Humans of Telecom

Humans of Telecom
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Biweekly

A podcast that goes beyond our work lives to bring us closer to some of the brightest and most influential members of the telecom community!

  1. Episode 81: Veni Folta, Chief Happiness Officer at The Inspired Action Group

    5d ago

    Episode 81: Veni Folta, Chief Happiness Officer at The Inspired Action Group

    “Life is an Adventure. Jump out of a Plane. Live your Ikigai. Find your Happy Place!” — Veni Folta, Chief Happiness Officer at The Inspired Action Group, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal From Portuguese Macau to British Hong Kong to the United States… from a Category 5 hurricane that wiped out her dream job in a single day… to nearly three decades in telecom, two of them in international roaming… to becoming the Chief Happiness Officer helping leaders reclaim their lives — Veni's journey is unlike anything you've heard on this show before! In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Veni opens up about: 🌏 A life that began in Macau, moved through Hong Kong, and eventually landed in Seattle — shaped by colonial history, cultural richness, and remarkable resilience 📖 Her bestselling book I Quit — and why losing your job might just be the best thing that ever happens to you 🧠 How a decade of studying neuroscience and cognitive positive psychology became her second calling — and ultimately her life's purpose ✈️ The pandemic that stopped all roaming traffic — and paradoxically launched the most meaningful chapter of her career 🪂 Skydiving at 14,000 feet over a coral reef in Saipan at sunset — as a team building exercise — because why not? 🌊 Snorkeling between two tectonic plates in freezing Icelandic waters — and accidentally meeting the former president of Iceland, who had quietly become a park ranger 🚶 Walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain and the Kumano Kodo in Japan — because some journeys are meant for the soul, not the schedule 💔 The health crises — cancer, depression, a brain bleed from a concussion — that taught her the most important lesson of all: you cannot serve others from an empty cup ❤️ And her life's mission — helping people break old patterns, rewire their brains, reclaim their power, and finally come alive From roaming partnerships to the science of happiness — Veni is proof that sometimes the most extraordinary career pivots begin not with a plan, but with a crisis, a curiosity, and the courage to begin again! 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

    21 min
  2. Episode 80: Mike Mills, Managing Director (Service Providers) at Gamma

    May 26

    Episode 80: Mike Mills, Managing Director (Service Providers) at Gamma

    "I would tell my younger self – stop playing it safe. Be braver. Be bolder. And believe, really believe, that you are capable of more than you think!" – Mike Mills, Managing Director (Service Providers) at Gamma, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal From handing out free internet CDs at a PC World store in the north of England… to discovering the company that built all the infrastructure behind those very CDs… to joining them and building a career that has spanned 25 extraordinary years – Mike's journey into telecom is fascinatingly brilliant! In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Mike opens up about: 💻 How a single day spent at an internet company during university changed the entire direction of his life 📈 Inheriting a declining, unloved division at Gamma – and growing it from £12M to £96M almost entirely through organic growth 🏆 Three consecutive wins at the Global Comms Awards for Best Sales Team – a feat that very few teams anywhere in the world can claim! 👯 The world of 'twincidents' – life with an identical twin brother Steve, who also works at Gamma, and the endless cases of mistaken identity that keep the industry on its toes! 🐕 Three Hungarian Vizslas who have made countryside walks a non-negotiable part of his daily life – and he wouldn't have it any other way 🏃 The 13-year-old who cleared over five metres in long jump and represented his county – until fate had other plans at 14 💪 Six Tough Mudders completed, electrocution and all – before finally drawing a very firm line in the mud ⚽ A lifelong Newcastle United fan – more heartbreak than glory, but last season gave him just enough reason to keep believing ❤️ And his quiet but powerful north star – be a good person, treat people with kindness, and invest genuinely in the success of others! From Newcastle to Surrey, from dial-up internet to UCaaS and beyond – Mike is living proof that staying curious, staying loyal, and daring to be bold can take you further than any shortcut ever will! 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit! #HumansOfTelecom #Podcast #Telecom #HumanStories

