Podcasts about Women in Tech

Want a real look at how breakthrough tech actually gets built and shipped? I had the pleasure of sitting down with Samira Naraghi, Chief Business Officer at Enovix, who has held previous roles at AWS, Meta, Qualcomm, and other notable companies, to unpack a career defined by tackling challenging problems, making significant pivots, and achieving results that speak louder than titles. From growing up in post-war Iran, where power outages made technology feel magical, to leading global go-to-market strategies and launching industry-defining products, Samira shows how adaptability, curiosity, and grit compound into leadership.We trace the through line across semiconductors, cloud, and next-gen batteries: translating deep technology into real business impact. Samira breaks down why go-to-market must start on day one, how co-building with early customers derisks product-market fit, and what it takes to prioritize nascent bets like AR when constraints around power, space, and manufacturability are unforgiving. She shares the unglamorous truth of innovation, fighting physics, supply chains, and disbelief, while still hitting commitments through decisive execution and a culture built for pressure.For women in tech navigating ceilings and seeking visibility, the guidance is clear and actionable. Choose the messy, high-impact work others avoid. Build trust by delivering under pressure. Communicate with clarity, drop the hedging, and be overprepared. We also explore becoming future-ready with AI: learn the fundamentals, speak the language, and use the tools to amplify your work. Mentorship, peer networks, and “quiet boldness” round out a candid playbook for career growth that doesn't wait for permission.I hope this conversation gives you the nudge to take the harder path intentionally, and if so, share it with a friend who needs the encouragement. Subscribe for more honest, tactical stories from leaders building the future, and leave a review to tell us the bold move you're making next.Hi Mary here, through my conversations with women leaders, I've learned just how urgent the need is for AI strategies that actually make sense. It's not about adopting tools just to keep up; it's about building a smart foundation. That's exactly what Beyondsoft is doing. To learn more visit https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-yCsEeZbsl6ivoZoS9YW1quYxbQr1Teo

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Bobbie Shrivastav, co-founder and CEO of Solvrays about building AI-driven workflows that aim to eliminate 70% of manual back office work with governance, auditability, and with human-in-the-loop controls directly built in. They also talk about what makes vertical AI for insurance defensible and measurable, compressing sales and implementation cycles without cutting corners on risk, change management, and how to augment teams as talent retires while new talent ramps up. KEY TAKEAWAYS When the work comes into an organisation, not everything is digital. Things are still mailed, the first help we provide is extracting the information from those manual sources and place it with the right person in their case management system. That alone eliminates 5-7 touch points. When an agent sends an email we're able to get a new business application, we're able to extract the information, we understand that this is a new business applications, and we can take that data and integrate it into the new business solution. Before, someone would have checked an email, gone to the new business application and keyed that in so work could move in. We've eliminated that complex new business touch point. 74% of our industry is still tackling legacy. Customers don't care if you're still using mainframes, they shouldn't feel a difference. We're using agentic AI as a connector to legacy systems, we're also doing database to database connectors, and for newer systems we're using APIs. We eliminate a dependency factor and empowered IT to work with new technologies, so they're not dependent on us. But the business and IT partnership with any project, whether it's our solution or another, is the key to success. BEST MOMENTS ‘We want to be a ray of hope for the operations staff for back office.' ‘What makes us superior, from an industry point of view, is that we've innovated in this space for the last 10 years, we understand operations intimately.' ‘Once a signature is signed, our goal is to do one workflow in two weeks, not months or years, weeks.' ‘Where I've seen most anxiety in business and IT is in implementation, it can drain your team. Our goal is: If we can build our orchestration layer the right way you don't have to be so tense.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Bobbie Shrivastav is founder and managing principal of Solvrays. Previously, she was co-founder and CEO of Docsmore, where she introduced an interactive, workflow-driven document management solution to optimize operations. She then co-founded Benekiva, where, as COO, she spearheaded initiatives to improve efficiency and customer engagement in life insurance. She co-hosts the Insurance Sync podcast with Laurel Jordan, where they explore industry trends and innovations. She is co-author of the book series "Momentum: Makers and Builders" with Renu Ann Joseph. LinkedIn ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner. Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook  TikTok Email Website This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Women in Tech Podcast: Mariyam Shamshidova Wefranch US tour: https://tour.wefranch.com/signup/los-angeles-2Host: Espree DevoraGuest: Mariyam Shamshidova (Growth & Product Lead, Wefranch)Location: Lighthouse Studio, Venice, CAEpisode Theme: Navigating Entrepreneurship, Franchising, and Building Purposeful Careers in TechKey Topics & HighlightsMariyam's Journey: From Uzbekistan to Vanderbilt to NYC startup life.What is Wefranch? Making franchising accessible with data-driven tools, and what being the “Zillow of franchising” means.The Power of Franchising: Debunking myths, its accessibility for young founders and creators, and why it's an untapped lucrative opportunity.Early-Stage Startup Life: The reality of multi-tasking, learning on the go, and finding confidence without a big brand name.Purpose & Success: Redefining success beyond status, and staying connected to your “why.”Women & Belief: The importance of self-belief, especially for women in tech, and breaking mental models that keep women from applying for opportunities.Event Building & Community: Mariyam's hands-on tactics for event marketing and growth – from local connectors to personalized outreach.Personal Growth: Lessons from Charlie Munger, advice on prioritization, and finding mentorship in unexpected places.Resources & RecommendationsCompany: Wefranch.com – Marketplace for franchising opportunitiesRecommended Book: Poor Charlie's Almanack by Charlie MungerMust-Follow Thought Leader: Paul Graham (Y Combinator essays)Past Relevant Episode: WeAreLATech podcast with Wefranch founder Gregory Ugwi Favorite Quotes“In order to do anything, you must believe that the thing is possible.”“It's not about the magazine cover — it's about how you feel in your body every day.”“If she can do it, so can I.”Connect with UsPodcast VIP Community: womenintechvip.comSocial: @WomenInTechShow on all platformsListen and get inspired by Mariyam's story — redefining what's possible for women in tech, one bold step at a time.

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Amit Santhirasenan, co-founder and CEO of hyperexponential, an actuary and software engineer who has built the AI native pricing and underwriting platform used by leading specialty carriers. In this episode we cover how to turn messy submissions into structured signals your pricing model can trust – without hiring an army, multi agent architectures, the agentic AI mesh, and the human in the loop controls executives need for auditability and speed, and where agentic underwriting is ready today (and where it isn't), plus the metrics executives should track—cycle time, hit ratio, and loss ratio uplift. KEY TAKEAWAYS Email submissions were a luxury at the start of my career! What's been so exciting for me, as a self-professed nerd, is the pace at which the capabilities of core models have got so good that even 6 months ago was a whole product's capability and feature set is now within the gift of Gemini or GPT5. If you're an underwriter filling out a spreadsheet/renew model, in 2025 you need to be working with hx underwriting , actuary or agent inside a renew model to have your paired partner helping you get to the best result. Why can't you have deep risk research on every single risk? Why can't you say: Tell me the most important characteristics in the world that you can tell me about the top 3 exposures? No human can do this work, the cost/benefit trade off there isn't economic, but you can run an OpenAI deep risk API call to do that on every single risk you underwrite today. We do it for you, it's what we do. All of a sudden it's dramatically easier to bring that level of differentiation and specialism in the way that great underwriting has always been done to every single risk you want to touch. BEST MOMENTS ‘You won't see that many places with a $7 trillion contribution to GDP, with such a small number of companies and people responsible for this.' ‘We demonstrated the first API machine vision algorithm in the market in 2017, now kids coming out of university are doing that as toy projects before they get to our clients.' ‘You can have an army of digital agents helping you now, all for $20 per month!' ‘Generative AI models have unlocked the ability to pull data so quickly out of the information required for underwrite that you can put a very quick red/amber/green status on risks, several orders of magnitude greater than ever before.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Amit Santhirasenan is the Co-founder and CEO of Hyperexponential (hx), the AI native pricing and underwriting platform for P&C insurers. Under his leadership, hx Renew has become known for delivering executive level outcomes: ~50% faster submission to bind, 10× faster model build and deployment, and a platform that supports $45bn+ in GWP for 20+ enterprise customers worldwide. A qualified actuary and computer scientist, Amrit previously spent over a decade in the London Market. He served as Head of Pricing & Analytics at Tokio Marine Kiln, building the managing agent's first technical pricing team to support ~£1.5bn GWP, and earlier held actuarial roles at Catlin (including standing up the Canadian actuarial function). ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner. Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook TikTok Email Website This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

What if the straightest line to a bigger career is choosing the uncomfortable zones? On episode #141, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Tracy Nolan, Fortune 100 executive, transformation leader, and champion of women in leadership, to unpack the choices and mindsets that turned discomfort into momentum. From retail floors to the front lines of telecom, from global negotiations to a mission-driven role in healthcare, Tracy shows how to trust your instincts, claim your seat, and bring others with you.We dig into the moment a sponsor pushed her into a stretch role and why that single act of belief changed her trajectory. Tracy breaks down the difference between mentorship and sponsorship (and how to be a great mentee), shares a simple mental model for speaking up in intimidating rooms, and explains how demanding goals can coexist with deep empathy and active listening. Her stories, like giving a CEO-ready plan just ten days into a new job, reveal how confidence is built: not by waiting to be “A+ ready,” but by acting, learning, and iterating.Tracy also opens up about why healthcare fits her purpose, the women-first culture she's found at Humana, and the platform she's building, Lift as They Climb, to make sponsorship among women the norm, not the exception. We talk board pathways, continuous learning, and the skill set that will outlast every tool in an AI-driven economy: leading people through change with clarity, process, and heart.If boldness has been on your list, consider this your nudge. Listen, and share this with a friend who needs a push.  Additionally, if possible, please leave a review of the show. This will help us grow and increase our visibility on the streaming channels.  Resources:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyenolan/ Website: www.tracynolan.com Support the show When you subscribe to the podcast, you are supporting our work's mission, allowing us to continue highlighting successful women in a variety of careers to inspire others helping pay our wonderful editor, Chris, and helping me in paying our hosting expenses.

