The CTO Show with Mehmet Gonullu

Mehmet Gonullu
  • 5.0 (15)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Broadcasting from Dubai, The CTO Show with Mehmet explores the latest trends in technology, startups, and venture funding. Host Mehmet Gonullu leads insightful discussions with thought leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs from diverse industries. From emerging technologies to startup investment strategies, the show provides a balanced view on navigating the evolving landscape of business and tech, helping listeners understand their profound impact on our world. mehmet@yassiventures.com

  1. 3D AGO

    #593 AI Agents Are Becoming the Workforce for Events | Ritesh Patel, CEO & Co-Founder, Ticket Fairy

    In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Mehmet sits down with Ritesh Patel, CEO and Co-Founder of Ticket Fairy. He has built a full-stack operating system for the global events industry, spanning ticketing, payments, marketing, and AI. The conversation reframes event technology as an infrastructure problem, not a commerce problem. Ticketing looks simple on the surface, but hides deep system complexity, fragile scaling layers, and continuous engineering trade-offs. AI is not simplifying this stack. It is expanding both capability and risk, especially in fraud, automation, and operational control. If you are building or investing in AI infrastructure, marketplaces, or vertical SaaS, this conversation sharpens how complexity, defensibility, and automation actually play out in production systems. ⸻ About the Guest Ritesh Patel is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ticket Fairy, a platform that provides a full operating system for the independent events industry, including ticketing, CRM, marketing technology, fintech, and AI.   He has spent more than a decade producing over 500 events and building systems that address the operational and financial constraints of the industry.   His perspective comes from running both sides of the system, event production and infrastructure, which shapes how he approaches automation, fraud, and scalability. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riteshdpatel/ ⸻ Key Takeaways Ticketing systems look simple, but operate as highly complex distributed infrastructure.AI agents make fraud more effective by mimicking real user behavior at scale.Event platforms require continuous engineering cycles, often running close to 24 hours a day.Defensibility in event tech comes from relationships and capital layers, not software features.Most events are not profitable for years, mirroring early-stage startup dynamics.Centralized systems can solve fraud problems more effectively than blockchain approaches.Real-time data at micro-level granularity drives marketing and conversion performance.Vertical SaaS fails when it tries to serve everyone instead of owning a specific segment. ⸻ What You Will Learn The hidden system complexity behind seemingly simple ticketing platformsHow AI agents bypass traditional bot detection and fraud controlsWhy feature flags and modular architecture are critical in vertical SaaSThe economics of event businesses and why profitability is delayedHow real-time behavioral data improves conversion and marketing outcomesWhy blockchain fails to solve most real-world ticketing problemsThe role of AI agents as operational workforce in resource-constrained industries ⸻ Episode Highlights 00:00 — Why simple products hide extreme system complexity 03:00 — Event infrastructure complexity most people underestimate 05:30 — AI agents make fraud harder to detect 08:30 — Trust layer challenges in event platforms 11:00 — How to architect systems that survive demand spikes 13:00 — Real-time data as a competitive advantage 15:00 — Why most events fail financially early 17:00 — Pricing models shift cost to the consumer 19:00 — Defensibility comes from relationships not software 27:00 — AI agents as workforce for event operations ⸻ Resources Mentioned Ticket Fairy: https://ticketfairy.comRedis: In-memory data store used for session managementWordPress: Website framework mentioned in comparisonBlockchain and NFT communities: Used for token-gated access use cases ⸻ Listen Now Available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube ⸻ Connect with the Show Follow The CTO Show with Mehmet for more conversations at the intersection of technology, startups, and venture capital

    33 min

  2. 6D AGO

    #592 Stop Treating AI Like Software. It Is Workforce Infrastructure | Karl Simon, CTO, Subatomic AI

    In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Mehmet sits down with Karl Simon, Co-Founder and CTO at Subatomic AI. Karl is building orchestration infrastructure for AI agents and enterprise workflows, focused on turning AI into operational capacity rather than isolated tools. AI adoption is often framed as a model problem. This conversation reframes it as a systems problem. The gap is not model capability but data quality, workflow design, and orchestration. The discussion breaks down why AI agents perform well in demos but fail in production, and why observability and context are now core requirements for enterprise AI. If you are building, operating, or investing in enterprise AI systems, this conversation clarifies where value is created and where most implementations fail. ⸻ About the Guest Karl Simon is the Co-Founder and CTO at Subatomic AI, a company focused on orchestration layers for enterprise AI workflows. His work centers on agentic systems, data integration, and operationalizing AI across business functions. He has spent decades helping companies modernize across data, cloud, and AI systems, with a focus on automation, optimization, and enterprise-scale transformation. He is building infrastructure that treats AI as a workforce layer, not a software feature. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlsimon ⸻ Key Takeaways AI failures in enterprises are driven by data and workflow gaps, not model limitationsAI agents succeed only when guided by structured workflows and bounded contextData quality issues scale faster with AI, amplifying errors across systemsObservability is required to trust and operate AI in production environmentsEnterprise AI requires orchestration across multiple systems, not isolated toolsAI should be treated as workforce capacity, not a software deploymentSOPs and workflows must evolve continuously or AI will reinforce inefficienciesROI from AI comes from time reallocation and revenue expansion, not just cost reduction ⸻ What You Will Learn Why AI models are not the primary bottleneck in enterprise adoptionHow data quality and context directly impact AI output reliabilityThe difference between automation, integration, and orchestration in AI systemsWhat causes AI agents to fail when moving from demo to productionHow observability frameworks enable trust and auditability in AI workflowsThe concept of AI coworkers and how they fit into enterprise operationsWhat CTOs should prioritize first to achieve early ROI from AI ⸻ Episode Highlights 00:00 — AI models are not the real problem 02:00 — Orchestration is the missing layer in enterprise AI 04:00 — Why AI fails without context and trained data 06:30 — Data quality issues break AI systems at scale 09:00 — Orchestration vs automation and integration explained 12:00 — Trust, auditability, and observability in AI systems 16:00 — AI as workforce infrastructure, not software 20:00 — Can AI optimize broken enterprise workflows 27:00 — AI in regulated industries and compliance requirements 29:00 — Where to start for real AI ROI 35:00 — What changes in the next 12 to 18 months ⸻ Resources Mentioned Subatomic AI: https://getsubatomic.aiDeep Lens: Observability framework for AI workflowsNIST: Security and compliance frameworkOWASP: Application security frameworkISO 27001: Information security standard ⸻ Listen Now Available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube ⸻ Connect with the Show Follow The CTO Show with Mehmet for more conversations at the intersection of technology, startups, and venture capital

    42 min

  3. APR 20

    #591 AI Can Scale Outreach. It Cannot Build Trust | Ari Galper, Creator of Trust-Based Selling

