Hindsight

Hosted by Kanhai Kapadia

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Jun 2024

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About the show

Compelling conversations with CEOs and business owners, who share their experiences and what they might have done differently, now that they have the benefit of hindsight.

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24 recent

June 7, 202442 min

Differentiating in Data Protection

Best Way to ListenVisit the episode page for a 1-2 min. overview of the episode, our analysis of the strategic management takeaways within, and for an improved podcast listening experience.About the GuestSpencer Kupferman is CEO of PKWARE, an end-to-end data security platform that gives organizations a way to protect data on endpoints, cloud systems, and on-premise infrastructure.  To learn more about the company, go to https://www.pkware.com/ Inside the Episodein this episode Spencer talks about the crowded state of cybersecurity market, how PKWARE is staying focused from a product and go-to-market standpoint, and thereby differentiating in a market where demand is high, but supply is even higher. Spencer leaves with some great advice on how organizations should handle their weaknesses. Topics by Timestamp1:32 – Spencer’s journey to becoming CEO 11:16 – Differentiating in the crowded Cybersecurity market 18:18 – On leveraging channel sales to increase distribution 27:17 – Product Features: To build or not to build 37:59 – Hindsight: focus on strengths, forget fixing weaknesses Resources MentionedKGK’s Complimentary One Day AssessmentPKWAREThe Gartner Hype CycleThompson Street Capital Partners

May 23, 202440 min

Solving Real Human Problems Using AI

Best Way to ListenVisit the episode page for a 1-2 min. overview of the episode, our analysis of the strategic management takeaways within, and for an improved podcast listening experience.About the GuestSeth Dobrin holds a Doctorate in Human Genetics and pioneered the use of early data and machine learning algorithms while leading large scale research operations at Monsanto, served as IBM’s first Global Chief AI Officer and is now CEO of AI advisory firm Qantm AI and General Partner of AI venture studio Silicon Sands. He’s also the author of the upcoming book AI iQ for a Human-Focused Future.Inside the EpisodeIn this episode of "Hindsight," host Kanhai Kapadia interviews Seth Dobrin, the Founder and CEO of Qantm AI.  This conversation serves as a reflection on strategic thinking within the AI domain, emphasizing practical wisdom over theoretical perfection, and advocating for a balanced approach to integrating AI into business and decision-making processes. Topics by Timestamp1:24 – Going from Geneticist to AI Leader 7:11 – A practical view on the ways AI will create value 17:53 – Chat GPT’s origin, issues, implications 26:43 – Investing $500M to put AI on the right track 29:37 – A human perspective on AI Resources MentionedKGK’s Complimentary One Day AssessmentQantm AISilicon Sands Venture StudioChatGPTXPRIZE FoundationMonsantoIBM

May 9, 202441 min

How To Make Sure People Are Following You

Best Way to ListenVisit the episode page for a 1-2 min. overview of the episode, our analysis of the strategic management takeaways within, and for an improved podcast listening experience.About the GuestMichael Brannock is the Chairman, Co-Founder & former CEO of the AREVO Group family of companies. Michael began his career as a title insurance underwriter before moving into commercial banking. He then joined WorkForce Unlimited, the original AREVO Group company founded by his mother, and grew the business to over $60 million in annual sales.Inside the EpisodeIn this episode of "Hindsight," host Kanhai Kapadia interviews Michael Brannock, the Chairman, Co-Founder & former CEO of the AREVO Group family of companies. The conversation revolves around Michael's experiences overcoming revenue concentration, evolving from an execution focus to a leadership focus, and how he overcame both the personal and practical challenges of appointing someone to replace himself as CEO.Topics by Timestamp1:10–Michael gives an overview of AREVO Group3:13–Culture as a success factor4:33–Learning to get people to follow you20:09–Overcoming revenue concentration at AREVO21:43–Creating resilience through a strong sales function25:35–Prioritizing sales, infrastructure, and people35:44–How financial discipline can keep ego in check38:19–The silver lining of replacing yourself as CEOResources MentionedKGK’s Complimentary One Day AssessmentAREVO GroupWorkForce Unlimited

