People Changing Enterprises Contentstack

Every company pays lip service to building a great culture where people trust each other, feel free to challenge each other, and openness and transparency are the name of the game. But building that kind of culture doesn't happen without work - and more importantly, a set of principles against which to work. Andreas Westendörpf (CTO, Emma Sleep) has transformed several organizations from slow and complex to agile and innovative - and he says the company culture must transform along with the technology, if you want to be in the 21st century as a business. In this episode, Andreas lays out the principles that Emma Sleep has used to build a culture of openness, trust, and transparency - and how Andreas thinks about management, leadership, and the principles of human motivation to underpin his team's participation in this culture and the company's success.
Timestamps:0:58 What it means to "share early, broadly, and openly" inside a company2:37 Why a bit of "chaotic noise" is okay, and actually needed, for a healthy culture3:58 What metaphor Emma sleep uses for their team instead of "family"5:32 Dan Pink's methodology for motivation, applied to the workplace9:26 Build a team you want to work in11:06 Don't become a manager

Andreas Westendörpf (CTO) brought the concept of composable commerce to Emma Sleep. But that wasn't his agenda from the outset. In this episode, he shares how to know if your organization is ready for composable; why e-Commerce organizations can be surprisingly outdated in their technology; how to challenge vendors and commercial models in parts of the enterprise technology landscape that have not yet embraced composable principles; why Emma Sleep made the jump -- and what you should be prepared for if you do the same. 
Timestamps:1:00 Why Andreas brought the concept of composable to Emma Sleep4:49 Why e-Commerce technology is often surprisingly outdated5:34 How (monolithic) vendor commercial models make composable difficult8:14 How Andreas challenged Microsoft on composable models - and won11:24 What businesses need to know about the potential of composable technology13:45 The last replatform you'll ever do?15:35 Andreas's advice for businesses starting their composable journey

If you're on the "business" side of your company and don't think too much about the workings of the IT department, Emma Sleep CTO Andreas Westendörpf has some news for you: it's time to start paying attention. 
In this episode, Andreas uncovers common misconceptions about the IT department and shares why it's essential to close the gaps between IT, marketing, and everything in between. 
Timestamps:2:00 How a CTO can bring an enterprise into the 21st century2:25 Common misconceptions in the business world about software 3:49 Just because you can, doesn't mean you should4:41 The attitude towards the IT department that kills innovation7:30 How technology creates value inside an organization9:52 The trend Andreas has noticed in the past few years that means you have to start thinking about your techhnology

You know that something inside your business needs to change. What do you do next? In this episode, we asked Todd Harris (SVP, Global Alliances, Valtech) and Gordana (G) Vuckovic (Chief Revenue Officer, Vue Storefront) about strategies to effect change inside your enterprise. We cover:

Why change is hard
Strategies to be seen as a positive driver of change (instead of a naysasyer or detractor)
How to build confidence to speak up when change needs to happen
How to bring change ideas to your leadership successfully
Other links and notes:

Check out the MACH Alliance

Learn more about Beyond Your Block

See Valtech's recently released first public D&I report here.

Mindy Montgomery (Sr. Technical Product Manager at ASICS) is a true disruptor. As a serial product manager and consultant, she has instigated change in a variety of industries - like democratizing patient data in healthcare. In this episode, Mindy shares her perspective on creating change, what it takes to make changes you put in motion stick -- plus, hear her surprising advice for what to look for in your next job.
Timestamps:0:53 Democratizing patient data in healthcare4:52 Don't work with people you know6:56 Lessons from transforming 150-year-old brands8:20 Switching to a new technology won't bring about change9:08 End user experience is critical for product, process, and brand adoption

Mindy Montgomery, Sr. Technical Product Manager at ASICS, describes the brand's journey from monolithic technology to a composable customer experience ecosystem. She describes how their eCommerce, omnichannel, and partnerships brand experiences are underpinned by composable technology, and how all of that stems from their brand mission - "A sound mind in a sound body".
Learn about:- The ASICS vision for the truly omnichannel customer experience - How the company moved from a Salesforce monolithic platform to a composable stack- What Mindy has learned about how to run RFPs quickly, efficiently, and effectively
Timestamps: 1:01 The ASICS omnichannel vision2:30 The company's journey to eCommerce and composable technology3:57 The brand promise that is driving technological strategy at ASICS4:39 The composable model supporting future brand extensions inside the ecosystem platform6:33 Moving off the monolith 8:11 What's next in eCommerce for the brand10:09 Tips for surviving the RFP process13:06 Trust your internal knowledge - and instincts when it comes to vendor conversations