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In Episode 177 of The Fleet Success Show, Marc Canton and Steve Saltzgiver unload a truth-packed conversation on the painful realities of outsourcing fleet maintenance. From horror stories about seven visits for the same repair to $3,500 upsell attempts during a routine oil change, this episode explores the downside of putting your fleet's fate in the hands of external vendors — especially without tight service-level agreements (SLAs) in place.Marc vents his real-world frustrations as a fleet leader turned vehicle caretaker for his entire family. Steve, bringing decades of fleet management and consulting experience, breaks down how fleets can build smarter, more accountable outsourcing relationships. Together, they unpack when outsourcing makes sense, how to hold vendors accountable, and why an in-house shop might still be your best line of defense against inefficiency, comebacks, and ballooning costs.
A historic gap between consumer sentiment and economic data is raising concerns about future tech spending. Despite positive economic indicators, such as a steady unemployment rate and a slight increase in the Consumer Price Index, consumer confidence is faltering, as evidenced by a significant drop in the Consumer Sentiment Index. Analysts from Bank of America have noted that this disconnect, the widest on record, suggests that businesses, particularly in sectors sensitive to consumer demand, may become more risk-averse in their tech investments. This could lead to longer sales cycles and a shift in budget approvals for tech solutions. The delivery of cloud services is evolving, with a focus on outcomes rather than just uptime. A recent survey by the International Data Corporation emphasizes that managed service providers (MSPs) must prioritize customer success and align their services with clients' business objectives. As cloud technology becomes more integral to business transformations, MSPs are encouraged to move beyond traditional service level agreements (SLAs) and adopt a value-oriented approach. This shift is crucial to avoid commoditization and maintain profitability in a competitive market. TD Cinex has introduced a new Partner Loyalty Program aimed at strengthening relationships with business partners through rewards similar to consumer loyalty programs. This initiative reflects a growing trend in the industry, where partners increasingly value loyalty incentives over traditional vendor benefits. However, there is skepticism regarding the effectiveness of such programs, as some partners argue that consistent pricing and margin protection are more critical than loyalty perks. The challenge for vendors and distributors will be to ensure that these programs deliver tangible value rather than merely serving as marketing optics. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has retracted a controversial AI research paper that claimed artificial intelligence enhances productivity in research settings. The paper, which suggested that AI tools led to increased discoveries but decreased job satisfaction among researchers, faced scrutiny from both economists and computer scientists. MIT's decision to withdraw the paper signals a growing skepticism towards AI productivity claims, indicating that the market will demand more verifiable and transparent evidence before accepting AI as a driver of innovation. This development is seen as a positive step towards ensuring the integrity of research in the field of artificial intelligence. Four things to know today 00:00 Vibes vs. Reality: Sentiment-Economy Gap Widens, Signaling Risk for Tech and Retail Spending04:35 IDC Survey Urges MSPs to Align Cloud Services with Business Outcomes, Not Just SLAs06:00 Perks or Just Packaging? TD SYNNEX Adds to Loyalty Trend with New Partner Program08:19 Flawed AI Research Spurs MIT Retraction, Reflecting Broader Demand for Verifiable Innovation Claims This is the Business of Tech. Supported by: https://getnerdio.com/nerdio-manager-for-msp/ All our Sponsors: https://businessof.tech/sponsors/ Do you want the show on your podcast app or the written versions of the stories? Subscribe to the Business of Tech: https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe/Looking for a link from the stories? The entire script of the show, with links to articles, are posted in each story on https://www.businessof.tech/ Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mspradio/ Want to be a guest on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights? Send Dave Sobel a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech Want our stuff? Cool Merch? Wear “Why Do We Care?” - Visit https://mspradio.myspreadshop.com Follow us on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079/YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftechBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech
When a cybersecurity CEO strolls into a hospital and decides to play malware magician with a couple of unlocked computers, you've got yourself a plot twist worthy of a Netflix docuseries. In this episode, we dive headfirst into bizarre breaches, finger-pointing fiascos, and the kind of contractual confusion that'll make you want to reread your SLAs before breakfast. It's a rollercoaster of responsibility, reputation, and really bad behavior. But at the heart of it all is the million-dollar question: who's actually responsible when it all goes sideways? More info at HelpMeWithHIPAA.com/509
In this brutally honest episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, Clinton James sits down with Bobby Thomas, CEO of Extreme Services, to unpack the evolving challenges of working with Third Party Administrators (TPAs) in 2025. From delayed payments to unrealistic SLAs and inconsistent claim volume, this episode dives deep into the operational and financial landmines that restoration contractors face when tied too tightly to TPA programs.Bobby brings unfiltered insights, real-world horror stories, and proven strategies for navigating today's increasingly rigid and centralized TPA landscape. Whether you're struggling with cash flow, compliance fatigue, or pipeline instability, this conversation will arm you with the clarity and tactics needed to regain control of your business.What You'll Learn:Why TPA payment delays are worse than ever—and what to do about itHow to build systems that meet rigid SLAs without burning out your teamThe dangerous downside of claim volume inconsistencyStrategies to reduce TPA dependency and diversify your lead flowBobby's rapid-fire take on myths, tools, and whether he'd build with TPAs againIf you're working with TPAs—or considering it—this is required listening.If you're interested in learning how Water Restoration Marketing can help you overcome the challenges discussed in this episode and get more water jobs, book a free strategy session with our team today!https://www.waterrestorationmarketing.net/schedule
Why do short clear SLAs improve your services, customer satisfaction, and life? How do you write and use an effective SLA?
Briana Birkholz and Joe Lynch discuss blind spots & bottlenecks: unmasking the hidden enemies of supply chain. Briana is the Vice President of Product Management for the 3PL market segment at SPS Commerce, the world's leading retail network, connecting trading partners around the globe to optimize supply chain operations for all retail partners. About Briana Birkholz Briana Birkholz is the Vice President of Product Management for the 3PL market segment at SPS Commerce. With a passion for overcoming supply chain and logistics challenges, Briana is committed to addressing the distinct needs of customers through comprehensive, full-service solutions. Briana's extensive experience in driving innovation, strategic development and execution consistently delivers outstanding results for third-party logistics companies. About SPS Commerce SPS Commerce is the world's leading retail network, connecting trading partners across the globe to optimize supply chain operations for all stakeholders in the retail ecosystem. The company enables data-driven partnerships through innovative cloud-based technology, customer-centric service, and a team of accessible industry experts—allowing clients to focus on their core business. With over 45,000 recurring revenue customers spanning retail, grocery, distribution, supply, manufacturing, and logistics, SPS Commerce powers a vast and growing global retail network. Key Takeaways: Blind Spots & Bottlenecks: Unmasking the Hidden Enemies of Supply Chain Briana Birkholz and Joe Lynch discuss blind spots & bottlenecks: unmasking the hidden enemies of supply chain. The hidden enemies include the following: Inconsistent Time to Revenue: The Silent Growth Killer - Lengthy onboarding processes erode cash flow and strain customer relationships, highlighting evolving customer expectations. SPS Commerce's "plug-and-play" solutions drastically reduce onboarding time from months to days. The Cost of Chaos: Inconsistent Order Intake - Managing orders through disparate channels (phone, email, portals, PDFs) breeds errors and jeopardizes SLAs due to human error. SPS Commerce standardizes order formats for improved efficiency and control. Decoding Retailer Complexity: Unravel the challenges of adhering to intricate retailer requirements (packing slips, labels, routing guides, ASN timing) and the costly consequences of non-compliance (chargebacks, damaged relationships, lost shelf space). SPS Commerce automates document generation and validation to ensure first-time compliance. SPS Commerce is the world's leading retail network, connecting trading partners around the globe to optimize supply chain operations for all retail partners. SPS Commerce brings the following advantages: Industry Leader in Cloud-Based EDI Solutions: SPS Commerce specializes in cloud-based supply chain management, helping retailers, suppliers, and logistics providers automate and streamline their operations through advanced EDI and data analytics tools. Demonstrated Consistent Growth as a High-Performing Public Company: SPS Commerce has a long and consistent track record of growth, primarily organic, underscoring its position as a strong performer on NASDAQ (ticker: SPSC). Global Presence with Local Support: Headquartered in Minneapolis, SPS has expanded internationally with offices in major cities like Toronto, Melbourne, Amsterdam, and Hong Kong, supporting a worldwide customer base with localized service. Growth via Smart Acquisitions: Strategic buys like Data Masons, InterTrade, and SupplyPike have allowed SPS to broaden its tech stack and deepen its value across the retail supply chain ecosystem. Recognized for Culture and Innovation: Known for its positive workplace environment, SPS was ranked the best large workplace in Minnesota in 2015 and continues to invest in talent and innovation to drive forward-thinking supply chain solutions. Learn More About Blind Spots & Bottlenecks: Unmasking the Hidden Enemies of Supply Chain Briana Birkholz | Linkedin SPS Commerce | Linkedin SPS Commerce Woods Distribution Case Study Arcadia Cold Storage & Logistics Case Study The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube
The Platform That Isn't Just a Platform: Intermedia's 360° Formula for Service Provider Growth, AI is setting new standards for CX, and Microsoft Teams is everywhere—but few SPs are monetizing it effectively “You don't need to rip and replace. You don't need to lock in. You just need a partner who's truly in it with you,” says Patrick Sheehan, Vice President of Channel Development, Intermedia. As the channel moves into the heart of 2025, service providers are at a crossroads. Legacy platforms are draining resources, AI is setting new standards for CX, and Microsoft Teams is everywhere—but few SPs are monetizing it effectively. In a recent Technology Reseller News podcast, we sat down with Patrick Sheehan of Intermedia to learn how the company's 360-degree approach is helping partners solve those challenges without heavy upfront investments, long-term contracts, or technical headaches. “You don't need to rip and replace. You don't need to lock in. You just need a partner who's truly in it with you.” — Patrick Sheehan, Vice President of Channel Development, Intermedia What's Holding Service Providers Back? Sheehan doesn't mince words: today's service providers are seeing churn rise, ARPU fall, and win rates slide. It's not just voice—customers want integrated, AI-enhanced UCaaS and CCaaS, not siloed tools. Add in the need to market more effectively in a crowded space and support aging platforms, and many providers are facing a serious growth headwind. “If your platform isn't innovating fast enough to meet customer expectations—especially with AI and Teams—you're going to feel it in churn and margins,” said Sheehan. Intermedia: A Partner-First Playbook Intermedia has built its model around partner success—not vendor lock-in. That starts with a month-to-month, no-minimum-commitment agreement, enabling providers to enter the UCaaS and CCaaS space without sacrificing their brand, their network, or their business model. “Almost 95% of our business goes through partners. We're not here to compete—we're here to help them win,” adds Sheehan. Service providers can white label Intermedia's platform, maintain their own PSTN footprint, or leverage Intermedia's national network. The tech stack—including UCaaS, CCaaS, a new Teams integration, and an AI-ready data lake—is 100% owned and operated by Intermedia. That translates into true speed-to-market and scalability. Fast Start, Full Support Launching with Intermedia doesn't take a year—or even months. With dedicated onboarding teams, SPs can be deploying customers within weeks. Intermedia supplies pre-configured plug-and-play phones, operational support, and guided productization. The result? Minimal friction, maximum velocity. The Industry's First Teams Integration—Built for SPs One standout development is Intermedia's embedded Microsoft Teams integration, which lets SPs offer a fully monetizable, branded Teams experience—a key differentiator in the increasingly Teams-centric workplace. “It's more profitable and more compelling than other options. And if you want, you can even source Microsoft licenses directly through us,” Sheehan explained. Marketing, Migration & Margin Intermedia supports partners with: Channel marketing experts who build and execute campaigns Sales engineers who assist in complex deal cycles Migration support to minimize churn and retire legacy platforms 5x9s SLAs and J.D. Power-certified technical support It's all part of what Sheehan calls the “360-degree approach to service provider success.” No single vendor in the UCaaS/CCaaS space offers this combination of product flexibility, technical enablement, and go-to-market support—all aligned around one goal: partner revenue growth. Ready to Kick the Tires? For SPs exploring new growth paths, Sheehan has a simple message: “You don't need to spend a year and a million dollars to launch something new. You can get started today.
