What's Up with Tech?

Evan Kirstel

Tech Transformation with Evan Kirstel: A podcast exploring the latest trends and innovations in the tech industry, and how businesses can leverage them for growth, diving into the world of B2B, discussing strategies, trends, and sharing insights from industry leaders!With over three decades in telecom and IT, I've mastered the art of transforming social media into a dynamic platform for audience engagement, community building, and establishing thought leadership. My approach isn't about personal brand promotion but about delivering educational and informative content to cultivate a sustainable, long-term business presence. I am the leading content creator in areas like Enterprise AI, UCaaS, CPaaS, CCaaS, Cloud, Telecom, 5G and more!

  1. 2D AGO

    How SD-WAN And Managed Connectivity Power Modern Enterprises

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Redundancy only feels like a boring insurance policy… until it starts delivering real, everyday performance wins. In this conversation with Julian Jacquez, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of BCN Telecom, we dig into how dual connections, SD-WAN overlays, and intelligent automation transform networks from “hope nothing breaks” into always-on, high-performing platforms that keep cloud apps flying and employees focused on actual work (not buffering wheels). We walk through the journey from single links and MPLS to today’s world of diverse access, policy-driven routing, real-time failover, and direct-to-cloud optimization. Julian breaks down why many enterprises start with managed connectivity, then layer in security through SASE and zero trust to create a unified model for identity, segmentation, and inspection. For distributed environments like restaurants, healthcare, and retail, the ability to roll out consistent changes across hundreds or even thousands of locations is a massive unlock. No more touching every box. Firewall updates, policy shifts, and standards enforcement happen centrally and instantly. And then there’s execution, where most network projects either shine or stall. We get practical about project-managed deployments, coordinating carriers and cutovers, and deciding between OpEx and CapEx based on refresh cycles, cash flow, and internal expertise. We also cover co-managed versus fully managed operations, what to automate first, and how AI-driven visibility turns raw telemetry into proactive tickets and recommended fixes. We even explore access diversity in underserved markets, from fiber and broadband to 4G/5G and LEO, making sure sites stay online wherever work happens. With storms, power outages, and security incidents putting constant pressure on infrastructure, resilience isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. It’s a core business strategy. If uptime, user experience, and smarter network spend matter to you, this episode will definitely make you rethink the modern WAN for the AI era. Subscribe, share it with a colleague, and drop a review with the resilience tactic you’re prioritizing next. Everyday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AICan't keep up with AI? We've got you. Everyday AI helps you keep up and get ahead.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    29 min

  2. 4D AGO

    How A Partner-Obsessed Model Turns Weeks Of Telco Quoting Into Minutes

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Your quoting process shouldn’t feel like a scavenger hunt. We sat down with GTT’s channel leaders to unpack how a partner-obsessed strategy and a new digital platform, GTT EnvisionDX, shrink telco quoting from weeks to minutes while boosting transparency, accuracy, and partner ROI. The conversation gets practical fast: what it means to orchestrate sales, marketing, enablement, and product around outcomes; why legacy programs disintermediated partners; and how a modern model respects that MSPs, SIs, and advisors hold the strongest customer relationships. We dive into the product innovations that make the difference. GTT EnvisionDX is built around location-first design, live vendor pricing, on-net visibility, and side-by-side term comparisons. Large language models translate plain English into telco details, so partners don’t need to speak jargon to configure DIA, broadband, wireless, SD-WAN, SASE, or pro services. For multi-site deals, AI parses messy spreadsheets, validates addresses, and applies reusable templates, letting teams scale from two sites to hundreds with confidence. Digital twinning tests network designs before rollout, reducing risk and rework. Every step surfaces transparent choices, recommended equipment, and full costs—including install and shipping—so decisions are clear and fast.  Beyond quoting, the team focuses on lifecycle management and marketplace integrations, aiming to make network and security management fade into the background so customers can focus on revenue, cost control, and experience. If you’ve been waiting for telecom to feel more like cloud—self-serve workflows, real-time data, API-first integrations, and a clean UX—this conversation is proof it’s here. If you found this valuable, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review to help more channel leaders discover it. Everyday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AICan't keep up with AI? We've got you. Everyday AI helps you keep up and get ahead.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    26 min