In this inspiring episode, Megan Swan sits down with Maureen Codispodi, founder of Help Clinic Canada, to explore how one woman's vision is transforming mental health support across the country. From cycling solo across Canada to founding a groundbreaking online mental health platform, Maureen shares her entrepreneurial journey, hard-earned wisdom, and her commitment to serving even the most remote communities.Key Points Discussed:The Origin Story: How Maureen's cross-Canada cycling trip sparked her awareness of community needs and the seeds for Help Clinic Canada (HCC).Breaking Barriers: HCC's mission to make therapy accessible, including their unique $25 low-fee student therapist program and work with underserved populations.Tech-Enabled Impact: Navigating the challenges both personal and professional of founding a tech-enabled mental health company without a tech or business background.Serving the Underserved: Building relationships with rural and northern communities, such as delivering counseling via Zoom to schools in the Northwest Territories.Vision for the Future: Growth plans including a nonprofit arm, expanding online resources, and building a learning community.Combating Stigma: The ongoing work of breaking down barriers and normalizing seeking mental health support, especially in smaller communities.Advice for Founders: The importance of clarity of vision, trusting your intuition, seeking mentorship, and building a supportive community.TLDR: Maureen Codispodi is rewriting the rules of mental health access in Canada by fiercely pursuing inclusivity, connection, and innovation. Her story is a testament to intuition, tenacity, and the life-changing power of community-focused entrepreneurship.Thank you for listening!If this episode inspired you, please screenshot and share on social media—tag @meganswanwellness! Your support makes a difference.Connect with Megan Swanhttp://www.instagram.com/meganswanwellnesshttp://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-swan-wellnesswww.meganswanwellness.comConnect with Maureen Codispodi and Help Clinic Canadahttps://helpclinic.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/maureencodispodi/FacebookInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/maureencodispodi/https://www.instagram.com/helpcliniccanada/Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@helpclinicKeywordsmental health access, female founder, rural communities, online therapy, low-fee counselling, Help Clinic Canada, entrepreneurship, women in tech, nonprofit vision, student therapists, building communities, trusting intuition, mentorship, stigma, mental wellbeing, accessible therapy, school counseling, northern Canada, startup journey, community partnerships, holistic wellness

“It's my job as a marketer to be an expert in what's good… use whatever tools I can, and as quickly as I can.” -Chaz Ross-Munro   Chaz Ross-Munro is  a B2B marketing executive with a background in CRM, customer success, and operational transformation, she specializes in aligning marketing, sales, and delivery teams around unified data and strategic outcomes. With two decades of experience driving growth in the AEC and construction tech sectors, she's led initiatives that have redefined how companies think about their customer lifecycle—from acquisition to retention. Her superpower is translating marketing strategy into business-wide impact. At Datumate, she led high-impact programs that leveraged customer insights, digital modeling, and CRM tools to turn complex construction data into actionable intelligence for decision-makers. She's authored two books on CRM and AEC marketing strategy and helped over 120 companies implement scalable systems for sustainable growth. Whether building brand equity, driving operational alignment, or scaling GTM strategies, she bring a deep understanding of what makes organizations thrive. Website: https://www.chazrossmunro.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chazmarierossmunro/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/chazrossmunro  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaz.rossmunro/   Austan Preuett is Austan Preuett is a seasoned marketing strategist and Director of Marketing at Lynx Systems, where she leads brand development, content strategy, and partner marketing in the physical security industry. With over 10 years of experience driving revenue growth and crafting impactful campaigns across tech, energy, and advertising sectors, Austan brings a results-driven approach to every project. She also serves as a board member for the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) Central Texas Chapter, championing safety innovation and industry collaboration. Website: https://www.lynxsystems.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austan-preuett/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austan_preuett/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lynxduress?si=BaxJKCuyN3d9jG-v Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/austan.palmer   In this episode, we explore how data-driven strategy, customer insights, and innovative marketing approaches can align teams, elevate brand impact, and create sustainable business growth.   Apply to join our marketing mastermind group: https://notypicalmoments.typeform.com/to/hWLDNgjz   Follow No Typical Moments at: Website: https://notypicalmoments.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-typical-moments-llc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4G7csw9j7zpjdASvpMzqUA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notypicalmoments Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NTMoments

“It's my job as a marketer to be an expert in what's good… use whatever tools I can, and as quickly as I can.” -Chaz Ross-Munro   Chaz Ross-Munro is  a B2B marketing executive with a background in CRM, customer success, and operational transformation, she specializes in aligning marketing, sales, and delivery teams around unified data and strategic outcomes. With two decades of experience driving growth in the AEC and construction tech sectors, she's led initiatives that have redefined how companies think about their customer lifecycle—from acquisition to retention. Her superpower is translating marketing strategy into business-wide impact. At Datumate, she led high-impact programs that leveraged customer insights, digital modeling, and CRM tools to turn complex construction data into actionable intelligence for decision-makers. She's authored two books on CRM and AEC marketing strategy and helped over 120 companies implement scalable systems for sustainable growth. Whether building brand equity, driving operational alignment, or scaling GTM strategies, she bring a deep understanding of what makes organizations thrive. Website: https://www.chazrossmunro.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chazmarierossmunro/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/chazrossmunro  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaz.rossmunro/   Austan Preuett is Austan Preuett is a seasoned marketing strategist and Director of Marketing at Lynx Systems, where she leads brand development, content strategy, and partner marketing in the physical security industry. With over 10 years of experience driving revenue growth and crafting impactful campaigns across tech, energy, and advertising sectors, Austan brings a results-driven approach to every project. She also serves as a board member for the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) Central Texas Chapter, championing safety innovation and industry collaboration. Website: https://www.lynxsystems.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austan-preuett/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austan_preuett/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lynxduress?si=BaxJKCuyN3d9jG-v Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/austan.palmer   In this episode, we explore how data-driven strategy, customer insights, and innovative marketing approaches can align teams, elevate brand impact, and create sustainable business growth.   Apply to join our marketing mastermind group: https://notypicalmoments.typeform.com/to/hWLDNgjz   Follow No Typical Moments at: Website: https://notypicalmoments.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-typical-moments-llc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4G7csw9j7zpjdASvpMzqUA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notypicalmoments Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NTMoments

In this podcast episode, host Michelle Frechette interviews Adam Preiser and Andre Gagnon, co-founders of SureCart, a managed e-commerce platform for WordPress. They discuss SureCart's user-friendly features, flexible pricing, robust subscription management, and seamless integrations. The conversation highlights how SureCart simplifies online selling for merchants and agencies, offers transparent pricing, and supports both digital and physical products. Listeners ask questions about selling digital goods, reporting, and payment options. The episode concludes with community engagement details and upcoming events, showcasing SureCart's commitment to merchant success and innovation.Top Takeaways:Accessibility and Customizability Are Core Priorities: SureCart places a strong emphasis on accessibility, including keyboard navigation, screen readers, and focus management. Every new feature undergoes extensive accessibility testing. At the same time, the platform is highly customizable, allowing users to modify templates for products, carts, checkouts, and even customer areas. This is particularly valuable for agencies building stores for clients with specific design requirements.Flexibility and Seamless Integration Simplify E-Commerce: SureCart supports multiple pricing options—including one-time payments, subscriptions, and installment plans—and integrates seamlessly with page builders like Elementor and Bricks. It eliminates the need for multiple third-party plugins, offering built-in shipping, taxes, upsells, affiliates, and abandoned cart recovery. Merchants can manage both digital products (like photography) and services, including instant checkout pages for streamlined selling.Advanced Reporting and Subscription Management: The platform provides detailed reporting dashboards with KPIs and subscription analytics, making it easy to track sales, refunds, churn, and growth. Subscription management is automated, including failed payment recovery and options to retain customers through discounts or pauses. Integrations with tools like Zapier allow merchants to trigger automated actions and workflows, enhancing customer retention and operational efficiency.Transparent Pricing, Scalable Plans, and Upcoming Features: SureCart offers a simple pricing model: free plan with a 1.9% transaction fee, or paid annual plans ($179/year for a single store) with all features included and no transaction fees. Plans scale from one store to unlimited stores, ideal for agencies. Upcoming features include starter templates, product reviews, automated fees and discounts, custom report builders, and integration with Razor Pay for international payments. The team maintains a customer-focused, approachable philosophy, prioritizing feedback and ongoing improvements.Mentioned In The Show:SureCartWP CrafterCartFlowsElementorBricks BuilderOtto KitZapier

Today, we're joined by Erin Elofson, President of Mastercard in Canada, and a powerhouse leader whose career spans major global companies like Pinterest, Meta, and Microsoft. She has built a remarkable path in industries where women are still underrepresented and has become a fierce advocate for women leading on their own terms. We'll dive into her passion for purpose-driven work, the mindsets that have helped her succeed, and her candid reflections on resilience, failure, and self-compassion. She also shares how embracing imperfection and making intentional trade-offs has shaped her career – and why those lessons can empower anyone striving to lead with authenticity.

