Software Without Borders

Andy Hilliard - Accelerance
  • 5.0 (5)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Software Without Borders is the essential listen for technology leaders and business owners in the software sector who crave insights from the industry’s top minds. Picture a relaxed, coffee-driven chat where tech veterans discuss cutting-edge projects and business strategies shaping their industry. Tune in to join conversations that traverse the intersections of technology and business, helping you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

  1. JAN 5

    #39 Building High-Trust Engineering Teams in a Global World

    Episode Description: In this episode of Software Without Borders, Andy and Scott sit down with Steve Petersen, a veteran software architect and engineering leader known for building collaborative, high-trust technical teams across global environments. Steve shares the lessons he’s learned from decades of experience—coding, mentoring, scaling engineering orgs, and navigating the cultural and communication challenges that come with distributed teams.   Guest Introduction: Steve Petersen is a seasoned software architect, engineering leader, and mentor with deep experience designing scalable systems and guiding teams through growth and transformation. Known for his calm leadership style, technical clarity, and focus on people-first engineering cultures, Steve has spent his career helping developers elevate their craft while strengthening communication and trust across globally distributed organizations. Key Takeaways: Communication is the real bottleneck, not code. Highly distributed teams succeed when they over-communicate clearly and consistently. Pairing senior and junior engineers is a force multiplier, accelerating learning for both sides and strengthening team cohesion. Humility makes great engineers—those willing to ask questions, seek clarity, and challenge assumptions collaboratively. Technical leadership is not about having all the answers, but about creating a space where the best ideas surface. Avoiding unnecessary complexity leads to higher velocity and more maintainable systems. Global engineering teams thrive on structure, predictable rhythms, and clear expectations that support asynchronous work.   Chapter Markers: 0:00 Welcome to Software Without Borders 0:21 Introducing Steve Petersen 1:13 Steve’s Background & Early Career Path 2:46 Technical Leadership vs. Individual Contribution 4:05 How Engineering Teams Break Down Communication 5:32 The Power of Pairing Senior & Junior Engineers 7:01 What Makes an Engineer Truly Great 8:44 Curiosity, Humility & Asking the Right Questions 10:12 Reducing Complexity for Better Outcomes 12:09 Leading Distributed Engineering Teams 14:03 Building Predictable Rhythms & Expectations 15:58 Technical Debt vs. Necessary Complexity 17:30 Creating a Culture Where Engineers Feel Safe Speaking Up 19:03 What Steve Looks for When Hiring Developers 21:18 Why Mentorship Accelerates Team Growth 22:40 When to Step Back as a Technical Leader 24:11 Coaching Engineers Through Hard Problems 26:05 Final Thoughts & What Steve Wishes He Knew Earlier End: Closing Remarks Keywords: Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Steve Petersen, engineering leadership, software architecture, distributed engineering teams, global teams, technical mentorship, engineering culture, communication in engineering, technical debt, software development leadership, scaling teams

    47 min

  2. JAN 5 · VIDEO

    #39 Building High-Trust Engineering Teams in a Global World

    Episode Description: In this episode of Software Without Borders, Andy and Scott sit down with Steve Petersen, a veteran software architect and engineering leader known for building collaborative, high-trust technical teams across global environments. Steve shares the lessons he’s learned from decades of experience—coding, mentoring, scaling engineering orgs, and navigating the cultural and communication challenges that come with distributed teams.   Guest Introduction: Steve Petersen is a seasoned software architect, engineering leader, and mentor with deep experience designing scalable systems and guiding teams through growth and transformation. Known for his calm leadership style, technical clarity, and focus on people-first engineering cultures, Steve has spent his career helping developers elevate their craft while strengthening communication and trust across globally distributed organizations. Key Takeaways: Communication is the real bottleneck, not code. Highly distributed teams succeed when they over-communicate clearly and consistently. Pairing senior and junior engineers is a force multiplier, accelerating learning for both sides and strengthening team cohesion. Humility makes great engineers—those willing to ask questions, seek clarity, and challenge assumptions collaboratively. Technical leadership is not about having all the answers, but about creating a space where the best ideas surface. Avoiding unnecessary complexity leads to higher velocity and more maintainable systems. Global engineering teams thrive on structure, predictable rhythms, and clear expectations that support asynchronous work.   Chapter Markers: 0:00 Welcome to Software Without Borders 0:21 Introducing Steve Petersen 1:13 Steve’s Background & Early Career Path 2:46 Technical Leadership vs. Individual Contribution 4:05 How Engineering Teams Break Down Communication 5:32 The Power of Pairing Senior & Junior Engineers 7:01 What Makes an Engineer Truly Great 8:44 Curiosity, Humility & Asking the Right Questions 10:12 Reducing Complexity for Better Outcomes 12:09 Leading Distributed Engineering Teams 14:03 Building Predictable Rhythms & Expectations 15:58 Technical Debt vs. Necessary Complexity 17:30 Creating a Culture Where Engineers Feel Safe Speaking Up 19:03 What Steve Looks for When Hiring Developers 21:18 Why Mentorship Accelerates Team Growth 22:40 When to Step Back as a Technical Leader 24:11 Coaching Engineers Through Hard Problems 26:05 Final Thoughts & What Steve Wishes He Knew Earlier End: Closing Remarks Keywords: Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Steve Petersen, engineering leadership, software architecture, distributed engineering teams, global teams, technical mentorship, engineering culture, communication in engineering, technical debt, software development leadership, scaling teams

