Podcasts about Pluralsight

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=16876&preview=true) There are many elements involved in landing your dream job; networking, a professional resume, and solid skills are just a few of the things required. But even with all that, it can be incredibly difficult. What if there was a silver bullet to fast-track your job search? Find Your Dream Job guest Jason Alba says informational interviews are the answer. Jason adds that informational interviews are an incredibly effective job search tool that most people aren't taking advantage of, and he shares how to get the most out of your own. About Our Guest:Jason Alba is a soft skills and career expert for Pluralsight.Resources in This Episode:Connect with Jason on LinkedInCheck out Jason's booksSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Katie Bullard helped take DiscoverOrg from $30 million to $300 million in revenue, then served as president of A Cloud Guru and Red Canary through exits to Pluralsight and Zscaler. She joins AJ Bruno and Asad Zaman to break down what actually changes for operators in an AI-first world. From why "AI native" is not a growth strategy, to how to align the CRO, CFO, and product team around a single growth plan. Topics include building for customer value before chasing AI ARR, the move from seat-based to consumption pricing, and why 70% of the old playbook for hiring a great executive is suddenly out of date. Also: a reality check on AI accuracy across multi-step work. Plus, a Bulls and Bears debate on whether $200 a week is the real ceiling on AI's value. Key Takeaways: - AI has to earn its keep in customer value, not exist for its own sake. As Katie put it: "Too many companies, I would say, are focusing on the technology … and not on the customer value." Her fix is to ground every AI investment in the ROI it drives for a customer before worrying about the AI ARR label investors keep asking about. - The profile of a great executive is being rewritten in real time. Katie's warning for anyone with a strong track record: "the classic operator of a $100 million business actually will not be particularly successful in a $100 million business today that is redefining itself." She estimates 70% of the pattern-matching investors and recruiters used to hire CROs, CFOs, and CEOs is now out the window, replaced by a hunt for learning velocity over past wins. - AI's success with code does not automatically transfer to the rest of the org. Asad Zaman, CEO at STA, ran the math: "if you take the best model … against any one step … it has 95% accuracy … if you do a 20-step process … that same model achieves 37% accuracy." His point is that stacking agents to cover that compounding error only works when you spend enough compute to make the task uneconomical. - The AI-native shift is already changing how companies hire and build. AJ Bruno, CEO at QuotaPath, said flatly that "Our engineers aren't writing code at all," noting roughly 90% of the company's code now comes from either Cursor or Claude, and framed AI-enabled services at above 70% margin as QuotaPath's real growth engine for 2027. Connect with the Hosts & Guests: Host: AJ Bruno, CEO at QuotaPath - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajbruno3/ Host: Asad Zaman, CEO at STA - https://www.linkedin.com/in/azaman1/ Guest: Katie Bullard, Board Member & Strategic Advisor - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiebullard/ Topline is more than a YouTube Channel: Subscribe to Topline Newsletter: https://toplinemedia.substack.com/ Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech: https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-podcast Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders to keep the conversation going beyond the podcast: https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-slack Chapters:  00:00 Introducing Katie Bullard 05:24 The $30M to $300M Playbook 09:58 Operating In The Age Of AI 15:54 Aligning The CRO And CFO 23:26 AI Native Is Not A Strategy 25:35 Value First, Then Pricing 26:51 The AI ARR Valuation Puzzle 41:11 Inside The Red Canary Exit 45:35 Betting On AI-Enabled Services 49:15 Rewriting The Hiring Profile 52:51 The Executive Hiring Reset 58:24 The AI Accuracy Reality Check 1:01:16 Why Humans Still Hold The Pen 1:04:53 Bulls and Bears

