In this episode of Software Leaders Uncensored, host Steve Taplin sits down with Joe Emison — co-founder and CTO of Branch Insurance, a company that has raised over $230 million. Joe shares his journey from aspiring lawyer to tech entrepreneur, how he's founded six startups (four acquired), and why serverless architecture is the secret weapon behind Branch's engineering success.

In this episode of Software Leaders Uncensored, host Steve Taplin talks with Scott Bendle, CIO of Rigaku Americas Corporation, about his unconventional rise from operations to leading global IT for a high-tech company. With 23 years at Rigaku, Scott offers a grounded, no-nonsense perspective on ERP implementation, shadow IT, cybersecurity across cultures, and the real-world application of AI like ChatGPT.

In this episode of Software Leaders Uncensored, host Steve Taplin talks with John Crighton, a two-time CTO and Army veteran, about leading innovation in healthcare tech. Now CTO at Carantas Solutions, John dives deep into building a serverless, microservices-based hospice EMR, responsibly integrating AI to boost clinician efficiency, and maintaining HIPAA compliance. From leveraging tools like GitHub Copilot and Google Gemini to scaling strong engineering teams, John’s leadership offers real insights for tech leaders navigating modern software challenges in healthcare.

In this enlightening episode of Software Leaders Uncensored, host Steve Taplin engages with Lena Skliarova-Mordvinova, a seasoned AI Architect and the visionary Co-Founder & CTO of The Good Face Project. With over two decades in AI, Lena delves into how machine learning is transforming product development, regulatory compliance, and ingredient transparency in the personal care industry.

Join us on Software Leaders Uncensored as we sit down with Nick Hnatiw, a 4-time CTO, cybersecurity expert, and current Chief Technology Officer at SideChannel. With deep roots in government cyber ops and commercial startups, Nick unpacks what it takes to build secure systems, lead remote engineering teams, and scale responsibly in a noisy tech landscape.

What does an AI CTO at a $22B company actually do? In this episode of Software Leaders Uncensored, Steve Taplin sits down with Chad Smykay, AI CTO at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, to explore the future of AI in enterprise—from private AI agents to vibe coding and the importance of structured data. Chad shares hard-earned insights from decades in tech, real-world AI use cases (including beehives and COBOL), and what separates good teams from elite ones. Whether you're a startup founder or Fortune 500 exec, this conversation is packed with no-fluff, real-world strategy.

In this episode of Software Leaders Uncensored, host Steve Taplin interviews Jason Gilmore — a seasoned technologist, author of 10 software books, and CTO at Xenon Partners. Jason shares his incredible journey from coding on a Commodore 64 to leading SaaS product transformations through private equity

Dom Scandinaro, CTO of Cameo, joins the show to talk about rising through the ranks from senior engineer to CTO, building AI-enhanced products, leading hybrid teams, and maintaining technical chops in a fast-moving industry. This is a candid and practical look at modern engineering leadership and the future of tech.

Mark Losey, CTO of FlockX and Chief Science Officer at Fetch.AI, joins us to talk about building AI agents, leading engineering teams, and navigating the wild world of software development. From writing code to building culture, Mark shares real stories, raw lessons, and hard-won wisdom from over 30 years in tech.

In this powerhouse episode of Software Leaders Uncensored, host Steve Taplin sits down with Conor Sibley, the returning CTO of Higher Logic, to unpack why he left—and then rejoined—the company he helped scale. Conor dives deep into what it takes to run a 75+ person engineering team, his approach to enterprise-wide AI transformation, and how his angel investing background shaped his strategic mindset. From AI-powered documentation to turning LLMs into productive team members, Conor lays out a clear blueprint for the future of software development. He doesn’t mince words either: “AI or die.” This episode is a must-listen for engineering leaders, SaaS operators, and innovators navigating the AI revolution.