Many organizations are still stuck in a project-driven funding mindset—slow, inflexible, and often disconnected from real value delivery, especially when it comes to leveraging AI. 

In this episode, Roxy Rabe and Jillian explore how shifting to product funding can improve responsiveness, transparency, and outcomes. You’ll learn why traditional budgeting slows teams down, how AI is accelerating the move to outcome-based funding, and what it takes to win executive buy-in. We also cover the challenges of funding AI initiatives, managing spend, and using scenario planning to make smarter decisions.

If you want a clearer, faster, and more adaptable way to fund work—especially AI initiatives—this episode is for you.

What does it take to build an AI-ready organization? In this episode, we explore the intersection of data engineering, AI, and product thinking with industry experts Kate Hanley, Shiv Shah, and Bandhan. The conversation dives into how leading organizations are creating scalable data platforms, treating data products as products, and aligning technology investments with real user and business needs.

From establishing enterprise data standards and measuring platform value to designing for developer personas and maintaining human-in-the-loop AI quality, our guests share practical lessons learned from building modern data and AI ecosystems. You'll also hear how visualization techniques like the “lake house on stilts” metaphor can help communicate data maturity, why transparency and vulnerability are critical leadership traits during AI transformation, and how organizational agility can accelerate value realization.

Along the way, the discussion takes a lighter turn with some delightfully unhinged food opinions—because not every AI conversation has to be serious.

Whether you're a data leader, product manager, AI practitioner, or technology executive, this episode offers actionable insights for turning data foundations into sustainable AI advantage.

Most organizations are racing to keep up with constant change—but few know how to truly thrive in it. 

In this episode, Charlotte Myland, Transformation Leader at Slalom, and Jill Kiepura, a cultural anthropologist turned transformation expert, share how to build organizations that adapt quickly to AI, innovation, and shifting customer needs—without burning people out. 

You’ll learn why speed alone isn’t enough, how a culture of curiosity, continuous learning, and vulnerability drives real resilience, and practical ways to embed experimentation into everyday work. Charlotte and Jill break down how to rethink leadership, structure, and goals for long-term adaptability, and why the right culture makes adopting AI and next-gen tech almost effortless. If you’re a leader, manager, or practitioner navigating nonstop change, this episode is your roadmap for shifting from reactive firefighting to proactive evolution—and turning chaos into a competitive advantage.

In this episode, the first in our Modern Tech Org mini-series, we sit down with Tricia Hembling and Therese Pocrnick to explore what it really takes to build a modern tech organization. This conversation lays the foundational principles that the rest of the series will build on.

We dig into how to move beyond traditional IT as a cost center and instead position technology as an integrated, value-driven partner to the business. We talk about the core traits of modern tech orgs—customer-centricity, agility, predictable delivery, and true ownership—and how to design smaller, autonomous, cross-functional teams that can make decisions quickly and deliver value fast. Tricia and Therese share how trust, shared outcomes, and strong relationships between IT and the business replace old “throw-it-over-the-wall” ways of working.

We also look at the leadership and funding shifts required to make this real, including moving from project-based to product and value-based models, and creating an environment where experimentation and systems thinking can thrive. Along the way, we draw on fun examples like sneaker and brand collaborations to highlight how co-creation and partnership fuel innovation.

If you’re working on transforming your tech organization’s structure, culture, or leadership approach, this episode sets the groundwork for what’s to come in the series—including future sessions on data architecture, adaptive organizations, and advanced modern tech leadership.

Todd Weidman joins the show to share how he went from accountant and wealth manager to AI-focused tech leader, guided by a lifelong love of libraries and learning. Using nostalgic callbacks to landlines, phone books, Nextel walkie-talkies, floppy disks, and physical games, Todd shows how quickly technology changes and how embracing that change opens doors.

He explains how AI acts as a new “library of knowledge,” helping organizations boost efficiency, build capacity, and create new products. Todd also breaks down how to rebrand yourself during disruptive times, offering practical advice for career pivots: adopt a beginner’s mindset, make space to learn, set boundaries, and focus on what you can control. The episode closes with a call to lean into collaboration, mastery, and intentional growth as AI reshapes work and opportunity.

In this episode, Jessica Smith and Jeff Mortimer unpack the insights from their latest AI white paper, “AI After Dark.” They explore AI’s rapid evolution and why it’s keeping leaders up at night, then move into practical strategies for adopting AI responsibly across an organization.

Drawing on agile principles, “trust but verify,” and Simon Sinek’s Infinite Game, they discuss how to balance speed with structure, build security and trust into AI-generated code, and manage resistance to change. You’ll hear concrete advice for leaders and beginners alike, how to get started with experimentation, what questions to ask, and how to navigate bias, ethics, and brand trust in an AI-driven world.

Whether you’re losing sleep over AI or just getting curious, this episode offers a grounded, human-centered roadmap for embracing AI while fostering sustainable, long-term innovation.

Check out the the white paper here.

AI is changing everything about how organizations build and deliver technology. In this episode, co-hosts Mike Henry, Jeff Mortimer, and Archie Woods welcomes Steve Donnelly for a lively discussion on the game-changing impact of AI in software development and business transformation. Hear how rapid prototyping is replacing lengthy discovery phases, and how Slalom’s AI value platform is helping organizations optimize processes and boost efficiency. The conversation also dives into agentic AI, automation that works alongside people to enhance decision-making, not replace it. 

Tune in for real-world examples, future-forward insights, and practical takeaways on keeping human creativity at the heart of your transformation.

In this episode, the hosts dive into the dynamic world of product delivery within highly regulated sectors like government and healthcare. They unpack the core differences between Agile and Waterfall methodologies, highlighting how Agile’s iterative, adaptive approach can drive innovation—even when faced with strict compliance requirements. The discussion covers the unique challenges encountered when implementing Agile practices in compliance-heavy environments, such as legacy systems and regulatory complexities. Listeners will gain practical insights on integrating compliance into the Agile process, fostering an adaptive organizational culture, and leveraging leadership strategies to model and encourage Agile adoption. The episode also explores how technologies like AI and sandbox environments can accelerate Agile transformation, ensuring that organizations remain responsive and innovative while meeting regulatory demands.

In this episode, we welcome cybersecurity expert Kaylee Smith to discuss how cybersecurity fits into agile delivery and product leadership. Together, we explore the challenges and opportunities of embedding security practices into every stage of product development. We talk about aligning risk management, compliance, and security architecture with agile methodologies, and examine how AI is transforming cybersecurity—from automating threat detection to improving incident response.

Throughout our conversation, we emphasize that security is a shared responsibility across all teams, not just the cybersecurity department. We also discuss the cultural shift needed to view security as a business enabler, and share practical approaches to vulnerability management, incident response, and building security awareness within agile teams. Our goal is to help product leaders and teams see security as integral to delivering value—and to equip them with actionable strategies for embedding security into their workflows.

This episode features an in-depth discussion on the transformative impact of AI on business strategy and product development. Our experts unpack how AI is reshaping the product life cycle, pushing organizations to rethink traditional approaches and embrace rapid technological change. The conversation highlights the importance of adaptability, experimentation, and continuous learning as core competitive advantages in today’s fast-evolving landscape. Listeners will gain practical insights on starting small with AI tools, leveraging customer data innovatively, and why embracing uncertainty is now essential for driving innovation and delivering great customer experiences.