According to Corporate Visions, 74% of buyers say they faced too many competing options in their last major purchase decision, and instead of selecting a vendor, they just checked out entirely, gave up, and moved on. So, how do you create a buying experience that makes those decisions feel easy? Riley Rogers: Hi, and welcome to the Win/Win Podcast. I’m your host, Riley Rogers. Join us as we dive into changing trends in the workplace and how to navigate them successfully. Here to discuss this are senior enablement program manager Lisa Monahan and account executive Madison Leatham from Pluralsight. Thank you guys for joining us. I’m super excited to talk through this topic with you. I’d love to just hear a little bit about yourself, background, and role. So Lisa, wanna kick us off? Lisa Monahan: Yeah, absolutely. My name’s Lisa Monahan. I live in the suburbs of Austin, Texas, and I’ve been at Pluralsight two and a half years, and I’ve been in enablement for, I guess that’s coming up on four years now. I currently serve our go-to-market tech stack from a strategy and execution standpoint, and that is where I learned about everything I know and love about Highspot. So big Highspot fangirl here. Happy to be here. RR: Amazing. We’re happy to have you here. Madison, can you tell me a little bit about you? Madison Leatham: Yeah, of course. Happy to. I am based out of Salt Lake City, Utah, and I am an account executive on the public sector team here at Pluralsight. I started out as a BDR on the public sector team, eventually moved into a manager role, where I led the same team that I started on as a BDR, as well as our team in Australia, and then more recently became an account executive supporting our higher education partnerships specifically. RR: I can’t wait to dig into all of this wonderful work and experience that you guys have, and then all the complexity and challenges that kind of come with that. So Lisa, I’d love if you could set the stage for us: who Pluralsight is, what you do, who you serve, all that goodness. LM: Absolutely. And Madison, I’m gonna ask you to keep me honest, ’cause I’d love from a seller’s perspective how you would change my pitch. But we are an online learning and workforce development platform serving businesses and individuals alike with on-demand courses, hands-on labs, and skill assessments that help bridge the skill gaps in areas like AI, cybersecurity, and software development, and so on. RR: With that context in mind, I think I’d like to jump into what that world of work kind of looks like today. So Madison, from a sales perspective — BDR and AE roles, managerial roles, helping BDRs succeed — you’ve kind of seen it all. When we look at where we are today versus where things were when you started, what’s changed most about selling over the last few years, and where do you see sellers still struggling the most? ML: So just to talk about both sides of it, starting with prospecting, there’s definitely more of an expectation of personalization and effort. The spray and pray tactics just don’t work. People are a lot more risk-averse. They’re just more busy. You have to do something different to really cut through the noise, prove that you’ve done your homework, and that you deserve their time just based on the research that you’ve done. So finding ways to do something different is always a challenge. It takes more time. I think personally prospecting and getting your foot in the door is really the hardest it’s ever been. And on the selling side, this might not be really new news, but they say it takes a lot more people to decide on purchasing a product nowadays. You’ll see different studies saying different things, but they all just show how the buying group has jumped up in numbers, so there’s a lot more need for collaboration on both sides of the fence for communicating the value to different stakeholders that might have different goals. And then I’d say multi-threading, getting in front of decision-makers is just consistently one of the most challenging aspects. Sometimes it’s tricky because you wanna keep the relationship strong with your main point of contact, not overstep, but you wanna make sure that the value is still being communicated and the pain points are still being properly uncovered and discussed. And you kind of lose control of that when you’re just relying on one person. So I really see that across all the AEs I’ve talked to, all the AEs on my team, that need to multi-thread and how tricky it can be to communicate that value across different stakeholders and throughout the buying group. RR: So it sounds like there are a lot of challenges out there, and it’s a fine line to walk when it comes to balancing your initial point of contact and then doing all of the work that makes a deal successful. Thinking specifically about the AE challenges that now you in this new role are facing, in your day-to-day, some of these things that we talked about, what would you say is most difficult for you when you’re working deals and trying to keep things moving forward? ML: Just visibility into what matters to those fringe stakeholders. So when I say fringe stakeholders, the ones that you know have some sway, but you don’t have that direct contact with. Maybe they join one call, and they were off camera. And then just trying to figure out how do their goals align with the solution? How can I make sure it’s not just that game of telephone, that everyone understands the vision of the solution and the implementation of the solution so that we can really start to focus on aligning the logistics and next steps. So I’d say it’s just being able to get clear communication and more visibility and more people involved to really get those discussions, give them a little bit more oomph and value with each person that has some sway in the deal. RR: Yeah, because if you can’t find those fringe stakeholders, you’ll kind of go sideways, and you lose the momentum that you spent all that time building. One thing that’s funny here, Lisa, are you taking notes? LM: I am. This is on the fly, and I’m like: “Oh, this is so interesting to learn.” RR: You’re sitting here taking notes, hearing these challenges, and being like, “Hmm, how do these fit into my programs? How can I support this?” So when you’re hearing challenges like this from the field, how do you start thinking about solving them? LM: So it’s about making sure that the field is empowered with the tools that can really help them do that deep, intelligent research so that they can speak to the needs and the pain points of these accounts. It can’t just be this very generic as you said at the start of the call spray and pray. It can’t be that anymore, and we know that to be a fact. So it’s ensuring that they have the tools available to them, but also knowing all the different ways that those tools can work with them, not against them, so that it can be simplified. One of the biggest things I care about is reducing tool swivel, making sure that it’s easy for them to get as much done in one place without feeling exhausted by having to go from Gemini to LinkedIn Sales Navigator to Highspot. So trying to make sure it’s as simplified as possible. RR: Having that conversation of swivel chairing has changed so much over the last year. Now there are so many different AI tools that you can layer in, and somehow it seems like the number of tools has shot up. So making it simple is almost harder than ever and a bigger priority than ever. Today, what are you prioritizing, Lisa, to help sellers break through? What’s new? What are you working on to help them cut through that noise and engage buyers effectively? LM: Definitely AI at every step right now, because as you just mentioned, every tool that we use has some level of AI, and making sure that they understand which one is the best one to use in what workflow, in what step: prospecting, outreach, anything like that. So really working hard. And as you said, it feels like the functionality is changing so much right now that I feel like every half day, my strategy of how we’re going to market with AI for our sellers changes. RR: Yeah, and I love that point of utilizing a tool to its fullest. You invest in these things, you need them to work for you. And one of the things that over the years you’ve spoken extensively about is using Digital Rooms as part of the way of simplifying the buyer journey, making it easier to engage your buyers, and then, to your earlier point, Madison, track what’s interesting to them, track who’s in there. So Lisa, with that being a key part of your strategy, can you walk us through why you leaned into that approach? LM: When I was previously at SAP Concur, Digital Rooms were such a huge part of their strategy that they had an entire team dedicated to that. And so when I was there supporting Highspot, I actually didn’t have an opportunity to touch it. It felt like this really powerful feature that seemed unattainable to me. And then when I came to Pluralsight and I was rolling it out here, I had to very quickly learn Digital Rooms, and I have to admit, I was intimidated because of the way that it was handled at my previous employer. But once I came here, I was like, “Oh, it’s actually super easy.” Digital Rooms are very easy to use. It takes just a few minutes to customize one. And what I think is really important about Digital Rooms is what Madison was saying earlier, we don’t have a lot of opportunities to break through and stand out right now. You can send a link to something, you can add an attachment to an email, but being able to build out this very personalized space like a Digital Room, and share highly specific material that reflects the conversations that you’ve had with these accounts, that to me is a huge selling point and why Digital Rooms are so important to have in the seller workflow right now. RR: I would be curious, Madison, because you’ve been here, you’ve traveled through the BDR to AE journey, and trialed all of these different processes at different stages of the sales cycle. From your experience hearing about this Digital Room strategy and thinking about how it shows up in your day-to-day, what kind of changed for you when you started using Digital Rooms? Did you notice a difference in some of those challenges that you talked about earlier? ML: I’ve used it on both the BDR level and the AE level, and it was really cool to see BDRs start to really lean into this because you’re really bringing that research to the prospect. You’re distilling down what aspects of the solution might be the most impactful, and then you put it in a Digital Room, you wrap it in a bow, and then you send it out. And it was cool to have the BDRs get involved with this because when you come in as a BDR, you’re typically newer in sales, newer to the product, and you’re still learning the best way to pitch it. So that was a little bonus from leveraging the Digital Rooms, getting the BDRs to start to really read the one-pagers, learn about the different capabilities so that they could use that in their pitches. And then, yeah, it’s a good way to stand out. If you’ve mentioned that you’ve made a custom Digital Room for someone, it could really pique some curiosity, and it also shows that you put in that work. And so I really think that this changed the mindset as well to really recognize that we need to deliver value even in those initial touch points, and that just gave us a way to do that. And then as an AE, to pivot: I always make a Digital Room for my primary contact. Even if it’s just a quick conversation, a really small team, no matter what, I’ll say it’s for them to reference and also for them to share out with their team. So I think it’s an easy ask for them to just share a link internally, and then all the relevant resources are there on their end. I’ll add custom content as well, any slide decks or proposals, so that it’s not just on my contact’s shoulders to consolidate all the information and try to share it out or create a business case. Everything is right there for them to really just be better at doing that internal selling. Because that’s what it comes down to: how well can you communicate the value to your main point of contact so that they can do it to the fringe stakeholders? RR: I love the story of selling as a game of telephone because you have enablement that needs to help your BDRs be successful, and this Digital Room helps them learn the ropes. And Lisa, I’m assuming you’ve built templates that kind of already explain that narrative. So as a BDR sending that out, they’re also getting enabled a little bit. And then on the other side, you have you as an AE working with a point of contact, telling them a story that maybe as it goes through the works internally gets a little garbled, but now you have control over the fact that it doesn’t. I like that it’s a solution to that very tangled web. I would be curious: you spoke about the alignment element. How are you using things like engagement data, the buyer signals that come out of a Digital Room, to shape what you do next? ML: Good question. In the BDR role, we could track to see if the Digital Room was being viewed. A lot of the times in BDR, you can go a long period of time just sending things into the abyss and not knowing if people are even seeing them or reading them. So with the Digital Room, sending a link instead of that radio silence, you’re able to at least see if they’re clicking into the Digital Room, and then see if there are specific things that they are clicking on within it, which could help guide other outreach. That’s really valuable. On the AE side, from sending out a Digital Room, I can see what’s being downloaded and what’s being viewed, so I can leverage that when prepping for upcoming calls as well. It’s really great information to see what’s getting the attention, and it can help guide my prep. RR: One thing that comes up as you’re talking about these different use case: I’d be curious how you, especially as a solo enabler building this a little bit from the ground up, identified what those Digital Room templates specific teams needed, and then how you started thinking about building a structure that is useful to both your teams and the people that they’re engaging with. LM: That’s a great question. I started with the existing teams that already had it: our pre-sales team. Because of the full relaunch of Highspot, a lot of things were out of our brand scope. So I started with the team that was already using it, rebuilt their templates to reflect the brand standards, and then began working with sellers to understand what they wanted in these new templates. So, aligning very quickly around a simple, easy-to-use quick Digital Room, but then a full one where they could add demos and one-pagers, sections pre-built for all of that. But they would be plugging all that in based on the conversations they’ve had with their accounts. Also, preloading customer stories in there so that it didn’t just go out there with nothing, it already came included with how we’ve helped other customers as well. As it’s evolved, I have a really strong connection with the entire field, and they always come to me when there’s a need for a new template. But that’s how I worked with them. I worked with product marketing to make sure that all of our solutions were in line, that it aligned with brand guidelines, and then it’s just been an ever-evolving process since then. RR: So it really is a very cross-functional process. You’ve got the right message, the right content, it’s structured in the way that sellers like and would use, and then ultimately it drives that engagement that Madison, you’re using to continue progressing your deal. I think that’s one of the things that’s kind of hard sometimes when people are thinking about getting started with Digital Rooms: “Okay, I have a blank Smart Page. What do I put on here? What is useful?” So I think that’s really helpful information. Kind of switching gears a little bit, Madison, can you share a specific example, maybe a recent deal where you used a Digital Room to move a conversation forward, deepen a relationship, or catch a risk, where it was really key and you were like, “Oh, I’m glad I have this”? ML: Yes. Just for some background, we have a solution package called AI Academy, which is this end-to-end program for AI literacy across the organization. It’s not always what we start on when entering into the conversation (our core product might be the point of focus) but I will always put a one-pager on AI Academy in the Digital Room, even if it wasn’t part of that initial conversation. So I actually have an upcoming call with a customer for a follow-up on a deal focused on our core product. And I saw that they had clicked on the AI Academy one-pager in the Digital Room several times, so I know I’m going to prep some questions around their AI goals, make sure I get my pitch perfect for AI Academy, make sure that’s really sharp, and then determine if that solution would be a fit for them during this call. And that was all guided by them clicking on that one-pager so many times, and I would get a notification every time in my email that they had clicked on it, which is always a good dopamine hit. And then another example is a pricing model that we’ll share over a deck during a call, and I had put it in a Digital Room. It was custom to this prospect, and I noticed it was downloaded from the Digital Room, and I got sent that email. I reached out right away right after I got that email I sent a tailored follow-up email, and they were like, “Oh my gosh, you’re a mind reader.” So that was fun. I let them think that. RR: Yeah. It’s a fine balance between “Ah, this helped me fuel my strategy,” and “I feel a little creepy,” but that’s okay. I love those examples, particularly that first one with that cross-sell element, where you would never have known that interest was there otherwise. And so it’s very helpful for you to deepen that relationship, go a little bit further with the opportunity and where you thought it might take you. So that’s super cool to hear. And Lisa, I hope good for you to hear, too, just seeing all the different minute ways that this shows up in a specific deal. I know you see the impact in the usage data, in the adoption data, but here it is in a specific deal, how well it works. Looking across this time where you came in, started rebuilding to now, what impact have you seen across the business since rolling Digital Rooms out, and what are you looking at to tell that it’s working? LM: Well, metrics aside, I’m able to tell that if I ever had to step out for a business month, Madison would be able to run all my Highspot trainings on my behalf and sell Digital Rooms so that’s an impact right there that makes me feel better. But from the start of me entering Pluralsight and relaunching Highspot, we’ve seen an 81% increase in creation of external shares. We’ve also seen a 147% increase in external view time in that same time period, and we’re averaging about 17 views per external share. So the uptick has been massive, and people are engaging with the content that we’re sharing. And also, I continually hear feedback from sellers they come to me and say, “Look at what I built.” A side note from all of that: the fact that I have people who are championing the use of Digital Rooms even when I’m not in the room shows me that it’s had an impact. RR: Yeah, that it’s not behavior change you’re driving. It’s a useful strategy that you’ve handed over and they’ve just run with. I love that 147% increase in buyer view time stat, not only because that’s great for the business, but also because it speaks to one of the challenges you mentioned at the very top, Madison: earning attention. You’re asking for people’s time. You need to put the work in to show that “I’m not wasting your time. I’m giving you something valuable.” And that engagement has shot up so much tells you that your buyers are feeling that, they’re seeing, “This is something built for me, and it’s worth my time to engage,” which is always what you’re looking for. And Lisa, to the point of solving the hard problems and giving sellers what they need, sounds like you’ve done it. I would love to hear a little bit about how you did it. As we’re kind of closing out, I want to hear from both of you on some of the really actionable things that listeners can take away and start doing. So when you were spearheading this rollout and reinforcement process of Digital Rooms, what was your approach? LM: I began working initially with a person who was, at the time, overseeing Digital Rooms for the pre-sales team. I wanted to understand what ownership looked like, what the structure she already had in place looked like, and how we could work together as opposed to me just taking this away from her. So she’s still an avid contributor to Digital Rooms for her org. And beyond that, it was working to very closely align new templates with the branding and making sure that it reflected the Pluralsight that we want to go to market with. That was probably the biggest one. But then I would say the Highspot relaunch in 2024 was a three-phase process: the content side showing them the new structure, the second part was pitching, and the grand finale was Digital Rooms. And that was a full live training where I walked everyone through. And I would say that beyond just that grand finale of showing everyone what Digital Rooms were and how to build them, it was the support mechanism on the back end that I think has made them so successful, and that would include this Digital Rooms Play I’ve built. I think it’s probably the most viewed Play on Highspot at this time, where it has an overview of what Digital Rooms are, why they’re different from pitches, how they’re different from pitches, use cases for different roles, and then showing them different use cases even beyond that. So if I’m a CSM, I can share events with them, I can share renewals and pricing and everything there as well. But I would say I also have a biweekly office hours for Highspot, where I allow people to just come in and ask any questions and that has been widely, widely used. And the final thing is that Highspot and Digital Rooms have a full hour dedicated to it in all revenue onboarding cohorts. Everyone gets an hour with me, and I spend 10 or 15 minutes showing them the platform, but then I stop sharing my screen and re-engage everybody eye to eye. And I tell them a story similar to what Madison said, I engage them by saying, “When was the last time as a seller you sent a really important pitch or pricing documentation over to someone as an attachment via email, and you have no idea what happened to it after you hit send?” And that’s how I get their interest, and I begin to deliver the value of what you can get by using Digital Rooms, the analytics that are a game changer. So that’s how I position it in revenue onboarding and make sure that it’s sticky with them. Then we go through the process of building one. They all have one after that training is over, and then they know all the support mechanisms that exist on the back end after that. Just continual support. RR: Having seen said Digital Rooms Play, I have to plus one that strategy. It’s beautiful, and I don’t know if anyone can build as nice a Smart Page. But what I would say is that it is very challenging, I think, to be a rep and be handed a Digital Room and told — even with a template — “Figure it out.” But having such a structured process of what it can look like, what it can do for you, and how you really get there is so helpful, and I imagine a very useful tactic that anybody starting to launch Digital Rooms or thinking about launching Digital Rooms should put in practice. So plus one-ing that. LM: Yeah. And if I may add, I make sure that even in all the trainings I’m like, “This is yours. This is your jumping off point. Take it, make it whatever you need it to be. I’m here for support, but this is your jumping off point.” Because I don’t know the best thing that works for my accounts at the end of the day. My sellers need to be able to be very adaptable and creative, and I don’t wanna take that juice from them because that may be the thing that makes or breaks their usage of this feature. RR: And because you’ve given them the skills and you’ve really built that foundation, you know that when you give them the keys to the castle, they’re gonna do the right thing with it. One last thing on the topic of launching. When you look back at this process, was there anything that you were like, “This worked really well,” and anything that you were like, “Maybe I would’ve done that differently”? LM: The relaunch happened in four months. That was a full content audit of the entire platform burning everything down, rebuilding it, and also learning Digital Rooms. So I wish I’d had maybe even just one more week to get a little bit more comfortable ahead of that Digital Rooms training. That’s just a personal one. But even to this day, I wish I had more people contributing to the templates, because I don’t ever wanna feel like I’m the gatekeeper there, but I kind of by accident have become. So ideally in the future, I would love to make sure that I have other parties, even our product marketing team, involved in creating those so that there’s more proactive, not reactive, template creation. As opposed to, “Oh, we just launched a new solution, I need to get a new template made,” it could already be ready to go with the new solution launch as well. RR: So it’s giving yourself the right amount of time, creating thoughtfully, bringing in all the people who can inform them, make them as good as possible. That’s great advice. As we’re thinking about building, Madison, as somebody who’s always in the weeds with these, and to your point, you make one for every main stakeholder in every deal, you probably know better than most what a good Digital Room looks like versus a not-so-good one. So when you’re talking to new BDRs or other sellers who are just getting started with Digital Rooms, what do you share as what good looks like? ML: Well, first, I am very grateful that Lisa gave us all keys to the castle. I’m trying to make sure that I don’t abuse those, because I do love just being able to play around with it as much as I possibly can. What I can share, and I’m always looking to improve how I’m doing it as well, some things that I will always do: I’ll always put the logo of the organization at the top of the Digital Room. That’s a given. It really doesn’t take very long, and I like that personal touch with every single one. And then I group sections together so it’s not an overwhelming dump of resources. And I’ll make sure to put my bio at the top just a quick note that sounds pretty personal, but is something that I can easily swap out names on so I’m not spending a lot of time crafting a different message for every single Digital Room. I’ll put my scheduling link at the top, and then just for the sake of time, because I do wanna send a Digital Room out to every single person I talk to I’ll just copy the last Digital Room I created and edit it a little bit to customize. I just think that it’s more important to be consistent with it than to take a lot of time to build it out super custom. So find a way that works for you where it seems really custom, but it’s more or less just copied and pasted with a few things changed, because you wanna be able to get them out. You don’t wanna drop that part of your process. And then it’s nice that as the deal progresses, you can always edit and add along the way it adds a reason to reach out, another touch point. Even today I told someone, “Hey, I just added this one-pager to the Digital Room. I think that you might find this interesting in your conversations” don’t forget to have them internally and tell people about Pluralsight. So that’s always helpful too it can continuously evolve as a deal evolves. RR: Yeah. That’s such a good approach copy the previous one because it saves you so much time. But then you strike a good balance between keeping your deal progressing, still giving attention to all of the other million things on your to-do list, but also giving that gesture of, as a buyer, my time and my attention to give you something more custom. And I also like the point that as the deal progresses, as the conversation continues, it’s gonna become more and more customized, and so that thing that began perhaps a little bit copy and paste is eventually going to become something tailored and 100% unique to this buyer. Great tips there that anyone starting with Digital Rooms can use for their very first one. That is Digital Rooms packaged up in one big life cycle from the enablement to sales perspective, how you built it, how it shows up in the field. That’s incredible. The Pluralsight team never fails to amaze us. You guys are doing such incredible work, and I love hearing how it shows up for you, Madison, because Lisa, we’ve heard the journey the last two years, and seeing the conclusion of it is so cool. Thank you both so much for joining me and telling me a little bit more about it. It was so fun to hear about what’s hard, what you’re figuring out, and how it’s working for you guys. LM: Thank you so much for having us. ML: Yeah, it was great. RR: To our listeners, thank you so much for tuning into this episode of the Win/Win Podcast. Be sure to tune in next time for more insights on how you can maximize go-to-market success with Highspot.

