The Catalyst by Softchoice

Decarbonizing our energy grid will take a lot more than adopting alternative power sources. That’s the founding principle behind Recurve, a company on a mission to speed the transition to a carbon-free economy, while making the already fragile energy grid more reliable. Aaron meets with Recurve CEO Matt Golden to discuss why decarbonizing the grid calls for a new approach to flexible demand, through what Recurve calls “virtual power plants.”

The discussion highlights the importance of demand-side flexibility and load balancing, the complexities of modernizing a grid, and how Google Cloud is making Recurve's mission possible.

Golden is a recognized thought leader in the energy efficiency industry. Whether testifying before Congress or auditing Ellen DeGeneres’ house, Matt has been spreading the word about energy efficiency for years. An entrepreneur, policy advocate and efficiency agitator, Matt is committed to bringing demand flexibility in the built environment to scale as a grid and climate resource. He has made presentations on emerging demand flexibility markets to the US Senate, at COP 21 and to the UK Parliament.

Featuring: Matt Golden, Founder and CEO of Recurve
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology.

This episode is brought to you by Google Cloud.
Speak to Softchoice today to see how we can help you use Google cloud to break down silos, unlock new insights and power innovation.

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

You’ve heard of AI applications for all kinds of things, from virtual assistants to super-powered medical research and even voice analysis. But AI-powered window washing? In this episode, Cheryl Stookes meets with Michael Brown, chairman and CEO of Skyline Robotics – the company behind the world's first ever robotic-armed window cleaner.

Cheryl and Michael discuss the technology behind OZMO and how it combines lidar and artificial intelligence to transform the window cleaning industry. They also dive into the potential for AI and automation to affect labor markets and change the game around workplace safety within the 3 ‘Ds’ – dirty, dull and dangerous – jobs.

Michael also shares insights on the importance of responsible and ethical development of AI technologies and the company's role in shaping the future of the building maintenance industry.

Featuring: Michael Brown, Chairman and CEO of Skyline Robotics.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology.

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

Leveling up your day-to-day operations may not sound like the most exciting innovation project but let them slip and you’ve lost your customer, possibly for good. In this episode, co-host Aaron Brooks meets with Tommy Yionoulis, CEO and co-founder of OpsAnalitica, an operations management platform designed to help businesses be more efficient (and profitable) through process accountability and data. 

Tommy believes the biggest innovation opportunity for businesses isn’t about the shiniest new tech. It’s about efficiency, consistency and “the mighty check list.” He goes on to share what he sees shaping the future of work and how the winners will triumph through better, more consistent daily operations.

Featuring: Tommy Yionoulis, CEO and co-founder of OpsAnalitica

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

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

Recessions make business growth challenging – but not impossible. On this episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice, Jason Brommet, Head of Modern Work and Security at Microsoft, returns to the podcast to lay out 3 strategies to help businesses thrive during an economic downturn. From engaging people to closing skills gaps and making things simpler using new AI tools, learn what you need to succeed at doing more with less. Together Cheryl and Jason compare today's situation with the Great Recession of 2008, debate whether the pandemic gave technology leaders a head start, and look into the potential of AI tools, including Microsoft 365 Copilot. 

Featuring:

Jason Brommet, Head of Modern Work and Security for Microsoft North America. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology.  

This episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice is sponsored by Microsoft 365. See how Softchoice and Microsoft, together, can help your business Do More With Less: https://www.softchoice.com/m365

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

With Earth Day 2023 just around the corner, new co-host Cheryl Stookes meets with Anureet Kaur, Softchoice’s Sustainability Manager. They discuss what goes into creating an effective ESG strategy – one that aligns environmental and social impact with your business’ bottom line. They also delve into the challenges of reporting on ESG initiatives, a relatively new set of obstacles that many businesses are now facing in today’s economic climate. 

Anureet is a Toronto-based sustainability professional, climate policy researcher, public speaker and college professor. Since 2019, Anureet has been a Professor at Seneca College's Sustainable Business Management Program, where she teaches responsible leadership, social impact and climate justice. She continues to advocate for Canada's equitable, low-carbon economy and the inclusion of Indigenous voices in climate and energy strategy as a path to true reconciliation.

Featuring: Anureet Kaur, Sustainability Manager at Softchoice

Special thanks to Angela Cope, Areej Shah, Cheryl Castator and Magdalena Dabbour for sharing their personal insights on living more sustainably. 

The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology. 

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

Welcome to Season 5 of The Catalyst.

In this episode, new co-host Aaron Brooks meets with Sean Austin, CEO and co-founder of Helios, a company pioneering the new field of speech analytics through a voice tone intelligence technology. Helios’ groundbreaking “tonal analysis” application can identify changes in tone, pitch and other vocal characteristics that indicate the speaker's emotional state, attitude and even their level of confidence. 

While today Helios is marketing itself to Wall Street, its potential use cases are endless. Aaron and Sean discuss the possibilities for businesses to use tonal analysis to gain deeper insights into customer needs and improve customer service, sales and even employee morale and satisfaction. At the same time, they explore the ethical implications of creating a modern, AI-powered “lie detector.”  

Featuring: Sean Austin, CEO and co-founder of Helios

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. 

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.