift AI Podcast, Alex Waddell, Chief Information Officer at Adobe Population Health, joins host Boaz Ashkenazy live from Dreamforce in San Francisco for a deep dive into AI adoption in one of the most highly regulated—and most impactful—industries: healthcare.Alex shares his unconventional journey from Salesforce administrator to CIO, and how Adobe Population Health built a custom electronic medical record (EMR) on the Salesforce platform to support population health case management long before it became an industry buzzword. The conversation explores why traditional EMRs often get in the way of care—and how AI can help remove friction so clinicians can focus on patients, not paperwork.Together, Boaz and Alex unpack how AI is being applied today to reduce clinician burnout, automate documentation, improve quality assurance, and deliver the right data at the right time. Alex also explains why “augmented intelligence,” not full automation, is the future of healthcare—and why humans will always remain at the center of care delivery.The episode closes with a thoughtful discussion on AI adoption, clinician trust, and why involving end users directly in building AI workflows is essential for success.This episode is a must-listen for healthcare leaders, technologists, and operators who want to understand how AI can drive real-world outcomes—not just efficiency metrics.Key Themes & TakeawaysWhy population health required building a custom EMR from scratchThe hidden cost of documentation and clinician burnoutHow AI can get “the system out of the way” of patient careUsing AI for chart summarization, note generation, and QA auditsOvercoming fear and resistance to AI in regulated environmentsWhy adoption—not technology—is the real challengeThe future of healthcare as augmented intelligenceChapters[00:00] Welcome & Live from Dreamforce[01:30] Alex Waddell's Journey: From Admin to CIO[03:39] Building a Custom EMR for Population Health[05:45] Data, Interoperability, and MuleSoft[06:45] Reducing Clinician Burnout with AI[08:24] Voice, Automation, and the Future of Admin Work[09:30] Using AI for Quality Assurance at Scale[10:49] AI's Real Impact on Patient Outcomes[12:20] “Augmented Intelligence” and the Future of Work[14:00] Adoption, Trust, and Bringing Clinicians Along[16:00] Learning More & Closing ThoughtsEpisode Quote“An EMR doesn't change lives. The human interaction does. AI's job is to get out of the way so clinicians can actually care.”Connect with the GuestsAlex WaddellChief Information Officer, Adobe Population HealthWebsite: https://www.adobepophealth.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-waddell-066bb914a/Boaz AshkenazyHost, Shift AI PodcastLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boazashkenazy/Email: info@shiftai.fm
Kacy Ray is a Director of Sports and Brand Partnerships at Salesforce, where she leads high-impact collaborations across sports, media, and entertainment. She has partnered with some of the most recognizable names in sports and media, including the Indiana Fever, Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants, United Football League, Tottenham Hotspur, Fox Sports, and NBC to name a few.Her experience spans global brand campaigns, Olympic storytelling, athlete and celebrity partnerships, and multi-million-dollar media strategies that connect brand to demand across the funnel. Known for her data-driven approach, cultural fluency, and ability to navigate complex organizations, Kacy is passionate about helping brands tell authentic stories that resonate across generations and communities.Originally from Arizona, Kacy began her career in New York City in journalism and digital media before transitioning into brand strategy and partnerships. She's now based in the Midwest and is proud to call Indianapolis home. As a mother to two young kids, Kacy loves to teach and take Pilates and barre classes in her free time to keep her sane.
Arjun Vora was born and raised in Mumbai. He grew up in a family that wasn't financially stable, which drove him to come to the states for new opportunities. He came for school, landing in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and immediately loved the environment. Post school, he worked for MicroStrategy and Salesforce, eventually landing at Uber - where he met Tito. Outside of tech, he's married to his girlfriend from 9th grade with 2 kids.Tito Goldstein was introduced to technology when he was 8 years old, building simple games in Q basic. Since then, he ha s been tinkering and creating things. He graduated from USC, and continuing tinkering in web design and building products around the messaging world. Eventually, he came to Uber and met Arjun on day one. Outside of tech, he enjoys projects where he finds something scary and then digs in to become a true expert.While Tito and Arjun were at Uber, they quickly understood that the reason people drove for the company was not the pay, but the flexibility and self service aspect of the platform. With this, they started to wonder... why can't we give this to everyone else?This is the creation story of Teambridge.SponsorsTECH DomainsMezmoBraingrid.aiAlcorEquitybeeTerms and conditions: Equitybee executes private financing contracts (PFCs) allowing investors a certain claim to ESO upon liquidation event; Could limit your profits. Funding in not guaranteed. PFCs brokered by EquityBee Securities, member FINRA.Linkshttps://www.teambridge.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvora/https://www.linkedin.com/in/titogoldstein/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/code-story-insights-from-startup-tech-leaders/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Mark van Rijmenam is a futurist, award-winning keynote speaker globally ranked as number one in his field. Salesforce recognizes him as a leading voice in AI. His latest book, Now What: How to Ride the Tsunami of Change, is available now, and he's the founder of FutureWise. In this episode, Mark challenges the assumption that faster change requires faster action. He argues that organizations moving at breakneck speed with AI and emerging technologies often skip the critical step: pausing to think about consequences. Mark introduces his three E's framework—educate, experiment, execute—as a systematic approach for leaders navigating exponential technological convergence. He emphasizes that while root knowledge becomes obsolete, skills like adaptability, strategic foresight, digital literacy, and ethical grounding become essential for building resilience in uncertain futures. In this episode, you'll discover how to lead through exponential change without losing your humanity, your judgment, or your competitive edge. Find episode 496 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Mark van Rijmenam on Why Faster Change Doesn't Mean Faster Action https://bit.ly/TLP-496 Key Takeaways [02:14] Mark circumnavigated Australia on bicycle in 100 days, raising $25,000 for Dutch children's cancer fund. [04:19] Mark said the most important starting point is becoming aware and educating yourself on all emerging technologies, not just AI. [08:19] Mark explained we discover AI rather than invent it, so we need to slow down and think instead of rushing forward. [14:46] Mark's digital twin can be WhatsApp'd 24/7 in 29 languages to answer deeper questions about his book. [16:17] Mark hopes in 10 years leaders will ask "how could we have been so stupid to move so fast?" [19:42] Mark recommends the three E's framework: educate, experiment, then execute what works best. [21:52] Mark insists leaders must understand technology implications or they'll dismiss great ideas they don't understand. [25:15] Mark said we need authentic human leaders because a machine-run society would be efficient but unpleasant. [29:51] Mark hopes technology convergence will foster humility and help us live in tandem with nature. [36:58] Mark said focus on analytical skills, adaptability, foresight, digital literacy, ethics, creativity, and collaboration. [39:07] And remember..."Our intuition about the future is linear. But the reality of information technology is exponential, and that makes a profound difference. If I take 30 steps linearly, I get to 30. If I take 30 steps exponentially, I get to a billion." - Ray Kurzweil Quotable Quotes "Leadership today in this fast changing world is different from leadership yesterday. The world of yesterday is no longer." "We don't invent AI, we discover AI. And that is a completely different perspective that has a big effect on everything that we do." "A lot of the big tech companies don't even understand the LLMs that they're building. They don't understand how they operate, which is really problematic." "Critical thinking is under siege because of these large language models, but we still need to think ourselves." "It's a bit of a paradox. You think you need to move faster and faster because the world is changing faster and faster. But you also need to build in moments to pause and reflect." "It's nice to be the first to market, but often it also comes with all the R&D and all the problems. Sitting back a little bit longer will help you move faster in the end." "Static knowledge is sort of dead. We need to have dynamic interactions." "AI and capitalism is a perfect storm where they really feed into each other." "If we don't educate people how to leverage AI, how to deal with AI, they might think it cares about you." "If we're going to end up in a society that's run by machines, it will be a very not pleasant society to live in." "We are social animals. We need that social interaction." "History doesn't repeat itself, but it certainly rhymes." "Continually running faster and faster to grab more and more money might not be the best solution in the world where we built extremely powerful tools." "Root knowledge is sort of becoming out of date because you can just look up with the click of a button." "You're not going to have one career anymore. You're going to have multiple careers in your lifetime and potentially even have multiple careers at the same time." These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Mark van Rijmenam website | www.thedigitalspeaker.com Mark van Rijmenam X | @vanrijmenam Mark van Rijmenam LinkedIn | http://linkedin.com/in/markvanrijmenam
