The TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast

Shane Dixon, PMP, Managing Partner at Corbeau Tech, believes project leaders should manage success, not schedules. That shift changes how critical initiatives move forward.

In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with Shane Dixon about what project leadership requires when complexity increases, decisions stall, methodologies get misapplied, and AI adds new possibilities.

• Deborah Reuben and Shane explore:
• Why Shane reframes project management as "success management"
• How project leaders can help decision-makers move faster by bringing context, options, consequences, and dependencies
• Why connecting silos and keeping people aligned to the "why" helps maintain momentum
• What happens when organizations choose a methodology because it is popular rather than because it fits the work
• Why AI makes critical thinking more valuable, not less
• How human judgment and accountability remain essential as AI takes on more project work
• What the next evolution of project leadership could mean for leaders and their teams

A recurring idea throughout the conversation is that better tools do not remove the need for better thinking. As AI expands what teams can do, leaders still need clarity about the outcome, the context, and what success requires before deciding which tools or approaches belong in the mix.

That makes project leadership increasingly important to transformation readiness. Leaders who create clarity, strengthen decision-making, and keep people connected to the purpose behind the work are better equipped to move complex initiatives forward and prepare their organizations for what comes next.

Shane M. Dixon, PMP, is Managing Partner and Director of Client Engagement at Corbeau Tech and COO of Essix Consulting Group, the federal consultancy he founded in 2021. Across two decades, Shane has led programs valued at up to $200 million and annual portfolios of up to $62 million. He has built enterprise project management offices from the ground up, including standing up an enterprise PMO for a 14-hospital health system and recruiting the team that ultimately took ownership. Earlier in his career, he led a $200 million Defense Logistics Agency ERP implementation after the systems integrator failed it. Shane brings a distinctive philosophy to complex initiatives: project leaders should go beyond tracking schedules to help teams make decisions, maintain momentum, and drive success. His approach starts with partnership: "I'm here to do something with you, not to you."

Deborah Reuben, CLFP, is the CEO and Founder of TomorrowZone®, a clarity-first transformation advisory serving C-suite and senior operational leaders in equipment finance, leasing, and beyond. She works with leaders about to commit significant resources to transformation, helping them get clear on the real problem before they move. Clarity before technology. Deborah surfaces the patterns leaders can't see from inside the work, grounding innovation in systems thinking and foresight before the technology decision, building transformation readiness before it's needed. She is the author of Enter the TomorrowZone: How to Inspire Breakthrough Innovation and Shape Your Future, which examines why capable leaders get stuck in constant reaction and how stepping back creates the clarity to design what comes next. She also authored the Certified Leasing and Finance Professionals' Handbook, editions 6 through 10, the standard text that CLFP certification candidates study to earn their professional credential. Connect with Us: Shane Dixon | LinkedIn Corbeau Essix Consulting Group Deborah Reuben | LinkedIn TomorrowZone EnterTheTomorrowZone.com

Gayle Lantz reveals why better future thinking starts with changing the conditions, not demanding better ideas.

In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with Gayle Lantz about what it takes to help teams break out of familiar patterns, think differently, and imagine what's next.

When leaders want fresh thinking, it's tempting to focus on the agenda, the activities, or the answers they need. Gayle shifts the focus upstream: create the conditions where curiosity, imagination, and new possibilities can emerge.

In this conversation, explore: Why starting with "What should we do?" can send an important strategy session in the wrong direction How getting clear on what you want people to think, feel, and do changes the conversation Why better questions can open possibilities that packed agendas crowd out How examining what's already working can reveal unexpected paths forward Why future thinking becomes more powerful when leaders practice it throughout the year How small experiments can help teams stretch their thinking without needing everything figured out first

For leaders building transformation readiness and strategic clarity, this conversation offers a practical invitation: create more space for curiosity, challenge familiar patterns, and give your team better conditions to shape what comes next.