May 3, 202439 min

Delivering Value, Not Just Technology

Best Way to ListenVisit the episode page for a 1-2 min. overview of the episode, our analysis of the strategic management takeaways within, and for an improved podcast listening experience.About the GuestJoel Russell is the founder and CEO of eimagine, a full-service consultancy headquartered in Indiana that partners with clients to deliver value through IT solutions and serves large scale customers in both government and the private sector. Joel founded eimagine in 1998, just four years after graduating from Stanford with a BA in public policy, and has grown the company to over 150 employees.Follow Joel by subscribing to his Youtube channel for a weekly 2-5 min. video on the many issues related to leading a business and delivering IT solutions that create value.Inside the EpisodeIn this episode of "Hindsight," host Kanhai Kapadia interviews Joel Russell, founder and CEO of eimagine. They discuss the emphasis of investing in relationships (internal, external, partners) for growth, highlighting the blend of process and soft skills, and how to grow a company to $30 million in revenue, by focusing on customers and nurturing a learning culture among employees.Topics by Timestamp1:19 – Why competitive sports turns out leaders3:01 - The genesis of eImagine5:54 – Providing a business perspective on IT9:20 – Agile vs. Waterfall and the impact on success16:34 – Earning client trust through project course correction20:57 – Creating value in the public sector22:58 – How to “double-click” on client relationships31:13 – Joel’s Hindsight: talent, inflection points, and methodology34:30 – How eimagine benefits from its advisory boardResources MentionedChaseDan Sullivan, Strategic CoachTim Roberts, Sandler Trainingeimagine Better Video SeriesKGK’s Complimentary One Day Assessment

April 22, 202426 min

Designing a More Cost-Effective Data Analytics Solution for Consumer Brands

Best Way to ListenVisit the episode page for a 1-2 min. overview of the episode, our analysis of the strategic management takeaways within, and for an improved podcast listening experience.About the GuestDaasity CEO & Co-Founder Dan LeBlanc is an analytics, customer experience, and business technology expert who is passionate about helping consumer brands achieve their goals by making more informed decisions.Inside the EpisodeIn this episode of “Hindsight”, host Kanhai Kapadia interviews Dan LeBlanc, CEO of Daasity, a data analytics platform for consumer brands. They discuss the challenges of running a venture-backed company in a rapidly changing business environment while remaining focused on the company’s mission to deliver value to customers.Topics by Timestamp0:57–Market changes that consumer brands are facing7:47 – Examples of how the right data can positively affect operating results12:50 – Using multi-channel attribution to direct company strategy17:00 – Delivering on the profitable growth expectations of capital markets19:39 – Leveraging your community’s wisdom to become a more effective CEO23:44 – How to remain scrappy as your company grows and professionalizesResources MentionedKGK’s Complimentary One Day Assessment - Learn about KGK’s complimentary 1-day assessment of your company’s revenue, profit, and value creation opportunities.511 TacticalMovement WatchesDaasity | ELT & Analytics for Consumer Brands

April 8, 20241 hr 2 min

Transforming Premier International from Lifestyle Business to Growth-Driven Data Services Leader

Best Way to ListenVisit the episode page for a 1-2 min. overview of the episode, our analysis of the strategic management takeaways within, and for an improved podcast listening experience.About the GuestCraig Wood is an accomplished business executive, board member, author, and people-centric leader with over 30 years of experience founding, managing, growing, and leading companies at all stages. He serves as the CEO of Premier International, an award-winning IT consulting firm that helps reduce the risk associated with complex data challenges through innovative technology and consulting services.Inside the EpisodeIn this episode of "Hindsight," host Kanhai Kapadia interviews Craig Wood, CEO of Premier International, about the company's evolution from a lifestyle business to a growth-focused organization. They discuss Craig's leadership journey, the history of Premier International, using EOS as a catalyst for growth, and finding harmony between private equity ownership and an employee-first culture.Topics by Timestamp00:30 The People and Experiences Behind Craig’s Leadership Style04:53 The Genesis of Premier International09:10 Gaining the Traction to Grow15:06 Adding Vision and Capital20:38 Cultural and Service Transformation29:23 Discussing Data’s Potential and Premier’s Market Position42:32 Culture's Tangible Impact on Business, and comparisons with Salesforce and WorkdayResources MentionedCraig Wood on LinkedinWorkdaysalesforce.comEOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)Premier InternationalKGK & Company's Free One-Day Assessment

January 30, 202444 min

Building The World’s Best Data Drilling Operation with Brian O’Keefe

Best Way to ListenVisit the episode page for a 1-2 min. overview of the episode, our analysis of the strategic management takeaways within, and for an improved podcast listening experience. Inside the EpisodeInside this episode, Brian shares his experience going from Sergeant Major in the Army to learning and becoming CEO of a $40M data services company over an 18-month period.About the GuestBrian O’Keefe is CEO of Vertical Knowledge (VK), a data products, insights, and intelligence company. VK gives data-savvy organizations across all sectors the ability to collect, refine, and apply publicly available data to solve problems, make decisions, and gain advantage.Topics by Timestamp0:00 Kanhai Introduces Brian1:18 Brian Explains What Vertical Knowledge (VK) Does and Who it serves (VK)1:56 Understanding Who is And Isn’t a VK Customer3:56 Overview of Public Data That VK Collects5:17 Key Success Factors in Public Data Collection14:29 Why PE said yes to an unproven CEO16:39 Learned the business from the ground up in 6-9 months.22:33 Restructuring VK – Why, How, and Lessons Learned33:41 Brian’s hindsight on addressing technical debt vs. premature optimization, using the P&L to make better decisions, and the CEO retaining accountability for results.40:15 Strategies for scaling up, from $40M