Welcome to Part 2 of The Promotion Playbook Series for Smart Women in Male-Dominated Industries.In the first episode, we uncovered three myths that hold women back: Tiara Syndrome, Comfort Fallacy, and the Perfectionist Fantasy. In this episode, we move from awareness to action.I'm walking you through my Three Votes Framework — a simple, repeatable system for taking control of your career growth:Vote with your feet: choose workplaces where your values and strengths can thrive.Vote with your tribe: build allies and champions who will advocate for your advancement.Vote for yourself: trust your decisions, dismantle perfectionism, and back your own worth.Through real coaching stories, you'll learn how women in tech, finance, and beyond have applied these votes to overcome bias, advocate for themselves, and even fast-track promotions with significant pay increases.

In this inspiring continuation, Kim Olver sits down with Joan Karstrom, tech entrepreneur and founder of J Code Studio, to explore how Mental Freedom® shapes both her business journey and personal growth. Joan shares how the principles of Mental Freedom helped her move from self-doubt and people-pleasing into clarity, resilience, and authentic confidence.Together, Kim and Joan unpack what freedom truly means as a business owner, how to stay grounded when comparison creeps in, and why celebrating small wins—like business cards or your first LLC—can fuel long-term success. Joan also highlights the importance of mentoring women in tech, embracing failure as a pathway to knowledge, and appreciating the “GLOW” (Gifts, Lessons, Opportunities, and Wisdom) in everyday challenges.Whether you're an entrepreneur, creative, or someone seeking more alignment in your life, Joan's candid insights will leave you motivated to redefine success on your own terms. Connect with Joan KarstromWebsite: jcodestudio.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joan-karstrom Catch up on Part 1 of this conversation to hear the beginning of Joan's Mental Freedom journey.

Invisible systems like algorithms play a powerful role in entrepreneurial success, shaping who gets access to opportunities and who does not. On this episode of The Angel Next Door Podcast, host Marcia Dawood dives into the world of gender bias, equitable AI, and economic justice with a fresh, thought-provoking lens, challenging listeners to rethink the foundations of modern entrepreneurship.Guest Katica Roy is a gender economist, tech CEO, and advocate whose family history—rooted in stories of immigration and resilience—fuels her mission for equity. From her own battles for fair pay as a breadwinner mother to being featured in the New York Times, Katica commands a unique and powerful voice on dismantling barriers in the workplace and beyond.Together, Marcia and Katica explore how algorithmic bias perpetuates inequality, and most importantly, what all of us can do to foster change, both individually and systemically. Packed with actionable insights and a sense of urgency, this episode is a must-listen for anyone invested in creating a fairer, more innovative future in business and tech. To get the latest from Katica Roy, you can follow her below!https://www.linkedin.com/in/katicaroy/https://www.katicaroy.com/abouthttps://designobserver.com/why-ethical-ai-is-good-business/ Sign up for Marcia's newsletter to receive tips and the latest on Angel Investing!Website: www.marciadawood.comLearn more about the documentary Show Her the Money: www.showherthemoneymovie.comAnd don't forget to follow us wherever you are!Apple Podcasts: https://pod.link/1586445642.appleSpotify: https://pod.link/1586445642.spotifyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/angel-next-door-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelnextdoorpodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marciadawood

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Will Ross, Co-Founder & CEO of Federato, and if you're an underwriting transformation leader—drowning in Excel, stale pilots, and disconnected data sources—this episode is for you. Will Ross isn't here to sell you hype. He's here to show what it looks like when AI actually delivers: faster quotes, better decisions, happier underwriters, and measurable results before the next board meeting. KEY TAKEAWAYS Thinking back to when Amazon released the Echo with Alexa and a bunch of us bought them and took them apart to figure out how it worked reminds me of how Wild West the early days of AI was a decade and a half ago. Now any undergraduate student taking computer science will have some exposure to AI. One of the first things they might learn is how to do simple tasks like that on very little computational resource. I love jumping into our products like that to understand how they work. Break down what AI means: There's an idea of intelligence or grasping a concept or knowledge, then there's artificial – doing something in place of a human. You can take it a step further and look at ‘generative' – generating a thing, or predictive – predicting a thing, agentic – giving it agency and allowing it to complete a task.  What is it that humans do today and, theoretically, what could humans do if they had unlimited time to do their jobs? For underwriters, the process is similar across many line of business: you analyse an exposure, loss history and loss control to come up with a rate perspective, etc. Where can AI systems interact with that process? BEST MOMENTS ‘One of the things I think is really scary with AI today is its perpetuation of news cycles and how fast it spreads.'  ‘No matter how sceptical people are, the vast majority of people are already using these technologies to do their jobs. By bringing them into the room, making them aware of what this technology does, and letting the interact with it, that's a powerful thing.' ‘There are going to be jobs that change, but we shouldn't think about it as AI replacing our jobs, we should think about it as someone using AI to do our job who will replace us.' ‘What we call AI today will change and change again because it always has; Deep Blue used to be called AI and is now called a chess simulator.' ABOUT THE GUESTS William Ross is a product and operations leader obsessed with solving the toughest problems in insurance with a mix of pragmatism, speed, and machine learning. As a core member of the Federato leadership team, Will focuses on one mission: turning underwriting from a slow, manual grind into a dynamic, data-driven advantage. At Federato, Will is helping specialty and commercial carriers build resilience and growth into their underwriting operations, showing chief underwriting and transformation officers that AI doesn't need to be another failed pilot—it can be the competitive edge that secures market share today. LinkedIn ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner. Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook  TikTok Email Website This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

You don't need a degree—or a perfect plan—to lead with vision. In this episode, I'm joined by Jackie Peters, startup founder and longtime tech innovator, for a powerful conversation on how to lead boldly, build something meaningful, and move forward—even when you don't feel 100% ready. With 25+ years of experience across mobile gaming, AI-powered healthcare, and privacy-preserving data analytics, Jackie brings a rare mix of visionary thinking, human-centered leadership, and strategic clarity. We talk about building confidence in uncharted territory, trusting your instincts, and turning complex ideas into user-first innovation.

If you're looking for someone who blends the heart of a community advocate, the mind of a marketing strategist, and the soul of an 80s music lover—you've found her. Brandy Alvarado-Miranda isn't just a name in the AV world—she's a force of nature. When she's not courtside cheering on her kid's basketball game (or the Lakers & Sparks), you'll find her chasing waves at the beach, getting her hands dirty in the garden, or spoiling her adorable pug and corgi duo. A true SoCal spirit, she lives for tacos, margaritas, and the synth beats of Depeche Mode—preferably all at once. Brandy dove into the AV industry in 2014 and never looked back. After gaining experience across engineering, manufacturing, and themed integration, she made the bold leap during the pandemic—launching BAM! Marketing & PR Agency in 2021. Since then, she's helped dozens of Pro AV and Digital Signage brands find their voice and amplify it across the industry with strategic branding, impactful content, and fearless creativity. She's dubbed her clients her #BAMily, and has created an ecosystem that not only connects them to work on projects together, but to team up to network. But Brandy doesn't stop at business. She's a passionate advocate for women in tech, founding WAVIT in 2023—a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting women in AV/IT. From her leadership with the AVIXA Women's Council to her mentorship and advisory roles, Brandy is determined to leave the AV industry better, stronger, and more inclusive than she found it. With titles like Woman of the Year in AV, Pro AV Watch Lister, AV Living Legend, and DSE Advisory Board Member, her accolades are impressive—but her mission is simple: to empower others, create meaningful change, and rock out to some 80s jams while doing it. Brandy Alvarado-Miranda: marketing superhero, AV trailblazer, taco connoisseur, and always tuned to WII-FM—What's In It For the Mission. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Let's get real about the challenges we face as women in tech—especially as right-wing, anti-woman movements gain ground around the world and in our industry. I share why it's more important than ever to speak up, get involved, and “get on a boat” toward justice—whether your boat is advocating for equal healthcare, LGBTQI rights, or community building.You matter. Your voice matters. And your bravery—at work and in life—will shape our collective future. If you're feeling stressed, numb, or just looking for a reminder that you're not alone in these tough times, this episode is especially for you.Call to action: After you listen, choose your “boat”—find a cause, no matter how small, and get involved. And if this episode helped you, please share it with a friend who needs a little encouragement today. Together, we're braver.Link to We Can Do Hard Things: The New Era: LOVE, FURY, FREEDOM More Links: Check out my websiteJoin my mailing list for more insights, opportunities, and inspirationConnection with me on LinkedIn