  3. JAN 29

    Turning IT From Cost Center To Growth Engine

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Your next hire shouldn’t spend their first week waiting on a laptop while projects sit in limbo. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the $5B device lifecycle management market and explore how modern IT teams are shipping fully provisioned devices worldwide, recovering assets cleanly, and protecting data without becoming a global logistics operation. Francis Osifo, third-time founder and CEO of Rayda, breaks down how his team delivers day one ready devices in as little as five business days across 170 countries. By integrating directly with HR systems, standardizing device catalogs, and automating provisioning and returns, Rayda removes the friction that slows global hiring. We dig into the real cost of devices stuck in customs, the offboarding mess created by buying hardware from consumer retailers, and why Apple Business Manager and MDM platforms are the backbone of enterprise control. The conversation gets practical fast. We cover how to close the HR IT gap with automated triggers and clear SLAs, how to maintain real time visibility into assets across borders, and how to avoid the compliance risks of forgotten devices floating in the wild. Francis also shares why IT must evolve from a perceived cost center into a strategic growth enabler and how seamless onboarding directly impacts culture, productivity, and retention. Looking ahead, we explore the rise of agentic AI in IT operations. From handling routine tickets and password resets to orchestrating software access and even device procurement through intelligent automation, this next wave of tooling is set to free small teams to focus on security, architecture, and innovation. For lean IT orgs supporting hundreds of employees per admin, this is how scale actually becomes manageable. If you’re hiring globally, struggling with device sprawl, or looking to show real ROI from IT operations, this conversation is a must listen. Subscribe, share it with a teammate who’s tired of onboarding fire drills, and drop a review with your toughest device challenge so we can tackle it next. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    19 min

  4. JAN 28

    How NinjaOne Uses Data And Human-In-The-Loop Automation To Fix Endpoint Headaches

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Patch Tuesday doesn’t just deliver updates. It delivers pressure. Suddenly, you’re staring at a mountain of fixes, racing to decide what ships now, what waits, and how to keep a single reboot from blowing up your entire week. In our latest conversation with NinjaOne, we dig into what practical AI actually looks like when you’re responsible for millions of endpoints and have zero tolerance for downtime. Forget the buzzwords. We walk through how real telemetry, public sentiment signals, and human-in-the-loop workflows remove latency from patching, shrink rollbacks, and turn operational chaos into confidence. We also tackle a long-standing pain point: messy asset data. When your CMDB is noisy, everything downstream starts to wobble. Licensing, vulnerability management, compliance, and budgeting all take a hit. You’ll hear how AI can reconcile unstructured inputs and normalize device records to finally deliver a clean system of record without an army of spreadsheet warriors. From there, we draw a clear line between smart automation and risky overreach. Full autonomy sounds great on paper, but legal and technical realities demand a pragmatic approach. We discuss a future where AI drafts the policies and packages while experts validate the results, allowing repeatable, low-risk issues to close automatically. There is also encouraging momentum in the public sector. Streamlined FedRAMP pathways and growing reciprocity across defense impact levels are speeding up adoption and helping agencies move closer to private-sector velocity. Combined with budget pressure, this is accelerating the move toward a Digital Operations Center with centralized visibility, fewer tools, and outcomes you can actually measure. We wrap with a look ahead to what resilience means in 2026. Think performance you can prove through deep instrumentation and a surge in mobile device management as tablets and phones become the new frontline. If you’re ready to replace ritual scream tests with data-driven confidence and finally align operations and security in real time, this conversation lays out a path you can start using today. Check out the full episode, share it with the teammate who owns your patching or MDM, and let us know in the comments: what is the one workflow you want to see automated next? Everyday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AICan't keep up with AI? We've got you. Everyday AI helps you keep up and get ahead.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    25 min

  5. JAN 27

    Inside Dassault’s 3D Experience Lab: How Startups Build, Scale, And Ship

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com When the CES show floor goes dark and the crowds thin out, the real conversations begin. We sat down with Dassault Systèmes’ Fred Vacher and Abhishek Bali to explore how early-stage startups turn flashy demos into certified, manufacturable products. Using virtual twins, hands-on mentorship, and a global partner ecosystem, they walk founders through the hard part of innovation, moving from prototype to production. If you’ve ever wondered why some ideas stall while others scale, this conversation breaks down the journey step by step. We dig into the mission of the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab and how it works hand in hand with SOLIDWORKS for Startups to support founders across design, simulation, compliance, and industrialization. Many teams join for CAD and quickly discover a full-stack platform that includes multiphysics simulation, quality systems, clinical workflows, data management, and real-time collaboration. The mentorship layer adds a critical advantage: expert design reviews, manufacturing guardrails, and introductions to enterprise partners across more than a dozen industries. That’s how a clever concept becomes a product that survives audits, pilots, and real-world production. The broader tech landscape is evolving fast. Impact is no longer an afterthought, it’s the goal. Deep tech is on the rise, especially in medical devices, industrial systems, and sustainable hardware. We dive into the emergence of “physical AI,” where embodied systems like exoskeletons and humanoid robots gain intelligence at the edge. At CES, the team highlighted startups working on pill-based endoscopy, mobility exoskeletons, biosensors, and desktop dialysis. Meanwhile, Dassault’s main booth showcased life sciences innovation at scale, from virtual hospitals and organ twins to patient-specific implants designed in CATIA and manufactured for real-world deployment. Sustainability was front and center too, with energy harvesting and ultra-thin batteries that could eliminate disposable power sources for sensors and smart tags. Founders will walk away with a practical playbook: design for manufacturing from day one, simulate early to cut costs and risks, plan certification upfront, and build long-term partnerships that support growth. We also preview what’s coming at 3DEXPERIENCE World, including community showcases, maker spaces, and generative AI tools reshaping 3D design and engineering. Ready to move beyond hype and into real-world impact? Listen in, subscribe for more deep dives, and share what you’re building next. Everyday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AICan't keep up with AI? We've got you. Everyday AI helps you keep up and get ahead.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    46 min

  6. JAN 15

    From Skepticism To Science: How Photobiomodulation Reduces Pain, Heals Tissue, And Boosts Performance

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com What if pain relief, faster recovery, and better sleep were a matter of getting the right light to the right place with the right dose? We sit down with Tom Kerber, engineer-turned-inventor and founder of SunPowerLED, alongside Dr. Hayman Buwan, physician and medical advisor, are bringing together deep engineering rigor and clinical insight to rethink how light-based technologies are applied in real-world health and performance settings. We unpack photobiomodulation—the clinical side of red and near infrared light—and why some devices deliver real change while others barely scratch the surface. Tom shares the unlikely path from blue-light dental curing to red-light cancer adjuncts and a personal back injury that proved how fast high-power LEDs can dial down pain. He explains the physics that most people miss: tissue is hungry, so you need total optical power and a large emitting area to drive photons deep into joints and brain tissue. That’s why cooling and engineering matter—air-cooled arrays that sustain output without bulky heat sinks let you get meaningful doses in minutes, not half-hour marathons. Hayman brings the clinic: shoulder mobility restored in a six-minute session, knee and tendon pain easing quickly, dental patients healing from oral mucositis, and wounds closing faster with pre- and post-op light. On the brain side, we dig into concussion recovery, migraine interruption at aura, improved sleep quality across users, and early work in aphasia, autism, long COVID, and cognitive decline. We talk safety, where pulsing may require oversight, and why underpowered products fuel skepticism. You’ll hear about university collaborations targeting mood, opioid craving, and neuro recovery, plus why standardized protocols and dosing are the bridge from anecdotes to indications. If you’ve wondered whether red light is hype or a true modality, this conversation gives you the science, the specs, and the stories to tell the difference. Subscribe, share with someone who needs relief today, and leave a review with the one condition you’re most curious to see treated next. Everyday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AICan't keep up with AI? We've got you. Everyday AI helps you keep up and get ahead.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    35 min

  7. JAN 14

    Inside The Business Of Recognition And Why Credibility Wins

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Trophies are easy to buy; credibility is not. We sit down with Russ Fordyce, Chief Recognition Officer at Business Intelligence Group, to unpack how modern awards can be rigorous, transparent, and genuinely valuable for marketers under pressure to prove results. From volunteer judges with track records to blockchain certificates that verify logos across the web, Russ explains how trustworthy recognition turns into search-friendly proof that buyers and even AI systems can validate. We dig into why the old models struggled—small panels, popularity contests, and murky criteria—and how a distributed, community-led approach fixes scale and fairness. Judges review a manageable set of entries, earn micro-credentials for service, and are themselves evaluated for quality. That structure keeps standards high while opening doors to niche categories that big shows ignore. Along the way, Russ shares memorable wins, from a solo founder behind BenjiLock turning recognition into Shark Tank momentum, to TD Bank’s creative use of enterprise tech across immersive learning and Roblox engagement. For marketers navigating the shift from classic SEO to generative engine optimization, this conversation hits the heart of what works now: white-hat proof. Verified awards create durable authority signals that LLMs and search systems can trust, supporting your brand story with evidence rather than ad spend. If you’re building in B2B tech and feel drowned out by bigger budgets, you’ll find a pragmatic path forward through community, validation, and disciplined storytelling. Ready to earn visibility instead of renting it? Subscribe for more conversations like this, share with a teammate who needs a credibility boost, and leave a review to help others find the show. Want to get involved? Go to we love techawards.com or visit bintelligence.com and check out my awards program at welovetechawards.com Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    15 min

  8. JAN 13

    Design, Disruption, And The Next Wave

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Most companies call it innovation when they add a feature. Real disruption is when you build the thing that makes the old one irrelevant. That’s where this conversation starts. JJ de la Torre, founder and CEO of **Raven**, joins us to talk about what leaders consistently get wrong about digitalization, transformation, and “innovation theater”—and how to re-anchor teams around revenue and outcomes instead of decks and demos. We dig into why the classic services model keeps breaking down. Strategy writes slides. Product ships features. Marketing wins awards. No one owns the result. JJ walks through Raven’s end-to-end model where think, build, and sell operate as a single accountable system. It sounds obvious. It’s not. That shift rewires how ideas get vetted, how products are built, and how success is measured. Then we tackle AI—minus the hype. The real opportunity isn’t cost cutting. It’s redesigning the business model. Where can AI remove an entire step in the value chain? Enable performance-based pricing? Create revenue streams that didn’t exist last year? If AI isn’t changing how you make money, it’s just a faster expense line. At the core of the conversation is design as a discipline for transformation. JJ’s book, **Transformation Designed**, frames design as a blueprint for results: center on the customer, validate with behavior, and turn insight into something teams can actually ship. We talk about why design-led companies outperform, how to avoid CES-style “innovation” nobody needs, and the hardest move of all—detachment. Killing today’s winner to create tomorrow’s business, the way Apple let the iPhone eclipse the iPod. We wrap with what’s next for Raven: co-investment and variable models that share risk and upside with clients across the US, Europe, and Latin America. If you’re planning a 2026 reorg, here’s the gut check: does it change what you build, how you sell it, and how you get paid? If not, you’re just rearranging furniture. Subscribe. Share it with someone who actually owns a P&L. And leave a review telling us which legacy product you’d sunset first. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    20 min
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About

Tech Transformation with Evan Kirstel: A podcast exploring the latest trends and innovations in the tech industry, and how businesses can leverage them for growth, diving into the world of B2B, discussing strategies, trends, and sharing insights from industry leaders!With over three decades in telecom and IT, I've mastered the art of transforming social media into a dynamic platform for audience engagement, community building, and establishing thought leadership. My approach isn't about personal brand promotion but about delivering educational and informative content to cultivate a sustainable, long-term business presence. I am the leading content creator in areas like Enterprise AI, UCaaS, CPaaS, CCaaS, Cloud, Telecom, 5G and more!

Information

  • Creator
    Evan Kirstel
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    590
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 TechInfluencer
  • Show Website
    What's Up with Tech?