Fail Faster
We take you inside the trenches of enterprise and bring you the stories of the leaders who are creating the next generation of technology and products. At InfoBeans, we love making things. We are a diverse team of designers, engineers, and product strategists. With different backgrounds and skillsets, we come together to make exceptional technology. This podcast pairs members of our team with leaders from Fortune 500’s to startups in conversations that reveal surprising wins, juicy losses, and innovation techniques you’ll love.
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#460 - Experimentation is the key to growth
05/17/2024
#460 - Experimentation is the key to growth
In today's episode of Fail Faster, we are thrilled to introduce our guest, Dave Williamson. Dave serves as the CIO at the Abzena, a life science group headquartered in San Diego, CA Abzena provides the most complete set of solutions in integrated early discovery to mid-phase biotherapeutic and ADC drug development services in the pharmaceutical industry. Dave’s overarching goal is to support the organization in their growth and revenue goals by the use of technology and digital transformation. He has extensive experience working in information technology within the biotech industry to increase manufacturing, quality and supply chain efficiency and effectiveness. Most recently, he worked for Illumina as lead for data science and analytics, creating a set of data capabilities across the operations function.
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#459 - We only learn from our failures!
04/09/2024
#459 - We only learn from our failures!
Welcome to Fail Faster! In this episode, we are excited to have Brad Power, Senior Director Digital Product & User Experience at Kendra Scott. Brad is an experienced leader responsible for defining global vision and strategy, in support of business and technology goals. He's built high-performing, cross-disciplined teams responsible for supply chain, in store and online experiences, product management, analytics, e-commerce, social and customer care. He is an Internal evangelist for emerging trends, best practices and global digital brand standards. Brad has been responsible for PnL budget, managing agency relationships, negotiating partnerships and guiding product development including infrastructure and platform implementation.
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#458 - Leadership
04/04/2024
#458 - Leadership
Welcome to Fail Faster! Today, we are thrilled to introduce our guest, Syed Bilal Ali, affectionately known as Syed Ali. With a rich background spanning over two decades in the Information Technology field, Syed brings a wealth of experience and insights to our discussion. Born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan, Syed's journey in technology leadership began early, fueled by his passion for innovation and community impact. He has spent significant time in management roles, collaborating with exceptional teams throughout his career. Currently, Syed is a pivotal part of Legacy Community Health, the largest non-profit organization in Texas and the 7th largest nationwide. Join us as we explore Syed's insights on technology leadership, community impact, and the transformative power of technology in enriching lives and organizations. Stay tuned for an engaging and enlightening conversation ahead!
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#457 - Managing with care
04/03/2024
#457 - Managing with care
Welcome to Fail Faster! In today's episode, we are excited to have Stephen Sturdevant as our special guest. With over two decades of experience in the technology sector, Stephen's journey began on an IT help desk and progressed through various roles in IT process management, ServiceNow development, architecture, and leadership. His extensive experience spans across diverse industries such as financial services, building products, packaging, video gaming, consulting, and cybersecurity. A graduate of BYU with a degree in business management, Stephen brings a unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen to the table. Beyond his professional achievements, Stephen shares a fulfilling personal life with his wife of over 20 years and their three children.
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#456 - The power of compounding returns
03/12/2024
#456 - The power of compounding returns
In this episode, we sit down with Alan Snyder, Managing General Partner at Shinnecock Partners and the founder and CEO of aShareX, an alternative investment auction platform. From pioneering the Discover Card to founding an investment boutique, Alan shares invaluable insights into fractionalization in finance and introduces aShareX, an innovative auction exchange platform. We explore the revolutionary concept of fractional bidding for high-end assets and learn more about Alan's investor-centric approach. Join us as we discover the challenges and solutions in fractionalizing high-value assets, along with the importance of compounding returns in investment.
