The Summit Series

Kris Owens
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Welcome to the Summit Series Podcast, where we bring you in-depth interviews with leaders from various fields, including technology, finance, and beyond. Hosted by Kris, our mission is simple: to understand how top professionals think and to gain valuable insights from their experiences. Each episode features candid conversations with industry experts, from tech leaders to CFOs, as they share their journeys, challenges, and strategies for success. Whether you're an aspiring leader, a curious professional, or someone who loves to learn, this podcast is for you.

Episodes

  1. 11/11/2024

    The journey from corporate life to startups - Jacqueline Hasler, CFO, TRIBE

    Join Kris and Dan as they chat with Jacqueline Hasler, Chief Financial Officer at TRIBE. With a foundation built in professional services and a seven-year stint at REA Group, Jacqueline shares her unique perspective on transitioning from corporate to startup life. In this engaging conversation, Jacqueline opens up about her evolution as a leader, moving from a perfectionist mindset to embracing empathetic leadership. She discusses the realities of scaling businesses, the importance of building high-performing teams, and how asking the right questions can transform company culture. With candid insights on being a CFO in the startup world, Jacqueline breaks down common misconceptions about the role and shares how she enables business growth by truly understanding team needs and strategic goals. She also provides a glimpse into TRIBE's exciting work in revolutionizing content creation at scale. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Discussion of REA Alumni 07:35 Exploring Career Transitions and Motivations 08:05 Early Experiences and Shaping Leadership Style 12:07 Transition from Consulting to Listed Companies 20:51 Advice for Career Direction and Decision-Making 25:53 Assessing Values and Culture in Organizations 33:02 Focus on Making a Positive Impact and Improving the Team 36:12 The Power of Collaboration and Different Work Styles 38:06 Qualities of a Great Leader and Advice for Future Leaders 41:55 The Journey of Becoming a Leader and Leading with Empathy 45:17 Learning Leadership through Tough Situations 47:21 Success in Leadership and the Importance of People 49:57 Unleashing the Talent in People through Development and Opportunities 53:37 The Importance of Collaboration and Input in Leadership 57:03 Navigating the Challenges of Startups and the Power of Context 01:02:24 Balancing Constraints and Enabling Ideas in Leadership 01:05:46 Harnessing the Power of Employees as Creators 01:10:46 Tribe: Content at Scale and the Future of Creative Marketing Interested in leveling up your skills in technology? Contact Dan for coaching inquiries. https://velocifire.com/

    1h 10m

  2. 09/02/2024

    How AI is transforming construction - Aaron Vanston , CTO at Buildpass

    Join Kris and Dan as they chat with Aaron Vanston, Co-founder and CTO of BuildPass, a construction tech company that's shaking up the industry. Aaron shares his journey of starting a tech company without a traditional background in construction or computer science, highlighting the power of diverse experiences and adaptability. He talks about how he and his co-founder have been able to build and win over 300 customers in just three years. In this candid conversation, Aaron opens up about some of the challenges of being a Co-founder, balancing multiple roles, and the importance of building a strong support system. He discusses how actively listening to customer feedback and quickly implementing solutions has been key to BuildPass's success. Aaron also dives into the exciting world of AI in construction, sharing his vision for how it can enhance efficiency and safety on sites without replacing human expertise. His approach to AI - cautious yet optimistic - offers valuable insights for anyone interested in the future of technology in traditional industries. "It's not about replacing humans with AI, but enabling them to do more and do it better" Introduction and Areas of Discussion 00:44 Starting BuildPass and the Inspiration Behind It 03:49 Choosing Construction Tech as a Focus 06:05 Customer Focus and Rapid Product Development 08:41 The Importance of Customer Feedback 11:44 Surprises and Challenges of Being a Co-founder and CTO 19:05 Aaron's Non-Traditional Background and Thriving in the Startup Environment 24:44 Balancing Responsibilities as a CTO and Involvement in Marketing 26:13 The Constant Battle of Prioritization 27:03 Building a Team for Scalability 28:01 The Importance of Flexibility and Adaptability 29:15 Being Open and Transparent with Customers 30:04 Having a Clear Vision and Being Reactive to Change 35:41 Flexibility and Accommodation in the Construction Industry 57:26 Balancing AI and User Experience 01:02:29 Maintaining Customer Centricity 01:09:50 Future Enhancements with AI 01:12:43 Embracing AI and Redefining Roles 01:20:49 Expanding Overseas and Diversifying Hire the best people in technology - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisowens/ Interested in leveling up your skills in technology? Contact Dan for coaching inquiries. https://velocifire.com/

    1h 17m

  3. 08/04/2024

    Leadership, Gen AI and the future of work - Alana Brittain, Linkedin

    Join Kris and Dan as they chat with Alana Brittain, The Head of Enterprise Sales Solutions at LinkedIn. Alana shares a candid story about a tough leadership lesson, showing how important genuine connection and a strong culture are. This story will resonate with anyone who’s felt the pressure of a new role or struggled to balance work and personal life. Alana also talks about the future of work and how AI is changing things. Tune in for a down-to-earth conversation about the opportunities and challenges of AI and how we can use it while staying true to our human values. "You do yourself a disservice when you try to disconnect your personal life with your business life." "It doesn't matter what you believe yourself to be. What matters is how that shows up to other people and how you impact them and their experience of you." Timestamps: 00:00 - Early Experiences and Leadership Failure 03:17- The Importance of Establishing True Connections in Leadership 07:39 - The Value of Hiring Outside of Specific Industries 10:03 - Tips for Businesses and Candidates in the Job Market 28:28 - The Disruptive Potential of Generative AI 34:30 - Enhancing Human Connection and Personalization with Gen AI 35:29 - Using Generative AI to Summarize Large Amounts of Data 41:19 - Navigating the Remote Work vs. Hybrid Work Debate 49:07 - Showcasing Skills and Communicating Career Goals in a Remote Work environment Hire the best in tech - https://www.imminently.co/nova Interested in leveling up your skills in technology? Contact Dan for coaching inquiries. https://velocifire.com/

