The Catalyst by Softchoice

Will your next new colleague be a machine? It’s no longer so far-fetched. Natural language interfaces will soon replace software UIs we’re used to with good old fashioned conversation.   That’s according to Doug Smith, GM of Solutions for Microsoft Canada.   This week on The Catalyst, he provides insights into the rapid adoption of GenAI, the hype around it, and why it matters to your business tod...

The best sci-fi stories explore the question, “What exactly does it mean to be human in the face of evolving technology?” As we dive headfirst into the era of generative AI, this philosophical question has taken on a new, more practical dimension. As GenAI begins to upend the ways we work, live and do business, where do humans fit in? How will it change the ways we think about ourselves?  In this...

“Upskill or fall behind.” That’s the message to millions of workers facing sweeping changes in technology and a generous helping of economic uncertainty. Okay, but upskill in what, exactly?   In this episode, host Cheryl Stookes meets with Kian Katanforoosh, the CEO and Co-founder of Workera. This California company’s platform uses AI to produce accurate and unbiased skills assessments. From there...

Did you always want to do what you do? Or did your grades and test scores suggest you’d be good at it?  The 2020s are quickly being characterized by astonishing leaps in technology. Meanwhile, our education systems have remained anchored in 19th-century thinking. Rooted in standardized, one-size-fits-all models, the way we engage, develop and measure success for students is about to undergo a prof...

Our data is in danger.   It’s in danger from cybercriminals and malicious state actors. It’s in danger from more frequent and devastating natural disasters. It’s in danger from gaps and oversights in security posture. It’s in danger from people inside our organizations, whether they mean well or otherwise.   It takes heroic efforts from IT teams to prevent the worst outcomes. But who are the peopl...

Have you ever wondered how the products you use make their way across the world to reach you? The answer is industry ecosystems, intricate webs of people, processes and technology that connect our world and economy behind the scenes. In this episode of The Catalyst, we unravel the concept of industry ecosystems with guest John Comacchio, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Tekni...

The global semiconductor shortage, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, set off a cascading set of challenges. The resulting disruption made it harder than ever to get electronic components and products to where they were needed, leaving consumers, businesses and other organizations in the lurch. Compounding the issue: heavy reliance on semiconductor production in Asia, mainly Taiwan. As uncertaint...

Decarbonizing our energy grid will take a lot more than adopting alternative power sources. That’s the founding principle behind Recurve, a company on a mission to speed the transition to a carbon-free economy, while making the already fragile energy grid more reliable. Aaron meets with Recurve CEO Matt Golden to discuss why decarbonizing the grid calls for a new approach to flexible demand, throu...

You’ve heard of AI applications for all kinds of things, from virtual assistants to super-powered medical research and even voice analysis. But AI-powered window washing? In this episode, Cheryl Stookes meets with Michael Brown, chairman and CEO of Skyline Robotics – the company behind the world's first ever robotic-armed window cleaner. Cheryl and Michael discuss the technology behind OZMO a...

Leveling up your day-to-day operations may not sound like the most exciting innovation project but let them slip and you’ve lost your customer, possibly for good. In this episode, co-host Aaron Brooks meets with Tommy Yionoulis, CEO and co-founder of OpsAnalitica, an operations management platform designed to help businesses be more efficient (and profitable) through process accountability and dat...

Recessions make business growth challenging – but not impossible. On this episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice, Jason Brommet, Head of Modern Work and Security at Microsoft, returns to the podcast to lay out 3 strategies to help businesses thrive during an economic downturn. From engaging people to closing skills gaps and making things simpler using new AI tools, learn what you need to succeed at...

With Earth Day 2023 just around the corner, new co-host Cheryl Stookes meets with Anureet Kaur, Softchoice’s Sustainability Manager. They discuss what goes into creating an effective ESG strategy – one that aligns environmental and social impact with your business’ bottom line. They also delve into the challenges of reporting on ESG initiatives, a relatively new set of obstacles that many business...

Welcome to Season 5 of The Catalyst. In this episode, new co-host Aaron Brooks meets with Sean Austin, CEO and co-founder of Helios, a company pioneering the new field of speech analytics through a voice tone intelligence technology. Helios’ groundbreaking “tonal analysis” application can identify changes in tone, pitch and other vocal characteristics that indicate the speaker's emotional sta...

