Tech Leader Talk

Steve Sponseller

The Tech Leader Talk podcast brings together successful technology company leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts from around the technology industry to share successes, challenges, and examples of what's working now to build strong tech companies. Tune in each week as Steve Sponseller interviews a new leader in the tech world.

  1. 10h ago

    Building the Right Team for Your Tech Company – Mike Krupit

    Would you like to learn how to build the right team for your technology company? That's what I'm discussing on this episode with my guest, Mike Krupit. Mike is the founder and CEO of Trajectify, which provides leadership and business growth support. Prior to founding Trajectify, Mike worked with eight Silicon Valley Startups where he learned valuable business leadership lessons. On this episode, Mike talks about building a "not-to-do list" and outsourcing or automating tasks you don't enjoy or could be handled more efficiently by someone else. He also shares his thoughts on how you should delegate authority, not just tasks. Mike discusses why your business culture comes from core values and hiring decisions.  He recommends defining the behaviors your values require, then using those values throughout the hiring and recognition process. Mike also gives his thoughts on the four accountabilities of an effective CEO: 1. The organization's vision 2. Putting the right people in the right seats 3. Financial and legal sustainability 4. Being the company's outside face and voice  Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - Startup challenges and insights - Company culture comes from core values and hiring decisions - How to delegate authority - The importance of building a "not-to-do list" - Four accountabilities of an effective CEO Connect with Mike Krupit: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkrupit/ Website:  https://www.trajectify.com/ Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

  2. Aug 27

    A Good UX Design Improves Your Business – Matt Genovese

    Would you like to learn how to create a User Experience (UX) that accelerates time-to-market and reduces cost?  That's exactly what I'm discussing today with Matt Genovese.  Matt is the founder and CEO of Planorama, which is a User Experience design firm that focuses on making complex and technical software – simple and intuitive to use. Matt and the team at Planorama follow the mantra, "Time to market, accelerated by design." During our discussion, Matt shares information about how he and his team get involved early in the product design process so the UX requirements and documentation are defined at the beginning - and play an important role in the entire design process. Matt also explains the importance of User Stories in the overall UX design process to save time and money.  He also mentions a free User Story Generator tool offered by Planorama.  There's a link to this tool in the show notes. I know you will find value in this interview and get some insights for improving your company's User Experience design process. "Design is all about requirements. UX defines the solid visual requirements for a product. So, the investment in a good UX design saves money on the development activities." – Matt Genovese Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - A first step to improve your UX - How a good UX design improves your business - What are User Stories and why are they important to the design process - When to start UX design in the product design process - The importance of UX design to software companies Connect with Matt Genovese: Contact Matt:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgenovese/ Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

  3. Aug 20

    Protecting Space Tech Inventions – Steve Sponseller

    Episode 200!  I'm excited to publish the 200th episode of the Tech Leader Talk podcast. I've talked with some amazing people and learned something from every guest.  I hope you enjoy this episode and learn from the information I share. Are you protecting your company's critical inventions that create a competitive advantage, attract investors, and increase valuation?     This interview is part of the Space Tech Innovation event where Space Tech Leaders share the latest trends and key insights to grow any tech company.  The event is Free – you can register at https://SpaceTechInnovation.com to see all the videos, edited transcripts, and an executive summary of each interview. Today's interview is going to be different.  I've turned the tables and I am the person being interviewed.  Shelli Brunswick (a previous guest on the podcast) has generously agreed to interview me today.  Shelli is the former Chief Operating Officer of Space Foundation and a fantastic interviewer for her own podcast. Today, I will be talking with Shelli about my insights from interviewing eight space tech leaders as part of the Space Tech Innovation event.  I've been working with tech companies for more than 25 years, but I still discovered new things from my discussions with the space tech leaders. I will also be sharing my own knowledge and experience about how tech companies (space tech and non-space tech) can protect their most valuable inventions to create patent portfolios that provide a competitive advantage, attract investors, and increase company valuation. I think you will enjoy this conversation with me and get some valuable tips and insights that can help you in your own business activities. "Two of the biggest mistakes I see space tech companies make regarding their inventions are 1) not having a system to identify all inventions created by their team, and 2) not understanding patent filing deadlines." – Steve Sponseller (Patent Strategist at Strategic IP Solutions, LLC) Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - Why space tech companies must protect their inventions - Insights from talking with eight space tech experts for the Space Tech Innovation event - Biggest mistakes when protecting inventions - The motivation behind Steve's book, Cracking the Patent Code - Why collaboration among space tech companies is critical Resources: Space Tech White Paper:  https://stevesponseller.com/spacetech/ Steve's book, Cracking the Patent Code:  https://stevesponseller.com/book Connect with Steve Sponseller: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesponseller/ Website:  https://stevesponseller.com Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

