Humans of Telecom

"I would tell my younger self – stop playing it safe. Be braver. Be bolder. And believe, really believe, that you are capable of more than you think!" – Mike Mills, Managing Director (Service Providers) at Gamma, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From handing out free internet CDs at a PC World store in the north of England…

to discovering the company that built all the infrastructure behind those very CDs…

to joining them and building a career that has spanned 25 extraordinary years –

Mike's journey into telecom is fascinatingly brilliant!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Mike opens up about:

💻 How a single day spent at an internet company during university changed the entire direction of his life

📈 Inheriting a declining, unloved division at Gamma – and growing it from £12M to £96M almost entirely through organic growth

🏆 Three consecutive wins at the Global Comms Awards for Best Sales Team – a feat that very few teams anywhere in the world can claim!

👯 The world of 'twincidents' – life with an identical twin brother Steve, who also works at Gamma, and the endless cases of mistaken identity that keep the industry on its toes!

🐕 Three Hungarian Vizslas who have made countryside walks a non-negotiable part of his daily life – and he wouldn't have it any other way

🏃 The 13-year-old who cleared over five metres in long jump and represented his county – until fate had other plans at 14

💪 Six Tough Mudders completed, electrocution and all – before finally drawing a very firm line in the mud

⚽ A lifelong Newcastle United fan – more heartbreak than glory, but last season gave him just enough reason to keep believing

❤️ And his quiet but powerful north star – be a good person, treat people with kindness, and invest genuinely in the success of others!

From Newcastle to Surrey, from dial-up internet to UCaaS and beyond –

Mike is living proof that staying curious, staying loyal, and daring to be bold can take you further than any shortcut ever will!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

#HumansOfTelecom #Podcast #Telecom #HumanStories

"I have never once walked into a room and thought — I wonder if I belong here. And I want every woman in this industry to feel exactly the same way!" — Stephanie Lashley, VP Messaging Strategic Alliances & Infrastructure at Bandwidth, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From a mother who came home and talked about telecom at the dinner table…

to a young girl who grew up fascinated by the industry…

to someone who has spent over two decades helping shape how the world messages —

Stephanie's story is one of roots, reinvention, and remarkable impact!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Stephanie opens up about:

📱 Working on RCS back in 2012 — over a decade before the world caught up — and what it feels like to finally see it come to fruition

📈 Joining Bandwidth when messaging was barely a side project — and helping build it into a full-blown AI-powered RCS platform over seven years

🏠 Her lifelong love for interior design — from repainting walls on a whim to refinishing hardwood floors with nothing but determination and YouTube

🦋 A little garden that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds — because some of the best recharging happens close to the earth

🗺️ Visiting all 50 US states — with just three left to go — and a travelogue that the world is waiting to read

🧬 98% Sicilian DNA, ancestry traced back to the 14th century, and a salt mine in Trapani named after her family

✍️ A book written in the fifth grade that won recognition at the Young Authors Convention — the first chapter of a lifelong love for writing

👩‍👩‍👧 And the Women in Messaging initiative — born as a dinner for five, now growing to 50 and beyond — because every woman deserves a seat at the table

From Kansas City to Palermo to the global messaging stage —

Stephanie is proof that when you lead with inclusion, show up with empathy, and never stop creating, the industry takes notice!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

"I stumbled into sales. I stumbled into Facebook. I stumbled into Singapore and met my wife. And somehow, every stumble took me somewhere better!" — Deepesh Trivedi, CEO at UIB.ai, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From a small town in North London called Watford…

to employee number 20 at Facebook's London office…

to the front row of WhatsApp's global expansion…

to now leading a conversational AI company in Singapore —

Deepesh's journey is one of instinct, courage, and beautiful timing!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Deepesh opens up about:

🚀 How a recruiter's phone call in 2008 changed everything — and why joining Facebook was the best career decision he ever made

💬 What it was really like working at WhatsApp before it made a single dollar — and helping shape how it monetized for the first time

🎸 The teenage band that almost made it — and the guitar he's been playing since he was eight years old

🌏 How moving to Singapore for a year turned into 15 years — all because of one person he met in the office on week three

⚽ Sundays with his almost-three-year-old son at football — and why fatherhood has been the most rewarding pivot of his life

🏃 A 5 to 7k run around Singapore when the mind gets too loud — and how movement brings him clarity like nothing else can

❤️ And his core belief as a leader — invest in people, do the right thing, and the rest will follow

From Watford to WhatsApp to the world —

Deepesh is proof that the best decisions in life and career are often the ones you stumble into with an open mind and a willing heart!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

"I've worked in telecom, in modeling, in hairdressing. Every single one taught me the same thing — show up, stay calm, and finish the job!"

