From Chat GPT to a looming economic crisis, business leaders everywhere are living through turbulent times. Thankfully, The Catalyst by Softchoice is back with our biggest and most ambitious season ever.

In Season 5, we’ll continue to search for answers across 19 new episodes, exploring the intersection of people and technology. And we’ll be doing it all with the help of two new co-hosts.

Introducing Cheryl Stookes, Vice President of Revenue Growth and Marketing at Softchoice and Aaron Brooks, Vice President of Customer Strategy and Solution Sales at Softchoice. They will bring a fresh perspective to the dialogue, while digging into the biggest trends and topics facing senior business leaders.

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.

In 2023, organizations face big challenges: an exhausted workforce, growing supply chain pressures, rising inflation and a hyper-competitive talent landscape. In this bonus Season 4 episode, Erika meets with Indeed Canada’s Michelle Slater to talk about the era of quiet quitting and rage applying. They get to the heart of why it’s crucial for employers to pay attention to emerging work trends so they can set strategic talent goals for long-term success. Erika also bids farewell to listeners, as she introduces The Catalyst’s new co-hosts, Softchoice’s Aaron Brooks and Cheryl Stookes.

Featuring: Michelle Slater – Director of Country Marketing Canada at Indeed

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.

A global pandemic, an ongoing supply chain crisis, a growing skills gap and a concerning labor shortage. The time for transformational businesses to build a more resilient future is now.  What are the biggest lessons of the last few years – and how can we better prepare for what’s to come in 2023? Erika meets with the Chief Operating Officer at Softchoice, Andrew Caprara, to discuss how IT leaders can tackle the challenges ahead strategically and collaboratively, while driving growth. 

Featuring: Andrew Caprara – Chief Operating Officer, Softchoice 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.

The July 9th Rogers telecommunications outage left millions of people and businesses without cell phone or internet service, which in some cases lasted for days. In a world dependent on its digital telecommunications network – how do you prepare for the worst? Erika meets with Softchoice’s Vice President of Business Technologies, Al Lakhani, to discuss the impact of the July 9th Rogers service outage, and what digital leaders can do to be more resilient and better prepared for worst-case scenarios. 

Featuring: Al Lakhani – Vice President of Business Technologies at Softchoice 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.

We all know the best offense is a strong defense – and that’s as true for cybersecurity as it is for football. For all the attention we devote to cybersecurity, it’s a wonder that one essential tool can make all the difference...cyber insurance.  Erika meets with Softchoice’s Director of Security, Matt Sirbu, to discuss the best practices and policies for businesses to stay afloat in a digital era and keep their bottom lines safe. 

Featuring: Matt Sirbu – Director of Security at Softchoice 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology. 

The Catalyst listener contest has begun! 

We’re giving away 10 Amazon gift cards to subscribers between now and the end of October. Taking part is as easy as subscribing and leaving us a review. Find out more and see full contest rules at: https://www.softchoice.com/thecatalyst/contest 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.

Technology leaders need to constantly communicate about complex, nuanced topics – and get people to act on those insights. So, what’s the best way to do it? The answer for Google’s Chief Content Officer, Priyanka Vergadia, lies in visual storytelling. Erika meets with Priyanka – better known as “Cloud Girl” to her online followers – to discuss the beauty and benefits of technical storytelling, female leadership in tech and getting creative with cloud computing. 

Featuring: Priyanka Vergadia – Chief Content Officer Google.  

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology. 

This episode of the Catalyst is brought to you by Google Cloud Next -- a free, global hybrid event taking place live from October 11 to 13, 2022, and always available online. Learn more about the streamed broadcasts, on-demand digital content and in-person events to connect with Google Cloud experts. Visit cloud.withgoogle.com/next. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.

With the pandemic (mostly) behind us, organizations are struggling to shape their return to office policies. For Microsoft’s Head of Modern Work and Security Business, Jason Brommet, the answer is a no-brainer – the future of work is hybrid and there’s no going back. Erika meets with Jason to discuss how organizations can plan for a future-focused work environment. They explore ways to define the employee experience in a hybrid era and the three tenants that lie at the heart of this exercise. 

Featuring: Jason Brommet – Head of Modern Work and Security Business at Microsoft. Special thanks to Softchoice’s Karly Pierce and Craig Smith for sharing their thoughts. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology. 

This episode of the Catalyst is brought to you by Microsoft Viva. Download our new e-book “An Introduction to Microsoft Viva” today. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.

Blockchain isn’t just about crypto gains and trading NFTs. Aside from endless industrial use cases, you can now use it to invest in the world’s finest wine. Erika meets with Corey Parkinson, the Global Head of Product of Cult Wines, to talk about how his organization is innovating and democratizing the fine wine trade through blockchain technology. Plus, Corey shares insights on how to make the most of Cult Wines new trading app. 

Featuring: Corey Parkinson, Global Head of Product at Cult Wines. Special thanks to the Pilgrim production team for sharing their thoughts. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.

How will the metaverse transform modern business? And how can companies seize this virtual opportunity? Medha Parlikar, co-founder and CTO of CasperLabs, joins Erika to explore how IT leaders can leverage the metaverse with real-world applications. Medha reviews the pros and cons of engaging in a virtual world and explains how a 3D version of the internet will create the most immersive user experience yet. 

Featuring: Medha Parlikar, Co-Founder and CTO at CasperLabs. Special thanks to Softchoice and the Pilgrim production team for sharing their thoughts. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.

While on vacation last Spring, Erika caught COVID-19. When her symptoms went from bad to worse, she decided to head to her local hospital, where she was treated and monitored using their highly innovative, digital post care program. On this episode of The Catalyst, Erika speaks to the Director of Community Partnerships at Southlake Regional Health Centre, Gayle Seddon, and the VP of Strategy, Analytics and Communications, Tyler Chalk, to discuss the integrative and collaborate approach they used to create their highly regarded – and transformative – COVID at Home Program. 

Featuring: Gayle Seddon, Director of Community Partnerships at Southlake Regional Health Centre and Tyler Chalk, VP Strategy, Analytics and Communications at Southlake Regional Health Centre. Special thanks to Softchoice’s Nicole Francis and the Pilgrim Production Team for lending their thoughts. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.