Ash Seddeek is the founder of Mivante, the Communication Intelligence Platform built to transform how organizations communicate, align, and lead.As a strategic communications advisor and masterclass facilitator, Ash has coached senior leaders at top-tier companies including Cisco, Uber, Google, Lyft, Salesforce, and Oracle. His work spans from boardroom storytelling and executive presence to enterprise-wide transformation messaging.Ash's passion for solving the communication disconnect across organizations stems from decades of hands-on leadership experience—as a Consulting Practice Manager at Oracle, a Sales Enablement Leader at Cisco, and now as a coach helping leaders close the gap between strategic intent and execution clarity.He's the creator of the “7 Top Skills of Highly Effective Strategic Leaders” and the Own it. Win it. Crush it.™ Success Blueprint, frameworks that empower leaders to become high-impact communicators who drive results.Ash founded Mivante to bring these principles to scale—building a platform that helps professionals at every level communicate with intelligence, align with purpose, and lead with clarity. His vision is to equip leaders and teams with real-time tools that elevate performance, foster innovation, and fuel enterprise growth through better communication.Ash serves as Chief Excitement Officer at the Executive Greatness Institute and is a certified StandOut and Marshall Goldsmith leadership coach.
Nevada County's Board of Supervisors Workshop begins today at the Gold Miners Inn in Grass Valley. The meetings will take place today and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and from 9:30 a.m about noon on Friday.Lockheed Martin, PG&E, Salesforce, and Wells Fargo have announced the launch of "a purpose-built venture that will integrate next-generation wildfire solutions to help first responders detect, prevent and fight catastrophic wildfires."Nevada City residents gathered in Calanan Park on Tuesday in memory of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Get our playbook to reverse engineer any competitor + 10 market research prompts: https://clickhubspot.com/mkv Ep. 395 Making market research more efficient and way cheaper. Kipp and Kieran dive into why Manus may be the world's best marketing analyst—and why most marketers are sleeping on it. Learn more on how you can unlock high-value, easy-to-use market research, competitive intelligence, and actionable insights by combining Manus with SimilarWeb data, see how to model budgets using real traffic benchmarks, and watch as Kipp and Kieran turn cutting-edge research into killer presentations and website designs in minutes. Mentions Manus https://manus.im/ Similarweb https://www.similarweb.com/ NotebookLM https://notebooklm.google/ Salesforce https://www.salesforce.com/ Coinbase https://www.coinbase.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We're creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you're facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we've put together a survey and we'd love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We're on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don't forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain' is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
WBSRocks: Business Growth with ERP and Digital Transformation
Send us a textThis cluster of announcements illustrates how enterprise software vendors are converging on monetizable AI, composable ecosystems, and domain-specific depth rather than headline platform reinvention. Product expansions such as BillingPlatform's RevenueIQ suite, Epicor's outcomes-based ERP AI agent, and BlackLine's Verity for the CFO signal a shift toward AI that is tightly anchored to measurable financial and operational outcomes. At the same time, M&A and alliances—including IFS acquiring 7bridges, Salesforce's planned acquisition of Regrello, QAD partnering with Esker, and Versori partnering with Fluent Commerce—reinforce a strategy of filling execution gaps through targeted capabilities rather than broad-suite sprawl. Underpinning much of this activity, Oracle's deployment of GPT-5 across its database and SaaS portfolio underscores how foundational AI services are becoming embedded infrastructure, while workforce and go-to-market expansions from ActivTrak and Capacity's acquisition of KLaunch highlight continued investment in productivity, adoption, and execution at the edges of the enterprise stack.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds, including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendor. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdCqxl1NXBIQuestions for Panelists?
Guest: Randy Wootton, a coach at CEO Coaching International. Randy is a seasoned executive, board member, and advisor with more than two decades of experience leading companies through strategic inflection points, turnarounds, and technology shifts. Randy served 8 years in the Navy before taking senior leadership roles at companies including Microsoft and Salesforce, and working as the CEO of public and private equity-backed companies including Rocket Fuel. Quick Background: No one pauses your climb up the corporate ladder to teach you how to be a great CEO. And yet, once you do earn the BIG job, every decision carries weight, and every mistake gets more expensive. CEOs who accelerate through leadership growing pains often lean on experienced mentors, coaches, and peer groups for expertise that helps them avoid common mistakes and Make BIG Happen. On today's show, Randy Wootton shares the hard-earned secrets of success he's gathered over a career that took him from the cockpit of a Navy jet to the boardrooms of Silicon Valley.
In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I spotlight why SAP's AI and data strategy is changing the enterprise game.Highlights00:02 — We've got more changes to dig into here on the Cloud Wars Top 10, as we saw SAP soar up to number four. SAP had held the number five spot for a couple of years now, and moved up to number four. All those companies in the enterprise application space now have morphed into applications, agents, AI, and data companies, not just simple application companies anymore.00:42 — So, in this fast-changing environment, SAP has really stood out by dramatically outgrowing its other very, very capable competitors. I call these four pieces of the SAP portfolio the Four Horsemen of Business Transformation. So, those include Business Suite, Business AI, the Business Data Cloud, and the Business Technology Platform.01:40 — So, for SAP, its growth rate in its most recent quarter is 27%, and its cloud revenue is $6.14 billion. Microsoft came in second place with its Dynamics 365 enterprise apps, up 18%. SAP grew 50% faster. Workday, 14.6%, $2.24 billion. Oracle, overall apps were up 11%, $3.9 billion.02:50 — So, healthcare lagging there for Oracle, and then Salesforce, the biggest at $10.3 billion, but grew 8.6%. SAP grew about three times faster, which is a 200% differential there. What's interesting about this is business leaders looking to expand what they're doing with enterprise applications, especially to help transform their businesses, to get into the AI economy.03:45 — So, in a wide-open field with lots of choices, terrific competition, SAP stands out as the high-growth leader. Now, it's a little clunky to say enterprise apps, AI, agentic, and data, so if anybody comes up with a real code name for this, let me know. We'll see what happens there, and if you come up with a great name for it, you get a Cloud Wars beer mug. Visit Cloud Wars for more.