— Natalia Derkach, Director of Carrier Relations & Sales at Nuetech Stack, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From the snow-covered streets of Novosibirsk, Siberia…

to the neon-lit corridors of Seoul, South Korea…

to the fast-moving world of carrier relations and CPaaS —

Natalia's journey is one of courage, curiosity, and quiet power!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Natalia opens up about:

🌍 How she accidentally walked into telecom 15 years ago — and never once looked back

💡 The bold move of building an international department from scratch — with nothing but LinkedIn, good English, and sheer determination

🔮 Her secret life as a rune reader — the ancient art of predicting the future, with a 90% accuracy rate to back it up

👠 The runway fall that taught her the most important lesson of her modelling career — and of her life

✂️ The hairdressing practice session that ended with a cut ear — and a very important lesson in staying calm under pressure

🐱 The rescue cat she gave a home to when no one else would — because that's just who she is

🧘 How yoga, meditation, and travel keep her grounded in a world that never stops moving

❤️ And her life philosophy — connecting business and humanity, logic and intuition, strength and empathy

From Siberia to Seoul to the global telecom stage —

Natalia is proof that when you lead with integrity and follow your truth, the world has a way of finding you!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

"I want to learn early to slow down and enjoy the journey. Sometimes we spend many years focused on moving forward — and only later do you realize how important it is to pause, appreciate the process, and enjoy the moment." — Santiago Marquez, CEO at Wholesale Congress Series, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From selling ad space in a telecom magazine…

to attending his first wholesale industry event with wide eyes and a curious mind…

to building the world's largest gathering for the global messaging ecosystem —

Santiago's journey is one of vision, patience, and people!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Santiago opens up about:

🌍 How a chance encounter with the wholesale telecom world in 2006 sparked an idea that would take years to become reality

🎤 The story behind Wholesale World Congress — from dreaming of 500 attendees, to welcoming over 2,000 today

🤝 Why his customers literally convinced him to take over a struggling event — and how that became LAWC in Buenos Aires

🥃 His deep love for whiskey — not just the taste, but the craft, the tradition, and the storytelling behind every bottle

📦 And yes — over 1,000 unopened bottles in his collection. Yes, you read that right!

🖨️ The night shift at a printing press that taught him more about design and detail than any classroom ever could

👨‍👧‍👦 Two sons, Felipe and Vicente — his other world, his greatest anchor

❤️ And his simple but powerful life philosophy: treat others the way you'd like to be treated!

From Uruguay to Madrid to Buenos Aires to every corner of the telecom world —

Santiago is proof that when you build with humility and lead with heart, an entire industry shows up for you!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

"I consider myself an artist! And early in my career, I realized — art and strategy have a lot in common. Both are about creativity, solving problems, conveying a vision, and making something interesting... or even beautiful!" — Gina Perini, Chair of the Board and CEO at SOMOS, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

What happens when a sharp intellectual property lawyer…

gets handed a "boring" project nobody wanted…

and ends up building a company that protects the trust and integrity of communications for millions?

You get a story like Gina's!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Gina opens up about:

⚖️ How a circuitous path from corporate law led her to reimagine how phone numbers are managed as digital identities

🎨 The secret artist in her — oil painting, gardening, and why she brings a creative eye to everything, including strategy!

🚴 That time she cycled over 4,000 miles across the United States — with the man who would become her husband of 25+ years

🏠 Life in a 200-year-old home she and her husband have lovingly restored — because old things deserve to be made new again!

💪 Why weight training and Pilates aren't just about fitness — they're about feeling grounded and ready to take on the world

🌍 A life-changing trip to rural Tanzania, and a phrase on a classroom wall that stopped her in her tracks: "I am because we are"

🔄 Her agile approach to life — running personal retros, staying in continuous improvement mode, and learning to focus outward

❤️ And why the greatest shift of her career wasn't a promotion or an award — it was moving from 'me' to 'we'!

From Boston to the boardroom to the back roads of America — Gina's journey is a masterclass in reinvention, purpose, and the quiet power of showing up with both heart and conviction!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

“Sometimes your greatest journey begins with no plan — just curiosity, courage, and a leap of faith.”