Episode 221: Automate Your Lead Generation with our FREE online course: https://go.digitaltrailblazer.com/auto-leads-course-freeWithout strong testimonials and case studies, online business owners are forced to rely solely on their own claims to make sales — a much harder and slower path to conversions, especially with higher-ticket offers.In this episode, Preston Zeller teaches us how to build a powerful library of social proof by conducting structured video interviews with past clients, how to reach out in a personalized way that gets a "yes," the three types of testimonials and which ones actually move buyers, and how to extract compelling before-and-after stories even when results are hard to quantify.About Preston Zeller: Preston is a faith-tech founder, growth executive, documentary filmmaker, and abstract artist with 15 years of experience scaling companies from $25M to $300M ARR. As founder of Psalmlog, he's building an AI-powered biblical guidance app that helps believers find relevant Scripture for any life situation. His growth expertise includes serving as Chief Growth Officer at BatchService, leading digital marketing at A Cloud Guru (acquired by Pluralsight for $2B), and contributing to ZoomInfo's IPO.Preston is also the creator of the documentary The Art of Grieving (2022), which follows his year-long journey of painting daily after the sudden loss of his brother. The film has won Best Documentary at multiple festivals and is available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Tubi.Connect with Preston:https://prestonzeller.com https://linkedin.com/in/prestonzellerWant to SCALE your online business bigger and faster without the endless hustle of networking, referrals, and pumping out content that nobody sees?Grab our Ultimate Ad Script for Coaches, Agencies, and Course Creators.Learn the exact 5-step script we teach our clients that allows them to generate targeted, high-quality leads at ultra-low cost, so you can land paying customers and clients without breaking the bank on ad spend.Grab the Ultimate Ad Script right HERE - https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/ultimate-ad-script✅ Connect With Us:Website - https://DigitalTrailblazer.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/digitaltrailblazerTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digitaltrailblazerX (Twitter): https://x.com/DgtlTrailblazerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/DigitalTrailblazer

Fredrik chats to Shawn Wildermuth about evolving in the world of software development, small changes adding up, developer hiring, not chasing the new thing, and quite a bit more. Fredrik is still hoping for the last episode of Shawn’s old podcast. Making sure you use your time in a way that’s right for you. Whether it’s spending lots of time learning new stuff or getting deep into the tech you really enjoy. Recorded during Øredev 2025. Thank you Cloudnet for sponsoring our VPS! Comments, questions or tips? We a re @kodsnack, @tobiashieta, @oferlund and @bjoreman on Twitter, have a page on Facebook and can be emailed at info@kodsnack.se if you want to write longer. We read everything we receive. If you enjoy Kodsnack we would love a review in iTunes! You can also support the podcast by buying us a coffee (or two!) through Ko-fi. Links Shawn Shawn on Github Shawn’s old podcast Hello world Richard Campbell and Carl Franklin, of the .NET rocks podcast Science Friday, from PBS What’s new in C# 14 and .NET 10 - Shawn’s presentation at Øredev 2025 .NET core Blazor ASP.NET Null forgiveness .NET conf Nullable reference types Objective-c Tell the C# compiler to act like older versions Generics Nullable value types Pluralsight Windows phone Foxpro Impostor syndrome Shawn’s film Hello world - confronting bias in software development Support us on Ko-fi! Oslo Winfs Practical file system design with the Be file system - The Beos file system book by Dominic Giampaolo Beos GEOS Silverlight Open sourced Webassembly-based Silverlight version Kotlin CLR Fortran COBOL MUMPS Vue Cosmos DB Azure foundry Eleventy Titles I feel like I never did a podcast Edit the last one What’s your focus? There’s not enough to talk about here Null forgiveness Talk about nullability The next fifteen years Where I’m best used Paid to learn the new stuff I’m just happy to be around Those quiet voices Win the design meeting Wrong about Webassembly Actual system languages Five years from being useful A two-IDE person

With PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2026 opening this Monday, April 13th, this episode brings back one of the most respected names in the PowerShell community: Jeff Hicks. Andrew sits down with Jeff to dig into what makes the Summit special, the organic community that grew from those earliest events, and what it actually feels like to watch people go from struggling beginners to confident PowerShell practitioners. They also get into the big question hanging over everyone in IT right now: what does AI actually mean for the future of PowerShell professionals? Jeff shares his take on the "squishy bits" of scripting that AI still can't replicate, why learning the core PowerShell paradigm matters more than ever, and how he personally uses AI as a collaborator rather than a shortcut. It's a conversation about community, craft, and what it means to actually know your tools.    Key Takeaways:  Learn the foundation first, tools second. Jeff's consistent message over decades of teaching: don't start with Azure commands or specific modules. Start with the PowerShell paradigm — objects, the pipeline, managing at scale — and the rest becomes much easier to pick up over time.  AI is a co-pilot, not a replacement. Jeff uses AI to get over specific technical hurdles, not to generate finished code. His concern isn't that AI will write bad scripts — it's that the next generation may skip the foundational learning that lets you recognize when AI gets it wrong.  The PowerShell community is genuinely welcoming, and showing up matters. Whether it's Summit, a local user group, or Discord, getting into rooms with other PowerShell people can be a career changer. The hallway conversations are half the value.    Guest Bio:  Jeff Hicks is a veteran IT professional with 35 years of experience, a long-time Microsoft MVP, and one of the most recognized voices in the PowerShell community. He's the author and co-author of several foundational PowerShell books, a Pluralsight course creator, and the publisher of the premium newsletter Behind the PowerShell Pipeline. He's been teaching and writing about PowerShell since the very beginning and continues to focus on the human side of scripting — the parts that go beyond syntax and into craft.    Resource Links:  Jeff Hicks' hub (links to everything): https://jdhitsolutions.github.io  Behind the PowerShell Pipeline (newsletter & book on Leanpub): https://leanpub.com/behind-the-pspipeline  Jeff's Pluralsight courses: https://app.pluralsight.com/profile/author/jeff-hicks  Connect with Andrew: https://andrewpla.tech/links  PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2026 (April 13-16, Bellevue, WA): https://www.powershellsummit.org  PDQ Discord (PowerShell scripting channel): https://discord.gg/pdq  PowerShell Wednesday (weekly on PDQ's YouTube/Discord): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vdfFswmREQ&list=PL1mL90yFExsix-L0havb8SbZXoYRPol0B&pp=0gcJCbcEOCosWNin  The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ceB-3QGbvBA 

https://clearmeasure.com/developers/forums/ Michael Perry is a Director at Improving Enterprises and a self-described "Software Mathematician" who has spent his career applying mathematical principles to software development, drawing on the foundational work of thinkers like Bertrand Meyer, James Rumbaugh, and Donald Knuth. He is the author of "The Art of Immutable Architecture" and the creator and maintainer of Jinaga, an open-source immutable runtime framework for building collaborative and distributed applications in .NET and JavaScript. A former seven-year Microsoft MVP, Michael has produced multiple Pluralsight courses covering CQRS, XAML Patterns, Cryptography, and Provable Code,and is a frequent speaker at developer conferences across the country. At Improving, he helps enterprise clients harness the power of immutable architecture and software mathematics to build scalable, robust systems. Mentioned in this Episode LinkedIn Twitter / X (@michaellperry)  GitHub  Personal Site FactoryEngineering.dev roocode - plugin for VSCode - has subagents  Windsurf (AI Tool) Want to Learn More?  Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

This is an authentic and thoughtful conversation about leveraging new tools and ancient wisdom to build resilience, emotional health, and deeper connections—whether you're a longtime believer, just curious, or somewhere in between.Welcome to Spirit of EQ! In this episode, I sit down with Preston Zeller—an inspiring technologist, artist, and committed believer—to explore the fascinating intersection of faith, technology, and emotional intelligence.Preston shares the story behind Psalm Log, an app he created to deliver personalized biblical advice, using AI technology to help people navigate both their spiritual and emotional journeys.Together, we discuss the role artificial intelligence is playing in faith practice today, discussing its ethical implications, potential pitfalls, and how it can actually support reflection and personal growth—no matter your religious background.We also talk about Preston's moving experience with grief and creativity, highlighted by his award-winning documentary, “The Art of Grieving.” Preston reveals how artistic expression can serve as a powerful outlet for healing, and why embracing creativity isn't just for artists, but for anyone seeking to work through life's toughest challenges.Moments04:09 AI-Assisted Journaling for Growth06:22 "Faithful AI Alliance Initiative"12:18 AI Adoption: Categories and Insights15:02 Navigating Uncertainty in Information17:49 "The Value of Authentic Writing"20:30 Sunday Christians and Spiritual Stagnation25:41 "Finding Hope Amid Struggles"29:02 "Psalm Log: Grief in Art"30:52 "Painting Grief into Mosaic"35:46 "Navigating Loss and Connection"36:40 "Grief, Discipline, and Healing"40:19 "Creative Expression for Healing"45:56 "Creativity Opens New Possibilities"47:02 "Grief, Emotions, and Healing"50:37 Approaching Gospel with Nonbelievers55:38 "Less Can Be More"57:07 Faithful AI and Biblical GuidanceHere are 3 key takeaways:AI as a Tool for Reflection & Growth: Preston emphasized that Psalm Log uses AI responsibly to supplement personal and spiritual reflection, not replace it. Technology can facilitate deeper self-awareness and biblical guidance, but it shouldn't override the human side of processing and agency.Creativity & Grief as Catalysts for Healing: Preston's documentary, The Art of Grieving, explores how creativity can be a powerful outlet in navigating loss. Whether through art, music, or journaling, giving emotions their “mic” leads to genuine healing and growth.Inclusivity & Impact Beyond Belief: While Psalm Log is inspired by biblical wisdom, its benefits aren't limited to Christians. Preston noted the app is designed to help anyone—regardless of faith background—find encouragement and tools for emotional wellness.Preston Zeller sits at an unusual intersection: faith-tech founder, growth executive, documentary filmmaker, and abstract artist. As founder of Psalmlog, he's building an AI-powered biblical guidance app that helps believers access relevant Scripture for any life situation—addressing the universal Christian challenge of knowing God's Word has answers but not knowing where to look.His approach is informed by proprietary research with 200+ Christians and 15 years scaling companies from $25M to $300M ARR. As Chief Growth Officer at BatchService, he oversaw the GTM teams, leading to two successful exits. He previously led digital marketing and growth at A Cloud Guru (acquired by Pluralsight for $2B) and ZoomInfo (IPO'd).Preston brings equal depth to creative work. His documentary The Art of Grieving (2022) follows his year-long project of painting daily after his 35-year-old brother Colin died suddenly from a fentanyl overdose. The film explores grief through personal narrative, art therapy, and cultural history. It's available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Tubi, and has won Best Documentary at the LA Film Awards, Bridge Film Fest, and Love Wins International Film Festival.In each episode, Jeff and Eric will talk about what emotional intelligence, or understanding your emotions, can do for you in your daily and work life. For more information, contact Eric or Jeff at info@spiritofeq.com, or go to their website, Spirit of EQ.You can follow The Spirit of EQ Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Android, or on your favorite podcast player.New episodes are available on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays every month!Please review our podcast on iTunes. Click on the link for an easy, step-by-step tutorial.Music from Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/roo-walker/deeperLicense code: PEYKDJHQNGSZXDUEWe hope you enjoy the podcast. Hopefully, you're tuning in on a regular basis. We'd love it if you would give us a great review on whatever platform you're listening to the podcast. It's so appreciative and helps us as we try to get more exposure for the work we do and the episodes that we publish. We're grateful to you as a listener. Secondly, our content is for educational purposes only. It's not intended by any stretch to diagnose or treat anything that may be occurring in your life or anyone else's life that you may be connected to through the podcast. And as always, we look forward to the next time that we're together. Take care.Spirit of EQhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/Mentioned in this episode:Thanks for listening to Spirit of EQThis podcast was created to be a tool to primarily help you to discover and grow your EQ. Science and our own lived experiences confirm that the better we are at managing our emotions, the better we're going to be at making decisions. Which leads to a better life. And that's something we all want. We're glad that you've taken the time today to listen. We hope that something you hear will lead to a breakthrough. We'd really appreciate a review on your podcast platform. Please leave some comments about what you heard today, as well as follow and subscribe to the podcast. That way, you won't miss a single episode as we continue this journey.SEQ Development ReportThe SEQ Development Report is an innovative tool that combines emotional intelligence with one's spiritual life, distinct from religious contexts. The report helps individuals understand their connections with themselves, others, and their surroundings. It aims to identify areas in their lives that may need improvement and highlight their strengths, ultimately facilitating better navigation through life. To obtain the report, individuals need to contact Spirit of EQ via email at info@spiritofeq.com and complete an online assessment that takes about 15 to 20 minutes. After the assessment, a debrief session is required to review the comprehensive information provided in the report. Spirit of EQ also offers further coaching to support individuals in their personal development journey.