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(0:00) Intro(1:15) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel(2:02) Start of interview(2:45) Emily's origin story(8:27) Her start in venture capital through DFJ with Tim Draper in 2000.(11:56) About the history and evolution of VC(13:42) Investing thesis (founding principle) at her firm Threshold Ventures.(19:21) The venture mechanics of Threshold Ventures. "One of our SLAs is we'd like to be the founder's first call."(21:30) On navigating boardroom dynamics in venture-backed boards. "Building trust is critical" (26:20) On dealing with conflicts of interests at the board level in the VC context. "Decisions with an investors' hat vs board member hat"(31:35) Mention of the VC-Backed Board Academy in SF on May 14, 2025, and NYC on Oct 28, 2025.(32:31) The role of independent directors in VC-backed companies. "I love bringing in independent directors early."(38:09) On board observers. "I always try to think about [board roles] in a two-year cycle"(42:44) The state of diversity in VC. Discussion about All Raise (founded in 2018).(48:12) Navigating the AI Landscape "it's a different world"(55:10) Books that have greatly influenced her life:The Soul in the Game by Vitaliy Katsenelson (2022)(55:43) Her mentors: Heidi Roizen (E6, E108 and E116)(57:07) Quotes that she thinks of often or lives her life by. "Happiness = Reality - Expectation"(57:56) An unusual habit or an absurd thing that she loves. (58:31) The living person she most admires.Emily Melton is a co-founder of Threshold Ventures. She is looking for entrepreneurs who are genuinely excited about being agents of change and have an almost irrational drive to make things better. You can follow Evan on social media at:X: @evanepsteinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/epsteinevan/ Substack: https://evanepstein.substack.com/__To support this podcast you can join as a subscriber of the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at https://evanepstein.substack.com/__Music/Soundtrack (found via Free Music Archive): Seeing The Future by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License
Grow Your Business With Organic Traffic - Start HereHe Couldn't Find a Good 3PL — So Billy Parker Became OneWhat do you do when every 3PL you work with is a nightmare? If you're Billy Parker, you take matters into your own hands.In this episode, Ryan talks to Billy about building an eCommerce brand selling hangover supplements to launching Parker Express, a 3PL born out of pure frustration. Billy shares the behind-the-scenes chaos of eComm operations, why most 3PLs fail DTC brands, and how building the right logistics partner changed everything.If you're an eComm founder who's tired of late deliveries, broken SLAs, or warehouses that just don't get your business, this one's for you.
In this episode of OnBase, host Chris Moody sits down with Craig Chiofalo to explore what it truly takes to build and lead a world-class support engineering organization. Craig pulls back the curtain on the operational strategies and tech stack powering Demandbase's award-winning team—including how tools like Salesforce Einstein and SupportLogic are transforming their approach to proactive support. He also shares lessons on hiring for excellence, scaling impact without ballooning headcount, and why deep, daily collaboration across product, engineering, and customer success is the cornerstone of lasting success.Key takeawaysRight Team, Right Tech: Hiring the right talent, enabling them with strong onboarding and internal tools, and layering in AI-driven technologies can drive exponential impact without scaling the team linearly.Cross-Functional Collaboration Is Everything: Craig attributes much of the team's success to deep integration with product, engineering, and customer success—teams that work together daily to elevate the customer experience.Award-Winning Process Maturity: From rewritten job descriptions to internal training certifications and advanced sentiment monitoring, Craig's team has refined its approach year after year to earn industry recognition.Operationalized AI: AI tools like SupportLogic and Salesforce Einstein are leveraged not just for efficiency, but for better sentiment analysis, proactive support, and smarter data insights.Measure What Matters: In addition to SLAs, Craig's team emphasizes customer satisfaction and effort scores—tracking detailed metrics while staying focused on proactive issue resolution.QuotesOn Team Excellence“This team is phenomenal—not just individually, but in how they collaborate. That synergy is the catalyst behind everything we've achieved.”On Leveraging AI Thoughtfully“AI should be seen as an assistant. It's like a dishwasher—you still load it and unload it, but it saves time and effort on repetitive tasks.”(04:00): How Craig rewrote job descriptions and created testing processes to hire and retain top-tier talent.(09:00): A deep dive into Salesforce Service Cloud, SupportLogic, and the internal troubleshooting app that dramatically reduces time to resolution.(14:00): How the team uses data and proactive alerts to prevent fires before they happen.(18:00): Craig's thoughtful breakdown of AI as a productivity enhancer, not a replacement.Tech RecommendationsSalesforce Service Cloud + Einstein: A central support platform now enhanced with AI capabilities for smarter case handling.SupportLogic: Real-time sentiment analysis and escalation prediction across customer interactions.Resource RecommendationsNewsletter:MIT Technology Review – AI-focused and practicalHarvard Business Review – Daily updates on leadership and strategyMcKinsey – Insightful newsletters with AI-related contentShout-outsUmberto Milletti, Chief R&D Officer at DemandbaseAngelle Stromeyer, RVP Customer Success at DemandbaseErika Setla, Sr. Director, CX Strategy & Ops at DemandbaseAbout the GuestCraig Chiofalo is a customer-focused leader with over 20 years of experience directing customer support, service, and success teams across SMB to enterprise clients. Currently Vice President of Support Engineering at Demandbase, Craig leads a Stevie Award–winning team recognized for delivering outstanding customer service. He brings a proven track record of building high-performing, collaborative teams that exceed goals, with a leadership style rooted in fairness, energy, and a deep passion for technology.Craig has held key roles at IBM, Silverpop, CallRail, Calendly, and Salsify, often joining during critical growth phases to scale operations, implement smart automation, and drive cross-functional alignment. His expertise spans platforms like Salesforce, Zendesk, Jira, Confluence, and SQL—always with a hands-on, data-informed approach to delivering exceptional customer outcomes.
