Generative culture is the holy grail of any technology-driven company and the noble quest of any CIO – or any leader of people and change. Everyone wants it, but few are able to find it. Generative culture supports smart people — the right smart people — as they solve the right problems. It’s a magnet for talent that helps you recruit and retain those smart people too. It’s the essence of teams that are high-performing and innovative. Done right, it can take you into Netflix territory, defining and dominating an entire sector of the economy. 

Jeremy Duvall, founder of 7Factor Software, is committed to building a smart, flexible, human-centric team of experienced software architects, engineers, and developers who obsess about quality and will give clients honest, expert advice. 

Have a great topic to explore? Reach out to [email protected]. 

Transformation is defined as a dramatic and complete change. It’s become part of our corporate speak and it’s meant to signify that giant leaps and monumental progress are necessary to keep pace and gain advantage. And yet, most changes happen through the accumulation of small steps that add up along the way. What if instead of taking on dramatic transformations, we approached technology adoption through incremental change? Dan Moore, co-founder of Vaporware, does just that by helping business founders pivot their business through process automation, technical modernization, and software innovation...one step at a time.

Reach out to Suzanne York at Humans Optimized to share your insights about the intersection of people and technology. 

Showing up authentically has a whole new meaning in today’s digital world. Before the internet, our physical presence and reputation could reach a fairly limited group – people we knew and perhaps a few we didn’t. Now, our online presence extends so far beyond that to the possibilities of a truly global audience. But how often are we really stopping to think about and take actions to create a deliberate and authentic presence so that our message can be truly understood? Brandi Bernoskie, digital strategist, web developer, and technology expert helps entrepreneurs and business owners elevate their online presence, enhance their digital experience, and embrace their authentic online selves which she calls their 5th Dimension. She is the founder of Alchemy And Aim. Have a great topic to explore? Reach out to [email protected]. 

A new employee’s first week on the job is critical to their longer-term success with the company and to create a sense of belonging within the culture. Many activities that week involve a myriad of paperwork and administrative tasks that need to be done by both the new hire and the human resources team. What if these tasks could be automated to allow for a truly people-centric onboarding experience? David Secunda, founder and CEO of WorkBright, shares how his company moves traditional employee onboarding to a 100% remote process that workers complete before they arrive so the first week can truly be focused on people. Enjoy the episode and contact Suzanne York at Humans Optimized to learn more about the intersection of people and technology. #humansoptimized #automation #peoplefirst 

2020 (and now 2021...) tested our ability to handle disruption, stress, and uncertainty. Everything about the way we live and work needed to be re-evaluated. Whether we intended to or not, that experience has allowed us to gain valuable skills in many of the areas that were predicted to be keys to success in the future of work. Well, that future is now. Ira Wolfe, founder of Success Performance Solutions and president of Poised for the Future Company joins me today to talk about adaptability, Googlization, and bringing forward the good from 2020. "Everything is in a state of flux, even the status quo." 

Many of us use technology to track our health, movements, workouts & sleep. In some cases, it’s fun and can provide motivation to change our daily habits. In other cases, it creates profound impact that goes well beyond measuring our physical activity to actually empowering the disempowered. Danielle Richards from GripAble joins me in this inspiring conversation about how her personal experience elevating women through sport sparked a passion for embodiment and how it can be amplified by technology. Reach out to Suzanne York at Humans Optimized to share your insights about the intersection of people and technology. 

Death by meetings seems to have become the corporate way of life. We go from one discussion to the next, chasing the elusive idea of alignment and hoping for clarity on the plan. Meetings are seen as a critical form of communication and yet, we’re hard-pressed to say they are actually working. What if we could meet less and communicate more? Sound like a dream? Josh Little, founder of 4 tech companies including his latest venture, Volley.

While some advancements in technology solve a problem, others create a possibility. How do companies explain their complex technology products in a way that appeals to a new audience so they will buy a solution to a problem they didn’t even know they had? Margie Agin, award-winning marketer and founder of Centerboard Marketing helps her clients craft compelling messages to showcase the value of their technology to non-tech decision makers. She is also the author of the book - BRAND BREAKTHROUGH: How to Go Beyond a Catchy Tagline to Build an Authentic, Influential and Sustainable Brand Personality. Enjoy the episode and reach out to [email protected] for more great conversations.

Tech start-ups have fueled innovation by bringing new or improved technology solutions to the marketplace. I can picture the moment when a technology expert realizes what’s possible and is so compelled by the vision that they dive head-first into bringing it to life. While a viable idea, the right skills and relentless optimism may seem like enough to jump-start a company, what happens next to harness the potential and experience wildly successful results? Here to talk with me today about the secret to building and growing businesses is Jeff Chastain, Professional EOS Implementer and founder of Admentus, Inc. Share your keys to success in growing a tech-centered business by reaching out to Suzanne York at Humans Optimized. 

High performing teams are both productive and have strong relationships. One way to cultivate these relationships and build trust, communication and camaraderie is through shared experiences which allow people to engage with each other on multiple levels. Even before the pandemic, many teams spanned the globe and couldn’t always get together in person to gain the benefits of in-person interactions. And when they could, they wanted to make these times together really impactful. Now, teams are looking for creative ways to offer shared experiences that don’t require in person events. So how do we have shared experiences when we can’t be together? Virtual Reality creates compelling, high-impact interactions in a fun and unique way. Adam Olds, Event Production and Operations Manager at Virtual Reality Rental, joins me in this the conversation to reminisce on a VR-powered team performance workshop we led together and to explore the possibilities for bringing VR into your next team building event.