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Tales From The Sky Lounge-A Business Podcast
By Todd MerrillBusiness
Tales From The Sky Lounge-A Business Podcast episodes
- Ep16 - Rich Makover—Leadership, Resilience, and Sales Mastery
In this episode, we sit with Rich Makover, a seasoned CRO and executive coach, to discuss how athletics prepared him for a career in sales leadership, his journey from CPA to sales, insights on resilience, mentorship, and the evolving sales landscape. Learn how strategic thinking, coaching, and leadership have shaped Rich's path to success at TechCXO.
Chapters- [00:00] Introduction and Background
- [03:00] Resilience and Rejection in Sales
- [08:03] Transitioning from Salesperson to Sales Leader
- [11:28] Lead Generation Strategies and Channels
- [14:29] The Changing Landscape of Sales
- [18:31] Hiring and Developing Young Sales Talent
- [20:23] Coaching and Supporting Sales Team Members
- [26:56] The Importance of Diversity in Sales Teams
- [33:00] Don't Pre-Assume
- [34:06] Coaching at Different Stages of a Career
- [38:59] The Power of Coaching
- [45:06] Aligning Personal Values
- [52:53] Transformative Coaching
- [57:07] Getting in Touch with Rich Makover
ABOUT OUR GUESTRich Makover is a seasoned Fractional Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Executive Coach, with an extensive background in both athletics and business. Leveraging his experience as a D1 athlete at Penn State University and former executive at top companies like KPMG, Avon Products, and Citizen Watch Group, Rich specializes in driving significant growth and transformation for companies across various industries. He is passionate about giving back to the community that shaped him at Penn State by being a mentor for the Men's Lacrosse Team and being a part of the Teammates for Life program, as well as helping professionals, especially those going through business transitions, unlock their full potential through strategic leadership and coaching.
SocialsLinkedIn
Contact infoEmail: [email protected]
Phone Number: (347) 216-5374What is THE SKYLOUNGE?Tales from the SkyLounge is a podcast where we take you on a journey through the world of business, consulting, and venture investing. In each episode, we gather in our virtual sky lounge, high above the hustle and bustle of the everyday world, to hear stories from the people who are shaping the future of these industries. .
ABOUT OUR HOSTTodd Merrill is an experienced software executive who typically assists clients as a fractional or interim CTO and CiSO as a partner at TechCXO.Subscribe and turn on notifications to listen to new episodes as they launch!- YouTube
- Spotify
- Apple
- Amazon
Follow Tales From The SkyLounge on Social Media- X/Twitter
- Instagram
Learn more about TechCXO
Production/Design: James Liebman
Music: Soundstripe/Cody Martin-Sunrise59 min - Ep15 - IT Roundtable: Leadership and Cost Optimization in Challenging Times
Today, we are joined in the Sky Lounge by IT experts Ian Findlay, David Johnston, and Paul King from TechCXO to explore the crucial role of IT leadership in today’s economic climate. They delve into technology health assessments, uncovering cost inefficiencies, and optimizing IT spend. From alternatives to VMware to cutting cloud costs, the panel offers actionable insights for businesses navigating economic downturns.
Key Topics:
- The role of fractional CIOs and technology health assessments.
- IT cost inefficiencies and optimization strategies.
- VMware alternatives and cloud cost management.
- Downsizing IT staff: risks and best practices.
Show Notes:
- [00:00] Intro to the IT panel.
- [03:15] Ian Findlay on fractional CIOs.
- [07:45] David Johnston on IT health and cloud.
- [12:30] Paul King on cost optimization.
- [19:40] Impact of economic downturns.
- [32:00] VMware alternatives.
- [38:15] Downsizing IT staff.
- [55:00] Final thoughts.
Connect with the Panelists:
- Ian Findlay
- David Johnston
- Paul King
What is THE SKYLOUNGE?