Send us a textEmily Yamasaki speaks with Expert Intelligence's Lalin Theverapperuma, Ph.D. (CEO), and Andreas "Andi" Krupke, Ph.D. (Science Officer), on the SLAS2025 exhibition floor. The duo shares the company's inspiring journey from being an Innovation AveNEW participant in 2023 to now, highlighting their innovative AI technology designed to automate analytical data interpretation in the biotech and pharma industries. The conversation covers their unique Limited Sample Model™ (LSM) technology and the challenges of transitioning from tech to biotech. Thank you to our SponsorAt Waters™, we unlock the potential of science by solving problems that matter. Our software and instruments ensure the safety of the medicines we take, the purity of the food we eat and the water we drink, and the quality and durability of products we use every day. Together with our customers, in labs around the world, we deliver scientific insights to improve human health and well-being, helping to leave the world better than we found it.Stay connected with SLAS:www.slas.orgFacebookXLinkedInInstagramYouTubeAbout SLASSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. Upcoming SLAS Events: SLAS Europe 2025 Conference and Exhibition 20-22 May 2025 Hamburg, Germany View the full events calendar
Join us as we talk about an important part of optimizing your ITSM, properly setting up your Service Level Agreements in Jira Service Management. Learn the ins and outs of good SLAs.We'll also talk about the latest news from Atlassian before TEAM 25!The Jira Life=====================================Having trouble keeping up with when we are live? Sign up for our Atlassian Community Group!https://ace.atlassian.com/the-jira-life/Or Follow us on LinkedIn! / the-jira-life Become a member on YouTube to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/@thejiralife/...Hosts:Alex "Dr. Jira" OrtizRodney "The Jira Guy" NissenSarah Wright"King Bob" Robert WenLina Ortiz / alexortiz89 / @apetechtechtutorials / rgnissen https://thejiraguy.comSidekick: / satwright Producer: / robert-wen-csm-spc6-a552051 Executive Producer: Music provided by Monstercat:=====================================Intro: Nitro Fun - Cheat Codes / monstercat Outro: Fractal - Atrium / monstercatinstinct
Send us a textEmily Yamasaki, Ph.D., is joined by 2025 Innovation AveNEW participants, React4Life's co-founders Silvia Scaglione, Ph.D., (CSO) and Maurizio Aiello, Ph.D. (CEO), on the SLAS2025 exhibition floor. They discuss their company's innovative organ-on-a-chip technology, the MIVO® system, and its applications in cancer research, nutraceuticals and dermocosmetics. The conversation highlights the unique features of their platform, its potential to reduce animal testing and future directions, including scalability and AI-driven data analysis.Thank you to our SponsorAt Waters™, we unlock the potential of science by solving problems that matter. Our software and instruments ensure the safety of the medicines we take, the purity of the food we eat and the water we drink, and the quality and durability of products we use every day. Together with our customers, in labs around the world, we deliver scientific insights to improve human health and well-being, helping to leave the world better than we found it.Learn more at www.waters.comStay connected with SLAS:www.slas.orgFacebookXLinkedInInstagramYouTubeAbout SLASSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. Upcoming SLAS Events: SLAS Europe 2025 Conference and Exhibition 20-22 May 2025 Hamburg, Germany View the full events calendar
Kevin Bonfield is the Founder and Managing Partner of Concentre, a boutique consultancy partnering with mid-market, private equity-backed companies to propel growth, accelerate exits, and maximize returns. With over 20 years of management consulting, business development, and operations experience, he has advised clients, including Southwest Airlines and Tesla. Kevin is also the Co-owner of EcoClean Austin, an award-winning, environmentally friendly dry cleaner, and is a member of EO Dallas. In this episode: Some businesses face bottlenecks in their operations when scaling, like process inefficiencies and unstructured data. Without effective systems, growth can lead to increased costs rather than improved profitability. How can companies streamline operations, leverage data effectively, and integrate AI without creating more complexity? Business consultant Kevin Bonfield recommends establishing clear processes before automating, ensuring businesses capture and use data effectively. Companies should identify existing data in systems such as call center software before aligning it with their desired business outcomes. To improve process efficiency, you can also implement structured metrics like service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs). In this episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit interviews Kevin Bonfield, Founder and Managing Partner at Concentre, about leveraging AI, data, and processes for business growth. Kevin explains how structured processes drive operational efficiency, the right way to integrate automation, and the role of data in decision-making.
Send us a textNew Matter is excited to announce that the SLAS Journal podcasts–SLAS Discovery Author Insights and SLAS Technology Authors Talk Tech–are merging with New Matter! All episodes will gradually be republished to the New Matter feed and referred to as a "Special Episode" in the title.To kick off this merge is the first episode of SLAS Discovery Author Insights featuring host Robert Howes, Ph.D., who speaks with SLAS Discovery Editor-in-Chief Bob Campbell, Ph.D. Recorded in 2020, they discuss Bob's work with the journal and a bit of history about SLAS and the journal's origins. Also, Bob encourages authors and readers to publish their work in SLAS Discovery.For more information about the journal, visit the SLAS Discovery website or contact Dr. Campbell directly at editorcampbell@slas.org.Thank you to our SponsorAt Waters™, we unlock the potential of science by solving problems that matter. Our software and instruments ensure the safety of the medicines we take, the purity of the food we eat and the water we drink, and the quality and durability of products we use every day. Together with our customers, in labs around the world, we deliver scientific insights to improve human health and well-being, helping to leave the world better than we found it.Stay connected with SLAS:www.slas.orgFacebookXLinkedInInstagramYouTubeAbout SLASSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. Upcoming SLAS Events: SLAS Europe 2025 Conference and Exhibition 20-22 May 2025 Hamburg, Germany View the full events calendar
Send us a textLive from SLAS2025, Emily Yamasaki, Ph.D., speaks with David Jennions, Ph.D., Senior Director of Platforms and Systems Development at Grail and SLAS board member. Jennions discusses his role at Grail, which involves overseeing the development and deployment of large-scale automation systems for clinical diagnostics, ensuring they are fit for purpose and operationally efficient. Later, the two discuss themes of integration, communication and collaboration in lab automation, particularly in the context of the Nexus Xp Pavilion at the conference. He also shares insights into the challenges of automating complex diagnostic assays, the role of AI and machine learning in data analysis, and his excitement about the innovations showcased at SLAS.Key Learning PointsIntegration and Communication in Automation: The effectiveness of integration and communication between instruments, robots and data systems for improving operational efficiency.Sample Integrity and System Reliability: How clinical diagnostics and drug discovery compare in handling errors.AI and Machine Learning in Diagnostics: Why being cautionary when implementing AI and machine learning helps avoid bias and ensure verifiable outputs.Thank you to our SponsorUnited Robotics Group is a leader in delivering innovative robotic solutions that empower industries to achieve more. Combining cutting-edge technology with human-centric design, we specialize in creating advanced automation tools that streamline processes, enhance precision, and drive efficiency across sectors such as life sciences, manufacturing, healthcare, and more.Guided by a commitment to innovation and quality, we design solutions that not only address today's challenges but also pave the way for tomorrow's possibilities. At United Robotics Group, we're not just building robots—we're building partnerships that transform industries and improve lives.Learn more at https://unitedrobotics.group/en-us.Stay connected with SLAS:www.slas.orgFacebookXLinkedInInstagramYouTubeAbout SLASSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. Upcoming SLAS Events: SLAS Europe 2025 Conference and Exhibition 20-22 May 2025 Hamburg, Germany View the full events calendar
Enid Blyton. „Stebuklingas norų krėslas“. Skaito aktorius Vytautas Rašimas.
Enid Blyton. „Stebuklingas norų krėslas“. Skaito aktorius Vytautas Rašimas.
I ran into Jackson Hyde, the CEO of Diaago, whom I had interviewed on Life Science Marketing Radio a few years ago at SLAS. Jackson showed me a new cold shipping unit and suggested I talk to Faizan Ahmed. That led to this conversation about his company, Invensify, and its innovative approach to cold chain logistics.With an electrical engineering background and experience in solid-state physics, he started his career in the defense industry, leading the development of a precision coordinate scanning system for night vision goggles, a project adopted by the U.S. Air Force. As you'll hear, this experience shaped his entrepreneurial mindset, exposing him to various disciplines beyond engineering, including sales, marketing, and strategic planning, .Before Invensify, Faizan co-founded Genxsys, a company that developed a rain-deflector system for camera lenses based on centrifugal force. The product allowed photographers to take clear pictures in the rain or snow without interference. Within a short period, Genxsys secured a lot of orders and was rapidly acquired. This reinforced Faizan's passion for identifying problems and developing innovative solutions.At this point, I'm struck by the difference of someone in life science workig on a single problem for years as opposed to an engineer who solves a problem and moves on. I know it's not a fair comparison between trying to understand biology and applying existing knowledge, but I find it interesting. Are you subscribed yet? If not, let's fix that.Faizan's inspiration for tackling cold chain logistics came from a personal experience. Watching his diabetic dad struggle to keep insulin at the correct temperature while traveling, he realized there was a major gap in the market. The existing solutions relied heavily on ice packs, which required precise handling, refrigeration, and compliance with transportation regulations. TSA often discarded ice packs at security checkpoints, forcing travelers to find alternative cooling methods. This inconvenience and inefficiency led him to explore better solutions for cold chain shipping.As Faizan researched the industry, he learned that pharmaceutical companies still relied on Styrofoam boxes with ice packs to ship temperature-sensitive drugs. These solutions required significant manual effort, meticulous packing procedures, and real estate for refrigeration. The approach lacked reliability, with many shipments relying on overnight delivery to minimize temperature deviations. Additionally, the use of traditional compressor-based refrigeration was impractical due to power consumption and transportation restrictions on lithium-ion batteries.Recognizing these limitations, he and his team developed a thermoelectric cooling system that eliminates the need for ice packs, compressors, and refrigerant. Their solid-state cooling technology is far more efficient than conventional thermoelectric systems, thanks to advancements in material science. The Invensify system charges in five to six hours and maintains a stable temperature (2 to 8°C) for over 100 hours without an external power source. The battery is compact, fitting into a shirt pocket, solving the power and weight issues associated with traditional refrigeration methods.Beyond the cooling innovation, Invensify integrated smart tracking features. The