Interviews

As companies rely more heavily on software to support their core operations and mission, performance and user experience play an increasingly large role. Our guest on this...

In this episode, Palo Alto's Chief Information Officer, Jonathan Reichental discusses smart cities, digital transformation, leadership, and innovation in local government...

The Xerox Palo Alto Research Center is among the most venerable institutions in Silicon Valley. Our guest on this special episode is CEO Stephen Hoover.

The consumerization of technology in the enterprise and mobility are two critical elements underlying digital transformation and the evolving workplace in many companies.

The COO of data center engineering provider, Redapt, explains the company's process for managing complex projects.

Robert Tas is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Pegasystems.

Social collaboration and community are essential parts of digital life inside the enterprise and in departments such as customer service and support. In this episode, we talk...

Disruptive innovation is critical for organizations wanting to maintain a competitive edge in our changing digital world. This episode applies the lessons of corporate innovation...

Global brands like Arrow Electronics have unique marketing challenges that offer important lessons to both large and small companies. Combined with digital transformation,...

To innovate and be responsive, the federal government requires change agents -- people working within the system to drive improvements. In this episode, we talk with two accomplished...

How can a CIO reconcile the demands between technical proficiency and business responsiveness? In this episode, Lee Congdon, CIO of Red Hat Software, shares ideas for balancing...

Digital transformation is rapidly changing the CIO and IT relationship with lines of business and corporate functions like marketing and finance. In this episode, we explore...

Creating the right environment to connect with customers, employees and partners is not just about doing the same thing we have always done. If we do more of the same thing...

In this episode of CXOTalk, we speak with Mozilla's Chief Marketing Officer, Jascha Kaykas-Wolff, about agile marketing, open source, and the empowered consumer.

Innovations have changed and disrupted retail in areas such as digital sales, marketing, operations, inventory, and supply chain.

This episode explores the world of Millennials and offers practical advice for employers and managers.

Security is one of the top priorities for every organization. On this episode, we speak with Todd McKinnon, the CEO and co-founder of Okta, an enterprise grade identity management...

Modern organizations must consider their relationship to customers, including the possible universe of digital touch points. Although analyzing customer experience with journey...

MIT researcher, George Westerman, discusses digital transformation and the lessons described the book he co-authored with Cap Gemini, called Leading Digital.

On this Lightning Edition, teaches us the art and science of social selling.

Wendy Lea, CEO, Get Satisfaction: Community and Marketing

Do you believe that "context" is going to eat the software business? Have context-oriented technologies and business models disrupted the B2C industry?

The world is constantly changing and IT and the business have to change with it. Think about your end customer, and employees! It’s going to be a new work in 10 yrs.

How we consider the relationship between the CIO and other parts of the organization.

Fans are key stakeholders of sports franchises. Fan relations at the New England Patriots is all about deepening the emotional ties from the fans to the team.

JP Rangaswami summary: Scarcity and hierarchy

B2B selling is no longer just organization to organization, or a deal between one lead decision maker and a sales guy. It’s becoming more people-to-people.

CxOTalk - General John E. Michel on leadership and transformation (summary video)

Some might say the problem is the enterprise software industry has gone "all Spock." What’s the remedy? Engage with customers and create engaging solutions.

Take advantage of new technology, software deployment models, and business models. Also, simplify where ever you can for ease of updates and manageability.

CIOs can be a change agent helping their companies adjust to a changing world. But first, they themselves must be comfortable with change.

Intel IT has a strategy to be an equal partner in creating success for the business. Three IT General Managers discuss executing the tactical face of this strategy.

Institutions of higher education are must find a way to remain relevant as people question high tuition cost. Digital transformation may be part of an answer.

Dell Computer has an IT group that’s dedicated to incubation and user experience. Their mission is to find and turn great ideas into value for the company.

Evangelos Simoudis on business model innovation

Startups aren’t encumbered with current ways of doing things. For Netflix, startups can bring a fresh approach to architecture.

IT at HP is always looking for innovative use of technology to help propel the company forward into the future. This includes working with startups.

The business spin-in is one way well-established companies can lower the risk of investing in or buying startups to feed their innovation pipeline.

Mayur Gupta Emerging technologies

What’s the problem with enterprise software? It’s not designed to make end users’ lives easier. What’s the solution? Learn from consumer software.

A "learning health care system" uses data to see which therapy provides the best outcome for a set of characteristics such as cell biology and genomic makeup.

Cloud is where it’s at. All the current development action focuses on data stored in the Cloud, whether for mobile or desktop application. Be there or be square.

People within a generation are not all the same. But having said that, what characterizes a generation, especially with respect to technology?

There’s a generational shift occurring at the CIO level. How will that impact the information technologies that companies will adopt?

If digital transformation is not your daddy’s e-commerce platform, what is it?

