Tech Collector Podcast

Nick Lloyd shares his journey from the military to a career in technology. He discusses his experience in the army and how it shaped his leadership skills. Nick also talks about his transition to the tech industry, including getting his first tech job and joining startups like Galileo and Route. He emphasizes the importance of evaluating startups and understanding equity. Nick shares his experience as an engineering leader and the value of mentorship and honest feedback. Great convo with a great leader!
 
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Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Military Background
04:38 Transitioning to a Tech Career
06:33 Getting the First Tech Job
13:52 Joining Galileo
19:22 Experience at Blitzpay
24:38 Introduction to Route
28:17 Evaluating a Startup
34:18 Transitioning to Leadership
44:21 Transitioning from Programming to Leadership
45:15 Challenges of Engineering Leadership
46:10 Closing Remarks

Gary Ekker, Vice President of Engineering at Delicious AI is one of the hardest working people you will ever meet. Gary shares his journey in the tech industry, starting from his early interest in technology and programming on a Commodore Vic 20. He worked at Novell for 11 years before transitioning to Fusion IO, which was later acquired by Sandisk. Gary then worked at StorageCraft Technology before joining Delicious AI. He emphasizes the importance of in-person collaboration and the benefits of having a diverse team. Gary also discusses the future plans for Delicious AI, including expanding their product and growing their customer base.
 
Thank you to our sponsors!
Qualiti: https://qualiti.ai
 
Follow along:
YouTube: @innofrontier
Tik Tok: @jeffhandy
 
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:00 Early Interest in Technology
03:00 Working at Novell
05:59 Transition to Fusion IO
09:10 Working at StorageCraft Technology
12:31 Return to Fusion IO and Acquisition by Sandisk
15:45 Joining Delicious AI
18:41 Importance of In-Person Collaboration
20:51 Remote Work and Global Teams
23:15 Future Plans for Delicious AI
24:39 Closing Remarks
 

Join us as we talk to Paul Draper, CTO of Redo. We discuss Paul's interest in flying, his journey in the technology industry, and his experiences at Lucid, Rivet, and Re:do. Paul shares insights into the growth and vision of Redo, as well as the exciting possibilities of AI in the future. He also provides valuable advice for individuals starting their careers and emphasizes the importance of working with the best teams.
 
Thank you to our sponsors!
Qualiti: https://qualiti.ai
 
Follow along:
YouTube: @innofrontier
Tik Tok: @jeffhandy
 
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Flying
02:20 Interest in Technology
03:32 Early Projects and Lucid
05:05 Joining Rivet
08:15 Starting Redo
13:19 Redo and the Future
17:35 Advice for Career Growth
 

Gwen Iarussi shares her journey in the technology industry, from her early experiences with programming to her leadership roles in testing and quality assurance. She discusses her time at Western Governors University, Pearson, Waterford, and Zions Bank, highlighting the challenges and successes she encountered in each role. 
 
Thank you to our sponsors!
Qualiti: https://qualiti.ai
 
Follow along:
YouTube: @innofrontier
Tik Tok: @jeffhandy
 
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:41 Joining Western Governors and Building the Testing Team
07:12 Transition to Pearson and EdTech
10:06 Taking on IT Operations at Waterford
11:03 Managing Global Teams and Work-Life Balance
13:48 Transition to Management and Building Quality Teams
15:37 Transition to Zions Bank and Digital Transformation
17:54 Starting Athena IQ and Consulting
20:31 The Future of Testing and Embracing New Technologies
30:21 Advice for Testers and Building Technical Skills

Join us as we talk to Austin Ulfers and Kyle Kusche, two tech leaders with experience at established companies and startups. From Microsoft and MossAdams to their exciting start-up, RoundNet, these are two tech leaders to watch. 
 
Thank you to our sponsors!
Qualiti: https://qualiti.ai
 
Download RoundNet here https://roundnet.ai/
 
Follow along:
YouTube: @innofrontier
Tik Tok: @jeffhandy
 
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:33 Getting Into Technology
04:28 First Jobs and Experiences
06:48 Becoming Entrepreneurs
09:52 Application Process to Microsoft
10:47 Working at Microsoft
12:23 Working at Moss Adams
15:13 Creating Roundnet
18:56 Balancing Startup and Full-Time Jobs
21:22 Goals for Roundnet
24:38 Future Plans and Profitability
25:18 Conclusion
 

Thomas Hatch, Director of Engineering at VMware and former founder/CTO of SaltStack, shares his journey in technology and entrepreneurship. He discusses his early interest in technology, teaching himself Linux, and starting his career as a software engineer. Thomas then delves into his experience as an entrepreneur, founding SaltStack, and navigating the challenges of building and scaling a company. He also shares insights on translating product vision to the engineering team and the importance of alignment within the organization. 
 
Thank you to our sponsors!
Qualiti: https://qualiti.ai
 
Follow along:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@InnoFrontier/
 
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:46 Early Interest in Technology and Career Beginnings
08:42 Becoming an Entrepreneur and Starting SaltStack
11:34 Translating Product Vision to the Engineering Team
16:06 Selling SaltStack to VMware
20:50 Integration of SaltStack into VMware
24:24 Future Technology Initiatives and Challenges
28:49 The Synergy Between AI and Open Source
32:04 Closing Remarks

Join us for a discussion with Peter West, CEO of Qualiti. We delve into the current landscape and the exciting future of Qualiti, exploring the transformative role of AI in organizations. Peter shares his insights on how AI and future technologies are reshaping our professional and personal lives, from smarter QA processes to the evolution of robotics and intelligent home systems.
 
Thank you to our sponsor!
Qualiti: https://qualiti.ai
 
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Childhood
01:01 Early Interest in Technology
03:10 Transition to Computer Engineering
05:11 Value of Studying Computer Science in College
06:51 First Job in Technology
08:39 Starting Seva Development
11:36 Transition to CEO and Qualiti
16:19 Current State and Future of Qualiti
18:01 The Role of AI in Organizations
19:57 Personal Impact of AI and Future Technologies
24:21 Closing Remarks

Welcome to InnoFrontier, your front-row seat to the minds shaping tomorrow!
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