system includes LTE, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing users to monitor the shipment's location and temperature in real-time. This level of tracking provides pharmaceutical companies with a level of assurance that was previously unavailable. Instead of relying on periodic temperature checks when a package changes hands, companies can now have continuous visibility into their shipments.The business case for Invensify extends beyond improving logistics efficiency. In addition to financial costs, there are broader environmental concerns, such as the non-recyclable nature of Styrofoam and the energy consumption of traditional cold storage methods. Invencify's solution reduces labor costs, eliminates the need for large-scale refrigeration infrastructure, and minimizes waste, making it an attractive alternative.Faizan's insights into the business side of innovation were particularly compelling. He emphasized that a great technological innovation alone is not enough—success comes from understanding and solving customer pain points. In this case, Invensify doesn't just offer an efficient cooling system; it also simplifies logistics, enhances tracking, and provides a more sustainable option. The company's approach streamlines operations by removing the complexity of handling ice packs and reduces liability for pharmaceutical companies by ensuring drugs are maintained at the correct temperature throughout transit.Finally we discussed funding and what it takes for a startup to secure investment. Faizan highlighted three key factors: the strength of the idea, the quality of the team, and the credibility of the founders. He credited his early career experiences for preparing him to navigate the startup world. Working at a small company allowed him to wear multiple hats and understand the full lifecycle of a product—from development to sales. By the time he launched Genxsys and later Invensify, he had built strong relationships with investors and strategic angels who believed in his vision. When he pitched Invensify, he was able to secure funding quickly, thanks to his track record and well-articulated business case.Of course, having a track record of success makes raising funds easier. For first-time founders, he stressed the importance of bootstrapping to develop a minimum viable product (MVP) and demonstrating a clear market opportunity. Investors look for disruptive solutions with large addressable markets, and startups must frame their innovation in terms of its business impact rather than just its technological novelty.He also underscored the importance of understanding not just the technology but the broader ecosystem in which it operates. Invensify technology has the potential to reshape multiple industries. Beyond pharmaceutical logistics, there are applications in vaccine distribution, particularly in regions with unreliable power grids. It could also be a game-changer for individuals who rely on refrigerated medications, ensuring they have a reliable solution when traveling or facing power outages. The broader implications of a solid-state, highly efficient cooling system extend far beyond what we discussed.Innovation happens at the intersection of technology, business, and human needs. It's not just about inventing something new—it's about making it viable, scalable, and impactful. Our conversation underscored the importance of thinking beyond the immediate function of a technology and considering all the elements that contribute to its success, from logistics and compliance to user experience and market fit.Your deepest insights are your best branding. I'd love to help you share them. Chat with me about custom content for your life science brand. Or visit my website.If you appreciate this content, you likely know someone else who will appreciate it too. Please share it with them. This is a public episode. 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Send us a textIn this episode, Emily Yamasaki, Ph.D., speaks with Lab Donkey Director Safwan Hak at SLAS2025 in San Diego. Safwan shares his extensive background in software development and how his newfound passion for lab automation led to the creation of Lab Donkey, a software platform designed to streamline lab automation processes. Originating from the British term "donkey work," Lab Donkey's mission is to streamline tedious manual lab tasks with its automation software. Safwan highlights the platform's focus on quick integration, ease of use, and collaboration with industry experts. Key Learning pointsLab Automation Challenges: How Lab automation software can reduce repetitive, time-consuming tasks.Collaboration and Expertise: The importance of industry collaboration in leveraging different experiences to create effective solutions.Thank you to our SponsorUnited Robotics Group is a leader in delivering innovative robotic solutions that empower industries to achieve more. Combining cutting-edge technology with human-centric design, we specialize in creating advanced automation tools that streamline processes, enhance precision, and drive efficiency across sectors such as life sciences, manufacturing, healthcare, and more.Guided by a commitment to innovation and quality, we design solutions that not only address today's challenges but also pave the way for tomorrow's possibilities. At United Robotics Group, we're not just building robots—we're building partnerships that transform industries and improve lives.Learn more at https://unitedrobotics.group/en-us.Stay connected with SLAS:www.slas.orgFacebookXLinkedInInstagramYouTubeAbout SLASSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. Upcoming SLAS Events: SLAS Europe 2025 Conference and Exhibition 20-22 May 2025 Hamburg, Germany View the full events calendar
In this latest episode of Get Out of Wrap TV, the contact centre community comes together for an insightful and engaging discussion filled with real-world industry challenges, expert perspectives, and plenty of laughter.From candid conversations about the frustrations of sales outreach to the power of AI in improving inclusivity—particularly through Spencer Collins' game-changing experience with RogerVoice—this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.The team also dives into the latest insights from Contact Babel's Decision Makers' Guide, breaking down the current state of digital customer service and email SLAs.Whether you're looking for industry expertise, fresh perspectives, or just a great community vibe, this episode is a must-listen for any contact centre professional!
ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS: Signal Prioritization: Categorize signals (e.g., high-intent, time-based) with different response SLAs to ensure timely outreach. Call Blitz Culture: Multiple weekly call blitzes with a virtual sales floor create a high-energy, team-building cold calling environment. Effective Personalization: Don't rely on signals alone; combine them with company insights to craft personalized, compelling outreach. 80/20 Email Framework: Provide reps with an 80% completed template (signal, company insight, ideal state, light CTA), letting them personalize the final 20%. FLORIN'S PATH TO PRESIDENTS CLUB: Head of Sales Development @ Common Room Director of Sales @ Barley Senior Manager, Sales Development @ Loopio Manager, Sales Development @ Loopio RESOURCES DISCUSSED: Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal
Send us a textIn this episode, SLAS Scientific Director Lesley Mathews, Ph.D., speaks with returning guest Opentrons CEO Jon Brennan-Badal to discuss their mission to democratize laboratory robotics. The conversation delves into the integration of AI to enhance automation efficiency, explores vendor equipment compatibility via the Opentrons Automation Marketplace, and highlights the platform's open-source adaptability for diverse scientific applications.Key Learning Points:Methods of providing accessibility in laboratory roboticsHow AI is enhancing automation to make advanced automation tools easier to useThe importance of offering education and training in lab automationLike this episode?Listen to our first episode with Jon Brennan-Badal for more open-source discussion. Thank you to our SponsorUnited Robotics Group is a leader in delivering innovative robotic solutions that empower industries to achieve more. Combining cutting-edge technology with human-centric design, we specialize in creating advanced automation tools that streamline processes, enhance precision, and drive efficiency across sectors such as life sciences, manufacturing, healthcare, and more.Guided by a commitment to innovation and quality, we design solutions that not only address today's challenges but also pave the way for tomorrow's possibilities. At United Robotics Group, we're not just building robots—we're building partnerships that transform industries and improve lives.Learn more at https://unitedrobotics.group/en-us.Stay connected with SLAS:www.slas.orgFacebookTwitter @SLAS_OrgLinkedInInstagram @slas_orgYouTubeAbout SLASSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. Upcoming SLAS Events: SLAS Europe 2025 Conference and Exhibition 20-22 May 2025 Hamburg, Germany View the full events calendar
What happens when a company decides to redefine its identity? That's what I witnessed firsthand at the IT Press Tour in Silicon Valley, as CloudFabrix unveiled its transformation into Fabrix.ai—a move that marks more than just a rebrand, but a bold step into the future of AI-driven IT Operations. In this episode, I sit down with Raju Datla, CEO of Fabrix.ai, to explore this pivotal shift and the launch of their Agentic AI Operational Platform. We discuss why the evolution from CloudFabrix to Fabrix.ai is not just about a name change but revolutionizing how IT operations leverage AI agents for autonomous workflows, predictive analytics, and automated remediation. Fabrix.ai introduces Agentic AI, a new paradigm where AI-driven agents operate independently to solve IT challenges—without constant human intervention. These agents can detect anomalies, manage SLAs, predict system failures, and execute automated fixes. But how does this compare to traditional AIOps and ML-driven approaches? And what safeguards are in place to prevent AI hallucinations, bias, and errors in critical IT workflows? We'll unpack how Fabrix.ai's three foundational fabrics—AI Fabric, Automation Fabric, and Data Fabric—transform enterprise IT by combining AI-powered reasoning, real-time data processing, and intelligent automation. Raju shares insights into how large enterprises and telcos leverage this technology and how Fabrix.ai works with industry giants like Cisco, IBM, and Splunk to reshape IT operations. Beyond the tech, we dive into leadership lessons from a serial entrepreneur—how Raju has built a loyal team across multiple ventures, the mindset needed to create sustainable, high-impact businesses, and why passion should always come before profit. So, what does the future hold as we stand at the crossroads of AI-driven automation and IT modernization? Will Agentic AI usher in the long-promised era of fully autonomous enterprises? What are your thoughts? Could AI-driven agents transform IT as we know it? Let's continue the conversation.
In this episode of Ticket Volume, Matt Beran welcomes Linda Lenox, a Service Management expert with decades of experience transforming IT operations. Together, they dive into the art and science of crafting meaningful Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that align with business objectives, foster collaboration, and empower service desk teams. From overcoming the fear of SLAs to leveraging them as tools for continuous improvement, Linda shares actionable insights and real-world examples to inspire IT leaders. Here's a sneak peek: 1. Why SLAs shouldn't be a “stick” for service desk agents. 2. The importance of starting SLA discussions with current metrics. 3. How SLAs can bridge the gap between IT and the business. 4. Tips for balancing metrics like first call resolution and call times. 5. Using SLAs as a tool for service improvement, not just measurement. Tune in for an engaging conversation packed with practical advice for IT pros, service management leaders, and anyone striving to make SLAs a business enabler. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts—we'd love to hear from you!