— Andrey Anikin, CEO at Alaris Labs, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

What happens when a linguist…

becomes a schoolteacher…

accidentally lands in technical support…

and ends up building one of the most trusted telecom software companies in the world?

You get a story like no other!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Andrey shares:

⚡ How a random job interview became the spark for a 22-year telecom journey

🚀 The guts it took to leave a stable salary and build Alaris Labs from scratch

🎸 The hidden musician with 10 guitars and a love for creating and performing

🥊 Why he believes amateur boxing is “more chess than aggression”

🏃‍♂️ How running long distances keeps his mind clear, focused, and creative

📚 His lifelong love for reading — from Pushkin and Bulgakov to Ray Bradbury

👨‍👧‍👦 What fatherhood has taught him about leadership, patience, and purpose

❤️ And the one belief that guides his entire philosophy of life and work:

“The greatest things are built on love.”

From Russia to Singapore to Dubai to every telecom conference around the world —

Andrey’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, discipline, humility, and heart!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

“I didn’t chase telecom out of passion — I chased it out of necessity... But somehow, telecom became the nicest devil I could have sold my soul to!” ✨

— Polina Gardo, Roaming Wholesale Manager at Rakuten Mobile, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From studying analytical philosophy, logic, and existential risks…

To navigating roaming wholesale at Rakuten Mobile…

To finding grounding through nature, running, and the intimacy of Argentine tango…

Polina’s journey is anything but ordinary!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Polina opens up about:

🧠 How game theory, moral calculus, and long-term risk analysis unexpectedly shaped her telco mindset

🌍 Her global, nomadic life across Latvia, the UK, Vienna, Venice, Cape Town & Georgia

🔥 Why her first telecom event became a crash course in courage, honesty, and wearing the right shoes

💛 The experience of burnout — and the power of a team that gives you space to heal

🎶 Her secret life as a trained musician, logic nerd, and former national-level wakeboarding athlete

💃 And why Argentine tango teaches more about vulnerability, trust, and human connection than any classroom ever could!

Polina’s story is a reminder that telecom isn’t just about roaming agreements or routing tables — it’s about resilience, curiosity, community, and the courage to keep trying, even when life gets overwhelming!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

“Learn to be a great teammate! I’ve played on teams where I was the best, and teams where I clearly wasn’t — and I learned a lot from both!” 🌍

— Craig Lennon, Global Partnerships Lead at Google, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From growing up on the Jersey Shore surrounded by the telecom greats…

To shaping the way phone numbers are administered in the U.S.…

To leading Google’s global partnerships in voice and messaging —

Craig’s story is one of grit, gratitude, and grounded leadership!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Craig reflects on:

🚀 How a chance first job at Lucent Technologies launched a lifelong telecom journey

🤝 The human lessons behind managing billion-dollar partnerships at Google

💡 Why taking chances (and even failing) early is key to growth

❤️ The discipline of saying “no” and the art of leading with empathy

🧭 His philosophy of service — as a leader, teammate, and parent

⛳ And why golf, family, and reflection keep him grounded amidst global chaos!

Craig’s journey reminds us that true success isn’t found in power, but in purpose —

in serving others, building teams, and believing in yourself before the world does!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

#HumansOfTelecom #Podcast #Telecom #HumanStories #Google

"I want to live to 150, and make every year to count — full of passion, gratitude, and laughter!” ❤️

— Carla Oliveira, Head of Sales (Wholesale) at Go4Mobility, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From being born in Angola and raised in Portugal…

To finding her calling in telecom — first in retail, then wholesale…

From interning at Portugal Telecom to leading global sales at Go4Mobility…

To becoming one of the top three women leaders in the telco industry —

this is the story of Carla Oliveira, a woman whose energy, authenticity, and zest for life light up every room she walks into!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Carla opens up about:

💫 How telco “found her” and why she fell in love with connecting people

🏆 The role of teamwork and purpose in creating lasting impact

💔 The deeply personal story of losing her mother mid-conference — and honoring her legacy through strength and professionalism

💃 The power of dance, discipline, and daily joy

🏋️‍♀️ Why her 7 a.m. gym routine keeps her grounded and sane

💰 That one time she won €10,000 on a TV contest

❤️ And her life’s mission — to live to 150 with passion, gratitude, and purpose!

Carla’s story reminds us that success is not only about achievement — it’s about authenticity, empathy, and the courage to keep dancing through life’s highs and lows!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!