Empowering Women in Tech and Business with Lindsay WardIn this episode of Tech Simplified's 'Woman in Tech' podcast, host Sly welcomes Lindsay Ward, a prominent community leader from Western New York and the current director of the SUNY Brockport Small Business Development Center. Lindsay shares insights into her career dedicated to fostering economic growth and providing sustainable solutions for individuals, nonprofits, and businesses. She discusses her commitment to supporting women in tech and business, her experiences with mentorship, and the significance of confidence and vulnerability. Lindsay also highlights the success and impact of the Innovate Her events aimed at empowering women in the tech industry. She encourages the importance of male allies, robust networking, and educational resources for women entrepreneurs and offers advice to her younger self. Lastly, Lindsay invites listeners to the upcoming Innovate Her event in Rochester and shares how they can keep in contact with her for further guidance and support.00:00 Introduction to the Podcast00:08 Meet Lindsay Ward: A Powerhouse Community Leader01:40 Balancing Leadership and Motherhood02:40 Navigating Government, Business, and Non-Profit Sectors03:53 Empowering Young Women in Tech and Entrepreneurship07:49 The Importance of Confidence and Mentorship13:21 Economic Development and Women in Tech22:08 The Impact of Innovate Her Events27:27 Final Thoughts and How to ConnectConnect with her - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-ward-mpa/

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Sara Mikulski, CTO at Kingstone Insurance about the moment in her career that convinced her that the claims ecosystem could be rebuilt around a single, trusted data spine. KEY TAKEAWAYS When I started my career success looked like stabilisation: Getting to a point where we all understand what's happening in which system, where the data is, and just make it work. It wasn't a long-term scalable solution, but I didn't want to come into the organisation and disrupt it. It wasn't ready yet, the first 18 months was about learning what was working and what wasn't before making a move to address the concerns and questions in a scalable way. Between then and now we've changed the entire platform and focussed on ensuring that there were good processes that were understood, good data in the right places so that we could have more automation and potential for AI in the future. This has made our adjustors so happy, as well as us from an IT perspective where it's easier to maintain, help and administer, etc. A lot of AI initiatives that are large and impact your core systems don't always go as expected. The biggest learning we've had, as an organisation, over the last year was to not run before you can walk. Sometimes you think AI can fix the problem or the process, but when you start to talk it through or dissect it, you find out you could simply tweak the system to be better for the people using it or explore a different way of doing the process. BEST MOMENTS ‘There were less emotional decisions in the first place because we took our time and really thought things through.' ‘You have to focus on how to make that one place your place – making sure the data that in there is clean, true, what data is there, what data your adjustors need to go outside of the system for and why.' ‘Efficiency is king right now, which is why AI is getting such a movement behind it; you're trying to find places where you don't have to do something manually, or something that takes hours and condensing it to seconds.' ‘AI will play an enormous role in current and future processes at all insurance carriers, but you still have to go back to the basics and figure out if you're just trying to put a band aid on the problem or if you're trying to solve it long-term.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Sara Mikulski is Chief Technology Officer at Kingstone Insurance and is responsible for managing our IT organization and accountable for the company's systems and data strategy, IT security, infrastructure, development, support, and vendor management. Sara brings 15+ years of experience in the IT arena, leading effective teams and enhancing IT operations. Most recently, she was the Deputy CIO at UPC Insurance, where she was responsible for the delivery of numerous projects aimed at consolidation of platforms and reduction of technical debt. She also held leadership and technical IT positions within the insurance industry at Esurance. Ms. Mikulski also worked at several other companies in various IT-focused roles. LinkedIn ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner. Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook  TikTok Email Website This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Send us a textWhat does it take to thrive in sales, business, and life over eight decades?

When Rene Madden turned 60, everyone expected her to retire. Instead, she launched her own business, pursued a master's degree, and wrote a book. "I am not retiring," she declares. "I could work till I'm 70 or 80. I am just beginning."Renee's remarkable journey spans four decades in financial services, from her humble beginnings as a secretary who described herself as "the office butterfly" to leading transformation teams at industry giants like JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, and Schroeders. Along the way, she discovered her talent for management, team building, and process optimization – skills that now form the foundation of her consulting business, Elevare Dynamics.What makes Rene's story particularly compelling is her candor about the challenges she faced. Despite her impressive credentials, she admits to struggling with confidence issues throughout her career. "I'd be in a meeting thinking I don't belong in this room," she shares, acknowledging the imposter syndrome that plagues so many women in corporate settings. Her advice? "Don't be afraid to use your voice. Don't let anyone take your power away."The conversation takes fascinating turns through discussions on AI implementation (she warns against "automating a bad process"), the dangerous trend of eliminating middle management positions, and the importance of developing the ability to pause, reflect, and respond rather than being emotionally hijacked by workplace challenges.Whether you're early in your career journey, contemplating a major professional pivot, or simply inspired by stories of reinvention, Rene's perspective offers valuable wisdom: "If you have passion for something, don't be afraid, do it." Her example proves that with courage and clarity, our most fulfilling work can begin at any age.Resources: Rene's Profile linkedin.com/in/renemaddenRene's book: Crush It!Websiteshttps://www.elevaredynamics.com (Business)upliftcareercoaching.com (Personal)Support the show When you subscribe to the podcast, you are supporting our work's mission, allowing us to continue highlighting successful women in a variety of careers to inspire others helping pay our wonderful editor, Chris, and helping me in paying our hosting expenses.

Send us a textLisa Carmen Wang was a 4-time USA National Champion gymnast and Olympic-level athlete who built her early identity around perfection, discipline, and winning.But today, she's flipped the script.Now an early-stage VC and author of The Bad Bitch Business Bible, Carmen shares her transformation from a “good girl” mindset to a bold, unapologetic investor rewriting the rules for women in finance and tech.In this episode, we talk about:- The toxic side of high performance- Visualization, identity work & healing- Launching the Bad Bitch Empire Fund- Why 99% of her LPs are first-time female investors- Health tech, fintech, and investing with purpose--- We'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Daniel Puder for joining us at the Family Office Club and contributing his time, wisdom, and energy to our athlete investor panels.Daniel is a former undefeated MMA fighter, WWE's $1M Tough Enough Champion, Deputy Sheriff, and Founder of MLMP. He currently serves as Co-Founder and President of MLMPI Prep Academy, Founder of My Life My Power, and Co-Founder of My Life My Brand. Beyond his impressive career, Daniel is an author, professional speaker, and passionate advocate for public education.His purpose-driven mission to inspire youth, empower communities, and equip law enforcement and educators with mentorship tools is deeply impactful. We are grateful to have had his leadership, insights, and authentic voice on stage at our summit.Thank you, Daniel, for helping make this event so meaningful.

Great work happens at the intersection of enthusiasm and conviction. In this week's episode of Growth Talks, Mallory Contois, VP of Growth at Maven, joins host Krystina Rubino to discuss her marketing philosophy for building brands and communities that people love. Drawing on lessons from her time at Pinterest and Mercury, Mallory shares how a customer-first approach fosters genuine connection and lays the foundation for long-term success. At Maven, Mallory is now focused on championing adult learning, bringing more smart people together to teach and learn from one another. And as Founder of The Old Girls Club, she unpacks why and how she's built a thriving network where women in tech can connect, grow, and support one another.