Tales from the SkyLounge is a podcast journey through business, consulting, and venture investing, featuring stories from industry leaders.ABOUT OUR HOST:
Todd Merrill is an experienced software executive who typically assists clients as a fractional or interim CTO and CiSO as a partner at TechCXO.He has served in a series of companies as a C-Level executive focused on leveraging the Cloud to bring SaaS offerings to market. As an entrepreneur, turn-around expert, technology and product leader, and mentor, Todd has held full corporate P&L and product development responsibilities and directed diverse international teams of Engineering Managers, Mobile Architects, Developers, Dev Ops, QA, and Customer Success professionals.
Subscribe and follow:
- YouTube
- Spotify
- Apple
- Amazon
Follow Us:
- X/Twitter
- Instagram
Learn more:
TechCXOProduction/Design:
James Liebman
Music: Soundstripe/Cody Martin-Sunrise1 hr 6 min - Ep 14 - AI Roundtable— Where Do We Stand and What’s Next?
The Sky Lounge is packed today with our first Roundtable! Joining us are AI experts Nikolaos Vasiloglou, Joel Forman, and Kevin Carlson to dissect the latest in machine learning, generative AI, and the future of tech.
When is AI, AI?! When is it just a parrot? From practical applications to ethical quandaries, this is a deep dive into artificial intelligence past, present, and future!ABOUT OUR GUESTS:Nikolaos Vasiloglou is the VP of Research-ML at RelationalAI. He has spent his career on building ML software and leading data science projects in Retail, Online Advertising and Security.He is a member of the ICLR/ICML/NeurIPS/UAI/MLconf/KGC/IEEE S&P community, having served as an author, reviewer, and organizer of Workshops and the main conference.Nikolaos is leading the research and strategic initiatives at the intersection of Large Language Models and Knowledge Graphs for RelationalAI.Nikolao's's LinkedInKevin Carlson is a veteran technology executive with a unique combination of technology expertise and business acumen.He has served as CTO and CISO for companies in various industries in North America and Europe.Kevin was voted one of a global top 50 information security professionals by OnCon in 2021 and 2022.As an executive coach, he focuses on developing leaders in technology and information security, leveraging 35 years of experience navigating challenges faced by those in technology-related roles.Kevin's LinkedInJoel Forman leads the AI team’s development of machine learning tools that accelerate and improve engineering design. He has a decade of industry experience developing data analysis and machine learning tools that empower actionable decision making. He uses this experience to bring state of the art computer vision technology to help machines extract and understand aerial imagery and Lidar data making geospatial analysis more accessible to all.Prior to joining AirWorks Joel worked as a Senior Research Scientist at Boston Fusion. Prior to that, Joel worked as a Managing Engineer at Exponent (a technical consulting firm). Joel earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and is a professionally licensed control systems engineer.Joel can be reached at [email protected] or on LinkedIn. If you’re interested in trying AirWorks AI for yourself, drop him a line.What is THE SKYLOUNGE?Tales from the SkyLounge is a podcast where we take you on a journey through the world of business, consulting, and venture investing.In each episode, we gather in our virtual sky lounge, high above the hustle and bustle of the everyday world, to hear stories from the people who are shaping the future of these industries.From entrepreneurs who are disrupting the status quo, consultants who are helping companies solve their biggest challenges, and investors who are making bets on the next big thing.Subscribe and turn on notifications to listen to new episodes as they launch!