January 12, 202459 min

Accelerating Analytics8’s Growth by Being Focused and Being Bold

Originally recorded in May 2021Best Way to ListenVisit the episode page for a 1-2 min. overview of the episode, our analysis of the strategic management takeaways within, and for an improved podcast listening experience. Inside the EpisodeIn this episode, David shares how Analytics8 began and how the company is thriving in the fast-evolving analytics industry by combining increasingly deeper business and technology capabilities.About the GuestDavid Fussichen is the CEO of Analytics8, a data analytics consulting firm which combines expertise with data, business problem-solving, and technology to provide clients the full breadth of capabilities that are required to transform into a smarter, data-driven organization. If you’re looking for a sounding board on how to accelerate your efforts to leverage data, learn about Analytics8’s Data Strategy Session by going to https://www.analytics8.com/ and clicking the “Data Strategy Session” button.Topics by Timestamp00:00  The genesis of Analytics87:07    David’s definition of hiring “good people” and the value of diversity17:17  The Analytics8 value proposition21:24  Discussing the evolution of the analytics market24:04  The company’s strategy to double sales27:31  Past lessons on the importance of calculated, focused growth35:27  Strategies that are helping scale service delivery41:52  David shares some tougher moments of building the right team47:07  Pressing David for hindsight yields more insight53:03 Circling back to discuss the future role of technology partners and business expertise

January 3, 202445 min

Becoming an Industry Leader in Scientific Wellness with Scott McLaughlin of YGEIA3

Best Way to ListenVisit the episode page for a 1-2 min. overview of the episode, our analysis of the strategic management takeaways within, and for an improved podcast listening experience. About the GuestScott McLaughlin is the CEO of YGEIA3, a scientific wellness company that gives individuals a convenient way to diagnose where stress, metabolic function, and food sensitivities are preventing them from functioning at their best. If you’re an employer looking for a high-value wellness benefit that is covered by insurers and reduces healthcare premiums by up to 10%, learn more about YGEIA3 at https://ygeia3.com/Inside the EpisodeIn this episode, Scott gives us a glimpse of what it was like for an innovative wellness company to gain traction, pivot from serving athletes to employers, and the management challenges he faced on the path to becoming a global company with over 100 people. Topics0:43 Scientific Wellness Explained5:24 Evolution of the company from 2 to 100+ people12:08 YGEIA3’s pandemic pivot13:26 Probing the value prop – why scientific wellness? Why YGEIA3?17:33 Scott goes open-book with personal leadership and company growth challenges a.    Defying the status-quo in athletics b.    Hiring the right people by stepping aside c.    Learning to delegate d.    Using funding to overcome a surprise cost increase34:18 Hidden value of continuing education37:33 Leading a distributed workforce of 100+40:26 Building relationships through once-in-a-lifetime experiences

December 19, 202352 min

TXI's CEO on Evolving as a Leader and Building a More Resilient Business

Listen Better OnlineVisit the episode page for a 1-2 min. video overview of the episode, exclusive analysis of the guest's hindsight, and an improved podcast listening experience. About the GuestMark Rickmeier is CEO of Table XI (now TXI), a digital consultancy that gives organizations a pragmatic, human-centered approach to strategy, design, and solution delivery. If you’re looking for a partner to close the gap between your digital ambitions and reality, learn more about TXI at https://txidigital.com/Topics by TimestampIn this episode, Mark shares how TXI overcame a serious customer concentration issue, a formula for sales that works for professional services companies like TXI, and a wealth of leadership lessons.3:10      An explanation of pragmatic, human-centered design5:18      Becoming CEO and both rising to the role and tailoring it to his strengths11:10    Designing TXI’s sales function18:41     Elevating from operational lead to visionary CEO23:55  Key success factors for TXI going forward     Managing Stress     Redesigning a compelling culture that is both inclusive and distributed first     aSynchronous communication     Making remote work practices more efficient26:13    Redesigning for a distributed-first employee model32:40    Overcoming Customer Concentration Risk of Existential Proportions38:52    Ops. Conf. (aka Operations Conference) creates next level “coopetition” between software design firms, and provides a solution to TXI’s knowledge, people, and even client acquisition gaps. Its success evolves into new company, Walk Shop.46:31    Mark shares his hindsight     Become comfortable with being uncomfortable, sooner     Delegate and elevate sooner    The importance Vision, not just operational guidance