10-Minute Tech Talks: Business Insights and Growth Hacks for Time-Crunched Entrepreneurs
Are you an entrepreneur building a technology company and looking to grow fast? In 10 minutes or less, this show teaches and inspires entrepreneurs to build better companies by tapping some of the smartest technology, entrepreneurial and business minds from Pittsburgh's technology and innovation ecosystem. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, get weekly tech insights, trends and inspiration to keep you on track or open up new business Possibilities. And if you have a little extra time on your hands we'll also post deep dive interviews from our guests on Pittsburgh's only technology talk radio show TechVibe that airs every Sunday morning at 6 AM on 100.1 FM AM 1020 KDKA.
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Growth Code: Tech Entrepreneurs Need More Cowbell!
07/05/2026
Growth Code: Tech Entrepreneurs Need More Cowbell!
Can having more fun actually help build a more serious company? In this episode of Growth Code: How to Crack the Inc. 5000, Dan Desko, Founder of Echelon Risk + Cyber, explains two of the values that make Echelon’s culture stand out: more cowbell and turning pro. Dan talks about why teams doing intense cybersecurity work need room to celebrate, laugh and stay connected. He also shares why “turning pro” is not a one-time achievement, but a constant commitment to getting better for clients, teammates and the business. Listen to this episode for a memorable lesson in building a company culture that balances serious work with personality, continuous improvement and just enough cowbell to keep the whole machine humming. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Growth Code: Tech Entrepreneur Hiring Lessons From Echelon Risk + Cyber
06/28/2026
Growth Code: Tech Entrepreneur Hiring Lessons From Echelon Risk + Cyber
How do you build a high-growth company without hiring a team full of clones? In this episode of Growth Code: How to Crack the Inc. 5000, Dan Desko, Founder of Echelon Risk + Cyber, shares why one of Echelon’s key growth values is hiring people with personality. For Dan, technical talent matters, but so does curiosity, character and the ability to work with people when the pressure climbs. He also explains why strong teams have to face issues head-on. That means building enough trust for people to speak honestly, challenge each other productively and keep the business moving forward without getting tangled in politics or fear. Listen to this episode for a smart look at how culture, trust and leadership accountability can become real growth tools for tech entrepreneurs. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Growth Code: Tech Entrepreneur Lessons From Echelon’s Inc. 5000 Growth
06/21/2026
Growth Code: Tech Entrepreneur Lessons From Echelon’s Inc. 5000 Growth
What does it really take to build a company that clients trust when the stakes are sky-high? In this first episode of Growth Code: How to Crack the Inc. 5000, Jonathan Kersting talks with Dan Desko, Founder of Echelon Risk + Cyber, about the first value that helped power Echelon’s rise to number 433 on the Inc. 5000: being truly client-centric. Dan explains why Echelon does not think in terms of “customers,” but instead builds real client relationships rooted in trust, urgency and service. He also digs into why cybersecurity is a team sport, especially when companies are facing sophisticated threats and need partners who will show up fast. Listen to this episode for a practical reminder that growth does not start with a sales pitch. It starts with building relationships that can withstand pressure. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Wins, Worries and Wild Cards: Huntington Bank's Economic Outlook For the Tech Entrepreneur
06/14/2026
Wins, Worries and Wild Cards: Huntington Bank's Economic Outlook For the Tech Entrepreneur
We are officially at the halfway point of the year, which makes this a perfect time to pop the hood on the economy and see what is really driving the engine. For entrepreneurs, business builders and tech leaders, the economy can feel like a dashboard full of blinking lights. Inflation. Interest rates. Consumer spending. AI investment. Hiring. Global uncertainty. Every one of those indicators can change how you plan, hire, invest and grow. That is why today’s 10 Minute Tech Talk features insights from Olu Omondunbi, PhD, Chief Economist for Huntington Private Bank. Olu recently broke down the national economic picture at Huntington Bank’s Economic Outlook & Market Overview event, and his message is one entrepreneurs should pay attention to: despite uncertainty, the U.S. economy continues to show resilience. His outlook can be summed up in three buckets: Wins: Consumer resilience, productivity gains and business investment Worries: Inflation, interest-rate policy and consumer spending outpacing income Wild cards: Global conflict, energy prices and geopolitical disruption Host Jonathan Kesrting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council reviews five key takeaways on the economy moving forward. So, before you make your next big move, listen in. This is your midyear economic checkpoint. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Father-Son Entrepreneurs Are Using AI and Gaming to Find Future Innovators