Gayle Lantz is Founder of WorkMatters, Inc., where she helps CEOs, senior leaders, and their teams navigate change, work through complex challenges, and move forward with greater clarity, confidence, and alignment. A leadership expert, consultant, executive coach, and facilitator, Gayle creates space for the conversations that challenge old ways of thinking and open new possibilities for personal and organizational growth. She has led CEO and executive peer groups for many years and is also a Certified Reinvention Practitioner. Gayle hosts the CEO-On-The-Go Podcast, ranked among the top 5% of podcasts globally, and is the author of the award-winning book Take the Bull by the Horns and creator of The Leadership Journal. Before founding WorkMatters more than 20 years ago, she held an officer-level position with TIAA. Deborah Reuben, CLFP, is the CEO and Founder of TomorrowZone®, a clarity-first transformation advisory serving C-suite and senior operational leaders in equipment finance, leasing, and beyond. She works with leaders about to commit significant resources to transformation, helping them get clear on the real problem before they move. Clarity before technology. Deborah surfaces the patterns leaders can't see from inside the work, grounding innovation in systems thinking and foresight before the technology decision, building transformation readiness before it's needed. She is the author of Enter the TomorrowZone: How to Inspire Breakthrough Innovation and Shape Your Future, which examines why capable leaders get stuck in constant reaction and how stepping back creates the clarity to design what comes next. She also authored the Certified Leasing and Finance Professionals' Handbook, editions 6 through 10, the standard text that CLFP certification candidates study to earn their professional credential.

Connect with Us: Gayle Lantz | Linked In WorkMatters, Inc. Deborah Reuben | LinkedIn TomorrowZone EnterTheTomorrowZone.com

Patricio Pazmiño and Deborah Reuben, discuss why getting AI right starts with business clarity, not technology.

Moving faster with AI can require spending more time upfront. When leaders understand the business need, align around what success looks like, and connect the opportunity to a meaningful KPI, they create stronger conditions for adoption and long-term value. In this conversation, Deborah Reuben, CLFP, CEO and Founder of TomorrowZone® and Patricio Pazmiño, Chief Product Officer and partner at Kin Analytics, explore:

• How do you choose the right problems for AI to solve?
• Why should every AI initiative connect to a business KPI?
• How can user feedback improve adoption and outcomes?
• Why does AI require continuous learning after launch?

A practical conversation for equipment finance leaders thinking about AI strategy, transformation readiness, and how clarity before technology can turn AI possibilities into meaningful business value.

Patricio Pazmiño is Chief Product Officer and partner at Kin Analytics, a data analytics and AI firm serving the U.S. equipment finance industry. He has led and implemented more than 100 analytics and AI solutions for equipment leasing firms and commercial lenders, spanning credit scoring, risk management, and process automation. His work takes clients from problem definition through solution development, deployment, and monitoring. Patricio specializes in translating analytics and AI into better credit decisions by connecting technical work with the business logic behind it. That perspective shapes his problem-first approach: understand the business need, its value, and the people involved before moving toward a solution. He brings that practical mindset to conversations about AI strategy, business clarity, and creating meaningful value with technology. Patricio was named a Monitor Daily 40 Under 40 NextGen Leader. Deborah Reuben, CLFP, is the CEO and Founder of TomorrowZone®, a clarity-first transformation advisory serving C-suite and senior operational leaders in equipment finance, leasing, and beyond. She works with leaders about to commit significant resources to transformation, helping them get clear on the real problem before they move. Clarity before technology. Deborah surfaces the patterns leaders can't see from inside the work, grounding innovation in systems thinking and foresight before the technology decision, building transformation readiness before it's needed. She is the author of Enter the TomorrowZone: How to Inspire Breakthrough Innovation and Shape Your Future, which examines why capable leaders get stuck in constant reaction and how stepping back creates the clarity to design what comes next. She also authored the Certified Leasing and Finance Professionals' Handbook, editions 6 through 10, the standard text that CLFP certification candidates study to earn their professional credential. Connect with Us: Patricio Pazmiño | LinkedIn Kin Analytics Deborah Reuben | LinkedIn TomorrowZone EnterTheTomorrowZone.com

Deborah Reuben, Ross Smith, and Keith Onchuck reveal why AI readiness depends on clarity, data, governance, and people.

What does it really take to prepare an organization for AI?

This conversation explores the leadership and business foundations that help organizations move from AI urgency toward meaningful business value. In this episode, you'll hear perspectives on:

• What AI readiness really requires beyond the technology
• Why strategic clarity, data, and business context shape AI outcomes
• How governance can create guardrails for confident experimentation
• Why transformation readiness must keep evolving as AI and business conditions change

Meet the guests: In this special edition of The TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, Deborah Reuben, CLFP, CEO and Founder of TomorrowZone®, joins Ross Smith, CEO of Initium SoftWorks, and Keith Onchuck, CIO of Ozinga Bros., Inc. This episode is drawn from a live conversation hosted in partnership with Initium SoftWorks.