In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Wendy McHenry, Chair of WISE (Women in Solutions Excellence) at Presales Collective and Former Head of Global Solutions Engineering at CDATA, to discuss the critical need for supporting women in presales careers. They explore the challenges women face in a field where only 18% of solutions professionals are women, discuss unconscious bias in hiring and workplace environments, and highlight how WISE is creating support networks and career development opportunities to advance equity in the solutions field. To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. This episode is sponsored by Elvance. More information at https://elvance.io/  On the Show Today Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/ Connect with Wendy McHenry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendymac98/  Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack WISE Chapter Information: https://www.presalescollective.com/wise  Presales Collective LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/presalescollective  Timestamps 00:00 Welcome 04:51 Why WISE? 09:12 Being a woman in sales today 12:57 You're not technical enough 16:16 Women leaving the profession 20:33 How is WISE helping? 27:55 What's happening next? Key Topics Covered The Current State of Women in Presales Only 18% of solutions professionals globally are women Many women are the only woman on their SE team Higher attrition rates during layoffs disproportionately impact women Unconscious Bias and Workplace Challenges "Not technical enough" bias applied differently to women Interview panels dominated by men Social environments that may exclude women The importance of calling out bias when witnessed WISE Mission and Structure Started as an ERG at Salesforce, now part of Presales Collective Open to anyone who cares about supporting women in solutions careers Regional chapters like Women in Solutions Consulting Australia/New Zealand Company-specific chapters at organizations like Salesforce and Pegasystems Creating Change and Allyship How to be an effective ally in supporting women's careers Starting WISE chapters at your company (or expanding to broader sales/tech groups) The importance of diverse account teams and client representation Free career coaching and mentorship available through WISE council

Welcome to a very special live edition of the Women Authors of Achievement Podcast, hosted for the first time in UK, right here at the Amano Hotel Skybar in London, overlooking Covent Garden. My guest today is Nikki Trott, strategist, podcast host and author of her new book Sacred Business. Her story bridges two worlds: the ambitious drive of London's fashion and branding industry, and the expansive, intuitive energy she discovered in Berlin.Nikki started out leading global fashion and lifestyle campaigns, working with big names across London and New York. But at some point, success as she knew it started to feel off. Thats when she made a radical choice, she left it all behind to follow a different kind of calling.In this conversation, we talk about what it means to walk away from conventional success, how Berlin helped her reconnect with her intuition, and why business can, and should, be an expression of who we are at our core.If you're in a moment of transition or simply craving more purpose in your work, hear this episode!Read more about the Women Authors of Achievement (WAA) Podcast via waa.berlin/aboutFollow us on Instagram & find us on LinkedInSubscribe to our newsletter via waa.berlin/newsletter ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Welcome to The Power Lounge, the platform where women shaping the digital landscape share their experiences. In "Your Edge in the Age of AI," host Amy Vaughan engages with Monica Froese, founder of Empowered Business and a leader in digital strategy and AI innovation. Monica discusses her personal journey—from overcoming a divorce and single motherhood to establishing a seven-figure business—while effectively utilizing AI to regain her time and mental focus.Many find the surge of AI both exciting and daunting. Monica illustrates her transformation from initially overlooking AI tools like ChatGPT to embedding them into her professional and personal routines. This adoption revolutionized aspects such as meal planning, email management, business operations, and parenting responsibilities. The discussion offers actionable strategies for women aiming to harness AI to save time, reduce decision fatigue, and enhance their influence without experiencing burnout.Whether you're managing a team, running your own enterprise, or balancing daily responsibilities, this conversation will reshape your perception of AI. Discover how to leverage AI as a strategic asset to work more efficiently and reclaim control over your time.Chapters:00:00 – Overwhelmed by ChatGPT Launch06:02 – From Google to ChatGPT Transition08:41 – AI as Accountability Partner10:43 – Personalized Writing Style Guide Creation14:29 – Choosing the Right LLM17:39 – Empowering Women in Corporate Tech21:03 – AI: The Small Business Equalizer24:15 – Business Efficiency via AI Team27:32 – AI as Collaborative Assistant30:58 – Building High-Converting Digital Products36:08 – Authenticity Lies Within the User37:04 – Human Connection in Digital Age42:07 – Multi-Channel Content Distribution44:34 – Conversational Prompting Effectiveness47:32 – Effective Prompting: Finding the Use Case51:18 – Empowering Women: AI's Evolving Role53:45 – AI Aiding Women in Divorce59:38 – Technology as Empowerment Tool01:00:25 – Keep Asking, Keep GrowingQuotes:"Let technology empower you. Start small, experiment, and reclaim your time."- Amy Vaughan"AI lightens your mental load, frees your time, and enables you to be your best self."- Monica FroeseKey Takeaways:Overcoming the OverwhelmAI: Your Mental Load BusterJust Start with One ToolTrain Your Digital “Mini-Mes”AI as the Ultimate EqualizerFrom Burnout to BoundariesAuthenticity Still ReignsAI for Everyday EmpowermentTry, Play, and GrowConnect with Monica Froese:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicafroese/Website:https://monicafroese.com/Connect with the host Amy Vaughan:LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/amypvaughanPodcast:Power Lounge Podcast  - Together DigitalLearn more about Together Digital and consider joining the movement by visitingHome - Together DigitalSupport the show

How can a community help you earn a $60,000 raise? The answer lies in the power of peer support and authentic relationships. On the Sales POP! podcast, Together Digital CEO Amy Vaughan shared powerful stories of how their trust-first business model empowers women in tech and creative fields. Amy highlights that true career growth often comes from third-party advocacy and a supportive network. Together Digital's "Ask and Give Exchange" and peer-led "Power Circles" provide members with the tools and confidence to navigate challenging conversations, like advocating for pay equity. The lesson is clear: by leveraging a community that invests in coaching and celebrates your success, you can unlock your full professional potential and achieve outcomes you never thought possible.

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Arvind Sontha, COE and co-founder of Kyber, an AI startup redefining how carriers handle claims correspondence. The insurance industry is undergoing a seismic shift as carries face mounting pressure to deliver faster, more transparent, and compliant communications to policy holders and clients, so the need for digital claims transformation has never been greater. KEY TAKEAWAYS If you think about insurance and tailoring insurance, the underlying model for risk is effectively a ‘user personal model'. We started with an obscure line of insurance that didn't exist yet – or did around personal cyber insurance. We wondered what it would look like, rather than SMB or commercial cyber insurance, as individual underwriting and risk modelling. We got lucky finding a great partner in branch insurance very early on. Over the course of our time engaging with them we ended up turning into an extension of their team. We were able to work closely with them, they trusted us to quickly understand their problems and iterate to give them quick solutions, while at the same time they understood that there are going to be quirks with products that aren't fully fleshed out which they could iron out over time. It was a symbiotic relationship. If an adjustor has to take an hour to put a document together you have to clear a 1.5-hour space in your calendar to do that. Life is hectic, you have meetings and other tasks to do and so that 1.5-hour block keeps getting moved back, same thing happens to managers. If you can take it from 1.5 hours to 30 seconds for a high-quality letter and a one-click process to approve, you can slip that into any part of your calendar. That's a really underrated part of the process. Some of the things we want to do in the future is include things like managed parameters. We think it's obtuse for all the carriers to manage all the fraud language individually all the time, for example. Kyber could manage that for you to make sure everything's automatically compliant and good to go. Statutory language really enables the full organisation to be prepared to catch each other. BEST MOMENTS ‘Kyber is an AI native, document generation and delivery platform made for claims teams, that's what we do.' ‘Nobody doubted that I could build the complex AI to underwrite and quantify the risk, what they needed to figure out was could I sell insurance, which is why I got my broker's licence!' ‘The results have been better than I expected, we've seen 65% faster drafting times, 80% consolidation of their templates across a 50-state operation, and 5x reduction in letter cycle times for documents.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Arvind Sontha is co-founder and CEO of Kyber, an AI startup that is redefining how carriers' NTPAs handle claims correspondence. Arvind is at the forefront of digital transformation, leading Kyber's mission to automate and streamline the entire lifecycle of claims forms and letters. Kyber's clients report the impact of AI automation is undeniable: Claims teams using Kyber have reduced letter drafting time by up to 85%, cut review time by 60%, and achieved a 3x faster outreach to policy holders. LinkedIn ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner. Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook TikTok Email Website This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Meet Cassandra Chin, a remarkable young woman who began teaching tech workshops internationally at just 13 years old. Now 22, she's authored "Raising Young Coders," speaks at global tech conferences, and champions inclusivity in the technology field with wisdom beyond her years.Cassandra shares her unconventional journey into tech, debunking the myth that coding requires strong math skills. "Programming is more about logic and creativity," she explains, offering a refreshing perspective that could open doors for creative minds hesitant to explore coding. Her approach focuses on making technology fun and accessible rather than intimidating—a philosophy that shines through in her book's projects like "Squishy Circuits," where children create art with conductive Play-Doh and LEDs.What stands out most is Cassandra's approach to navigating male-dominated tech spaces. When asked how she maintains confidence at conferences where women are underrepresented, her strategy is brilliantly simple: "I start by introducing myself and telling them my biggest accomplishment, and then after that we're equals." This straightforward method of establishing credibility offers valuable wisdom for women of all ages. Cassandra's parting advice for parents? "Give your kids an opportunity to try technology without biases. Just let them experience it and decide if they like it." For anyone interested in making technology more inclusive—especially for young girls—this conversation provides both inspiration and practical strategies to break down barriers in tech education.Listen now to hear Cassandra's full story, and use her special discount code for 20% off her book "Raising Young Coders." Have you been approaching technology with unconscious biases? This episode might change how you think about coding education forever.Springer: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/979-8-8688-1393-1Springer Discount Code: APAUTAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Young-Coders-Teaching-Programming/dp/B0DVBQZ483/Cassandra Chin | LinkedIn, XLatest Book: Raising Young Coders: A Parent's Guide to Teaching Programming at HomeSupport the show When you subscribe to the podcast, you are supporting our work's mission, allowing us to continue highlighting successful women in a variety of careers to inspire others helping pay our wonderful editor, Chris, and helping me in paying our hosting expenses.