DFJ invests in crazy, revolutionary technology-based businesses that have the potential to turn into multi-billion dollar opportunities.

An entrepreneur who sold his company to Salesforce talks about how established companies can keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive.

Everybody’s talking about innovation these days. Every one says "My company is innovative." But how innovative can you be if your culture doesn’t support it?

The ability for companies to be innovative involves both the top and the rest of the organization.

CEOs, does your company have the organization and structures that will lead to business outcomes called for in your strategic plan?

Robert Keane is the president and CEO of VistaPrint, which he founded in 1995 to provide small businesses print tools to market their business. Robert’s vision for VistaPrint...

Sharing is a foundation for the new experience economy. This episode features author and entrepreneur Bryan Kramer, who offers lessons from his new book Shareology.

In this episode, we explore what ERP buyers need to know and where the market is going.

The changing digital environment has an impact on virtually all industries. For large-scale outsourcing and global services, this impact is driving changes to business model...

A marketer's guide to developing strong, interactive customer relationships in a digital world. Important advice for every executive, manager, and sales person.

This episode explores DevOps with the background, suggestions, and practical advice you can use.

Understanding social media, influencers, and personal branding are important topics for everyone working in business. However, using social media to achieve business results...

Every company must offer products or services that satisfy buyers. Today, that imperative involves both traditional and digital relationships.

Historically, Customer Relationship Management has been more about managing sales people than building meaningful relationships with customers. Today, technology is changing...

There are significant differences between enterprise and consumer startups.

SaaS startups: you must have a team and traction with enough customers to get VC funding.

You can build an enterprise SaaS startup with minimal or no invested capital, but it’s tough. Here’s what is required.

Startups have several options for funding / financing. VCs are just one option, but is it right for your company?

There are several things that need to be in place before startups hire sales people and definitely before hiring a VP of Sales.

Advice to founders: If you get a lead, take the meeting. If you’re a tiny or small startup, don’t worry about it. It’s easy to build a relationship with a customer.

It’s critical that founders sell and close their own sales during the early stages of a startup. Here is important advice.

Here are two recommendations for finding and reaching buyers of SaaS products and services in the enterprise.

What qualifies as a successful SaaS startup investment depends on the type of funding / financing source. VCs have very high investment return expectations.

The organization you built to get through Phase-2, may not be the organization for Phase-3 (attaining initial scale).

We discuss the intersection of technology and strategy with one of the biotech industry's leading executives, who also happens to be a woman.

Investment opportunities exist in unexpected market niches.

Depending on what your role is (founder, investor, etc.) determines what you’re looking for from a venture capitalist.

Startups, are your VPs real or fake? You can get by with really smart people in the early stages of startup2. But what about when you’re trying to build scale?

So, you’re considering killing a SaaS startup. Stop and reconsider.

OK, you’ve made through Phase-1. Phase-2 (gaining initial traction) is a real killer.

In Phase 1 (getting 10 unaffiliated customers) the #1 challenge is that everyone in the company, including founders, must be cross functional.

Jason Lemkin has a unique approach to deciding which enterprise SaaS startup to fund.

Achieving product-market fit is harder today than in prior technology booms; it’s the main challenge that SaaS startups face.

Here are the three phases of a SaaS startup according to Storm Ventures.

Learn the difference between a Managing Partner and other titles at a VC firm.

For the right team, raising venture capital money can seem fast, simple, and easy. Here's why it's not that simple.

Words of wisdom to startups from a serial entrepreneur who is an entrepreneurship guru.

There are good reasons for partnering with a startup even if your company has internal innovation efforts underway. Here are some advantages.

Want to get the best outcome from partnering with a startup? Avoid the two key mistakes that incumbents usually make.

Nailing down product-market fit is a foundation of lean innovation management. Be sure your product is what customers want.

An ambidextrous organization walks and chews gum at the same time. It builds for the near, medium and far future while executing the current business model.

McKinsey & Company’s Three Horizons concept is part of Lean Innovation Management. But companies find it difficult to know which "horizon" they’re in.

Established companies can innovate at the speed and urgency of a startup by adopting lean innovation management.

Lean innovation lets you manage an organization that continuously improves its business model while improving current business.

Lean innovation combines the concept of McKinsey’s three horizons of innovation with the concept of the lean startup.

Marry resources of large corporation with Lean Startup principles to spur innovation in well-established companies.

Lean Startup = Business Model Design + Customer Development + Agile Engineering. Lean Innovation applies these principles to established organizations.

Established companies can renew their innovation mojo through Lean Innovation Management.

"Lean Innovation Management is a way for established companies to organize and act on innovation at the speed of startups."

A business model describes the strategy for how a company creates, delivers, and captures value. Listen to an easy way to describe a business model.

We may think that making money is not consistent with doing good in the world, but that's not always the case. Entrepreneur Craig Newmark, the founder of craigslist and craigconnects,...

Every executive should master the art of storytelling, an essential skill when trying to explain concepts, ideas, and plans.

Formula One racing involves a heady mixture of speed, daring, and technology. Sensors, data, and analytics provide a backdrop for ongoing innovation and improvement, on the...

Jason Lemkin from SaaStr shares important advice on starting, building, and growing an early-stage enterprise SaaS startup.

Three things influence digital transformation success: the ability to create new things; the ability to execute, and the ability to evaluate outcomes.

Three tips to success: Engage and enable everyone around innovation. Don't turn digital business into a silo. Make the right investments.

The CIO vs. CDO world: The CIO's world is IT and operations -- the back office. The CDO's world is business -- creating new opportunities from existing assets.

Top performing CIOs are both visionary and good executors. They understand how to manage risk around technology experimentation and business innovation.

Organizations should see digital transformation as a change that brings opportunity. Easing the transition takes working with an organization's culture.

Becoming a digital business is a multi-year investment. The challenge for public companies is sacrificing quarterly profits to invest in the future.

There are plenty of reasons why digital transformation is hard. There are the typical issues associated with change, but there are also business issues.

Today's digital economy is really about the ability of networks to create value for itself. New, fast-growth startups succeed at tapping into these networks.

Digital businesses are less about owning assets and more about using networks to deliver goods and services to customers.

Building a digital business involves creating new operations. Quickly changing this extensively requires more than edicts from the top.

CIOs, why should you cede being the center of a digital transformation effort to someone else? This is the clarion call to be part of the business.

Everyone is part of the digital transformation effort, so you need leaders at all levels, from the grassroots to the executive suite.

CIOs, of course you can lead the digital business transformation. But it's going to take changing perspective, attitude, and adding some different skills.

Digital transformation is not free. Whether the LOB is going digital alone or coordinating through IT, technology budgets must dramatically increase.

Digitalization has transformed marketing by massively increasing the scale, complexity, and pace of interactions within the marketplace.

Communication and storytelling are foundations of business, marketing, social media, and professional success. Our guest, Liza Donnelly, is a cartoonist and writer with The...

Becoming a digital business will cause companies to examine how they operate and what elements should be automated.

Digital business transformation has created an expertise gap for companies and IT service providers, creating a digital arms race for talent.

Here are the top 3 tips for consulting companies undergoing their own as-a-service transformation.

Advice for a successful transition to an as-a-service business model.

Companies are in transition to an as-a-service business and the IT services business is no exception. IT services companies need to reflect this new reality.

How do you find a consulting partner who will help you with digital transformation and how do you know if the company is the right partner for you?

It’s no longer about building technology around the existing business processes, but changing business processes around technology.

Most companies won’t be able to make the as-a-service transformation alone. It is paramount that you find the right partner to help.

The era of the labor arbitrage business model is over for IT consulting, outsourcing, and professional services industry. What’s next for this industry?

It's not about choosing tools, but getting to that desired business end state. But you’re going to need the right partner to get there.

Gone are the days of the heavy engagement, project model and big project management bills. Companies (clients) are looking for transformative advice.

HfS Research recently conducted a survey that shows the marketplace embraces digital transformation with acceptance across different business functions.

As-a-service commerce is the next phase in the evolution of digital business. Companies will have to improve their digital transformation.

The components of digital transformation include more than just technology and marketing hype.

The pressure to reduce cost has driven many companies to outsource, offshore, and automate. Now, it’s driving the digital (platform-based) transformation.

The leading edge of digital business is shifting to a platform-based business, which super charges the as-a-service economy. Accept it and start on a plan.

If you’re an established company with existing lines of business, you need to "ring fence" the existing business while growing an as-a-service business.

Technology enables us to work anywhere, stay connected continuously, and collaborate endlessly. What does this mean for the enterprise and how do we achieve a better workplace...

Discussion with Hank Barnes about How can vendors stand out?

Discussion with Hank Barnes about Great sales stories make an emotional connection

Discussion with Hank Barnes about What marketing materials get prospects to buy?

Discussion with Hank Barnes about Four components of a great sales story

People buy enterprise software / services based on trust. These days, buyers are skeptical of vendor claims. So how does a vendor cultivate trust?

Discussion with Hank Barnes about Trust, ethics, and enterprise sales

Discussion with Hank Barnes about Digital transformation and being customer-centric

Discussion with Hank Barnes about Storytelling creates emotional connection to buyers

How prospects perceive you will affect their willingness to purchase. How customers experience your brand or staff will affect your reputation.

Trust doesn't result from what you say about yourself. Today, it's what others say about you that matters.

Even with the consumerization of IT and the digital world, the business case still matters when buying enterprise solutions.

Discussion with Hank Barnes about sales authenticity means focus on customer value.