Deborah Reuben, CLFP, is CEO and Founder of TomorrowZone®, a clarity-first transformation advisory serving C-suite and senior operational leaders in equipment finance, leasing, and beyond. She works with leaders at critical inflection points, helping them clarify the real problem before technology decisions are made, significant resources are committed, or the wrong direction gains momentum. Grounded in systems thinking and foresight, Deborah helps leaders strengthen transformation readiness and create clarity about what comes next. She is the author of Enter the TomorrowZone: How to Inspire Breakthrough Innovation and Shape Your Future and has authored editions 6 through 10 of the Certified Leasing and Finance Professionals' Handbook. Deborah is also the host of The TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, where she brings forward conversations that challenge leaders to think differently about transformation, innovation, and the future. Ross Smith is CEO of Initium SoftWorks LLC, where he leads the company's strategic vision and delivery of enterprise content management solutions. Drawing on experience in professional services, consulting, and manufacturing process improvement, Ross focuses on helping organizations streamline digital transformation journeys and connect complex processes with effective content management strategies. His work emphasizes operational excellence, customer experience, collaboration, and practical solutions aligned with business objectives. In this episode, Ross brings that perspective to AI readiness, exploring what organizations often underestimate as they move from AI experimentation toward broader adoption and why leaders need to consider the organizational and operational foundation surrounding the technology. Keith Onchuck is Chief Information Officer at Ozinga Bros., Inc., bringing more than two decades of experience driving digital transformation, operational efficiency, and strategic innovation across the construction and logistics industries. At Ozinga, he has led technology initiatives through a period of significant growth, including AI-powered data lakes, mobile customer portals, and integrated ERP and CRM systems. His leadership has delivered multimillion-dollar cost savings, streamlined operations, and stronger customer engagement. Keith also serves on multiple industry advisory boards, contributes to the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association's Digital Transformation Task Force, and is a three-time CIO of the Year nominee by the Chicago Chapter of the Society for Information Management. In this episode, he brings a practitioner's perspective to building a strong foundation for AI readiness. For leaders navigating AI strategy and organizational transformation, this conversation offers practical perspective on readiness before significant resources are committed. AI readiness isn't a one-time checkpoint. Continuous Readiness, a core principle of TomorrowZone®, means continually reassessing what the organization needs as technology, business priorities, and conditions change. Clarity before technology.

Learn more at tomorrowzone.io.

#AIReadiness #AIStrategy #TransformationReadiness

Connect with Us:

Ross Smith | LinkedIn Initium SoftWorks Keith Onchuck| LinkedIn Ozinga Deborah Reuben | LinkedIn TomorrowZone EnterTheTomorrowZone.com

In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with Brendan Cronin, Divisional Vice President of Innovation at Great American Insurance Group, about modernizing equipment finance insurance, building trust through co-creation, and helping organizations prepare for what comes next.

What if moving faster isn't always the fastest path to meaningful innovation?

When Brendan began helping modernize a long-standing insurance offering for the equipment finance industry, the work started with listening. Conversations with customers, service providers, and internal stakeholders came before decisions about technology. That time created space to understand the real problem, build trust, and co-create what came next.

It's a useful challenge for leaders facing pressure to accelerate transformation: moving slower at the beginning can help innovation move faster later. Clarity before technology can prevent teams from racing toward solutions before they understand what needs to change.

For leaders accountable for transformation, that distinction matters. Moving toward a solution before there is shared understanding can create more work downstream. Brendan's experience with equipment finance innovation points to the value of listening closely, strengthening leadership alignment, bringing people into the process, and creating room to learn as the work evolves.

Their conversation explores what happens when leaders: • Shift from a traditional project mindset toward a more adaptive product mindset • Invite customers and internal teams into the innovation process through co-creation • Give people room to experiment with AI inside clear privacy and governance boundaries • Recognize the growing value of unstructured data and institutional knowledge • Communicate the vision repeatedly as teams, technology, and expectations evolve • Make room for reflection as part of long-term relevance

Brendan also shares a lesson that became clearer through experience: technology alone doesn't create meaningful transformation. The people behind it matter.

For leaders wrestling with AI adoption, modernization, or a transformation that has stalled, this conversation offers a practical look at what transformation readiness requires in practice. Listen, learn, experiment, adapt, and give people the clarity and room they need to move meaningful change forward.

Future Shaping Leaders series brings you inside the thinking of leaders across generations who are shaping the future of their organizations, industries, and communities. In each episode, host Deborah Reuben explores how they navigate complexity, make critical decisions, and sustain momentum when the path forward is still unfolding.

Brendan Cronin is Divisional Vice President of Innovation at Great American Insurance Group, where he is helping reshape how insurance, technology, and equipment finance come together across the leasing lifecycle. Named to Monitor magazine's 2025 Most Influential People list for Creating Change & Innovation, Brendan has led efforts to integrate digital solutions, including APIs, that give equipment finance companies more opportunities to offer insurance throughout originations, booking, funding, and servicing. His work challenges long-standing industry practices while keeping customer experience and business value in focus. In this conversation, Brendan brings a people-first perspective to innovation, sharing lessons about co-creation, continuous adaptation, product thinking, and the leadership shifts required to keep pace with changing technology and customer expectations.

Connect with Us: Brendan Cronin | LinkedIn Great American Insurance Group Deborah Reuben | LinkedIn TomorrowZone EnterTheTomorrowZone.com

In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with Jun Nozaki, President of Tokyo Century (USA), Inc., about what he learned while leading a data-centric transformation.

Part of the Future Shaping Leaders series from TomorrowZone®, this conversation explores a leadership lesson that becomes more important as AI advances: human experience becomes more strategically valuable.

Jun shares what his team learned while replacing its ERP, building a data-centric foundation, and developing Customer 360. Along the way, the work revealed something bigger than a technology challenge. Creating value from data depends on people bringing their business experience, curiosity, and ideas to the table.

In this episode, Deborah Reuben, CLFP, and Jun explore:

• Why two technology initiatives can take very different paths even when both get messy
• How team ownership and empowerment strengthen transformation readiness
• Why better data can spark more "What if?" thinking and experimentation
• How Jun's leadership shifted as his team began taking greater ownership
• Why AI makes human skills and experience increasingly important
• What co-creation with technology partners can teach leaders about transformation that sticks

For leaders facing technology investment risk, cross-functional transformation, or pressure to move faster with AI, Jun's experience offers a useful reminder: technology creates new capabilities, while people bring the experience and inspiration that turn those capabilities into meaningful value.

Future Shaping Leaders series brings you inside the thinking of leaders across generations who are shaping the future of their organizations, industries, and communities. In each episode, host Deborah Reuben explores how they navigate complexity, make critical decisions, and sustain momentum when the path forward is still unfolding.

Jun Nozaki is President of Tokyo Century (USA), Inc., bringing extensive leadership experience across banking and financial services. His career spans branch operations, treasury, risk management, overseas office establishment, investment business development, and international business planning. He has held senior executive roles in Japan, the United States, and Chile, with responsibility for cross-border operations, post-acquisition integration, and regional business strategy.

Today, Jun is leading work at Tokyo Century USA to advance digital transformation, create value through data, and build a more innovative team. His leadership journey offers a practical perspective on bringing business and technology teams together, strengthening team ownership, and drawing on human experience to create value in a data- and AI-driven world.

Connect with Us: Tokyo Century (USA), Inc. Deborah Reuben | LinkedIn TomorrowZone EnterTheTomorrowZone.com

In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with Roopa Jayaraman, Chief Technology Officer, Odessa, about leading through AI, experimentation, and complex change when the old approaches no longer fit.

For leaders, one of the biggest traps is mistaking activity for progress. AI adoption can climb, usage can spread, and new capabilities can reach production without creating meaningful business value. Roopa challenges leaders to keep asking a harder question: What measurable difference are we creating for the business and the customer?

Drawing from her experience leading at the intersection of product, technology, and customer experience, Roopa explores what transformation readiness looks like when certainty is scarce and learning needs to happen fast.

In this Future Shaping Leaders conversation, you'll hear:

• Why AI readiness requires human readiness
• How fearless experimentation can reveal where AI creates meaningful value
• Why leaders may need to go broad before deciding where to scale
• How to distinguish AI adoption from actual business impact
• Why conviction and patience matter when leading through ambiguity

For leaders shaping what comes next, this conversation offers a practical reminder: progress deserves a higher standard than activity.

Future Shaping Leaders series brings you inside the thinking of leaders across generations who are shaping the future of their organizations, industries, and communities. In each episode, host Deborah Reuben explores how they navigate complexity, make critical decisions, and sustain momentum when the path forward is still unfolding.