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#455 - From vision to execution: Insights from Leepa
03/04/2024
#455 - From vision to execution: Insights from Leepa
Leepa Mohanty serves as the Director of Program Strategy at the Business Transformation Office of Reynolds Consumer Products. Her overarching goal is to steer the organization towards success, leveraging her expertise in leadership, strategy, and program management. Leading a high-performing team, Leepa spearheads crucial transformation initiatives, enhancing revenue streams and optimizing business operations. Driven by a fervor for cultivating inclusive workplaces, Leepa is committed to nurturing environments where everyone feels valued. Prior to her role at Reynolds Consumer Products, she played instrumental roles in transformation within the Fintech sector at Citibank and Capgemini. Leepa has a proven track record of tackling intricate challenges and delivering tangible results. Beyond her professional pursuits, Leepa finds joy in creating music. She resides in Chicago with her husband and two children.
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#454 - Creating innovation through empathy and diversity of thought
03/01/2024
#454 - Creating innovation through empathy and diversity of thought
Jennifer Rött (pronounced “wrote”) is a strategic Product, User Experience, and Design leader specializing in human-centered products and platforms. Jennifer has 20 years of experience sustainably scaling and growing people, teams, products, cloud, SaaS, and enterprise platforms through empathy and collaboration. Jennifer has pioneered innovations across social, entertainment, and media technology - winning over two dozen awards in the last 2 years for Innovation and Design, including a Red Dot. Jennifer believes diversity of thought and experience make for the most innovative and inclusive products. Jennifer leads Innovation through data, research, and exploration that puts people first.
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#453 - A peek under the hood of healthcare billing experience
01/25/2024
#453 - A peek under the hood of healthcare billing experience
In this episode, our guest is Kinshuk Mishra, a seasoned leader in the tech and healthcare space, who is currently Chief Technology Officer for healthcare financial engagement platform, Cedar. Kinshuk takes us through his career journey, reflecting on pivotal moments, including both successes and failures. From the importance of trusting your instincts to the complexities of behavioral change within organizations, Kinshuk shares valuable insights for technology leaders and aspiring engineering professionals to assess against.
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#452 - What they don't teach you in UX school
01/19/2024
#452 - What they don't teach you in UX school
Ricardo Lattore, VP Group Experience Design Director at Razorfish, born in Colombia, South America in the 80's, somehow survived the Rad BMX era only to find himself pushing the limits of any free generative AI account.
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#451 - Breaking barriers: Mastering cross-functional communication in healthcare and beyond
01/19/2024
#451 - Breaking barriers: Mastering cross-functional communication in healthcare and beyond
Naveen Chadalavada brings his operational mindset and experience leading teams to business problems at hand. While he is currently leading a team at Phreesia who grows and nurtures partnerships, he has had a variety of experience both in and out of the classroom across the provider healthcare space. From his days in consulting to his time in the technology space, Naveen has focused much of his professional career on building a foundational toolkit to help him set up to be a leader in the healthcare industry. Naveen enjoys meeting new people, learning about their passions, and fostering collaborative networks. During his free time, you will likely catch him at a sporting event or spending time with his family. Naveen has a master’s degree in business from the Kellogg School of Management and a master’s degree in public health from George Washington University. These experiences provide an academic complement to his professional experiences in the field.
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#450 - Setting up agile product management teams from scratch
01/19/2024
#450 - Setting up agile product management teams from scratch
Shazil is a seasoned product leader with over 14 years of experience in multiple industries across 14 countries. As a product professional Shazil has worked to launch 0-1 and 0-n products and has created, coached and led teams to offer immense outputs during his career. Currently Shazil lives in Toronto Canada with his wife and works for Scotiabank as a director of product management for the payments team. In his free time Shazil likes to explore hiking trails and Toronto in general and also is an avid Fifa player on the playstation and a passionate Chelsea football club supporter.
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#449 - Curiosity can be the difference between an excellent and a mediocre product
01/16/2024
#449 - Curiosity can be the difference between an excellent and a mediocre product
Join us on the "Fail Faster" podcast as we dive into the fascinating world of product management and innovation with our special guest, Jaxon Merrill, VP, of Digital Product & Digital Product Design at Beautycounter. With a unique background in both audio and product management, Jaxon shares insights from his transformative projects, including a deep dive into the Beachbody streaming service. Discover how he navigated the challenges of shifting from physical DVD sales to a subscription-based model, using agile methodologies and user-centric approaches. In this episode, Jaxon sheds light on the intersection of AI and product management, emphasizing the importance of curiosity in the ever-evolving tech landscape. From building teams and conducting user research to embracing the psychology of fitness, his experiences provide valuable lessons for aspiring product managers.