When Ainul Md Razib  first started posting about tech careers on TikTok, almost no one in Singapore was doing it. While most of the platform was filled with dance trends and food reviews, she chose to talk about coding and professional growth - becoming one of the first local career-focused creators. Today, Ainul is a Cybersecurity Engineer at IBM, known online as AinLovesCode. She's been named to the Singapore 100 Women in Tech 2025 list, and her work continues to champion diversity and inclusion in the industry. In this episode, we explore Ainul's journey - the pressures of visibility, the boundaries she's had to set, and the internal work that's kept her creating through viral highs and quiet seasons.   In this episode, we cover:    (00:00) Introduction (01:21) Being taken seriously  (04:39) Creator pressures  (07:50) Complexities as a Muslim creator (13:35) Setting parameters  (17:36) Doubting your own work (20:35) Reviewing Ainul's past content  (24:33) Balancing a full time job with content creation (29:37) Chasing external validation  (32:32) Misconceptions about you (35:51) Why do you do what you do? (39:52) Actionable takeaways  Connect with Ainul Md Razib   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ainlovescode/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ainlovescode  Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5UvDywqpB6Gzv428oNUbAI  Website: https://www.ainlovescode.com/  Connect with Cheryl Lau   Website: https://cheryllau.com  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cheryltheory  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheryltheory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryllau ANNOTATIONS - The Newsletter    The edits that got cut from the podcast. Every interview on EDIT HISTORY runs about 60 minutes. But less than 40 minutes makes it into the final cut. This newsletter is where the rest live. ANNOTATIONS is where I share the 33% I left behind — and the insights that came after we stopped recording. Subscribe at: https://cheryllau.com/email  Contact Please email hello@cheryllau.com for business inquiries.

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Charlie Wendland, chief claims officer at Branch Insurance. The world of claims management is undergoing a seismic shift, with AI at the heart of this transformation. Insurers leveraging AI have reported a 75% reduction in claims handling time and 50% increase in fraud detection accuracy. Cutting claims processing times allows adjustors to focus on complex decisions and customer care. Charlie talks about technology only being part of the story. The future of claims is about continuous transformation, balancing innovation with compliance, and making sure that as we innovate we don't lose sight of empathy and trust. KEY TAKEAWAYS The combination of investigation, problem solving and, most importantly, being there for people in their worst moments – as a claims adjustor – felt both intellectually engaging and genuinely meaningful. It really drew me to the role. We're small and can't afford to build a fully fleshed out claims organisation. So, we made strategic investments to automate those administrative tasks that typically weight down our adjustors and road loos outcomes and also drive expense inefficiencies. We listened to our adjustors; we did a lot of time studies on what's bogging them down and we proactively sought out those inefficient processes and we looked for technology to improve them. We've taken an iterative approach to everything that we've built understanding that it's not going to be perfect when we first launch, but we're going to be really sensitive to what is not perfect and seek perfection even though we know that's not possible. BEST MOMENTS ‘Find administrative tasks that weigh down your adjustors, free them of those through technology, and they can spend more time on complex issues and customer care.' ‘We get adjustor's opinions on everything that we do, for the most part, which sounds inefficient but it's really not because we do it in a very thoughtful way.' ‘70% of our first notice-of-loss now either done electronically or through a voice AI.' ‘With a startup change is ever present because we're trying to find a way to do something and we're able to change quite quickly, but the hurdles are all self-inflicted, so if we're not communicating effectively that's on us.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Charlie Wendland has 20+ years of expertise transforming claims operations across commercial and personal lines. As Chief Claims Officer at Branch, he leads an organisation that's reimagining the insurance experience through technology and customer-centric innovation while delivering optimal claim outcomes. Charlie's leadership philosophy centres on driving operational efficiency that benefits both customers and the business, building collaborative teams that deliver exceptional results, and pioneering approaches that redefine industry standards. Throughout his career, Charlie has consistently delivered growth while enhancing customer satisfaction. I'm passionate about modernizing insurance and mentoring the next generation of industry leaders. LinkedIn ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner. Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook  TikTok Email Website

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Barbara Schonhofer and Carmen Powell, two influential voices who have navigated and thrived in the ever-evolving insurance industry. In today's conversation we explore the sector's evolution, the future of work and best practices for continuous networking and development. KEY TAKEAWAYS When I started my career in 1972, men didn't know how to behave as women cam into their own in business and taking frontline roles. It wasn't so much misogyny that I faced, it was more like old geezers having a laugh, they didn't know how to welcome women into he workplace because it was less usual. I found my way by having humour and being smarter in my responses to them, so I sidestepped a lot of the banter in my early career. There were only a few predatory men, most just didn't know how to behave in front of women. I have always celebrated being different. Anything that was an idiosyncrasy was put down to the fact that I was Spanish, and that suited me fine! That served me well because I didn't have to follow the norms. However, when I interviewed for a very large organisation in the UK the HR director asked my how I was going to cope with men making a pass at me. I said that I was coming here to work and that if anybody crosses the line I knew how to deal with that. BEST MOMENTS ‘The men that were kindest to me didn't help me and the ones that gave me a tough time did business with me. I learned to keep my friends close and my enemies closer.' ‘The most wonderful boss I had was a woman, the rest have been men but, like Barbara, they gave me a hard time and pushed my boundaries enough so I knew I was resilient enough.' ‘With everything you take two steps forward and one step back.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Barbara Schonhofer's career in financial services covers four decades operating as a business leader and later as an executive search consultant to the insurance markets. When she began her career she set out to better understand the complexities of much needed culture change in insurance. During her years operating in financial services as an executive search consultant, Barbara challenged normal practices and spotted the need to bring together women leaders in the London Market to network. Alongside ISC-Group, Barbara co-founded and co-Chair GAIN, a non-profit membership organisation encouraging better understanding and inclusion of neurodiverse individuals in the insurance industry. She is a Freeman of the City of London and a member of the Worshipful Company of Insurers, where she co-founded its female network, iWIN. LinkedIn Carmen Powell is an experienced international marketing and business development professional whose strategic expertise is linked to a practical and positive approach to deliver challenging goals, including establishing new markets and reversing declining revenues whilst successfully navigating large and complex organisational matrices. Carmen has a passion for building societal prosperity and strengthening ethical behaviour of organisations through making a difference to their bottom-line. Ethics matter. Carmen constantly strives to deliver value in ever changing corporate environments while at the same time making a positive difference in our world. LinkedIn ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner. Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook  TikTok Email Website

Liz Centoni takes us on the extraordinary journey through her 25-year career at Cisco, where she's currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Experience Officer, leading a global team of 21,000 employees. Rather than viewing her long tenure at one company as stagnation, Liz describes finding multiple "lily pads" across 13 different roles, allowing her to constantly reinvent herself while building diverse skills and leadership capabilities.With refreshing candor, Liz addresses the challenges women in technology face, sharing personal experiences of having ideas ignored until repeated by male colleagues. "It took me a long time to realize that it was not about how I was saying it, it was who was hearing it," she reflects. This authenticity extends to her leadership approach, where building trust through consistent communication, clear priorities, and genuine empathy creates alignment across her organization.As an executive at the forefront of technological innovation, Liz offers valuable insights into how AI is transforming customer experience. She distinguishes between traditional AI applications and newer agentic systems that can take autonomous action, creating opportunities to solve persistent customer problems at scale. Rather than viewing AI as a job replacement, Liz sees it as freeing teams from repetitive tasks to focus on more complex, creative problem-solving.Perhaps most powerful is Liz's reflection on what it means "to be bolder," drawing from Viktor Frankl's philosophy that between stimulus and response lies a space where we choose our actions. For Liz, boldness means expanding that space, taking ownership of choices, and recognizing personal agency in every situation – a perspective that offers a powerful framework for approaching leadership challenges with authenticity and courage.Ready to transform your approach to career development and leadership?Tune in now here or on your favorite streaming channels.Subscribe to the To Be Bolder podcast for more conversations with inspiring leaders who are breaking barriers and creating meaningful change.Support the show When you subscribe to the podcast, you are supporting our work's mission, allowing us to continue highlighting successful women in a variety of careers to inspire others helping pay our wonderful editor, Chris, and helping me in paying our hosting expenses.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by the singular Sindhu Srivastava. Sindhu grew up in a small town in India then went on to study at the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology and Wharton and is now the CEO of three companies - We Crush Events, Meaningful Data and We Crush AI. In this conversation Sindhu gets vulnerable with Tammy about her first experience with an executive coach and how it forced her to confront the things that were holding her back from being a better leader. She also speaks about her company Girls who CEO which seeks to empower young girls and gives them the tools they need to become confident CEOs later in life. Sindhu also talks about why she's so excited about LLMs and how they can be used to harness human complexities instead of reducing them. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATALinks: Sindhu SrivastavaMan's Search for Meaning How to Be an Antiracist Learn more about Launch by NTT DATASee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Jennifer Bauer, Vice President of Human Capital at RF Ideas, to explore what it means to lead with intention, courage, and compassion. Jennifer shares how her passion for people led her to create RF Ideas' first Employee Resource Group and the highly successful Ignite mentorship program, both of which are transforming company culture and empowering women in tech.From launching initiatives that earned a spot in the Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces to advocating for inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership from every seat, Jennifer's story is a powerful example of responsible influence in action. Her advice? Don't wait—take your shot, make your mark, and lift others as you rise.Tune in for real talk on mentorship, allyship, and the lasting impact of showing up with heart and purpose.Connect with Jennifer: jbauer@rfideas.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-bauer-sphr-5a728711/

Hosts Bret and Amanda interview Gaby Marin, a software developer, about her path into tech, the mentors who helped her, and the barriers women still face in the industry. Gaby discusses the power of community, mentorship, and inclusive programs like Girls Who Code, shares personal experiences with harassment and perseverance, and explains her goal to uplift and train the next generation of engineers.