    52 min

  4. 07/26/2024

    Unlocking the potential of your Engineering team - Jamie Simonsen

    In this episode, Kris and Dan welcome Jamie Simonsen, a seasoned technology leader with a fascinating background in engineering and leadership. Jamie shares his unconventional self-taught journey to becoming a VP of Engineering, emphasizing the value of hands-on experience, continuous learning, and a problem-solving mindset in his career development. Whether you're an aspiring technology leader, a startup founder, or simply passionate about the intersection of engineering and leadership, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and practical insights from Jamie's unique perspective.

    1h 11m

  5. 07/01/2024

    Startups - the good, the bad and the ugly - Kunal Madhav

    Kris and Dan welcome Kunal Madhav, a CTO and co-founder of Med Tribe, to share his insights on leadership, startup dynamics, and the truth behind working in startups. Kunal discusses how his early career experiences, both positive and negative, have shaped his approach to management and his commitment to fostering trust and open communication within teams. Throughout the conversation, Kunal shares valuable advice for engineers considering a move from corporate to startup environments, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, problem-solving, and a willingness to take on new challenges.

    1h 16m

  6. 06/20/2024

    Leading with empathy - Theresa Neate

    Join Kris and Dan as they sit down with Theresa Neate, the Director of Engineering at Buildkite, to dive into her journey in technology leadership. Theresa shares her unique experiences, from growing up in apartheid South Africa to becoming a prominent tech leader. In this episode, Theresa discusses the impact of her early life on her leadership style, her approach to mentoring and coaching, and the importance of promoting diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. She also touches on balancing innovation with managing technical debt and the significance of autonomy in leadership. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introductions and background 01:50 - Early experiences growing up in apartheid South Africa 06:20 - Transition from South Africa to the US 10:46 - How to get the best out of Theresa 12:20 - The importance of being yourself as a leader 18:26 - Story about her amazing mother's influence 20:32 - Theresa's love for computing 22:01 - Finding more women in technology 29:26 - Diversity in leadership and what we can do to help 36:48 - How to stand out in this market 42:35 - Approach to building great teams 47:35 - Innovation vs tech debt and ways of working 51:29 -The book that changed Theresa's approach

    54 min

  7. 06/13/2024

    How to master the interview process - Damian Fasciani

    Join Kris and Joel as they sit down with Damian Fasciani, the VP, Product & Engineering at Expert 360, to dive deep into his journey in technology leadership. Damian shares his experiences working across various industries, the key principles that guide his decision-making when joining a company, and the challenges of building and leading teams in a remote work environment. Damian also discusses his upcoming book, "Harmonizing Humanity in Systems," which chronicles his experiences in building highly engaged and successful technology teams. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introductions and Background 03:07 - Damien's Varied Career in Technology 11:37 - Criteria for Choosing Companies 12:37 - Leadership and Technology Investment 13:46 - Interviewing Companies 15:47 - Background Research and Network Checks 22:19 - Damien's Approach to Interviewing and Assessing Candidates 29:57 - Strategies for Remote Team Building and Engagement 41:43 - The Challenges of Virtual Communication and Collaboration 49:11 - Damien's Upcoming Book, "Harmonizing Humanity in Systems

    1h 2m

  8. 06/07/2024

    Making the transition into leadership - A CTO's guide to making the move

    Kris Owens is the Founder of Nova and a tech Recruiter. Dan Harper is a Tech Career coach at Velocifire and a CTO at Homes.com.au. Joel Nation is the CoFounder and CTO of both Imminently and Decisively. Kris Owens is the Founder of Nova and a tech Recruiter. The conversation explores the importance of engineers transitioning into leadership roles and their challenges in dealing with people. Dan Harper shares his experience of helping engineers become effective leaders and the need for engineers to develop people skills alongside technical skills. They discuss the mindset shift required to move from individual contribution to team leadership and the rewards of seeing the impact of building and leading a team. They also touch on the signs to look for in identifying potential leaders and the importance of communication and mentoring in developing leadership skills. They also highlight the importance of being opinionated and having strong opinions, but also being willing to admit when you're wrong and pivot. They discuss the role of leaders in creating a culture of open communication and feedback, and the value of robust discussions and diverse perspectives. They also touch on the assessment of soft skills in the hiring process and the ongoing measurement and development of these skills in the workplace. "Your effectiveness, your impact as a technical person is capped by how well you deal with people."

    1h 4m

  9. 06/07/2024

    Welcome to the Summit Series

    Welcome to the Summit Series Podcast, where we interview top leaders across the technology sector. I’m Kris, a founder and tech recruiter, and alongside amazing co-hosts like Dan Harper and Joel Nation, we’ll share insights, strategies, and tips from the brightest minds in startups, scale-ups, and enterprises. If you’re curious about the world and passionate about learning, this is the show for you. Let’s dive in!

    1 min
  • 9 Episodes

About

Welcome to the Summit Series Podcast, where we bring you in-depth interviews with leaders from various fields, including technology, finance, and beyond. Hosted by Kris, our mission is simple: to understand how top professionals think and to gain valuable insights from their experiences. Each episode features candid conversations with industry experts, from tech leaders to CFOs, as they share their journeys, challenges, and strategies for success. Whether you're an aspiring leader, a curious professional, or someone who loves to learn, this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Kris Owens
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kris Owens
  • Show Website
    The Summit Series