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfeCS-Varb4gu2uCwyRTXWWEdP676Huh6Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jz6ubcaUZ20Xh8TXhwzENApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tales-from-the-sky-lounge/id1730134658Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4ba289a5-0d33-4589-95c7-83416731a864/tales-from-the-sky-loungeFollow Tales From The SkyLounge on Social MediaX/Twitter: @TFTSkyLoungeTikTok: tiktok.com/tftskyloungeInstagram: @tftskyloungeLearn more about TechCXO: https://www.techcxo.com/56 min - Ep 13 - Marc McCarthy— Mastering Market Entry from Either Side of the PondJoining us in the Sky Lounge is Marc McCarthy, a seasoned business consultant helping UK companies expand into the US market.Marc spills the beans (and tea) on the quirks of taking your business transatlantic—from cultural idiosyncrasies to navigating legal language mazes.Discover why you need to get off Zoom and into the room where it happens! Marc offers practical advice for businesses looking to make their mark across the Atlantic.ABOUT OUR GUEST:Marc is a Fintech commercial executive who has helped SaaS companies with complex solutions overcome the challenges of expanding their global footprint, designed & implemented sales strategies to significantly grow their ARR and built lasting sales frameworks for growth.Marc is based in London, England.Website: proconsultiq.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcmccarthy74/What is THE SKYLOUNGE?Tales from the SkyLounge is a podcast where we take you on a journey through the world of business, consulting, and venture investing.In each episode, we gather in our virtual sky lounge, high above the hustle and bustle of the everyday world, to hear stories from the people who are shaping the future of these industries.From entrepreneurs who are disrupting the status quo, consultants who are helping companies solve their biggest challenges, and investors who are making bets on the next big thing.ABOUT OUR HOST:Todd Merrill is an experienced software executive who typically assists clients as a fractional or interim CTO and CiSO as a partner at TechCXO.He has served in a series of companies as a C-Level executive focused on leveraging the Cloud to bring SaaS offerings to market.As an entrepreneur, turn-around expert, technology and product leader, and mentor, Todd has held full corporate P&L and product development responsibilities and directed diverse international teams of Engineering Managers, Mobile Architects, Developers, Dev Ops, QA, and Customer Success professionals.Subscribe and turn on notifications to listen to new episodes as they launch!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfeCS-Varb4gu2uCwyRTXWWEdP676Huh6Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jz6ubcaUZ20Xh8TXhwzENApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tales-from-the-sky-lounge/id1730134658Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4ba289a5-0d33-4589-95c7-83416731a864/tales-from-the-sky-loungeFollow Tales From The SkyLounge on Social MediaX/Twitter: @TFTSkyLoungeTikTok: tiktok.com/tftskyloungeInstagram: @tftskyloungeLearn more about TechCXO: https://www.techcxo.com/Production/Design: James LiebmanMusic: Soundstripe/Cody Martin-Sunrise52 min
- Ep12 - Katherine Hunter-Blyden: Tips on the Modern Marketing Landscape from a Seasoned ExpertJoining us in the Sky Lounge is Katherine Hunter-Blyden, a seasoned marketing expert who has journeyed from insurance pricing to global marketing roles at Ford, and now serves as a fractional CMO.Katherine shares her experiences, from the impact of mentorship and learning to take calculated risks, to the essentials of modern marketing in both large corporations and smaller startups.Discover her strategies for branding, direct response marketing, and leveraging AI tools, while still finding time to travel around the globe just to volunteer at the Olympics!!ABOUT OUR GUEST:Katherine Hunter-Blyden is a marketing veteran with over 29 years of business experience.She offers marketing services that give business owners, management teams and founders the strategies they need to find and keep the right customers at the right cost.Katherine is based in Los Angeles.Reach out to Katherine:Sign up for her newsletter?Contact info: [email protected]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinehunterblyden/To find out more about Junior Achievement and how to get involved visit https://jausa.ja.orgWhat is THE SKYLOUNGE?Tales from the SkyLounge is a podcast where we take you on a journey through the world of business, consulting, and venture investing.In each episode, we gather in our virtual sky lounge, high above the hustle and bustle of the everyday world, to hear stories from the people who are shaping the future of these industries.From entrepreneurs who are disrupting the status quo, consultants who are helping companies solve their biggest challenges, and investors who are making bets on the next big thing.ABOUT OUR HOST:Todd Merrill is an experienced software executive who typically assists clients as a fractional or interim CTO and CiSO as a partner at TechCXO.He has served in a series of companies as a C-Level executive focused on leveraging the Cloud to bring SaaS offerings to market.As an entrepreneur, turn-around expert, technology and product leader, and mentor, Todd has held full corporate P&L and product development responsibilities and directed diverse international teams of Engineering Managers, Mobile Architects, Developers, Dev Ops, QA, and Customer Success professionals.Subscribe and turn on notifications to listen to new episodes as they launch!