The Inflection Podcast

Anthony Sarandrea is recognized as one of the top customer generators in the world, specializing in the insurance & financial services space. He recently went through an acquisition by a public strategic company MediaAlpha (NYSE: MAX). He is currently serving on the advisory board of Arizona’s largest VC fund as well as the Colangelo College of Business advisory board for Grand Canyon University (the 3rd largest online University in the US & largest christian University in the US).

Check out this episode if you want to learn:

• The value of persistence in achieving your goals
• How over-delivering to clients can maximize your business growth
• Why you shouldn't sacrifice your personal well-being for the sake of work

Alan Stein is the Founder, CEO & Chief Accelerator at Kadima Careers. With over 30 years of leadership experience at Google, Meta, Salesforce, and American Express, Alan knows how to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the job market. He's uniquely skilled at empowering ambitious professionals to land better jobs quickly, confidently and with lots more money.

Check out this episode to learn:

• Industry hiring trends and how to navigate being laid off
• How underrepresented groups can earn higher paying jobs
• The importance of negotiation tactics when accepting a new role

Sarah Hart is the Founder and Chief Brand Designer at Hart & Co. Sarah has built a successful agency over the past 14 years. Starting as a freelancer, Sarah's entrepreneurial spirit led her to experiment with various projects and despite some failures, she persisted and eventually grew her agency by bringing on a team.

Listen to this episode if you want to learn:

• The importance of seeking help and collaboration in business to better serve clients.
• How resiliency is key to maintain in the competitive business world.
• How business owners can trust their teams without using micromanagement.

Enoch Weng is the CEO & Co-Founder of Rise Above Finance. Enoch is a highly sought after speaker, consultant, and board member for his work in the non-profit and business world. With his unique background blend of entrepreneurship, finance, and the creative arts, Enoch has been pioneering interdisciplinary innovation throughout his career.

Listen to this episode if you want to learn:

• The importance of understanding the 'why' behind starting a business.
• The power of faith and purpose in business.
• How to find meaningful work as an entrepreneur.

Josh Colter is the CEO of CardBoard. With over 15 years of experience building comprehensive and strategic marketing programs in competitive markets, Josh is motivated to lead teams with a solid strategic narrative. Josh is skilled in areas such as Strategic Product Analysis, Business Operations Analysis and C-Suite Level Consulting.

Listen to this episode if you want to learn:

• How conducting surveys and analyzing user feedback can lead to more effectively serving customers
• How to lead a tech company through various stages of growth and the strategic decisions
• How to identify a product's most engaged and loyal users

Yana Welinder is the CEO of Kraftful. Her background as a product leader at various tech companies has provided her with firsthand experience of the challenges faced by product teams. Throughout her journey, she's identified several pain points that product managers and team members encounter while developing products. These insights led her to create Kraftful as a solution for product teams to overcome these challenges and build better products.

Listen to this episode if you want to learn:

• How the strategic use of AI can benefit a product
• How to deliver innovative solutions tailored to the needs of product teams
• How to do things that don't scale

Ruchi Varshney is the Co-Founder at Maple Billing. She is passionate about making business billing better by leveraging her extensive technology background and leadership skills built over several years of experience in leading engineering and product teams, developing new products, and growing user bases at large companies like Dropbox and startups like Hearsay Systems.

Listen to this episode if you want to learn:

• How vulnerability and trust are key components of building effective teams
• How to navigate showing weakness as a female leader
• About the intersection of engineering prowess and entrepreneurial spirit

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with Co-Founder @ Digitanity, Dane Vignjevic.

Dane shares the inspiration behind Digitanity, explaining how the team noticed a need in the industry while working together in IT. They wanted to provide a solution where clients could hire employees through Digitanity, allowing for better management and retention of staff.

Throughout our conversation, Dane emphasizes the importance of cultural fit and the ability to provide clients with employees that are not just a 75% match but a perfect fit for their needs. He also touches on the cost-saving benefits for companies, enabling them to invest more in their local talent by hiring globally.

For those looking to start or grow their own business, Dane's advice is clear: have a solid business plan, be prepared for financial ebbs and flows, and stay positive. He also stresses the importance of knowing when to pivot or even stop if things aren't working out.

Make sure you check out this episode with Dane Vignjevic!

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with the Founder of Chakra UI, Segun Adebayo.