06/08/2026
Father-Son Entrepreneurs Are Using AI and Gaming to Find Future Innovators
What if the next great engineer, roboticist or AI innovator is already here in Pittsburgh, but just hasn’t been discovered yet? On this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, we’re featuring Damola and Wole Idowu of TOYZ Electronics, a Pittsburgh-based company blending AI, gaming, storytelling and STEAM education to help students see new futures for themselves. This clip, ripped from TechVibe, gets right to the heart of what makes TOYZ so compelling. Wole talks about being the “alpha test” for the platform, while Damola lays out why this work matters for our innovation economy. It’s about finding raw talent, building pathways and making sure more people are ready to create in the Intelligence Age. TOYZ Electronics is working to scale a platform that connects students to AI, gaming, digital twins, robotics, storytelling and real career pathways. And as you'll hear, this is not theory. They are already working with students, building traction and looking for partners who want to help us unlock more of our talent. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Entrepreneurial Triple Threat: How Ecotone’s Zeus Converts Food Waste Into Soil Sauce
06/01/2026
Entrepreneurial Triple Threat: How Ecotone’s Zeus Converts Food Waste Into Soil Sauce
What if the leftovers from lunch could become fertilizer, data and a climate solution? On this 10 Minute Tech Talk, we’re digging into one of the coolest circular economy stories growing right here in Pittsburgh. Dylan Lew, Co-Founder of Ecotone Renewables, walks us through Zeus, the company’s automated biodigester built inside a reused shipping container. Zeus takes food waste from schools, hospitals, offices and other organizations, processes it on site and turns it into a locally produced fertilizer called Soil Sauce. Along the way, Ecotone is also capturing data that can help customers understand what they are wasting in the first place. In just a few minutes, Dylan explains how Ecotone is turning a messy problem into a scalable technology platform. Food waste goes in. Soil Sauce comes out. And Pittsburgh innovation gets a little greener, smarter and saucier. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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AI Cybersecurity Risks Every Business Needs to Understand
05/26/2026
AI Cybersecurity Risks Every Business Needs to Understand
On this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, we’re diving into the fast-moving, slightly chaotic and very real world of AI and cybersecurity with Isabelle Syring and Robert Ragan of CUSTOS IQ. Everyone is using AI. Employees are testing tools. Teams are dropping company data into large language models. Copilot, ChatGPT and browser-based AI tools are showing up inside workflows before policies, security controls or legal guardrails have had a chance to catch up. That’s where CUSTOS IQ comes in. In this quick cut from TechVibe Radio, Isabelle and Rob explain why AI is not just an IT issue. It is a business-risk issue, a data-governance issue and, in industries like energy and manufacturing, potentially a critical infrastructure issue. The big takeaway: AI can absolutely be a powerful tool, but it needs policies, oversight, secure data practices and experienced people asking the right questions. Whether you’re using it to write emails or support predictive maintenance in critical infrastructure, the same rule applies: don’t let the machine outrun your judgment. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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FBI Cyber Advice Every Tech Entrepreneur Needs to Hear
05/18/2026
FBI Cyber Advice Every Tech Entrepreneur Needs to Hear
Cybersecurity is not just an IT issue. It is now a core business discipline. In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, Jonathan Kersting talks with Richard Evanchec, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, following his keynote at Cyburgh 2026. Evanchec shares practical guidance for business and technology leaders on how to strengthen cyber defenses before an incident occurs. The conversation highlights the FBI’s Winter Shield initiative and its focus on basic but critical cybersecurity practices: eliminating default passwords, applying software patches, using phishing-resistant authentication, maintaining offline backups and testing recovery plans. Evanchec also explains why companies need to think differently about cybersecurity spending. Rather than treating it as a late-stage investment or overhead expense, he says cyber readiness must become part of everyday business decision-making. The conversation also explores how AI is changing the threat landscape. From deepfakes that trick employees to tools that help criminals analyze stolen data for leverage, AI is making attacks more efficient. But Evanchec also notes that defenders and law enforcement are using AI to respond, investigate and bring bad actors to justice. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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What Makes a Tech Company Worth Buying? A Pittsburgh Entrepreneur Explains