    47 min

  3. 12/22/2025 · VIDEO

    #38 Creating Alignment in Times of Chaos

    In this episode of Software Without Borders, we sit down with Joe Forgét—founder of Igniting Momentum and a leader who has lived through mergers, global team integrations, and the uncomfortable-but-necessary transitions that define high-growth companies. Joe breaks down what really happens when organizations hit those inflection points: culture drift, misalignment, operational chaos, and the quiet pressure founders and leaders carry while trying to scale. Guest Introduction: Joe Forgét is the founder of Igniting Momentum, a leadership and operations coach who helps growing companies rebuild clarity, alignment, and execution discipline. With deep experience leading global teams through mergers, restructures, and rapid scale, Joe blends operating system rigor with human-centered leadership. His work centers on creating momentum through intentional rhythms, strategic alignment, and practical accountability structures. Key Takeaways: Companies often realize they need help when they hit the moment Joe calls: “The business owns me now.” Momentum comes from structured operating rhythms — not heroic effort. Frameworks like EOS, Pinnacle, and System & Soul provide scaffolding, but must be tailored to each organization. Early-stage founders may not need full frameworks yet, but scale-ups absolutely do. Mergers & acquisitions create cultural collisions; alignment must come before acceleration. Empowerment only works when role clarity and accountability structures are in place. Progress must be viewed through “the gap and the gain,” recognizing wins instead of only missing pieces. Chapter Markers: 0:00 Welcome back to Software Without Borders 0:23 Introducing guest Joe Forgét 2:17 Joe’s discovery of coaching 4:11 The Ignition Framework (Align → Activate → Accelerate) 6:22 EOS, Pinnacle, System & Soul explained 8:04 Coaching in fast-growth organizations 9:47 The moment leaders realize the business owns them 11:35 Measuring early momentum 15:51 The Gap and the Gain mindset 17:02 People-first additions in newer operating frameworks 20:03 Why implementation must be customized 23:35 Cultural blending in mergers 26:58 Choosing between scale, exit, or reinvention 30:25 Post-inflection indicators that help is needed 33:12 Role clarity as empowerment 35:05 Why coaches need their own coaches End: Closing insights and wrap-up Keywords: Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Joe Forget, Igniting Momentum, leadership coaching, operating rhythms, EOS, System and Soul, business scaling, mergers and acquisitions, organizational alignment, executive coaching, leadership frameworks, global team leadership

