78 | Data Democratization - The Future of Data Driven Organizations

78 | Data Democratization - The Future of Data Driven Organizations

Rikin Shah, is the CEO of Slower, a major disruptor in the monolithic consulting services industry. Slower drives value for its customers and partners by investing in new and future stack technology companies well ahead of the curve to help create competitive differentiation through technology. In addition to being a broad-scale technology systems integrator with over 6000 employees and 225 customers, Slower uses its reach and impact to accelerate its customers digital transformation through repeatable and highly scalable services offerings.   Key Take-aways:  [8:36] How the execution of hard problem starts with people, and why the most interesting opportunity in tech, is improving customer experiences in EVERYTHING.  [10:48] Being data informed, to then be data driven – why risk taking and understanding the results of those risks is a critical feedback loop to being data driven.  [19:40] How data accessibility (data democratization) promotes risk taking – why understanding the outcomes of any decisions made within a business, promotes empathy and meritocratic cultures.  [32:00] The future of data infrastructure, and how data streaming is an enabler for everything: apps and experiences.  [40:39] The power of event driven systems, automation in data infrastructure, access, and closing the loop on the true power of data democratization.  [46:00] How Slower as an engineering business, looks at process and process engineering – solving for patterns, and the power of planning and curiosity in everything Slower does.   [54:22] The specialness of charitable work in providing capability and opportunity across a collective society, and why this is important to unlocking deeper human potential.  Resources:     Contact Slower: Connect@slower.ai [Connect@slower.ai]   Contact Rikin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therikinshah/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/therikinshah/]   The Data Driven Enterprise of 2025:   https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-data-driven-enterprise-of-2025 [https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-data-driven-enterprise-of-2025]  The Rise of the Digital Incumbent:   https://www.bcg.com/publications/2022/rise-of-digital-incumbents-building-digital-capabilities [https://www.bcg.com/publications/2022/rise-of-digital-incumbents-building-digital-capabilities]   Optimizing Apache Kafka’s Internals with It’s Co-Creator Jun Rao  https://developer.confluent.io/podcast/optimizing-apache-kafkas-internals-with-its-co-creator-jun-rao/ [https://developer.confluent.io/podcast/optimizing-apache-kafkas-internals-with-its-co-creator-jun-rao/]   ____   Thank you for listening! --------------------------------   Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com [http://www.thedatabinge.com]   Connect with Derek:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/] Email: derek@thedatabinge.com

77 | Net New to NFT’s | Learning & Leading in a New Digital World

Just 6 months ago, who would have known that words like "NFT", "metaverse", and "web 3.0" would be high interest topics of discussion amongst friends, text threads and corporate brand strategies. At an estimated $23B market size, NFT's could change the world as we know it this year...YES, in 2022. Heather Parady and Rich Cardona, are joining this LIVE "The Data Binge Podcast" discussion to talk to us about NFT's. Heather and Rich are Hosts of "NFT's for Newbies", a podcast ALL ABOUT NFT's, focused on their combined journeys of navigating the world of the NFT from a beginners perspective. "NFT's for Newbies" surpassed 200,000 downloads as of December of 2021, in less than 4 months from the start of the podcast. With the light and educational approach that Heather and Rich take in their discovery of this fascinating new world, there are take-aways for anyone willing to have fun and learn all about NFT's. Key themes and discussion points: 🔷The fundamentals of learning and navigating a completely new digital universe: NFT's - How Heather and Rich got started. 🔷The misconceptions, critical ideas, and areas of general interest Heather & Rich have observed in their research and from their hyper growing audience. 🔷How individuals, and corporate brands should be thinking about NFT's, and how to get started. Key Take-aways: [9:57] The story of how Rich and Heather collaborated and created a powerhouse podcast about NFTs [16:04] On reproducing digital products, and how one can gain value out of it? What makes a good NFT? [21:09] NFTs can evolve throughout the years and bring us access to this new form of utility [27:04] Pitfalls to avoid when you buy NFTs [27:48] Doing research for verified accounts and ensuring that you’re buying from the right creator [29:27] Taking the time to necessary to educate yourself on the NFT world [35:29] The ethos of the NFTs for Newbies show: to bring more people on board, artists, creatives, business owners, who can jump in and make some good money, make good connections and be a leader in their realm [38:50] What is NIL, and how can you monetize them? [40:57] Tokenizing real estate as NFTs to make transactions much easier [44:06] NFTs will challenge the creativity of businesses [47:53] The human nature of the NFT world   Memorable Quotes: [13:53] “The lesson that I learned from this is to lean on to the truth, and own the truth.”- Heather Parady [19:43] “What matters is that businesses are starting to pay attention to technology and decentralizing finance.”- Rich Cardona [27:33] “Investing in a project is investing in a business essentially. “- Heather Parady [43:11] “You have an opportunity here to be the voice in your industry for NFTs.”- Heather Parady [48:20] “Technology didn’t change us; it elevated who we already were.” -Heather Parady Resources: 🎧 Stream NFT's for Newbies in any of your favorite places to listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nfts-for-newbies/id1581483443 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nfts-for-newbies/id1581483443] NFTs for Newbies on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nfts4newbies/ NFTs for Newbies: https://www.nfts4newbies.com/ [https://www.nfts4newbies.com/] Heather Parady on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/heatherparady Rich Cardona on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richcardona [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richcardona] Real Estate NFTs: How It Began: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nataliakarayaneva/2021/11/24/real-estate-nfts-how-it-began/?sh=709260333b12 [https://www.forbes.com/sites/nataliakarayaneva/2021/11/24/real-estate-nfts-how-it-began/?sh=709260333b12] Raoul Pal & Vitalik Buterin: Building the Value Exchange Layer of the Internet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNpjKZnsdfI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNpjKZnsdfI] Non-fungible tokens (NFT): https://ethereum.org/en/nft/ [https://ethereum.org/en/nft/] ____   Thank you for listening! --------------------------------      Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell]   Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com [http://www.thedatabinge.com]   Connect with Derek:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/ [https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/] Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork [https://twitter.com/drussnetwork] Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell [https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell] Email: derek@thedatabinge.com