05/11/2026
What Makes a Tech Company Worth Buying? A Pittsburgh Entrepreneur Explains
What makes a company worth buying? Most people think it’s revenue. Or technology. Or market share. But after spending more than 30 years building Pittsburgh-based engineering firm IQ Inc., founder Barbara VanKirk believes the answer starts somewhere else entirely: People. In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, you’ll hear how VanKirk built a company culture around growth, curiosity, and leadership—and why those values ultimately attracted a global acquisition from Critical Software. You’ll also hear her candid reflections on being one of the only women in engineering rooms early in her career—and why confidence and belonging still matter in tech today. If you’re building a company or building yourself as a leader, this conversation delivers a few lessons worth stealing. Listen VanKirk's entire interview Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Tech Entrepreneur Hiring Hack: Why AI Skills Matter More Than Experience
05/04/2026
Tech Entrepreneur Hiring Hack: Why AI Skills Matter More Than Experience
What if the best hire for your company isn’t the most experienced… but the most AI-enabled? In this quick hit from the Pittsburgh Technology Council's TechVibe Radio interview with Sandesh Sukumaran, founder of Outcome Logix, we dig into a major shift happening right now: companies are rethinking experience—and leaning hard into talent that knows how to use AI tools to move faster and smarter. The hiring game is no longer about years—it’s about leverage. The entrepreneurs who win are the ones building teams that know how to use AI, not just teams with long resumes. If you’re hiring, scaling, or just trying to stay competitive, this one might change how you build your team. Listen to the entire interview Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Tech First, Not Tech Only: How Entrepreneurs Can Find Friction, Fix Processes, and Lead With Data
04/27/2026
Tech First, Not Tech Only: How Entrepreneurs Can Find Friction, Fix Processes, and Lead With Data
What happens when you stop treating technology like overhead and start using it to give people their time back? In this episode, we talk with Monica Fletcher of Auberle, a nonprofit leader who’s thinking like a startup operator. She’s finding friction, digitizing clunky processes, using data to make smarter decisions, and rolling out AI in a way that supports people instead of replacing them. A few takeaways to listen for: why “tech first” does not mean “tech only” how to spot friction points that are quietly draining your team why the best use of AI might be giving your people more time for the work only humans can do Even though Monica works in human services, the lessons here travel really well for founders, managers, and anyone trying to build a smarter, more efficient organization. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Product Management Whiz Dan Olsen on Why Entrepreneurs Need to Pay Attention to Vibe Coding Right Now
04/20/2026
Product Management Whiz Dan Olsen on Why Entrepreneurs Need to Pay Attention to Vibe Coding Right Now
What happens when building a product gets radically easier? You’re about to find out. Today’s featured voice is Dan Olsen, author of The Lean Product Playbook and keynote speaker for ProductCamp Pittsburgh. In this excerpt, Dan dives into the fast-rising world of vibe coding and why it matters a whole lot more than just writing code faster. He explains how AI tools are making it easier for non-technical founders, product leaders, and startup teams to create prototypes, test ideas, and move from concept to customer feedback without getting stuck waiting on design or engineering resources. But here’s the real spark under the hood: when it becomes easier to build almost anything, the real competitive edge shifts to knowing what to build, why it matters, and how to validate it before wasting time and money. Dan makes the case that product management fundamentals are becoming more important, not less, in the AI era. You’ll also hear why entrepreneurs should stop thinking of these tools as just shiny demos or productivity hacks. Dan sees them as a way to unlock faster experimentation, better customer testing, and maybe even the next wave of one-person or ultra-lean companies. So if you’ve been wondering whether AI is changing how products get built, or whether vibe coding is something founders can actually use, this conversation will get your wheels turning. Check out ProductCamp Pittsburgh Check out The Lean Product Playbook Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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The Real Cost of Building Robots? Time. HEBI Robotics Explains