In this episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik sits down with Erin Gajdalo, CEO of Pluralsight, for a conversation about leadership, company transformation, and the challenges of scaling technology businesses.Erin shares the story of her first year leading Pluralsight and the dramatic changes the company has undergone. After stepping into the role, she faced a lender takeover, the need to rebuild the executive team, and the challenge of resetting the organization's culture and go-to-market structure to return the business to growth.Chris and Erin discuss the realities many startups and SaaS companies face after periods of rapid expansion, including how leaders must align teams around clear priorities, understand where to invest resources, and make difficult decisions during a turnaround. Erin also explains how her leadership style evolved as the company worked through its transformation.The conversation also explores how organizations are responding to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. Erin explains how Pluralsight helps companies develop technology skills, build AI literacy across their workforce, and ensure employees understand how to effectively use emerging tools.This episode offers insight into leadership, culture, and the decisions required to guide organizations through periods of change and transformation.LINKSShow NotesPrevious EpisodesAbout BoyarMillerAbout Pluralsight

Ardalis (Steve Smith) is an entrepreneur and software developer with a passion for building quality software as effectively as possible. Ardalis has published DOZENS of courses on Pluralsight and Dometrain, covering DDD, SOLID, design patterns, and software architecture. He's a Microsoft ASP.NET MVP, a frequent speaker at developer conferences, an author, and a trainer.Ardalis works with companies through NimblePros, the boutique consulting company he runs with his wife, Michelle. They help teams who want to avoid the trap of technical debt to deliver better software, faster. Ardalis and his team have been described by clients as a 'force multiplier', amplifying the value of existing development teams.You can find Steve on the following sites:BlogLinkedInXBlueskyYouTubeGitHubHere are some links provided by Steve:NimbleProsdevBetterPLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTSpotifyApple PodcastsYouTube MusicAmazon MusicRSS FeedYou can check out more episodes of Coffee and Open Source on https://www.coffeeandopensource.comCoffee and Open Source is hosted by Isaac Levin

This week we introduce our massive new research “The Definitive Guide to Corporate Learning: From Static Training To Dynamic Enablement.” As you'll read, this $400 Billion market is going to change in a huge way, and the opportunity for value is massive. As I explain in this podcast, it's time to change the paradigm of “skills development” and move to a model of dynamic enablement. Traditional L&D is not going away overnight, but the new world of AI-Native Learning is very different: faster, less expensive, and far more useful and relevant to employees. And best of all, we're turning training and upskilling into a process of dynamic, continuous change. Listen to this podcast to understand what's going on, and then read our research to build your own roadmap. If you're an HR leader, L&D professional, content creator, or technology vendor – this new world is exciting and ready. And I expect the traditional L&D market to double in size within ten years and reach well over a $Trillion as we finally solve the problem of global knowledge management. Important vendors here include Sana (Workday), Disperz, Cornerstone (new products coming), Arist, Uplimit and likely solutions from OpenAI and others. The traditional learning vendors (LinkedIn, Coursera, Pluralsight, Skillsoft, and others) are now just beginning to adapt to this new world, so it's a time for disruption and new business models. Join us on this journey. Get Galileo to experience AI-Native learning, learn more, read the research, and benchmark your own organization. Like this podcast? Rate us on Spotify or Apple or YouTube. Additional Information The Definitive Guide to Corporate Learning 2026 Imperatives for Enterprise AI: The Road Ahead The Collapse And Rebirth Of Online Learning And Professional Development Get Galileo, The AI Agent for Everything HR Chapters (00:00:00) - The Need to Reinvent Corporate Learning(00:08:39) - Skills and their dynamic enablement(00:19:00) - AI: The Future of Learning & Workforce

BambooHR built a massive brand on inbound marketing for small businesses. As the company looks to move upmarket to target larger, growing organizations, its strategy must evolve to cut through the noise. Hannah Forson joins Mason Cosby to explain how she layers account-based strategies on top of an existing inbound engine without bringing the bank.ㅤThe conversation focuses on the practical steps of defining a target audience by analyzing closed-won opportunities rather than guessing. Hannah explains why marketers should rarely start an ABM pilot by creating net-new content and how to repurpose what already works. She also shares the honest reality of managing internal expectations when ABM sales cycles take twice as long as standard inbound deals, and how to partner with channel managers who worry about how targeted campaigns affect their metrics.ㅤAbout Hannah ForsonHannah Forson is the Sr. Manager of Demand Generation at BambooHR, where she leads the programs team focused on mid-to-bottom funnel demand generation. She specializes in building efficient strategies that drive high-quality leads and pipeline. Before joining BambooHR, Hannah worked at Pluralsight and has spent years building marketing programs in both bootstrapped and public organization environments.ㅤWhat We CoverDefining the audience through data: How to use historical closed-won opportunities to identify the right company size and industry "sweet spots."The decision committee breakdown: Why finance professionals need a different message than HR leaders and how to prepare sales teams for those conversations.Collaborating with channel managers: Specific ways to run ABM campaigns on paid social without ruining a channel manager's core metrics or CPMs.The "If it's not broken, don't fix it" content strategy: Why you should audit your existing inventory and tweak successful assets rather than building from scratch.Managing timeline expectations: Dealing with executive pressure when targeted deals take twice as long to close as transactional inbound leads.Quality over quantity: Shifting focus from volume of form fills to capturing the right accounts that stick around longer.Storytelling for buy-in: How to use individual deal journeys to prove the value of ABM to leadership and individual contributors.ㅤResourcesBambooHRScrappy ABM: Visit for more ABM tips and strategies.

AI failure rates shock me.Erin Gajdalo, CEO of Pluralsight, joined me and what she revealed about why AI projects collapse disturbed me even more..I expected to talk about tools, frameworks, and roadmaps.Instead, Erin asked me question I wasn't ready for:“Is your team actually ready for this? How can you even tell?"Um...Because most leaders — myself included — push for AI adoption without slowing down to ask if our teams can actually absorb the shift.Erin has led major transformations at Avantax, LPL, and now Pluralsight... and she's seen the same silent pattern across industries:Leaders blame the tech.Teams blame the workload.But the real problem is almost always hidden deeper.Readiness....and getting their quickly....is everything.In our conversation, she breaks down:

In this episode of Between Product and Partnerships, Cristina Flaschen sits down with Michael Kowalchik, Founder and CEO of Matterbeam, to unpack why so many companies still feel stuck when working with their data. Drawing on years of experience in machine learning and large-scale product architecture, Michael shares what he learned at Pluralsight when he was asked to help overhaul the company's data systems during a period of rapid growth.Cristina and Michael explore why traditional approaches often fall short once a business reaches a certain level of complexity. Pipelines designed for one purpose end up stretched far beyond their limits, and central repositories rarely reflect the day-to-day realities of how different teams actually operate. Michael explains how a shift toward immutable logs and replayable data streams created a more predictable, trustworthy foundation inside Pluralsight, and how that experience eventually led to the formation of Matterbeam.They also examine the current wave of AI adoption and discuss why many organizations assume AI can cover foundational issues that still need real architectural attention. Michael describes the importance of building systems that make it possible to trace what happened, reproduce it, and understand how data moves through each step. He and Cristina talk about how this clarity becomes even more important as more software depends on automated decision making.If you've struggled with disconnected systems, slow access to information, or constant rework caused by shifting definitions, this conversation offers a grounded perspective on how to rebuild your data layer in a way that actually supports the work your teams are trying to do.For more insights on partnerships, ecosystems, and integrations, visit www.pandium.comTo learn more about Matterbeam, visit www.matterbeam.comTo sign up for Matterbeam's upcoming webinar, visit www.matterbeam.com/webinar

Welcome to another exciting episode of Data Driven! On this week's show, hosts Frank La Vigne and Candace Gillhoolley take you inside the NVIDIA GTC conference in Washington, DC—an event that's rapidly evolved from a hardware showcase into a crossroads for AI, robotics, and quantum computing innovation. Frank shares his firsthand experience navigating the expo floor, offering a glimpse into the latest cutting-edge tech, from GPU supercomputers to quantum networking breakthroughs and swarms of robots. Candace and Frank discuss the growing intersections between fields like quantum biology and AI, and share stories about the curious mix of attendees—from government officials and policymakers to technologists, students, and even a few cosplay “Jensen Huangs.”Whether you're a data enthusiast, a future-focused technologist, or simply quantum curious, this episode dives into the national security implications of AI, the importance of lifelong learning in tech, and how the rise of quantum and robotics will disrupt careers and industries alike. Tune in for insider anecdotes, expert encounters, and a dose of practical wisdom about adapting in the world of emerging technologies—the future is here, and it's happening faster than ever.LinksFrank gets a shout out from Pluralsight -https://www.pluralsight.com/resources/blog/upskilling/frank-lavigne-customer-storyJensen Huang's DTC DC Keynote -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQHK61IDFH4Mariya & Python Simplified -https://www.youtube.com/@pythonsimplifiedTime Stamps00:00 "Nvidia GTC Highlights and Expo"03:36 "Quantum, AI, and Innovation Highlights"07:18 Tech and Government Amid Furlough10:24 "Tech Components in Booz Allen Vehicle"14:37 Meeting Maria Shah19:11 Career Shifts and Evolutions23:06 From Books to Tech Publishing24:44 Quantum Insights with Researcher29:01 "Nvidia: Emerging Defense Contractor"32:25 Tech Innovations: AI, Quantum, Robotics36:44 "Live Streaming Quantum & Tech"37:40 "High-Speed Quantum Interconnects"41:01 Technical Translation for Accessibility44:19 "High School, Future, Nvidia Innovation"49:28 "Guest's Learning Experience"50:45 "Quantum Business Strategy"53:36 British AI Outro Stream

Welcome to a special crossover episode of Impact Quantum, where we dive straight into the action from the floor of Nvidia GTC in Washington, D.C.! In this episode, hosts Frank La Vigne and Candace Gillhoolley take you behind the scenes of one of the tech world's most exciting conferences—from AI-driven robots and GPU-powered supercomputers to a surprising amount of quantum computing buzz.Join us as Frank shares his firsthand experiences, including the latest hardware reveals, government involvement, unique swag, and even the cosplay antics of attendees impersonating Nvidia's CEO. Candace and Frank also unpack the growing intersections of AI, quantum computing, robotics, and national security, while highlighting the importance of adaptability and lifelong learning in the face of rapid technological change.Whether you're a seasoned technologist, a quantum curious newcomer, or just here for the epic robot sightings, this episode is packed with insights, laughs, and actionable advice for navigating a future shaped by emerging technologies. Hit play and get ready for a front-row look at the innovations, opportunities, and human stories fueling the data-driven quantum revolution!LinksFrank gets a shout out from Pluralsight – https://www.pluralsight.com/resources/blog/upskilling/frank-lavigne-customer-storyJensen Huang's DTC DC Keynote – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQHK61IDFH4Mariya & Python Simplified – https://www.youtube.com/@pythonsimplifiedTime Stamps00:00 Nvidia GTC Highlights03:36 "AI, Quantum, and Innovation"09:15 "Robots, Shorts, and Streaming Woes"11:43 Digital Twins Attract Buzz13:56 DGX Bars: The Hot Giveaway19:10 Career Shifts in Tech23:05 From Publishing to Tech Transition24:43 "Quantum, Satellites, and Lasers"29:01 "Nvidia as Defense Contractor"32:25 Tech Innovations Powering the Future34:59 AI & Quantum Computing Insights37:37 "Quantum Networking Revolution Explained"42:18 "Unique Tech-Security Conference Highlights"46:05 "Re-recording for Authenticity"49:26 "Learning from a System Launch"50:33 "Quantum Impact for Innovators"

Some interviews stick because they take a noisy topic and bring it back to reality. This was one of them. I spoke with Erin Gajdalo, CEO of Pluralsight, about what it actually takes to upskill a workforce in an AI era that seems to change by the week. We compared boardroom intent with day-to-day practice, and Erin was refreshingly clear about both. Pluralsight began more than twenty years ago in classrooms, moved online as the market shifted, and now supports Fortune 500 teams with expert-led courses, hands-on labs, and the admin tools leaders need to measure progress at scale. The thread running through the whole story is simple: people learn by doing, and companies get value when that learning maps to real work. We talked about AI in her own workflow first. Erin uses it to draft presentations, crunch data, and speed up research, then pushes that mindset across the company through focused sprints where every department experiments and reports back. That culture piece matters. Pluralsight's latest research found that 61 percent of respondents still think using generative AI is “lazy,” which drives employees to adopt tools in the shadows and exposes the business to avoidable risk. Her answer is clear guidance, safe environments to practice, and permission to test without fear of failure. The payoff shows up in real examples. One financial services firm raised prompt engineering efficiency by 20 percent and saved 1,600 hours in three months by pairing assessments with prescriptive learning paths and hands-on practice. We also explored the fear that keeps people quiet. Layoff headlines travel faster than case studies, and that skews the mood inside many teams. Erin makes a straightforward case. Treat AI as an assistant that improves standard and repetitive tasks, protect the business with clear policies, then invest in education for everyone, not only engineers. Close the confidence gap with data. Baseline skills, prescribe learning, measure proficiency, and tie improvements to actual tasks. When leaders show their own work and give teams room to try things, adoption follows. The conversation finished on the future. Technical skills will keep evolving, but the standout advantage will be a willingness to learn and the soft skills that carry ideas from prototype to production. Erin also shared a personal goal that resonated with me. She would love a private breakfast with Serena Williams to talk about Serena Ventures and backing founders from underrepresented groups. It fit the theme of the episode. Talent is everywhere. Opportunity appears when someone opens a door and stays long enough to help you through it. If you want the full story, including how Pluralsight is updating its platform for scale and how leaders can reduce “shadow AI” without slowing innovation, you can find their research and resources at Pluralsight.com.  ********* Visit the Sponsor of Tech Talks Network: Land your first job  in tech in 6 months as a Software QA Engineering Bootcamp with Careerist https://crst.co/OGCLA    

Dan Wahlin is a Principal Cloud Developer Advocate at Microsoft working with developers to leverage the capabilities available in Azure, Microsoft 365, and Power Platform. In addition to his work at Microsoft, Dan creates training courses for Pluralsight, speaks at conferences and meetups around the world, and offers webinars on a variety of technical topics. Prior to joining Microsoft, Dan was CEO of a consulting, architecture, and training company for 20 years helping enterprises build great software.You can find Dan on the following sites:BlogLinkedInGitHubXBlueskyPLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTSpotifyApple PodcastsYouTube MusicAmazon MusicRSS FeedYou can check out more episodes of Coffee and Open Source on https://www.coffeeandopensource.comCoffee and Open Source is hosted by Isaac Levin

In this episode of That Tech Pod, we sit down with Josh Meier a Senior Generative AI Author at Pluralsight, where he helps professionals cut through the hype and learn how to use AI responsibly and effectively. With a background in software engineering, data engineering, and data science, Josh has built his career around translating complex ideas for both technical and non-technical audiences. We talk with Josh about what it really means to teach AI in a world where anyone can ask ChatGPT for an instant answer. He explains why structured learning still matters, how to separate casual tinkering from business-ready skills, and why human guidance is essential in a space that changes every few weeks. We also dig into some of the more controversial headlines—AI “lying” to users, models “trying to escape,” and facial recognition being used for both good and harm—and ask how society should weigh innovation against the risks of misuse. Finally, Josh shares his take on what the next big wave of AI innovation might look like. In the outtro, we discuss if we've finally made it because Laura saw someone in our swag "in the wild." You don't want to miss this episode!Josh Meier (Meyer) is a Senior Generative AI Author at Pluralsight who helps professionals make sense of a fast-changing AI landscape. With a background in software engineering, data engineering, and data science, Josh has built a career around digging into data, uncovering insights, and translating complex concepts for both technical and non-technical audiences. Outside of work, he's passionate about teaching and even finds inspiration in astronomy. In this conversation, we'll dive into his work on generative AI, the hype around “AI gone rogue,” the unique challenges of AI security testing, and the ethical line between innovation and misuse.

