Bytes and Banter

Produced by PodTechs
Bytes and Banter

Are you an Information Technology professional? Do you work in the IT industry? This podcast is for you. Bytes and Banter is hosted by HDI Local Chapters.

Episodes

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    No Code Yellow Pages to Gen AI

    In Episode 10 of Bytes and Banter, Tim Lawes shares his career journey from selling Yellow Pages to working in the world of enterprise AI. Tim reflects on his experiences in IT service management, including a military contract and managing a service desk, and emphasizes the importance of empathy and building strong relationships in sales. He also talks about his transition to Symphony.AI and the impact of innovative technology on his career. Tune in for a conversation about personal growth, adaptability, and the role of relationships in business success. https://www.symphonyai.com/ Tim is Sr. Director of Sales at SymphonyAI. He has been in the ITSM industry for 15+ years having worked on Implementation, post-sales & pre-sales teams. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-lawes-81273110b/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bytes and Banter Podcast Team Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/ Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/ Associate Producer: Collen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/ Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/ Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

    46 min
  2. OCT 9

    The State of Tech Support with HDI Principal Analyst Daniel Thomas

    In this episode host Rocky McGuire sits down with Daniel Thomas, Principal Analyst at Informa Tech, to explore the latest findings from the HDI State of Tech Support report. We dive into the key trends shaping the future of tech support, from hybrid work challenges to the skills that matter most for today’s IT professionals. Discover how AI is enhancing—not replacing—human roles, and how the shift from SLAs to XLAs is putting customer experience at the forefront. Tune in for a deep dive into how continuous learning, customer-centricity, and business alignment are evolving in today’s IT landscape. Request Your Free Research Report Now: "The State of Technical Support in 2024" https://hdi-resources.thinkhdi.com/free/w_hdia66/ Guest Biography: Daniel Thomas is Principal Analyst of Enterprise IT at Informa Tech, producing thought leadership content for the HDI and ICMI communities. He has more than a decade of experience researching and writing on the most critical topics of interest for the technology sector, including cybersecurity, AI, data analytics, risk and privacy, networking and digital security policies. He previously served as a Senior Analyst for CyberRisk Alliance and as the Director of Research for GovExec Media in Washington, D.C ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bytes and Banter Podcast Team Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/ Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/ Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/ Associate Producer - Daniel Guinto - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-guinto-7b723630/ Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/ Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

    57 min
  3. SEP 25

    Your Career Toolkit: Job Search Strategies from Robert Half

    Your Career Toolkit: Job Search Strategies from Robert Half CTA: Job Search Landscape 2024: Planning Your Next Career Move https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/insights/job-market-outlook?utm_source=alliance&utm_medium=external-link&utm_campaign=v2_all_thought-leadership_all_rht&utm_content=2024-q3-hdi-podcast When was the last time you truly reflected on your career? Whether you’re actively looking for a new job or are planning to take that step in the near future, this podcast episode will address the current labor market, workers’ reasons for seeking a new role and how to know when it’s time to make a change. It also offers tips for landing a new job and resources to help you get the most out of your job search. About Doug Bell With 8 years of experience in the recruiting space, Doug currently leads the technology recruiting efforts for Robert Half in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina market. As lead recruiter for the Infrastructure & Operations team, he focuses on sourcing top talent for a variety of positions, including help desk analysts, project managers, systems administrators, systems engineers, security engineers, security analysts, network administrators, network engineers, IT directors, solutions consultants, cloud engineers, and DevOps engineers, among others. Doug is the secretary for the Triangle chapter of HDI. Outside of work, Doug enjoys playing soccer and basketball, visiting the beach, and spending time with his wife and their Bracco Italiano puppy, Ødegaard. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bytes and Banter Podcast Team Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/ Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/ Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/ Associate Producer - Daniel Guinto - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-guinto-7b723630/ Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/ Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

    45 min
  4. SEP 4

    Dan Turchin of PeopleReign

    Dan Turchin is the CEO and Founder of PeopleReign, the leading AI platform for IT and HR employee service automation. He is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and has hosted over 300 episodes of the popular “AI and the Future of Work” podcast which has a community of more than a million listeners. Prior to PeopleReign, Dan was the CEO of AIOps leader InsightFinder. Previously, he co-founded Astound, an AI-first enterprise platform for HR and IT, and was Vice President of Product at DevOps leader BigPanda, Chief Product Officer at security analytics company AccelOps (now Fortinet), and a Senior Director of Product Strategy at ServiceNow. He also served as a founding board member at Rhomobile prior to its acquisition by Motorola and currently serves on the board of Auger, the open source automated machine learning framework. In 2000, Dan co-founded Aeroprise and served as CEO until it was acquired in 2010 by BMC Software. He is an active angel investor and startup advisor with a portfolio of over 30 companies. Dan's passionate about building great teams that build great products that solve hard problems that change lives. He’s a big fan of Asimov, Dr. Seuss, youth soccer, adventure sports, and Tynker. Dan has BS and BA degrees from Stanford University. Follow him on https://x.com/dturchin ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bytes and Banter Podcast Team Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/ Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/ Associate Producer: Collen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/ Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/ Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

    33 min
  5. JUL 24

    From Marine to Mentor: Building Resilience with Tony North

    Tony North, a 26-year technology industry veteran, shares his incredible journey from being an adopted child to a Marine Corps veteran to a tech professional. Tony and host Rocky McGuire share personal stories of resilience and growth, shining a light on the power of mentorship. The discussion ranges from the evolution of tech teams to boosting customer experiences with self-help portals and automation, to tackling the challenges of remote work. This episode is packed with insights to help you dream big and lead your team to success. Don’t miss it! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bytes and Banter Podcast Team Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/ Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/ Associate Producer: Collen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/ Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/ Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

    51 min
  6. JUN 12

    Overcoming Tech Debt: Building Future-Forward Teams with Robert Half

    With digitization, cloud migration and a flood of AI-related tools emerging onto the scene, many businesses are trying to eliminate their tech debt. In addition, the tech skills gaps are widening. This complicates an already complex array of ever-evolving business priorities for technology leaders — and threatens their teams’ ability to complete critical projects and meet long-term goals. Tune into an insightful discussion between Thomas Vick, senior regional director, from Robert Half and Rock McGuire about potential impacts of these skills gaps, as well as strategies for overcoming them and building future-focused tech teams. Get the e-book: Building Future-Forward Tech Teams - https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/insights/building-tech-teams?utm_source=alliance&utm_medium=external-link&utm_campaign=v2_all_thought-leadership_tech-campaign-2024_rht&utm_content=2024-q2-hdi-podcast Thomas Vick is the senior regional director for Robert Half, the world’s first and largest specialized talent solutions firm. Based in Chicago, he leads operations for the company’s technology, creative and marketing talent and consulting solutions across Illinois, Tennessee and Missouri. Thomas joined Robert Half in 2010 and has held various leadership roles overseeing operations across the U.S. for several practice groups. With over 17 years of experience in the staffing industry, Thomas is considered a hiring expert and serves as a spokesperson for Robert Half. He is frequently quoted in various media outlets on hiring trends and workplace topics. Thomas has been recognized multiple times by Robert Half for his leadership and growth of the business. He holds his bachelor’s in business management from Texas A&M University and is currently a member of the Executives Club of Chicago. ---------------------------------------------------- HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org ---------------------------------------------------- Bytes and Banter Podcast Team Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/ Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/ Associate Producer: Collen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/ Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/ Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

    37 min
  7. MAY 29

    Woman in Tech: Patrycja Sobera's Rise from Iron Curtain to Global Executive

    Growing up in Poland, under the Iron Curtain, living through martial law and once a 13 year old girl, only able to speak Polish and Russian, with a dream of the world outside of the curtain. Patrycja went on to gain a Masters in teaching and foreign languages, ultimately, leading her to tech. Patrycja fell in love with the tech world while leaning into pivotal moments coming in the least expected situations while learning to step out of the comfort zone. Patrycja now leads a HDI certified industry recognized Digital Workplace organization as Global Vice President. Patrycja is a recognized thought leader, ISG Digital Titan Award Winner, DEI Champion and CX Cheerleader. She pushes the envelope of "What's possible", innovating the way the digital workplace can make a tangible impact on business outcomes and the people who need tech to enable them to do just that. #womenintech #techleadership #ironcurtain #diversityintech ---------------------------------------------------- HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org ---------------------------------------------------- Bytes and Banter Podcast Team Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/ Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/ Associate Producer: Collen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/ Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/ Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

    53 min
  8. MAY 9

    Kirk Weisler: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome & Choosing Hard