Discussion with Hank Barnes about Four tips for a better buyer experience

It's all about delivering on the promises that you, the vendor or provider, make.

There’s so much information available that there is a risk of turning the empowered customer into a confused buyer.

Trust rules, especially in today's B2B world. Providers, your prospects are looking for validation about you from their networks, not yours.

"Customer experience is not a great marketing campaign."

Today, customers have many options other than your product / service. Some of the newer As-A-Service options are "free." How do you compete?

Trust is the foundation on which the customer's experience is built.

MarTech isn't a silver bullet. You must apply digital marketing in the context of the customer to have a chance of changing that person's buying experience.

For today's customer involved in choosing tools, it's all about trust -- whose information and opinions are unbiased and accurate.

Discussion with Kare Anderson about Driving innovation and transformation

Discussion with Kare Anderson about Trust and authenticity

Kare Anderson explains three key components of powerful communication.

Kare Anderson explains how to build trust based on mutual interest.

Discussion with Kare Anderson about Share vignettes to be compelling

Discussion with Kare Anderson about What makes a great vignette?

Discussion with Kare Anderson about Build allies inside and outside your company

Discussion with Kare Anderson about How to be compelling

Discussion with Kare Anderson about Learning to communicate with specificity

Discussion with Kare Anderson about Use iterative listening to create influence

Discussion with Kare Anderson about The power of specificity

Discussion with Kare Anderson about The importance of allies

Discussion with Kare Anderson about Gain buy-in with unexpected allies

Discussion with Kare Anderson about How to gain allies

Discussion with Kare Anderson about Innovation and communication

Innovative thinking and technology have led to new business models. But, rather than follow the pack, we should question our assumptions and ways of doing things.

There are implications for entrepreneurship when everyone is focusing on the valuations that VCs are placing on unicorn startups.

A company's business situation determines whether it needs a new value proposition, a new business model, or both. Companies must know what the change entails.

The Value Proposition Canvas helps you map out how your company’s offerings will create value for a type of customer based on specific customer jobs and tasks.

Getting the value proposition right is an iterative process and critically important.

Knowing that your value proposition is flawed as early as possible gives you ample space to pivot and re-pivot. This increases your chance of success.

Startups can be a source of innovation for a large company, but things don’t always work out for one or both parties. Here’s how to make the arrangement work.

As the business world changes, new business models are needed. Creating new business models is about experimentation -- exploration.

A value proposition should be part of every business model. Successful companies strive to create value for both the customer and itself.

Identifying a true value proposition requires understanding things from the customer’s point of view, not your company’s.

A startup is not a tiny version of an established company. Whether you partner with or purchase a startup, achieving success depends on understanding this.

Every body’s talking about product market fit. What is product market fit and why should you care?

"Innovation Program" is the hot word in executive suites these days. But how can established companies succeed at business model innovation?

Companies must learn to balance operating an existing business with cultivating innovation spaces. This is especially true for large companies.

Improving value propositions and creating better business models entails a blend of new and old school methods. Digital technologies is part of the toolkit.

Today, many industries are facing the expiration of their current business models. They must rejuvenate or reinvent their business to create a new competitive advantage.

News Flash to startups! Finding the right business model is more important than the right idea.

There are many benefits to succinctly mapping out the nine core elements of a business model.

A business model maps out how a company will create, deliver, and capture value for itself and its customers.

Alex Osterwalder explains what a business model is, and why they matter to companies even more today.

Enterprise marketing at a large scale involves working across organizational boundaries to develop strategies that work for a broad range of customers. Data and analytics...

In this episode of CXOTalk, David Cohen, Managing Director of Techstars, shares his approach to startup investing and offers advice to company founders and other investors....

Scale and inertia are key challenges facing any Chief Information Officer in the federal government. For this reason, successful approaches to innovation and digital government...

The CIO role is shifting from provider of infrastructure to customer-facing business partner, while the rise of digital technologies has created an opportunity for Chief Information...

Information technology in the federal government is large, complicated, and often slow. Our guest, Mark Schwartz who is Chief Information officer of the US Citizenship and...

Business models are the foundation of successful innovation for both startups and large organizations. In this special edition of CXOTalk, we ask Dr. Alexander Osterwalder...

The combination of innovative technology and new business models underlie the most exciting developments coming out of startups and large organizations. During this episode,...

Digital transformation in healthcare relies on data and analytics. Learn how data can link health care strategy with better outcomes/

Automotive technology touches all of us every day. For the automobile industry, digital transformation means using the vehicle as a platform to deliver software-based services...

Building an effective community of interest requires savvy, street smarts, a good story, and data. This episode of CXOTalk explores the relationship between storytelling and...

Every entrepreneur knows that starting an enterprise software company is hard. Jason Lemkin, Managing Partner with Storm Ventures and founder of EchoSign (acquired by Adobe),...