Send us a textAre you someone who wants to hit the ground running with your first job in a laboratory? Or a company seeking to enhance the skills of your liquid handling specialists?In this episode, we discuss everything you need to know about the SLAS Applied Liquid Handling Boot Camp—a first of its kind course—that will take place April 8-9, 2025.What is this course?Who is it intended for?What does it provide participants?All questions are answered, and more!Want to learn more?Visit the course page to read the full description and to enroll to learn from industry-focused instructors about operating liquid handling automation equipment, the drug discovery processes and developments. Take advantage of this ONE-TIME opportunity to participate in this limited-enrollment beta test of the program for only $150!Thank you to our SponsorUnited Robotics Group is a leader in delivering innovative robotic solutions that empower industries to achieve more. Combining cutting-edge technology with human-centric design, we specialize in creating advanced automation tools that streamline processes, enhance precision, and drive efficiency across sectors such as life sciences, manufacturing, healthcare, and more.Guided by a commitment to innovation and quality, we design solutions that not only address today's challenges but also pave the way for tomorrow's possibilities. At United Robotics Group, we're not just building robots—we're building partnerships that transform industries and improve lives.Learn more at https://unitedrobotics.group/en-us.Stay connected with SLAS:www.slas.orgFacebookX (@SLAS_Org)LinkedInInstagram (@slas_org)YouTubeAbout SLASSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. Upcoming SLAS Events: SLAS Europe 2025 Conference and Exhibition 20-22 May 2025 Hamburg, Germany View the full events calendar
In this episode, Matt Boland, Director of Global Supply Chain Partners, and Chad Andrews, Director of Solution Engineering, both of Körber Supply Chain Software, discuss the transformative role of the order management system (OMS) in B2B operations.Key Takeaways:(04:42) OMS needs evangelism and adoption to meet the evolving demands of B2B.(06:52) How available-to-promise challenges impact B2B order fulfillment.(08:17) SLAs in B2B are non-negotiable — noncompliance can result in chargebacks or cancellations.(11:19) OMS fits between demand channels, ERP and warehouse systems to optimize decision-making.(15:46) Protecting revenue and profitability with automated rules and intelligent order processing.(18:04) OMS acts as the “great unifier,” ensuring consistency across systems and processes.(22:12) Inventory visibility through OMS unlocks additional revenue opportunities.(29:47) Customer-specific rules belong in OMS, not ERP, for scalability and flexibility.(34:02) Modular deployment of OMS components addresses specific business challenges effectively.Resources Mentioned:Matt Boland - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mtboland/Chad Andrews - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-andrews-28602722/IBM Watson -https://www.ibm.com/watsonMIT Research -https://web.mit.edu/research/Thanks for listening to “B2B Commerce UnCut: A Journey Through Change,” powered by Oro. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help get the word out about the show. And be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation.#eCommerce #B2BeCommerce #DigitalCommerce
In this episode, Matt Boland, Director of Global Supply Chain Partners, and Chad Andrews, Director of Solution Engineering, both of Körber Supply Chain Software, discuss the transformative role of the order management system (OMS) in B2B operations.Key Takeaways:(04:42) OMS needs evangelism and adoption to meet the evolving demands of B2B.(06:52) How available-to-promise challenges impact B2B order fulfillment.(08:17) SLAs in B2B are non-negotiable — noncompliance can result in chargebacks or cancellations.(11:19) OMS fits between demand channels, ERP and warehouse systems to optimize decision-making.(15:46) Protecting revenue and profitability with automated rules and intelligent order processing.(18:04) OMS acts as the “great unifier,” ensuring consistency across systems and processes.(22:12) Inventory visibility through OMS unlocks additional revenue opportunities.(29:47) Customer-specific rules belong in OMS, not ERP, for scalability and flexibility.(34:02) Modular deployment of OMS components addresses specific business challenges effectively.Resources Mentioned:Matt Boland - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mtboland/Chad Andrews - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-andrews-28602722/IBM Watson -https://www.ibm.com/watsonMIT Research -https://web.mit.edu/research/Thanks for listening to “B2B Commerce UnCut: A Journey Through Change,” powered by Oro. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help get the word out about the show. And be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation.#eCommerce #B2BeCommerce #DigitalCommerce
In this episode of Ticket Volume, Matt Beran sits down with John Gordon, Senior VP of HP Managed Solutions Division, to explore how preventative Incident Management is reshaping IT operations. With a vision for zero-incident environments, John shares strategies to move from reactive problem-solving to proactive prevention, helping IT teams reduce downtime and improve user satisfaction. Here's a sneak peek: 1. Why zero incidents should be every IT team's goal. 2. The role of telemetry and automation in proactive IT operations. 3. How redefining SLAs can drive a preventative mindset. 4. The challenge of measuring hidden ROI—and why it's worth it. 5. Lessons from HP's success with preventative strategies. Tune in to learn how preventative Incident Management can transform your IT approach and hear actionable advice from one of the industry's leading voices. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the comments!
Send us a textThe SLAS2025 Short Course Program consists of 20+ courses that will provide in-depth instruction on topics, issues and techniques related to the laboratory science and technology community. Short Courses run from January 25-26, 2025.This episode features several instructors who give a preview of their respective courses such as lesson highlights, takeaways and why you should attend their course. Attending SLAS2025? Browse the full course program and signup for a course here: SLAS2025 Short Course ProgramSee the timestamps for each course discussion below:00:00 — Exploring Targeted Protein Degradation: Concepts and Applications - Sponsored by Promega09:26 — Introduction to Python Programming for the Laboratory and Streamlining Your Laboratory with Python21:06 — Practical Introduction to Data Science Methods, Using AI and Generative AI33:55 — NexusXp – Plan Your Future LabStay connected with SLAS:www.slas.orgFacebookX (@SLAS_Org)LinkedInInstagram (@slas_org)YouTubeAbout SLASSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. Upcoming SLAS Events: SLAS2025 International Conference and Exhibition January 25-29, 2025 San Diego, CA, USA SLAS Europe 2025 Conference and Exhibition 20-22 May 2025 Hamburg, Germany View the full events calendar
Topics DiscussedThe importance of changeability as a core characteristic of well-maintained software.How GitHub has approached accessibility as a business and legal imperative.The evolution of GitHub's frontend system, spanning over 2,000 pages, and the concept of "frontend vintages."Primer: GitHub's design system and the paradox of its success—consistency vs. changeability.The disproportionate maintenance costs of frontend systems compared to backend systems.Using tools like Axe and keyboard-only tests to identify and resolve accessibility issues.The philosophical balance between creativity and usability in software design.Practical advice for teams starting their accessibility journey with limited resources.How frontend complexity affects scalability, especially in app-like experiences.Joel's advocacy for adopting off-the-shelf components to reduce complexity for smaller teams.Key Takeaways[00:01:12] What Defines Well-Maintained Software?Joel explains how changeability—the confidence to make and deploy changes—provides the foundation for high-quality software.[00:03:05] Accessibility as a PriorityThe Microsoft acquisition drove GitHub's investment in accessibility, introducing SLAs, automated tools, and manual processes to track progress.[00:08:49] Primer: GitHub's Design SystemPrimer fosters consistency but introduces the challenge of making changes across a vast, interconnected system.[00:12:54] The Cost of Frontend ComplexityJoel shares how browser quirks, device diversity, and other variables make frontend maintenance far more expensive than backend systems.[00:28:05] Where to Start with AccessibilityJoel recommends focusing on key user workflows like signing up, making payments, and completing core tasks. He emphasizes the importance of tools like Axe and keyboard-driven tests.Notable Time-Stamps[00:01:12] What Makes Software Well-Maintained? Joel shares how changeability drives quality.[00:03:05] GitHub's Accessibility Journey: The role of SLAs, audits, and automation.[00:08:49] Primer and Design Systems: Balancing consistency with innovation.[00:12:54] The Hidden Costs of Frontend Complexity: Lessons learned at GitHub.[00:20:33] Balancing Creativity with Usability: Joel reflects on the intersection of design and functionality.[00:28:05] Accessibility Best Practices: Where teams should focus their initial efforts.ResourcesJoel Hawksley's WebsitePrimer Design SystemAxe Accessibility ToolsGitHub's ViewComponent FrameworkBook Recommendation:How Buildings Learn by Stewart BrandGuest's LinksJoel Hawksley on GitHubJoel Hawksley's WebsiteThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out! Subscribe to Maintainable on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOr search "Maintainable" wherever you stream your podcasts.Keep up to date with the Maintainable Podcast by joining the newsletter.
Welcome and Introduction- Will Townsend welcomes listeners to episode 211 of G2 on 5G.- Introduction of guest analyst Anshel Sag.Mobile Network Operator Response to Southern California Wildfires- Discussion of tragic wildfires and estimated damages.- Verizon's response:- Waiving charges for affected customers- Deploying mobile and satellite assets- Offering free charging and Wi-Fi- Donating to American Red Cross- AT&T's response:- Similar charge waivers- Providing Wi-Fi and charging stations- Deploying generators to support cell sites- Donations to various organizations- T-Mobile's response:- Offering unlimited services to customers- Deploying satellite equipment- Engaging Starlink serviceCES Highlights and AI's Impact on 5G- Anshel Sag's observations from CES- AI as a driver for 5G adoption- Concept of hybrid AI and its reliance on 5G connectivity- AI's potential to accelerate 5G development and usageAT&T's New "Guarantee" Program- Introduction of AT&T's consumer-focused service guarantees- Details on outage credits and customer service improvements- Comparison to service level agreements (SLAs) for consumers- Potential impact on customer retention and acquisitionT-Mobile's Acquisition to Boost Ad Business- T-Mobile's acquisition of Vystar Media for $600 million- Expansion into digital out-of-home advertising- Strategy to increase revenue beyond traditional subscriptionsAST SpaceMobile and Legato Networks Partnership- Agreement for AST SpaceMobile to use Legato's spectrum- Discussion of Legato's bankruptcy filing and restructuring- Potential implications for AST SpaceMobile's satellite serviceLaunch of Aduna for 5G API Development- Introduction of Aduna, a joint venture for 5G APIs- Appointment of Anthony Bartolo as CEO- Goal to simplify and unify 5G API development across carriers- Use of Camara APIs as a foundationClosing Remarks- Reflection on the first live podcast of the year- Invitation for listener engagement and feedback
Send us a textThis episode underscores the rising threat of cross-domain attacks and the critical importance of identity management in cybersecurity. We discuss evaluating software risks, the nuances of open-source versus COTS solutions, and the necessity of robust SLAs in managed services.• Importance of understanding cross-domain attacks and their implications • Role of identity and access management in mitigating vulnerabilities • Evaluating open-source software based on community engagement • Challenges of commercial off-the-shelf software in security assessments • Importance of managed services SLAs in establishing expectations • Distinction between pen testing and static code analysis in evaluations • Shared responsibility model clarifying security task divisions • Ongoing reassessments as a response to evolving risks and threatsGain access to 60 FREE CISSP Practice Questions each and every month for the next 6 months by going to FreeCISSPQuestions.com and sign-up to join the team for Free. That is 360 FREE questions to help you study and pass the CISSP Certification. Join Today!