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#448 - Incorporating the HUMAN in every process.
01/04/2024
#448 - Incorporating the HUMAN in every process.
Join us on the Fail Faster podcast as Kristy Tupper, Vice President of Product Management at RxSense, shares her inspiring journey in and around the healthcare IT industry. From navigating various facets of the business to her impactful role in prescription benefits, Christy discusses leadership principles, overcoming setbacks, and the importance of maintaining a user-centered focus. Tune in for insights into industry trends, the power of networking, and the wisdom gained from turning failures into opportunities.
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#447 - Swift Leadership: Navigating the Path to Innovation
01/04/2024
#447 - Swift Leadership: Navigating the Path to Innovation
Chad Niemuth is the Global Vice President of Marketing and Sales Technology within the IT organization at the Campari Group. For the past 24 years of his career he has led single and multi-brand organizations in developing technology solutions and platforms, grounded in process, data, integration, and tangible KPIs and reporting. This stems from an unrelenting passion for technology, but grounded in the impact it has in connecting people. Building upon a foundation developed in university through a degree in Advertising and Sociology, He continues to search for the perfect execution, which drives the most organization value internally and externally impacting employees, customers, and consumers – people and groups. In his most recent 11 years he has spent leading the sixth largest CPG and the sixth largest spirits companies globally in developing platforms of capability for over 80 household name brands. Touted as the PnL equalizer across the brands he serves – whereby leveraging large investments to create innovation and experience for consumers and then re-engineering the same capability across a portfolio of brands, his solutions have contributed to driving a double value share growth for the Manpower Group and the Campari Group.
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#446 - Product pioneer, navigating innovation and impact
12/06/2023
#446 - Product pioneer, navigating innovation and impact
Elio Damaggio is a product leader with over 15 years of experience in cloud computing, IoT, and AI. Currently serving as the Head of Product for AWS in the Next Generation Developer Experience organization, he is building new ways to empower software developer teams with AI. Elio began his tech journey as a product manager at Microsoft, where he worked on Azure Mobile, IoT, and big data services. At Microsoft, he amassed an impressive portfolio of 11 patents, all related to cloud technologies and IoT. Elio's passions extend to gaming, where he enjoys RPGs, strategy games, and adventures. He's also an amateur musician, wasting time writing songs with his acoustic and electric guitars.
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#445 - Failing fast, succeeding faster: A product leader's journey
11/30/2023
#445 - Failing fast, succeeding faster: A product leader's journey
Peter Papaioannou, the inaugural Vice President of Product at Everyware, is a seasoned professional in the fintech and payments sector. With a wealth of experience collaborating with renowned global organizations, Peter has excelled in high-growth environments, showcasing his proficiency in strategic visioning and pioneering product innovation. In his previous role as the Vice President of Global Product at Global Payments, Papaioannou played a pivotal role in shaping the strategic vision and fostering innovation. His focus was on delivering cutting-edge omnichannel, e-commerce, and in-store solutions to a vast network of over four million merchants.
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#444 - Path to product management
11/30/2023
#444 - Path to product management
Kevin Washington is the Director of Product Management for Experimentation & Customer Feedback Experiences at Best Buy and has a broad background of experience at omnichannel retailers. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Morehouse College where he teaches Product Management to Business and CS students. Kevin’s passions are deeply rooted in creating equitable opportunities for students and that has led him to sit on the board of two annual hackathons that target historically Black colleges & universities and Hispanic serving institutions respectively.
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#443 - Fail Faster with Mandy: Insights from an industry expert
11/29/2023
#443 - Fail Faster with Mandy: Insights from an industry expert
Mandy Janicki has spent her career fully in-house for the past 18 years for companies based in Michigan, California and Chicago. In her current role, Mandy founded the Creative Studio in 2015 to serve as UL Solutions' first in-house agency—an innovative solution that greatly reduced UL Solutions' dependence on external agencies and strengthened the quality of marketing collateral and brand messaging. Mandy leads a global team of writers, designers and UX experts spearheading digital content creation, brand identity development, and user experiences for global corporations. She has proven success executing an average of 1,700 projects annually, realizing cost savings of up to $4M.