Segun shares his unexpected journey from a designer with no coding experience to the mastermind behind one of the most popular open-source projects out there.

His story began with a simple desire to build a web app for designing resumes, which led him to gather a team and confront the challenges of translating design into code. This experience illuminated the gap between design and development, inspiring him to create Chakra UI to bridge that divide and streamline the development process.

Segun candidly discusses the daunting aspects of open source, from managing a growing community to the constant learning curve presented by contributions from more experienced developers. He emphasizes the importance of drawing boundaries, managing stress, and the necessity of taking breaks to avoid burnout.

Segun leaves us with insights on the importance of rest, delegation, and the magic that can happen when we step back and let our projects breathe.

This is an episode you do NOT want to miss!

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with Product and Technology leader, Cameo Doran.

Cameo shares her unconventional journey from being a musician to becoming a veteran in the product management space. Her story is a testament to the power of adaptability and the unexpected paths our careers can take.

Cameo draws parallels between her time as a musician and her current role, highlighting the importance of collaboration, emotional vulnerability, and the ability to create a safe environment for idea generation—skills that are crucial for a successful product manager.

She shares an impactful analogy between the balance of chaos and order in music and product management, suggesting that sometimes more chaos can lead to better, more innovative outcomes.

Cameo's journey is a powerful reminder that the skills we acquire in one phase of our life can be invaluable in another. For those looking to break into product management or grow as a leader, remember that embracing a learning mindset and understanding the interplay between different aspects of product development are key to success.

Make sure to tune in for this episode with Cameo Doran!

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with Product Manager at Kraftful, Anna Carmichael. Anna shares her unique journey into the world of product management, highlighting the value of diverse experiences and the importance of being user-centric.

Anna emphasizes the similarities between sales (where she got her career start) and product management, particularly the focus on understanding and addressing customer needs. Anna shares the value of working for small companies and how the opportunity to wear multiple hats is so valuable.

She also shares insights on upskilling in product management and how resources are valuable tools for continuous learning.

Make sure to check out this episode with Anna Carmichael!

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with Chief Operating Officer of Blend Me, Inc. and remote work advocate, Kaleem Clarkson.

Kaleem and I tackle the hot topic of remote work and its evolution post-pandemic. We talk about the drop in remote work from the pandemic to now. Yet despite the decrease, remote work is still prominent in the workplace.

Kaleem shares the challenges of remote work and strategies for overcoming these challenges. We talk about work-life balance and Kaleem explains why it's an unrealistic goal.

Kaleem shares his experience with Blend Me, Inc. and how the company is expanding its' team, looking for consultants to provide on-demand HR leadership to clients.

Tune into this episode and learn the answer to the question, "Is remote work dead?"

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with the Co-Founder & CEO of Botco.ai, Rebecca Clyde.

We discuss Rebecca's journey from working at Intel to becoming an entrepreneur. Rebecca shares that she initially had no plans of going down the entrepreneurship route and simply followed the traditional path of getting a job with a Fortune 500 company, until her passion for entrepreneurship developed.

Rebecca talks about incorporating AI into her workflow and the impact that has made in efficiency. She finds the experience of using AI addictive and states that she never wants to work without it again.

Don't miss this episode with Rebecca Clyde!

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with Co-Founder and CEO at Join: Co.Lab, Sefunmi Osinaike.

Sefunmi shares his background in electrical engineering and his desire to solve the problem of lack of electricity in his home country of Niger. However, he soon realized that the issue was more complex and required addressing political and institutional challenges.

Sefunmi then talks about his fascination with the tech industry, particularly after learning about Dropbox and its focus on user experience. He shares how he started working on a to-do list app, which became a turning point in his career.

He discusses the work and mission of Co.Lab, which is to inspire, upskill, and support individuals in their career journeys, while also giving back to the community and promoting diversity and representation in the tech industry.

Don't miss out on this conversation with an incredible leader!

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with President at K2 Electric, Jared Kredit.

Jared shares his journey in the construction industry, starting from his various roles at K2 Electric to eventually becoming the CEO. He emphasizes the importance of giving back to the community and the value of building relationships.

He also talks about the significance of challenging the status quo and not settling for the norm. He shares examples of how K2 Electric has implemented new approaches in pricing work and pre-manufacturing to improve efficiency and profitability.

To learn more about Jared's journey in the construction industry, his approach to leadership, and his passion for cooking, check out this episode!