This week, we tackle one of the biggest trends in corporate innovation: Corporate Venturing. With AI compressing innovation cycles, the largest tech companies—Microsoft, NVIDIA, Salesforce, Intel, Samsung—are pouring capital into corporate venture programs. CVC-backed funding hit $66 billion in 2024, up 20% year-over-year, with AI startups capturing 37% of every dollar invested. Corporate venturing has never been more important—or more expensive.But here's the staggering reality: Less than 4% of CVC-backed companies are ever acquired by their corporate investors. The average CVC program requires $50-500 million in fund capital, a team of 3-7 dedicated professionals, and 5-10 years before seeing meaningful returns. And 80% of those investments will fail to return capital.This creates a question: Is there a better way to achieve the innovation outcomes that motivate corporate venturing—market intelligence, product innovation, competitive advantage—without the decade-long timeline, massive capital commitment, and venture-style failure rates?Jay and Jared break down the corporate venturing model using Jobs-To-Be-Done theory, revealing why traditional CVC programs struggle with the tension between venture speed and corporate governance. More importantly, they unveil how the JTBD methodology can deliver the same strategic outcomes companies seek from corporate venturing, but in weeks instead of years, and at a fraction of the cost.Is corporate venturing the right innovation strategy for the AI era, or is there a faster, lower-risk path to capturing growth and defending against disruption?✅ Download our Executive White Paper: "How to Use JTBD To Grow Faster"
In this CPQ Podcast episode, Frank Sohn sits down with Vinay Toomu, who leads both ScaleFluidly (CPQ / quote-to-order platform) and CommerceCX (a systems integrator working with Salesforce and Conga). Since Vinay's last appearance in 2023, ScaleFluidly has matured into a full quote-to-order revenue orchestration platform—built on a composable core engine that customers can extend with their own apps. Vinay shares what he sees across real implementations: the biggest wins come from improving adoption, reducing friction for sales teams, and putting the right governance in place. They discuss support for direct sales, partner sales, and ecommerce, ScaleFluidly's low-code/no-code approach, and how their architecture differs for SMB (multi-tenant)versus enterprise (environment separation). The episode also covers newer capabilities like role-based controls, security certifications (ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2), and a Chrome assistant designed to streamline CRM workflows. Finally, they unpack ScaleFluidly's practical view of AI in CPQ—where it works today, what's harder at enterprise scale, and how consolidation in the CPQ market could influence innovation.
Summary In this episode, Amas Tenumah and Bob Furniss delve into the current state of Software as a Service (SaaS) and its intersection with artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in the context of contact centers. They discuss the recent downturn in stock prices for major SaaS companies like Salesforce and ServiceNow, attributing this to Wall Street's skepticism about the actual impact of AI on these platforms. Amas expresses concern that the hype surrounding AI is outpacing the reality of its implementation, suggesting that many companies are not yet ready to fully embrace AI-driven solutions. Bob echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of expertise and experience in successfully implementing these technologies. AI hype is ahead of customer readiness. Wall Street is skeptical about SaaS companies' future. Vibe coding may not replace the need for expertise. Experience in implementation outweighs potential of new tech. Both extremes of AI adoption are currently inaccurate. Sound bites "Service now stock hasn't been this cheap in like four years." "There's two different stories going on here." "Both extremes are wrong today." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Current Market Overview 00:53 The Impact of AI on SaaS Companies 03:42 Building vs. Buying: The New Paradigm 07:18 Navigating Contract Renewals and New Technologies 10:49 The Future of AI in the Contact Center Industry 13:38 Conclusion and Key Takeaways
Karen Kelly is a keynote speaker, sales trainer, fractional sales leader, and recognized women-in-sales expert. She helps companies find, recruit, onboard, and promote top female sales talent while empowering women founders and sales professionals to thrive in modern selling environments.With deep experience across corporate sales and leadership, Karen emphasizes emotional intelligence, authenticity, and connection as the true drivers of sales success today. Her work centers on helping sellers move beyond hustle and pressure to lead with confidence, clarity, and heart.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Karen Kelly to explore how reframing fear and revealing authenticity can transform sales conversations. Karen shares her personal journey from selling with a “head and hustle” mindset to embracing heart-centered selling through inner work and self-awareness.The conversation dives into the power of pausing, listening deeply, and creating emotional safety for buyers. Karen introduces her “Three R's” framework, Reframe, Reveal, and Revisit, and explains why fear, not price or competition, is often the real reason deals stall. This episode challenges traditional sales tactics and offers practical insights for selling with confidence, empathy, and purpose.KEY TAKEAWAYSPausing before reacting creates space for deeper understanding and stronger conversations.Sales success starts with self-awareness—you can't authentically connect outward until you look inward.Fear is the primary driver of buyer indecision; sellers must bring confidence and clarity, not pressure.The Three R's framework—Reframe, Reveal, Revisit—helps sellers navigate modern sales conversations.A full pipeline creates an abundance mindset, making authenticity and detachment easier.Trust-building, empathy, and connection are critical strengths in today's sales landscape.QUOTESI sold from the head and hustle… on paper I was winning, but on the inside I felt empty.If you can't connect with yourself, how are you in a position to do it with others?Salesforce says the number one complaint buyers have is that they don't feel heard.Our goal is to bring confidence to their doubt and direction to their indecision.
Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister interviews Kris Billmaier, EVP and GM of Salesforce Agentforce Sales. They discuss the rapid advancements in AI technology, particularly in the context of sales and customer experience. Kris shares insights on how AI is transforming sales processes, enhancing customer interactions, and the importance of balancing automation with human touch. They also address common misconceptions about AI, ethical considerations in its deployment, and the skills needed for success in an AI-powered sales environment. Takeaways AI is transforming customer experience by improving lead follow-up. Agentic AI can significantly enhance sales processes and efficiency. Salesforce's engagement agent automates lead outreach and booking meetings. Balancing automation with human interaction is crucial for sales success. AI misconceptions include fears of job loss and the belief that AI can operate independently. Ethical considerations in AI deployment are essential for trust and transparency. Great AI relies on high-quality data and context. Sales professionals should focus on data capture and insights for better performance. Feedback from users is vital for improving AI tools and features. AI can help sales teams never wake up to an empty lead list. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI for Sales and Guest Background 02:18 AI Transformation and Customer Experience 05:19 Agentic AI: Enhancing Sales Processes 09:44 Balancing Automation and Human Touch in Sales 12:01 AI Misconceptions and Ethical Considerations 21:43 Skills for Success in an AI-Powered Sales World The AI for Sales Podcast is brought to you by BDR.ai, Nooks.ai, and ZoomInfo—the go-to-market intelligence platform that accelerates revenue growth. Skip the forms and website hunting—Chad will connect you directly with the right person at any of these companies.