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#442 - Who is Maverick?
11/29/2023
#442 - Who is Maverick?
Preetha Sekharan, VP, Digital Incubator, Applied AI & Transformation joins us as we delve into the challenges and successes of establishing a digital strategy practice in a well-established company, along with insights on AI implementation in the insurance industry. In this episode you will learn how strategies are tailored, technology readiness is assessed, and what kind of leadership mindset goes into successful digital transformations. We also dipped into the gap between strategy and execution, and the importance of actionable strategies and effective communication. Preetha shares how AI is operationalized, the value of involving operational experts, and the journey from skepticism to trust. Tune in for practical insights on technology adoption and adaptation in the corporate world. This episode has some great lessons from the corporate trenches.
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#441 - Role of the project management office in technological innovation
11/22/2023
#441 - Role of the project management office in technological innovation
Nicolas Hien serves as Chief Information Officer at Dollarama where he has the supervisory responsibility over the IT function and the Project Management Office.
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#440 - Designing the leading collaboration platform
11/21/2023
#440 - Designing the leading collaboration platform
Meet Stan Rapp, a name in the design world who transitioned from being a self-taught designer to leading Enterprise Design at Asana. Before his current role, Stan shaped product design at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. On top of his design expertise, he's a certified coach and a recent graduate of UPenn's Executive Design Leadership program. Specializing in design strategy and co-creation, he's particularly interested in designing for emotions and behavior change. A native of Ukraine, now residing in the SF Bay Area, Stan has shared his insights at several notable conferences, including The Next Web and Adobe. He has also won awards from SF Design Week and TechCrunch Disrupt.
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#439 - In the world of AI, Are you team Accelerate or Decelerate
11/08/2023
#439 - In the world of AI, Are you team Accelerate or Decelerate
Bryan Lane is a writer, speaker, and technology advisor focused on using data and AI for the public good. He is currently serving as the chief of business intelligence at the FDIC. Prior to that, he co-founded the government-wide AI Center of Excellence at GSA, where he supported organizations like the DoD Joint AI Center. While in government service, he has developed nearly $1B in AI and data-related contracts and deployed enterprise-wide capabilities to hybrid cloud platforms. Prior to joining the federal government, Bryan led product management for a software firm that was strategically acquired for $250M and was an analytic consultant for IBM. He also served as an active duty Marine and Arabic linguist, with deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan during the Global War on Terror. He routinely writes on AI, data, and society and has been featured in widely distributed Medium publications such as HumanParts, OneZero, The Generator, and DATA XD.
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#438 - Navigating Innovation in Highly Governed Ecosystems
11/01/2023
#438 - Navigating Innovation in Highly Governed Ecosystems
Ashley Nelson, VP Innovation - Mastercard Foundry, joins us as we delve into the professional journey of an innovation and new product development expert. From experiences at Citi and MasterCard to driving innovation in various global landscapes, the discussion unfolds the challenges and triumphs faced in a regulated industry. The conversation covers topics such as successful product stories, meeting market demands, gaining stakeholder trust, decision points for product decommissioning, and exciting developments in emerging technologies like AI and blockchain. Ashley also shares insights on handling diverse projects, the importance of continuous learning of the evolving market demands and delivering a service that is aligned with customer requirements within tight timelines.
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#437 - Navigating Healthcare Design and AI
10/31/2023
#437 - Navigating Healthcare Design and AI
In this episode, we sit down with Regis Becarte, Head of UX Design and Research at Natera, a biotech company specializing in non-invasive prenatal testing and women's health. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of healthcare design and explore the challenges and successes of building a design team in a clinical tech company. Let's learn how the intersection of physical and digital experiences can transform patient care and how AI-powered chatbots are enhancing patient support. Let's dive into this journey of innovation and empathy in healthcare design with Regis.