    In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Mehmet sits down with Ari Galper, creator of Trust-Based Selling. Ari has spent 25 years building a sales methodology around one argument: trust, not persuasion, determines whether a deal moves forward.   The conversation reframes sales conversion as a communication problem, not a lead volume problem. Ari argues that most teams still run a pre-COVID model of value dumping, follow-up loops, and relationship theater, while buyers already know the game. The result is longer cycles, weaker truth discovery, and lower conversion.     If you are building, operating, or investing in B2B go-to-market, this conversation gives you a sharper way to diagnose why qualified deals stall and what needs to change in the first meeting.   About the Guest Ari Galper is the creator of Trust-Based Selling, a methodology he says he has been developing for 25 years. He is also the author of Trust-Based Selling and says he has written seven books in total.   He frames sales as a doctor-patient conversation, not a persuasion exercise, and argues that trust must be built at the beginning of the cycle rather than at the end. He also built Ari AI, a proprietary coaching system trained on his private body of work, and runs a learning hub called Selling With Trust.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arigalper/ Website: https://arigalper.com/free Key Takeaways Most sales teams have a trust problem, not a pipeline problem.  A sale is often lost at hello, not at the end of the cycle.  Discovery calls fail when buyers do not trust the person asking the questions.  Relationship building extends sales cycles because trust arrives too late.  AI can scale bad selling behavior faster if the underlying language is robotic.  Long sales cycles are frequently a signal of weak trust, not weak demand.  ROI selling is weaker than framing the cost of inaction in the present.  Low-volume, high-conversion models can outperform high-volume funnel thinking for many founders.   What You Will Learn The difference between a trust call and a discovery call.  How Ari structures the first meeting to lower pressure and increase honesty.  Why “nice to meet you” may work better than standard sales warm-up language.  What the “doctor, not pharmacist” framing changes in enterprise selling.  When AI helps sales teams and when it makes outreach worse.  How the sales cylinder differs from the traditional funnel.  Why trust building is a learnable skill, not a personality trait.   Episode Highlights 00:00 — Trust, not persuasion, drives conversion 02:00 — The trust recession changed buyer behavior 05:00 — Founders misread trust gaps as pipeline gaps 08:00 — Remove likeability, start with trust 10:30 — Founder visibility helps, but it is not selling 13:00 — The one call sale framework 16:00 — Stop talking, let the buyer speak 21:00 — AI raises the premium on trust 25:00 — Sell cost of action, not ROI 31:00 — Replace the funnel with a cylinder 37:00 — Trust building is the only sales skill that matters     Resources Mentioned Trust-Based Selling by Ari Galper: https://arigalper.com/free-book-consult/ Listen Now Available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Connect with the Show Follow The CTO Show with Mehmet for more conversations at the intersection of technology, startups, and venture capital.

    48 min

  4. APR 17

    #590 Mental Health Is Now a Portfolio Risk: Why 72% of Founders Are Struggling? with James Oliver, Jr.

    In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Mehmet sits down with James Oliver, Jr., founder of the Kabila Founder Mental Health Fund and author of Burn Bright, Not Out. This is not a theoretical conversation. It is a raw, real look into what founders actually go through behind the scenes. James shares his personal journey from building a startup under extreme pressure, navigating financial stress, family challenges, and burnout, to launching a mission-driven fund supporting founder mental health. The discussion goes deeper than awareness. It reframes mental health as a systemic risk in startups and venture portfolios, not a side topic. If you are building, investing, or operating in startups, this conversation will likely resonate more than expected. ⸻ 👤 About the Guest James Oliver, Jr. is the founder of the Kabila Founder Mental Health Fund, a nonprofit supporting founders by providing access to mental health resources. He is also the author of Burn Bright, Not Out: Shattering the Silence Around Mental Health in Tech Startups, a book featuring real stories from founders and investors, with profits supporting mental health initiatives. James brings a unique perspective shaped by firsthand experience as a founder, investor ecosystem participant, and advocate for mental wellness in entrepreneurship. https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-oliver-jr/ ⸻ 🔑 Key Takeaways Founder mental health is not a personal issue. It is a portfolio-level risk72% of founders are struggling, yet most conversations remain silentResilience is necessary, but often misunderstood and over-glorifiedStartup success, including exits, does not eliminate burnoutVulnerability is powerful, but must be shared with the right circleFounders are not alone, even when it feels that wayAsking for help is a strength, not a weaknessMental health strategies are personal. What works differs for each founder ⸻ 🎯 What You Will Learn The real causes behind founder stress, burnout, and mental health challengesHow extreme life events and startup pressure compound each otherWhy PR, funding, or success do not solve underlying mental health issuesHow to build a support system and find your “tribe”Practical ways founders manage mental health beyond therapyWhy investors should actively support founder well-beingHow mental health impacts long-term decision-making and performance ⸻ ⏱️ Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction and guest background   03:00 The real story behind starting the Kabila Founder Mental Health Fund   06:00 Founder stress, burnout, and early struggles building a startup   12:00 Mental health challenges during fundraising and startup failure   18:00 Why even successful exits can lead to burnout   24:00 The stigma around mental health in startups and venture capital   29:00 Vulnerability, trust, and finding the right support system   35:00 The importance of tribe, environment, and culture   42:00 AI, pressure, and the evolving founder landscape   45:00 How founders can access support and resources   ⸻ 📚 Resources Mentioned Burn Bright, Not Out by James Oliver, Jr.: https://www.amazon.com/Burn-Bright-Not-Out-ShatteringThe-ebook/dp/B0GG8FCCQZKabila Founder Mental Health Fund: https://give.socialgoodfund.org/KabilaMentalHealthCalm App (mental wellness support)BetterHelp (therapy platform) ⸻ 🎧 Listen Now Available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube ⸻ 🔗 Connect with the Show Follow The CTO Show with Mehmet for more conversations at the intersection of technology, startups, and venture capital.