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfeCS-Varb4gu2uCwyRTXWWEdP676Huh6Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jz6ubcaUZ20Xh8TXhwzENApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tales-from-the-sky-lounge/id1730134658Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4ba289a5-0d33-4589-95c7-83416731a864/tales-from-the-sky-loungeFollow Tales From The SkyLounge on Social MediaX/Twitter: @TFTSkyLoungeTikTok: tiktok.com/tftskyloungeInstagram: @tftskyloungeLearn more about TechCXO: https://www.techcxo.com/Production/Design: James LiebmanMusic: Soundstripe/Cody Martin-Sunrise55 min
- Ep 11 - Rob Reesor: Insights, Tips, Tricks and Wisdom from a Tech Veteran
EPISODE DESCRIPTION:
It all started with stumbling into a computer science course at the University of Oregon and culminated in a decades-long tech career filled with success.Rob Reesor reflects on his journey from pioneering early e-commerce to advancing AI, shares a ton of wisdom on how to lead a team and deliver promise to customers, and looks forward to sharing his expertise in new and exciting ways.ABOUT OUR GUEST:Rob Reesor is a newly semi-retired CTO and VPE with nearly four decades of startup and PE-backed software development and leadership experience.Rob has both BSCS and MSCS degrees and has held software developer, architect, leader, director, VP, SVP, and CTO roles in both Silicon Valley and Austin Texas.Rob retired in 2022 after fourteen years at Planview, Inc., then after five weeks of retirement, took on the CTO role at fintech firm Cforia.After a successful sale of the company, Rob is semi-retired and available for fractional software executive leadership roles building/enhancing a team, their processes, their technology, and/or their scalability.Rob can be contacted through his LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-reesor-908188/What is THE SKYLOUNGE?Tales from the SkyLounge is a podcast where we take you on a journey through the world of business, consulting, and venture investing.In each episode, we gather in our virtual sky lounge, high above the hustle and bustle of the everyday world, to hear stories from the people who are shaping the future of these industries.From entrepreneurs who are disrupting the status quo, consultants who are helping companies solve their biggest challenges, and investors who are making bets on the next big thing.ABOUT OUR HOST:Todd Merrill is an experienced software executive who typically assists clients as a fractional or interim CTO and CiSO as a partner at TechCXO.He has served in a series of companies as a C-Level executive focused on leveraging the Cloud to bring SaaS offerings to market.As an entrepreneur, turn-around expert, technology and product leader, and mentor, Todd has held full corporate P&L and product development responsibilities and directed diverse international teams of Engineering Managers, Mobile Architects, Developers, Dev Ops, QA, and Customer Success professionals.Subscribe and turn on notifications to listen to new episodes as they launch!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfeCS-Varb4gu2uCwyRTXWWEdP676Huh6Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jz6ubcaUZ20Xh8TXhwzENApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tales-from-the-sky-lounge/id1730134658Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4ba289a5-0d33-4589-95c7-83416731a864/tales-from-the-sky-loungeFollow Tales From The SkyLounge on Social MediaX/Twitter: @TFTSkyLoungeTikTok: tiktok.com/tftskyloungeInstagram: @tftskyloungeLearn more about TechCXO: https://www.techcxo.com/Production/Design: James LiebmanMusic: Soundstripe/Cody Martin-Sunrise48 min - Ep 10 - Chris Caparon: Hard-Won Lessons from a Long and Successful Tech Journey
Today we’re joined by Chris Caparon, a seasoned entrepreneur and tech veteran.