    20 min
  3. Episode 79: Stephanie Lashley, VP Messaging at Bandwidth

    May 12

    Episode 79: Stephanie Lashley, VP Messaging at Bandwidth

    "I have never once walked into a room and thought — I wonder if I belong here. And I want every woman in this industry to feel exactly the same way!" — Stephanie Lashley, VP Messaging Strategic Alliances & Infrastructure at Bandwidth, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal From a mother who came home and talked about telecom at the dinner table… to a young girl who grew up fascinated by the industry… to someone who has spent over two decades helping shape how the world messages — Stephanie's story is one of roots, reinvention, and remarkable impact! In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Stephanie opens up about: 📱 Working on RCS back in 2012 — over a decade before the world caught up — and what it feels like to finally see it come to fruition 📈 Joining Bandwidth when messaging was barely a side project — and helping build it into a full-blown AI-powered RCS platform over seven years 🏠 Her lifelong love for interior design — from repainting walls on a whim to refinishing hardwood floors with nothing but determination and YouTube 🦋 A little garden that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds — because some of the best recharging happens close to the earth 🗺️ Visiting all 50 US states — with just three left to go — and a travelogue that the world is waiting to read 🧬 98% Sicilian DNA, ancestry traced back to the 14th century, and a salt mine in Trapani named after her family ✍️ A book written in the fifth grade that won recognition at the Young Authors Convention — the first chapter of a lifelong love for writing 👩‍👩‍👧 And the Women in Messaging initiative — born as a dinner for five, now growing to 50 and beyond — because every woman deserves a seat at the table From Kansas City to Palermo to the global messaging stage — Stephanie is proof that when you lead with inclusion, show up with empathy, and never stop creating, the industry takes notice! 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

    20 min
  4. Episode 78: Deepesh Trivedi, CEO at UIB.ai

    Apr 28

    Episode 78: Deepesh Trivedi, CEO at UIB.ai

    "I stumbled into sales. I stumbled into Facebook. I stumbled into Singapore and met my wife. And somehow, every stumble took me somewhere better!" — Deepesh Trivedi, CEO at UIB.ai, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal From a small town in North London called Watford… to employee number 20 at Facebook's London office… to the front row of WhatsApp's global expansion… to now leading a conversational AI company in Singapore — Deepesh's journey is one of instinct, courage, and beautiful timing! In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Deepesh opens up about: 🚀 How a recruiter's phone call in 2008 changed everything — and why joining Facebook was the best career decision he ever made 💬 What it was really like working at WhatsApp before it made a single dollar — and helping shape how it monetized for the first time 🎸 The teenage band that almost made it — and the guitar he's been playing since he was eight years old 🌏 How moving to Singapore for a year turned into 15 years — all because of one person he met in the office on week three ⚽ Sundays with his almost-three-year-old son at football — and why fatherhood has been the most rewarding pivot of his life 🏃 A 5 to 7k run around Singapore when the mind gets too loud — and how movement brings him clarity like nothing else can ❤️ And his core belief as a leader — invest in people, do the right thing, and the rest will follow From Watford to WhatsApp to the world — Deepesh is proof that the best decisions in life and career are often the ones you stumble into with an open mind and a willing heart! 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

    21 min
  5. Episode 77: Natalia Derkach, Director of Carrier Relations & Sales at Nuetech Stack

    Apr 14

    Episode 77: Natalia Derkach, Director of Carrier Relations & Sales at Nuetech Stack

    "I've worked in telecom, in modeling, in hairdressing. Every single one taught me the same thing — show up, stay calm, and finish the job!" — Natalia Derkach, Director of Carrier Relations & Sales at Nuetech Stack, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal From the snow-covered streets of Novosibirsk, Siberia… to the neon-lit corridors of Seoul, South Korea… to the fast-moving world of carrier relations and CPaaS — Natalia's journey is one of courage, curiosity, and quiet power! In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Natalia opens up about: 🌍 How she accidentally walked into telecom 15 years ago — and never once looked back 💡 The bold move of building an international department from scratch — with nothing but LinkedIn, good English, and sheer determination 🔮 Her secret life as a rune reader — the ancient art of predicting the future, with a 90% accuracy rate to back it up 👠 The runway fall that taught her the most important lesson of her modelling career — and of her life ✂️ The hairdressing practice session that ended with a cut ear — and a very important lesson in staying calm under pressure 🐱 The rescue cat she gave a home to when no one else would — because that's just who she is 🧘 How yoga, meditation, and travel keep her grounded in a world that never stops moving ❤️ And her life philosophy — connecting business and humanity, logic and intuition, strength and empathy From Siberia to Seoul to the global telecom stage — Natalia is proof that when you lead with integrity and follow your truth, the world has a way of finding you! 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