Roopa Jayaraman is Chief Technology Officer, Odessa, where she leads a team of more than 1,000 professionals and holds P&L responsibility. She works at the intersection of product, technology, and customer experience, with a focus on enterprise impact, revenue growth, and digital transformation in B2B SaaS, fintech, and financial services. Roopa is passionate about building high-performing global teams and creating the conditions for people to experiment, learn, and turn new possibilities into business value. She brings that perspective to conversations about product innovation, platform thinking, scaling SaaS, AI mindset, and inclusive leadership. A speaker and industry panelist, Roopa has shared her perspectives at forums including NASSCOM, IIM, AnitaB, Women in Product, Women in Tech Global, and ProductTank. She also serves on the Board of Parinaam Foundation. Connect with Us: Roopa Jayaraman | LinkedIn Odessa Deborah Reuben | LinkedIn TomorrowZone EnterTheTomorrowZone.com

Sometimes helping customers buy less today creates greater value over time. That's the counterintuitive approach to growth Deb Baker, Vice President, Head of Global Payment Solutions at HP, Inc., shares in this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast with host Deborah Reuben.

When data helps customers determine what they actually need, better decisions, stronger trust, and long-term relationships can follow. Their conversation explores creating value through flexibility, building customer trust, and leading with curiosity when conditions keep changing.

This Future Shaping Leaders conversation explores what future-shaping leaders can learn from that mindset, including:

• Why flexibility can create more strategic value than access to capital alone
• How customer outcomes change the conversation from selling products to solving meaningful business needs
• Why stakeholder alignment requires ongoing attention as ideas and conditions evolve
• How curiosity and better questions help leaders challenge assumptions and see new possibilities

Part of the Future Shaping Leaders series, this conversation offers a practical reminder for leaders focused on transformation readiness and strategic clarity: keep the big picture visible, stay curious, and create room to rethink what value can look like.

Future Shaping Leaders series brings you inside the thinking of leaders across generations who are shaping the future of their organizations, industries, and communities. In each episode, host Deborah Reuben explores how they navigate complexity, make critical decisions, and sustain momentum when the path forward is still unfolding.

Connect with Us:

Deb Baker | LinkedIn HP Deborah Reuben | LinkedIn TomorrowZone EnterTheTomorrowZone.com

The higher you rise, the less your value comes from having all the answers.

That's one of the leadership lessons Katie Emmel, Chief Operating Officer at Solifi, shares in this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast. Drawing from nearly four decades of technology change, Katie explores what it takes to make better decisions and prepare for what comes next.

Host Deborah Reuben and Katie dig into strategic clarity, transformation readiness, and the curiosity and adaptability equipment finance leaders need to shape the future.

In this Future Shaping Leaders conversation, Katie shares practical insights on customer co-creation, making trade-offs visible, balancing innovation with operational excellence, and experimenting with AI while preserving human judgment. Strong leaders, she notes, know where the knowledge lives, ask better questions, and create space for others to shape better decisions.

Future Shaping Leaders series brings you inside the thinking of leaders across generations who are shaping the future of their organizations, industries, and communities. In each episode, host Deborah Reuben explores how they navigate complexity, make critical decisions, and sustain momentum when the path forward is still unfolding.

Connect with Us: Katie Emmel | LinkedIn Solifi Deborah Reuben | LinkedIn TomorrowZone EnterTheTomorrowZone.com

Many of the frustrations teams experience aren't rooted in capability or intent, they're rooted in how people are making sense of the same situation.

In this episode, host Deborah Reuben and TomorrowZone Director of Operations Jennica Burgh explore a simple framework for understanding leadership, collaboration, and decision-making, inspired by an article they recently read. They unpack why leaders who navigate complexity most effectively know when to shift their thinking rather than relying on a single approach.

Their conversation explores:

• How different thinking modes shape alignment, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration
• Why team friction is often a sense-making problem, not a capability problem
• How this framework applies to working with AI
• Practical examples for recognizing these patterns and creating clarity to move transformation forward

Article Discussed in Episode: Prickles & Goo. Bill Richmond.(https://billcrichmond.medium.com/prickles-and-goo-6588d9fa75fe)

Connect with Us: Deborah Reuben | LinkedIn Jennica Burgh | LinkedIn TomorrowZone EnterTheTomorrowZone.com