    With over eighteen years of executive coaching, speaking, research, and professional experience, Kirk’s perspective is simple and unpretentious and his suggestions are applicable and undiluted. Kirk understands that your work life is more than a commute and a paycheck. You will spend most of your conscious week at work, thinking about work, or driving to work. Therefore Kirk believes in seeing your work life as your life’s work (outside of your home and family). With that in mind, how can you make your life’s work more meaningful, fulfilling, and rewarding? IT Professionals have awarded Kirk with “The Speaker of Highest Merit Award” and organizations tweet him as the “People Whisperer” for his exceptional way of connecting with people individually and collectively wherever he goes. Kirk is known for his ability to share personal life stories, converse with his audience, and offer coaching that builds trust and inspires action. Kirk is currently the Chief Morale Officer for companies and organizations around the globe. He offers coaching, keynote addresses, and workshops for companies of all services and sizes. Kirk is a past leader of the National Speakers Association, a master team builder, and a professional storyteller. He has been a part of 7 start ups, 4 of which were widely successful. One of these startups created over 1,000 jobs for aspiring IT professionals. One hundred percent of Kirk’s consulting and speaking engagements have come from word-of-mouth-referrals from delighted clients and customers. In 2014 Kirk was invited to give over 50 presentations on leadership in other countries, visiting every continent. He continues to work with the best and brightest teams from dude ranches to medical institutions such as MAYO and John Hopkins to help them on their journey of building a more engaged and positive culture. Kirk’s book “The Dog Poop Initiative” has sold over 80,000 copies. It has been translated into German, Spanish, and Hebrew. While this book is written for all ages and can be found in many public school libraries, the #1 buyer of the book is Boeing Aircraft who use it for their Six Sigma Lean program. Managers often use this book for their morning huddles or weekly kick-off meetings. Kirk’s second book “The Cookie Thief” is another metaphorical story that teaches a powerful lesson. Kirk’s popular T4D (Thought for the Day) blog reaches thousands of individuals on a weekly basis. He is also featured in the book “Speaking on Success” with other famous authors such as Stephen Covey. Some of Kirk’s successes include: DELTA, Yum!, General Mills, America Express, FedEx, Coca-Cola, Bank of America, Enfamil, ChemDry, Johns Hopkins, Emory University, Anthem, BlueCross, Cargill, Discover Network, Carestream Dental, ALPAC, CUNA, Panasonic, Altra, Pink Elephant, HDI, and AT&T to name a few. Prior to Kirk’s career as a CMO and professional speaker, he served in the 19th Special Forces and as a US Army Ranger. Kirk resides in Arizona with his wife and six children. ---------------------------------------------------- HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org ---------------------------------------------------- Bytes and Banter Podcast Team Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/ Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/ Associate Producer: Collen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/ Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/ Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

    1h 3m
  9. 12/11/2023

    Cracking the Code with the 2024 Salary Guide From Robert Half

    Whether you need to recruit technology professionals for your team or you want to find a job in tech, Robert Half’s Salary Guide helps you understand what to expect as you navigate the hiring market. The guide explores the jobs in greatest demand in technology, what firms are doing to attract and keep talent, and how much professionals can earn in 2024. Learn more about the data and insights in the Salary Guide and how to use them in this blog post from Robert Half --- https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/insights/research/how-robert-halfs-salary-guide-helps-you-to-be-right-on-the-money Jessica Green is a Practice Director with Robert Half, the world’s first and largest specialized talent solutions firm. She oversees the technology contract practice group within the Twin Cities market. Jessica was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN and recently celebrated her 13-year anniversary with Robert Half. She proudly lives there today with her husband, two kids, and two bulldogs. Throughout her career at Robert Half, she has worn many hats, including business development, sales leadership, and training. She prides herself on being an industry expert when it comes to staffing, hiring, and consulting in the technology space. Jessica co-founded and co-chairs Robert Half’s Minnesota-based community involvement committee where she organizes volunteer opportunities for internal employees to give back regularly. In addition, she co-founded Robert Half’s “Be the Change” employee networking group to hold open conversations about social justice, equality, and allyship at work and in our communities. She has served on the board for HDI Minnesota over the last 12 years, helping to raise money for the chapter, along with planning and hosting local events. Jessica is passionate about networking, community involvement, and relationship building, especially amongst the ever-changing multi-generational workforce. ---------------------------------------------------- HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org ---------------------------------------------------- Bytes and Banter Podcast Team Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/ Marketing Coordinator: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/ Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/ Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com Post-Production: Rae-Ann C. #hdilocalchapters

    46 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

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Are you an Information Technology professional? Do you work in the IT industry? This podcast is for you. Bytes and Banter is hosted by HDI Local Chapters.

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