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with Founder and Innovator at Letsscale, Saul Sutton.

Saul shares his background in operational excellence and leadership roles at companies like Amazon. He discusses his passion for leading teams and being a guide to others. Saul also talks about the importance of leveraging God-given talents and aligning integrity and intention in business.

He shares his perspective about the future of work and the need for businesses to leverage tools and resources to connect with people. He highlights the significance of understanding behavioral characteristics and creating a supportive environment for employees.

Check out this episode and hear Saul's advice for leaders on building trust, fostering results-oriented relationships, and focusing on significance rather than just success.

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with the Co-Founders of My First Nest Egg, Nicolle Hood and Annie Shoen.

Nicole and Annie share their journey of creating My First Nest Egg, a financial education app for kids. Inspired by their own children's lack of understanding about money, they embarked on a camping trip where the idea for the app was born.

After extensive research, they realized the need for an app that focused on habit formation and mindset development rather than just teaching about dollars and cents. With the help of a behavioral psychologist, they created an app for young children to cultivate healthy financial habits and a growth mindset.

If you are interested in teaching the next generation about healthy money habits, you do NOT want to miss this episode!

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with the SVP, Head of Agile Transformation at City National Bank, Leslie Hill.

Leslie is a seasoned leader in the Agile space. She shares her journey into Agile leadership, emphasizing the importance of people over processes and the natural fit she found in Agile due to its focus on relationships.

Leslie recounts her early days of leadership and discusses the bold move her company made during an Agile transformation, which required her to quickly adapt and lead by example. She highlighted the significance of soft skills in Agile roles and the need for those who aren't naturally people-oriented to develop these skills to succeed in Agile environments.

We also talk about the challenges and opportunities for women in tech, with Leslie sharing personal examples. She stresses the importance of having male allies and the courage to engage in uncomfortable conversations to foster growth and change.

Make sure to tune in for this amazing conversation with Leslie Hill.

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with Andrew Esparza, Founder at Kingdom Analytics.

Andrew shares his journey with Kingdom Analytics, a data analytics company that aims to use data for good and help people. He initially had a background in themed entertainment but noticed a gap in the market when it came to due diligence and information for churches embarking on building projects. This realization led him to start Kingdom Analytics.

One of the key points Andrew talks about is the importance of storytelling in bringing data to life. He mentions that data is often seen as just numbers on a page, and many people struggle to understand how to act on it. However, by incorporating storytelling into data analysis, Andrew and his team at Kingdom Analytics have been able to bridge this gap and provide meaningful insights to their clients.

Check out this episode so you can learn the value of data and how storytelling can make numbers come to life.

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with Natalie Cook, CEO of Copper8 Strategies.

Natalie shares her experience of leaving her corporate job while three months pregnant with her second child, highlighting her motivation to embark on the path of entrepreneurship.

Natalie emphasizes the crucial role of prioritizing mental and physical health in order to achieve career and business success. She highlights the impact of becoming a parent on career decisions, particularly for women, explaining that parenthood often leads to a reevaluation of priorities and a desire to avoid tasks that don't bring joy.

Tune in to hear from this business super nerd and financial strategist.

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with Weh’yee Barkon, Co-Founder of Feed Africa and Principal Consultant with Shortlist Professionals.

Weh’yee chats with us during his stay in Africa. He shares his background in startups and how he ended up working with a Brooklyn-based electronic recycler. He discusses his move from New York to California and the decision to pack up and go to Africa to make investments and build businesses.

Weh’yee also delves into the challenges people face when it comes to purpose. He notes that some people are too rigid and materialistic in their planning, while others lack direction and are too loose in their lives. He argues that the middle ground lies in having an overarching purpose or goal, while also being willing to make adjustments along the way.

Join us as we delve into Weh’yee's fascinating story and the adventures he has experienced along the way.

In this episode of The Inflection Podcast, I chat with Sandra Yang Scirpo, Owner of Y4 Consulting and Head of Strategy at Gen.

Sandra is a seasoned professional with a proven track record in driving strategic transformation and fostering business growth. She's worked with a diverse portfolio of clients ranging from Fortune 500 executives to small business entrepreneurs, focusing on revenue generation strategy, loyalty programs, and operational excellence.

In our chat, Sandra shares her unique journey into entrepreneurship and discusses the inflection points that have shaped her career. From supply chain management to business development, client success management, and various industries like aerospace and cybersecurity, Sandra's career path has been anything but straightforward.