PNR: This Old Marketing | Content Marketing with Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose
This week on This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert unpack a trio of headlines that perfectly capture the optimism and overconfidence of the AI era. First, Apple and Google announce a multi-year partnership on AI. Two of the most powerful companies on the planet, joining forces to shape the future of intelligence. What could possibly go wrong? Then OpenAI confirms that advertising is coming to ChatGPT later this year. The honeymoon phase of AI is officially over, and the business model phase has arrived. Joe and Robert explore what ads inside conversational interfaces really mean for brands, creators, and trust. Finally, Salesforce steps up to answer MrBeast's call for the "most amazing Super Bowl ad ever" for Super Bowl 2026. When enterprise software meets YouTube spectacle, expectations get set very high. And history suggests that rarely ends quietly. Marketing Winners: Dos Equis, for proving that great brand storytelling and humor still cut through, even in an AI-flooded content world. Breeze Airways, for smart positioning and customer-centric marketing in an industry that desperately needs both. Rants and Raves: The continued rise of AI-generated music hitting the charts, raising uncomfortable questions about creativity, authorship, and what "human" even means in popular culture. A rave for Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning, and why its lessons about purpose, suffering, and responsibility feel more relevant now than ever in a world optimized for convenience and automation. As always, the episode ends where This Old Marketing lives best, at the intersection of technology, media, and the timeless human need for meaning, trust, and something real to hold onto. Subscribe and Follow: Follow Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose on LinkedIn for insights, hot takes, and weekly updates from the world of content and marketing. ------- This week's sponsor: Did you know that most businesses only use 20% of their data? That's like reading a book with most of the pages torn out. Point is, you miss a lot. Unless you use HubSpot. Their customer platform gives you access to the data you need to grow your business. The insights trapped in emails, call logs, and transcripts. All that unstructured data that makes all the difference. Because when you know more, you grow more. Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/. Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork
This week, we discuss the end of Cloud 1.0, AI agents fixing old apps, and Chainguard vs. Docker images. Plus, the mystery of Dutch broth is finally solved. Watch the YouTube Live Recording of Episode 556 Runner-up Titles His overall deal Been there and done that been ignoring that shift key for years Cloud is just fine I'll be back in Bartertown The “F” Word Hardened-washing We'll never do this, but we should check back in in 3 months Libraries are the best Elves don't belong in space Rundown Are we at the end of cloud or cloud 1.0 It's the beginning of Cloud 2.0 Spec-driven development system for Claude Code Anthropic and App Modernization A meta-prompting, context engineering and spec-driven development What comes next, if Claude Code is as good as people say. Microsoft Spending on Anthropic Approaches $500 Million a Year Claude Code Won't Fix Your Life Coté and Tony contemplate day two AI-generated apps, and an excerpt. Why We've Tried to Replace Developers Every Decade Since 1969 Well, that escalated quickly: Zero CVEs, lots of vendors Relevant to your Interests Beijing tells Chinese firms to stop using US and Israeli cybersecurity software China blacklists VMware, Palo Alto Networks software over national security fears Kroger taps Google Gemini, announces more key AI moves Texas judge throws out second lawsuit over CrowdStrike outage Apple will pay billions for Gemini after OpenAI declined Dell wants £10m+ from VMware if Tesco case goes against it Tailscale: The Best Free App Most Mac Power Users Aren't Using How WhatsApp Took Over the Global Conversation Our approach to advertising and expanding access to ChatGPT OpenAI's ARR reached over $20 billion in 2025, CFO says Simon Willison's take on Our approach to advertising and ChatGPT The AI lab revolving door spins ever faster | TechCrunch How Markdown took over the world An Interview with United CEO Scott Kirby About Tech Transformation Conferences cfgmgmtcamp 2026, February 2nd to 4th, Ghent, BE. Coté speaking - anyone interested in being an SDI guest? DevOpsDayLA at SCALE23x, March 6th, Pasadena, CA Use code: DEVOP for 50% off. Devnexus 2026, March 4th to 6th, Atlanta, GA. Use this 30% off discount code from your pals at Tanzu: DN26VMWARE30. KubeCon EU, March 23rd to 26th, 2026 - Coté will be there on a media pass. VMware User Groups (VMUGs): Amsterdam (March 17-19, 2026) Minneapolis (April 7-9, 2026) Toronto (May 12-14, 2026) Dallas (June 9-11, 2026) Orlando (October 20-22, 2026) SDT News & Community Join our Slack community Email the show: questions@softwaredefinedtalk.com Free stickers: Email your address to stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com Follow us on social media: Twitter, Threads, Mastodon, LinkedIn, BlueSky Watch us on: Twitch, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok Book offer: Use code SDT for $20 off "Digital WTF" by Coté Sponsor the show Recommendations Brandon: The Library will loan you a 5G hotspot Matt: Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor (rogue-like Vampire Hunters-type game) Coté: Streamyard shorts generation. Salesforce was inspired by dolphins.
In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I dive into the key innovations behind Salesforce's push toward the agentic AI enterprise.Highlights00:12 —Salesforce has introduced its Spring '26 release, which will become available to customers on February 23. Salesforce Workspace, Salesforce's solution for unifying sellers and agents, is described as an intelligent hub. The solution acts as a single place for sellers to review agent performance, activity, and other analytics.00:50 — It carries out a wide range of tasks, such as anticipating customer issues, enabling self-service resolution, and conducting issue analysis. Finally, Agentforce Builder provides organizations with a dedicated facility for building, testing, and refining agents in a single, conversational workspace.01:41 — Here's my key takeaway: these new and enhanced features collectively push toward Salesforce's vision for the AI agentic enterprise, a place where humans and AI agents work collaboratively. What Salesforce is doing with its latest release is unifying the critical elements that will enable this vision. Visit Cloud Wars for more.
Today on the Salesforce Admins Podcast, we talk to Laura Pelkey, Director of Customer Security Communications & Engagement, and Kylie McKlveen, Director of Product Marketing at Salesforce. Join us as we chat about how admins can level up the security of their orgs using a simple framework for understanding security in Salesforce. You should subscribe […] The post From Invisible to Intentional: A Practical Way Admins Can Approach Salesforce Security appeared first on Salesforce Admins.