How can teams unlock elite productivity while navigating the complexities of DevOps? Expert consultant Xing Zhou reveals how DORA metrics—from deployment frequency to change failure rate, drive performance and bridge gaps between leadership and the team members. Xing's impressive career spans companies like Amazon, Pivotal Labs, and Integral. He currently serves as Xing has led high-performing teams, implemented cutting-edge DevOps strategies, and helped organizations make meaningful progress toward elite DORA benchmarks. Xing and Ashok discuss actionable steps for C-Suite leaders and product teams, focusing on SLAs, CI/CD, behavior-driven development, and event storming workshops to drive alignment and enhance productivity. Packed with real-world examples, this conversation is essential listening for anyone aiming to turn metrics into a reflection of team health and organizational success. Inside the episode... A clear explanation of Dora metrics: what they are and why they matter. How SLAs and SLOs empower teams while aligning with organizational goals. Continuous delivery (CD): balancing technical capability with business priorities. The difference between pull request (PR) and trunk-based development for CI. Behavior-driven development (BDD) and its role in improving test automation. Event storming: how this simple tool drives clarity in business processes. Practical strategies for introducing new practices like BDD or event storming to your team. Mentioned in this episode: Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) Gherkin language for test automation Event storming Unlock the full potential of your product team with Integral's player coaches, experts in lean, human-centered design. Visit integral.io/convergence for a free Product Success Lab workshop to gain clarity and confidence in tackling any product design or engineering challenge. Subscribe to the Convergence podcast wherever you get podcasts including video episodes to get updated on the other crucial conversations that we'll post on YouTube at youtube.com/@convergencefmpodcast Learn something? Give us a 5 star review and like the podcast on YouTube. It's how we grow. Follow the Pod Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/convergence-podcast/ X: https://twitter.com/podconvergence Instagram: @podconvergence
Guest Information: • Name: Anil Noorani • Title: Founder and Managing Partner of TKM Consultants and Non-Exec Director of We Are Amnet • Expertise: • Optimizing global creative production strategies • Offshore production models • Bridging in-house and offshore creative ecosystemsEpisode Summary:In this episode, we explore the transformative role of offshore production in creative operations with Anil Noorani, founder and managing partner at TKM Consultants. Drawing from over two decades of experience, Anil discusses how offshore production has evolved from a cost-saving strategy to a cornerstone of scalable and strategic creative operations. From overcoming cultural challenges to leveraging AI and automation, Anil offers practical insights for creative leaders aiming to scale content production while maintaining quality and brand alignment.Timeline: • [00:00] Introduction to Anil Noorani and offshore production • [02:22] Defining creative operations and its global nuances • [07:05] Evolution of offshore production: Past, present, and future • [11:47] Strategic integration of in-house and offshore resources • [16:27] Key triggers for adopting offshore production models • [21:08] Skills to offshore versus in-house: Decision frameworks • [28:07] Commercial models in offshore production • [32:53] Readiness for offshore: Cultural, technical, and process alignment • [42:30] Smart shoring and hybrid offshore models explained • [49:35] Metrics that matter: Evaluating offshore performance • [56:38] AI and automation's role in scaling content production • [01:03:30] Closing thoughts on the future of creative operationsKey Takeaways: 1. Defining Creative Operations: • Intersection of people, processes, technology, and creativity. • Key priorities: Quality, speed, and scalability of asset production. 2. Offshore as a Strategic Imperative: • Transition from cost-saving to a scalable and strategic model. • Integration with in-house teams for upstream creative services. 3. Key Drivers for Offshore Adoption: • Addressing scale, speed, and cost challenges in content production. • Leveraging offshore talent pools for specialized skills like CGI and digital. 4. Effective Offshore Partnerships: • Embrace cultural readiness and strong communication practices. • Importance of brand immersion during onboarding for quality outcomes. 5. Hybrid and Smart Shoring Models: • Combining dedicated and transactional teams for flexibility. • Regional client service teams bridge cultural and operational gaps. 6. Automation and AI Integration: • Automate repetitive tasks like digital banners and packaging artwork. • AI-enabled personalization for enhanced customer experiences. 7. Metrics for Success: • Focus on “right first time” production, quality, turnaround times, and responsiveness. • Robust KPIs and SLAs ensure alignment and continuous improvement. 8. Future Trends in Creative Ops: • Expansion of AI-driven personalization and virtual production. • Offshore partners as key enablers of AI adoption and scaling.Call to Action:If you're exploring offshore production for your creative operations or looking to optimize your existing partnerships, check out We Are Amnet's latest Global Benchmark Report. For more actionable insights and to stay ahead in the creative ops space, follow Creative Ops on your favorite podcast platform.Let me know if further updates are needed!
Integrity360, one of the leading pan-European cyber security specialists, has announced the launch of its Managed Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) Service, designed to deliver automated cloud workload protection, unparalleled visibility into cloud environments, proactive threat and exposure detection, and compliance alignment. The service addresses the growing complexity of securing multi-cloud environments and protecting cloud-native applications against evolving risks. Cloud environments are increasingly the target of cyberattacks, with 82% of breaches occurring in the cloud and 39% spanning multiple environments, according to the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023. Integrity360's Managed CNAPP Service directly addresses these risks, providing organisations with advanced tools and services to strengthen their cloud security posture and protect their cloud environments with greater efficiency. Integrity360's Managed CNAPP Service combines agent and agentless methodologies to deliver visibility into threats and exposures across cloud environments. This dual approach enables organisations to monitor and protect every layer of their cloud infrastructure, from workloads and configurations to APIs and sensitive data. Granular insights into misconfigurations and potential vulnerabilities also allow organisations to identify and address risks proactively, reducing the likelihood of breaches. Integrity360's Managed CNAPP Service offers 24/7 real-time threat detection, leveraging AI-driven insights to identify active threats and prioritise risk findings. By distinguishing between two critical categories, exposures and threats, the service focuses security operations, improving the speed and accuracy of threat management and alleviating the burden on internal security teams. The service integrates seamlessly across multi-cloud setups and provides 24/7/365 protection through Integrity360's Security Operations Centre (SOC). It is backed by robust SLAs, ensuring that critical threats are acknowledged within 15 minutes, triaged within one hour, and investigated within two hours. This rapid response capability enables businesses to contain threats quickly and minimise potential damage. The service also addresses common vulnerabilities in cloud environments, such as misconfigured assets and excessive permissions, which have been at the centre of recent breaches. For instance, the high-profile Microsoft Midnight Blizzard attack, in which attackers exploited a non-production cloud tenant lacking MFA to gain access to production systems, highlights the critical need for proactive security measures. "Traditional cloud security tools often operate in silos, leaving blind spots in organisations' defences," said Ahmed Aburahal, Technical Product Manager at Integrity360. "The need for advanced, unified security solutions is critical, particularly as Gartner predicts that 95% of cloud breaches will stem from user misconfigurations by 2025. Our Managed CNAPP Service bridges these gaps, providing a unified platform that ensures continuous monitoring, streamlined risk management, and robust threat protection." Integrity360's Managed CNAPP Service offers tailored solutions to prevent such incidents, including continuous configuration monitoring and enforcement of security best practices. The flexible options empower businesses to select the level of protection that best aligns with their cloud strategy, whether securing a single public cloud or managing complex multi-cloud infrastructures. Ongoing optimisation enables organisations to adapt to evolving threats and maintain an agile, resilient cloud environment and while the service leverages advanced automation and AI-driven tools, its human-centred approach is critical to its success. Integrity360's SOC team provide expert configuration and change management support, ensuring that each customer's CNAPP deployment is aligned with their unique security and compliance needs. Month...
Data Product Management in Action: The Practitioner's Podcast
The Data Product Management In Action podcast, brought to you by Soda and executive producer Scott Hirleman, is a platform for data product management practitioners to share insights and experiences. In Episode 24 of Data Product Management in Action, our host Nick Zervoudis is joined byTefi Trabuchi, Data Platform Product Manager at SumUp, to discuss her experience transforming a reactive data platform team into a user-focused, strategy-driven powerhouse. Tefi shares how she tackled challenges like burnout, prioritization struggles, and resistance to product practices such as user research and OKRs. She highlights the pivotal role of user interviews in shifting mindsets and the delicate balance between reducing risk, ensuring compliance, and driving innovation. Tefi also emphasizes the value of clear communication and curiosity when working in highly technical domains. This episode offers practical insights for product managers navigating the complexities of data, AI, and machine learning. About our host Nick Zervoudis: Nick is Head of Product at CKDelta, an AI software business within the CKHutchison Holdings group. Nick oversees a portfolio of data products and works with sister companies to uncover new opportunities to innovate using data,analytics, and machine learning.Nick's career has revolved around data and advanced analytics from day one,having worked as an analyst, consultant, product manager, and instructor for startups, SMEs, and enterprises including PepsiCo, Sainsbury's, Lloyds BankingGroup, IKEA, Capgemini Invent, BrainStation, QuantSpark, and Hg Capital. Nick is also the co-host ofLondon's Data Product Management meetup, andspeaks & writes regularly about data & AI product management. Connect with Nick on LinkedIn. About our guest Tefi Trabuchi:Tefi is a Data Platform Product Manager at SumUp, where she focuses on making sure our data tools are not only secure and efficient but also provide a smooth user experience for our internal teams. Before this, she led the development of an in-house Data Observability tool at Glovo, introducing governance rules and SLAs for key datasets. Tefi enjoys working closely with teams to create practical solutions that make accessing and using data easier and more intuitive, so everyone can make more informed decisions faster. Connect with Tefi on LinkedIn. All views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect their employers or anyone else. Join the conversation on LinkedIn. Apply to be a guest or nominate someone that you know. Do you love what you're listening to? Please rate and review the podcast, and share it with fellow practitioners you know. Your support helps us reach more listeners and continue providing valuable insights!
Send us a textIn this special episode, Sapio Sciences Vice President Product and Pre-Sales Rob Brown, M.Sc., Ph.D., speaks with SLAS Scientific Director Lesley Mathews, Ph.D., to discuss how AI, large language models and a unified data platform revolutionize scientific informatics. Rob explains the benefits of a single data object and unified platform that streamlines data analysis and integrates seamlessly with lab equipment.Sapio's virtual assistant, ELaiN®, leverages natural language for more efficient lab workflows, allowing scientists to focus on complex tasks. The conversation highlights Sapio's mission to improve patient outcomes by enhancing scientists' productivity through innovative software solutions.Key Learning Points:The benefits of using a single data object as a source of truth for sample dataHow Sapio's platform incorporates large language models (LLMs) to automate tasks and facilitate natural language interactionsWays to boost efficiency and productivity by integrating AI, data science and equipment handling compared to using separate solutionsAbout Sapio Sciences:Sapio Sciences' mission is to improve lives by accelerating discovery, and because science is complex, Sapio makes technology simple. Sapio is a global business offering an all-in-one science-aware (TM) lab informatics platform combining cloud-based LIMS, ELN, and Jarvis data solutions. Visit sapiosciences.com to learn more.Stay connected with SLAS:www.slas.orgFacebookTwitter @SLAS_OrgLinkedInInstagram @slas_orgYouTubeAbout SLASSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. Upcoming SLAS Events: SLAS2025 International Conference and Exhibition January 25-29, 2025 San Diego, CA, USA SLAS Europe 2025 Conference and Exhibition 20-22 May 2025 Hamburg, Germany View the full events calendar
Join us as we dive into the latest Ticket Volume - IT podcast episode with the insightful Kenneth "Kengon" Gonzalez! This time, Kenneth, a former Gartner analyst and industry advisor, shares why focusing on organizational capabilities (not just tools!) is the future of IT Service Management and business growth. If you've ever wondered if ITSM is dead, or why Gartner retired its famous Magic Quadrant, this is for you! Get ready for some bold perspectives and a reimagined approach to customer success and organizational improvement. Here's a quick sneak peek: 1. Why ITSM tools are losing their edge. 2. The power of organizational capabilities for real impact. 3. Moving from SLAs to XLAs for customer experience that matters. 4. Why maturity models might be holding you back. 5. The surprising reason Gartner retired the Magic Quadrant. Don't miss out on this refreshing look at ITSM and organizational evolution with Kenneth Gonzalez!
Send us a textSLAS Scientific Director Lesley Mathews, Ph. D., speaks with several winners of our Tony B. Travel Award who presented at the SLAS Europe 2024 Conference and Exhibition.Congratulations to our winners!(Listed in interview order)Shitanshu Devrani, Ph.D. (University of Gothenburg)An Automated High-Throughput Platform for AI-Guided Development of Nanopore Membrane Biosensors and Real-time Edge Processing, Demonstrated with Wilson's Disease Sample VerificationLeticia Manen, Ph.D. (Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute)Harnessing Drug Metabolites In Precision Medicine: Deeping into antineoplastic's major metabolites polypharmacologyJoel Sanchez Barea, Ph.D. Candidate (Incheon National University)Multiplexed detection of single-point mutations in human serum by integrating Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering with Polymerase Chain Reaction.What is the Tony B. Travel Award?This annual travel grant program provides funding for the SLAS International Conference and Exhibition and the SLAS Europe Conference and Exhibition for students, graduate students, post-doctoral associates, and junior faculty with less than four years in their first academic appointments. Visit our Student Resources to learn more about these awards.Stay connected with SLASOnline at www.slas.orgFacebookTwitter @SLAS_OrgLinkedInInstagram @slas_orgYouTubeSLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. For more information about SLAS, visit www.slas.org.SLAS publishes two peer-reviewed and MEDLINE-indexed scientific journals, SLAS Discovery and SLAS Technology. For more information about SLAS and its journals, visit slas.orgUpcoming SLAS Events: SLAS 2024 Data Sciences and AI Symposium November 12-13, 2024 Cambridge, MA, USA SLAS2025 International Conference and Exhibition January 25-29, 2025 San Diego, CA, USA SLAS Europe 2025 Conference and Exhibition 20-22 May 2025 Hamburg, Germany View the full events calendar
Welcome to back to the live studio podcasts from Singapore for EigenLayer Unlocked In todays episode, we're diving into an engaging conversation where we explore the future of onchain compute. From decentralized cloud solutions to efficient, globally distributed systems, Versatus aims to bring the resilience and security of blockchain to cloud services. We had the chance to explore their approach to addressing centralized infrastructure challenges, why they chose this path, and what sets their economic model apart. You'll hear insights on why tapping into EigenLayer's network can help projects scale without the huge capital expenses that come with bootstrapping a new network. We also talk about Versatus' focus on uptime, and how their unique approach to service-level agreements (SLAs) ensures a reliable experience for users. Stick around as we unpack their upcoming roadmap, including the anticipated devnet launch, partnerships, and what it means for projects looking to build atop their compute stack. Website: https://therollup.co/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd.. Podcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcast Follow us on X: https://www.x.com/therollupco Follow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollup Follow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandy Join our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBh The Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl
ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS: Signal Prioritization: Categorize signals (e.g., high-intent, time-based) with different response SLAs to ensure timely outreach. Call Blitz Culture: Multiple weekly call blitzes with a virtual sales floor create a high-energy, team-building cold calling environment. Effective Personalization: Don't rely on signals alone; combine them with company insights to craft personalized, compelling outreach. 80/20 Email Framework: Provide reps with an 80% completed template (signal, company insight, ideal state, light CTA), letting them personalize the final 20%. FLORIN'S PATH TO PRESIDENTS CLUB: Head of Sales Development @ Common Room Director of Sales @ Barley Senior Manager, Sales Development @ Loopio Manager, Sales Development @ Loopio RESOURCES DISCUSSED: Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal
In this episode, Meredith Olmstead, CEO of FI GROW Solutions, and Danielle Fancher, Director of Sales, discuss the challenges and strategies of building an effective digital sales and lending team for banks and credit unions. They share insights on managing digital applications, creating strong team structures, and aligning marketing and lending teams for better collaboration and results.Key Takeaways:Digital Lending Needs Strong Teams: Building a digital sales and lending team starts with clear job descriptions and finding staff with exceptional customer service skills, not just lending experience.Cater to Digital Preferences: Today's customers want seamless digital experiences from application to approval. Institutions must structure their teams to handle online leads efficiently.Collaboration and Trust are Key: Successful marketing and lending teams rely on strong communication, trust, and setting clear expectations, including service level agreements (SLAs) to meet goals together.
In this interview, Richard speaks to Leigh Smith, Director of Growth and Happiness at AnswerConnect, a 24/7, live call-answering solution founded in 2002. The service enables MSPs to streamline issue resolution, manage tickets more efficiently, and maintain their SLA compliance. And they offer support with capturing and qualifying leads.Leigh explains why AnswerConnect specialise in working with MSPs, why it's important to have a human on the other end of the phone and why using AI for call answering isn't ideal.Richard asks Leigh to share some specifics around the types of tools AnswerConnect integrate with, their pricing model and why you should trust them to answer calls on your behalf.They also look at the service options: how to pick up your messages, how they deal with unsolicited calls and how they help clients hit their SLAs. Leigh also explains how they handle calls from prospects and the process for identifying and patching through urgent calls. Richard also asks Leigh about the company culture, how her experiences in HR help her in her current role, and how to recruit and retain staff. She also explains how she got her distinctive job title.AnswerConnect are still quite new in the UK, so Leigh shares her experiences of attending MSP events, how she stays up to date with the latest changes and trends in business, and her current recommended books.Mentioned in This EpisodePSA tool: AutoTaskIT software solution: ConnectWisePSA/RMM tool: SuperOpsWorkflow automation tool: ZapierPodcast: How I Built ThisPodcast: Business BreakdownsBook: Atomic Habits by James ClearBook: Unstoppable by Dave Anderson
Data centers are complex, high-stakes environments where downtime is not an option. The sheer volume of interconnected systems and components creates a daunting challenge for operators. This is where digital twins shine. Because of this complexity, data centers require a new level of understanding. Digital twins—virtual models fed by real-time DCIM data—can offer a transformative solution. The key is that the Digital Twin is only as good as accurate real-time data. This continuous flow of real-time information allows operators to see the bigger picture, from power usage to equipment health. Imagine a live, digital replica predicting bottlenecks, optimizing cooling, and enabling proactive maintenance. A digital twin can allow your data center to analyze your infrastructure, highlight potential issues, and provide highly accurate details on the impact of proposed changes − viewable as your monitored values change. Watch an ATS or PDU view with the power load that reflects your changing values and plan. Watch a power load peak during a fail-over with your plan changes applied to the real-time data. Power management with digital twin capabilities can simulate the failure of a device or load change and accurately model the effects of that failure, including triggering failure over to redundant partners and cascade failures. With a DCIM solution with digital twin capabilities, you gain insightful reporting that identifies potential risk areas in your infrastructure. For instance, it can flag power distribution gear that represents a single point of failure, which could lead to equipment de-energization and impact customers and SLAs. This proactive approach to risk management is a vital advantage of a DCIM solution with digital twin capabilities. Imagine a planning module based on a digital twin model and its capabilities. It doesn't just show simple details like additional loads but also simulates complex scenarios. For instance, it can predict when a device will fail, reroute load in the virtual model to redundant partners, and show the effect on those devices as well. This comprehensive approach to planning is where a true digital twin adds much more value than a simple load addition or removal. By using real-time DCIM data, digital twins become intelligent partners, ensuring peak performance and a more resilient data center. While the idea of a digital twin for your data center has existed for a long time, operators now can have that digital twin fed by millions of data points per minute inside a full-fledged powerful DCIM. The view of Modius is that anything less makes it just a "Digital Cousin". The company believes its Modius ® OpenData® is the gateway to these next-gen capabilities and is using this podcast to kick off this effort.