04/12/2026
The Real Cost of Building Robots? Time. HEBI Robotics Explains
What if the biggest breakthrough in robotics is not the robot itself, but the time you save building it? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, we sit down with Bob Raida and Dave Rollinson of and they explain how modular design can help engineers move faster, cut development friction, and avoid reinventing the wheel, while also showing how that same approach is opening doors for applications in industry and even space. This is a great lesson for entrepreneurs: the value of your product is not always just what it does, but how much friction it removes for the people using it. Hebi’s approach is a reminder that saving time, reducing complexity, and building with confidence can be a real competitive edge. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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From Idea to Market: How HEBI Robotics Found the Real Business
04/05/2026
From Idea to Market: How HEBI Robotics Found the Real Business
What happens when a company starts with one cool idea, then realizes the real business is hiding in the pieces they built along the way? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, Bob Raida and Dabe Rollinson of HEBI Robotics share how it evolved from snake robots to a modular robotics platform designed to help people build faster, test sooner, and get real tools into the real world. Their idea is simple: build, test, learn, repeat. HEBI found value not by clinging to the original idea, but by recognizing what customers could actually use and moving toward it. This is a smart reminder for any entrepreneur: sometimes the first idea is not the business, but the capabilities you build along the way might be. HEBI's story is a great lesson in product-market fit, staying adaptable, and testing early before you burn years on the wrong problem. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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How Tech Entrepreneurs Can Grow Companies Without Losing Their Souls
03/30/2026
How Tech Entrepreneurs Can Grow Companies Without Losing Their Souls
How do you build a business that can stand the test of time and keep your soul intact? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, Lou Camerlengo of fivestar* shares the kind of hard-earned insight entrepreneurs rarely get from a playbook. Rather than chasing growth for growth’s sake, Lou explains how fivestar* has stayed relevant by building deep client relationships, staying adaptable, and creating a company that is truly “built to evolve.” You’ll hear why long-term partnerships matter more than quick wins, how staying close to customers can shape smarter strategy, and why culture and flexibility are essential for lasting success. For entrepreneurs trying to grow without losing their edge, this conversation delivers practical lessons you can put to work right away. 3 key takeaways Long-term client relationships beat short-term wins Sustainable growth often comes from trust, service, and becoming a real partner. The best companies stay built to evolve Markets shift, customer needs change, and durable businesses adapt without losing their identity. Staying close to the customer is a competitive advantage Small, smart, responsive teams can punch far above their weight when they listen well and move with purpose. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious. Keywords
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How AI and Lidar Are Turning Maps Into Intelligent Machines
03/23/2026
How AI and Lidar Are Turning Maps Into Intelligent Machines
AI is transforming everything — but some of the most powerful applications are happening in places most people never see. In our Techvibe interview with Woolpert CEO Neil Churman, he explains how AI, lidar, and geospatial data are turning maps into machines that can detect landslides, monitor infrastructure, and help prevent disasters before they happen. It’s a fascinating look at how real-world AI is changing industries that have existed for more than a century. Woolpert is a global architecture, engineering, and geospatial technology firm that uses advanced tools like AI, lidar, and digital twins to design infrastructure, map the world, and help organizations build and manage everything from airports and pipelines to data centers and smart cities. Make sure you check out the with Woolpert CEO Neil Churman. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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From Steel Mills to AI: Why Pittsburgh’s Tech Future Is Built on Its Industrial DNA
03/16/2026
From Steel Mills to AI: Why Pittsburgh’s Tech Future Is Built on Its Industrial DNA