Chris shares his journey from Michigan to sunny California, where he co-founded CForia Software and navigated the turbulent waters of tech business, venture capital and 20 years of highs and lows through every kind of crisis (un)imaginable.Now that he’s exited out the other side, he shares some perspective and excellent lessons learned.#EntrepreneurJourney #TechStartups #VentureCapital #BusinessConsulting #SuccessStoriesABOUT OUR GUEST:Chris founded Cforia Software with his partner Dave McIntyre to build a software company that created a collaborative work environment for their employees and added value to our customers every single day. Cforia was a Fintech pioneer in accounts receivable automation software. After Cforia's 20+ year journey culminated this year with our sale to Highradius, they exited the business. Chris is currently retired but interested in “using my experience to help other entrepreneurs succeed with their companies and projects.”During his tenure at Cforia, the company acquired over 250 companies world-wide who operated in over 110 countries. The platform managed over 450 Billion USD in yearly accounts receivable in 2023.Total assets the platform managed exceeded 450 Billion USD in yearly accounts receivable.Specialties: Business and technical knowledge applicable in a wide variety of industries.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-caparon-a2b58/What is THE SKYLOUNGE?Tales from the SkyLounge is a podcast where we take you on a journey through the world of business, consulting, and venture investing.In each episode, we gather in our virtual sky lounge, high above the hustle and bustle of the everyday world, to hear stories from the people who are shaping the future of these industries.From entrepreneurs who are disrupting the status quo, consultants who are helping companies solve their biggest challenges, and investors who are making bets on the next big thing.ABOUT OUR HOST:Todd Merrill is an experienced software executive who typically assists clients as a fractional or interim CTO and CiSO as a partner at TechCXO.He has served in a series of companies as a C-Level executive focused on leveraging the Cloud to bring SaaS offerings to market.As an entrepreneur, turn-around expert, technology and product leader, and mentor, Todd has held full corporate P&L and product development responsibilities and directed diverse international teams of Engineering Managers, Mobile Architects, Developers, Dev Ops, QA, and Customer Success professionals.Subscribe and turn on notifications to listen to new episodes as they launch!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfeCS-Varb4gu2uCwyRTXWWEdP676Huh6Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jz6ubcaUZ20Xh8TXhwzENApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tales-from-the-sky-lounge/id1730134658Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4ba289a5-0d33-4589-95c7-83416731a864/tales-from-the-sky-loungeFollow Tales From The SkyLounge on Social MediaX/Twitter: @TFTSkyLoungeTikTok: tiktok.com/tftskyloungeInstagram: @tftskyloungeLearn more about TechCXO: https://www.techcxo.com/Production/Design: James LiebmanMusic: Soundstripe/Cody Martin-Sunrise1 hr 5 min - Ep 09 - Bart Foster: Grit Becomes Growth, the Path from Pain to TransformationBart Foster visits the Sky Lounge to talk about how an unceremonious ouster from the thriving startup he founded led him on a transformative journey to living a life of intention and purpose.He discusses founding BusinessOutside as a result, a venture that leverages nature to cultivate deeper connections and personal growth among leaders and teams, and the techniques he uses to get out of the mundane and into the “real” talk that makes real connections.#nature #intentionalliving #businessculture #businessoutside #techcxo #futureofworkABOUT OUR GUEST:Bart Foster is the founder and CEO of BusinessOutside®, a facilitation and training company focused on engaging, inspiring, and empowering individuals and teams to get Outside in nature, Outside their comfort zones, and Outside of outdated norms.Bart is an entrepreneur and seasoned global executive who began his career at Kellogg’s and Novartis.After climbing the corporate ladder and building a successful healthcare startup, Bart found his true calling as an advisor, speaker, and coach to executives throughout the world.He lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife and two kids.Most mornings, he can be found hiking the peaks above town, usually with someone in tow, discussing business, outside.