    51 min

  5. APR 13

    #589 Why AI Search Will Break Traditional SEO (And What Actually Works Now) with Joe Toscano

    AI is reshaping how search works and most businesses are still playing by outdated SEO rules. In this episode, Joe Toscano joins Mehmet to break down what’s really happening behind AI search and why traditional keyword-driven SEO is losing relevance. From his early work at Google to his role in The Social Dilemma, Joe brings a rare mix of technical depth and ethical perspective. The conversation goes beyond theory into practical execution. It explores how businesses can adapt, why customer conversations are becoming the new data layer, and what it takes to stay visible when AI is deciding the answers. ⸻ 👤 About the Guest Joe Toscano is a product designer, developer, and tech ethics advocate with over 15 years of experience. He has worked with major technology platforms, contributed to global conversations around data privacy, and helped shape regulations focused on protecting users. Joe is also the founder of Service Stories, a platform focused on transforming real customer data into AI-optimized content that reflects authentic business outcomes. https://www.linkedin.com/in/realjoet/ ⸻ 🚀 Key Takeaways • AI search is shifting from keyword targeting to conversational intent • Traditional SEO is evolving, not disappearing, but the rules are changing fast • The “query fan-out” model means AI generates multiple search paths from a single question • Businesses that rely only on static content risk losing visibility • Real customer data and conversations are becoming the strongest SEO asset • AI prioritizes relevance, structure, and efficiency over design and branding • Misinformation and AI-generated “content spam” will increasingly be penalized • The future of search may involve AI agents making decisions, not humans browsing pages ⸻ 🧠 What You’ll Learn • Why AI search is fundamentally different from Google search • How to adapt your SEO strategy for AI-driven discovery • The role of structured data and schema in future visibility • Why long-tail, real-world use cases outperform generic content • How to turn internal business data into a competitive advantage • What “AI-optimized websites” could look like in the near future • The risks of relying too heavily on platforms and centralized AI systems ⸻ 🎯 Episode Highlights • Joe’s journey from working with Google to advocating for ethical tech • The real difference between traditional SEO and AI search behavior • Why most businesses misunderstand the AI shift • The concept of “query fan-out” and why it matters • How Service Stories turns real service data into scalable content • The rise of AI agents and what it means for customer acquisition • Ethical risks in AI content, including misinformation and data poisoning • Practical steps businesses can take today to stay relevant ⸻ ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Joe’s background 01:00 From Google to tech ethics and global impact 03:00 The shift from traditional SEO to AI search 05:00 Biggest misconceptions about AI in business 06:00 How AI interprets search differently 08:00 Query fan-out explained 12:00 Programmatic SEO vs real customer data 14:00 Turning service data into content 16:00 Capturing customer conversations at scale 19:00 Should businesses build their own AI systems? 22:00 Platform concentration and future competition 25:00 Trust, hallucinations, and AI decision-making 28:00 The rise of agentic AI and automation 30:00 Future of search and AI-driven transactions 32:00 Ethical risks and AI content misuse 36:00 Verifiable content and long-term SEO moat 39:00 What businesses should do today 43:00 Rapid fire insights 44:00 How to connect with Joe ⸻ 🔗 Resources Mentioned • Automating Humanity: https://www.amazon.com/Automating-Humanity-Joe-Toscano/dp/1576879208 • The Social Dilemma • Service Stories: https://www.servicestories.com/