    17 min
  6. Episode 76: Santiago Marquez, CEO at Wholesale Congress Series

    Mar 31

    Episode 76: Santiago Marquez, CEO at Wholesale Congress Series

    "I want to learn early to slow down and enjoy the journey. Sometimes we spend many years focused on moving forward — and only later do you realize how important it is to pause, appreciate the process, and enjoy the moment." — Santiago Marquez, CEO at Wholesale Congress Series, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal From selling ad space in a telecom magazine… to attending his first wholesale industry event with wide eyes and a curious mind… to building the world's largest gathering for the global messaging ecosystem — Santiago's journey is one of vision, patience, and people! In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Santiago opens up about: 🌍 How a chance encounter with the wholesale telecom world in 2006 sparked an idea that would take years to become reality 🎤 The story behind Wholesale World Congress — from dreaming of 500 attendees, to welcoming over 2,000 today 🤝 Why his customers literally convinced him to take over a struggling event — and how that became LAWC in Buenos Aires 🥃 His deep love for whiskey — not just the taste, but the craft, the tradition, and the storytelling behind every bottle 📦 And yes — over 1,000 unopened bottles in his collection. Yes, you read that right! 🖨️ The night shift at a printing press that taught him more about design and detail than any classroom ever could 👨‍👧‍👦 Two sons, Felipe and Vicente — his other world, his greatest anchor ❤️ And his simple but powerful life philosophy: treat others the way you'd like to be treated! From Uruguay to Madrid to Buenos Aires to every corner of the telecom world — Santiago is proof that when you build with humility and lead with heart, an entire industry shows up for you! 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

    21 min
  7. Episode 75: Gina Perini, Chair of the Board and CEO at SOMOS

    Mar 17

    Episode 75: Gina Perini, Chair of the Board and CEO at SOMOS

    "I consider myself an artist! And early in my career, I realized — art and strategy have a lot in common. Both are about creativity, solving problems, conveying a vision, and making something interesting... or even beautiful!" — Gina Perini, Chair of the Board and CEO at SOMOS, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal What happens when a sharp intellectual property lawyer… gets handed a "boring" project nobody wanted… and ends up building a company that protects the trust and integrity of communications for millions? You get a story like Gina's! In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Gina opens up about: ⚖️ How a circuitous path from corporate law led her to reimagine how phone numbers are managed as digital identities 🎨 The secret artist in her — oil painting, gardening, and why she brings a creative eye to everything, including strategy! 🚴 That time she cycled over 4,000 miles across the United States — with the man who would become her husband of 25+ years 🏠 Life in a 200-year-old home she and her husband have lovingly restored — because old things deserve to be made new again! 💪 Why weight training and Pilates aren't just about fitness — they're about feeling grounded and ready to take on the world 🌍 A life-changing trip to rural Tanzania, and a phrase on a classroom wall that stopped her in her tracks: "I am because we are" 🔄 Her agile approach to life — running personal retros, staying in continuous improvement mode, and learning to focus outward ❤️ And why the greatest shift of her career wasn't a promotion or an award — it was moving from 'me' to 'we'! From Boston to the boardroom to the back roads of America — Gina's journey is a masterclass in reinvention, purpose, and the quiet power of showing up with both heart and conviction! 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

    26 min
  8. Episode 74: Andrey Anikin, CEO at Alaris Labs

    12/09/2025

    Episode 74: Andrey Anikin, CEO at Alaris Labs

    “Sometimes your greatest journey begins with no plan — just curiosity, courage, and a leap of faith.” — Andrey Anikin, CEO at Alaris Labs, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal What happens when a linguist… becomes a schoolteacher… accidentally lands in technical support… and ends up building one of the most trusted telecom software companies in the world? You get a story like no other! In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Andrey shares: ⚡ How a random job interview became the spark for a 22-year telecom journey 🚀 The guts it took to leave a stable salary and build Alaris Labs from scratch 🎸 The hidden musician with 10 guitars and a love for creating and performing 🥊 Why he believes amateur boxing is “more chess than aggression” 🏃‍♂️ How running long distances keeps his mind clear, focused, and creative 📚 His lifelong love for reading — from Pushkin and Bulgakov to Ray Bradbury 👨‍👧‍👦 What fatherhood has taught him about leadership, patience, and purpose ❤️ And the one belief that guides his entire philosophy of life and work: “The greatest things are built on love.” From Russia to Singapore to Dubai to every telecom conference around the world — Andrey’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, discipline, humility, and heart! 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

    26 min
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About

A podcast that goes beyond our work lives to bring us closer to some of the brightest and most influential members of the telecom community!

Information

  • Creator
    Humans of Telecom
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Humans of Telecom
  • Show Website
    Humans of Telecom