Struggling with technical debt and code quality? Learn how a technical coach can help your team level up.In this episode, Emily Bache, a Samman technical coach, shares her proven method for building better engineering teams through structured learning and collaborative coding. We explore ensemble programming, learning hours, and why AI makes fundamental engineering practices more important than ever.Key topics discussed:The role of a Technical Coach and the Samman Method explainedHow AI amplifies good engineering practices instead of replacing themHow to use ensemble programming to achieve single-piece flowRunning effective ensemble sessions and avoiding common failure modesWhy learning is part of the work, not only a side activityWhy pull requests should not be the primary tool for mentoring junior developersThe dangerous trend of “vibe coding” with AI toolsTimestamps:(00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:22) Career Turning Points(03:23) Being Part of Modern Engineering YouTube Channel(04:27) The Role of a Technical Coach(05:42) The Impact of AI on Technical Coaching(08:20) Sofware Engineering is a Learning Process(09:55) Optimizing Learning With Samman Method(11:40) The Samman Method: Ensemble (Mob Programming)(14:59) The Main Benefit of Ensemble: Single Piece Flow(17:26) How to Do Ensemble and Avoid Common Failure Modes(20:27) The Types of Coding to Ensemble On(22:12) The Importance of Trust, Communication, and Kindness(23:52) Common Things Development Teams Are Struggling With(25:37) Prompt Engineering(27:16) The Samman Method: Learning Hours(29:08) Learning is Part of the Work(31:32) The Practice of Learning as a Team(34:39) The Constraint When Learning from Pull Requests(36:30) Putting Aside Time for Learning Hours(39:14) Becoming a Technical Coach(41:23) How to Measure the Effectiveness of Technical Coaching(43:52) Danger of AI Assisted Coding(46:59) The (Still) Important Skills in the AI Era(49:56) Why We Should Not Refactor Through AI(52:41) The Samman Method & Technical Coaching Resources(53:29) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom(54:56) Finding Mentors for Career Progression_____Emily Bache's BioEmily Bache is an independent consultant, YouTuber and Technical Coach. She works with developers, training and coaching effective agile practices like Refactoring and Test-Driven Development.Emily has worked with software development for 25 years, written two books and teaches courses on platforms including Pluralsight and O'Reilly. A frequent conference speaker, Emily has been invited to keynote at prestigious developer events including EuroPython, Craft and ACCU. Emily founded the Samman Technical Coaching Society in order to promote technical excellence and support coaches everywhere.Follow Emily:LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/emilybacheX – x.com/emilybacheMastodon – sw-development-is.social/web/@emilybacheGitHub – github.com/emilybacheWebsite – emilybache.comSamman Coaching – sammancoaching.orgYouTube – youtube.com/@EmilyBache-tech-coachModern Software Engineering – youtube.com/@ModernSoftwareEngineeringYTLike this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/230.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

Ted Neward currently labors on behalf of Capital One as a Senior Distinguished Engineer, leveraging his speaking, writing, and coding experience to bring a technology-focused and -sharpened mindset to the mortgage industry. During his more code-focused years, he specialized in high-scale enterprise systems, working with clients ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to small 10-person shops. He is an authority in Java and .NET technologies, particularly in the areas of Java/.NET integration (both in-process and via integration tools like Web services), programming languages of all forms, back-end enterprise software systems, and virtual machine/execution engine plumbing.   He is the author or co-author of several books, including Professional F# 2.0, Effective Enterprise Java, C# In a Nutshell, SSCLI Essentials, Server-Based Java Programming, and a contributor to several technology journals. All told, he has written well over a hundred articles in both print and online form.   Ted has also been an “insider” of one form or another with a variety of the technology providers of the world: an IBM Champion of Cloud, a Microsoft F# MVP (having also been an Architect and C# MVP in prior years), an F# Insider, C# Insider, VB Insider, INETA speaker, DevelopMentor instructor, PluralSight course author, and a member of various Java JSRs.   Topics of Discussion: [2:44] Ted's career journey and what keeps him motivated in the industry. [4:16] Why Ted believes the industry is overdue for a new mainstream programming language. [8:12] The evolution of case tools, UML, and why generating code has never been the real problem. [15:14] The challenge of keeping architecture simple versus embracing complexity. [22:33] The role of philosophy in software development. [38:01] Lessons from calculators, fundamentals, and why developers must still master core skills. [38:46] The impact of AI on productivity and job roles. [43:25] The Importance of Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs). [56:26] Ted and Jeffrey talk about a recent article in The Economist, “Jane Street's sneaky retention tactic”. [1:01:54] The importance of writing as a tool for developers to structure their thoughts and improve communication. [1:04:02] A few of the upcoming places and events that you can catch Ted speaking live!   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Ted Neward LinkedIn Visual Studio Live! KCDC Voxxed Days, Crete Build Stuff   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

In this episode, I was delighted to be joined by Shawn Wildermuth. We chatted about software development in general, careers, AI, and more!Shawn Wildermuth is a software development consultant, Microsoft MVP, Pluralsight author, and speaker with over 30 years of experience in the industry.For a full list of show notes, or to add comments - please see the website here

Steven Smith, also known in the developer community as Ardalis, is an entrepreneur, author, and software architect with a deep passion for building effective, maintainable software. Through his company, NimblePros, Steve helps organizations — ranging from household names like Microsoft and Quicken Loans to growing teams across industries — maximize their development potential. His clients frequently describe him as a “force multiplier,” amplifying the productivity and impact of the teams he supports.   Steve has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for over two decades and continues to lead through education and mentorship. He's published numerous courses on Pluralsight and Dometrain, focusing on topics like domain-driven design, software architecture, and design patterns. He also empowers developers through his mentorship platform, DevBetter.com, helping the next generation of professionals grow their careers with intention and clarity.   Topics of Discussion: [2:28] What keeps Steve excited about computer programming and software architecture? [4:42] What is software architecture? [6:18] The importance of understanding the logical components of a software system and how they interact. [7:06] Artifacts for architecture decisions. [8:52] How lightweight documentation and diagrams, like those in the C4 Model, can clarify system design without overburdening the team. [10:53] The modern architecture books that have caught Steve's eye. [12:57] The KISS principle and keeping software architecture simple. [19:38] Clean architecture and domain-driven design principles. [22:52] Managing out-of-process dependencies and service integrations. [26:07] Adapter pattern and interface abstractions. [28:33] Decorator pattern for adding functionality. [33:14] Pipeline Architecture. [40:35] What Steve thinks the future holds for AI-driven development, what he uses it for, and the challenges of AI currently.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) “Steve Smith: .NET 8 and Architecture” - Episode 276 NimblePros  Architect Modern Web Applications with ASP.NET Core and Azure  C4 Model  “Simon Brown on Architecture for Developers - Episode 96” Fundamentals of Software Architecture, by Mark Richards & Neal Ford, summarized as a platform-agnostic, principle-driven guide   .NET Rocks! “Architecture vs. Code with Steve Smith”  .NET Rocks! “Vertical Slice Architecture with Jeremy Miller”  GoF Adapter pattern .NET API interface estimate  Decorator pattern Bus vs. Pipeline patternsBus Vs. Pipeline patterns   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Shawn Wildermuth has been tinkering with computers and software since he got a Vic-20 back in the early '80s. He has been a Microsoft MVP since 2003. You may have taken one of his more than twenty-five courses on Pluralsight. He's authored eight books and innumerable articles on software development. You can also see him at one of the local and international conferences he's spoken at including Techorama, KCDC, Stir Trek, TechBash, DevSum, and DevConnections. You can find Shawn on the following sites:WebsiteXLinkedInYouTubeGitHubBlueskyMastodonPLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTSpotifyApple PodcastsYouTube MusicAmazon MusicRSS FeedYou can check out more episodes of Coffee and Open Source on https://www.coffeeandopensource.comCoffee and Open Source is hosted by Isaac Levin

Segment 1: Fastly Interview In this week's interview segment, we talk to Marshall Erwin about the state of cybersecurity, particularly when it comes to third party risk management, and whether we're ready for the next big SolarWinds or Crowdstrike incident. These big incidents have inspired executive orders, the Secure by Design initiative, and even a memo from JPMorgan Chase's CISO. We will discuss where Marshall feels like we should be pushing harder, where we've made some progress, and what to do about incentives. How do you convince a software supplier or service provider to prioritize security over features? This segment is sponsored by Fastly. Visit https://securityweekly.com/fastly to learn more about them! Segment 2: Weekly Enterprise News In this week's enterprise security news, Agents replacing analysis is highly misunderstood only one funding round Orca acquires Opus to automate remediation OneDrive is updating to make BYOD worse? Companies are starting to regret replacing workers with AI Is venture capital hanging on by a thread (made of AI)? Potential disruption in the traditional vuln mgmt space! MCP is already looking like a dumpster fire from a security perspective malicious NPM packages and, IS ALCHEMY REAL? Segment 3: RSAC Conference 2025 Interviews Interview 1: Pluralsight Emerging technologies like AI and deepfakes have significantly complicated the threat landscape of today. As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, everyone - not just cybersecurity professionals - needs to develop security literacy skills to keep themselves, their organizations, and their loved ones safe. Luckily, there are countermeasures to spot and identify AI and deepfake-related threats in the wild. In this segment, Pluralsight's Director of Security and IT Ops Curriculum, Bri Frost, discusses how AI has changed the cybersecurity industry, how to spot AI and deepfakes in the wild, and the skills you should know to defend against these emerging threats. Pluralsight's AI Skills Report This segment is sponsored by Pluralsight. Visit https://securityweekly.com/pluralsightrsac to learn the skills you need to defend against the latest cyber threats! Interview 2: Radware Adversaries are rewriting the cybersecurity rules. Shifts in the threat landscape are being fueled by attackers with political and ideological agendas, more sophisticated attack tools, new coalitions of hacktivists, and the democratization of AI. Radware CTO David Aviv will discuss how companies must adapt their cyber defenses and lead in an evolving era of asymmetric warfare and AI-driven attacks. This segment is sponsored by Radware. Visit https://securityweekly.com/radwarersac to learn more about them! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/esw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-407

Segment 1: Fastly Interview In this week's interview segment, we talk to Marshall Erwin about the state of cybersecurity, particularly when it comes to third party risk management, and whether we're ready for the next big SolarWinds or Crowdstrike incident. These big incidents have inspired executive orders, the Secure by Design initiative, and even a memo from JPMorgan Chase's CISO. We will discuss where Marshall feels like we should be pushing harder, where we've made some progress, and what to do about incentives. How do you convince a software supplier or service provider to prioritize security over features? This segment is sponsored by Fastly. Visit https://securityweekly.com/fastly to learn more about them! Segment 2: Weekly Enterprise News In this week's enterprise security news, Agents replacing analysis is highly misunderstood only one funding round Orca acquires Opus to automate remediation OneDrive is updating to make BYOD worse? Companies are starting to regret replacing workers with AI Is venture capital hanging on by a thread (made of AI)? Potential disruption in the traditional vuln mgmt space! MCP is already looking like a dumpster fire from a security perspective malicious NPM packages and, IS ALCHEMY REAL? Segment 3: RSAC Conference 2025 Interviews Interview 1: Pluralsight Emerging technologies like AI and deepfakes have significantly complicated the threat landscape of today. As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, everyone - not just cybersecurity professionals - needs to develop security literacy skills to keep themselves, their organizations, and their loved ones safe. Luckily, there are countermeasures to spot and identify AI and deepfake-related threats in the wild. In this segment, Pluralsight's Director of Security and IT Ops Curriculum, Bri Frost, discusses how AI has changed the cybersecurity industry, how to spot AI and deepfakes in the wild, and the skills you should know to defend against these emerging threats. Pluralsight's AI Skills Report This segment is sponsored by Pluralsight. Visit https://securityweekly.com/pluralsightrsac to learn the skills you need to defend against the latest cyber threats! Interview 2: Radware Adversaries are rewriting the cybersecurity rules. Shifts in the threat landscape are being fueled by attackers with political and ideological agendas, more sophisticated attack tools, new coalitions of hacktivists, and the democratization of AI. Radware CTO David Aviv will discuss how companies must adapt their cyber defenses and lead in an evolving era of asymmetric warfare and AI-driven attacks. This segment is sponsored by Radware. Visit https://securityweekly.com/radwarersac to learn more about them! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/esw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-407