    52 min

  4. 12/22/2025

    #38 Creating Alignment in Times of Chaos

    In this episode of Software Without Borders, we sit down with Joe Forgét—founder of Igniting Momentum and a leader who has lived through mergers, global team integrations, and the uncomfortable-but-necessary transitions that define high-growth companies. Joe breaks down what really happens when organizations hit those inflection points: culture drift, misalignment, operational chaos, and the quiet pressure founders and leaders carry while trying to scale. Guest Introduction: Joe Forgét is the founder of Igniting Momentum, a leadership and operations coach who helps growing companies rebuild clarity, alignment, and execution discipline. With deep experience leading global teams through mergers, restructures, and rapid scale, Joe blends operating system rigor with human-centered leadership. His work centers on creating momentum through intentional rhythms, strategic alignment, and practical accountability structures. Key Takeaways: Companies often realize they need help when they hit the moment Joe calls: “The business owns me now.” Momentum comes from structured operating rhythms — not heroic effort. Frameworks like EOS, Pinnacle, and System & Soul provide scaffolding, but must be tailored to each organization. Early-stage founders may not need full frameworks yet, but scale-ups absolutely do. Mergers & acquisitions create cultural collisions; alignment must come before acceleration. Empowerment only works when role clarity and accountability structures are in place. Progress must be viewed through “the gap and the gain,” recognizing wins instead of only missing pieces. Chapter Markers: 0:00 Welcome back to Software Without Borders 0:23 Introducing guest Joe Forgét 2:17 Joe’s discovery of coaching 4:11 The Ignition Framework (Align → Activate → Accelerate) 6:22 EOS, Pinnacle, System & Soul explained 8:04 Coaching in fast-growth organizations 9:47 The moment leaders realize the business owns them 11:35 Measuring early momentum 15:51 The Gap and the Gain mindset 17:02 People-first additions in newer operating frameworks 20:03 Why implementation must be customized 23:35 Cultural blending in mergers 26:58 Choosing between scale, exit, or reinvention 30:25 Post-inflection indicators that help is needed 33:12 Role clarity as empowerment 35:05 Why coaches need their own coaches End: Closing insights and wrap-up Keywords: Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Joe Forget, Igniting Momentum, leadership coaching, operating rhythms, EOS, System and Soul, business scaling, mergers and acquisitions, organizational alignment, executive coaching, leadership frameworks, global team leadership

    52 min

  5. 12/10/2025 · VIDEO

    #37 How Leaders Can Harness AI Without Breaking Their Business (Video)

    In this episode of Software Without Borders, Andy and Scott sit down with Kristina Crane, transformational executive, fractional COO/CSO, and CEO of The Canyons Group, to unpack what it really takes to lead organizations through AI-driven change. Kristina draws on 25+ years across SaaS, government tech, and operational transformation to explain how companies can embrace AI without losing their people, culture, or strategic focus. From building a “culture of curiosity” to using proven software-industry frameworks for prioritization, Kristina brings a grounded, practical perspective on how leaders can move fast and smart.   Guest Introduction: Kristina Crane is a transformational executive and fractional COO/CSO with deep expertise in AI adoption, organizational change, and strategic operations. As CEO of The Canyons Group, she helps government agencies, enterprises, and growth-stage companies navigate complex transitions with a framework centered on “Navigate to Elevate.” Kristina spent 12+ years at STC Health leading a major shift from a dev-shop model to a scaled SaaS organization, driving 10x revenue and 60% efficiency gains through AI. Key Takeaways: AI transformation is a people problem first—tech only works when teams understand the “why” and feel empowered. episode-37 Companies must balance curiosity with prioritization to avoid shiny-object chaos. The software industry provides proven frameworks (like RICE) that non-tech organizations can use to evaluate AI opportunities. Old-school executive teams need a business-first, tech-translated approach to adopt AI successfully. Strategic planning cycles must speed up—leaders should revisit their business model, ICP, and value proposition every 12–36 months. Consultants accelerate outcomes not because of frameworks, but because of pattern recognition and objective accountability. Chapter Markers: 0:00 Intro 1:07 Welcome to Software Without Borders 1:12 Introducing Guest — Kristina Crane 1:56 Kristina’s Background in Strategy, SaaS & GovTech 3:41 Teaching Roots → Consulting → SaaS Incubation 5:58 Transition to STC Health & Leading SaaS Transformation 6:34 Difference Between Kale Crane & The Canyons Group 8:08 AI FOMO, Human Intelligence & Organizational Change 9:03 Navigating Noise & Extremes Around AI 10:26 What AI Forces Every Organization to Learn 12:30 How Old-School Exec Teams Can Embrace AI 14:14 Culture of Curiosity & Empowering Teams 15:34 Guardrails, Governance & Safe Experimentation 16:57 When to Bring in Technologists 17:12 Prioritization Frameworks (RICE & ICE) 18:54 Governance Policies & Early-Stage Experimentation 19:29 Curiosity Champion Groups & Brown-Bag Cycles 22:22 Training Teams to Think Like Product Organizations 23:19 Overcoming Fear & Starting Small 23:46 Strategy vs. Operations — Big Picture Impacts 24:58 Business Model Iteration in the AI Era 26:51 The SaaS Business Model Shift as an Analogy 28:12 Professional Services & White-Collar AI Disruption 29:37 Innovating Without Breaking the Core Business 30:01 Leading Large-Scale Change Inside Mature Organizations 32:21 Why Consultants Matter in AI Transformation 33:15 Seeing Blind Spots & Reading Culture 34:10 Accountability, Execution & “Skinned Knees” 35:13 The Hardest Transformation Leaders Will Face End Closing Thoughts Keywords: Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Kristina Crane, The Canyons Group, AI transformation, organizational change, SaaS transformation, leadership, culture of curiosity, AI adoption, operational strategy, RICE prioritization, business model evolution, enterprise AI, government tech