  4. Aug 13

    Space Engineering: Power Systems and Orbital Data Centers – Al Tadros

    Do you want to know how an experienced space tech CTO solves space's toughest problems?  Keep listening because that's what I'm discussing with today's guest, Al Tadros. Al is a Space Technology Innovator and the CTO of Redwire Space.  In this role, he is focused on making strategic investments that support Redwire's customers, advance technology development, and maintain a collaborative technical culture.  Al has three decades of experience in space systems engineering, including satellite and space systems for exploration, national security, and commercial missions. On today's episode, Al talks about his passion for solving tough problems, which led him to pursue engineering in the space industry.  During our discussion, he shares information on designing space-based power systems, roll-out solar arrays, and orbital data centers. Al shares his insights on redundancy and risk strategies when developing systems that operate in space.  He also discusses challenges when dealing with space industry innovation. Al provides his thoughts on the evolution of power systems for space missions and how those power systems may change in the future.  He also talks about challenges when scaling up power generation for orbital data centers, lunar systems, and other systems. Whether you're an engineer, a tech leader, or just curious about the future of space, this episode will provide inspiration and practical insights from an industry leader. Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - Techniques for solving hard problems - Scaling up power systems for space - Designing with redundant systems - High-efficiency, roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) - Requirements and challenges for orbital data centers Resources: Orbital Data Centers white paper:  https://rdw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RDW26-053-ODC-Power-Thermal-Study-White-Paper-R11-Digital.pdf Video: Deployment of Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CFejld5r_I Connect with Al Tadros: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/al-tadros-986a583/ Website:  https://rdw.com/ Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

  5. Aug 6

    Innovation and Risk in Today's Space Industry – Hadi Alhassani

    Do you want to learn about innovation and risk from a veteran of the space industry?  Today's guest, Hadi Alhassani, has more than 25 years of experience with satellite operations, technical leadership, launching satellites, and space sustainability.  Early in his career, Hadi worked as a Satellite Engineer then moved to an Engineering Director and a Chief Strategist.  During his career he has managed complex projects and worked with other space professionals across many countries. During our discussion, Hadi discusses the importance of following your passion.  That's exactly what he did by following his passion for space technology. Hadi shares his thoughts on risks involved in the space industry, such as technical risks and financial risks.  He shares some important ideas for managing those risks. Hadi also talks about the unique opportunities and challenges that exist for the space industry in the Middle East and North Africa.  In particular, he discusses growth, sovereignty, and global collaboration. I'm sure you will enjoy this conversation and get some valuable insights you can use in your own business. Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - Why you must follow your passion - Evolution of the space industry - Opportunities and challenges in today's space industry - Managing risk in the space industry Connect with Hadi Alhassani: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdulhadi-alhassani-3b899018/ Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

  6. Jul 30

    Using AI for Business, Innovation and Brainstorming – Mike Todasco

    Innovation is critical for tech companies to maintain their competitive edge.  My guest today is Mike Todasco.  He's sharing his expertise with innovation and artificial intelligence (AI). Mike is highly qualified to talk about these topics individually and he will discuss how AI can help with innovation and creativity.  He was formerly the Head of Innovation at PayPal and he's listed as an inventor on over 100 patents.  He left his work at PayPal to focus on Generative Artificial Intelligence. During our discussion, Mike shares information about the innovation culture that was created at PayPal and how team members were encouraged to innovate. He also discusses his current activities with AI and how he's using AI tools to write books, generate comic strips, create new ideas, and more.  Mike talks about how to use today's AI tools, like ChatGPT, to come up with innovative ideas, generate rough drafts of emails, and act as your brainstorming partner. I'm sure you will enjoy this discussion and get some valuable tips for creating innovative ideas and leveraging AI tools in your business. Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - How to encourage all team members to innovate - Mike's technique for generating new ideas - The huge potential for Generative Artificial Intelligence - Using AI tools as your 24/7 brainstorming partner - Writing books and other content with AI tools Connect with Mike Todasco: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/todasco/ Email:  miketodasco (at) gmail.com Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