Segment 1: Fastly Interview In this week's interview segment, we talk to Marshall Erwin about the state of cybersecurity, particularly when it comes to third party risk management, and whether we're ready for the next big SolarWinds or Crowdstrike incident. These big incidents have inspired executive orders, the Secure by Design initiative, and even a memo from JPMorgan Chase's CISO. We will discuss where Marshall feels like we should be pushing harder, where we've made some progress, and what to do about incentives. How do you convince a software supplier or service provider to prioritize security over features? This segment is sponsored by Fastly. Visit https://securityweekly.com/fastly to learn more about them! Segment 2: Weekly Enterprise News In this week's enterprise security news, Agents replacing analysis is highly misunderstood only one funding round Orca acquires Opus to automate remediation OneDrive is updating to make BYOD worse? Companies are starting to regret replacing workers with AI Is venture capital hanging on by a thread (made of AI)? Potential disruption in the traditional vuln mgmt space! MCP is already looking like a dumpster fire from a security perspective malicious NPM packages and, IS ALCHEMY REAL? Segment 3: RSAC Conference 2025 Interviews Interview 1: Pluralsight Emerging technologies like AI and deepfakes have significantly complicated the threat landscape of today. As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, everyone - not just cybersecurity professionals - needs to develop security literacy skills to keep themselves, their organizations, and their loved ones safe. Luckily, there are countermeasures to spot and identify AI and deepfake-related threats in the wild. In this segment, Pluralsight's Director of Security and IT Ops Curriculum, Bri Frost, discusses how AI has changed the cybersecurity industry, how to spot AI and deepfakes in the wild, and the skills you should know to defend against these emerging threats. Pluralsight's AI Skills Report This segment is sponsored by Pluralsight. Visit https://securityweekly.com/pluralsightrsac to learn the skills you need to defend against the latest cyber threats! Interview 2: Radware Adversaries are rewriting the cybersecurity rules. Shifts in the threat landscape are being fueled by attackers with political and ideological agendas, more sophisticated attack tools, new coalitions of hacktivists, and the democratization of AI. Radware CTO David Aviv will discuss how companies must adapt their cyber defenses and lead in an evolving era of asymmetric warfare and AI-driven attacks. This segment is sponsored by Radware. Visit https://securityweekly.com/radwarersac to learn more about them! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-407

Scott has spent over 25 years in the IT field, working in disciplines such as systems architecture, software development, team growth, and entrepreneurship. He was a Microsoft MVP for 12 years in ASP.NET and IIS. He's co-authored two books (IIS 7 and IIS 8 Professional), is a Pluralsight author, and has spoken at various conferences, code camps, and user groups. He's now shifted into the AI space, building AI solutions and supporting others in their AI journey. Scott co-founded a new startup, Kitchen Copilot, using all the new GenAI tech to help people cook more at home and eat healthier.   Topics of Discussion: [1:34] Scott's career journey and how Kitchen Copilot originated. [7:27] More about Kitchen Copilot's features. [9:35] How Kitchen helps with meal planning and recipe discovery for all levels of at-home chefs. [13:17] The technical process of importing recipes. [15:58] Using Microsoft Document intelligence to read handwriting and take screenshots of cookbook recipes. [17:13] Deployed pieces of the application. [20:43] E-mail import and queuing system. [23:32] Choice of LLM models including Groq. [29:37] Automated testing approach for LLM-based applications. [31:36] Hosting details.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo Flowise Attention is all you need Kitchen Copilot Make Perplexity Claude Groq About Groq Scott on LinkedIn Kitchen Copilot AI Generator   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Segment 1: Fastly Interview In this week's interview segment, we talk to Marshall Erwin about the state of cybersecurity, particularly when it comes to third party risk management, and whether we're ready for the next big SolarWinds or Crowdstrike incident. These big incidents have inspired executive orders, the Secure by Design initiative, and even a memo from JPMorgan Chase's CISO. We will discuss where Marshall feels like we should be pushing harder, where we've made some progress, and what to do about incentives. How do you convince a software supplier or service provider to prioritize security over features? This segment is sponsored by Fastly. Visit https://securityweekly.com/fastly to learn more about them! Segment 2: Weekly Enterprise News In this week's enterprise security news, Agents replacing analysis is highly misunderstood only one funding round Orca acquires Opus to automate remediation OneDrive is updating to make BYOD worse? Companies are starting to regret replacing workers with AI Is venture capital hanging on by a thread (made of AI)? Potential disruption in the traditional vuln mgmt space! MCP is already looking like a dumpster fire from a security perspective malicious NPM packages and, IS ALCHEMY REAL? Segment 3: RSAC Conference 2025 Interviews Interview 1: Pluralsight Emerging technologies like AI and deepfakes have significantly complicated the threat landscape of today. As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, everyone - not just cybersecurity professionals - needs to develop security literacy skills to keep themselves, their organizations, and their loved ones safe. Luckily, there are countermeasures to spot and identify AI and deepfake-related threats in the wild. In this segment, Pluralsight's Director of Security and IT Ops Curriculum, Bri Frost, discusses how AI has changed the cybersecurity industry, how to spot AI and deepfakes in the wild, and the skills you should know to defend against these emerging threats. Pluralsight's AI Skills Report This segment is sponsored by Pluralsight. Visit https://securityweekly.com/pluralsightrsac to learn the skills you need to defend against the latest cyber threats! Interview 2: Radware Adversaries are rewriting the cybersecurity rules. Shifts in the threat landscape are being fueled by attackers with political and ideological agendas, more sophisticated attack tools, new coalitions of hacktivists, and the democratization of AI. Radware CTO David Aviv will discuss how companies must adapt their cyber defenses and lead in an evolving era of asymmetric warfare and AI-driven attacks. This segment is sponsored by Radware. Visit https://securityweekly.com/radwarersac to learn more about them! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-407

Are you tired of being the industry's best-kept secret? You've got talent, you've got skills, but you're stuck in VA-land doing low-paying admin work. Meanwhile others with half your ability are getting booked out (and charging way more). You don't need another tool or tactic, you need visibility and authority.This week, I sat down with my friend and fellow visibility nerd Rob Marsh, a seasoned direct response copywriter, marketing strategist, and co-founder of The Copywriter Club, to break down his Authority Framework. Rob's worked with big names like American Express and Pluralsight, but his real magic is helping freelancers step into their authority and start charging what they're worth. In this episode, he shows you how to build credibility, attract high-value clients, and position yourself as an expert without needing a huge platform.Listen to learn more about:How to use Rob's Authority Framework to get visible without being everywhere at onceWhy being the “best kept secret” doesn't get you paid and what to do insteadHow to build trust and expertise (even if you're newer or still figuring it out)The secret to borrowing authority when you don't have a big audience (yet!)Why waiting to “feel ready” is keeping you brokeIf you're feeling invisible, overwhelmed by marketing noise, or stuck in “I'm not ready yet” mode, this episode is your wake-up call. Rob's practical advice and my real-talk stories will help you get unstuck, show up confidently as the expert you are, and get visible AF without burning out.Sponsored by AI Copywriter in a Box Struggling to create client content fast? Stop wasting time starting from scratch. AI Copywriter in a Box helps you craft high-converting, client-ready content in minutes—emails, social posts, sales pages, and more—all in your client's unique voice. I use it myself to skip the endless revisions and get premium content done fast. Use my affiliate link & get $50 off with the code UNICORN. You can use the AI Copywriter for up to 4 different clients. Grab yours now!Links Mentioned in the Show:Watch Rob's FREE The Authority Framework™ workshop: Become the best-known, highly paid expert in your niche. This shows you what to do—before you start posting content or building your list—so that your audience will eagerly line up to hire you when you go live.Listen to my episode on The Copywriter Club podcast about how writers can offer additional services and expertise to their clientsJoin The Digital Marketer's Workgroup: Are you already doing marketing work but need more clients and a stronger referral network? Join a tight-knit community of freelancers and get access to behind-the-scenes conversations, support, and troubleshooting that every solo marketer needs. Plus, you'll benefit from advanced trainings, networking opportunities, and exclusive job leads. Apply...

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we're joined by the legendary Jeff Hicks, PowerShell educator, author, speaker, and community pillar. With decades of experience shaping the PowerShell landscape, Jeff returns to the podcast to share insights from his latest projects, discuss the evolution of the community, and offer wisdom for both new and experienced PowerShell users. From PowerShell Summit to writing foundational books and building up new contributors, Jeff continues to play a critical role in shaping the PowerShell ecosystem.   Key topics in this episode include: The human side of scripting – Writing PowerShell that is usable, flexible, and considerate of others' needs. Behind the PowerShell Pipeline – Jeff's new LeanPub book exploring deeper PowerShell principles. Fundamental PowerShell commands – Get-Help, Get-Command, Get-Member, and why every PowerShell user should master them. How to troubleshoot PowerShell like a pro – Why starting simple, verbose logging, and clear design make all the difference. Reflections on PowerShell Summit – The importance of community, hallway conversations, and building the next wave of contributors. Teaching as a path to mastery – Why giving back through mentorship, writing, and speaking strengthens both your skills and the community. Jeff also shares his advice for nervous first-time speakers and attendees, and why being kind is one of the most impactful things you can do - both in and outside of tech.   Bio and Links:  Jeffery Hicks is an IT Pro veteran with 35 years of experience, much of it spent as an IT infrastructure professional specializing in Microsoft server technologies with an emphasis on automation and efficiency. He has been a Microsoft MVP since 2007 for his work in PowerShell.   Jeff is a respected and well-known author, teacher, and consultant. He has taught or presented PowerShell content and the benefits of automation to IT Pros worldwide since its inception. He has authored, co-authored, and edited several books, contributed to numerous online sites, and, back when it was still a thing, several print publications. Jeff is a Pluralsight author and a frequent speaker at technology conferences and user groups.  Check out all of Jeff's links and follow him here: https://jdhitsolutions.github.io/  Check out his book Behind the PowerShell Pipeline on LeanPub: https://leanpub.com/behind-the-pspipeline  Join PowerShell Wednesdays at 2 PM EST on discord.gg/pdq  Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn and share your PowerShell story: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewplatech/  The PowerShell Podcast: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cdtxSI8Tq3E

Chris is a professional information technologist, author, trainer, manager, a lifelong learner, and Former Law Enforcement Officer. He has been creating courses for over 25 years and has been working as an author on Plurasight for 11 years. He has created over 80 IT Certification training courses (52 or so with Pluralsight) and his students have watched over 1 million hours of his content. Chris really enjoys helping people advance in their careers through training and personal development.00:00 Introduction05:20 What were some of the cybercrimes you came across?10:30 Deep fake stress13:49 What is the strategy to break up the back up?17:17 Method and Approach for understanding risk24:31 Interactive labs29:57 Will AI change training methods? Will it replace SOC Jobs?38:40 Elevate your career41:00 Check out his Pluralsight courses----------------------------------------------------------------------To learn more about Chris visit https://www.pluralsight.com/authors/chris-reesTo learn more about Dark Rhiino Security visit https://www.darkrhiinosecurity.com----------------------------------------------------------------------SOCIAL MEDIA:Stay connected with us on our social media pages where we'll give you snippets, alerts for new podcasts, and even behind the scenes of our studio!Instagram: @securityconfidential and @DarkrhiinosecurityFacebook: @Dark-Rhiino-Security-IncTwitter: @darkrhiinosecLinkedIn: @dark-rhiino-securityYoutube: @DarkRhiinoSecurity ​

What if building software felt more like composing than coding? In this episode, Hugo and Greg explore how LLMs are reshaping the way we think about software development—from deterministic programming to a more flexible, prompt-driven, and collaborative style of building. It's not just hype or grift—it's a real shift in how we express intent, reason about systems, and collaborate across roles. Hugo speaks with Greg Ceccarelli—co-founder of SpecStory, former CPO at Pluralsight, and Director of Data Science at GitHub—about the rise of software composition and how it changes the way individuals and teams create with LLMs. We dive into: - Why software composition is emerging as a serious alternative to traditional coding - The real difference between vibe coding and production-minded prototyping - How LLMs are expanding who gets to build software—and how - What changes when you focus on intent, not just code - What Greg is building with SpecStory to support collaborative, traceable AI-native workflows - The challenges (and joys) of debugging and exploring with agentic tools like Cursor and Claude We've removed the visual demos from the audio—but you can catch our live-coded Chrome extension and JFK document explorer on YouTube. Links below. JFK Docs Vibe Coding Demo (YouTube) (https://youtu.be/JpXCkuV58QE) Chrome Extension Vibe Coding Demo (YouTube) (https://youtu.be/ESVKp37jDwc) Meditations on Tech (Greg's Substack) (https://www.meditationsontech.com/) Simon Willison on Vibe Coding (https://simonwillison.net/2025/Mar/19/vibe-coding/) Johnno Whitaker: On Vibe Coding (https://johnowhitaker.dev/essays/vibe_coding.html) Tim O'Reilly – The End of Programming (https://www.oreilly.com/radar/the-end-of-programming-as-we-know-it/) Vanishing Gradients YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_NafIo-Ku2loOLrzm45ABA) Upcoming Events on Luma (https://lu.ma/calendar/cal-8ImWFDQ3IEIxNWk) Greg Ceccarelli on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregceccarelli/) Greg's Hacker News Post on GOOD (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43557698) SpecStory: GOOD – Git Companion for AI Workflows (https://github.com/specstoryai/getspecstory/blob/main/GOOD.md)

