Paul and Paul Podcast

Hosted by Paul Papasavvas and Paul Varnedoe

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May 2026

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About the show

Tune in to hear Paul and Paul talk about various topics around AWS that decision makers may find valuable - best practices, common challenges, recommendations, and really, anything and everything that customers may be interested in when migrating to AWS, undergoing a cloud transformation, or during on-going business operations in the cloud. You can find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/

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21 recent

May 17, 202613 min

Episode 21 - AI Governance

If your organization is exploring or already using generative AI, this episode is a must-listen.Without proper governance, even the most promising AI initiatives can quickly lead to sensitive data leaks, surprise six-figure bills, compliance violations, or outputs that erode customer trust. Gartner predicts that up to 40% of agentic and advanced AI projects will be scrapped by 2027 due to governance gaps.We sat down with our colleague Andy Mears to break down a practical, fast-to-implement approach to AI governance.1/ How to form a cross-functional Steering Committee 2/ Four essential initial policy areas:- Content Safety & Acceptable Use- Data Handling, Privacy & PII Protection- Model Selection, Approval & Fairness- Cost Management & Resource Allocation3/ Quick wins using powerful AWS tools:- Guardrails for Bedrock - Bedrock Model Evaluations- AWS BudgetsThis isn’t a months-long theoretical project. You can put real governance guardrails in place in hours and start iterating from there.You can find Andy on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmears1/As always, let us know if you have ideas for future episodes, and what you’d like to hear us talk about!Paul Papasavvas - ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/⁠⁠Paul Varnedoe - ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/

March 22, 2026Episode 2030 min

Episode 20 - Human Side to AI Innovation

We sat down with Juan-Carlos Gutierrez, Managing Director of Tech & Innovation for N. America at AWS, for a thoughtful conversation into what often gets overlooked amid all the AI buzz: the human element. We cover:- Why leadership virtues like humility, kindness, diligence, patience, and gratitude (not just technical skills) are essential for thriving in an AI-augmented world- Building an Agentic-first mentality — shifting from wishing to doing, auditing roles for AI augmentation, and experimenting daily to build "AI muscle memory"- The critical role of emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and co-creation — because AI amplifies human potential but can't replace empathy, judgment, creativity, or true collaboration- Formula 1-inspired insight: The best results come from intense partnership with the "machine" (AI agents), not passive use — just like legendary drivers who co-engineered their cars to dominanceWhether you're a leader navigating AI in your org, a professional looking to future-proof your career, or just curious about the intersection of tech and humanity—this one's for you.You can find JC on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juancarlosgutierrez/As always, let us know if you have ideas for future episodes, and what you’d like to hear us talk about!Paul Papasavvas - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/⁠Paul Varnedoe - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/

October 20, 2025Episode 1920 min

Episode 19 - Automating Migrations and Modernizations

Discover how Agentic AI is transforming the cloud migration and modernization journey. In this episode, Paul and Paul sit down with AWS leader Bob Kellogg to explore AWS Transform—a groundbreaking AI-driven service that automates assessments, accelerates VMware migrations, modernizes .NET apps, and even refactors mainframes. Learn how human-in-the-loop AI tools like Q Developer are reshaping development speed, reducing risk, and redefining what’s possible in the move to the cloud!You can find Bob on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbkellogg/As always, let us know if you have ideas for future episodes, and what you’d like to hear us talk about!Paul Papasavvas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/Paul Varnedoe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/

September 21, 2025Episode 1814 min

Episode 18 - Product Innovation Framework

In this episode, AWS leader Sachin Shetti reveals how the Product Innovation Framework helps companies envision, build, and scale breakthrough products. From executive visioning to GenAI accelerators and global success stories, discover how enterprises transform bold ideas into customer impact. Whether you’re driving digital transformation or chasing innovation velocity, this conversation offers practical insights and inspiration to fuel your own journey.You can find Sachin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachingshetti/The blog case study referenced: https://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/capital-one-all-in-on-aws/As always, let us know if you have ideas for future episodes, and what you’d like to hear us talk about!Paul Papasavvas - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/⁠Paul Varnedoe - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/