From Chat GPT to a looming economic crisis, business leaders everywhere are living through turbulent times. Thankfully, The Catalyst by Softchoice is back with our biggest and most ambitious season ever. In Season 5, we’ll continue to search for answers across 19 new episodes, exploring the intersection of people and technology. And we’ll be doing it all with the help of two new co-hosts. Introduc...

In 2023, organizations face big challenges: an exhausted workforce, growing supply chain pressures, rising inflation and a hyper-competitive talent landscape. In this bonus Season 4 episode, Erika meets with Indeed Canada’s Michelle Slater to talk about the era of quiet quitting and rage applying. They get to the heart of why it’s crucial for employers to pay attention to emerging work trends so t...

A global pandemic, an ongoing supply chain crisis, a growing skills gap and a concerning labor shortage. The time for transformational businesses to build a more resilient future is now.  What are the biggest lessons of the last few years – and how can we better prepare for what’s to come in 2023? Erika meets with the Chief Operating Officer at Softchoice, Andrew Caprara, to discuss how IT leaders...

The July 9th Rogers telecommunications outage left millions of people and businesses without cell phone or internet service, which in some cases lasted for days. In a world dependent on its digital telecommunications network – how do you prepare for the worst? Erika meets with Softchoice’s Vice President of Business Technologies, Al Lakhani, to discuss the impact of the July 9th Rogers service out...

We all know the best offense is a strong defense – and that’s as true for cybersecurity as it is for football. For all the attention we devote to cybersecurity, it’s a wonder that one essential tool can make all the difference...cyber insurance.  Erika meets with Softchoice’s Director of Security, Matt Sirbu, to discuss the best practices and policies for businesses to stay afloat in a digital era...

Technology leaders need to constantly communicate about complex, nuanced topics – and get people to act on those insights. So, what’s the best way to do it? The answer for Google’s Chief Content Officer, Priyanka Vergadia, lies in visual storytelling. Erika meets with Priyanka – better known as “Cloud Girl” to her online followers – to discuss the beauty and benefits of technical storytelling, fem...

With the pandemic (mostly) behind us, organizations are struggling to shape their return to office policies. For Microsoft’s Head of Modern Work and Security Business, Jason Brommet, the answer is a no-brainer – the future of work is hybrid and there’s no going back. Erika meets with Jason to discuss how organizations can plan for a future-focused work environment. They explore ways to define the...

Blockchain isn’t just about crypto gains and trading NFTs. Aside from endless industrial use cases, you can now use it to invest in the world’s finest wine. Erika meets with Corey Parkinson, the Global Head of Product of Cult Wines, to talk about how his organization is innovating and democratizing the fine wine trade through blockchain technology. Plus, Corey shares insights on how to make the mo...

How will the metaverse transform modern business? And how can companies seize this virtual opportunity? Medha Parlikar, co-founder and CTO of CasperLabs, joins Erika to explore how IT leaders can leverage the metaverse with real-world applications. Medha reviews the pros and cons of engaging in a virtual world and explains how a 3D version of the internet will create the most immersive user experi...

While on vacation last Spring, Erika caught COVID-19. When her symptoms went from bad to worse, she decided to head to her local hospital, where she was treated and monitored using their highly innovative, digital post care program. On this episode of The Catalyst, Erika speaks to the Director of Community Partnerships at Southlake Regional Health Centre, Gayle Seddon, and the VP of Strategy, Anal...

How do we start to close the ever-widening IT skills gap? In the second of this two-part series, Erika meets with technologist Shauna Begley to talk about the importance of digital literacy as a way to create a more robust and adaptable future of work. Shauna also shares valuable insight on how companies can encourage employees to “learn as they earn.”  Featuring: Shauna Begley, faculty member at...

The IT skills gap is bad – and it’s only getting worse. The good news is there’s still plenty you can do about it. In the first of this two-part series, Erika meets with AWS’ Brian Graf to share some tips to train and retain talent in our highly-competitive industry. You’ll also find out how companies of all sizes can encourage innovation in order to bridge the cloud skills gap.   Featuring: Brian...