The BRIGHTON PARKast

In this episode, we're joined by our very own TJ Williams, an Operating Partner at Brighton Park Capital and the Founder of Tamarack Growth Advisory. As a seasoned sales leader, TJ shares insights from his extensive career in sales leadership roles at tech giants including IBM, Oracle, and Google. He dives deep into the art and science of sales, the qualities of high-performing sales organizations, and the importance of storytelling in building customer relationships. TJ introduces his "broken glass" model, which categorizes salespeople into four types, emphasizing the need for diverse approaches to sales success.Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on sales compensation, the evolving role of technology in sales, strategies to stand out in a crowded marketplace, and the need to slow down in order to go fast. Through his anecdotes and practical advice, TJ provides a compelling look at what it takes to lead and succeed in the world of sales.

In this episode, Andy Boyd, former Director of the CIA's Center for Cyber Intelligence, delves into the complex world of cybersecurity and its implications for national and corporate security. With a rich career spanning roles as an Air Force intelligence officer, a diplomat, and a CIA leader, Andy discusses the distinction between cyber crime and cyber threats and how global adversaries like China and Russia focus their cyber activities. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration between public and private sectors, challenges corporate executives to integrate CISOs into boardroom discussions, and shares his perspective on the importance of extending cybersecurity education beyond the office and into our personal lives. 

In this episode, we're joined by June Yang, a technology leader with over 20 years of experience at some of the world's largest tech companies including Oracle, VMware, and most recently, Google. Throughout the episode, June demystifies the world of AI, breaking down complex concepts such as foundational models and model training techniques, as well as identifies the four primary domains of modern machine learning. June explores how the explosion of generative AI, driven by the rise of ChatGPT, has democratized AI access for all, as well as offers insights into AI's evolution, the balance between human oversight and machine learning, and how enterprises can fine-tune AI to reflect their corporate voice.

In this episode, we speak with Arijit Sengupta, a visionary in the field of artificial intelligence, and the Founder and CEO of Aible. Arijit, a Harvard Business School and Stanford University alumnus, is the author of the book, AI is a Waste of Money: Why Most AI Projects Fail and the Secrets of Succeeding with AI.At Aible, an organization that enables businesses to create Real World AI that delivers measurable business impact in a way that's simple, fast, and secure, Arijit champions the mission encapsulated in the tagline, "I am able". He emphasizes the company's goal of making AI an extension of the individual, empowering users rather than replacing them and highlights how even in a world of perfect AI, human curiosity remains indispensable.Throughout the episode, we touch on some of the common myths about AI, the ethical and privacy implications of AI, as well as the importance of approaching AI projects with a flexible mindset to keep up with technology that is always evolving. 

In this episode, we're joined by Aidan Kehoe, Founder & Former CEO of SKOUT Cybersecurity. Aidan dives into his remarkable journey beginning with his move from Ireland to the United States, which laid the foundation for a life marked by impactful relationships and entrepreneurial pursuits. He reflects on the profound impact of the mentors who helped shape his path and the invaluable lessons he learned along the way. Aidan opens up about his personal mission to unlock potential in others and do good in the world, which led to his founding SKOUT and becoming involved with Autism Speaks. He touches on imposter syndrome and the psychology behind triumphs versus goals, as well as offers his insights into the future of AI.

In this episode, we hear from Kim Stevenson. Kim has led world-class technology teams at some of the most iconic brands in the industry such as IBM, HP, Intel, Lenovo and most recently, NetApp, and has served as an advocate for women in technology. Kim has been the recipient of numerous awards such as Forbes CIO Innovation Award and Silicon Valley Business Journal's Best CIO. She was named #19 on Technology Magazine's Top 100 Women in Technology 2021  Tune in as Kim provides a glimpse into the journey of her career -- from being the first in her family to graduate from college to working on the first failed portable personal computer and ultimately advancing to the C-suite of a Fortune 500 company. Kim highlights some of the keys that drove her success as a leader in tech and a trusted advisor, as well as addresses some of the challenges that exist for women today. 

In this episode, we're joined by JJ Allaire, Founder and CEO of Posit, the maker of open source software for data science and scientific research, best known for their multi-language development environment, RStudio. During the conversation, JJ shares detail on his personal journey as an entrepreneur and software developer, the evolution of Posit, and its role as a Public Benefit Corporation. He discusses his views on machine learning, the limitations of large language models, and the importance of contributing to the open source community.