76 | The Ultimate Guide to Partnering | Principles that Help Tech Businesses Thrive

As the technology industry continues to hasten its evolution through continually changing global macro events, accelerating technical advances, and changes in the social constructs of how and why we work, building successful partnerships has never been so important. Vince Menzione has spent the last 25 years of his career thinking about how to create successful partnerships and joins this LIVE episode of The Data Binge Podcast to highlight a winning framework for how to get partnerships right. As a former Microsoft General Manager of Partner Strategy, host of the Ultimate Guide to Partnering podcast, and founder of the tech consulting firm Ultimate Partnerships, Vince brings an aptitude and energy for partnerships that can drive change in any tech organization. This discussion will include the following topics: The 8 principles of partnership success: understanding the very idea of what partnership between organizations means and why it’s increasing in importance Evolutions in the partner landscape, and the impact of hyper evolving global trends on partner strategy across the tech domain The power of thought leadership: the learnings from creating a 5-year passion project, “The Ultimate Guide to Partnering”, and lessons of culture, leadership, and the obligation to lead with diverse and inclusive values that reach beyond our typical fields of impact Key Takeaways: [1:44] The recent speed of technology from Gaming to NFT’s, to emerging Metaverse experiences [4:19] How Vince has built and maintained a 5-year podcast hyper focused on the world of successful tech partnerships [5:22] Vince’s background and career direction, starting as the general manager of US public sector strategies for Microsoft across 9 years [6:56] The era in which every organization is adapting to the advancements of technology [11:31] How partnering is a phenomena that is all around us in the business ecosystem [20:25] Successful mindsets to partnering [23:39] The importance of building a brand and a brand story [25:17] Intuitive alignment, communication and adjustment towards success cross organizationally [28:44] Commitment before focus [31:02] Thinking differently to build successful ecosystems [37:39] An insight for people who don’t want to get involved with partnering [41:13] The three C’s: culture, communication, commitment [45:11] The partnership manifesto: Why people need to partner better [46:55] Diversity, inclusion, and leadership [50:50] On the issue of age discrimination, early retirement, and the lost value of experienced leadership in the tech industry [56:42] The power of community   Memorable Quotes: [19:20] - ”I have identified with the work I’ve done over the years that the podcast is a good laboratory. I have over a hundred and thirty guests now that come to the podcast, and I ask every single one of them about partnering; what do they see from the best and why do they fail. I’ve sort of landed on the successful principles on what makes successful partnering.” - Vince Menzione [28:10] – regarding tech partnering organizations ”were not  really looking at spend, were not really looking at who were talking to in the organization. We're looking at how eager they are to want to work with us on this specific transformational capability.” - Vince Menzione [38:16] - ”The proof is in the pudding in the sense that organizations will believe, if they see other organizations that are like-minded in the industry that are successful, and we see more of that every day.” - Vince Menzione [51:20] - ”Learn from other cultures where people who have age and wisdom are valued better.” - Vince Menzione   RESOURCES Connect with Vince on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincemenzione/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincemenzione/] Vince Menzione’s Microsoft US Partner Blog - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/us-partner-blog/author/vincemenzione/ [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/us-partner-blog/author/vincemenzione/] Channels, partnerships & ecosystems: Jay McBain on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaymcbain/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaymcbain/] LinkedIn LIVE EVENT Link: https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6872569678066188288/ [https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6872569678066188288/]   Thanks for watching! To access more expertise on partnering in the tech industry, feel free to navigate to https://ultimateguidetopartnering.com/ [https://ultimateguidetopartnering.com/] or reach out to Vince directly on Linkedin! -------------------------------- *The views and opinions expressed in this discussion are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the official position of their employer, Microsoft"  ____   Thank you for listening! --------------------------------   Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com [http://www.thedatabinge.com]   Connect with Derek:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/ [https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/] Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork [https://twitter.com/drussnetwork] Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell [https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell] Email: derek@thedatabinge.com

75 | GAMING | Re-imagining Social Accessibility & Closing the Digital Divide

How can gaming, benefit our communities? Albert Dankwa III, content developer on the Microsoft Xbox team, joins this 🎬 LIVE 🎬 episode of The Data Binge Podcast to talk about how gaming, and the tangible benefits of immersive and creative worlds, will change the social constructs of communities impacted by limited access to internet and technology. Additional re-frames on gaming that we will discuss: 🎮 Albert's experience growing up in South Bronx, and how gaming impacted his life: from gaming, to fashion and photography, to technology. 🎮 How gaming can create exposure to rich dialogues and experiences, that can change the perception of the world, while helping audiences develop hard skills from story-telling, to coding. 🎮 Why gaming WILL close the digital divide, and how it will impact people on levels that we cannot imagine.   Navigate the Episode: [5:27] The content creation process around gaming, and the journey of creating proactive content for gamers [9:16] The opportunity for gaming all-up: A Multi-Billion Dollar Industry [10:08] As gaming advances, so does technology – how these two facets correlate and evolve together [14:07] Partnerships, deals, and brand growth in the world of gaming [16:07] Alberts lived experience in his community and how gaming helped him navigate economic and social challenges: what others can take-away from his story [21:17] Three community-led ways to promote equity and produce better games [22:20] Making games more accessible: the importance of access [27:33] The myriad ways in how to bring games to bring games to everyone [28:43] New communities of gamers are forming: gaming fosters inclusion and leadership [29:37] Closing the digital divide [31:11] How gaming influences child development and growth, and how gaming will ceate the next era of talent [35:47] The influence and power that gaming possesses [40:41] Albert’s desire to create more access and introduce diversity in gaming [44:00] The general access to resources, skill development, and branding that gaming provides [47:19] What’s next for Albert? Memorable Quotes: [11:20]  “Xbox happened to be my heart and my true love.” - Albert Dankwa III [15:46] “Not everyone can access technologies or gaming hardware.“- Albert Dankwa III [16:29] “What gaming is doing is that it really opens up the mind and the imagination.”- Albert Dankwa III   Resources: Connect with Albert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertdankwa Connect with Albert on Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/alkallus [https://mobile.twitter.com/alkallus] Breaking the stereotype: the case of online gaming: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12650566/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12650566/] (3) community-led ways to promote equity and make better games: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-03-3-ways-to-promote-equity-and-make-better-games [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-03-3-ways-to-promote-equity-and-make-better-games] How online gaming has become a social lifeline: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201215-how-online-gaming-has-become-a-social-lifeline [https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201215-how-online-gaming-has-become-a-social-lifeline] How the pandemic has shifted mobile gaming behaviours worldwide: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-ssa/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/mobile-casual-gaming-trends/ [https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-ssa/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/mobile-casual-gaming-trends/] Thank you for listening! -------------------------------- *The views and opinions expressed in this discussion are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the official position of their employer, Microsoft"  ____   Thank you for listening! --------------------------------   Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com [http://www.thedatabinge.com]   Connect with Derek:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/ [https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/] Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork [https://twitter.com/drussnetwork] Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell [https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell] Email: derek@thedatabinge.com

