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The Maverick’s Path: From NASA to Wearables That Save Lives with Jean-Anne Booth show art The Maverick’s Path: From NASA to Wearables That Save Lives with Jean-Anne Booth

Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Jean Anne Booth, founder and CEO of UnaliWear, for a dynamic conversation about her remarkable journey through Austin's tech ecosystem. From her early engineering days at NASA and AMD to building startups acquired by Apple and TI, Jean Anne shares insights on innovation, resilience, and what it means to be a “maverick” in the tech world. They explore the origin story of UnaliWear's product; an award-winning wearable that empowers independence for seniors... and the passion behind creating tech that truly serves people. Jean...

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Community Powers Entrepreneurial Success with Mat Kordell show art Community Powers Entrepreneurial Success with Mat Kordell

Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Mat Kordell, Co-Founder and COO of CyberStreams, for a conversation that hits at the heart of entrepreneurship, community, and opportunity. Mat shares how his journey from working the help desk to running a multi-location MSP wasn’t fueled by luck or algorithms... it was powered by human connections. From networking events to industry meetups, Mat’s biggest business moves came from showing up. He didn’t meet his co-founder, business partner, or acquisition targets through cold emails... he met them in person. Now...

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2025 Austin Tech Hall of Fame show art 2025 Austin Tech Hall of Fame

Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

In this special episode of Austin Tech Connect, host Thom Singer takes listeners behind the scenes of the Austin Tech Hall of Fame ... a community-driven initiative launched by the Austin Technology Council to celebrate the individuals who have shaped Austin into a world-class tech hub. With the second annual celebration on the horizon, Thom shares the "why" behind this important program, how it was inspired by a brief start in 2013, and why the current version is being thoughtfully rolled out as an 8-year launch. Each year, eight foundational figures from Austin’s tech history will be...

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Industrial Tech and Cybersecurity with Pat Dixon show art Industrial Tech and Cybersecurity with Pat Dixon

Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Pat Dixon, President of DPAS, to discuss the intersection of operational technology (OT) and cybersecurity in industrial facilities. Pat shares insights on the evolution of industrial tech, how automation has shaped industries like water treatment and manufacturing, and the security risks unique to critical infrastructure. Key topics include: The 4th Industrial Revolution and how industrial facilities were ahead of mainstream tech in digital automation. The growing threat of cyberattacks, not just from the internet but from...

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Meta-LLM - Melelem with Joe McCall and Nik Kairinos show art Meta-LLM - Melelem with Joe McCall and Nik Kairinos

Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, host Thom Singer sits down with Joe McCall and Nikolas Kairinos, co-founders of Melelem, a groundbreaking AI company redefining how Large Language Models (LLMs) learn and evolve. Melelem continuously refines itself in real-time, eliminating the need for multiple AI subscriptions. The conversation dives deep into the future of AI, exploring how advancements in machine learning and self-learning AI models are reshaping industries. Nikolas shares his perspective on the rapid acceleration of AI capabilities, the shift from traditional neural networks to...

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Making AI Work for Your Business (Without the Waste) with Piyanka Jain show art Making AI Work for Your Business (Without the Waste) with Piyanka Jain

Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, the Austin Technology Council CEO, Thom Singer, sits down with Piyanka Jain, CEO of Aryng, to cut through the AI buzz and get to the real impact of artificial intelligence in business. With over 20 years of experience,,, building AI models long before it was trendy... Piya shares her insights on: ✅ The biggest hiring mistakes companies make when bringing on AI talent ✅ Why most AI investments are wasted (and how to avoid it) ✅ The role of first-principles thinking in driving business growth ✅ How Aryng is changing the game with Enola, a 24/7...

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All Companies Are Tech Companies - Interview with the CIO of James Avery Jewelry Harsha Bellur show art All Companies Are Tech Companies - Interview with the CIO of James Avery Jewelry Harsha Bellur

Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

All Companies are Tech Companies: In the modern era, all companies are tech companies. We used to have a line between traditional business and tech.... but now that line has blurred. People do not often think about how businesses in all industries rely on, create, and utilize technology.   In this interview, Thom Singer talks to Harsha Bellur, the CIO at Texas based James Avery Jewelry.  This 70 year old company now uses tech in design and manufacturing, as well as all other aspects of their business. Harsha has had an interesting career journey, from working in his fathers...