#BusinessOutsideIG: @Business_OutsideX: @Bart_Fosterwww.BusinessOutside.comwww.Bart-Foster.com#futureofworkBusinessOutside Connection Questions:PDF: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/658f0890ea656379d1a749a6/t/661d6b01042f2075f237fab4/1713203969458/BusinessOutside+Connection+Questions.pdfURL (bottom of page): https://www.forumoutside.com/resources-and-toolsWhat is THE SKYLOUNGE?Tales from the SkyLounge is a podcast where we take you on a journey through the world of business, consulting, and venture investing.In each episode, we gather in our virtual sky lounge, high above the hustle and bustle of the everyday world, to hear stories from the people who are shaping the future of these industries.From entrepreneurs who are disrupting the status quo, consultants who are helping companies solve their biggest challenges, and investors who are making bets on the next big thing.ABOUT OUR HOST:Todd Merrill is an experienced software executive who typically assists clients as a fractional or interim CTO and CiSO as a partner at TechCXO.He has served in a series of companies as a C-Level executive focused on leveraging the Cloud to bring SaaS offerings to market.As an entrepreneur, turn-around expert, technology and product leader, and mentor, Todd has held full corporate P&L and product development responsibilities and directed diverse international teams of Engineering Managers, Mobile Architects, Developers, Dev Ops, QA, and Customer Success professionals.Subscribe and turn on notifications to listen to new episodes as they launch!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfeCS-Varb4gu2uCwyRTXWWEdP676Huh6Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jz6ubcaUZ20Xh8TXhwzENApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tales-from-the-sky-lounge/id1730134658Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4ba289a5-0d33-4589-95c7-83416731a864/tales-from-the-sky-loungeFollow Tales From The SkyLounge on Social MediaX/Twitter: @TFTSkyLoungeTikTok: tiktok.com/tftskyloungeInstagram: @tftskyloungeLearn more about TechCXO: https://www.techcxo.com/Production/Design: James LiebmanMusic: Soundstripe/Cody Martin-Sunrise56 min
- Ep 08 - David Morczinek: Machine Learning at MIT to Entrepreneurial Growth and Fundraising Success.
Joining us in the Sky Lounge today is David Morczinek, the innovative CEO of Airworks, a geospatial AI company. David shares his fascinating journey from aerospace engineer to leading a cutting-edge company. He delves into his academic and professional experiences, including his time at Airbus and his transformative years at MIT where he pursued an MBA. With Airworks, David is at the forefront of utilizing drone technology to transform aerial data into actionable business intelligence, offering compelling insights into how aerial data is shaping the future of business decisions.
#technology #ai #artificialintelligence #dronetechnology #aerospace #businessculture #mit #techcxoABOUT OUR GUEST:David has worked in the aerospace industry for 10+ years. In the past, he led multiple teams at Airbus. As CEO, David is the driving force behind the development of AirWorks’ AI, with the goal of advancing the use of aerial intelligence across AEC. David holds an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Business and an MS in Aircraft Systems Engineering from the Technical University of Hamburg. In his free time, David enjoys traveling with his wife and two children.David Morczinek
+1-857-990-1251
https://www.linkedin.com/in/morczinek/What is THE SKYLOUNGE?Tales from the SkyLounge is a podcast where we take you on a journey through the world of business, consulting, and venture investing. In each episode, we gather in our virtual sky lounge, high above the hustle and bustle of the everyday world, to hear stories from the people who are shaping the future of these industries. From entrepreneurs who are disrupting the status quo, consultants who are helping companies solve their biggest challenges, and investors who are making bets on the next big thing.ABOUT OUR HOST:Todd Merrill is an experienced software executive who typically assists clients as a fractional or interim CTO and CiSO as a partner at TechCXO.He has served in a series of companies as a C-Level executive focused on leveraging the Cloud to bring SaaS offerings to market. As an entrepreneur, turn-around expert, technology and product leader, and mentor, Todd has held full corporate P&L and product development responsibilities and directed diverse international teams of Engineering Managers, Mobile Architects, Developers, Dev Ops, QA, and Customer Success professionals.Subscribe and turn on notifications to listen to new episodes as they launch!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfeCS-Varb4gu2uCwyRTXWWEdP676Huh6
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jz6ubcaUZ20Xh8TXhwzEN
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tales-from-the-sky-lounge/id1730134658
Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4ba289a5-0d33-4589-95c7-83416731a864/tales-from-the-sky-lounge
Follow Tales From The SkyLounge on Social Media
X/Twitter: @TFTSkyLounge
Instagram: @tftskylounge
Learn more about TechCXO: https://www.techcxo.com/
Production/Design: James Liebman
Music: Soundstripe/Cody Martin-Sunrise49 min - Ep 07 - Christy Johnson - Cultivating Resilience Through Adaptation, Partnership and Growth
Todd chats with a true traveler, Christy Johnson from BIP Ventures. Her story is a testament to the idea that there's no one-size-fits-all path in entrepreneurship and venture capital as she shares her unconventional path from getting an IMBA (International MBA) in school to microloans in Costa Rica, steel manufacturing in Florida and eventually venture capital. She discusses the importance of culture, the challenges of remote work, and the power of being intentional in business practices and some holiday celebrations that are…NOT mandatory (hint: they are).