    51 min

  6. 12/10/2025

    #37 How Leaders Can Harness AI Without Breaking Their Business (Audio)

    In this episode of Software Without Borders, Andy and Scott sit down with Kristina Crane, transformational executive, fractional COO/CSO, and CEO of The Canyons Group, to unpack what it really takes to lead organizations through AI-driven change. Kristina draws on 25+ years across SaaS, government tech, and operational transformation to explain how companies can embrace AI without losing their people, culture, or strategic focus. From building a “culture of curiosity” to using proven software-industry frameworks for prioritization, Kristina brings a grounded, practical perspective on how leaders can move fast and smart.   Guest Introduction: Kristina Crane is a transformational executive and fractional COO/CSO with deep expertise in AI adoption, organizational change, and strategic operations. As CEO of The Canyons Group, she helps government agencies, enterprises, and growth-stage companies navigate complex transitions with a framework centered on “Navigate to Elevate.” Kristina spent 12+ years at STC Health leading a major shift from a dev-shop model to a scaled SaaS organization, driving 10x revenue and 60% efficiency gains through AI. Key Takeaways: AI transformation is a people problem first—tech only works when teams understand the “why” and feel empowered. episode-37 Companies must balance curiosity with prioritization to avoid shiny-object chaos. The software industry provides proven frameworks (like RICE) that non-tech organizations can use to evaluate AI opportunities. Old-school executive teams need a business-first, tech-translated approach to adopt AI successfully. Strategic planning cycles must speed up—leaders should revisit their business model, ICP, and value proposition every 12–36 months. Consultants accelerate outcomes not because of frameworks, but because of pattern recognition and objective accountability. Chapter Markers: 0:00 Intro 1:07 Welcome to Software Without Borders 1:12 Introducing Guest — Kristina Crane 1:56 Kristina’s Background in Strategy, SaaS & GovTech 3:41 Teaching Roots → Consulting → SaaS Incubation 5:58 Transition to STC Health & Leading SaaS Transformation 6:34 Difference Between Kale Crane & The Canyons Group 8:08 AI FOMO, Human Intelligence & Organizational Change 9:03 Navigating Noise & Extremes Around AI 10:26 What AI Forces Every Organization to Learn 12:30 How Old-School Exec Teams Can Embrace AI 14:14 Culture of Curiosity & Empowering Teams 15:34 Guardrails, Governance & Safe Experimentation 16:57 When to Bring in Technologists 17:12 Prioritization Frameworks (RICE & ICE) 18:54 Governance Policies & Early-Stage Experimentation 19:29 Curiosity Champion Groups & Brown-Bag Cycles 22:22 Training Teams to Think Like Product Organizations 23:19 Overcoming Fear & Starting Small 23:46 Strategy vs. Operations — Big Picture Impacts 24:58 Business Model Iteration in the AI Era 26:51 The SaaS Business Model Shift as an Analogy 28:12 Professional Services & White-Collar AI Disruption 29:37 Innovating Without Breaking the Core Business 30:01 Leading Large-Scale Change Inside Mature Organizations 32:21 Why Consultants Matter in AI Transformation 33:15 Seeing Blind Spots & Reading Culture 34:10 Accountability, Execution & “Skinned Knees” 35:13 The Hardest Transformation Leaders Will Face End Closing Thoughts Keywords: Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Kristina Crane, The Canyons Group, AI transformation, organizational change, SaaS transformation, leadership, culture of curiosity, AI adoption, operational strategy, RICE prioritization, business model evolution, enterprise AI, government tech

    51 min

  7. 11/18/2025 · VIDEO

    #36 You Can’t Scale Chaos (VIDEO)