  7. Jul 23

    Take Control of Your Data to Grow Your Business – Jon Thompson

    Are you effectively leveraging your company's data? On this episode, I have an interesting conversation with Jon Thompson.  Jon is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Blue Margin, which is a data analytics company that organizes data into dashboards.  Jon discusses how these dashboards can help companies quickly and easily understand complex data. Jon and his team have helped over 200 companies improve their business outcomes through the use of performance dashboards that drive focus and accountability.  Jon and the Blue Margin team works with companies in a variety of industries. Jon also co-authored a book with his brother titled "The Dashboard Effect," which explains why data intelligence is the next great differentiator in business.  He discusses this in more detail during our interview. Jon also explains that dashboards aren't just for the company leaders.  Jon encourages companies to provide dashboards to all team members, which can help build motivation and teamwork. I'm sure you will enjoy this discussion with Jon and I encourage you to take action by clicking the link below where you can download Jon's Stakeholder Survey and a free copy of his Book. "Dashboards need to be people-centric, not topic-centric.  Dashboards are tools for people to consume that will improve their activities and processes." – Jon Thompson Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - How companies can derive value from large amounts of data - Different types of data analysis for business data - Leveraging data dashboards in your company - Determining the most valuable data indicators for your company - How to incorporate data analysis into your entire business Resources: Learn more about The Dashboard Effect: https://www.bluemargin.com The Dashboard Effect podcast:  https://www.bluemargin.com/en-us/the-dashboard-effect-podcast-data-strategies-for-private-equity Connect with Jon Thompson: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-thompson-37282432/ Website:  https://www.bluemargin.com/ Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

  8. Jul 16

    Protecting Your Highest Priority Inventions – Steve Sponseller

    This is another solo episode of the Tech Leader Talk podcast. Today's episode continues the discussion of the 7-Step system I created that's helped many tech companies build robust patent strategies.  I will be discussing the fifth step in that system, which helps you protect your highest priority inventions to build a valuable patent portfolio. In previous episodes of the podcast, I've discussed the first four steps.  Today, I'm discussing step 5 which is: Protecting your highest priority inventions that will add valuable assets to your patent portfolio. This step follows from the previous discussion of step 4 which talks about defining invention evaluation criteria that's used to evaluate your team's inventions.  If you want to listen to the step 4 episode, it was published on:  May 28, 2026.  Link to that episode:  https://www.podpage.com/tech-leader-talk-1/creating-invention-evaluation-criteria-for-a-robust-patent-strategy-steve-sponseller/ You want to patent the most valuable inventions that your team creates, so you continually build a strong patent portfolio filled with high-value patent assets. Unfortunately, many patents have minimal value for a variety of reasons, such as being easy for a competitor to design around.  Applying your company's evaluation criteria to each invention allows you to prioritize those inventions and select the highest value inventions for patent protection. When prioritizing your inventions, it's important to protect your core technology that provides a competitive advantage.  You should also prioritize must-have features that make your product stand out in the marketplace.  If you patent a must-have feature, you may have the ability to exclude competitors from offering that feature.  Other high-priority inventions are those that are likely to have high value in the future based on today's technology trends. Be sure to apply your evaluation criteria to each invention then select the highest priority inventions to file patent applications that will create patent assets for your patent portfolio.  Make this process of invention evaluation and patent protection part of your regular business activities. I will be talking about the remaining 2 steps to building your robust patent strategy in future episodes.  Questions? If you have any questions about building a robust patent strategy for your company, contact me to schedule a complimentary call. Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

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About

The Tech Leader Talk podcast brings together successful technology company leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts from around the technology industry to share successes, challenges, and examples of what's working now to build strong tech companies. Tune in each week as Steve Sponseller interviews a new leader in the tech world.

Information

  • Creator
    Steve Sponseller
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    197
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Tech Leader Talk

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