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#436 - Navigating E-Commerce success in travel and beyond
10/20/2023
#436 - Navigating E-Commerce success in travel and beyond
Join us on the Fail Faster podcast as we delve into the world of high-impact, high-visibility e-commerce strategies with Hailong Shen, Director of eCommerce Technology at Royal Caribbean. He shares insights from his extensive career in the travel industry, touching on his experiences at American Airlines and Royal Caribbean Group. Discover how Heilong's fail-fast mentality and focus on customer-centric innovation have contributed to the success of these industry giants. From streamlining payment processes to navigating challenges during COVID-19, we explore the dynamic world of e-commerce and its pivotal role in shaping exceptional travel experiences. Tune in for valuable tips on personalization, user experience, and the future of e-commerce in the cruise industry. Don't miss this engaging conversation with a leader who's truly steering the ship towards a brighter future in e-commerce and travel.
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#435 - Behind reporting dashboards
10/06/2023
#435 - Behind reporting dashboards
Join us on the "Fail Faster" podcast as we sit down with Jag Bedi, Vice President - Data Science and Analytics at Purchasing Power. In this insightful episode, we delve into the fascinating world of e-tail and how Purchasing Power empowers customers to improve their quality of life through affordable access to products and services. Jag shares the challenges and successes of implementing a data warehouse and the impact it has had on decision-making and customer engagement. Discover how data-driven strategies are shaping the future of this innovative company and get valuable insights into driving change within your organization. Don't miss this inspiring conversation on leveraging data for growth!
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#434 - How can I help you?
10/03/2023
#434 - How can I help you?
Join us for a special episode of the Fail Faster podcast as we explore the world of customer support with Matthew Caron, VP of Customer Experience and Onboarding at OpenTable. Matthew shares his personal journey from holding a CSR job nobody desires to uncovering beauty within the chaos and becoming a successful leader in customer support. He candidly discusses the challenges he faced and how he not only overcame but also eliminated the victim mindset that he repeatedly came across in this industry. Matthew also offers a valuable perspective and tactical advice on how to empower the CSR teams as they hold the precious human connection every brand desires to establish and nurture long term. He strongly believes that the CSR team holds the success of any brand in that sense. This episode is a must listen for every leader who influences the customer support function of their org, as you will find some game changing techniques.
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#433 - Integrated Security
09/25/2023
#433 - Integrated Security
Welcome to the "Fail Faster" podcast, where we dive deep into the world of cybersecurity with a well known industry expert Mark Ashworth, Chief Information Security Officer at First Bank. In this episode, Mark shares his journey from a fascination with technology sparked by a movie to becoming the CISO at First Bank. We get into the weeds of a secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC) and the challenges of integrating security seamlessly. Mark also delves into the ever-evolving threat landscape and the critical role of a strong security culture within organizations. Join us as we uncover valuable insights and stories from the frontlines of cybersecurity, helping you navigate this complex and vital field.
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#432 - Designing Success Globally
09/20/2023
#432 - Designing Success Globally
Oleg Slyusarchuk serves as the global head of Product Design at Eleks. As part of his role, Oleg has been managing a design team consisting of 60 designers in various countries, including the UK, US, Germany, Canada, Estonia, Croatia, Poland, and Portugal, for the past 7 years. With 20 years of experience in the field of design and a certification in Design Management from Nielsen Norman Group, Oleg is particularly passionate about business and service design. He excels in crafting customized solutions within the Healthcare, Finance, and Insurance sectors, drawing inspiration from various design methodologies.
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#431 - Crafting palatable experiences with Daniel Meretsky
09/20/2023
#431 - Crafting palatable experiences with Daniel Meretsky
Join us in this episode as we chat with Daniel Meretsky, a tech and restaurant industry expert. With over 15 years of experience, Daniel shares his insights into pioneering smart card technology, optimizing McDonald's operations, and adapting to changing customer preferences. Discover how data and AI are shaping the restaurant industry and the importance of leadership in fostering a collaborative team. Explore Daniel's involvement with innovative brands like Fresh Kitchen, Callie, and Camp, all dedicated to health, nutrition, and excellence. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, restaurant pro, or aspiring leader, this episode offers valuable insights at the intersection of technology, innovation, and leadership in the restaurant world.
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