Episode 69 - Alina Timofeeva, award-winning AI leader, immigrant trailblazer and women-in-tech advocate on a mission to inspire 50M, joins Alda Balestra, former Miss Italy 1970, to share stories of resilience and opportunity. Disclaimer: Please note that all information and content on the UK Health Radio Network, all its radio broadcasts and podcasts are provided by the authors, producers, presenters and companies themselves and is only intended as additional information to your general knowledge. As a service to our listeners/readers our programs/content are for general information and entertainment only.  The UK Health Radio Network does not recommend, endorse, or object to the views, products or topics expressed or discussed by show hosts or their guests, authors and interviewees.  We suggest you always consult with your own professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advisor. So please do not delay or disregard any professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advice received due to something you have heard or read on the UK Health Radio Network.

Send us a textIn this thoughtful episode of the Joey Pinz Conversations podcast, Joey is joined by Victoria Bruns, a former educator, lifelong horsewoman, and now a rising voice in human-centered cybersecurity.

Have you ever felt like you couldn't lead in tech because you didn't come from a technical background? This week's guest, Anna Belova, is living proof that non-technical leaders can build cutting-edge tech companies and thrive in the most technical industries. Anna is a serial entrepreneur and CEO who has built multiple successful companies in AR and AI - including selling over 15 million AR books for kids worldwide and creating one of the leading web XR platforms used by Google and Meta. Her secret? She's never written a single line of code, and she wouldn't have it any other way. In this episode, we dive deep into what it means to lead highly technical teams without a technical background and how to turn perceived weaknesses into creative advantages. “I think it's one of the main powers that I have, because I'm always thinking about products for people who are not geeks or non-technical as well, like me." — Anna Belova What You'll Learn in This Episode: How being non-technical gives you an advantage in creating user-friendly products Why "What if?" is the most powerful question for breakthrough thinking How to lead technical teams when you don't speak their language The mindset shift from "building a unicorn" to "building yourself into someone who can build a unicorn" Why authenticity trumps trying to fit into male-dominated tech culture How to turn doubt into creative power as a woman in tech leadership   Ready to embrace your non-technical superpowers? 

From Kindertransport to Tech Dame: Resilience, Philanthropy & the Woman Who Built an Empire of Trust! What does it take to survive war, rewrite the rules of leadership, and give away over $100 million with zero regret? Intro: In this rare and deeply moving episode, we sit down with the late Dame Stephanie Shirley, tech visionary, radical entrepreneur, and one of the most quietly revolutionary forces of the 20th century. You may not know her name, but you've lived in a world she helped shape. From arriving in England as a 5-year-old Jewish refugee on the Kindertransport, to founding a software company that employed only women in the 1960s, Dame Shirley didn't just break the rules, she rewrote the playbook with kindness, trust, and extraordinary resilience. . And just wait until you hear why she chose to give away £100 million of her wealth to autism research and social impact. This is not just a history lesson. It's a masterclass in legacy, purpose, and the courage to lead differently. What You'll Learn in This Episode: How being a refugee at age 5 forged her leadership DNA Why she built a software empire exclusively for women in 1962 The “iron fist in a velvet glove” management style that helped her survive a male-dominated tech world How remote work was pioneered by her company decades before Zoom Why trust in your people is the foundation of lasting innovation The shocking reason she dropped off the Times Rich List Her battle with depression—and the price of ignoring mental health as a founder The spiritual weight of surviving when others didn't How she made her life a "life worth saving" Power Quote: “The more you trust people, the more trustworthy they become.” ~ Dame Stephanie Shirley Guest Bio: Dame Stephanie Shirley was a trailblazing tech entrepreneur, refugee, and philanthropist. After escaping Nazi Europe via the Kindertransport, she went on to found one of the UK's first software companies, employing only women. She later gave away over £100 million to causes including autism research, mental health, and technology ethics. Her life was dedicated to making the world, and its systems more human.

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Yandy Plasencia, founder and CEO of DataHaven Software. In today's conversation we talk about Yandy's journey and vision as well as how mid-sized insurance companies can explore and empower their finance teams, especially their CFOs, by automating data reconciliation and unlocking real-time insights. KEY TAKEAWAYS          For the most part, it all comes down to the basic leger/sub-ledger challenge. The core systems are transactional and have all the information of what took place, what payments were paid out, when a claim came in, what took place and everything to verify a claim has coverage within the rules defined by the policy. If the data isn't easy to extract so it's digestible and consumable by the right audience then it will be challenging for that audience to interpret the data, reconcile it and do it in a timely fashion. In smaller sized carriers there will be more technical folks who are not necessarily business folks, there's always a gap between what the business and technology folks are looking for and, although technology does a very good job of getting the data where it needs to go, it doesn't always meet the needs of the finance and accounting folks. There an ongoing friction between both departments. You need to build an intelligence layer with well-defined relationships across every single data point as it pertains to financials. If it affects financials you need to have a relationship or ontology or something that tells you how these data points are interrelated. If you don't have that then it's only creating a problem for something else that's going to come up very soon. The main issue with spreadsheets with visualisation tools is that those tools solve the problem short term until they don't, they are extremely helpful until they become painful and they become a bottleneck for the organisation to grow eventually. The tools don't have change processes in place as data sets get larger and as organisations grow. They also become a personnel risk because only 1 or 2 people in the company understand it.   BEST MOMENTS ‘Data is a powerful tool, and it's “make it or break it” for a lot of companies, especially in insurance where the devil is in the details.'‘Being able to trace an expense back to the root system and getting a full transactional detail for that specific number is the most reliable way to do something.'‘It's only labour intensive if you try to do this completely manually and you don't leverage artificial intelligence in the right ways, and if you don't have a defined framework to do this, if you do, it's much easier.'‘It's not rocket science… it's just data science.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Yandy Plasencia is a visionary entrepreneur and software architect with deep expertise in AI, data engineering, insurance technology, and regulatory compliance. At DataHaven, Yandy and his team are creating an insurance-specific intelligence layer that automates reconciliation, accelerates financial analysis, and helps leadership trace changes in loss or expense ratios directly to operational events. LinkedIn ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.   Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook TikTok Email Website This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Today's letter-writer has become a human “answer machine”: She's her team's first (and only) stop to get questions answered and problems solved. But these constant interruptions are leaving her with no time to do her own work, and making her question her skills as a manager. Listen in as Jen and Sara help this manager see that sometimes, stepping back is actually the best support you can give your team. Links:Sign up for the fall session of Power Shift— 9 weeks of classes, coaching, and community designed to help you lead with self-trust. Got a work situation eating away at you? Send it to us! Submit your dilemma at PMLEshow.com. 