Pittsburgh is often called a comeback city. But Woolpert CEO Neil Churman sees something deeper. As discovered in his Techvibe interview, Neil believes the same industrial DNA that built America’s steel industry is now powering the region’s rise in AI, robotics, and infrastructure technology. In this short conversation, Neil shares a personal story about his great-grandfather working in the steel mills — and why that legacy still shapes the future of innovation.” Woolpert is a global architecture, engineering, and geospatial technology firm that uses advanced tools like AI, lidar, and digital twins to design infrastructure, map the world, and help organizations build and manage everything from airports and pipelines to data centers and smart cities. Be sure to listen to the full TechVibe interview where we dive deeper into AI, infrastructure, and the companies helping build the next generation of technology. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Hey Tech Entrepreneurs! Here's Why AI Won’t Replace Experts
03/09/2026
Hey Tech Entrepreneurs! Here's Why AI Won’t Replace Experts
AI is everywhere right now, and there’s a lot of fear about what it means for jobs. And Woolpert CEO Neil Churman sees it differently. He believes AI won’t replace experts — it will make them better. Woolpert is a global architecture, engineering, and geospatial technology firm that uses advanced tools like AI, lidar, and digital twins to design infrastructure, map the world, and help organizations build and manage everything from airports and pipelines to data centers and smart cities. As part of the Pittsburgh Technology Council's TechVibe Radio deep dive conversation, Neil shares how curiosity, collaboration, and new technology are reshaping leadership and helping companies unlock the full potential of their teams. Be sure to check out where we explore AI, infrastructure, and Pittsburgh’s role in the global innovation economy. And don’t forget to subscribe to 10 Minute Tech Talks for quick insights from the entrepreneurs and innovators building the future. This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Why Tech Entrepreneurs Win by Ignoring AI Hype
03/02/2026
Why Tech Entrepreneurs Win by Ignoring AI Hype
Are you building technology or are you building results? In this episode, you are going to hear why some leaders believe AI has been massively overhyped and massively undersold all at the same time. And why? The companies that win aren't just chasing trends. They are chasing outcomes. Pittsburgh Technology Council CEO Audrey Russo interviewed Jonathan Jungk of Palantir and Chris Johnson of TeleTracking Technologies at the Pittsburgh Tech Council's 2026 Think!AI Summit to get their insights. So if you care about growth, revenue, and real impact, this one is for you. Hit PLAY and listen right now. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Why Smart Tech Entrepreneurs Don’t Let AI Make the Final Call
02/23/2026
Why Smart Tech Entrepreneurs Don’t Let AI Make the Final Call
Here's a quick question for you. If your software can make decisions for your customers, should it, or should it simply make them smarter? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, you will get a front-row seat at the Pittsburgh Technology Council's 2026 Think!AI Summit. You're going to hear why some of the most advanced AI leaders in healthcare believe technology should recommend not rule. And by getting this wrong, can cost you trust adoption, possibly even the entire market. The Tech Council's CEO, Audrey Russo interviewed Jonathan Jungk of Palantir and Chris Johnson of TeleTracking to get their insights. They reveal that the goal isn't to replace human judgment. It is to elevate it. If your product makes users feel smarter, safer, and more confident, you win. If it makes them feel replaced. You lose. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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What Every Entrepreneur Should Know About Scaling a Technology Venture
02/16/2026
What Every Entrepreneur Should Know About Scaling a Technology Venture
What does it really take to scale a startup when early traction turns into real momentum? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, Jonathan Kersting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council and TechVibe Radio breaks down a powerful segment from his TechVibe interview with Wendy McSparren and John Mihalik, co-founders of Admirra, a fast-growing mental health technology startup. You’ll learn how they: Scaled from early customers to national growth Built a strong startup team without losing focus Kept their SaaS product simple and competitive Used customer feedback to guide development Prepared their company and infrastructure for long-term success This episode is packed with practical insights for entrepreneurs, startup founders, and business leaders who want to grow smarter, not just faster. After listening, check out to hear Wendy and John’s complete story, including their origin, partnership, and mission to expand access to mental health care through technology. If you’re building, scaling, or planning your next move, this episode is for you. Subscribe, follow, and keep learning with 10 Minute Tech Talks.