On this episode of the Six Five in the Booth, host Paul Nashawaty is joined by Flexera's Kristian Dell'Orso, Vice President, Site Reliability Engineering & Site Leader, highlighting their collaboration with Nobl9 for a conversation on becoming an SRE-driven organization. This in-depth discussion explores the transformative impact of adopting Service Level Objectives (SLOs) over traditional Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and how Flexera has shifted its approach to prioritize reliability and enhance customer experiences. Their discussion covers: The transition from SLAs to SLOs at Flexera and its impact on organizational key performance indicators (KPIs), including improvements in reliability and customer experience. The limitations of SLAs in capturing the full spectrum of service reliability and customer satisfaction, and the move towards a more proactive and accountable approach within organizations. How adopting SLOs has led to consistency in measuring reliability across different groups in the company, fostering a culture of accountability and transparency. Learn more how Nobl9 and Flexera articulates its strategy: Customer testimonial/webinar SLOConf Presentation
In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Nate Jovanelly, CEO of Sunraise Capital, and Jason Steinberg who is the CEO of Scanifly. Scanifly, a software platform for PV design and field operations, has partnered with SunRaise Technology, a leading solar fintech company, to accelerate Service-level agreement(“SLAs”) for residential solar leasing. They speaks about residential solar trends like improving customer experience, automating the sales and construction process, and how to improve solar production. Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market. This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood's portfolio. He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business. Nathan Jovanelly Nate is the CEO and Founder of SunRaise Capital's mission is to provide affordable and accessible renewable energy options to homeowners, while reducing carbon footprints and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. They achieve their mission by partnering with industry leading solar installers to provide our customers with the best possible solar experience at competitive rates. As the CEO of an innovative residential solar lease company, he spearheads strategic initiatives aimed at harmonizing the objectives of our funding partners, installation teams, and homeowners. With a relentless focus on alignment, he cultivates collaborative relationships to ensure mutual success and satisfaction across all stakeholders. Through innovative leadership and a commitment to transparency, he drives sustainable growth while delivering exceptional value to our investors, installers, and customers alike. Jason Steinberg Jason is the CEO of Scanifly and oversees the operational and financial aspects of Scanifly. Scanifly is the only drone-based solar software committed to improving the efficiency, accuracy and safety of solar projects globally. Previously, Jason helped finance over $3 billion of renewable energy projects and companies as a banker for CohnReznick Capital. Prior to that, Jason worked for Bloomberg New Energy Finance as a lead North American data researcher. Jason's first job in the industry was installing solar arrays on rooftops in New Jersey. Jason is a CFA Charterholder and a NABCEP PV. Associate. Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com Nathan Jovanelly SunRaise Capital Website: https://www.sunraisecapital.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natejov/ Jason Steinberg Email: jason.steinberg@scanifly.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-steinberg-48356017/ Press Release dated July 18, 2024 Scanifly Integrates with SunRaise Technology for Streamlined Financing Approval https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scanifly-integrates-with-sunraise-technology-for-streamlined-financing-approval-302200077.html?tc=eml_cleartime Nate's other interviews on the Solar Maverick Podcast SMP 150: How SunRaise Capital is innovating residential solar financing? https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-150-how-sunraise-capital-is-innovating-residential-solar-financing/ Solar Maverick Episode 147: RE+ Takeaways https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-147-re-conference-takeaways/ Solar Maverick Episode 139: Opportunities and Challenges with the PJM Solar Market https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14GHBkqcqo Solar Maverick Episode 134: 2023 Solar Predictions https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-134-2023-solar-predictations/ SMP 131: How Technology and Software are innovating the Solar Industry? https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-131-how-technology-and-software-is-innovating-the-solar-industry/ SMP 100: US Residential Solar, Storage, and Electric Vehicle Trends https://solarmaverick.podbean.com/e/smp-100-us-residential-solar-storage-and-electric-vehicles-trends/ SMP 74: Impact on COVID-19 on Residential Solar https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smp-74-impacts-of-covid-19-on-residential-solar/id1441876259?i=1000475840259 SMP 58: Residential Solar Financing and Other Interesting Topics https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-58-residential-solar-financing-other-interesting/id1441876259?i=1000459212910 SMP 20: The Solar Intrapreneur Story: How Nate helped IGS become one of the biggest solar asset owners in the US https://podcasts.apple.com/tc/podcast/smp-20-solar-intrapreneur-story-how-nate-helped-igs/id1441876259?i=1000432329129 We would like to thank Summit Ridge Energy for sponsoring this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast. As the nation's leading commercial solar company, Summit Ridge Energy merges financial innovation and industry-leading execution to deliver clean, locally generated energy. This has made Summit Ridge one of the fastest-growing energy companies in America. Since launching in 2017, the company has deployed over $2B into clean energy assets and controls a development pipeline of more than 3GW that will provide solar power to homes and businesses nationwide. Learn more at srenergy.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.
Summary This episode features an insightful conversation with Petr Janda, the CEO and founder of Synq. Petr shares his journey from being an engineer to founding Synq, emphasizing the importance of treating data systems with the same rigor as engineering systems. He discusses the challenges and solutions in data reliability, including the need for transparency and ownership in data systems. Synq's platform helps data teams manage incidents, understand data dependencies, and ensure data quality by providing insights and automation capabilities. Petr emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to data reliability, integrating data systems into broader business processes. He highlights the role of data teams in modern organizations and how Synq is empowering them to achieve this. Announcements Hello and welcome to the Data Engineering Podcast, the show about modern data management Data lakes are notoriously complex. For data engineers who battle to build and scale high quality data workflows on the data lake, Starburst is an end-to-end data lakehouse platform built on Trino, the query engine Apache Iceberg was designed for, with complete support for all table formats including Apache Iceberg, Hive, and Delta Lake. Trusted by teams of all sizes, including Comcast and Doordash. Want to see Starburst in action? Go to dataengineeringpodcast.com/starburst (https://www.dataengineeringpodcast.com/starburst) and get $500 in credits to try Starburst Galaxy today, the easiest and fastest way to get started using Trino. Your host is Tobias Macey and today I'm interviewing Petr Janda about Synq, a data reliability platform focused on leveling up data teams by supporting a culture of engineering rigor Interview Introduction How did you get involved in the area of data management? Can you describe what Synq is and the story behind it? Data observability/reliability is a category that grew rapidly over the past ~5 years and has several vendors focused on different elements of the problem. What are the capabilities that you saw as lacking in the ecosystem which you are looking to address? Operational/infrastructure engineers have spent the past decade honing their approach to incident management and uptime commitments. How do those concepts map to the responsibilities and workflows of data teams? Tooling only plays a small part in SLAs and incident management. How does Synq help to support the cultural transformation that is necessary? What does an on-call rotation for a data engineer/data platform engineer look like as compared with an application-focused team? How does the focus on data assets/data products shift your approach to observability as compared to a table/pipeline centric approach? With the focus on sharing ownership beyond the boundaries on the data team there is a strong correlation with data governance principles. How do you see organizations incorporating Synq into their approach to data governance/compliance? Can you describe how Synq is designed/implemented? How have the scope and goals of the product changed since you first started working on it? For a team who is onboarding onto Synq, what are the steps required to get it integrated into their technology stack and workflows? What are the types of incidents/errors that you are able to identify and alert on? What does a typical incident/error resolution process look like with Synq? What are the most interesting, innovative, or unexpected ways that you have seen Synq used? What are the most interesting, unexpected, or challenging lessons that you have learned while working on Synq? When is Synq the wrong choice? What do you have planned for the future of Synq? Contact Info LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/petr-janda/?originalSubdomain=dk) Substack (https://substack.com/@petrjanda) Parting Question From your perspective, what is the biggest gap in the tooling or technology for data management today? Closing Announcements Thank you for listening! Don't forget to check out our other shows. Podcast.__init__ (https://www.pythonpodcast.com) covers the Python language, its community, and the innovative ways it is being used. The Machine Learning Podcast (https://www.themachinelearningpodcast.com) helps you go from idea to production with machine learning. Visit the site (https://www.dataengineeringpodcast.com) to subscribe to the show, sign up for the mailing list, and read the show notes. If you've learned something or tried out a project from the show then tell us about it! Email hosts@dataengineeringpodcast.com (mailto:hosts@dataengineeringpodcast.com) with your story. Links Synq (https://www.synq.io/) Incident Management (https://www.pagerduty.com/resources/learn/what-is-incident-management/) SLA == Service Level Agreement (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service-level_agreement) Data Governance (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_governance) Podcast Episode (https://www.dataengineeringpodcast.com/nicola-askham-practical-data-governance-episode-428) PagerDuty (https://www.pagerduty.com/) OpsGenie (https://www.atlassian.com/software/opsgenie) Clickhouse (https://clickhouse.com/) Podcast Episode (https://www.dataengineeringpodcast.com/clickhouse-data-warehouse-episode-88/) dbt (https://www.getdbt.com/) Podcast Episode (https://www.dataengineeringpodcast.com/dbt-data-analytics-episode-81/) SQLMesh (https://sqlmesh.readthedocs.io/en/stable/) Podcast Episode (https://www.dataengineeringpodcast.com/sqlmesh-open-source-dataops-episode-380) The intro and outro music is from The Hug (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Freak_Fandango_Orchestra/Love_death_and_a_drunken_monkey/04_-_The_Hug) by The Freak Fandango Orchestra (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Freak_Fandango_Orchestra/) / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)