In "Vanity Metrics Don't Move Freight: Building Real Pipeline in Freight-Tech", Joe Lynch and Jim Waters, Fractional CMO and Founder of FreightTech (marketing), discuss how marketing must shift from a tactical cost center to a strategic operating system that drives real revenue. About Jim Waters Jim Waters is a Boston-based B2B marketing executive with a proven track record of building robust sales pipelines. His passion lies in driving meaningful conversations, understanding customer pain points, and creating compelling content that generates active pipeline velocity. A results-driven innovator, Jim was an early employee at both FRAYT and Tive, where he spearheaded Global Marketing. Jim's entrepreneurial spirit led him to build successful marketing teams at Coveo, (CVO.TO), FAST (MSFT) and StreamServe (NASDAQ: OTEX). He earned an MBA from Northeastern University and is now Founder of FreighTech Advisors fractional CMO and advisor services to companies in the Logistics Technology industry. About FreighTech FreighTech is a company that delivers fractional CMO consulting, content development, marketing and advisory services specifically to logistics technology businesses. The company was founded in 2023 by Jim Waters, a logistics and supply chain marketing veteran. Key Takeaways: Vanity Metrics Don't Move Freight: Building Real Pipeline in Freight-Tech In "Vanity Metrics Don't Move Freight: Building Real Pipeline in Freight-Tech", Joe Lynch and Jim Waters, Fractional CMO and Founder of FreightTech (marketing), discuss how marketing must shift from a tactical cost center to a strategic operating system that drives real revenue. FreighTech's Specialization: Founded in 2023, FreighTech provides fractional CMO consulting and marketing advisory services specifically for logistics technology businesses. Jim Waters leverages his deep industry experience (having scaled companies like Tive and Frayt) to help growth-stage startups turn marketing from a cost center into a revenue-generating engine without the overhead of a full-time executive. Marketing as a Portfolio: Jim argues that marketing should be treated as an investment portfolio, not a one-off cost. Just like a financial portfolio or a fitness routine, it requires time and consistency. Companies often fail because they "micromanage" their marketing, expecting an immediate ROI within two weeks, rather than allowing for the 6–9 month cycle often required to see real pipeline growth. The Death of the Cold Call and the Rise of "Stalking": The traditional sales model of making 100 cold calls a day is losing effectiveness because buyers now screen calls and conduct their own research online. Joe and Jim discuss how the buying process starts long before the sales process, with potential customers "stalking" a company's content on LinkedIn, YouTube, and podcasts for up to a year before ever engaging with a salesperson. Navigating the 2026 Visibility Shift (SEO, GEO, and AEO): Visibility in 2026 requires more than just traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Jim introduces two critical new concepts: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): Ensuring your brand is cited by AI engines like ChatGPT and Gemini as a subject matter expert. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization): Structuring content to directly answer binary buyer questions (e.g., "How do I improve ROI in logistics marketing?"). The "Revenue Engine Blueprint" Basics: Before scaling, companies must master the basics. Jim emphasizes that a "blueprint" requires a clear understanding of the Total Addressable Market (TAM) and a refined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Without knowing exactly who you solve problems for, adding expensive tech stacks like Salesforce or HubSpot is simply "accelerating into a wall." The Danger of "Chainsaw" Customers: Jim shares a cautionary tale from his time at Tive about a salesperson wanting to tape a high-end tracker to a chainsaw to prevent theft. While any revenue is tempting, Jim warns that chasing customers outside your ICP is not repeatable or scalable. True growth comes from "niching down" to focus on fans and specific verticals (like Pharma or Cold Chain) rather than trying to be everything to everyone. Multiplying Reach through a Distribution Engine: Content is only half the battle; the other half is a distribution engine. This involves using a "one-to-many" strategy—leveraging partners, PR, and podcasts to amplify a single piece of high-quality thought leadership. By turning one conversation into video clips, articles, and social posts, companies build the authenticity and trust necessary for modern freight-tech sales. Learn More About Vanity Metrics Don't Move Freight: Building Real Pipeline in Freight-Tech Jim Waters | Linkedin FreighTech | Linkedin FreighTech Driving Sales Pipeline with Jim Waters | The Logistics of Logistics The Key to Effective Last Mile Delivery with Jim Waters | The Logistics of Logistics Every Shipment Matters With Jim Waters | The Logistics of Logistics The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube
In this episode of the Shift AI Podcast, Adam Alfano, Global Head of SMB at Salesforce, joins host Boaz Ashkenazy for a wide-ranging conversation on how AI agents are fundamentally reshaping small and medium-sized businesses.Adam shares his unconventional career journey—from growing up in a steel town outside Toronto to building a global sales career and now leading Salesforce's SMB organization. From there, the discussion dives deep into how today's SMBs are navigating constant macro change with resilience, optimism, and an increasingly innovative mindset.The conversation explores how agentic AI is enabling small teams to operate with enterprise-level reach—automating frontline sales development, customer service, onboarding, and even complex workflows traditionally reserved for large organizations. Adam explains why CRM platforms are becoming the operating system for human–AI collaboration, how structured data is the foundation for effective agents, and why managing AI agents increasingly looks like managing employees.Boaz and Adam also examine the growing sense of overwhelm SMB founders feel around AI tooling, why “just help me set it up” is becoming the winning go-to-market strategy, and how natural-language interfaces are collapsing the technical barrier to adoption. The episode closes with a forward-looking discussion on avatars, workforce orchestration, and why the future of work is best described as “limitless potential.”This episode is essential listening for founders, operators, and product leaders who want to understand how AI is moving beyond individual productivity gains to unlock entirely new operating models for small businesses.Chapters[00:00] From Steel Town to Salesforce: Adam's Career Journey[04:24] The State of SMBs: Resilience, Innovation, and Opportunity[07:18] What Defines an SMB—and Why Size Matters Less Than Ever[08:17] Agentic AI in Practice: Sales, Service, and Infinite Reach[11:22] Why CRM Is Becoming the OS for Human–AI Collaboration[14:44] Data as the Foundation: Structuring Information for AI Agents[17:32] Lowering the Barrier: Natural Language, Vibe Coding, and Usability[19:41] The AI Tool Overload—and How SMBs Actually Want Help[21:31] Where AI Delivers the Biggest Near-Term Impact[24:31] Avatars, AI Teammates, and New Interaction Models[28:48] The Future of Work: Limitless PotentialConnect with Adam AlfanoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-alfano-60ab329/Connect with Boaz AshkenazyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boazashkenazy/Email: info@shiftai.fm
Headlines: – Welcome To Mo News (02:00) – Major Winter Storm Targets The South, East With Potentially Damaging Ice, Heavy Snow (05:50) – President Trump Heads To Davos As Tensions Flare Over Greenland (07:30) – Greenland PM Tells People to Prepare for Possible Invasion (20:50) – Usha Vance Announces She's Pregnant With Fourth Child (24:20) – New Study Says Americans Are the Ones Paying for Tariffs, Not “Foreigners” (25:50) – Salesforce's Benioff Calls For AI Regulation, Says AI Models Have Become ‘Suicide Coaches' (28:40) – ‘Poetcore' Is The New Granny-Chic Trend That's Transforming Fashion For Angsty Geeks and Celebs (31:40) – On This Day In History (34:10) Thanks To Our Sponsors: – Industrious - Coworking office. 50% off day pass | Promo Code: MONEWS50 – Incogni - 60% off an annual plan| Promo Code: MONEWS – Monarch - 50% off your first year | Promo Code: MONEWS – Leesa - 25% off plus an additional $50 | Promo Code: MONEWS
On episode 500, Nate made a bold challenge: That if we did not reach 1000 subscribers by the 10-year anniversary, it was time to shut down Notnerd. Well, here we are, and it's time to take an honest look at where the show is and what the future looks like. Will this be the last time we help you tech better? Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) MAIN TOPIC: 10 years and what happens when you post (05:20) Episode 500 - Nate's Challenge Foto Stax Video DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Send Low-Quality Photo Previews - Send Photos Faster (19:00) JUST THE HEADLINES: (22:35) Microplastics from washing clothes could be hurting your tomatoes Matthew McConaughey trademarks himself to fight AI misuse China builds hypergravity machine 2,000X stronger than Earth Israel deploys world's first drone defense laser Roblox's AI-powered age verification is a complete mess AI has made Salesforce engineers more productive, so the company has stopped hiring them Officials showed off a robo-bus in DC, it got hit by a Tesla driver LISTENER MAIL: Producer Todd Voicemail (27:05) TAKES: The US Government just followed through on its ban of DJI drones - and it's so much worse than we thought (31:40) iPhone 17 Pro case offers tribute to original 1984 Macintosh (36:40) Microsoft Patch Tuesday January 2026 Edition (37:50) Windows 11 shutdown bug forces Microsoft into out-of-band damage control (39:45) BONUS ODD TAKE: 360-degree panoramas of the interiors of several Star Trek ships (41:00) PICKS OF THE WEEK: Dave: Maclock WB-8 Wonderboy Innovation Design Co., Ltd. (44:10) Nate: High Fidelity Concert Earplugs for Concerts Musicians,Earplugs for noise reduction,24db Advanced Filter Technology Ear Protection for Music Festivals,DJ's, Nightclub, Drummers - 2 Pairs (Black) (50:15) RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (53:55)
AI consumption of water and power for data centers is sending some communities into a frenzy. Here's more on that, plus what the CEO of SalesForce says about the 'evils' of AI.
AI consumption of water and power for data centers is sending some communities into a frenzy. Here's more on that, plus what the CEO of SalesForce says about the 'evils' of AI.
AI consumption of water and power for data centers is sending some communities into a frenzy. Here's more on that, plus what the CEO of SalesForce says about the 'evils' of AI.
AI consumption of water and power for data centers is sending some communities into a frenzy. Here's more on that, plus what the CEO of SalesForce says about the 'evils' of AI.
AI consumption of water and power for data centers is sending some communities into a frenzy. Here's more on that, plus what the CEO of SalesForce says about the 'evils' of AI.
AI consumption of water and power for data centers is sending some communities into a frenzy. Here's more on that, plus what the CEO of SalesForce says about the 'evils' of AI.
Welp. That was wild.
Why you should listenScott Stafford shares his human-centric AI framework, explaining why major tech companies are now hiring salespeople again despite investing heavily in agentic solutions.Learn how to shift 20% of your workload to voice mode and natural language, with practical examples of completing real work while away from your desk.Discover where vibe coding tools like Bolt.new hit their limits and what foundational knowledge you still need to deliver AI-first solutions for clients.Wondering where to place your bets as AI reshapes the entire SaaS landscape? In this episode, I talk with Scott Stafford, an AI strategist working at the intersection of Salesforce, robotics, and human-centric technology. We dig into why companies that rushed to replace humans with AI are now reversing course, and what that shift means for consultants building practices today. Scott also shares his vision for how personal agents will become your new user interface, making traditional software interactions feel like relics. If you're trying to figure out where to invest your learning time and how to stay relevant as voice interfaces take over, this conversation maps out the territory ahead.About Scott Stafford Scott Stafford is a Human-Centric Technologist, AI Strategy Lead, and technology evangelist with 20+ years of experience bridging business strategy and emerging technology. A 27-time Salesforce certified All-Star Ranger and community leader, Scott focuses on helping people and organizations adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He is co-founder of RiseWithVoice, an initiative that helps individuals strengthen both their literal and metaphorical voice to thrive in an AI-augmented future.Resources and LinksScottstafford.aiScott's LinkedIn profile625 - The Salesforce Partner's AI Dilemma with Sanjeet MahajanBolt.newSuperwhisperPrevious episode: 659 - How This Salesforce Partner Grew to 25 People by Saying No with Dennis KnodtCheck out more episodes of The Paul Higgins PodcastJoin our newsletter
When Kevin Rubin arrived at Zscaler in May 2025, he joined an established organization following the retirement of the company's longtime CFO, taking responsibility for continuing the work of a finance leader who had already built a strong foundation. Rubin describes stepping into a business with scale, experienced leadership, and a customer base that included some of the world's largest enterprises, he tells us.In explaining what Zscaler does, Rubin walks through the company's core idea: zero trust. Traditional cybersecurity, he says, relied on network-centric “castles and moats,” requiring large amounts of equipment to connect people, applications, and data. Zscaler challenged that model by treating the internet as a “superhighway” and applying a principle of minimal access. If an employee wants to use Salesforce or email, Rubin explains, the system first authenticates the user and then limits access to only what that person is authorized to see, he tells us.Zscaler was founded in 2007 and went public in 2018, Rubin tells us. Today, roughly 40 percent of the Global 2000 and about 45 percent of the Fortune 500 use the company's platform. Rubin attributes that adoption to a model that delivers security with less overhead and infrastructure than traditional approaches, he tells us. At its core, he says, cybersecurity comes down to two problems: stopping malicious activity from entering the network and preventing sensitive data from leaving it.Reflecting on his first 100 days, Rubin says the transition was shaped by continuity and people. He describes a welcoming executive team and an organization already positioned for growth. Cybersecurity, he notes, remains a dynamic market, with new vulnerabilities constantly emerging, and staying ahead of those threats continues to define the work ahead, Rubin tells us.
Why are investors buzzing about Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill launch? And how has sentiment turned against software makers like Salesforce? Plus, what drove BlackRock's asset pile to a record $14 trillion? Host Jack Pitcher discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why are investors buzzing about Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill launch? And how has sentiment turned against software makers like Salesforce? Plus, what drove BlackRock's asset pile to a record $14 trillion? Host Jack Pitcher discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of It's My Time Podcast, Asher sits down with Amanda Gustiffson, a systems-minded consultant who helps small business owners reduce risk, clarify their operations, and design businesses that don't rely entirely on them to survive.What starts as a casual reconnection turns into a wide-ranging conversation about entrepreneurship, personality assessments, systems thinking, regional culture, mental health, and what it really means to build something sustainable.Amanda shares her journey from higher education and Salesforce consulting into helping business owners untangle processes that only exist in someone's head — and why slowing down is often the fastest way forward. Asher opens up about career pivots, therapy, burnout, identity, and learning that you don't have to “fix yourself” before building a meaningful life and business.This episode is for:Entrepreneurs feeling stuck in their own businessThoughtful professionals who don't fit hustle cultureAnyone navigating change, growth, and self-trust
Sam Crossland returns to DevOps Diaries to dissect the evolving world of Salesforce development and AI-generated code. As artificial intelligence reshapes the coding landscape, Sam and Jack go beyond the hype to discuss the real risks and rewards. They explore why trusting AI-generated code without strict quality gates is a dangerous game, emphasizing that human oversight remains the ultimate security protocol for reliable software delivery.However, technology is only half the battle. Sam advocates for a return to the fundamentals that drive high-performing teams, highlighting the critical importance of robust documentation and the use of RACI metrics to clarify roles. The conversation dives deep into the necessity of continuous improvement, offering practical strategies for chipping away at technical debt and measuring success through meaningful metrics. Whether you are navigating the complexities of AI integration or simply seeking to streamline your team's workflow, this episode offers the strategic blueprint you need to thrive in the modern DevOps lifecycle. Tune in now to discover how to perfectly balance innovation with reliability.
Ever wonder what it actually takes to turn hundreds of "no's" into a category-defining business? From rejection after rejection to building the fastest-growing water company in the world, Shadi Bakour's journey is the ultimate story of perseverance, focus, and execution. Recorded live at 2025 Business Mastery, this episode features Shadi, Co-founder and CEO of PATHWATER, sharing with Tony how a simple idea became a category-defining brand. Discover how Shadi navigated massive challenges—selling water door-to-door, scaling into over 60,000 stores, and eliminating more than 500 million plastic bottles—by staying resourceful, mission-driven, and authentic. This conversation dives deep into the mindset, resilience, and strategies that separate founders who quit from those who redefine their industries. Want to experience transformational growth for your own business? Join Business Mastery, happening virtually January 14–18, 2026, to learn directly from Tony Robbins and world-class faculty. Secure your spot to Business Mastery here: https://tonyr.co/4cB5IkU Tony Robbins is a #1 New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the nation's #1 Life and Business Strategist. For more than four and a half decades, more than 100 million people from 195 countries have enjoyed the warmth, humor, and transformational power of his business and personal development events. Mr. Robbins is the author of seven internationally bestselling books, including three #1 New York Times bestsellers: Money: Master the Game, Unshakeable, and Life Force. He created the #1 personal and professional development program of all time, and more than 10 million people have attended his live seminars. Anthony Robbins is the chairman of a holding company comprising more than 110 privately held businesses with combined sales exceeding $7 billion a year. He has been named in the top 50 of Worth Magazine's 100 most powerful people in global finance for three consecutive years, honored by Accenture as one of the "Top 50 Business Intellectuals in the World''; by Harvard Business Press as one of the "Top 200 Business Gurus"; and by American Express as one of the "Top Six Business Leaders in the World" to coach its entrepreneurial clients. Fortune's recent cover article named him the "CEO Whisperer." He is a leader called upon by leaders, and has worked with four US presidents, top entertainers -- from Aerosmith to Green Day, to Usher and Pitbull, as well as athletes like Serena Williams, Andre Agassi, and the 2022 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors. Billionaire business leaders seek his advice as well; casino magnate Steve Wynn, and Salesforce.com founder Marc Benioff are among those grateful for his coaching.
In this episode of Scratch, Eric sits down with Adrian Rosenkranz, Chief Revenue Officer at Webflow, to explore how AI is fundamentally changing the way brands grow, compete and get discovered. As large language models reshape how people find and evaluate products, Adrian argues that marketing is shifting from a game of clicks and traffic to a game of relevance and answers, where your website, content and brand have to work for both humans and machines at the same time. We're effectively marketing to bots at this point! They dig into what this means in practice for CMOs, from how SEO and content strategies need to evolve, to why many AI initiatives stall inside large organisations. If you're currently trying to bring AI to your marketing team (Who isn't?) then Adrian has some practical guidance and perspectives to share to ensure that your AI initiatives actually deliver something valuable. The conversation also goes beyond tools and tactics into leadership, creativity and culture. Adrian reflects on lessons from Salesforce, the importance of narrative and design thinking, and why creativity, taste and speed of adaptation are becoming the true sources of differentiation in an AI-native world. It's a wide-ranging discussion about how marketing, growth and brand leadership need to evolve for the next era of the web.Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube
Stolen Target source code looks real. CISA pulls the plug on Gogs. SAP rushes patches for critical flaws. A suspected Russian spy emerges in Sweden, while Cloudflare threatens to walk away from Italy. Researchers flag a Wi-Fi chipset bug, a long-running Magecart skimming campaign, and a surge in browser-in-the-browser phishing against Facebook users. Mandiant releases a new Salesforce defense tool, and NIST asks how to secure agentic AI before it secures itself. Our guests are Christine Blake and Madison Farabaugh from Inside the Media Minds. Plus, a Dutch court says seven years is still the going rate for a USB-powered cocaine plot. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today we are joined by Christine Blake and Madison Farabaugh from W2 Communications and hosts of Inside the Media Minds podcast on their show joining the N2K CyberWire network. You can listen to the latest episode of Inside the Media Minds today and catch new installments every month on your favorite podcast app. Selected Reading Target employees confirm leaked code after ‘accelerated' Git lockdown (Bleeping Computer) Fed agencies urged to ditch Gogs as zero-day makes CISA list (The Register) SAP's January 2026 Security Updates Patch Critical Vulnerabilities (SecurityWeek) Sweden detains ex-military IT consultant suspected of spying for Russia (The Record) Cloudflare CEO threatens to pull out of Italy (The Register) One Simple Trick to Knock Out the Wi-Fi Network (GovInfo Security) Google's Mandiant releases free Salesforce access control checker (iTnews) Global Magecart Campaign Targets Six Card Networks (Infosecurity Magazine) Facebook login thieves now using browser-in-browser trick (Bleeping Computer) NIST Calls for Public to Help Better Secure AI Agents (GovInfo Security) Appeal fails for hacker who opened port to coke smugglers (The Register) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry's most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bob Evans, Founder of Cloud Wars, joins John Siefert, CEO, Cloud Wars and Dynamic Communities, to unpack one of the most dramatic reshuffles in the history of the Cloud Wars Top 10. Together, they explore what Bob calls “tectonic shifts” as Google Cloud rises to number one, Oracle surges to number two, and Microsoft slips to third. The conversation goes well beyond rankings, diving into AI platforms, enterprise outcomes, customer-driven innovation, and why growth, not size alone, defines cloud leadership heading into 2026.A New Cloud OrderThe Big Themes:Growth Transparency Matters: IBM's exit from the Top 10 underscores a critical principle — financial transparency is essential when growth is a core ranking metric. While IBM's leadership and strategy is worthy of praise, the lack of disclosed cloud performance data makes objective evaluation impossible. The Cloud Wars Top 10 prioritizes measurable momentum that reflects customer demand.AWS Reflects the Past, Not the Future: AWS's drop to number seven does not reflect failure but rather strategic timing. While AWS continues to perform well financially, its narrative is more aligned with the cloud's past than its AI-driven future. In contrast, competitors are redefining platforms around agents, inference, and AI-native architectures. The Cloud Wars rankings reward forward momentum, and AWS now faces pressure to reassert innovation leadership rather than rely on historical dominance.The AI Platform Battle Is Escalating: A central theme is the race to become the trusted AI platform. ServiceNow and Palantir are the most explicit contenders, while Google Cloud closely follows. Customers want AI platforms that integrate existing systems, deliver fast outcomes, and scale securely. The winners will be those who enable co-creation, not just consumption, as enterprises build AI capabilities tailored to their specific needs.The Big Quote: "For a while we talked about the hyperscalers as if they're all very homogeneous, all exactly the same, just different variations on a theme. I think what the new Cloud Wars Top 10 reflects is that is not the case at all."More about the Top 10 Shifts:Check out the updated Cloud Wars Top 10 List. Visit Cloud Wars for more.