Sandra also shares tips on how to balance a future-oriented mindset, with being in the moment. Mindfulness and showing appreciation are two of her daily practices.

Tune in to discover how Sandra has navigated these transitions and found success in her own consulting firm.

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I am joined by Phil McParlane, Founder of 4 Day Week. His goal is to build the world's largest job board for jobs with a shorter working week.

We discuss the challenges of parenting and the lack of sleep that comes with it. Phil shares his desire for just one night of eight hours of sleep and reflects on the productivity he has managed despite the sleep deprivation.

Phil talks about his decision to transition to a four-day workweek and explores his motivation behind it. He reflects on his career as a data scientist and the unconventional path he chose.

Tune in to hear more about Phil's journey and the power of the 4 day workweek.

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I interview Beejal Shah, the president of the North American Division of Launch Ventures.

Beejal has a strong engineering and quantitative finance background, with powerful business management skills. She is motivated to help businesses grow with the right product and engineering team.

During our chat, Beejal shares her journey of growth and leadership as a woman in tech, starting as a software engineer and transitioning to a focus on business and finance. She discusses her experience at American Express and her decision to pursue a Master's degree in Financial Engineering at UCLA.

Tune in to learn more about Beejal's unique journey and insights into the tech industry.

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I sit down with Liliya Valihun, Chairwoman at Hebron IT Academy and HebronSoft.

Born in Ukraine, Liliya is a serial entrepreneur with a kind and open heart. In our conversation, we discuss the origins of the Hebron IT Academy and its mission to provide training and job opportunities to teenage orphans and underprivileged youth in Ukraine.

Liliya emphasizes the importance of creating opportunities for these individuals to build stable lives and contribute to the economy, especially during the ongoing Russian invasion. Liliya also touches on the challenges of finding job placements for the academy graduates in local tech companies.

Tune in to hear the inspiring story behind the Hebron ecosystem and its impact on the lives of young people in Ukraine.

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with Daniel Abebe, CEO and Co-Founder at HuggyStudio (helping entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs launch their ideas in 4 to 8 weeks).

Daniel shares his journey into the no-code space and how his struggle to start a business without coding skills led him to hire an expensive agency. Despite building a great platform, Daniel quickly realized that simply building it was not enough, as no one came to his business. This pivotal moment spurred him to explore the world of no-code.

We talk about Daniel's original motivation of using and teaching Bubble, and how he became a leading Bubble developer. What started as a necessity, became his strength and primary selling point in his career.

Tune in to learn more about Daniel's background, motivations, and the innovations he has brought to the no-code industry.

In this episode of the Inflection Podcast, I chat with the CEO of altMBA, Alex Peck. We discuss his journey working for Seth Godin and the decision he made to do something different from the traditional school path.

Alex talks about his career journey and how it wasn't the typical trajectory. He shares how learning has been a key characteristic that has helped him most over the years. His experience as a Creative Director, Chief Technology Officer, and owner have given him insight into business and how to be a caring people leader.

Alex discusses the challenges of maintaining a remote team and how collaboration is key so that communication does not become flat. In his work at altMBA, Alex sees the value of remote learning and how it has created a ripple effect across many industries.

Tune in to this episode with Alex and find out how you too can stay a lifelong learner.

In this episode of The Inflection Podcast, I chat with Anthony Ferrara, Principal at Oxy (web software, branding, mobile app and website design). We discuss creativity and what Anthony has learned in the design process that led him to where he is today.

Anthony started design when he was 15 and has been a freelance designer most of his career. Mentors have played an important role in how Anthony has learned to run his own agency. He is proud of the high quality work and positive culture moments he sees in his team.

In one of my favorite segments of this episode, Anthony shares the stages of learning and emphasizes the importance of recognizing that improvement takes time and effort. He shares his own experience of going through the stages of learning in various subjects, such as running a business and in leadership. He explains that recognizing these stages has helped him not to quit too early because he understands that learning and improvement are necessary processes.

You do not want to miss this episode with Anthony Ferrara!

In the episode of the Inflection Podcast, I sit down with Anna Ratala, CEO & Founder of Zvook. Anna is a business leader, tech enthusiast, entrepreneur and storyteller at heart. I believe you will be inspired by her story!