Chris is a professional information technologist, author, trainer, manager, a lifelong learner, and Former Law Enforcement Officer. He has been creating courses for over 25 years and has been working as an author on Plurasight for 11 years.  He has created over 80 IT Certification training courses (52 or so with Pluralsight) and his students have watched over 1 million hours of his content. Chris really enjoys helping people advance in their careers through training and personal development. 00:00 Introduction05:20 What were some of the cybercrimes you came across?10:30 Deep fake stress13:49 What is the strategy to break up the back up?17:17 Method and Approach for understanding risk24:31 Interactive labs29:57 Will AI change training methods? Will it replace SOC Jobs?38:40 Elevate your career41:00 Check out his Pluralsight courses

Episode SummaryIn this episode of OnBase, host Chris Moody sits down with Chad Sollis to discuss why digital accessibility is a strategic priority for brands today. Chad shares his journey from graphic design to marketing leadership, highlighting the importance of accessibility in enhancing brand reputation, compliance, and consumer loyalty. He breaks down the key principles of accessibility, how it impacts SEO, and best practices for embedding accessibility into marketing and product development.Key Takeaways-Digital Accessibility is a Brand Imperative: One in four Americans has a disability, representing $20B in buying power. Accessible experiences foster loyalty and repeat business.-SEO and Accessibility Go Hand-in-Hand: Proper use of header tags, alt text, and navigation structures benefits both search rankings and user experience.-Prioritizing Accessibility in Design & Development: Integrating accessibility into design, development, and QA processes ensures it becomes a natural part of content creation rather than an afterthought.-Measuring ROI on Accessibility: Companies that invest in accessibility see improved website traffic, increased conversions, and long-term customer loyalty.Quotes"When companies design for accessibility, they're not just meeting compliance requirements—they're creating more inclusive and engaging experiences for all customers."Best Moments 03:00–05:00 – Chad's unconventional journey from graphic design to marketing leadership.10:00–13:00 – Why accessibility should be a strategic priority for senior leaders.15:00–18:00 – The connection between SEO and accessibility: how structure improves discoverability.22:00–25:00 – Overcoming accessibility challenges and integrating best practices into business processes.30:00–33:00 – How brands can measure the ROI of their accessibility initiatives.Tech RecommendationsStoryblok – Headless CMS that streamlines content personalization and accessibility.Amplience- An AI content platform.Mutiny – AI-driven personalization platform to optimize user experiences.Resource RecommendationsBooks:-Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink-How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale CarnegieShout-outs-Scott Harris, VP of Performance Marketing at Box.com – Marketing expert with a deep understanding of growth strategies.-Nick Rico, Chief Commercial Officer at Lucid Software – Growth leader with a background in finance and marketing.-Manuel Rietzsch, VP, Revenue Marketing at AudioEye – Revenue marketing leader driving accessibility-focused initiatives.About the GuestChad Sollis is a seasoned marketing and product leader with over two decades of experience in driving business growth and innovation across various industries. As the Chief Marketing Officer, Chad spearheads strategic initiatives in brand development, product marketing, growth, revenue operations, and customer engagement.As a data-driven executive, Chad has demonstrated a remarkable ability to scale businesses, having contributed to the growth of companies from $30 million to $3 billion in annual revenue and helping 4 companies execute successful IPOs. With a diverse background that includes leadership roles at market-leading companies such as Adobe, Pluralsight, Vivint, and Traeger, he has generated a wealth of expertise in marketing, digital products, and technology spanning both B2B and B2C sectors.Connect with Chad.

Send us a textTechnology is evolving at a rapid pace along with the tools, methods, and education practices. Today, Derek Morgan joins the show to discuss the intersection of automation, DevOps, and Infrastructure-as-Code. Derek is the Founder of More Than Certified, an e-learning platform hosting courses on DevOps, Terraform, Docker, and more. We discuss the importance of foundational knowledge in modern tech, the role of tools like Terraform in enterprise environments, and the future of DevOps education. Derek also provides valuable insights into content creation and the philosophy behind effective technical teaching methodologies.Where to Find DerekLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/derekm1215Twitter: https://x.com/mtcderekCompany: https://morethancertified.comShow LinksLinux Academy (Now part of Pluralsight): https://www.pluralsight.com/Terraform: https://www.terraform.io/OpenTOFU: https://opentofu.org/Jenkins: https://www.jenkins.io/GitHub Actions: https://github.com/features/actionsAnsible: https://www.ansible.com/Follow, Like, and Subscribe!Podcast: https://www.thecloudgambit.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCloudGambitLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thecloudgambitTwitter: https://twitter.com/TheCloudGambitTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecloudgambit

Dr. Cat Hicks is a psychologist studying software teams, a research leader, an empirical interventionist, and a creative entrepreneur. She is the VP of Research Insights for Pluralsight, where she founded the Developer Success Lab, an empirical research lab creating open science for developers and their teams. She talks to Scott about how software teams work, learn, and innovate.https://www.drcathicks.com/https://www.pluralsight.com/developer-success-lab

In this engaging episode of FP&A Tomorrow, host Paul Barnhurst, the FP&A Guy, sits down with Mark Hansen, CFO of Entrata. Their conversation explores financial planning and analysis (FP&A), strategic business decision-making, and the evolving role of finance teams in organizations. This episode provides valuable insights into how FP&A professionals can align metrics, foster relationships, and utilize data to empower strategic growth.Mark Hansen brings a wealth of experience as the CFO of Entrata, a comprehensive ERP platform for the multifamily housing industry. Prior to this role, Mark held pivotal finance positions at Pluralsight and Skullcandy, leading finance teams through periods of significant growth. A CPA with a master's in accounting from the University of Utah, Mark combines technical expertise with a strategic vision, making him a thought leader in the financial industry.Expect to LearnUnderstanding the transition from accurate forecasting to strategic decision-making.Why FP&A is positioned as the "center of the universe" for organizational data.Practical advice on aligning and rolling forward metrics to track business performance.How to leverage diverse experiences (the "bingo card" approach) to achieve career growth.Insights into hiring, mentoring, and fostering curiosity and technical skills within finance teams.Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:"Understanding unit economics, gross margin, and other granular financial details helps inform better business decisions." - Mark Hansen"Understanding SEC reporting is like leveling up in financial knowledge. It's the major leagues of financial reporting." - Mark Hansen"FP&A teams of the future will not just focus on budgeting and forecasting but also on data analytics and business modeling." - Mark HansenIn this insightful episode, Mark shares valuable advice on career development, stressing the importance of building strong relationships, acquiring diverse skills, and being proactive in one's career progression. Mark's focus on curiosity, technical skills, and business partnering provides a roadmap for any finance professional looking to elevate their impact.Plan Smarter with Workday:Workday Adaptive Planning empowers organizations with AI-driven insights, advanced data visualization, and powerful reporting tools. Make smarter decisions faster and elevate your budgeting, forecasting, and modeling. Learn more at http://www.workday.com/fpaguyFollow FP&A Tomorrow:Newsletter - Subscribe on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6957679529595162624 Follow Mark:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hansen-7b79045/Follow Paul: Website - https://www.thefpandaguy.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguyWorld-class Digital FP&A Course Bundle: Signup for over ten hours of video content with 4 different courses and 8 modules on FP&A topics including: Business Partnering, Data Analysis, Financial Modeling

How can businesses bridge the growing tech skills gap and build a future-ready workforce? Today on Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Drew Firment, Cloud Strategist at Pluralsight, to explore how organizations can address this challenge head-on. As technology evolves, the need for upskilling and continuous learning has never been more urgent. Drew shares insights from Pluralsight's 2024 Technical Research Report, revealing that while cloud computing and cybersecurity remain in high demand, many organizations are still struggling to provide the right skills to their teams. Drew explains how Pluralsight's platform is helping to close this gap through personalized learning paths, hands-on labs, and real-time feedback. With a focus on connecting individual skills to organizational outcomes, Drew highlights how companies can save up to £22,000 per employee by investing in upskilling rather than hiring new talent. We also discuss the shift in learning models, moving from knowledge retention to human intelligence skills like critical thinking and creative problem-solving—skills that will be crucial in an AI-driven world. Additionally, Drew shares how organizations can create a culture of continuous learning, where employees are empowered to expand their skill sets, take non-linear career paths, and contribute to long-term digital transformation goals. From overcoming organizational inertia to fostering a sustainable learning culture, Drew provides practical advice for businesses looking to future-proof their workforce. How can companies prioritize upskilling and create a more adaptable, innovative team? Join us for this insightful discussion, and let us know how you see the future of learning and development evolving.

Send us a textIn this episode of the Customer Success Playbook Podcast, hosts Roman Trebon and Kevin Metzger interview Jasmine Reynolds, a Customer Success Manager at Pluralsight, about applying Scrum methodologies to customer onboarding. Jasmine discusses how Scrum, typically associated with software development, can significantly enhance the customer onboarding experience. She outlines six key Scrum techniques that can be immediately applied to onboarding processes, including prioritized backlog, sprint-based onboarding, daily stand-ups, and continuous feedback loops. The discussion highlights the benefits of this approach, such as improved time to value, increased customer satisfaction, and stronger client relationships. Detailed AnalysisThe application of Scrum to customer onboarding represents a significant innovation in customer success practices. This approach addresses several critical challenges in traditional onboarding processes:Flexibility and Adaptability: By breaking the onboarding journey into sprints, companies can respond more quickly to changing customer needs and feedback. This agility is crucial in today's fast-paced business environment where customer requirements can shift rapidly.Cross-Functional Collaboration: The Scrum approach encourages better coordination among various teams involved in onboarding, including sales, customer success, product, and support. This holistic approach ensures that all aspects of the customer's needs are addressed cohesively.Accelerated Time to Value: By focusing on delivering value in each sprint, businesses can ensure that customers start seeing benefits from their investment much earlier in the process. This rapid demonstration of value can significantly impact customer satisfaction and long-term retention.Enhanced Customer Communication: Daily stand-ups and regular feedback sessions keep the customer closely involved in the onboarding process. This transparency builds trust and allows for immediate course corrections if needed.Measurable Progress: The sprint structure provides clear milestones and measurable progress, making it easier to track the effectiveness of the onboarding process and identify areas for improvement.Scope Management: While scope creep remains a challenge, the sprint-based approach provides a framework for managing and prioritizing additional requests without derailing the entire onboarding process.Continuous Improvement: Regular retrospectives allow teams to refine their onboarding processes continuously, leading to ongoing improvements in efficiency and effectiveness.For businesses looking to implement this approach, Jasmine recommends starting by breaking existing onboarding processes into sprints, defining clear value deliverables for each sprint, and creating a prioritized backlog. She emphasizes the importance of flexibility and setting clear expectations with customers.The potential integration of AI tools in this Scrum-based onboarding process presents an exciting opportunity for further innovation. AI could potentially assist in sprint planning, predicting potential issuPlease Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.

Dave Balter is a serial entrepreneur with a distinguished track record of impacting various industries. He founded BzzAgent, which was acquired by Dunnhumby, and Smarterer, which was acquired by Pluralsight. His current venture, Flipside Crypto, leads the way in providing indexes and investment vehicles for cryptocurrencies.Dave's career includes executive roles at prominent global organizations and venture investments as a partner at Boston Seed. In 2024, he was honored as one of The Boston Globe's Top 50 Tech Power Players. He is also the author of several influential books, including The Humility Imperative. Dave has been an engaged 3i Member since 2023. Listen to the episode to hear: * Revolutionizing industries with data: Insights from his work with BzzAgent and Flipside Crypto * Leadership and innovation: Key lessons from his book The Humility Imperative  * The future of blockchain and cryptocurrency: Dave's Predictions and strategic outlookLearn more about 3i Members and follow us on LinkedIn for updates. 

Private credit took Wall Street by storm. But at a software company called Pluralsight, recent loan troubles are now highlighting risks that could be hidden in the sector. The FT's senior US corporate finance correspondent Eric Platt and Due Diligence reporter Amelia Pollard walk through what went wrong with Pluralsight, and how that could shape private credit's future. Clips from Bloomberg, CNBC- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:A messy loan restructuring highlights risk lurking in private creditPrivate credit is even larger than you thinkA buyout gone wrong creates fireworks in the private credit marketVista and co-investors lose $4bn in Pluralsight restructuring- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Eric Platt (@ericgplatt), Amelia Pollard (@ameliajpollard) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07), or follow Michela on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. Register now for the FT Weekend Festival, and claim £24 off your pass using promo code FTPodcast at: ft.com/festivalRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Anthony Nocentino, a Senior Principal Field Solution Architect at Pure Storage, to dive deep into the world of Kubernetes. Anthony breaks down what Kubernetes is and how it fits into the modern IT landscape. We explore his fascinating career journey, from consulting and SQL Server to educating the masses on Kubernetes and Linux. Anthony also shares invaluable insights on becoming a force multiplier in your career and the critical role of mentorship and offers sage advice for anyone looking to elevate their professional path.   Guest Bio and links: Anthony Nocentino is a Senior Principal Field Solution Architect at Pure Storage with over 20 years of experience in IT. A Microsoft Data Platform MVP, he is globally recognized for his expertise in SQL Server, Kubernetes, and cloud infrastructure. Anthony has authored several technical books and numerous Pluralsight courses, including "SQL Server on Kubernetes" and "Azure Arc-enabled Data Services Revealed." With a Master's in Computer Science and research in high-performance data access algorithms, Anthony is also a sought-after speaker at leading data and cloud conferences, where he delivers deep insights and practical implementation tips.     https://discord.gg/pdq https://github.com/joshooaj/PSPushover https://powershellisfun.com/2024/08/02/creating-a-development-windows-sandbox-using-powershell-and-winget/ https://techbloggingfool.com/2024/08/04/powershell-a-microsoft-365-admin-roles-membership-report/ https://psweekly.dowst.dev/ https://www.amazon.com/Search-Inside-Yourself-Unexpected-Achieving/dp/0062116932 https://www.linkedin.com/in/nocentino/ https://x.com/nocentino

Not all liability management deals are "violent"; in fact the majority of deals in 2024 have allowed for participation by non ad hoc group lenders who in the past had been entirely cut out of the economics of non pro rata priming transactions.For this week's episode of Cloud 9fin, global head of distressed and restructuring Max Frumes, distressed legal analyst Jane Komsky, and private credit reporter Sami Vukelj walk through the world of liability management.The discussion covers the benefits and limitations of this kinder, gentler LME trend, with a focus on the Pluralsight and AMC Entertainment transactions.

IN THIS EPISODE...Effective leadership thrives on the Three A's—Alignment, Accountability, and Autonomy—creating an environment where innovation flourishes and psychological safety prevails. By aligning teams with a clear vision, providing constructive feedback, and fostering autonomy, leaders can inspire their teams to achieve their best and drive meaningful, continuous improvement.In this episode, Nate Barrett, the Senior Vice President of Product at Skillable, exemplifies these principles. He oversees product management, design, and data teams at Skillable, bringing his expertise in B2B and B2C strategies to create scalable solutions that meet global customer needs. Nate's visionary leadership and impactful results are a testament to the power of effective leadership.------------Full show notes, links to resources mentioned, and other compelling episodes can be found at http://LeadYourGamePodcast.com. (Click the magnifying icon at the top right and type “Nate”)Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! ------------JUST FOR YOU: Increase your leadership acumen by identifying your personal Leadership Trigger. Take my free my free quiz and instantly receive your 5-page report. Need to up-level your workforce or execute strategic People initiatives? https://shockinglydifferent.com/contact or tweet @KaranRhodes.-------------ABOUT NATE BARRETT:Nate Barrett is the Senior Vice President of Product for Skillable, managing the product management, design, and data teams. Nate brings a wealth of product leadership experience to Skillable, leading products at Pluralsight, Canopy, and Instructure. At Pluralsight, Nate led the hands-on lab's product vision and strategy, which led to tripling overall learning engagement and helping drive enterprise business outcomes by making upskilling a reality.Nate is active in the product community in Utah, consulting and mentoring product leaders and startups. He is also a frequent guest lecturer in higher education strategy and design programs.Nate lives in Utah with his wife and four children.------------WHAT TO LISTEN FOR:WHAT TO LISTEN FOR:1. How is AI transforming product development and strategy at Skillable?2. What are the critical considerations for using AI to solve problems rather than follow trends?3. How does Skillable balance innovation and adoption in the era of AI?4. What is Skillable's approach to simplifying content creation and validating skills through hands-on learning?5. How does Skillable's platform support tailored content creation and professional services for different organizations?6. What are the core principles of the leadership approach, focusing on alignment, accountability, and autonomy?7. How can psychological safety and effective feedback be ensured within a team?------------ADDITIONAL...

While waiting for the newest season launching this fall, we have something special planned for your listening enjoyment. Get ready to revisit some of your favorite Eccles Business Buzz episodes with our timeless reruns.In this episode from Season 4, Simone Lawrence, manager of the IMPACT program at the David Eccles School of Business, discusses impact and inclusion. IMPACT is a partnership between the Eccles School and Historically Black Colleges and Universities to bring these students to the U for the summer. The goal of the program is to expose participants to new experiences and show them the difference they can make in places they didn't expect.  Simone joins host Frances Johnson to talk about having a real opportunity to make a difference during her internship with PluralSight, her hopes for the IMPACT program as Manager, navigating Utah as a person of color, and working with companies to implement meaningful DEI initiatives.Eccles Business Buzz is a production of the David Eccles School of Business and is produced by University fm.Show Links:IMPACT Program PluralSightSummer Bridge Program at the U Lantern House

If this past week's Crowdstrike outage taught us anything, it's that we seem to have forgotten the basics of how to run highly available environments. But what other critical skills are deteriorating? SHOW: 842SHOW TRANSCRIPT: The Cloudcast #842 TranscriptSHOW VIDEO: https://youtube.com/@TheCloudcastNET CLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW SPONSOR:The Crowdstrike outage and market-driven brittlenessNetwork Engineering is a Dying ProfessionVista Equity writes off Pluralsight after $3.5B buyoutSHOW NOTES:WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO THE FUTURESystems are more interconnected and more criticalCompanies under-staff critical operationsDevelopers are the new kingmakers, but where are all the kings?PEOPLE DON'T IGNORE STABLE FOUNDATIONS, THEY FORGET ABOUT THEMNot enough people have home labs, or go after certificationsThe industry highlights the content creators, instead of the builders/fixersThere might be an opportunity to restart a focus on foundational skillsFEEDBACK?Email: show at the cloudcast dot netTwitter: @cloudcastpodInstagram: @cloudcastpodTikTok: @cloudcastpodOut-of-the-box insights from digital leadersDelivered is your window in the minds of people behind successful digital products. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

This week, we explore the reasons behind the slowdown in DevOps adoption, compare open-source and proprietary foundation models, and discuss how AI might simplify CI/CD implementation. Additionally, Matt takes on an Australian history quiz. Watch the YouTube Live Recording of Episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xmarzk5aw8) 474 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xmarzk5aw8) Runner-up Titles No silver bullets If you aspire for nothing, you're done. We can hang out with the boulder at the bottom Who owns the black box You have to want to put in the effort Anyone on the bleeding edge is going to bleed Rundown A Eulogy for DevOps (https://matduggan.com/a-eulogy-for-devops/) DevOps Isn't Dead, but It's Not in Great Health Either (https://thenewstack.io/devops-isnt-dead-but-its-not-in-great-health-either/) The InfraRed Report from Redpoint (https://www.redpoint.com/infrared/report/) Dan Davies Explains Why Accountability Sinks Are Everywhere Now (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-01/dan-davies-explains-why-accountability-sinks-are-everywhere-now) Relevant to your Interests Indonesia won't pay an $8 million ransom after a cyberattack compromised its national data center (https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-ransomware-attack-national-data-center-213c14c6cc69d7b66815e58478f64cee) Odaseva raises $54M to secure Salesforce users (https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/27/odasevas-founder-once-solved-a-security-gap-for-saleforces-biggest-customer-now-hes-raised-54m-to-secure-all-of-its-users/) More YouTube Premium plans are coming (https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/27/24187590/youtube-premium-subscription-more-plans) Alibaba Cloud closing Australian and Indian datacenters (https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/01/alibaba_cloud_closes_india_australia/) Apple Poised to Get OpenAI Board Observer Role as Part of AI Pact (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-02/apple-to-get-openai-board-observer-role-as-part-of-ai-agreement) How Big Tech is swallowing the AI industry (https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/1/24190060/amazon-adept-ai-acquisition-playbook-microsoft-inflection) Apple Poised to Get OpenAI Board Observer Role as Part of AI Pact (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-02/apple-to-get-openai-board-observer-role-as-part-of-ai-agreement) Infrastructure as Code Landscape Overview 2024 (https://medium.com/@bgrant0607/infrastructure-as-code-landscape-overview-2024-a066124e5989) Infrastructure as Code reminds me of “make run-all” (https://medium.com/@bgrant0607/infrastructure-as-code-reminds-me-of-make-run-all-15eb6628f306) Is NVIDIA like Sun from the Dot Com Bubble? / Oxide (https://oxide.computer/podcasts/oxide-and-friends/1973013) “Everything's frozen”: Ransomware locks credit union users out of bank accounts (https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/07/everythings-frozen-ransomware-locks-credit-union-users-out-of-bank-accounts/) Exclusive-Vista Equity in talks to hand over Pluralsight to creditors, sources s (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-vista-equity-talks-hand-183356419.html) Nonsense Faces made of living skin make robots smile (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cedd3208veyo) Mandatory Texas vehicle safety inspections end in six months (https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/mandatory-texas-vehicle-safety-inspections-end-in-six-months/) Costco's bold new plan for the California housing crisis (https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/costco-housing-apartments-south-la-19541521.php?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email) Conferences DevOpsDays Birmingham (https://devopsdays.org/events/2024-birmingham-al/welcome/), August 19–21, 2024 DevOpsDays Antwerp (https://devopsdays.org/events/2024-antwerp/welcome/), 15th anniversary, Sep 4th-5th. SpringOne (https://springone.io/?utm_source=cote&utm_campaign=devrel&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=newsletterUpcoming)/VMware Explore US (https://blogs.vmware.com/explore/2024/04/23/want-to-attend-vmware-explore-convince-your-manager-with-these/?utm_source=cote&utm_campaign=devrel&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=newsletterUpcoming), August 26–29, 2024 SREday London 2024 (https://sreday.com/2024-london/), September 19th to 20th, Coté speaking. 20% off with the code SRE20DAY (https://sreday.com/2024-london/#tickets) SDT news & hype Join us in Slack (http://www.softwaredefinedtalk.com/slack). Get a SDT Sticker! Send your postal address to stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com) and we will send you free laptop stickers! Follow us: Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/sdtpodcast), Twitter (https://twitter.com/softwaredeftalk), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/softwaredefinedtalk/), Mastodon (https://hachyderm.io/@softwaredefinedtalk), BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/softwaredefinedtalk.com), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/software-defined-talk/), TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@softwaredefinedtalk), Threads (https://www.threads.net/@softwaredefinedtalk) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3OJPV6h9tp-hbsGBLGsDQ/featured). Use the code SDT to get $20 off Coté's book, Digital WTF (https://leanpub.com/digitalwtf/c/sdt), so $5 total. Become a sponsor of Software Defined Talk (https://www.softwaredefinedtalk.com/ads)! Recommendations Brandon: House of Dragons Season 2 (https://www.hbo.com/house-of-the-dragon) Cloud News of the Month - June 2024 (https://www.thecloudcast.net/2024/07/cloud-news-of-month-june-2024.html) Photo Credits Header (https://unsplash.com/photos/brown-sail-ship-on-sea-during-sunset-1suNZRcP3AY) Artwork (https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:640/format:webp/1*rQh4nSRu3CV3vqThSKI49A.jpeg)

This week John Ruffolo of Maverix Private Equity is back with Matt to talk about the news affecting the venture capital and financial sectors including Cohere's recent $450 million fundraising, featuring investments from Nvidia, Salesforce Ventures, and others. The conversation shifts to the resurgence of crypto interest, Vista Equity's write-off of Pluralsight, private equity firms targeting individual assets within companies rather than entire companies, and how that could present opportunities for venture capitalists to recover some value from underperforming investments.They also cover Canada's capital gains plan's slow progress and impact on investment stability, as well as the proposal of a new “anti-woke” Texas stock exchange, which aims to offer a more business-friendly environment free from some of the regulatory burdens seen in current exchanges.Finally, they discuss recent interest rate changes by the Bank of Canada and the European Central Bank, and their implications for the Canadian economy and inflation.In this episode, we discuss:* (00:49) Cohere's $450 million fundraising.* (02:49) Discussion on AI space valuations.* (04:28) Crypto resurgence and political implications.* (07:46) Vista Equity's write-off of Pluralsight.* (10:55) Private equity targeting individual assets.* (12:48) Canada's capital gains plan delay.* (14:24) Proposal of Texas stock exchange.* (17:05) Interest rate changes by Bank of Canada and ECB.* (19:54) Impact of interest rates on the economy.Follow Matt Cohen and Tank Talks here!Podcast production support provided by Agentbee.ai This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

Jason Lemkin is one of the OG SaaS investors with all of his first five investments turning into unicorns with Pipedrive, Algolia, Talkdesk, Salesloft and RevenueCat all in his portfolio. SaaStr is the largest global community in SaaS and he has taught a generation the fundamentals of SaaS on saastr.com. In Our First Ever Episode of This Week in SaaS 1. PluralSight Goes to Zero: WTF happened to PluralSight? How did it go from $3.5BN to $0? Will this have a wider impact on the willingness of PE to buy tech companies? Who are the next contenders to go from hero to zero? Zendesk? Anaplan? Will this generation of PE funds be let off by their LPs for a poor vintage? 2. Salesforce's Worst Stock Market Drop Since 2004 + Mongo Takes a 23% Hit: Why did Salesforce lose $50BN of market cap in a single day? Is the same true for MongoDB taking a 23% hit in one day? What does it mean when the new normal is these once hyper-growth companies now growing only 6% per annum? 3. The Settlers into Slow Growth: Why does Jason believe that Dropbox and Box have both settled into a world of slow growth? What happens to Twilio from here in a world post Jeff Lawson? What happens to Retool from this point on? Would Jason be a buyer of Notion at $10BN? 4. Venture Capital is Broken: Why does Jason believe that we need to see a relation of public multiples for the math in venture capital to work again? Why does Jason believe that the way we mark portfolios with TVPI leads to corrupt and bad behaviour? How does Jason think we will solve the problem of liquidity with IPOs being shut, M&A being out of the window and now PE being a doubt as the source of buyers?