Episode Description: Jessica B. Harris may have been born and raised in New York City, but she has Tennessee roots through her father and has spent much of her life split between homes in the Northeast and the South – specifically New Orleans. For more than fifty years, she has been a college professor, a writer, and a lecturer, and her many books have earned her a reputation as an authority on food of the African Diaspora, as well as a lifetime achievement award from the James Beard Foundation. A few years back, Netflix adapted her book, High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America , into a 4 part docuseries. And I’m very proud to say that she’s a longtime contributor to Southern Living with a regular column called The Welcome Table. This episode was recorded in the Southern Living Birmingham studios, and Sid and Jessica talked about her mother’s signature mac and cheese, the cast-iron skillet she’d be sure to save if ever her house were on fire, and her dear friend, the late New Orleans chef Leah Chase. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by : Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…
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محتوای ارائه شده توسط Evan Kirstel. تمام محتوای پادکست شامل قسمت‌ها، گرافیک‌ها و توضیحات پادکست مستقیماً توسط Evan Kirstel یا شریک پلتفرم پادکست آن‌ها آپلود و ارائه می‌شوند. اگر فکر می‌کنید شخصی بدون اجازه شما از اثر دارای حق نسخه‌برداری شما استفاده می‌کند، می‌توانید روندی که در اینجا شرح داده شده است را دنبال کنید.https://fa.player.fm/legal
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From Detection to Auto-Remediation: The Future of Cybersecurity
Manage episode 479848825 series 3499431
محتوای ارائه شده توسط Evan Kirstel. تمام محتوای پادکست شامل قسمت‌ها، گرافیک‌ها و توضیحات پادکست مستقیماً توسط Evan Kirstel یا شریک پلتفرم پادکست آن‌ها آپلود و ارائه می‌شوند. اگر فکر می‌کنید شخصی بدون اجازه شما از اثر دارای حق نسخه‌برداری شما استفاده می‌کند، می‌توانید روندی که در اینجا شرح داده شده است را دنبال کنید.https://fa.player.fm/legal
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com
Cybersecurity is racing against time. In his compelling keynote, Nikesh Arora reveals that cyber attackers now need less than an hour from targeting to data exfiltration—a timeline that renders traditional security approaches dangerously obsolete.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Tech giants are pouring roughly $350 billion into AI infrastructure, creating models that continuously learn and evolve unlike traditional predictable software. This transformation will fundamentally reshape every SaaS application we use within 3-5 years, introducing AI assistants, agent-to-agent communications, and entirely new interfaces. For security professionals, this represents both an extraordinary challenge and opportunity.
Arora details how Palo Alto Networks has "flipped the bit" from merely identifying security problems to actively solving them. This paradigm shift follows the autonomous vehicle blueprint: progressing from basic assists to co-pilot functionality, and eventually toward fully autonomous security operations. By ingesting 11 petabytes of security data daily through their XIAM platform, they're enabling not just wartime incident response but also peacetime security optimization.
The path toward truly agentic security requires building trust through demonstrated reliability. Just as we gradually accepted self-driving vehicles, security automation must earn our confidence through increasingly sophisticated assistance before we grant it full agency. This journey demands close collaboration between vendors and customers to refine these capabilities safely.
Have you considered how your security strategy needs to evolve for this AI-powered future? Join us in exploring cybersecurity's next frontier where protection happens in real-time and machines protect machines.
More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel
فصل ها
1. Welcome and AI Introduction (00:00:00)
2. Real-time Protection Challenges (00:01:44)
3. AI Infrastructure and Security Implications (00:03:13)
4. From Identifying to Solving Problems (00:06:31)
5. XIAM and Intelligent Data Integration (00:09:25)
6. The Future of Agentic Security (00:12:40)
427 قسمت
اشتراک گذاریManage episode 479848825 series 3499431
محتوای ارائه شده توسط Evan Kirstel. تمام محتوای پادکست شامل قسمت‌ها، گرافیک‌ها و توضیحات پادکست مستقیماً توسط Evan Kirstel یا شریک پلتفرم پادکست آن‌ها آپلود و ارائه می‌شوند. اگر فکر می‌کنید شخصی بدون اجازه شما از اثر دارای حق نسخه‌برداری شما استفاده می‌کند، می‌توانید روندی که در اینجا شرح داده شده است را دنبال کنید.https://fa.player.fm/legal
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com
Cybersecurity is racing against time. In his compelling keynote, Nikesh Arora reveals that cyber attackers now need less than an hour from targeting to data exfiltration—a timeline that renders traditional security approaches dangerously obsolete.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Tech giants are pouring roughly $350 billion into AI infrastructure, creating models that continuously learn and evolve unlike traditional predictable software. This transformation will fundamentally reshape every SaaS application we use within 3-5 years, introducing AI assistants, agent-to-agent communications, and entirely new interfaces. For security professionals, this represents both an extraordinary challenge and opportunity.
Arora details how Palo Alto Networks has "flipped the bit" from merely identifying security problems to actively solving them. This paradigm shift follows the autonomous vehicle blueprint: progressing from basic assists to co-pilot functionality, and eventually toward fully autonomous security operations. By ingesting 11 petabytes of security data daily through their XIAM platform, they're enabling not just wartime incident response but also peacetime security optimization.
The path toward truly agentic security requires building trust through demonstrated reliability. Just as we gradually accepted self-driving vehicles, security automation must earn our confidence through increasingly sophisticated assistance before we grant it full agency. This journey demands close collaboration between vendors and customers to refine these capabilities safely.
Have you considered how your security strategy needs to evolve for this AI-powered future? Join us in exploring cybersecurity's next frontier where protection happens in real-time and machines protect machines.
More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel
فصل ها
1. Welcome and AI Introduction (00:00:00)
2. Real-time Protection Challenges (00:01:44)
3. AI Infrastructure and Security Implications (00:03:13)
4. From Identifying to Solving Problems (00:06:31)
5. XIAM and Intelligent Data Integration (00:09:25)
6. The Future of Agentic Security (00:12:40)
427 قسمت
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The AI revolution demands a new approach to computing infrastructure, and AMD is positioning itself at the forefront of this transformation through an ambitious software strategy that empowers developers and enterprises alike. In this illuminating conversation, Anush Elangovan—who joined AMD through the acquisition of his company NordI—shares how AMD is fundamentally rethinking its approach to software development. Rather than treating software as merely an enabler for hardware, AMD now views its software layer as a product with a 10-year lifecycle that transcends hardware generations. This philosophical shift is enabling developers to build with confidence on AMD platforms like ROCm, knowing their investments will be supported long-term. Perhaps most striking is AMD's embrace of open source development. The company has moved to a model where both internal and external developers work from the same source code, allowing customers to modify core components just as AMD engineers can. This democratization has already yielded impressive results, with community contributors enhancing Windows support for ROCm faster than AMD might have accomplished internally. For enterprise customers, AMD is launching a Developer Cloud that offers free credits to try AMD GPUs with a seamless path from development to production. Energy efficiency—increasingly critical as AI compute demands grow—represents another AMD advantage. Their innovative chiplet design for Instinct platforms provides granular control over power utilization, with features like CPX mode that can partition compute units and disable interconnects when not needed. Looking ahead, AMD anticipates inference workloads will dominate AI compute demands, and is designing both hardware and software to excel in this environment. Explore these innovations and more at AMD's Advancing AI event on June 12th, featuring new hardware announcements, RocM 7, and the Developer Cloud launch. Connect with AMD's AI team on X @AIatAMD to join the conversation about the future of artificial intelligence. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Artificial intelligence isn't just changing how we work—it's fundamentally transforming the workplace itself. In this eye-opening conversation direct from InfoComm, Ryan from Unified Communications takes us inside booth 3817 to explore their groundbreaking approach to creating truly intelligent workspaces. What makes their vision unique is how they're moving beyond traditional AV integration to develop specialized AI agents addressing real business challenges. Their Company Pulse Agent conducts conversational interviews with employees through Teams, gathering and summarizing valuable feedback for leadership. Their Customer Advocate Agent monitors email communications to detect potential issues before they escalate, while their Teams Room Support Agent provides comprehensive help for meeting technology, grounded in Microsoft documentation and manufacturer specifications. The most captivating demonstration happens inside their "Whisper Suite," where Ryan showcases how AI integration with hardware platforms creates almost magical workplace experiences. Imagine walking into a meeting room and simply asking how to use it—no manual needed. Or picture a room that automatically adjusts settings when the furniture arrangement changes from boardroom to classroom setup. These aren't futuristic concepts but practical applications UC delivers today. Beyond the technology itself, Ryan emphasizes the importance of having a holistic partner for implementing AI workplace solutions. Their GlobalView AV portal provides complete visibility from project proposal through ongoing room management, while their e-procurement solutions help manage device standards across global organizations. For organizations feeling overwhelmed by rapid technological change, UC offers both strategy sessions and a learning platform integrated with Microsoft Graph to help teams stay current. Ready to transform your workplace with intelligent technology that works for you, not the other way around? Visit UC at InfoComm booth 3817 or book a strategy session through the link below to begin your journey toward a truly AI-powered workplace ecosystem. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com What would your sales team look like if every rep could sell like your top performer? That's the transformative promise of AI in sales, and it's happening right now. Arjun Pillai, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Docket, an AI platform transforming B2B sales, reveals how his third venture in sales technology is fundamentally changing how companies approach go-to-market strategies. The problem? A staggering 90% of sales knowledge exists either in people's heads or buried in unstructured data like call recordings and chat conversations. This creates endless inefficiencies, slows down new hires, and leaves revenue on the table. Docket's solution is brilliant in its simplicity: create a comprehensive "sales knowledge lake" that captures both structured and unstructured data, filters out the noise, and learns specifically from top performers. On this foundation, they've built two game-changing AI agents. Their AI seller autonomously engages website visitors with human-like conversations, while their AI sales engineer – the true breakthrough – provides real-time support during sales calls, helping representatives instantly answer technical questions or handle objections exactly as the company's best salespeople would. The results speak volumes: customers report 12% higher win rates, 10% shorter sales cycles, and 15% faster onboarding for new reps. With over 15 months of enterprise deployment and 55,000+ questions answered, Docket has proven these systems can work at scale without the hallucination problems that plague many AI implementations. Through confidence scoring, reference links, and customizable guardrails, they've built the trust necessary for widespread adoption. Perhaps most fascinating is Arjun's perspective on the future. While fully autonomous AI sellers will increasingly handle simpler, high-volume transactions, human representatives will remain essential for complex enterprise sales. The companies that thrive won't be those that replace humans, but rather those that strategically augment their capabilities – enabling every seller to perform like their very best. Want to see how AI could transform your sales organization? Discover what's possible when you unlock the hidden knowledge in your go-to-market teams. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The world of customer experience has evolved dramatically in recent years, and few understand this transformation better than Joel Sylvester of Five Star Call Centers. In this fascinating conversation, Joel takes us through the reinvention of customer care, showing how today's most successful organizations are blending cutting-edge technology with authentic human connection. Having pioneered work-from-home call center programs back in 1999 and helped establish some of the first offshore operations in the Philippines, Joel brings a uniquely informed perspective on how AI, data intelligence, and digital agents are reshaping what's possible in customer service. The discussion reveals how AI has revolutionized every aspect of customer experience – from recruitment and training to real-time agent assistance and quality monitoring. Joel explains why the term "chatbot" is obsolete, preferring "digital agent" to describe the sophisticated AI tools now handling after-hours inquiries, seasonal spikes, and routine questions. These digital team members free human agents to focus on complex, emotionally-charged interactions where their empathy and judgment add irreplaceable value. Perhaps most compelling is Joel's insight into data's critical role in driving exceptional customer experiences. "If you don't trust your data, now's the time to start putting things into place to trust your data," he advises, emphasizing that clean, structured information forms the foundation for everything from AI performance to business decision-making. Organizations that harness their interaction data can now identify consumer preferences, predict needs, and even develop new products based on customer conversations. For companies just beginning their CX transformation journey, Joel offers practical guidance: audit your data systems, establish clear AI usage policies (including strong "always" and "never" guidelines), and start with low-risk, high-return applications. His enthusiasm for the possibilities is infectious, particularly when describing how these technologies are transforming healthcare customer service – helping sick patients and concerned family members get the answers and care they desperately need. Ready to discover how the right blend of technology and humanity can transform your customer experience? This episode delivers actionable insights for service leaders looking to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape. Real Talk About Marketing An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Martin Taylor takes us on a fascinating journey through the rapidly evolving landscape where artificial intelligence meets customer experience. As the co-founder of Content Guru, he's spent decades watching this space transform from simple call centers to sophisticated, AI-enhanced engagement platforms that serve millions of interactions across financial services, government agencies, and healthcare systems worldwide. The conversation reveals how COVID-19 created a watershed moment for customer experience technology. When face-to-face interactions ceased, organizations were forced to elevate their digital engagement strategies, creating competitive differentiation through superior experiences rather than just products or prices. Today's leading organizations are embracing what Taylor calls "omni-channel, omni-data, omni-automation" approaches that meet customers wherever they prefer to engage. What makes Content Guru's approach unique is their philosophy of AI orchestration. Rather than building proprietary AI models, they scan the horizon for the best specialized engines—whether large language models, small language models, vision systems, or translation tools—and integrate them through an enterprise-grade platform that ensures security, reliability and accessibility. This lets their customers deploy cutting-edge technology without becoming AI scientists themselves. Perhaps most compelling is Taylor's vision for the human-AI partnership. He describes a future where human agents sit "atop a pyramid" of automation layers, freed from mundane tasks like data entry and transcription to focus entirely on meaningful customer conversations. The technology doesn't replace humans—it elevates them, providing real-time support, suggestions, and even performance feedback that helps agents continuously improve. The results speak for themselves: financial services organizations slashing handle times by 50%, government agencies diverting hundreds of thousands of inquiries to AI-powered chatbots while improving both citizen satisfaction and employee experience. Whether you're leading a customer experience transformation, exploring AI implementation, or simply curious about how technology is reshaping human interactions, this conversation offers invaluable insights from someone who's been pioneering this space for decades. Listen now to understand how your organization can harness these same principles to create exceptional experiences that drive loyalty, efficiency and competitive advantage. Real Talk About Marketing An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The legal profession stands at a transformative moment as artificial intelligence reshapes how attorneys work, strategize, and win cases. In this illuminating conversation with Carla Rydholm General Manager at Lex Machina, we explore how legal analytics and AI are fundamentally changing litigation practice while preserving the irreplaceable human elements that define quality legal representation. Carla shares the fascinating evolution of Lex Machina from a public interest project between a law school and computer science department to a pioneering legal analytics company now owned by LexisNexis. Their mission revolves around "data-empowered lawyering" – transforming the overwhelming volume of legal information into structured, accessible insights that attorneys can use to make better strategic decisions. We dive deep into Lex Machina's AI assistant "Protege," which allows lawyers to ask natural language questions about litigation timelines, judge tendencies, and strategic options. Rather than replacing legal expertise, Protege amplifies it by creating space for attorneys to think deeply and strategically about their cases. As one knowledge management director revealed, having instant access to data like a judge's unusually high reversal rate can prompt nuanced client discussions that ultimately lead to winning strategies. What emerges is a vision of legal practice where AI tools become as standard as word processors, helping attorneys manage information overload while focusing on the judgment, client relationships, and ethical considerations that cannot be automated. Despite the technological evolution, the future of law remains fundamentally human – enhanced rather than replaced by artificial intelligence. Ready to explore how AI is transforming one of our oldest professions? Listen now to understand the sea change happening in legal technology and what it means for the future of justice, representation, and advocacy in our increasingly complex world. Then share your thoughts on how AI might reshape other tradition-bound professions! Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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1 The Future of Customer Experience: TELUS Digital's Journey from Telecom to Global Technology Leader 20:53
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com What happens when you combine cutting-edge AI with a deeply human approach to customer care? TELUS Digital provides the answer, demonstrating how a 20-year journey has transformed a Canadian telecom offshoot into a global digital powerhouse operating across 32 countries with 78,000 employees. Monty Hamilton, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at TELUS Digital, takes us behind the scenes of their innovative approach to digital transformation. Rather than simply putting "humans in the loop," TELUS embraces what they call "humanity in the loop" – making people the foundation of everything they do. This philosophy has allowed them to leverage their diverse global footprint to create personalized customer experiences that blend technological innovation with human insight. The conversation explores how TELUS Digital is revolutionizing customer care through AI-powered solutions including real-time translation, voice accent neutralization, and their groundbreaking Fuel IX platform. This technology enables personalized agent training that reduces onboarding time by 25% while building team member confidence and improving service quality. We also discover how their TELUS Days of Giving program builds schools in Guatemala, restores orphanages in El Salvador, and revitalizes industrial sites in India – often inviting clients to participate alongside team members. For businesses at any stage of their digital transformation journey, Hamilton offers an encouraging message: "There's never been a better time to start." With today's accessible technology tools and affordable computing power, organizations don't need massive budgets to achieve meaningful transformation. The key is listening to customers, embracing new technologies thoughtfully, and maintaining a foundation of human values throughout the process. Ready to transform your customer experience? Discover how balancing cutting-edge technology with deeply human values can create exceptional results for your organization. The TELUS Digital story shows that when humanity leads and technology follows, extraordinary things happen. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Universal data protection has never been more critical as organizations spread their digital footprint across hundreds of SaaS applications and cloud environments. In this compelling conversation, Andy Fernandez, Senior Director of Product Marketing at HYCU, pulls back the curtain on the company's groundbreaking integration with Dell Power Protect Data Domain, recently announced at Dell Technologies World. As the fastest-growing data protection as a service provider globally, Haiku now empowers Dell customers to shield their entire data estate through 86 specialized integrations. The partnership comes at a pivotal moment when organizations face unprecedented challenges in securing critical information. Beyond the obvious Microsoft 365 environments, Andy reveals the "crown jewels" hiding in plain sight – GitHub repositories containing intellectual property, Box folders housing sensitive research, and emerging AI vector databases that remain dangerously exposed in most enterprises. The conversation explores why data governance has suddenly become a central focus at major tech conferences, driven by dual pressures of geopolitical data residency requirements and the growing threat of supply chain attacks. Andy dismantles the false choice between compliance and innovation, sharing real-world examples from financial services and healthcare customers who successfully balance protection with progress. With 60% of corporate data now residing in cloud environments and the average mid-sized organization using over 200 SaaS applications, the discussion provides timely guidance for organizations navigating complex decisions around VMware transitions and AI implementation. Whether you're rethinking your approach to data protection or building resilience into your cloud strategy, this episode delivers actionable insights for securing your organization's most valuable digital assets. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Telecom operators worldwide are facing a profitability crisis. After investing billions in 5G infrastructure with minimal revenue gains to show for it, the industry finds itself at a critical juncture where transformation is no longer optional but existential. Michele from Optiva brings over three decades of telecom software experience to illuminate how AI is becoming the industry's lifeline. The conversation quickly establishes why this moment is different from previous technology waves. While neural networks have existed for decades, today's convergence of massive data availability, computing power, and industry necessity creates the perfect conditions for AI adoption. For telecom companies specifically, AI offers a two-pronged solution to their financial squeeze: revenue enhancement through hyper-personalization and cost reduction through autonomous operations. What makes this transformation particularly fascinating is the concept of the "segment of one" – moving beyond traditional customer segmentation to truly individualized service offerings. As Michele explains, the data to make this possible already exists within telecom billing systems, capturing user behaviors, preferences, and patterns. When AI is applied to this rich dataset, it can create personalized offerings tailored to each customer at the right time, dramatically increasing conversion rates. Perhaps most compelling is the practical impact already being realized. Vodafone's implementation of AI agents now handles 70% of customer interactions without human involvement, simultaneously reducing costs and improving customer satisfaction. Meanwhile, dynamic pricing initiatives are helping operators maximize infrastructure utilization through real-time rate adjustments based on network conditions and customer needs. The challenges remain significant. Telcos' conservative approach to change stems from legitimate reliability concerns – as Michele notes, "95% accuracy is not good enough for the network" when service disruptions impact millions. Yet the financial pressures force a reconsideration of this cautious stance, with AI adoption becoming gradually more autonomous as systems prove their reliability. Ready to discover how your organization can leverage AI to transform customer relationships while dramatically cutting operational costs? The telecommunications revolution is just beginning – and its lessons apply across industries facing similar disruption. Real Talk About Marketing An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Retail is in an age of perpetual reinvention. From navigating online strategies in the early 2000s to mobile adoption in the mid-2000s and now grappling with tariffs and supply chain disruptions, retailers must continuously evolve to survive and thrive. According to Dominick Miserandino, CEO of Retail Tech Media Nexus, the fundamental truth remains constant amid this change: "You are selling an emotion, the emotion of that thing." Dominick brings a unique perspective to retail, having transitioned from mainstream media to mentoring over 200 e-commerce startups before creating his current venture connecting tech companies, retailers, and media partners. His insights reveal a fascinating dichotomy in today's retail landscape. While giants like Amazon, Walmart, and Apple leverage their vast resources to create seamless digital experiences, nimble small businesses find success through authentic personal connections – like the retailer who phoned every customer to thank them, inadvertently creating a viral marketing strategy that cost nothing but time. The conversation explores how retailers are adapting to economic challenges, particularly the impact of tariffs on supply chains. For some small businesses with tight margins, these disruptions represent an existential threat: "I do not have the margin. I cannot cover these tariffs in any way. Period, I'm dead." Yet others find ways to innovate through efficiency, implementing solutions like virtual shopping experiences that reduce costs while enhancing customer convenience. As digital transformation continues reshaping retail, Dominick cautions against getting caught in technology hype cycles without clear implementation strategies. Many retailers collect vast amounts of data without effectively analyzing it, while others struggle to balance personalization with authenticity. "We personalize to the point of almost numbness," he notes, suggesting that consumers increasingly value genuine connections over algorithmic recommendations. Connect with Dominick on LinkedIn, where he maintains over 30,000 professional connections, to learn more about navigating retail's ever-changing landscape and to discover how businesses of all sizes can build meaningful customer relationships in an increasingly digital world. Real Talk About Marketing An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Connectivity has transformed from a luxury into a necessity. But what if your venue's Wi-Fi could do more than just provide internet access? What if it could become a powerful revenue generator and customer intelligence platform? Sean Bossons, Chief Revenue Officer at Purple, reveals how smart guest Wi-Fi is revolutionizing customer engagement across industries. From sports venues identifying returning fans to promote playoff tickets, to airports guiding passenger traffic away from congested gates toward retail opportunities, businesses are discovering the untapped potential of their connectivity infrastructure. The magic happens when anonymous connections become meaningful customer interactions. By capturing first-party data including demographics, visiting patterns, and preferences, venues gain unprecedented insight into their customers. This creates opportunities for hyper-personalized marketing at exactly the right moment - when customers are physically present and most receptive to relevant offers. "Research suggests you're willing to share data if you get something in return and you don't want generic rewards," explains Bossons, highlighting the value exchange at the heart of successful implementation. This approach drives measurable results across three key metrics: visit frequency, average spend, and customer lifetime value. Privacy remains paramount in this data-driven approach. Having grown under Europe's stringent GDPR regulations, Purple emphasizes consent and confidentiality as foundational principles, ensuring compliance with regional regulations worldwide while building the consumer trust necessary for willing participation. As we look toward the future of venue technology, AI-driven personalization and mobile-first engagement will continue transforming how businesses connect with customers in physical spaces. The old paradigm of investing heavily to attract visitors without effectively engaging them once they arrive is being replaced by sophisticated, real-time interaction strategies powered by intelligent Wi-Fi. Ready to transform your venue's connectivity from cost center to profit driver? Discover how your Wi-Fi network could become your most valuable customer intelligence platform. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The frontline workforce revolution is happening right now, and Zebra Technologies is leading the charge. In this enlightening conversation with Joe White, Chief Product and Solution Officer at Zebra Technologies, we explore how decades of operational digitization are culminating in an AI-powered transformation that's redefining what's possible for businesses worldwide. Joe, a 25-year veteran at Zebra, takes us on a journey from the company's barcode origins to today's sophisticated AI implementations. He articulates how modern enterprises face critical challenges around what he calls "the three R's" – resiliency, reliability, and real-time visibility The conversation reveals how AI is transforming frontline operations across industries. In retail, where shelf inventory accuracy typically hovers at a shocking 50-60%, AI-powered systems can now automatically identify stockouts, pricing errors, and misplaced items while generating immediate action plans. In manufacturing, companies like Bosch have reduced reject rates by 5% across 7,000 daily parts using machine vision technology. Yet Joe emphasizes that successful AI implementation requires first digitizing operational workflows – a crucial insight for any business beginning this journey. Perhaps most compelling is Joe's customer-centric philosophy: every product in Zebra's portfolio traces back to a specific lighthouse customer who helped drive its development. This collaborative approach ensures solutions directly address real-world challenges with enterprise-grade reliability and scalability. As Joe puts it, "While I'm proud of the last 20 years of technology developed at Zebra, the next 5-10 years will be the most transformational, led by AI technologies applied to customer workflows." Ready to see what's possible when frontline workers are truly empowered with intelligent technology? Listen now and discover how the convergence of digitization, automation, and AI is creating unprecedented opportunities for operational excellence. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Ever wonder why nobody picks up your calls or reads your emails anymore? In this eye-opening conversation, Aaron Christopher "AC" Evans, founder of DRIPS, reveals why traditional outreach methods are increasingly ineffective in our distraction-filled world. AC explains how our evolution into an "on-demand society" has fundamentally changed consumer psychology. When everyone is constantly engaged with content they actively choose – from social media to streaming services – traditional push messaging tactics that demand immediate attention are doomed to fail. The stark reality: about 80% of people simply won't answer calls from unknown numbers anymore. DRIPS has pioneered a different approach through asynchronous, humanized AI conversations. Rather than forcing consumers to stop what they're doing, this technology allows meaningful interactions to unfold over days or even weeks, respecting people's time while still accomplishing business objectives. AC walks us through how their system differs from standard chatbots by interpreting natural language with sophisticated AI while maintaining tight compliance with complex regulatory requirements across healthcare and insurance industries. The results speak for themselves. One national health insurance provider improved their star ratings from 3 to 4 across all contracts through DRIPS' technology. Another saw a tenfold increase in health risk assessment responses. For businesses struggling with diminishing returns from traditional outreach, AC offers practical advice on getting started – from simple text message "priming" before phone calls to implementing more sophisticated conversational AI. The key insight: when you give consumers a voice and meet them where they are, engagement dramatically improves. Ready to stop annoying your customers and start having meaningful conversations that drive results? This episode reveals how the future of customer engagement is evolving beyond interruption marketing into thoughtful, AI-powered dialogue that respects consumers while delivering exceptional business outcomes. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com What happens when cutting-edge artificial intelligence meets humanistic healthcare? Aurora Martinez of Keralty unveils a revolutionary approach that's redefining what's possible in global health systems. Unlike conventional healthcare AI applications that focus primarily on efficiency and diagnostics, Keralty's innovative "CHI" ecosystem puts human well-being at the center of technological advancement. Martinez introduces us to Keralty (operating as Sanitas in the US), a healthcare organization spanning ten countries that has built what she calls a "living lab" – an extraordinarily diverse ecosystem encompassing insurance companies, hospitals, clinics, medical centers, and even a university. This diversity serves as both the foundation and catalyst for their AI innovations. With 50 years of accumulated wisdom, they're transforming knowledge into actionable healthcare solutions that address not just physical health, but loneliness, mental health challenges, and community connection. What truly distinguishes their approach is the philosophy Martinez eloquently summarizes as "intelligence with a soul." This isn't about replacing healthcare professionals with algorithms, but rather empowering doctors and nurses with AI tools that enhance their ability to deliver personalized, preventative care. The focus remains steadfastly on human connections while using technology to make better, more informed decisions. By combining their extensive living lab with a holistic healthcare model centered on prevention and risk management, Keralty is positioning themselves as agents of change in an industry ripe for transformation. Ready to explore how artificial intelligence might actually make healthcare more human, not less? Visit keraltycom to learn more about this fascinating intersection of technology and compassionate care, and discover how purpose-driven innovation is reshaping the future of health. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Ever wondered why email hasn't fundamentally changed in 20 years? While countless startups have tried to replace email entirely, Gmeilius is taking a refreshingly different approach by enhancing Gmail itself with powerful AI-driven collaboration tools. Florian's entrepreneurial journey began during his PhD studies when he created a simple Gmail extension to better collaborate on academic papers. What started as a personal productivity hack gained momentum among colleagues, leading him through a Geneva-based incubator and eventually to Y Combinator—a journey that hilariously had him rushing back to San Francisco just two days after his wedding. Through this evolution, Gmeilius transformed from a consumer-focused tool to a B2B solution that addresses Gmail's most significant limitations. The genius of Gmeilius lies in its seamless integration with Gmail rather than attempting to replace it. By enhancing a platform users already know, they eliminate the adoption barriers that plague new communication tools. Their feature set—shared inboxes, Kanban boards, email automation, and SLA tracking—addresses the collaboration gaps in Gmail's native experience. Most importantly, their AI capabilities are transforming how teams handle email by automatically routing messages, drafting replies, and classifying conversations. As Florian provocatively states, "I really believe that the way we use email is dying," not because email itself is becoming obsolete, but because AI will fundamentally change how we interact with our inboxes. Ready to transform your relationship with email? Try Gmeilius for yourself and discover how AI can turn your inbox from a source of frustration into a productivity powerhouse. Book an onboarding session with their team to see how their platform can streamline your operations and free your team to focus on what truly matters. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Unified communications doesn't have to be complicated or confusing. In this revealing conversation with Jason from Wildix, we explore how a channel-first approach is revolutionizing the way businesses communicate and collaborate. Wildix has carved out a unique position in the crowded UCaaS market by committing 100% to its channel partners. "We are nothing without our channel," Jason explains, detailing how they've transformed from a reactive to proactive partner support model. Rather than competing with their partners, Wildix stands shoulder-to-shoulder with them, providing sales engineers, technical demos, and proof of concepts while allowing partners to maintain control of customer relationships, contracts, and pricing. What truly differentiates Wildix is their practical approach to AI implementation. Instead of making sweeping promises, they focus on specific verticals where they can deliver measurable ROI. Their solution helps retail stores prevent theft and streamline training, while their sales-focused tools provide sentiment analysis and seamless CRM integration. As Jason notes, "We want to be laser focused where we feel we can make a difference." For MSPs and VARs looking for alternatives to legacy vendors that are scaling back wholesale options, Wildix offers a refreshing alternative. With global-by-design solutions, remote-first company culture, and unwavering security standards (they're the only European company on the Gartner Magic Quadrant), they're helping partners deliver unified communications that truly transform businesses. Ready to discover how a channel-first approach could transform your communications strategy? Subscribe to our podcast for more insights into the rapidly evolving world of business technology and unified communications. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The data protection landscape has fundamentally transformed, and HYCU's groundbreaking integration with Dell Technologies has arrived just in time. At Dell Technologies World, Simon Taylor, CEO and founder of HYCU, unveiled what he calls the "Tower of Power"—a revolutionary expansion that brings 86 on-premises, cloud, and SaaS integrations fully supported by Dell's Data Domain Virtual Edition (DDVE) This partnership marks a pivotal shift for Dell customers worldwide. No longer is Data Domain limited to VMware environments; now it extends its powerful deduplication capabilities to Nutanix, Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, and dozens more critical systems. Customer testimonials reveal staggering efficiency gains, with some reporting deduplication ratios as high as 60:1. For organizations managing petabytes of Microsoft 365 data or complex multi-cloud environments, this integration delivers unprecedented storage optimization while maintaining enterprise-grade protection. What sets this solution apart is Haiku's commitment to both simplicity and comprehensive coverage. Their approach tackles a stark reality: the average mid-market company now stores data across 330 different silos. Rather than requiring separate backup tools for each environment—imagine if every app on your phone needed its own backup system!—HYCU provides a single unified platform. This consolidation is particularly valuable amid today's economic uncertainty, allowing organizations to simplify vendor management while enhancing security through features like R-Shield's true immutability for all data types. As Taylor emphasizes, many organizations aren't properly securing their SaaS and cloud backups, leaving them vulnerable to both attacks and compliance failures. Ready to transform how you protect your modern data estate? Discover how HYCU and Dell can help you achieve complete data control with unprecedented efficiency and simplicity. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Cybersecurity is undergoing a fundamental transformation as organizations navigate the complex relationship between zero-trust architectures and the realities of hybrid work environments with Anupam Upadhyaya VP of Products for Prisma SASE at Palo Alto Networks, sheds light on how SASE has evolved beyond its initial promise to become the cornerstone of modern security frameworks. With browsers becoming the primary workspace for professionals – hosting everything from email and documentation to AI interactions – they've simultaneously become prime targets for cyber attackers. A staggering 95% of organizations have experienced browser-based attacks, highlighting a critical vulnerability in our digital infrastructure. Prisma Access Browser represents a paradigm shift in addressing this challenge, offering both a hardened browser environment and sophisticated last-mile protection against emerging threats. Perhaps most revolutionary is the solution's approach to encrypted traffic inspection – a longstanding challenge for security teams. By examining traffic before encryption or after decryption, Prisma Access Browser overcomes traditional limitations with protocols like QUIC or certificate-pinned applications. This capability provides comprehensive security across all traffic types without compromising performance or privacy requirements. As AI adoption accelerates within enterprises, security considerations must evolve accordingly. Palo Alto Networks' newly announced Prisma AIRS framework establishes five essential pillars of AI security: model scanning, posture management, red teaming tools, runtime protection, and agent security. This holistic approach ensures organizations can embrace AI innovation without introducing unacceptable risks. For organizations struggling with legacy VDI infrastructure while wanting to embrace cloud innovations, Prisma Access Browser offers a compelling path forward – delivering consistent security and superior user experience across internet, SaaS, cloud, and legacy applications without forcing everything through VDI chokepoints. Join us to discover how these technologies are reshaping the cybersecurity landscape and enabling secure digital transformation even in the most complex environments. #sponsored Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The complexity of infrastructure as code has become a significant bottleneck in modern software development. Developers struggle with learning Terraform and Helm, while DevOps teams are weighed down by template maintenance and compliance requirements. Enter StackGen's "generative infrastructure platform" – a revolutionary approach that's changing how teams handle cloud deployments. In this enlightening conversation, founder Asif Awan explains how their dual-focused solution meets developers where they are while empowering DevOps teams with better governance tools. The platform intelligently understands application intent either through code analysis or visual design, then automatically generates fully compliant infrastructure code without requiring developers to become infrastructure experts. What makes StackGen particularly powerful is its approach to AI implementation. Rather than just offering code suggestions that still require expert review, it provides deterministic infrastructure generation for developers who don't understand Terraform while giving DevOps experts AI-assisted tools for crafting sophisticated modules. This two-pronged strategy has attracted major enterprise customers including NBA, Nielsen, SAP, and Autodesk who are using the platform for infrastructure transformation, module lifecycle management, and complete IaC governance. The vision extends beyond simplification toward truly autonomous infrastructure – self-provisioning, self-healing, and self-adjusting based on application intent and business requirements. For teams struggling with cloud complexity, security integration, or multi-cloud strategies, StackGen offers a glimpse into a future where infrastructure truly manages itself. Check out their integration with developer portals like Backstage or try them through Google Marketplace to experience how development can flow without infrastructure friction. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The promise of connecting "everything" to the internet has remained frustratingly out of reach for over a decade. Despite bold predictions of 50 billion connected devices by 2020, the industry achieved just 11 billion – a mere 20% of expectations. Why? As Nick Earle of Eseye, explains, we dramatically underestimated the complexity of creating truly global connectivity. This conversation unveils the missing piece that's finally enabling the Internet of Things to deliver on its potential: ubiquitous connectivity that works everywhere, every time. Drawing from his experience leading global tech giants and now Eseye, Nick reveals how the traditional carrier model was fundamentally misaligned with IoT's needs – and how his company's revolutionary "federation" approach, similar to the airline industry's Star Alliance, is changing everything. What makes this discussion particularly compelling is the real-world impact. Global brands like Amazon, Shell, and Coca-Cola are already leveraging Eseye's technology to deploy single-product SKUs worldwide, transforming their manufacturing, supply chains, and business models. The ROI isn't coming from the data itself, but from the operational efficiencies of building once and deploying anywhere – delivering 100-500x returns over connectivity costs. Beyond the technology, Nick offers a fascinating perspective on what he calls the "third wave of tech disruption" in telecommunications, where eSIM technology and new standards are breaking the 40-year carrier lock on connectivity. For business leaders contemplating IoT strategies, this provides crucial context on why previous attempts may have faltered and how the landscape has fundamentally changed. Whether you're leading a global enterprise or a nimble startup, this episode illuminates how the barriers to IoT adoption are finally falling away, making connected product deployment more accessible and scalable than ever before. The future where devices intelligently choose their own best connectivity method – be it cellular, satellite, or something else – is closer than you might think. Real Talk About Marketing An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Meet the team behind Epicor, the business software company on a mission to empower the world's hardest working businesses. For over 50 years, they've been serving manufacturers, distributors, building supply retailers, and the automotive aftermarket with specialized solutions that go beyond standard ERP offerings. Fresh from their annual Insights conference in Las Vegas, which attracted over 4,000 attendees, Epicor has unveiled groundbreaking AI innovations designed specifically for supply chain management and business operations. Their flagship offering, Prism, represents a new approach to agentic AI with a patent-pending LLM inference pipeline that remains model-agnostic – allowing it to adapt to the rapidly evolving AI landscape and call upon the most effective models for each specific workflow. What truly sets Epicor apart is their commitment to human-centered technology. While many competitors are racing toward fully autonomous ERP systems, Epicor deliberately chose a semi-autonomous approach that keeps workers in control. Their philosophy maintains that AI should empower employees rather than replace them, providing rapid information retrieval and analysis while ensuring humans make the final decisions. This approach has already shown remarkable results, with one manufacturing customer cutting delivery time in half and achieving 20% revenue growth by implementing AI for automating RFQ processes. Equally impressive is their patent-pending carbon cost roll-up solution, which treats carbon as currency and leverages manufacturing ERP engines to report the carbon impact of specific processes down to individual jobs on the shop floor – bringing unprecedented accuracy to sustainability efforts. Looking ahead, Epicor envisions an ecosystem where intelligent agents can communicate securely across business functions and between organizations, supported by their Grow Data platform that consolidates information from various business systems into a unified data lake ready for AI applications. Whether through their knowledge agent that saved one customer 55 minutes per support question or their recent acquisition of connected worker platform Acadia, Epicor continues to demonstrate how thoughtfully applied technology can transform industries that form the backbone of our economy. Want to see how Epicor can help your business run smarter and grow faster? Visit Epicor.com to discover their full range of industry-specific solutions and learn why their deep expertise makes them the partner of choice for hard-working businesses worldwide. Real Talk About Marketing An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com What happens when you gather the most innovative companies in enterprise technology and have nearly 200 expert judges evaluate their groundbreaking solutions? The We Love Tech Awards reveals exactly that, and the results spotlight an exciting cross-section of technological innovation that's transforming how businesses operate. Russell Fordyce of Business Intelligence Group joins us to unveil the winners of this inaugural awards program, showcasing companies that are redefining what's possible in enterprise technology. From AI-powered customer service to quantum computing solutions that were once considered science fiction, these winners represent the cutting edge of practical innovation. The revelations are fascinating – quantum computing has moved beyond theoretical potential to deliver tangible business applications through Dynex's "quantum as a service." Virtual reality and the metaverse aren't just consumer toys but powerful training tools, as demonstrated by EY's gamified professional development platform and TD Bank's immersive learning environments. Meanwhile, Verity's aviation solution uses AI to predict aircraft maintenance needs before failures occur – essentially providing "pre-healthcare for your plane." What makes these awards particularly valuable is their spotlight on companies operating behind the scenes – the technological infrastructure providers whose innovations enable modern business but rarely receive public recognition. Many winners represent specialized solutions addressing industry-specific challenges, from ESG reporting compliance to ruggedized devices for first responders The awards themselves embrace innovation, with winners receiving blockchain-based digital certificates that "live forever" rather than traditional dust-collecting trophies. Looking ahead, the program will return next year with nominations opening in early 2025. Listen in to discover the companies building tomorrow's enterprise technology landscape today, and perhaps find your next technological advantage. Real Talk About Marketing An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Cellular connectivity forms the backbone of the IoT revolution, but building truly global, reliable solutions has remained challenging—until now. FloLive is transforming how devices connect worldwide through a revolutionary distributed network architecture that addresses the fundamental limitations of traditional approaches. Most IoT connectivity providers rely heavily on roaming agreements to extend coverage beyond their native footprint. FloLive has taken a fundamentally different path by building its entire technology stack in-house and distributing core network components globally. This "network of networks" approach allows devices to connect locally in different regions while providing customers with a unified management interface. The benefits are profound and multifaceted. When devices connect to local networks, data can be processed regionally rather than traveling across continents, dramatically improving performance and addressing increasingly strict data sovereignty requirements. Network-based security provides protection for resource-constrained IoT devices by analyzing metadata in real-time to detect anomalous behavior. Meanwhile, the ability to seamlessly integrate satellite connectivity ensures devices can maintain connections even in the most remote locations. What makes this approach particularly powerful is how it embraces rather than competes with local mobile network operators. By partnering with MNOs worldwide, FloLive augments their capabilities while ensuring compliance with local regulations. This collaborative strategy is opening doors for innovative applications across industries—from electricity meters in Europe to cleaning robots in Singapore, water irrigation systems across 120 countries, telematics solutions, video applications, and payment terminals. The next frontier involves leveraging artificial intelligence to further enhance the platform. By combining data from multiple sources within their stack, FlowLive is building AI capabilities that will help customers optimize operations, predict network issues, and potentially reduce costs through automated recommendations. Ready to transform your IoT connectivity strategy? FloLive primarily works through partnerships with mobile network operators, MVNOs, IoT service providers, and systems integrators, with sales teams available across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific regions to support your global IoT initiatives. Real Talk About Marketing An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Imagine turning your biggest frustration into a business that serves millions. That's exactly what happened when Joaquin and his team got tired of spending hours hunting for quality images while designing websites back in 2010. "The main idea was we're scratching our own itch," explains Joaquin, CEO and founder of Freepik. What began as a simple search engine for free images has evolved into a comprehensive AI-powered design platform that's revolutionizing how creative professionals work. Their user-centric approach has driven continuous innovation, from adding icons and photos to embracing the transformative potential of generative AI two years ago. Today, Freepik offers a suite of sophisticated tools leveraging approximately twenty different AI models under the hood. Their video generation capabilities provide end-to-end production with integration to leading models like Glyn, VO2, and Runway. Their image generation suite features their proprietary Mystic model alongside Google's Image N3 and various Flux options, all enhanced by carefully curated visual styles. This technical sophistication is wrapped in an accessible interface designed to simplify complex workflows. Most remarkable is their unwavering commitment to accessibility. Despite the computing costs associated with AI generation, Freepik maintains a strong freemium model, positioning themselves as the most affordable option in the market. "When you make something 10 times cheaper, you get a different use case," Joaquin notes, explaining how dramatic price reductions enable entirely new applications and ultimately expand the market. As they navigate the complex ethical landscape of AI-generated content, Freepik remains committed to respecting creator rights, using only properly licensed images or those without explicit restrictions. Their enterprise solutions even allow companies to disable specific models based on their comfort levels with different technologies. Looking ahead, Freepik continues innovating with new interface paradigms, team collaboration features, and intelligent assistants that orchestrate complex workflows automatically. For Joaquin, a technical founder who witnessed the early internet, today's AI revolution represents an even more profound technological shift with unlimited potential. Want to experience how AI is transforming creative workflows? Visit Freepik today and discover tools that make sophisticated design accessible to everyone. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Security should be easy, or people simply won't adopt it. This fundamental truth drives everything at Front Egg, where balancing robust protection with frictionless user experiences has become their mission in the SaaS identity management space. During our conversation with Aviad Mizrachi, CTO and co-founder of Front Egg, and Miriam, their tech support engineer and resident Gen Z expert, we uncovered shocking statistics about how security friction directly impacts business outcomes. Did you know that 49% of consumers will abandon a purchase entirely when faced with a password reset? That's half of potential customers walking away with their wallets still full—all because of poor authentication experiences. What makes this conversation particularly fascinating is the generational perspective. While older users grudgingly accept security hurdles as necessary evils, Gen Z approaches technology with different expectations. Having grown up with iPads, Google Classroom, and biometric authentication as the norm, they demand personalization, speed, and seamless experiences. Yet having witnessed countless data breaches affecting loved ones, they maintain healthy skepticism toward emerging technologies like AI. As Miriam puts it, "We understand that AI is innovative, but we also know new vulnerabilities will be introduced." The rapid acceleration of AI has transformed security from a slow-moving field to one where threat cycles complete in days rather than months. Front Egg is responding with AI-powered solutions, including autonomous agents that protect both human and non-human identities. However, they emphasize that the human element remains irreplaceable—particularly in support scenarios where "people just want to talk to people." Ready to see how the right balance of security and user experience could transform your SaaS offering? Listen to this episode for insights that could dramatically improve both your security posture and customer retention. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The digital landscape has reached a tipping point. In this eye-opening conversation with David Holmes, CTO for Application Security at Imperva (a Thales division), we uncover the alarming reality that machines now dominate internet traffic. For the first time in over a decade, bot traffic has surpassed human activity online – and a staggering 37% of all traffic is malicious automation. Quantum computing's looming threat to our encryption infrastructure takes center stage as David explains the race to develop quantum-resistant algorithms before "Q-Day" arrives. The cybersecurity community faces the monumental task of gracefully transitioning the entire internet to new encryption standards that can withstand quantum attacks. Meanwhile, enterprises must focus on protocol agility, learning from past transitions to prepare for this inevitable shift. The conversation shifts to the AI security paradox currently facing organizations worldwide. While companies rush to develop AI-enabled applications, most admit they haven't thought through security implications. Simultaneously, attackers are leveraging AI to create increasingly sophisticated bots that evade detection. This AI arms race extends to API security, where the programming interfaces powering our digital economy face growing threats. With the API security market expanding 27% annually, organizations must move beyond merely discovering their API endpoints to implementing robust security measures. The recent Imperva acquisition by Thales has created a cybersecurity powerhouse combining Imperva's application security expertise with Thales massive global presence serving 100,000 customers across 30 industries in 100 countries. This strategic integration positions them uniquely to address the convergent challenges of quantum computing, AI security, and the bot-dominated internet landscape we now inhabit. Want to learn more about securing your organization in this new reality? Explore how Talus and Imperva are helping enterprises prepare for both immediate threats and long-term security challenges. Connect with us today to protect your mission-critical applications in an environment where machines – not humans – dominate digital traffic. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com What happens when one of the longest-standing leaders in enterprise communications acquires another major player in the industry? Eric Hanson, CMO at Mitel, reveals the transformative journey following their acquisition of Unify, which has created what may be the largest install base in the unified communications industry—over 70 million users across more than 100 countries. Hanson pulls back the curtain on Mitel's brand new website launch, describing how it reflects a fundamental shift in strategy. The redesigned digital experience serves both direct enterprise customers and Mitel's robust partner ecosystem, telling a more compelling story about how unified communications extends far beyond video conferencing. From telehealth applications to critical military communications to traditional desk phones, Mitel's solutions support the full spectrum of enterprise communication needs. Most fascinating is Hansen's observation about what enterprise customers are actually prioritizing. Despite the industry's focus on pure cloud solutions, Mitel's vast customer base reveals a different reality: large organizations are increasingly adopting hybrid communications strategies that blend different deployment models. Even more surprising, there's growing demand for dedicated cloud instances rather than just multi-tenant configurations—a trend that aligns with findings from analyst firms like Frost & Sullivan. This perspective challenges the conventional narrative and explains Mitel's approach to product development. With their financial restructuring proceeding ahead of schedule, successful launches of their Mitel CX product and Zoom joint venture, and a thoughtful approach to global localization, Mitel is positioning itself at the forefront of the unified communications evolution. Want to see how they're reimagining enterprise communications? Visit their new website to experience their customer-focused approach firsthand. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Imagine a world where construction project data flows seamlessly between office and field teams, where disconnected spreadsheets transform into integrated insights, and where project managers can see the complete picture of their operations in real-time. That's the future QuickBase is building for the construction industry. Tim Douglas, GM of Construction at QuickBase, brings 25 years of construction tech experience to this conversation about the industry's unique challenges and promising solutions. He articulates why construction is particularly difficult to modernize: "Every single project is a prototype. The teams that come together, come together once, will maybe never work again on the same project...every project literally is a snowflake." This fundamental reality creates persistent challenges around disconnected systems, data silos, and communication gaps between field and office teams. What makes this conversation particularly timely is the looming demographic shift in construction. By 2031, approximately 40% of today's construction workforce will retire, creating both a knowledge gap and an opportunity for transformation. The incoming generation of workers expects digital tools that match their tech-native experiences, driving companies to modernize how work gets done. QuickBase's approach stands out by functioning as both a solution for specific problems and a connector between existing systems – the "brick and mortar" of a modern construction tech stack. The recently launched Project Hub Pro represents QuickBase's response to these challenges, allowing mid-sized contractors to quickly transition from disconnected spreadsheets to a unified view of their operations. One electrical contractor imported three critical spreadsheets into Project Hub and immediately gained unprecedented visibility across previously siloed data. This "light bulb moment" led to plans for deeper integration with accounting systems and field data collection tools. Whether you're managing a single project or overseeing a global portfolio, construction's future depends on connecting the right information to the right people in the right format – exactly what QuickBase is designed to deliver. Discover how your projects could benefit from this approach by exploring QuickBase's construction solutions today. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Cyber resilience has become the new frontier in enterprise storage, transforming how organizations protect their most critical data assets. In this illuminating conversation with Eric Herzog, CMO at Infinidat, we explore how modern storage systems have evolved beyond traditional reliability measures to incorporate robust cybersecurity capabilities. Herzog reveals the stark reality facing enterprises today: "It's not if they're going to be attacked, it's when and how often." With 90% of enterprise data residing on storage systems, leaving them unprotected effectively invites attackers to compromise your most valuable information. Infinidat's approach integrates immutable snapshots, forensic environments, and direct connections to security platforms like SIEMs and SOARs, enabling automated responses to detected threats. The conversation highlights remarkable recovery capabilities that seemed impossible just years ago - restoring four petabytes in four seconds, guaranteed recovery of primary storage in under a minute, and backup recovery of unlimited petabytes in under 20 minutes. These achievements aren't just technical milestones; they represent business continuity assurance for organizations that cannot tolerate extended downtime. Beyond security, Herzog discusses how Infinidat's performance technologies dramatically reduce infrastructure requirements - one customer consolidated from 288 petabytes to just 61 petabytes while maintaining workload performance. This efficiency extends to operational resources, with customers reducing storage administration staff by up to 73%. As organizations increasingly prioritize AI initiatives, Infinidad]t is also developing RAG solutions that integrate with existing storage infrastructure to support the constant learning necessary for effective AI implementations. Curious about how your organization can transform storage from a vulnerability to a cybersecurity asset? Listen to the full episode to discover approaches that leading Fortune 2000 companies are implementing today to protect their most critical data resources. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Cybersecurity is racing against time. In his compelling keynote, Nikesh Arora reveals that cyber attackers now need less than an hour from targeting to data exfiltration—a timeline that renders traditional security approaches dangerously obsolete. The stakes couldn't be higher. Tech giants are pouring roughly $350 billion into AI infrastructure, creating models that continuously learn and evolve unlike traditional predictable software. This transformation will fundamentally reshape every SaaS application we use within 3-5 years, introducing AI assistants, agent-to-agent communications, and entirely new interfaces. For security professionals, this represents both an extraordinary challenge and opportunity. Arora details how Palo Alto Networks has "flipped the bit" from merely identifying security problems to actively solving them. This paradigm shift follows the autonomous vehicle blueprint: progressing from basic assists to co-pilot functionality, and eventually toward fully autonomous security operations. By ingesting 11 petabytes of security data daily through their XIAM platform, they're enabling not just wartime incident response but also peacetime security optimization. The path toward truly agentic security requires building trust through demonstrated reliability. Just as we gradually accepted self-driving vehicles, security automation must earn our confidence through increasingly sophisticated assistance before we grant it full agency. This journey demands close collaboration between vendors and customers to refine these capabilities safely. Have you considered how your security strategy needs to evolve for this AI-powered future? Join us in exploring cybersecurity's next frontier where protection happens in real-time and machines protect machines. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The world of identity management is experiencing a revolutionary transformation, and Frontegg stands at the forefront of this change. During this enlightening conversation at RSA Conference, Frontegg CTO Aviad Mizrachi reveals how their solution is empowering SaaS providers with just five lines of code integration, allowing some developers to implement comprehensive identity management in as little as two minutes. What makes Frontegg truly transformative is their dual approach to identity challenges. For B2B SaaS companies, they've fixed the broken elements of self-service capabilities, complex hierarchies, and multi-application identity consolidation. Their platform creates a single source of truth for user identities across applications while bridging the critical visibility gap between security professionals and developers. This comprehensive approach ensures security teams gain the customer identity insights they need without creating implementation hurdles for developers. Most excitingly, Frontegg is pioneering solutions for the emergent "agent era" where AI agents represent an entirely new category of digital entity requiring identity management. Unlike traditional employees with email-based identities, AI agents introduce fundamental questions about authentication, authorization, and access controls. As Aviad explains, "What can this agent access and how does the access policy work there? That's a complete change in the way that identity is being managed." By addressing these challenges head-on, Frontegg is defining the newest generation of identity management—one that will shape the secure integration of both human users and AI agents across our digital landscape for years to come. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The cybersecurity landscape has fundamentally shifted from prevention to resilience. Gone are the days when organizations could reasonably expect to prevent all breaches. Now, the question isn't if you'll be breached, but when—and how quickly you can recover. Rubrik stands at the forefront of this new reality, bringing a refreshingly practical approach to data security. Rather than promising impenetrable defenses, they've built a platform that helps organizations bounce back quickly when attacks inevitably occur. By analyzing data risks, understanding data locations, and minimizing unnecessary access points, companies can significantly reduce breach impacts and accelerate recovery times. What makes Rubrik's approach particularly powerful is their unique combination of identity security and data classification. While many security tools focus exclusively on either identity or data, Rubrik recognizes that these elements are inseparable in modern environments. Attackers target identities as pathways to sensitive data, making it essential to understand which identities—both human and non-human—can access your most critical information. This perspective has become increasingly important as organizations navigate the complexities of machine identities, API tokens, and AI agents. The conversation also explores Rubrik's innovations in AI security, including Project Annapurna, which enables organizations to run AI models against backed-up data with carefully controlled access. As Multi-Agent Collaboration Protocol (MCP) creates new possibilities for security automation, Rubrik helps customers balance innovation with appropriate safeguards. Ready to transform how your organization thinks about data security and resilience? Visit the Rubrik booth at RSAC to learn more about their revolutionary approach to combining identity and data security. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Cyber resilience has evolved from an IT concern to a boardroom priority, and for good reason. As Andy Fernandez, Senior Director of Product Marketing at HYCU explains, while organizations have fortified their on-premises defenses, their cloud and SaaS environments remain dangerously exposed—creating perfect targets for today's sophisticated cyber threats. This eye-opening conversation reveals a critical shift in the cybersecurity landscape. Five years ago, crippling attacks on critical infrastructure prompted massive security investments, successfully reducing ransomware impacts on traditional workloads. However, this success has merely redirected attackers toward less-protected cloud applications. "Attackers realize that on-prem, organizations have tremendous infrastructure and great backups," Fernandez explains. "But guess what? They have no backups, no recovery options in SaaS and cloud. These are sitting ducks." Enter HYCU's groundbreaking R-Shield—a comprehensive cyber resilience framework protecting over 86 different workloads. Unlike solutions focusing solely on virtual machines, R-Shield addresses critical protection gaps for essential applications like GitHub, Box, and Jira. Its innovative capabilities include rapid ransomware detection, block-level immutable backups for SaaS workloads, and offline recovery options that ensure access to critical knowledge even during service outages. Real-world examples showcase R-Shield's impact across industries, from financial services responding to new EU regulations to the Boston Red Sox protecting everything from ticketing systems to game-day operations. Ready to close your organization's cyber resilience gaps? Discover how HYCU's intelligent yet simple approach can have you protecting your complete data estate—not just a fraction—starting today. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Security conferences are notorious for their overwhelming noise – hundreds of vendors competing for attention, media rushing between briefings, and an endless stream of press releases hitting inboxes. How do cybersecurity brands actually break through? My conversation with Ariel from PAN Communications digs into this exact challenge. With 30+ years in the cybersecurity PR space (and Ariel's 14 years with the company), Pan has mastered the delicate art of storytelling in an industry built on technical complexity. Their approach focuses on three critical elements: timing, format, and narrative. Rather than simply pushing client messages, they craft stories that tap into current trends like generative AI while demonstrating real-world impact. Trust emerges as the central theme throughout our discussion. In cybersecurity's "zero trust" world, establishing credibility is paramount. PAN builds this through concrete data, customer success stories, and amplifying the executives behind the technologies. "People trust people," Ariel notes, highlighting why putting faces to brands drives engagement and demand. This strategy has yielded impressive results – helping one client generate 2,000 leads in six months post-rebrand, doubling site traffic for another, and delivering a 350% jump in conversions during an IPO. The traditional media landscape continues to evolve, with influencers, podcasters, and platforms like Reddit and Substack gaining influence in cybersecurity circles. PAN adapts by conducting comprehensive audience audits and developing long-term influencer partnerships. Meanwhile, "AI fatigue" is setting in among journalists who now demand stories beyond the buzzwords – they want tangible outcomes and practical applications. As we wrap up with RSAC survival tips (comfortable shoes and portable chargers are non-negotiable), the lesson is clear: in cybersecurity marketing, authentic storytelling wins over hype every time. What story is your company telling? Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Connectivity isn't just a convenience anymore—it's a baseline expectation that impacts everything from daily operations to property valuation. This eye-opening conversation with Mark from Dense Air reveals why in-building cellular coverage has reached a critical inflection point in commercial real estate. Did you know 80% of cellular interactions happen inside buildings? It's the underwater portion of the connectivity iceberg that most people don't see until it fails them. As Mark explains, we've entered a new era where carriers have shifted their investment priorities to 5G deployment, leaving building owners responsible for solving indoor connectivity challenges themselves. The stakes couldn't be higher. Fortune 100 companies are implementing wireless-only office policies, with security-conscious organizations prohibiting employees from connecting to public Wi-Fi networks. Gen Z—now representing a quarter of the workforce—expects flawless connectivity as their birthright. From luxury hotels where guests huddle outside just to make calls, to massive parking structures where coverage disappears the moment you drive down the ramp, the business implications of poor connectivity extend far beyond mere inconvenience. Traditional solutions like DAS systems work well for stadiums but are prohibitively expensive for mid-sized buildings. Signal boosters quickly hit capacity limitations. That's where neutral-host small cell technology is changing the game—providing a single infrastructure that supports all carriers simultaneously while looking and feeling like standard IT equipment. Dense Air's data-driven approach leverages trillions of data points to identify dead zones proactively, using machine learning to optimize deployments without custom designs for every site. Whether you're a property owner, facility manager, or technology leader, this conversation illuminates why connectivity has become as essential as electricity in modern buildings—and how innovative solutions are finally making universal coverage achievable without breaking the bank. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The digital communications landscape has exploded, creating both massive challenges and exciting opportunities for financial institutions. What happens when you take the communications data you're already required to capture and apply advanced AI to extract genuine business value? Jeff from Smarsh takes us on a fascinating journey through the evolution of communications intelligence, revealing how compliance technology has transformed from simple email archiving to sophisticated AI systems that understand context and meaning. For financial firms managing millions of daily messages across 100+ channels, this shift is nothing short of revolutionary. Smarsh's approach begins with capturing all regulated communications—from emails and texts to WhatsApp messages and video calls—and storing them in immutable archives. But the magic happens in the analysis phase, where AI that once searched for individual keywords like "secret" now understands full conversational context. Their "Intelligent Agent" can distinguish between truly suspicious activity and innocent exchanges (like planning a surprise party), reducing compliance workload by 70% while delivering more accurate results. The conversation explores Smarsh's recent acquisition of Call Cabinet, enhancing their voice recording capabilities and expanding into data privacy regulations. Looking toward the future, Jeff shares his excitement about moving beyond compliance to help organizations understand what separates their best salespeople from the rest, integrating with CRM systems, and transforming regulatory requirements into competitive advantages. With regulatory pressure showing no signs of easing after last year's billion-dollar fines, financial institutions are embracing these technologies not just to avoid penalties but to drive business value from their communications data. Curious about how AI-powered communications intelligence could transform your compliance program or reveal hidden customer insights? Listen now to discover what's possible when regulatory requirements become business opportunities. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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What's Up with Tech?
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Financial data is money—yet most enterprises struggle to ensure its integrity across the numerous systems they use. Every CFO faces the challenge of validating transactions that flow through billing, ERP, payroll, spend management, and other platforms, often relying on manual processes that can't scale with business growth. In this fascinating conversation with Ahikam Kaufman CEO of SafeBooks.AI, we explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the office of the CFO by automating internal controls—the critical yet tedious validation processes that ensure financial accuracy and compliance. Unlike traditional accounting automation that focuses on transactions themselves, SafeBooksAI targets the governance layer, helping finance teams monitor 100% of their data in real-time. The stakes couldn't be higher. As Ahikam explains, even exceptional finance leaders can't manually oversee every data point in a large organization, as evidenced by recent high-profile accounting errors at major corporations. For growing companies, especially tech unicorns experiencing rapid expansion, maintaining proper financial controls becomes exponentially more challenging. Those preparing for potential public offerings need to establish robust governance years in advance—not scramble at the last minute. What makes this approach particularly powerful is its "zero trust" philosophy borrowed from cybersecurity but tailored for finance. The system constantly monitors for anomalies and discrepancies, flagging only what requires human attention. This allows finance professionals to apply their expertise strategically rather than waste time on data crunching. Looking ahead, SafeBooksAI is building partnerships with advisory firms to not just recommend controls but implement automated solutions that monitor them continuously. Through AI that can mesh differently-labeled data across systems and answer natural language queries, they're creating a future where audits and compliance become less burdensome while providing greater assurance. Ready to transform how your finance team operates? Discover how automation can turn financial controls from a necessary evil into a strategic advantage that prevents errors, reduces risk, and frees your team to focus on what truly matters. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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What's Up with Tech?
1 Building a Purpose-Driven BPO: How Horatio's Human-First Approach Is Transforming Customer Experience 19:51
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com When ose Herrera and his co-founders first surveyed the customer support landscape, they noticed something troubling: outsourced partners weren't prioritizing employees or truly embodying their clients' brand values. This gap between what brands needed and what traditional BPOs offered sparked the creation of Horatio, a revolutionary approach to customer experience that's now serving hundreds of U.S. clients from operations in the Dominican Republic and Colombia. Drawing from his background in finance at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, Jose built Horatio with a fundamentally different philosophy: put employees first, and they'll naturally deliver exceptional service to clients. This isn't just a platitude painted on office walls—it's embedded in everything from their bright, open workspaces (nicknamed "the Google of Latin America") to on-site amenities like daycare, gyms with personal trainers, and yoga rooms. Regular employee surveys and informal conversations ensure this people-first culture evolves with their team's needs. What truly distinguishes Horatio is their dedicated team model, where resources aren't shared between clients. Each team functions as a genuine extension of the client's organization, authentically representing their brand voice while benefiting from Horatio's technological expertise. This approach has proven particularly valuable in healthcare, where "compliance and compassion" must coexist. By providing both HIPAA-compliant processes and extensive emotional intelligence training, Horatio's agents deliver the empathetic support patients need during vulnerable moments. Perhaps most remarkably, Horatio achieved this growth without raising outside capital, instead reinvesting profits into operations and talent. As they expand deeper into healthcare and financial services while exploring new Latin American markets, Jose remains committed to the vision that technology should augment human capabilities rather than replace them. In his words, "AI serves as a co-pilot for our agents, not a replacement"—a refreshing perspective in an industry often fixated on automation at the expense of the human touch. Ready to see how a purpose-driven approach to customer experience could transform your business? Discover what's possible when empathy, technology, and operational excellence converge. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Imagine picking up your phone, dialing anyone in the world, and speaking in your native language while they hear you perfectly in theirs—no apps, no internet required. This isn't science fiction; it's the revolutionary technology created by OneMeta that's transforming how we communicate across language barriers. In this fascinating conversation, OneMeta founder and CEO Saúl Leal reveals how their proprietary technology enables real-time translation across 152 languages with military-grade security and near-instantaneous delivery. Unlike many AI companies focusing on flashy demonstrations, OneMeta has built a comprehensive solution addressing the three critical challenges of translation technology: accuracy, latency, and security. The secret lies in their unique approach combining specialized neural networks (not generative AI), proprietary transmission protocols that achieve one-eighth second latency, and a zero-trust security environment with full regulatory compliance. This enterprise-grade solution is already transforming operations for Fortune 1000 companies, Big Four consulting firms, and even the Vatican, which uses OneMeta to broadcast worldwide events in dozens of languages simultaneously. What makes this technology particularly valuable is its practical application in critical industries. Healthcare providers can deliver better care without expensive interpreter services. Legal systems can ensure equal access regardless of language. Call centers can optimize staffing while expanding global reach. As 70% of U.S. companies focus on international expansion post-pandemic, OneMeta's technology meets a growing demand that cannot be satisfied by human interpreters alone. Ready to experience a world where language barriers disappear? Listen now to discover how real-time translation is creating a more understanding global community and transforming how businesses connect with customers worldwide. Real Talk About Marketing An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com At the intersection of edge computing and simplicity sits StorMagic, a company that's redefining what's possible with hyper-converged infrastructure. In this fascinating conversation with Bruce Kornfeld, Chief Product Officer at StoreMagic, we dive deep into the technology transforming how businesses deploy mission-critical applications at the edge. The traditional data center approach—with its racks of servers, storage arrays, and networking equipment—simply doesn't work for distributed enterprises with hundreds or thousands of small sites. StoreMagic's brilliance lies in its minimalism: achieving high availability with just two servers instead of three, dramatically reducing both capital and operational costs. As Bruce reveals, customers can deploy a fully redundant system for under $10,000, with TCO savings between 30-80% compared to competitors. What makes StorMagic particularly relevant today is the perfect storm of market conditions. Meanwhile, the AI revolution demands more processing power at the edge, where data is created and real-time decisions matter most. StoreMagic's solutions bridge these needs by combining open-source foundations with proprietary enhancements that make deployment and management remarkably simple—under an hour, according to Bruce. The company's latest release, SVHCI version 2, introduces VM migration from VMware environments, snapshot capabilities, and Edge Control—a cloud-based management platform that provides unified visibility across distributed sites. StorMagic is expanding its enterprise focus and strategic partnerships, particularly with HPE. With its rock-solid reliability (less than 0.03% of support tickets involve downtime) and laser focus on simplifying edge computing, StoreMagic is positioning itself at the forefront of a transformative trend in infrastructure. Ready to revolutionize your edge infrastructure? Visit storemagic.com to calculate your potential TCO savings and discover how simplified edge computing can transform your business. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Pattern recognition masquerading as intelligence - that's how Zensar Technologies CEO Manish Tandon provocatively reframes today's AI landscape. With refreshing pragmatism, he cuts through the hype to reveal why most enterprise AI initiatives struggle to gain traction. The fundamental problem? We're approaching AI deployment all wrong. "It's not the AI engine that needs to be made a hero," Manish explains, "it's the people who are using that engine who have to be made heroes." This simple yet profound insight explains why many employees resist adoption - they perceive AI as a threat rather than an amplifier of their capabilities. When organizations reposition AI as a tool that helps workers deliver better results faster, adoption naturally accelerates. Through real-world examples like Zensar's "AI Engineering Buddy" and specialized healthcare applications, Manish demonstrates how successful implementation depends on creating "pull" rather than "push" adoption. Starting small with dedicated teams tackling specific problems, showcasing early wins, and focusing on significant efficiency gains builds momentum organically. The most revelatory insight? AI currently sits in enterprises' "cost reduction bucket" rather than "revenue generation bucket" - and until that changes, we won't see explosive growth in adoption similar to what e-commerce sparked in the digital revolution. Ready to transform your approach to AI implementation? Start by rethinking how you position these tools to your team. Focus on empowering your people, not replacing them, and create opportunities for small, visible wins that demonstrate real value. How might repositioning AI as a capability amplifier rather than a replacement change adoption rates in your organization? Real Talk About Marketing An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real... Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Remember when business communication meant just phone calls and plain text messages? Those days are rapidly disappearing as customers expect seamless conversations across multiple channels at any hour of the day or night. Nitin from Conversive AI takes us through the fascinating evolution of customer communication technology, from their beginnings as an SMS-focused company fifteen years ago to today's AI-powered omnichannel platform. What stands out isn't just their ability to handle WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, iMessage, and emerging channels like RCS, but how they orchestrate these touchpoints into coherent customer journeys through deep CRM integration. The most compelling insights come when Nitin explains how AI agents are transforming after-hours customer engagement. For healthcare providers, injury lawyers, mortgage brokers, and university recruitment teams, customer inquiries don't stop at 5pm. AI can now handle these initial interactions—answering questions, capturing information, qualifying leads—all while maintaining proper data handling protocols. This capability enables smaller teams to provide 24/7 service without expanding headcount, a game-changer for service-oriented businesses. What's your communication strategy for after-hours customer engagement? Does your business leverage AI to ensure no opportunity is missed while maintaining appropriate data handling? Listen to learn how the most innovative companies are addressing these challenges and preparing for the rich media capabilities of RCS messaging. The future of customer conversations is happening now. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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What's Up with Tech?
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Cloud telephony is revolutionizing how multinational businesses communicate, and nobody understands this transformation better than Steve Flavell co-CEO and co-founder of LoopUp. After 20 years in remote communications, his company now specializes in integrating cloud telephony with Microsoft Teams—filling the crucial gap in Microsoft's otherwise comprehensive unified communications platform. The pandemic accelerated Teams adoption dramatically, with Microsoft experiencing "two years' worth of adoption in two months." Yet despite Teams' dominance, telephony remains the missing piece in truly unified communications. By bridging this gap, companies gain remarkable efficiency: eliminating on-premises equipment across global locations, consolidating dozens of regional telecom vendors into a single relationship, and managing their entire global communications estate through one intuitive portal. Beyond operational efficiency, this integration enables a fundamental shift in how we think about business communications. The traditional "landline versus mobile" distinction is evolving into "business versus personal" identities, where your business number follows you across all devices. This separation gives employees flexibility while maintaining clear boundaries between work and personal communications. For organizations embracing AI initiatives, telephony integration also ensures valuable voice conversations contribute to their data ecosystem. Without this integration, companies miss capturing insights from a significant portion of their communications for analysis by tools like Microsoft Copilot. Looking ahead, LoopUp continues innovating with their upcoming "LoopUp One" portal, which will enhance global support capabilities, introduce role-based access, and provide more sophisticated analytics. Want to transform how your multinational organization approaches communications? Discover how consolidating global telephony can streamline operations while enhancing your Teams experience. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The devices we rely on for productivity often become our biggest source of frustration. From patching nightmares to security vulnerabilities, managing technology creates endless headaches for IT teams—unless you've embraced automation. Peter from NinjaOne takes us deep into the world of IT automation, revealing the stark reality of organizational maturity: some teams spend half their working hours on repetitive tasks while others have slashed this to just 10% through smart automation. This disparity doesn't just affect IT departments; it creates ripple effects throughout organizations, from security vulnerabilities to talent retention challenges and diminished productivity. We explore how NinjaOne bridges the gap between security teams and IT operations—a critical intersection where vulnerabilities are identified but remediation often stalls. Their unified approach provides a common language and single-pane-of-glass visibility, transforming the traditional "throw it over the fence" model into collaborative workflows. The platform's AI-powered patch sentiment analysis exemplifies this approach, analyzing market feedback to identify problematic updates before deployment and preventing potential system crashes. The conversation highlights how automation isn't about eliminating jobs but reallocating human talent to higher-value activities. One rapidly growing NinjaOne customer avoided hiring 17 additional IT staff during expansion by implementing automation, allowing them to invest in strategic initiatives instead. With customers achieving platform proficiency in just 7-9 days and full onboarding in under 30 days, NinjaOne demonstrates that powerful IT management doesn't require complexity. Whether you're managing a heterogeneous environment across multiple clients or struggling with security compliance in a distributed workforce, this episode reveals how automation can transform your approach to endpoint management. Listen now to discover how to shift from drowning in repetitive tasks to driving strategic value through intelligent IT automation. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel…
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