Conscious Accomplishment: How Inner Growth Shapes What We Create In The World with Scott BrittonWhat happens when you stop treating spiritual growth and achievement as separate pursuits and begin to see them as part of one coherent path?In this week's episode of the Sacred Changemakers Podcast, I'm joined by Scott Britton, entrepreneur, author, community builder, CEO of Conscious Talent, and host of the EvolutionFM podcast. Scott's journey began in the high-pressure world of tech, where he co-founded Troops, later acquired by Salesforce. Outwardly, he had all the markers of success. Inwardly, something else was stirring.Our conversation traces the pivotal moments that led Scott to rethink accomplishment altogether, not as a race to the top, but as a practice of becoming. His work, captured in his book Conscious Accomplishment, offers a grounded, practical way to integrate inner development with the very real demands of building, leading, and making an impact in the world.Together, we explore the patterns that shape us, the disturbances that wake us up, and why the fuel behind our ambition matters far more than we realise. Scott brings a refreshing clarity to the intersection of consciousness and creativity, showing how inner awareness doesn't pull us away from action, but actually strengthens how we move through the world.This is a conversation for anyone who has ever questioned the traditional definitions of success… for anyone who has hit their goals and still wondered, “Is this it?”… and for every coach and changemaker seeking a more coherent way to live, lead, and create.Key TakeawaysWhy the old dichotomy between spiritual development and achievement no longer serves us.How disturbances and emotional triggers can become profound teachers.Why patterns, not circumstances, drive most of our suffering—and how to work with them.The practice of Self Repatterning and its role in shifting consciousness.How to integrate inner work into leadership and daily life without compartmentalising.About Scott BrittonScott Britton is an entrepreneur, author, and community builder. He is the CEO of Conscious Talent, host of the EvolutionFM podcast, and author of Conscious Accomplishment, a book that challenges the belief that spiritual growth and achievement must compete with one another. Prior to this work, Scott co-founded Troops, a software company acquired by Salesforce in 2022. His work brings together personal development, consciousness, and practical execution—helping people create meaningful impact while staying connected to their inner truth.Learn More About Today's GuestConscious Talent website ****→ https://www.conscioustalent.com/Scott's book, Conscious Accomplishment → https://amzn.to/3MgoLsvScott on Linkedin → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jscottbritton/Scott's Podcast, EvolutionFM →
Why you should listenDennis Knodt grew Valuent from freelancing in 2019 to a 25-person Salesforce consultancy by narrowing focus to one product line (quote-to-cash) and one geography (Germany), offering a blueprint for partners drowning in "we do everything" positioning.Learn how to structure your Salesforce AE relationships so successful projects create internal bragging that generates referrals without you having to ask, including why mid-market and enterprise AEs are more valuable than SMB relationships.Get Dennis's approach to running proof of concepts at full market rate on larger projects, giving clients tangible results before committing to six or nine-month implementations.Trying to grow a Salesforce practice while competing against every other partner who claims they "do it all"? In this episode, I talk with Dennis Knodt, co-founder of Valuent, a Berlin-based consultancy that went from freelancing in 2019 to a 25-person team by making deliberate choices about what to say no to. We dig into why Dennis doubled down on Germany instead of chasing international expansion, and how a setback with Salesforce (when they brought in a competitor) actually led to recruiting the architect who now leads their revenue cloud practice. If you've ever wondered whether focus is really worth the short-term sacrifice, this conversation will challenge how you think about building a defensible position.About Dennis KnodtDennis Knodt is the Co-Founder of Valuent, a bootstrapped Salesforce consultancy specializing in Quote-to-Cash optimization. After working at Bain and VC-backed startups like Rocket Internet and Enpal, Dennis chose to build a profitable boutique firm focused on deep expertise over growth-at-all-costs.Resources and LinksValuent.ioDennis's LinkedIn profileLovablePrevious episode: 658 - The Delivery TrapCheck out more episodes of The Paul Higgins PodcastJoin our newsletterSuggested resourcesFind out more about Paul and how he can help you
AI is no longer just for big-box retailers with massive budgets. In this episode of Rooted in Retail, Crystal Vilkaitis sits down with AI entrepreneur RJ Talyor to unpack how small and independent retailers can realistically use AI to save time, boost sales, and stay competitive—without losing their brand soul.RJ shares his journey from Salesforce to launching and selling AI startups, and explains how tools like predictive AI, real-time marketing, and automated creative can help retailers move faster, test smarter, and respond to what's happening right now. From email templates and photo generation to habit-building and ethical AI use, this conversation breaks down what matters—and what doesn't—when it comes to AI in retail.If you're a retailer feeling overwhelmed by AI but know you can't ignore it anymore, this episode will help you cut through the noise and start using AI with confidence.[2:34] RJ's background and entry into retail tech[4:18] Non-obvious ways small retailers can use AI today[5:41] Using AI to create email and website templates faster[7:37] How predictive AI works and why testing isn't enough anymore[11:07] How much time retailers should realistically spend on AI[13:40] Should retailers become AI experts—or rely on vendors?[17:00] How AI gives small retailers a real competitive edge[19:19] Transparency, ethics, and being honest about AI use[21:18] Using AI to respond to real-time events and local moments[24:21] What retailers should start doing now to prepare for the future of AIJoin the Rooted in Retail Facebook Group to continue the conversation Join our newsletter for all the latest marketing news for retailers Show off your super fandom by getting your Rooted in Retail Merch! Go to http://indera.co/prompt to access the prompt
The AI Breakdown: Daily Artificial Intelligence News and Discussions
Even when a product is growing and customers are happy, AI can still undercut the core economics that made the business viable in the first place. This episode looks at how AI collapses defensibility by attacking pricing power, distribution, and differentiation simultaneously, why “great execution” is no longer a sufficient moat, and what kinds of businesses are most exposed as AI capabilities move up the value chain. In the headlines: Google pushes Gemini deeper into Gmail as the inbox becomes a battleground for personal assistants, Nvidia's China chip sales face new uncertainty as Beijing pumps the brakes, and AI-powered shopping surges as Amazon, Microsoft, and Salesforce race to own agentic commerce.Brought to you by:KPMG – Discover how AI is transforming possibility into reality. Tune into the new KPMG 'You Can with AI' podcast and unlock insights that will inform smarter decisions inside your enterprise. Listen now and start shaping your future with every episode. https://www.kpmg.us/AIpodcastsZencoder - From vibe coding to AI-first engineering - http://zencoder.ai/zenflowOptimizely Opal - The agent orchestration platform build for marketers - https://www.optimizely.com/theaidailybriefRobots & Pencils - Cloud-native AI solutions that power results https://robotsandpencils.com/The Agent Readiness Audit from Superintelligent - Go to https://besuper.ai/ to request your company's agent readiness score.The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI. Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@aidailybrief.ai
The AI Breakdown: Daily Artificial Intelligence News and Discussions
Even when a product is growing and customers are happy, AI can still undercut the core economics that made the business viable in the first place. This episode looks at how AI collapses defensibility by attacking pricing power, distribution, and differentiation simultaneously, why “great execution” is no longer a sufficient moat, and what kinds of businesses are most exposed as AI capabilities move up the value chain. In the headlines: Google pushes Gemini deeper into Gmail as the inbox becomes a battleground for personal assistants, Nvidia's China chip sales face new uncertainty as Beijing pumps the brakes, and AI-powered shopping surges as Amazon, Microsoft, and Salesforce race to own agentic commerce.Brought to you by:KPMG – Discover how AI is transforming possibility into reality. Tune into the new KPMG 'You Can with AI' podcast and unlock insights that will inform smarter decisions inside your enterprise. Listen now and start shaping your future with every episode. https://www.kpmg.us/AIpodcastsZencoder - From vibe coding to AI-first engineering - http://zencoder.ai/zenflowOptimizely Opal - The agent orchestration platform build for marketers - https://www.optimizely.com/theaidailybriefRobots & Pencils - Cloud-native AI solutions that power results https://robotsandpencils.com/The Agent Readiness Audit from Superintelligent - Go to https://besuper.ai/ to request your company's agent readiness score.The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI. Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@aidailybrief.ai