    46 min

  6. APR 10

    #588 Don’t Use AI to Do More. Use It to Solve Bigger Problems with Bala Muthiah

    AI is changing how engineering teams build, ship, and scale but the real shift isn’t in productivity. It’s in leadership. In this episode, Bala Muthiah, Director of Engineering in Silicon Valley, breaks down what actually changes when AI enters the system. From faster feedback loops to amplified organizational flaws, Bala shares why leadership decisions matter more than ever and how teams should rethink growth, execution, and culture. This is a conversation about going deeper, not faster. And why the best leaders will be the ones who know where AI should and should not be used. ⸻ 👤 About the Guest Bala Muthiah is a Silicon Valley-based Director of Engineering with over 17 years of experience in building and leading high-performing teams. He transitioned from an individual contributor to a people-first leader, driven by a passion for mentorship and growth. Alongside his role, Bala actively advises startups and mentors engineers and founders, helping them scale both technically and professionally. ⸻ 🔑 Key Takeaways • AI is an amplifier. It scales both strengths and weaknesses inside teams • Leadership is shifting from execution oversight to decision-making excellence • Faster feedback loops are redefining how products and teams evolve • Productivity gains should be used to solve bigger problems, not more tasks • Culture is becoming the only durable competitive advantage in the AI era • Human judgment remains critical, especially in high-stakes decisions • Mentorship is evolving with AI but cannot be fully replaced by it ⸻ 🎯 What You’ll Learn • The biggest mistakes engineers make when transitioning into leadership • Why “rescuing the team” is a leadership anti-pattern • How AI improves decision-making, not just productivity • Where AI should and should not be used inside engineering teams • How to avoid burnout in the age of constant AI acceleration • Why going deep on fewer problems beats doing more with AI • How to build resilient teams and culture in a world where features are easily copied ⸻ ⏱️ Episode Highlights • 00:00 Introduction and Bala’s journey from engineer to leader • 03:30 The moment that triggered the shift into leadership • 06:00 Common mistakes engineers make when becoming leaders • 08:00 Why AI is a leadership amplifier, not just a tool • 11:00 Faster feedback loops and better decision-making • 14:00 Why productivity gains can lead to burnout • 17:00 AI risks and leadership anti-patterns • 20:00 Where human judgment still matters most • 24:00 AI and the future of mentorship • 30:00 Burnout, hype, and staying relevant in the AI era • 39:00 Culture as the ultimate competitive advantage • 44:00 Final thoughts and key takeaways ⸻ 📚 Resources Mentioned • Bala Muthiah Website: https://balamuthiah.com/ • Connect with Bala on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balaarjunan/

    45 min

  7. APR 6

    #587 From $5M to $200M ARR: What Growth Investors Actually Look For with Isabelle Tashima

    What actually separates companies that scale from $5M to $200M ARR… from those that plateau? In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Isabelle Tashima, Investor at Volition Capital, to unpack how growth equity firms evaluate companies beyond the early-stage hype. The conversation breaks down capital efficiency, repeatable GTM, and the real signals investors look for once product-market fit is established. They also go deep on AI. Not as a buzzword, but as a factor reshaping how investors think about moats, defensibility, and scalability. ⸻ 👤 About the Guest Isabelle Tashima is an Investor at Volition Capital, a Boston-based growth equity firm focused on partnering with high-growth, capital-efficient companies. She previously worked in middle-market M&A at Goldman Sachs and holds an MBA from MIT Sloan. At Volition, she focuses on internet and consumer investments, helping companies scale from early traction to category leadership. ⸻ 🚀 Key Takeaways • Capital efficiency is one of the strongest signals of a scalable business • Growth equity sits between VC and private equity, with a focus on proven models • Repeatability in GTM matters more than early traction • AI only matters if it improves unit economics or creates a real moat • Distribution, not features, is becoming the new defensibility layer • The best founders are self-aware, focused, and customer-obsessed • Fundraising should be intentional, not driven by market hype ⸻ 🧠 What You’ll Learn • When founders should transition from VC to growth equity • How investors evaluate companies in the $5M–$50M ARR range • The difference between growth at all costs vs efficient scaling • What makes AI-driven businesses truly defensible • Why metrics alone don’t tell the full story of a company • How to build a repeatable GTM engine investors trust • What makes a founder “backable” at the growth stage ⸻ ⏱️ Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction and Isabelle’s background 01:00 From Goldman Sachs to growth equity at Volition 03:00 What capital efficiency really means 05:00 Growth equity vs VC vs private equity 08:00 What separates scalable companies from those that plateau 11:00 Founder mindset and common mistakes in metrics 14:00 Why distribution is everything 17:00 Growth vs efficiency in modern markets 20:00 AI: real value vs narrative 22:00 Moats in the AI era: data vs distribution 25:00 What makes a founder easy to back 28:00 Can founders be coached to scale? 30:00 How AI is changing investor decision-making 33:00 Why relationships matter more than valuation 35:00 Investment themes: AI rollups, vertical AI, infrastructure 39:00 Advice for founders building $100M+ companies ⸻ 🔗 Resources Mentioned • Volition Capital: https://www.volitioncapital.com • Isabelle Tashima on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-tashima-780065135/