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Why Government Policy Matters To Tech Companies show art Why Government Policy Matters To Tech Companies

Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

This week on Austin Tech Connect we tackle the world of government policy, and why it matters to Austin’s small and mid-sized tech companies. Our guest is Lindsay Ries, Director of Government Affairs at TECNA (The Technology Council’s of North America).   Lindsay has two decades of experience in Washington DC policy, and is committed to helping growth oriented technology companies have their voices heard on Capitol Hill.   In this interview she talks about how the Austin Technology Council and TECNA are working to influence and educate our elected officials on policy that...

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The Power of Participation - Why Being Involved Matters show art The Power of Participation - Why Being Involved Matters

Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

    In this episode of the Austin Tech Connect podcast, we dive deep into the transformative power of being actively involved in a trade association like ATC. Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council, unpacks why participation is about more than just attending events—it’s about building connections, creating opportunities, and contributing to something bigger than yourself. Discover how involvement can accelerate your career, strengthen your company, and help drive innovation and collaboration across the entire industry. Thom...

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The AI Driven Leader with Geoff Woods show art The AI Driven Leader with Geoff Woods

Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

This week's episode we talk to author Geoff Woods, author of The AI Driven Leader: Harnessing AI To Make Smarter, Faster Decisions.   In this interview we talk about the fast changes in AI and how leaders can use it to think strategically and make better decisions.  Plus, in a live demonstration... we ask AI for insights on how the Austin Technology Council can keep expanding to meet the changing needs of Austin.   About Geoff Woods Geoff Woods is the #1 international bestselling book, #1 international bestselling author of The AI-Driven Leader, host of the AI-Driven Leader...

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In episode 90 of "Austin Tech Connect", Thom Singer talks to Karen Gordon, CEO of  Dynamics.  Karen is a serial entrepreneur, who is passionate about helping people harness the power of differences to amplify outcome.  

About Karen Gordon
 
Karen Gordon is the CEO of 5 Dynamics, a company that is focused on making the world a better place one relationship at a time. 5 Dynamics’ proprietary software, Simpli5, creates cultures fueled by self and interpersonal awareness to bolster productive collaboration, boost morale, accelerate timelines, and deliver better results. Most leaders tend to focus on what people do, instead of how they do it. In 3 minutes or less, Simpli5 determines how a person works through different phases of a project–ideation, alignment, planning and execution. Using these analyses, Simpli5 delivers customized development resources to leaders and their team members. 
 
Before launching 5 Dynamics in 2010, Karen led GTCI, a data and telecommunications company, to over 1100% growth, landing GTCI on the Inc. 500 list two years in a row. She is a former Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist and was included in the Dallas Top 25 businesses list. Louisiana Tech University named Karen its 2006 Alumnus of the Year in the College of Liberal Arts. 
 
Her thought leadership has been shared in Money Inc, Entrepreneur, The CEO Magazine, The Future of Everything, and many other publications. Her entrepreneurial spirit, love of learning, and commitment to excellence are attributes that she brings to all of her endeavors. Karen’s TEDx presentation on “The Myth of Difficult People” continues to be watched by thousands of people each year. 
 
 As an author, educator and entrepreneur, she has over 25 years of experience leading organizations to reach their highest potential. She has created and managed many businesses ranging from a martial arts studio, to a telecommunications and data company, to an employee experience platform. She is currently in the process of developing a retreat space in the woods of Maine that will focus on leadership development programs. 
 
Karen splits her time between Austin, TX and Wilton, Maine. When in Maine, she can be found at her lakeside camp enjoying nature with a good book, a glass of wine and her faithful dogs, Winston and Jasmine. Karen has also served on multiple non-profit boards over the years that share her passions of helping children, animal welfare, and social justice.   
 
About Simpli5
 
Simpli5, powered by 5 Dynamics, unleashes human potential by blending psychology, neuroscience, and technology to help individuals and teams navigate complex social and professional dynamics with creativity, empathy, critical thinking, and confidence. 
 
Their innovative platform analyzes individual’s and team’s working styles by acknowledging their affinity for different phases of a project cycle, which empowers adjustments and corrections that lead to improved collaboration, personal satisfaction, and superior outcomes. 
 
Simpli5’s roots are grounded in the work of Mike Sturm, an educator, a social psychologist, and a learning diagnostician. Originally applied in educational settings, this model was quickly brought by working parents into business applications. 
 
Today, Simpli5 fosters cultures driven by employee and team effectiveness, self-awareness, and interpersonal understanding. It equips leaders and teams with the insights they need to adjust leadership styles, predict performance, and address organizational challenges throughout a project’s lifecycle. Their methodology is being utilized in diverse organizations and learning institutions, from Stanford and Harvard to LinkedIn, Sutter Health, UKG, and IDEO. The methodology can be applied any place where two or more people are working together on a shared outcome.