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Love, Leadership, and Launching a Technology Startup
02/09/2026
Love, Leadership, and Launching a Technology Startup
Building a startup is hard. Building a startup with your spouse? That’s a whole different level of difficulty. Today on 10 Minute Tech Talks, we’re exploring how Wendy McSparren and John Mihalik built Admirra together, not just as co-founders, but as partners in life. Admirra provides software and service solutions for private mental health practices to help them onboard new clients and efficiently manage business workflows. This is a story about trust, boundaries, leadership, and learning how to win together. Wendy and John remind us that startups aren’t just built on code and capital. They’re built on trust, patience, and the willingness to grow together. Admirra works because its founders work, first as partners, then as entrepreneurs. Listen to their entire Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Why Entrepreneurs Should Pay Attention to How Healthcare Uses Technology
02/02/2026
Why Entrepreneurs Should Pay Attention to How Healthcare Uses Technology
What you’re about to hear isn’t just a conversation about healthcare. It’s a masterclass in how modern organizations use technology to scale expertise, reduce friction, and make better decisions at speed. In this episode, we excerpted a segment from the Pittsburgh Technology Council's Health Care Reinvented Podcast featuring Highmark leaders Maria Baker and Mari Vandenburg as they talk about how artificial intelligence and predictive analytics are transforming healthcare by synthesizing massive amounts of data and turning it into clear, actionable insights for clinicians. For entrepreneurs, the parallels are immediate. This is about using AI to give experts superpowers, eliminating low-value work, and designing systems that surface the next best action instead of overwhelming people with dashboards and noise. If you’re building a company, leading a team, or thinking about how AI actually creates value beyond the buzzwords, this clip offers real-world lessons from one of the most complex industries on the planet. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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The Fast Lane for Entrepreneurs Who Code: AI Is the On-Ramp, Not the Destination
01/26/2026
The Fast Lane for Entrepreneurs Who Code: AI Is the On-Ramp, Not the Destination
AI is everywhere right now. It can write code, generate content, fix bugs, and give you a starting point in seconds. But if you’re an entrepreneur building a real product, you’ve probably already realized something important: AI alone isn’t enough. In this 10 Minute Tech Talk, we are joined again by Greg Lutz from Mescius, a Pittsburgh-based software company that’s spent decades building tools for developers who need to move fast and build things that actually work in the real world. In this clip, Greg shares a grounded, practical perspective on where AI truly adds value, where it can lead you astray, and why purpose-built development tools still matter more than ever. If you’re using AI to accelerate your work but wondering how to turn those quick wins into sustainable software, this conversation is exactly what you need to hear. And check out Code Clinic at Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Save Time and Frustration: Every Tech Entrepreneur That Codes Needs This Resource
01/19/2026
Save Time and Frustration: Every Tech Entrepreneur That Codes Needs This Resource
You’re building something. You’re moving fast. And at some point, the code starts slowing you down. Today’s 10 Minute Tech Talks is for founders and entrepreneurs who are doing some of their own development and wondering if there’s a smarter way to build without reinventing every wheel. Greg Lutz from Mescius, a Pittsburgh-based company that’s been helping developers save time for more than two decades, joins Host Jonathan Kersting to detail Code Clinic. Greg breaks down Code Clinic, a free, approachable learning resource designed to help developers solve real problems, learn faster, and ship better software, without needing to be an expert on day one. If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be a better way to do this,” this one’s for you. And check out Code Clinic at In our next 10 Minute Tech Talks, we’ll go deeper with Greg into how AI fits into this picture, where it helps, where it falls short, and why real development tools still matter more than ever. Stay tuned. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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How a Tech Entrepreneur Turned Broken Networking into Scalable Opportunity
01/12/2026
How a Tech Entrepreneur Turned Broken Networking into Scalable Opportunity
Why do so many promising business conversations quietly disappear after a handshake? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, we explore a problem every tech entrepreneur knows too well. You meet the right people. You have great conversations. And somehow… nothing happens next. ConfirmedApp.com Founder David Radin breaks down why networking isn’t broken because of people, but because of systems. And how recognizing that gap led to him building Confirmed Meet & Greet to solve it. If your business depends on relationships, sales, or partnerships, this insight could change how you think about in-person connections forever. Plus, provide a reminder that the most powerful startup ideas often come from everyday frustrations we’ve all learned to tolerate. Until someone decides not to. Just like David. This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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A Tech Entrepreneur’s Wake-Up Call: When Your Product Is Just a Feature