You're doing all the right things—delivering results, taking initiative, working harder than ever.  So why are you still being passed over for promotion? In this episode, I'm breaking down the real reason high-performing women in tech get overlooked for executive roles—and how to shift from being overlooked to being seen as a strategic leader so you can take the next step toward your promotion with clarity and confidence. "Performance doesn't equal promotion. If you're delivering results but still being overlooked, you're playing the wrong game—and it's time to learn how to play like an executive." — Toni Collis What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why performance ≠ promotion (and what does) The 5 executive skills decision-makers are looking for How to shift from “reliable doer” to “strategic leader” Subtle perception gaps that derail your promotion path What to say and do to change how you're seen in the room

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Mike Gulla, CEO of Adaptive Insurance, whose team is redefining what it means to be resilient in an era of climate uncertainty and operational volatility. We'll explore why now is the time for parametric and adaptive insurance, what inspired the creation of Adaptive, and how emerging technologies like AI, big data, and cloud computing are transforming the insurance landscape. KEY TAKEAWAYS          Mike started Adaptive in early 2024 to help businesses build financial resilience against climate change, using parametric-style products and unique data assets. Starting a business comes with many challenges – revenue planning, product selection, and insurance. Our focus is helping owners understand how environmental factors like extreme weather or business interruptions could impact them over time. Power outages show that even with backup systems, grid failures can cause major disruptions – from dark streets to reduced customer traffic. As climate shifts, populations are moving into areas with new weather risks. My focus is on creating innovative insurance products that turn these challenges into opportunities for good BEST MOMENTS ‘The consumer needs knowledge to understand what the things are that are ultimately going to impact their business.' ‘Speed is huge, which is why we use parametric products, a business owner needs to be able to make a decision very quickly after an event occurs. When you combine knowledge with speed it helps them make a better decision for their business.' The insurance industry has suffered from how fast things have changed.' ‘Parametric insurance products are similar to streaming services in that they allow the consumer a new opportunity to have access to a different type of coverage that specifically focusses on something that might impact their business.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Mike Gulla, CEO and Co-Founder of Adaptive Insurance, has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry and is passionate about transforming how insurance works by leveraging technology and innovative strategies. His career is marked by a commitment to making insurance more adaptive, efficient, and customer focused. Mike's leadership at Adaptive Insurance reflects his vision for a smarter, more responsive industry—one that meets the evolving needs of clients in a rapidly changing world. Known for his forward-thinking approach and dedication to excellence, Mike continues to inspire teams and drive meaningful change across the insurance landscape. LinkedIn ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.   Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook TikTok Email Website This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/  

Rajia Abdelaziz is the CEO and co-founder of invisaWear, a company at the forefront of smart jewelry and life-saving technology. An advocate for women's and children's safety, Rajia scaled invisaWear to reach over 100,000 customers, successfully raised millions of dollars, and earned coveted recognition including Forbes' 30 Under 30 North America, Boston Globe's Tech Power Players, BostInno's 25 Under 25, and the New England Innovations Award. Just last week invisaWear was selected by Oprah Winfrey for this year's Back to School List. As a minority female CEO, Rajia is passionate about mentoring other young entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and beat the odds, guiding aspiring entrepreneurs at UMass Lowell's Entrepreneurship program.

What happens when the life you worked so hard to build… stops working?In this powerful episode, I'm joined by coach and ex- Adobe executive Jessica Berg for a conversation about burnout, nervous system healing, and what it really means to come home to yourself as a woman.Jessica shares her journey from high-achieving exhaustion to embodied, feminine leadership — and the unexpected breakdown that started it all. We talk about:The nervous system's role in burnout and healingRewiring success patterns that leave you drainedLearning to feel safe in softness and restNavigating marriage and motherhood while healingThe difference between doing more… and becoming moreIf you've been carrying the weight of it all and wondering if there's another way — this conversation is a breath of fresh air.–Connect with Jessica: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalynnebergWebsite: www.jessbergcoaching.comJessica is a transformational coach for high-achieving women in tech. After spending 20 years in high-tech and ad agencies, she leaned into a pull to help ambitious women shift out of burnout and into a version of success that actually feels good, not just looks good on paper.–Connect with Deanna:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deannaherrin/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-herrin/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedeannaherrinWebsite: http://www.deannaherrin.net

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Sterling Parker, Senior Vice President of Global Solutions and Services at Ivanti. Sterling is a recognised leader in workplace technology and digital transformation, with deep expertise in helping organizations of all sizes – from global enterprises to fast-growing startups – navigate the evolving world of work. On this episode we dive into the finding of Ivanti's latest report which gives insights into how leaders can build workplaces that are not only more efficient, but also more human, flexible, and future-ready. KEY TAKEAWAYS Ivanti's latest “Technology at Work” report reveals a striking insight: while 73% of office workers and 83% of IT professionals consider flexible working “high value” or “essential,” only 23% of employees say their current job is highly flexible - highlighting a major flexibility gap that organisations must address to attract and retain top talent. The study also explores the widening flexibility gap, the rise of shadow AI, and the critical balance between optimising technology and empowering people. Leaders need to hear the feedback from their teams. In terms of what's preventing them – whether it's perception or reality – from having flexibility in their day-to-day job. If you're trying to address something without first hearing what your team demands, in terms of flexibility, then you will have a hard time marrying the demand to the business objectives. That's a delicate balance. If you're not defining what success looks like for an individual, how are you going to be able to measure, as you pivot to more flexible work, whether or not that is really leading to the outcomes you need as a business to continue to invest in that flexibility. To redefine flexibility it comes down to what are the mutual benefits involved in the definition of ‘flexibility' to individuals. From what I've seen it happens from a team level, especially when you're working to different objectives. BEST MOMENTS ‘Lack of investment from businesses is leading to this 23% feeling like they don't have any flexibility.' ‘There's real cost in time spent with family, there's real cost in the commute and people weigh those options.' ‘Since covid individuals are more willing to leave businesses for flexibility. Refusing to adapt will increase the likelihood of losing skilled employees which will cost the business. ' ‘When top talent leaves, or isn't being attracted, then you're going to have an innovation stagnation.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Sterling Parker is the Senior Vice President of Global Solutions and Services at Ivanti, where he leads the company's worldwide support, services, and solutions strategy. With a deep background in IT operations and customer experience, Sterling is responsible for ensuring that Ivanti's clients—ranging from large enterprises to small businesses—can securely and efficiently manage their digital workplaces in an era defined by rapid technological change and evolving workforce expectations. Discover more about Ivanti's most recent report here. ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner. Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook  TikTok Email Website This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Send us a textIn this episode, Joey Pinz sits down with Hyla Strauss-Stanton, Strategic Account Executive at Acronis, for a wide-ranging conversation about legacy, leadership, and evolving with purpose.From crocheting calming gifts for others to driving Acronis' growth through Roost integrations, Hyla brings clarity and authenticity to every part of her life. She opens up about her move across the country, her passion for helping MSPs scale, and the joy of real connection in an industry that's often virtual. Hyla reflects on her start in the channel during COVID, how Acronis supports service providers from security to disaster recovery, and how motherhood, personal growth, and structured spontaneity shape her journey.

Send us a textIn this rich and heartfelt episode, Joey Pinz sits down with Becky Teal, community leader at Huntress and longtime MSP industry advocate, to explore the real stories behind service, connection, and fulfillment.Becky shares her unique “short-term hobbies” approach to life, allowing herself to fully explore new interests—like scuba diving and kayaking—without guilt or pressure. She opens up about her personal growth journey, including her work-from-home discipline, travel routines, and what it means to stay fully present both at conferences and at home. With over a decade in the MSP community, Becky reflects on the industry's biggest challenges—security, staffing, and scaling—and how the solution always comes back to community.

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Sam White , CEO of Stella Insurance. Sam is not just a leader in the insurance industry; she's a trailblazer, entrepreneur, and advocate for creating a fairer, more inclusive world. In today's conversation, we'll dive into Sam's incredible journey as an entrepreneur, her vision for Stella Insurance, and how she's challenging the status quo in a traditionally male-dominated industry. We'll also explore her thoughts on leadership, innovation, and the future of insurance. KEY TAKEAWAYS We didn't realise, when we set Stella up, just how revolutionary it was because we had an entirely female management team all in our 20s and 30s, very spirited and high energy, going out and doing business in a very male-dominated marketplace. There are gender differences and I think we come at things with a different perspective, women do business differently, approach things differently, and have different needs and risks that they're exposed to. What I love about the concept of insurance is the idea that a group of people come together and put money in the pot so that if one of them is vulnerable they can be supported. That community ideology is very appealing. When you look through the lens of women, you see a set of circumstances where my general experience when it works well with a large group of women that are all aligned on the same goal and support each other is magic. In terms of building good relationships, the principles apply. Firstly, you can't build a good relationship with somebody who hasn't got a good relationship with themselves and isn't prepared to accept, acknowledge or work on that. My first business was launched from my sister's conservatory where I picked up the phone to brokers and asked if they'd let me handle their claims. The benefit of that is that you don't need to get funding and you can do it your own way, you're learning on the job and experiencing direct feedback. The downside is that the foundations you're building on may not be ideal. BEST MOMENTS ‘I was diagnosed with dyslexia as a kid and I think that creates a different type of mindset in terms of problem solving as well as resilience.' ‘I like complicated problems, and insurance is one hell of a complicated problem!' ‘Imposter syndrome is much higher in women than men, they second guess themselves continually. Most women are educated to not back themselves from the age of 7-8 and societally we also questions women far more than men.' ‘The irony is; the process of the ‘do' is the thing that gives you the confidence to keep on doing the doing. But, you have to do the first thing and make it through your first really big challenge.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Sam White is a dynamic and visionary entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in building and scaling successful businesses. As the CEO of Stella Insurance, Sam is a trailblazer in the insurance industry, known for her innovative approach and commitment to creating meaningful change. Under her leadership, Stella Insurance has become a trusted and award-winning brand, recognized for its customer-centric ethos and dedication to empowering women in a traditionally male-dominated sector. ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner. Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook  TikTok Email Website