    43 min

  8. APR 3

    #586 The Battle for the Data Layer: AI, Quantum, and What Leaders Are Missing with Kathryn Wang

    AI is moving from tool to autonomous actor, and most organizations are still treating it like software. In this episode, Kathryn Wang, Principal Public Sector at SandboxAQ, breaks down what actually changes when AI systems move into production, why security models are falling behind, and how the real battleground is shifting toward the data layer. The conversation explores how agentic AI introduces entirely new threat vectors, why identity and authorization are becoming the primary attack surface, and how quantum computing will reshape encryption, national security, and enterprise risk. For leaders, the takeaway is simple but uncomfortable: this is no longer about adopting AI faster. It’s about understanding what you’re exposing before it’s too late. ⸻ 👤 About the Guest Kathryn Wang is Principal, Public Sector at SandboxAQ, working at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and quantum technologies. She previously spent over two decades at Google, where she worked across product, strategy, and innovation, including early-stage AI initiatives. Her work today focuses on helping governments and enterprises navigate emerging risks in AI systems, data security, and post-quantum cryptography. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-wang/ ⸻ 🔑 Key Takeaways • AI is no longer just generating content, it is executing actions within systems • Authorization is becoming the biggest security risk in the age of agentic AI • Most organizations still treat AI as a tool, not as an autonomous actor • Data is the ultimate target, whether customer data, IP, or AI training data • Quantum computing will redefine encryption and expose weak cryptographic systems • Sovereign AI is emerging, shaped by national values, policies, and data control • Human oversight alone is no longer enough to manage AI-driven systems • Security needs to shift from layered defense to protecting the data layer itself ⸻ 🎯 What You’ll Learn • What fundamentally changes when AI moves from research to production • Why agentic AI creates new attack surfaces that traditional security cannot handle • The biggest AI risks organizations are underestimating today • How AI can be weaponized through authorized systems and workflows • Why securing the data layer is more important than adding more security tools • How quantum computing impacts cybersecurity, banking, and national security • What sovereign AI means and how it will shape global technology competition ⸻ ⏱️ Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction and Kathryn’s journey from Google to SandboxAQ 03:00 What changes when AI moves into production environments 07:30 The most underestimated AI risks in organizations today 12:00 Agentic AI, authorization, and new threat models 16:00 Why the data layer is the real battleground 22:00 Is cybersecurity still reactive in the AI era 27:00 Sovereign AI and global competition dynamics 32:00 Governance, liability, and who is responsible for AI decisions 37:00 Quantum computing and the future of encryption 43:00 Why IP is data and must be secured at all costs 45:00 Final thoughts and practical ways to learn AI ⸻ 📚 Resources Mentioned • SandboxAQ:  https://www.sandboxaq.com/ • LinkedIn for AI and cybersecurity learning • NotebookLM for simplifying complex topics

    52 min
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Broadcasting from Dubai, The CTO Show with Mehmet explores the latest trends in technology, startups, and venture funding. Host Mehmet Gonullu leads insightful discussions with thought leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs from diverse industries. From emerging technologies to startup investment strategies, the show provides a balanced view on navigating the evolving landscape of business and tech, helping listeners understand their profound impact on our world. mehmet@yassiventures.com

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