01/05/2026
A Tech Entrepreneur’s Wake-Up Call: When Your Product Is Just a Feature
What if the thing you’re most proud of building… is the thing holding your business back? Today on 10 Minute Tech Talks, we’re digging into a moment every tech entrepreneur eventually faces. You’ve got momentum, a smart team, and something that looks polished and impressive, until you realize it doesn’t actually solve the problem. Host Jonathan Kersting interviewed serial entrepreneur David Radin of ConfirmedApp.com on the Pittsburgh Technology Council's TechVibe Radio Show to pull back the curtain on why David's team walked away from months of work, scrapped a “good” idea, and made the hard call most founders avoid. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re building a real product or just a shiny feature, this episode is for you. Here’s the takeaway. The hardest part of being a tech entrepreneur isn’t building. It’s knowing what not to build. In our next episode, David takes this lesson one step further and shows how a real-world frustration at networking events sparked an entirely new product idea. One rooted in human behavior, not hype. Because once you kill the wrong idea, you finally make room for the right one. This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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The AI Mistakes Tech Entrepreneurs Keep Making
12/29/2025
The AI Mistakes Tech Entrepreneurs Keep Making
If AI is everywhere, why are so many companies still struggling to make it work? In Part One "Why Tech Entrepreneurs Can’t Treat AI as an Experiment Anymore", we talked about how AI crossed into the business mainstream. Now it’s time for the harder question: why do so many implementations stall, underperform, or quietly fail? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, we talk to Justine Kasznica and Chris Farmakis of Babst Calland to get into the real blockers, from data quality and security risks to leadership missteps and workforce anxiety — and what smart organizations are doing to overcome them. This is where AI strategy meets reality. AI doesn’t fail because the technology isn’t powerful enough. It fails when leadership treats it like a tool to buy instead of a capability to build. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Why Tech Entrepreneurs Can’t Treat AI as an Experiment Anymore
12/22/2025
Why Tech Entrepreneurs Can’t Treat AI as an Experiment Anymore
When did AI stop being a fun experiment… and start becoming table stakes for running a business? In just a year, AI has gone from “interesting” to essential. But while nearly every company is talking about it, only a fraction are actually seeing real returns. In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, you’ll hear from Justine Kasznica and Chris Farmakis of Babst Calland on why AI adoption has exploded, what’s driving CFOs a little crazy right now, and how the companies getting it right are separating themselves from the pack. This is the moment AI stopped being optional, and became core to how business gets done. So here’s the takeaway: AI is officially mainstream, but success is far from guaranteed. Some companies are unlocking massive efficiency gains. Others are burning money and wondering what went wrong. In our next episode, we’ll dig into why so many AI initiatives fail, and what leaders must do differently if they want real ROI instead of expensive experiments. If you’re asking yourself, “Okay, so how do we actually do this right?” — you’ll want to catch Part Two. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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Why Every Tech Entrepreneur Needs to Rethink 5G Connectivity in 2026
12/18/2025
Why Every Tech Entrepreneur Needs to Rethink 5G Connectivity in 2026
What if the next breakout startup isn’t powered by better software… but by better connectivity? Today’s 10 Minute Tech Talk is all about removing the invisible limits that hold entrepreneurs back. We are joined by Jay Noschese from T-Mobile for Business, and this conversation flips the script on how founders should think about 5G. We’re not talking faster phones. We’re talking about new business models, new customer experiences, and entire industries being reshaped because connectivity can now be customized, optimized, and trusted for mission-critical work. Hit PLAY, and you’ll hear how technologies like 5G Advanced and network slicing are already powering live sports broadcasts, massive events, and healthcare systems where failure isn’t an option. And more importantly, you’ll start to see what this unlocks for entrepreneurs building what’s next. If you’re a founder, operator, or innovator asking, “What can I build now that wasn’t possible before?” You’re in the right place. Let’s jump in. This Pittsburgh Technology Council podcast is for tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.
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