Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge

AI isn’t just a content tool—it’s an operating system for modern business. In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike speaks with Matt Falk, enterprise software veteran and founder of AIX Network, about how AI is reshaping marketing, recruiting, and knowledge sharing. Matt explains why most companies are underutilizing AI by limiting it to copywriting, rather than applying it...

Why do so many successful companies eventually fail? In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike sits down with Sid Mohassib—entrepreneur, investor, and author—to unpack why businesses struggle to evolve, even when they have strong leadership and market position. Drawing on decades of experience advising Fortune 500 executives, Sid explains how ego, profit obsession, and resist...

Cloud costs are rising—and for many companies, FinOps isn’t enough. In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike speaks with John Julia of Pinnacle AI about how artificial intelligence is being used to modernize cloud environments and bring runaway cloud spending under control. John explains why many organizations enter the cloud expecting savings, only to discover unpredictable...

What actually motivates teams—and why do so many leaders get it wrong? In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike speaks with Alyssa Nolte, Chief of Staff at Lyft, about leadership, culture, and the realities of motivating teams when budgets are tight and expectations are high. Alyssa shares her journey from joining a pre-revenue startup—earning just $1,200 in her first year—t...

What if better leadership decisions didn’t come from more data—but from better philosophy? In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike sits down with Darryl Canaus, author of The Architect Way, to explore how ancient Taoist principles can be applied to modern technology leadership, system architecture, and decision-making. Darryl explains how his book adapts the Tao Te Ching—a...

Growing a small business shouldn’t mean working longer hours with more stress—but for many owners, that’s exactly what happens. In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike speaks with Pete Romano, founder of Segwick, about how small and medium-sized businesses can scale by designing frictionless customer journeys and sustainable operations. Pete shares how Segwick helps busines...

When leaders know something is wrong in their business—but can’t identify why—throwing new technology at the problem rarely fixes it. In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike talks with Amanda Russo, COO of Cornerstone Paradigm Consulting, about how organizations can uncover the real causes behind operational breakdowns. Amanda explains how Cornerstone works across four inte...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney speaks with Terry Kim, founder of NGT Academy, about why traditional IT education often fails both students and employers—and what leaders can do differently. Terry shares his background as a former Air Force network engineer and instructor, and how that experience shaped his belief that hands-on, project-based training beats...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney is joined by Atlas Altman, a retired Air Force technologist, leadership speaker, and five-time bestselling author. Atlas brings nearly three decades of experience leading technical teams in some of the highest-stress environments imaginable—from combat zones to the White House. Atlas explains why great technologists often stru...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney sits down with Nash Sichon, a technologist and startup founder whose company, SciSpot, was accepted into Y Combinator. Nash walks through what it actually takes to move from idea to execution when building a product in a highly complex and regulated space like life sciences. Nash explains how SciSpot set out to reduce drug dev...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney talks with Mark Osborne, founder of Modern Revenue Strategies, about why most B2B SaaS and technology companies struggle to grow—even with automation, data, and modern marketing tools. Mark breaks down how revenue really works as a system that spans marketing, sales, and customer success. He explains why automation only create...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney talks with Tobin Brognier, inventor of Virtual Storefronts, about a different approach to putting Main Street businesses online—without websites, domains, or ongoing technical work. Tobin explains why traditional digital tools fail small, locally owned businesses. In a pilot across western North Carolina, 68% of businesses had...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney speaks with Zach Ratner, CTO and Co-Founder of Yembo, about scaling an AI company without burning out—or falling for AI hype. Zach explains how Yembo uses computer vision to help movers and insurance companies perform visual estimates, replacing manual, error-prone walkthroughs with structured video analysis. While the technol...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney speaks with Shea Belsky, CTO of mentra, about neurodivergent leadership, inclusive management, and what it actually takes to build equitable teams in today’s remote and hybrid workplaces. Shea shares how neurodivergent leaders bring unique perspectives, risk assessments, and problem-solving approaches—but often receive little...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney speaks with Eric Girard, a management development expert with more than 30 years of experience helping new managers succeed. The conversation focuses on why the transition into management is so difficult—and why most organizations do little to prepare people for it. Eric explains that many new managers are promoted because the...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney sits down with Brian Kelly—entrepreneur, automation expert, and creator of Peak Connector—to discuss how automation and live video can transform both businesses and personal brands. Brian shares his journey from writing classified software in the corporate world to becoming an entrepreneur focused on helping leaders save time,...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney speaks with Sophie Thompson, Co-Founder and CEO of VirtualSpeech, about how virtual reality and AI are changing the way people learn communication and workplace skills. Sophie shares how VirtualSpeech began as a personal experiment to overcome social anxiety and fear of public speaking, and how it quickly evolved into an award...

What if peak performance isn’t about doing more—but doing the fundamentals better? In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike talks with David Kitchen, known as Coach Kitch, founder of Edge Leadership Academy and former Division One coach, about how elite performance systems from sports translate directly to leadership, culture, and results in business. Coach Kitch explains wh...

What if underperformance isn’t a motivation problem—but a systems problem? In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney sits down with Jeremy Nagel, a neurodivergent software developer, startup founder, and product manager, to unpack what technology leaders need to understand about ADHD, autism, and building environments where people can actually do their best work. Jere...

Why do so many sales teams miss quota year after year—and why do companies keep hiring the wrong people? In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney sits down with Jeff Hines, a seasoned sales executive and partner with Objective Management Group, to break down what actually drives sales performance and how leaders can eliminate costly sales mistakes. Jeff shares a prac...

Why can’t you find great tech talent—even after layoffs flooded the market? In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike Mahoney talks with elite recruiter Peter Hire about how today’s best AI, ML, and IT professionals aren’t applying to your job postings—and why that’s actually normal. Peter explains that top-tier technologists are drawn to purpose, culture, and meaningful work...

Why do so many tech roles stay open for months—and why do so many “great hires” fail? In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike talks with Trish Pandia, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at Alluxio, about what’s really broken in tech hiring—and how leaders unknowingly create their own talent problems. Trish explains why gut-based hiring is one of the most damaging habits i...

Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge: A Comprehensive Guide to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Welcome to Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, a podcast for tech executives. In this episode, we have Dr. Nelva Lee, the founder and CEO of Midio Technologies, a diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm. Dr. Lee shares her insights on the importance of diversity in the workplace and how i...

In this solo episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike breaks down why training your staff to be leaders is one of the most important responsibilities of a technology executive. As technology evolves faster than ever, organizations that rely on a small group of decision-makers struggle to scale, adapt, and retain talent. Mike explains reminded explains why leadership development is n...

In this episode of Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, Mike is joined by John Horner, a technology consultant with more than two decades of experience helping organizations solve real business problems with the right technology—not just the latest tools. John shares how many companies fall into the trap of chasing solutions like ERP platforms, cloud migrations, or AI without fully understandin...