Anna shares about her journey from Singapore to America and how her entrepreneurial story began. She emphasizes the importance of being selective about whose advice you are listening to and trusting one's own decision-making process.

Previously the Founder and Head of Slush Singapore (a leading tech startup event and a global movement), Anna shares how she got funded and the challenges she had to overcome in that process.

Overall, we talk about the idea that trusting oneself and relying on personal judgment are crucial for making progress and achieving success.

Check out this episode and learn from this amazing powerhouse leader, Anna Ratala.

In this episode of The Inflection Podcast, I chat with Melissa Armas, the Founder and CEO of AZ Collab. We discuss Melissa's journey and the inflection points that led her to where she is today.

Melissa shares her experiences as a serial expat. Having lived and and worked in six different countries, she has witnessed the power of diversity and how global perspectives can assist in solving local problems.

In 2017, Melissa started AZBI. The Arizona Blockchain Initiative (AZBI) is a Tech-Ed Nonprofit focused on the social impact of decentralized technology, empowering communities by delivering access to knowledge and opportunities.

She has a passion for women in leadership, and believes that being a woman in any space comes with an extra set of skills. In this episode, Melissa discusses her transition into the tech world and the importance of being a lifelong learner.

Tune in to learn more from this execution architect and servant leader.

In today's episode, I catch up with Tony Wilson, a man on a mission to empower entrepreneurs by simplifying accounting woes. He founded his own CPA firm, which he launched after being part of "The Great Resignation" of 2021.

Tony's love for small business began in 2010 when he and his brother started a photography & design venture. While his brother was the creative force, Tony discovered his knack for the business side of things. After working in the accounting industry from 2014 to 2021 and becoming a CPA in 2015, he decided to chase his dream job.

He took the bold step of leaving a well-established company, not out of dissatisfaction, but because he realized there's never a "right time" to pursue your dreams. Now, he's living that dream and loves to share his passion for teaching and zest for life with others.

Quote: "Illuminate the path to a more abundant life through education, and spark action with creativity and joy."

Links:

Tony Wilson, Guest

In today's episode, I chat with Arjun about his journey and his mission to help founders worldwide get a shot at success by enabling them to launch a US company from anywhere in the world.

Ian Peterman is enthusiastic about green technology, the great outdoors, and space. He is committed to developing innovative technologies that can improve people's lives. After working as an engineer and designer for over a decade in startups and at companies such as HP, he founded the Peterman Design Firm. It began as a one-man operation in his garage and has now grown into a team of experts who offer various services to help clients achieve their full potential.

In today's episode, we explore some of Mr. Peterman's motivations and peel back the layers of his conscious design process.

Ian's info:

Social handle(s):

Cory is an experienced engineering leader and CTO who is enthusiastic about creating exceptional products. His focus is on aiding technology leaders in improving their skills, developing excellent software, mending inefficient procedures, and facilitating organizational transformations.

In today's episode, we dive into Cory's background starting off as a coder and working his way through to leadership roles. We take a look at his evolution from an individual contributor to a tech leader.

A notable quote from the episode is, "The craft to success is never a straight line..."

Cory's info:

Social handle(s):

Tom Nearing's path has been anything but traditional. From Ranch hand to recruiting, to co-working space mogul, to app development...

One thing is clear in Tom's story... He's adept at connecting with others and building epic things along the way.

He started Story Partners with the belief that there is nothing more compelling than our stories! Story Partners help companies and individuals find each other by discovering the power in their own stories.

Tom is very much an HR and Culture geek passionate about seeing businesses continue to experience a paradigm shift as they grow and evolve in this area.

Tom's social handle(s):

Tammy works at the intersection of the future of learning and the future of work.

She has over 16 years of experience in higher education, edtech, publishing, and corporate training. 

Today, she is the founder and CEO of Workplaceless, the world’s leading training provider on remote/virtual/digital work skills.

- Social handle(s):

twitter: @tammybjelland

Tara Horstmeyer is a LinkedIn Trainer and Executive Ghostwriter. She has spent her career developing people into leaders and stories into brands. After a nearly 20-year career journey as an award-winning editor, writer, and leader, she has a knack for understanding what it takes to produce impactful content and work with impactful executives. Her passion is helping leaders and teams build authentic, powerful, and engaging personal brands on LinkedIn through 1:1 and group training, workshops, ghostwriting, and content consulting.

Tara's Contact info: