Ten Thousand Miles

Vic Pepe
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  • Entrepreneurship
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The road to success is full of hard work and determination. It is never easy - you just learn to handle hard... Here, I interview people who "make it look easy" but leave it all on the field daily to do so.

  1. 3 days ago

    Is This AI a Real Game Changer?

    Join us as we sit down with Bruce Henderson, CTO of Sage-Tech.ai, to get an in-depth look at their platform and the #technology driving it. This conversation provides valuable insights into the technical operations and #leadership involved in their enterprise #aistrategy. Stay updated with the latest AI news and gain a deeper understanding of how AI is explained in practical applications. Bruce built his career maintaining, upgrading, and retiring the massive legacy systems that sit at the heart of the global economy. In this conversation, he pulls back the curtain on how Sage Tech actually works — from the queryable context graph and cognitive model to the AI inference layer, ephemeral environments, and why vector RAG failed them before they built something better. This is one of the most technically honest conversations about enterprise AI you will hear anywhere. No hype. No sales pitch. Just a veteran engineer telling you exactly what works, what does not, and what every CTO needs to understand before 2030. Learn more about Sage Tech: https://sage-tech.ai Miss Part 1? Watch the business track with Deepak Sharma here: [link] CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction — Why Bruce Built Sage Tech 04:01 From Code to Knowledge — The Pivot That Changed Everything 08:07 The Queryable Context Graph Explained 10:15 Why Vector RAG Failed and What Replaced It 14:03 How the Graph Gets Built From a Real Code Base 17:14 Outputs, Documentation, and Self-Service Intelligence 24:04 Scaling From 500K to 15 Million Lines of Code 28:44 Ephemeral Environments and the Future of AI Coding LIGHTNING ROUND 38:33 Most Overrated Thing in Enterprise AI 39:16 The Underrated Risk Nobody Is Talking About (De-skilling) 40:09 Bruce's Favorite Tool Most People Have Never Heard Of 41:12 What He Would Do Differently Building Sage From Scratch 42:42 The One Thing Most CTOs Still Do Not Believe About AI in 2026 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Please Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe We sit down with Bruce Henderson, CTO of Sage-Tech.ai, for an in-depth discussion on their platform and its core technology . This episode offers key insights into technical operations and the enterprise ai strategy driving their work. Discover how their innovation is shaping the future of AI.

    40 min

  2. 25 May

    The Insane Enterprise AI Nobody Is Talking About!

    In this insightful podcast discussion, we dive deep into artificial intelligence technologies, exploring how ai works and its significant impact. Vic and Depak offer a comprehensive AI explanation for beginners, highlighting the future of AI. This episode provides valuable perspectives on the evolving landscape of technology. What happens when enterprises try to modernize decades of legacy code — and fail? In Part 1 of this conversation, Vic Pepe sits down with Deepak Sharma, a veteran transformation advisor who has guided some of the world's largest financial institutions and insurance organizations through their most complex technology challenges. Together they explore why legacy modernization almost always goes over budget, over schedule, and under-delivers — and how a new AI-powered tool called Sage Tech (sage-tech.ai) is changing the equation entirely. Deepak walks through how Sage ingests entire code bases in hours (not years), builds a living data model of how systems actually work, and gives business leaders, engineers, and compliance teams a visual map of technical debt, security risks, and organizational dependencies — across every application in the enterprise. Whether you're a CIO navigating a legacy estate, a CTO trying to separate commodity code from differentiated IP, or a transformation leader tired of projects that never finish — this episode will reshape how you think about what's possible. Learn more about Sage Tech: https://sage-tech.ai CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction — Why Legacy Modernization Fails 03:02 Meet Deepak Sharma — Transformation at Scale 04:17 What Is Sage Tech and How Was It Discovered 07:30 How Sage Ingests and Maps a Code Base 09:28 Hours vs. Years — The Speed Advantage of AI 11:13 Connecting All Your Systems — The Enterprise View 15:04 The New Engineer — System Thinkers Over Coders 17:14 CFOs, COOs, and the Business Case for Modernization Ten Thousand Miles is hosted by Vic Pepe — Managing Partner of D&M Enterprise Group, co-author of The RFP Is Dead, and a veteran technology executive with stops at Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and JPMorgan Chase. Every episode goes deep with founders, executives, operators, and innovators who are building, leading, and transforming at the highest levels. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. #LegacyModernization #AITransformation #EnterpriseTechnology #TechLeadership #SoftwareModernization #CIO #CTO #DigitalTransformation #ArtificialIntelligence #TechnicalDebt #LargeLanguageModels #AIStrategy #EnterpriseAI #TenThousandMiles #VicPepe #DeepakSharma #SageTech #FinancialServices #CloudMigration #ApplicationModernization Please Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe!

    33 min

  3. 19 May

    The Business Mistake Nobody Wants to Admit

    In this insightful clip, the speaker discusses his book "The RFP is Dead" and explains what truly led to the demise of the traditional request for proposal process. He sheds light on the new landscape of business proposal and procurement, emphasizing what has replaced the old methods. This discussion offers a valuable perspective for anyone interested in business education and the evolution of contract management. Procurement is broken. The Request for Proposal — a process that dates back to the 1800s — is costing buyers and sellers millions of dollars in wasted time, bloated documents, and theater. In this episode, Vic Pepe breaks down exactly why the RFP died, what's replacing it, and what you should do right now, whether you're buying or selling enterprise technology.If you work in procurement, sales, or enterprise technology leadership, this one will hit close to home. Get the book: The RFP Is Dead — available on Amazon for under $7 D&M Enterprise Group: www.dmenterprise.net Contact Vic: vic@dmenterprise.netIn This Episode: • Why the RFP became a compliance exercise and a cover-your-ass tool • The 4 forces that killed the RFP • How AI is now writing — and scoring — RFPs on both sides of the table • Why "if you didn't shape it, you've already lost" is the new rule • What trusted advisors do that RFPs never could • The history of the RFP (yes, it started in the 1800s) • What buyers and sellers should actually be doing right now Chapters: 00:00 Introduction — Vic's book and why he's passionate about this 01:45 Procurement Is Broken — the 4 reasons the RFP died0 3:30 The RFP as a CYA exercise — real stories from the C-suite 04:45 What replaced the RFP — trusted advisors, POCs, peer networks 06:30 The "already won" model — why cold RFPs are a waste of time 08:00 AI vs. AI — how automation is killing the RFP even faster 10:15 The new currency: authority, trust, and relationships 12:00 D&M's authority gap event and the AI leadership divide 13:00 If you're selling — stop chasing RFPs you didn't shape 15:00 Be the advisor, not the vendor 15:45 If you're buying — the RFP protects procurement, not the business 17:00 History of the RFP — from 1800s newspapers to today 19:30 Public sector, the veil of equality, and backdoor channeling 21:00 Failure, fear, and corporate paralysis 22:30 Internal sabotage — what happens when people don't want change 24:00 The 3 things you actually need to know before selecting technology 26:30 What trusted advisors expose that RFPs never can 27:30 Closing — get the book, get a trusted advisor, go execute Please Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe!

    27 min

  4. 12 May

    The Addiction Nobody Warns You About | Climbing Edition

    Ever felt that rush? I remember that first time, the pure dopamine hit of climbing, a powerful form of motivation that felt like a true addiction. This experience wasn't about drugs, but about the sheer happiness found in pushing limits. It's a great life lesson in self improvement. Everyone wants to climb the ladder. But do you know why you're climbing and what it's going to cost you? In this raw, honest solo episode, Vic breaks down one of the most important questions in leadership, business, and life: What is the ladder of success, and is it worth the climb? Drawing on a career that spans the music business (Alice Cooper), Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, JP Morgan Chase, five CIO roles, and executive advisory work, Vic shares the neuroscience behind status-seeking, the psychology of ambition, and the very real sacrifices high achievers make on the way to the top. This isn't motivational fluff. This is the truth about what success actually demands. In this episode: * Why your brain is hardwired to chase status (dopamine, serotonin, and survival hierarchies) * The difference between ambition as identity vs. ambition as expression * How to know if you're climbing the wrong wall * The trades every high achiever makes: relationships, health, faith, and presence * Why climbing fast and climbing right are two very different things * The identity collapse that happens when the badge is gone * How to raise yourself by raising others * Why are the most successful leaders the ones who bring people with them Key Concepts Discussed: Victor Frankl on purpose | Maslow's hierarchy of needs | Jordan Peterson on competence hierarchies | Leon Festinger's social comparison theory | Eudaimonic well-being (Aristotle) | The EKG climb: why success is never a straight line Chapters: 00:00 The First Hit of the Ladder 03:45 Why Your Brain Is Wired for Status 07:20 The Ladder as Meaning Making Structure 10:10 The Trap Baked Into the Structure 13:30 The Boardroom Moment That Changed Everything 18:00 The Climb Is Not a Straight Line 22:15 Your Reputation Leads Before You Do 26:40 The Trades You Make on the Way Up 33:10 Identity Collapse at the Top 37:00 How to Climb and Stay Whole 40:20 Self Examination: Was It Worth It? Tags / Keywords: success mindset leadership lessons climbing the corporate ladder executive leadership career advice ambition and success work life balance CIO career what does success cost purpose driven leadership Vic Pepe Ten Thousand Miles podcast leadership podcast business podcast career growth dopamine and success status hierarchy Jordan Peterson hierarchy Maslow hierarchy of needs Victor Frankl purpose #LeadershipPodcast #SuccessMindset #CareerGrowth #TenThousandMiles #ExecutiveLeadership #Ambition #CIOLeadership #BusinessPodcast #VicPepe #climbingtheladder

    36 min

  5. 4 May

    Behind The Scenes With Eric Gales!

    Join us as we dive into the creative process of a musician who believes every performance is unique. He shares his approach to live music, emphasizing following intuition rather than a rigid song list. Discover how this artist crafts his music live, making each night a fresh experience. Guitar legend  ⁨@EricGalesBand⁩  - Gales joins Vic on Ten Thousand Miles for a conversation 35+ years in the making. From picking up his first #guitar at four in a music-filled #memphis household, to signing his first record deal at 16, to his recent Oscars performance and induction into the Blues Hall of Fame — Eric shares the highs, the heartbreaks, and the inspiration that have fueled nearly five decades in music. Eric opens up about the emotional making of "Stand Up" from Crown, the gut-punch of having an early record rejected by his label, the brothers who guarded him through the industry, and the gift he believes was given to him from above. https://youtu.be/DJHLkLOFEVA?si=CcKyarH3VfZzdvCM He also gets candid about gear — Magneto, Kiesel, PRS, Dunlop, Seymour Duncan, and his Mark Bass Raw Dog signature amp — and shares hard-won wisdom about letting life be life and using music as the most powerful outlet there is. Learn more about Eric: ericgales.com Chapters * 0:00 Intro * 1:18 The Gift * 3:19 Interview Begins * 5:47 Picking Up the Guitar at Four * 18:06 The First Big Disappointment * 24:15 Crown, "Stand Up," and a Vocal for the Ages * 33:00 Life Be Life: Controlling What You Can * 51:36 Advice to His 16-Year-Old Self Keywords: Eric Gales, Eric Gales interview, Eric Gales guitar, Crown album, Stand Up Eric Gales, Blues Hall of Fame, blues guitar, rock guitar, Memphis blues, guitar legends, Ten Thousand Miles podcast, Vic Pepe, Rick Beato, Joe Bonamassa, Magneto guitars, Kiesel guitars, PRS guitars, Raw Dog amp, guitar players podcast, music industry stories. Hashtags: #EricGales #TenThousandMiles #BluesGuitar #GuitarLegends #CrownAlbum #BluesHallOfFame #RockGuitar #GuitarPodcast #MemphisBlues #StandUp #GuitarPlayers #MusicPodcast #VicPepe #GuitarInterview #BluesRock Please Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe! #shorts #shortsfeed #podcast #leaders #stories #podcast #courage #business #Success #Leadership #Motivation #Inspiration #SelfImprovement #PersonalDevelopment #GoalSetting #Mindset #Entrepreneurship #BusinessSuccess #LifeGoals #PositiveThinking #AchieveYourGoals #SuccessMindset #LeadershipSkills #MotivationalQuotes #SuccessTips #LeadershipDevelopment #InspirationalVideos #SuccessStories #money #life #rockandroll #music #CEO #COO #CFO #CAO #nextjob #goodtimes #success

    54 min

  6. 27 Apr

    The Symbolic Reasoning Breakthrough Nobody's Talking About - Dain Ehring

    In this insightful podcast, we explore the cutting-edge world of artificial intelligence with an expert in symbolic reasoning. Learn about the future of AI as we discuss various aspects of machine learning, neural networks, and the logic behind advanced systems. This conversation touches on innovation in AI, offering a glimpse into how these technologies are shaping our world. Vic Pepe sits down with #entrepreneur and innovator Dain Ehring for a powerful conversation about the future of #artificialintelligence financial services, compliance, risk, and the massive shift from the Information Age to the Intelligence Age. Dain shares his work with QGI, Quantum General Intelligence, a deterministic AI platform built for highly regulated industries like financial services, lending, compliance, underwriting, and risk management. Unlike traditional large language models, deterministic AI is designed to provide traceability, auditability, consistency, and defensible decision-making.Vic and Dain dive deep into: AI in financial servicesDeterministic AI vs generative AI Compliance risk and regulatory pressure AI hallucinations and why they matter The future of underwriting and lending How AI will impact jobs and productivity Autonomous agents and personal AI assistants The rise of user sovereignty Why AI will expose the bell curve How entrepreneurs and small businesses can use AI today 00:00 Show Teaser 00:54 Introduction to Dain Ehring & AI Background 03:24 The Problem with AI in Financial Services (Probabilistic vs Deterministic) 07:14 Real-World AI Efficiency Gains and Limitations 11:39 AI Risk, Lawsuits, and Compliance Challenges 17:04 What is Deterministic AI and Why It Matters 22:24 Use Cases: Compliance, Underwriting, and Risk Management 29:39 The Future of AI, Autonomous Agents, and Human Impact Subscribe to Ten Thousand Miles for more conversations with leaders, founders, innovators, and people shaping the future. Please Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe!

    1hr 13min

  7. 20 Apr

    Athletic Luxury Comes Alive! - Andrew Redvanly

    Please Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe! From Bootstrapped to Brand: How Andrew Redvanly Built a Luxury Athletic Wear Empire from Scratch | Ten Thousand Miles Podcast What does it take to build a premium athletic apparel brand with zero fashion industry experience, no investors, and a launch line that only came in white because you ran out of fabric budget? Everything. Andrew Redvanly, founder of Redvanly, sits down with Vic Pepe on the Ten Thousand Miles Podcast to share the unfiltered story of how he turned a passion for sports and an obsession with quality into one of the most talked-about luxury athletic wear brands in golf and performance fashion today. Andrew breaks down how he invented the elastic waistband trousers out of pure survival instinct, not genius, and how that accidental innovation became the cornerstone of a brand now worn by Rick Shiels and generating serious international momentum. From three white polos launched on Shopify in 2013 to 75 employees and a global footprint, this is a masterclass in entrepreneurship, product development, and what it actually takes to compete against giants like Peter Millar and Lululemon without a single outside investor. In this episode, you will learn: * Why Andrew launched with no business plan, and why that was the right move * How Redvanly's signature elastic waistband was born out of an inventory problem, not a brainstorm * The real impact of the ambassador deals with Rick Shields and PGA player Johnny Vegas * Why the first 4 years of online sales were basically zero, and what finally changed * How to scale hiring decisions without killing your business * What athletic luxury actually means and how Redvanly executes it at every price point * What is coming next, including the Desmond trousers and a potential blazer line If you are a golf enthusiast, a men's fashion buyer, an entrepreneur building a consumer brand, or someone who refuses to sacrifice either performance or style, this conversation is for you. CHAPTERS 00:27 Welcome and Introduction 01:15 What Makes Redvanly Different 02:28 Andrew's Background and the Origin Story 04:49 The Risk of Starting Young and Going All In 07:04 How Andrew Learned to Make Clothes with Zero Experience 08:54 The White Line Launch and Early Inventory Realities 09:54 Going to Market on Shopify and Selling Wholesale to Country Clubs 12:27 Progress Over Perfection and the Entrepreneur's Seizure 15:18 Why Online Sales Were Flat for Years and What Changed 16:40 Expanding into Sweaters, Merino Wool, and Cashmere 19:20 The Performance Meets Luxury Philosophy 21:25 The Waistband Origin Story and the Inventory Problem That Changed Everything 26:11 Why Starting First Is What Gets You to the Breakthrough 27:10 Filling Knowledge Gaps and Learning from Everyone 29:19 Hiring, Delegating, and Building a Team You Trust 31:34 Knowing When to Pull the Lever and Invest in People 36:11 Business Discipline, KPIs, and the Monthly Business Review 38:14 Business Acumen from Day One vs. What Andrew Had to Learn 41:22 The Evolution of Golf Fashion and the Tiger Effect 43:53 Competing Against the Big Brands and Staying Consistent on Quality 48:31 Defining Athletic Luxury from the Inside Out 50:34 What a Redvanly Blazer Would Mean and What Is Coming Next 53:30 International Growth, Japan, South Korea, and Staying Focused 57:19 Brand Ambassadors as Growth Engines vs. Distribution Tools 01:01:42 Closing Thoughts, Vision for the Next Two Years, and Where to Find Redvanly Redvanly website: https://redvanly.com Topics covered: luxury athletic wear, performance apparel, golf fashion, men's athletic clothing, entrepreneurship, bootstrapped brand building, apparel startup, golf clothing brands, athletic luxury, Redvanly review, Redvanly pants waistband, Rick Shields ambassador, PGA fashion, men's golf outfits, golf lifestyle brand Subscribe for new episodes every week. Drop a comment below and tell us your favorite performance apparel brand and whether you have ever tried Redvanly. #Redvanly #LuxuryAthleticWear #GolfFashion #MensGolfStyle #Entrepreneurship #PerformanceApparel #TenThousandMilesPodcast #VicPepe #AndrewRedvanly #GolfLifestyle #AthleticLuxury #BootstrappedBusiness #GolfClothing #MensActivewear #StartupStory

    1hr 7min

  8. 13 Apr

    Why You Can't Pass Up an Active Roster Opportunity - NFL O-lIne - Evan Brown

    From Undrafted to the NFL: Evan Brown's Road to the Houston Texans | Ten Thousand Miles Podcast What does it really take to make it to the NFL when everyone tells you you're too small? Houston Texans offensive lineman Evan Brown sits down with Vic Pepe to tell the unfiltered story of his journey — from go-kart racing as a kid to winning a state championship at Southlake Carroll, playing college football at SMU, going undrafted, and clawing his way through six NFL franchises to earn a starting role. In this episode: * Growing up in Southlake, TX and playing alongside future NFL players Kenny Hill and L.J. Collins * What it's REALLY like to play in one of the most elite high school football programs in America * The truth about balancing 60+ hours of football with a full college course load at SMU * Going undrafted — and why that wasn't the end of the story * Career stops with the NY Giants, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and now the Houston Texans * The mindset that keeps elite athletes mentally locked in, play after play * What separates guys who make it from those who don't — and it's not always talent * The rarely-discussed reality of being an NFL offensive lineman: zero rotation, 100% of snaps, and your opportunity comes only when someone gets hurt * Center vs. Guard: the mental and physical differences broken down * How Jeet Kune Do and martial arts principles show up in the NFL trenches (feat. a Randy White story you won't hear anywhere else) * Goal-setting, resilience, and Evan's simple but powerful philosophy: "Don't let one turn to two" Whether you're an aspiring football player, a sports fan, or someone who just loves a great underdog story, this episode is for you. Chapters: * 0:00 - Intro * 0:34 - Meet Evan Brown | Houston Texans Offensive Lineman * 1:46 - From Go-Karts to Football: Evan's Unexpected Origin Story * 3:38 - High School Football at Southlake Carroll & the State Championship Run * 6:32 - Choosing SMU: Being Told He Was "Too Small" * 11:42 - The Reality of College Athletics: 60+ Hour Weeks & Time Management * 19:33 - Going Undrafted: Draft Day & the UDFA Process * 22:55 - Signing with the NY Giants & His First NFL Snaps * 26:03 - Fighting for a Roster Spot: Soaking In Every Rep * 34:10 - NFL Career Journey: Browns, Lions, Seahawks, Cardinals & Now the Texans * 38:25 - The NFL Mindset: Goal-Setting Through Setbacks & Roster Cuts * 41:37 - Center vs. Guard: Breaking Down the Most Overlooked Position in Football * 46:56 - Emotional Control & Playing Even-Keel Under Pressure * 51:48 - Advice for Aspiring Football Players: What Actually Gets You There Ten Thousand Miles is the podcast that goes deep on the journeys of athletes, entrepreneurs, and leaders — mile by mile. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Like this video if Evan's story fired you up. Drop a comment — who should Vic talk to next? #NFL #HoustonTexans #EvanBrown #OffensiveLine #NFLStories #UndraftedToNFL #FootballPodcast #TenThousandMiles #SMUFootball #SouthlakeCarroll #NFLMindset #SportsMotivation #TexansFootball #CollegeFootball #NFLJourney #FootballLife #SportsLeadership #NFLPlayer #GoalSetting #GritAndDetermination That's your full production-ready description. Want me to save this as a file you can keep as a template for future episodes? Please Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe!

    53 min
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About

The road to success is full of hard work and determination. It is never easy - you just learn to handle hard... Here, I interview people who "make it look easy" but leave it all on the field daily to do so.

Information

  • Creator
    Vic Pepe
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    122
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Ten Thousand Miles
  • Show Website
    Ten Thousand Miles

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