ABOUT OUR GUEST:Christy Johnson has been a pivotal member of the BIP Capital platform team since its founding. She joined the firm initially as a member of the leadership team of BIP Wealth in 2008, then became the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of BIP Capital. In 2022, Christy became a General Partner and Chief Performance Officer (CPO) for BIP Ventures. As CPO, Christy provides comprehensive and tailored advisory support and resources that help the firm's portfolio companies grow further and faster. She partners with executive teams on talent acquisition, business practice improvements, market intelligence, leveraging growth opportunities, and assisting companies with preparation for exit or acquisition opportunities.During her tenure with BIP Wealth, Christy built the operational infrastructure for the new Investment Advisory firm. Her operational and management leadership helped lay the foundation for the firm's AUM growth from $35M to $440M in less than six years. As COO for BIP Capital, she built the internal operations for the firm and assisted portfolio companies with growth strategies, infrastructure building, and overall support.In 2016, Christy assumed the role of CEO of AchieveIt Online. Under her leadership, the company more than tripled in revenue, earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 Fastest-growing Companies list for five years running (2017-2021), and was named to the Inc. Best Workplaces in 2021.Christy earned an IMBA with a focus on International Business at the University of Denver and a B.S. in Marketing at the University of Colorado, Denver. She serves as the Chairperson for the AchieveIt Board of Directors.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjohnsonatlanta/Email: [email protected]What is THE SKYLOUNGE?Tales from the SkyLounge is a podcast journey through the world of business, consulting, and venture investing. In each episode, we gather in our virtual sky lounge to hear stories from the people who are shaping the future of these industries, entrepreneurs disrupting the status quo, consultants helping companies solve their biggest challenges, and investors who are making bets on the next big thing.ABOUT OUR HOST:Todd Merrill is an experienced software executive who typically assists clients as a fractional or interim CTO and CiSO as a partner at TechCXO.He has served in a series of companies as a C-Level executive focused on leveraging the Cloud to bring SaaS offerings to market. As an entrepreneur, turn-around expert, technology and product leader, and mentor, Todd has held full corporate P&L and product development responsibilities and directed diverse international teams of Engineering Managers, Mobile Architects, Developers, Dev Ops, QA, and Customer Success professionals.Subscribe and turn on notifications to listen to new episodes as they launch!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfeCS-Varb4gu2uCwyRTXWWEdP676Huh6Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jz6ubcaUZ20Xh8TXhwzENApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tales-from-the-sky-lounge/id1730134658Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4ba289a5-0d33-4589-95c7-83416731a864/tales-from-the-sky-loungeFollow Tales From The SkyLounge on Social MediaX/Twitter: @TFTSkyLoungeTikTok: tiktok.com/tftskyloungeLearn more about TechCXO: https://www.techcxo.com/Production/Design: James LiebmanMusic: Soundstripe/Cody Martin-Sunrise45 min
About Tales From The Sky Lounge-A Business Podcast
From the publisher's feed
Welcome to Tales from the Sky Lounge, a podcast where host Todd Merrill—a veteran software engineer and founder—takes you on an intimate journey through the world of business, consulting, and venture…
investing. From our virtual perch high above the daily grind, we dive into candid conversations with entrepreneurs, consultants, and investors who share their battle-tested insights and untold stories from the startup trenches, offering fresh perspectives on what it takes to thrive in today's dynamic business landscape.