74 | Improving the Lives of Mothers Caring for Children with Rare Disease

ANGEL AID is a non-profit that provides mental health and wellness services for mothers of children with rare diseases. A rare disease is defined as one that affects fewer than 200,000 people. Even amongst accelerating scientific advancement, over 7000 rare diseases are still without cure, and only 5% have treatments. There are 350M people globally with rare diseases - around half are children. Mothers of children with rare diseases, or Rare Mothers, are the primary caregiver 82% of the time. Today's  conversation is a Simply Tech LIVE interview recorded Wednesday, October 27th, featuring my co-host Ali Mazaheri, and our special guests Cristol Barrett O'Loughlin and Smriti Bhattacharya. October is ANGEL AID’s month of giving, Wellfest 21, an opportunity to help create visibility and energy around the bold vision of providing relief and inspiration to these communities, by connecting 3.5 million rare mothers by 2025. Cristol Barrett O’Loughlin, Founder and CEO of ANGEL AID, discusses the organizations mission, the experience of care takers in the rare disease community, and the role of technology and digitization in creating community and impact for non-profits. Smriti Bhattacharya, a senior software engineer at Microsoft and a Rare Mother, also graces this conversation with her presence so that we can hear her story, gain a little more proximity to ANGEL AID’s mission, and learn more about how we can support these incredible caretakers around the world. The discussion will include the following topics: -The challenges that families—especially parents—face when children get diagnosed with chronic conditions or rare diseases -ANGEL AID’s digitization of its support services during the pandemic -The rise of conversations about mental health and wellness -The importance of work-life balance and self-care   Key Take-aways: [10:18] A quick introduction to Smriti, Cristol, and ANGEL AID [11:58] What Ali learned when his child was diagnosed with diabetes [15:02] Smriti’s experience as a Rare Mother [18:22] How Smriti and Cristol connected when the pandemic impacted ANGEL AID [24:20] What motivated Cristol to start ANGEL AID [26:58] How the organization’s journey with Microsoft started [30:45] What’s next for ANGEL AID from a business standpoint [35:32] How the organization and tech companies (like Microsoft) support parents who need better work-life balance [44:30] About Wellfest 21 [47:58] How to support ANGEL AID   Memorable Quotes: [27:52] “If we’re going to cross borders and cross cultures, then we’re going to need to have multilingual support, so technology is fundamental to our growth plans and growth strategy.” -Cristol Barrett O’Loughlin [32:22] “Just being reminded and given permission and given inspiration to take care of yourself is so empowering.” -Cristol Barrett O’Loughlin [32:42] “If the parents are doing well, everybody in the family is going to thrive.” -Cristol Barrett O’Loughlin [35:34] “Work can be a great escape... Work is self-care especially when you’re working at a company like Microsoft that is sensitized and culturally supportive of work-life balance.” -Cristol Barrett O’Loughlin [41:28] “How we address and support your community of employees can be really transformational.” -Cristol Barrett O’Loughlin [43:48] “The roadmap for sustainable wellness in the family is to start with yourself and then echo out from there.” -Cristol Barrett O’Loughlin   Resources: Connect with Cristol Barrett O’Loughlin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristol-barrett-oloughlin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristol-barrett-oloughlin/] Connect with Smriti Bhattacharya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smritib/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/smritib/] “Hit Refresh” by Satya Nadella: Amazon.com: Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft's Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone eBook : Nadella, Satya, Shaw, Greg, Nichols, Jill Tracie, Gates, Bill: Kindle Store [https://www.amazon.com/Hit-Refresh-Rediscover-Microsofts-Everyone-ebook/dp/B01HOT5SQA] People With Rare Diseases Need Better Social Support: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/disability-is-diversity/202010/people-rare-diseases-need-better-social-support [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/disability-is-diversity/202010/people-rare-diseases-need-better-social-support]   Wellfest 21: ANGEL AID WELLfest '21 - A Global Festival of Wellness Honoring Rare Mothers Around the World (funraise.org) [https://wellfest21.funraise.org/] ANGEL AID ANGEL AID (angelaidcares.org) [https://www.angelaidcares.org/] *The views and opinions expressed in this discussion are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the official position of their employer, Microsoft"  ____   Thank you for listening! --------------------------------   Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com [http://www.thedatabinge.com]   Connect with Derek:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/ [https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/] Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork [https://twitter.com/drussnetwork] Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell [https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell] Email: derek@thedatabinge.com