September 2, 2025Episode 1729 min

Episode 17 - AI Augmented Workforce

There's a lot of talk of AI replacing jobs in the future, but in reality, it's a new technological tool that people will need to know how to work with and ensure they have the right skills to do so, in order to be successful.AWS Director of North America CSMs, Blake Chism joined us to discuss skills and strategies for people to be successful in an AI augmented workforce, and things CSMs are doing to help our customers navigate this new landscape.Bottom Line: AI isn't about replacing humans - it's about amplifying our uniquely human capabilities to deliver greater value. You can find Blake on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakechism/As always, let us know if you have ideas for future episodes, and what you’d like to hear us talk about!Paul Papasavvas - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/⁠Paul Varnedoe - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/

June 9, 2025Episode 1619 min

Episode 16 - Sustainability and Responsible GenAI

Dive into the cutting-edge intersection of sustainability and custom silicon in cloud computing with the Paul & Paul Podcast. Join hosts Paul Papasavvas and Paul Varnedoe as they welcome Ron Hayman, a Senior Leader in AWS Customer Solutions. Discover how AWS's innovative chips like Graviton, Trainium, and Inferentia are revolutionizing energy efficiency and performance. Learn about sustainability OF, IN, and THROUGH the cloud, and how companies are leveraging these technologies to reduce costs and carbon footprints. Don't miss this insightful exploration of the future of sustainable computing!And you can also read Ron’s blog on how you can achieve Sustainability goals with a Cloud Center of Excellence: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/apn/how-aws-partners-can-achieve-sustainability-goals-with-a-cloud-center-of-excellence/You can find Ron on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronhayman/As always, let us know if you have ideas for future episodes, and what you’d like to hear us talk about!Paul Papasavvas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/Paul Varnedoe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/

April 18, 2025Episode 1521 min

Episode 15 - Cultivating Innovation

Dive into Amazon's innovation playbook with Amanda Henke, a senior AWS leader, as she reveals the four key pillars that drive Amazon's culture of invention: Culture, Mechanisms, Architecture, and Organization. Learn how Amazon transforms bold ideas into reality through customer obsession, calculated risk-taking, and the 'Working Backwards Framework.' Discover practical insights on fostering innovation, from two-way door decisions to learning from failures, and understand why speed matters in today's business landscape.You can find Amanda on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-leigh-henke-b12380a/As always, let us know if you have ideas for future episodes, and what you’d like to hear us talk about!Paul Papasavvas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/Paul Varnedoe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/

January 7, 2025Episode 1426 min

Episode 14 - Analytics on AWS

Hello Paul and Paul listeners and welcome to the first episode of 2025! Today we will dive into the world of data analytics with AWS expert Lesong Chang, a Principal Specialist in Data and Analytics, to discuss what it truly means to be data-driven and why it's crucial for business success. We uncover common analytics use cases, challenges in implementing data strategies, and insights on how Gen AI is shaping the field. Whether you're a data novice or a seasoned professional, this episode offers valuable perspectives on leveraging analytics to drive innovation and gain a competitive edge in today's data-rich landscape.You can find Lesong on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesong-chang-14b7695/As always, let us know if you have ideas for future episodes, and what you’d like to hear us talk about!Paul Papasavvas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/Paul Varnedoe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/

October 19, 2024Episode 1312 min

Episode 13 - Hackathons

We are joined by our colleague, Stephen Knox, to chat about Hackathons. You may think these are something for coders, engineers, or other deeply technical people. However, senior level managers and executives can benefit from them. And in this episode, we go over the value that a Hackathon can provide to your organization, what they’re about, and how to go about getting one set up. You can find Stephen on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-knox-148a801/ As always, let us know if you have ideas for future episodes, and what you’d like to hear us talk about! Paul Papasavvas - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/⁠ Paul Varnedoe - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/

August 11, 2024Episode 1223 min

Episode 12 - SAP on AWS

Today we have another AWS colleague, Tushar Srivastava, here to discuss how AWS customers running SAP are modernizing their environment by moving to the cloud. For companies running SAP to manage accounting, operations, purchasing, or HR systems, we help explain the advantages of modernizing their ERP environment. Some of the key benefits include ways to reduce cost, improve performance, increase security and reliability, expand data insights, and help staff productivity and retention.You can find Tushar on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tushars/As always, let us know if you have ideas for future episodes, and what you’d like to hear us talk about!Paul Papasavvas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-papasavvas/Paul Varnedoe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvarnedoe/