The CTO Compass

Hollis discusses the intricacies of raising capital, emphasizing the importance of multiple interactions with potential investors. He highlights the average of 32 touchpoints required to secure a significant investment and explores how AI can streamline this process without compromising the quality of engagement. Chapters 00:00 Beginnings with Technology and Career 06:20 When to use Tech and Peopl...

Scott Morris, a veteran HR leader turned startup founder, discusses his transition from a successful corporate career to launching Propulsion AI, an innovative company focused on AI-powered HR solutions. He highlights the significant challenges in traditional HR practices, particularly the lack of clarity in role expectations and the misalignment of employee engagement. Scott introduces Athena, an...

Mark and Margaret explore how leaders can operate effectively in unpredictable environments, emphasizing curiosity, reflection, and making decisions without perfect information. They discuss the limits of efficiency, the risks of relying too heavily on metrics, and how AI may weaken independent thinking. Margaret shares real examples of leaders who improved their organizations by listening more, e...

David Soileau discusses the potential of AI and automation in optimizing customer service and order processing. He emphasizes the importance of accurate order entry to reduce the need for customer service interactions and highlights the benefits of automating documentation processes. The discussion also touches on the shift towards self-service options, reducing manual data entry, and streamlining...

How do you lead when AI is changing everything about how we work? Mike Todasco, former Senior Director of Innovation at PayPal and Visiting Fellow at the SDSU AI Lab, talks about what it really takes to build an AI-first organization. Mike shares hard-won lessons from running innovation inside Paypal, why most teams get stuck in “pilot hell,” and how leaders can build a culture that embraces exper...

Coby Skonord founded IdeaWake, an innovation crowdsourcing platform. He addresses common misconceptions about innovation in organizations, the role of technology leaders, and the importance of integrating innovation into company culture. Koby also shares insights on overcoming budget constraints, navigating security challenges, and the impact of AI on innovation processes. He emphasizes the need f...

Bart Spangenberg, co-founder and CTO of NewU, shares his personal health journey and how it led him to create a health tech company focused on employee well-being. He discusses the challenges of transitioning from a health background to tech, the importance of data privacy in health apps, and how behavioral science informs the design of their application. Bart also highlights the significance of b...

Peadar Coyle, CTO and co-founder of AudioStack, shares insights on building an AI-driven audio production company before the AI hype. He discusses the importance of understanding customer needs, the impact of AI on workflows, and the significance of team dynamics in a distributed environment. Coyle also emphasizes the value of open source contributions and offers advice for startup founders naviga...

In this conversation, Tony Kyriakidis, founder of Nevron, shares his journey from Cyprus to the Netherlands, detailing his experiences in software development and the establishment of Mission Control, a platform for incident management. He discusses the importance of learning the local language for business success, navigating government contracts, and transitioning from an agency model to a produ...

Nola Simon is a strategic futurist, and we discuss the evolving landscape of remote work, the importance of trust and connection in the workplace, and the integration of AI with her. Nola shares her insights on building engaged remote teams, the significance of asynchronous work, and the necessity of measuring trust within organizations. She emphasizes the need for strategic foresight in navigatin...

In this episode of the CTO Compass podcast, Mark interviews Kelsey Daingerfield, founder of Pocket COO, who specializes in bridging the gap between technical teams and executive leadership. Kelsey shares her journey from higher education to entrepreneurship, discussing the importance of the visionary vs. integrator dynamic, the role of a fractional COO, and how to identify operational red flags. S...

In this episode Ahmed Bashir, head of engineering at DevRev shares his journey from Apple to DevRev, discussing the excitement of reimagining work through AI and the importance of writing in the age of technology. He explains how DevRev integrates AI from day one, the significance of knowledge graphs and vector databases, and shares customer success stories. Ahmed also delves into managing a globa...

In this episode, Zulfiya Forsythe, CEO and founder of the Omadli Group, shares her journey from accounting to the tech industry. She talks about the importance of automation and AI in optimizing business processes. She discusses her experiences in building her company during the COVID pandemic, the innovations in AI agents for businesses, and the misconceptions surrounding AI in the corporate worl...

In this episode, Mattia Peiretti shares his journey from a young tinkerer to the CTO of PocketCFO, a startup focused on making finance effortless for entrepreneurs. He discusses the importance of curiosity, the role of AI in finance, and the dynamics of building a successful team. Matt emphasizes the need for daring and innovation in the tech landscape, offering valuable insights for aspiring CTOs...

In this conversation, Niranjan Sridhar shares his extensive journey in technology and transformation leadership, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, change, and impact. He discusses pivotal moments in his career, the significance of co-creating experiences for the future, and the challenges of leading large-scale transformations. Niranjan also highlights the critical role of change management...

In this episode of CTO Compass, Mark Wormgoor interviews Mattieu, the CEO and co-founder of Elora, a company specializing in AI voice bots. They discuss the inception of Elora, the challenges faced in developing AI technology, the importance of multilingual capabilities, and the pivot from outbound to inbound calls. Mattieu shares insights on funding strategies, customer use cases, team dynamics,...