    In this episode of Software Without Borders Podcast, Andy Hilliard sits down with Olivier Poulard, Accelerance’s Head of Global Software Engineering Strategies, to unpack one of the biggest myths in global software delivery: that adding more people solves delivery problems. Olivier shares what really drives predictability—clear alignment across people, process, technology, and data—and why so many organizations unknowingly “scale chaos.” Together, they dive into recurring SDLC pitfalls, hidden costs, and proven frameworks to turn fragmented delivery into a cohesive, measurable system. If you lead distributed teams or manage offshore partners, this conversation delivers a playbook for building sustainable, high-quality software outcomes.   Guest Introduction: Olivier Poulard leads Global Software Engineering Strategies at Accelerance, bringing decades of experience on both sides of the delivery equation—as a global client managing teams of over 1,000 engineers and as a strategic partner architecting offshore and nearshore delivery systems. His practical, systems-level insights help clients design efficient, scalable, and high-performing software operations built on clarity and alignment rather than chaos.   Key Takeaways: You can’t scale chaos—adding people only multiplies inefficiency without fixing underlying issues. True delivery success requires alignment across people, process, technology, and data. Clear, complete requirements (including transition and information requirements) prevent rework and estimation failures. “Definition of Done” is critical for predictability—teams need shared clarity on what completion means. Leaders must control scope and observe team dynamics to restore stability before scaling again. Context switching, unclear requirements, and unmanaged change requests are among the costliest hidden inefficiencies. Chapter Markers: 0:00 Intro 0:09 Guest Introduction: Olivier Poulard 1:16 Evolution of Accelerance’s Consulting Arm 3:03 The Myth of “Adding More People” 5:09 Aligning Clients and Partners for Real Outcomes 8:18 Why You Can’t Scale Chaos 10:46 The Two-to-Tango Rule in Global Delivery 12:28 Top SDLC Bottlenecks: Ambiguous Requirements & Bad Estimation 18:42 Building Predictable Estimation Models 21:19 The Power of a Strong Definition of Done 22:24 Using Checklists to Stabilize Teams 24:00 The Hidden Costs of Context Switching 27:13 Controlling Change Before It Controls You 29:11 Restoring Predictability Without Stalling Delivery 32:37 Measuring Team Health and Stress Indicators 34:03 Final Thoughts on Effective Partner Collaboration   Keywords: Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Olivier Poulard, Accelerance, software delivery, global engineering, software development lifecycle, SDLC bottlenecks, outsourcing strategy, agile transformation, software estimation, offshore teams, nearshore delivery, global software operations, leadership in tech

    53 min

  8. 11/18/2025

    #36 You Can’t Scale Chaos (AUDIO)

    In this episode of Software Without Borders Podcast, Andy Hilliard sits down with Olivier Poulard, Accelerance’s Head of Global Software Engineering Strategies, to unpack one of the biggest myths in global software delivery: that adding more people solves delivery problems. Olivier shares what really drives predictability—clear alignment across people, process, technology, and data—and why so many organizations unknowingly “scale chaos.” Together, they dive into recurring SDLC pitfalls, hidden costs, and proven frameworks to turn fragmented delivery into a cohesive, measurable system. If you lead distributed teams or manage offshore partners, this conversation delivers a playbook for building sustainable, high-quality software outcomes. Guest Introduction: Olivier Poulard leads Global Software Engineering Strategies at Accelerance, bringing decades of experience on both sides of the delivery equation—as a global client managing teams of over 1,000 engineers and as a strategic partner architecting offshore and nearshore delivery systems. His practical, systems-level insights help clients design efficient, scalable, and high-performing software operations built on clarity and alignment rather than chaos.   Key Takeaways: You can’t scale chaos—adding people only multiplies inefficiency without fixing underlying issues. True delivery success requires alignment across people, process, technology, and data. Clear, complete requirements (including transition and information requirements) prevent rework and estimation failures. “Definition of Done” is critical for predictability—teams need shared clarity on what completion means. Leaders must control scope and observe team dynamics to restore stability before scaling again. Context switching, unclear requirements, and unmanaged change requests are among the costliest hidden inefficiencies. Chapter Markers: 0:00 Intro 0:09 Guest Introduction: Olivier Poulard 1:16 Evolution of Accelerance’s Consulting Arm 3:03 The Myth of “Adding More People” 5:09 Aligning Clients and Partners for Real Outcomes 8:18 Why You Can’t Scale Chaos 10:46 The Two-to-Tango Rule in Global Delivery 12:28 Top SDLC Bottlenecks: Ambiguous Requirements & Bad Estimation 18:42 Building Predictable Estimation Models 21:19 The Power of a Strong Definition of Done 22:24 Using Checklists to Stabilize Teams 24:00 The Hidden Costs of Context Switching 27:13 Controlling Change Before It Controls You 29:11 Restoring Predictability Without Stalling Delivery 32:37 Measuring Team Health and Stress Indicators 34:03 Final Thoughts on Effective Partner Collaboration   Keywords: Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Olivier Poulard, Accelerance, software delivery, global engineering, software development lifecycle, SDLC bottlenecks, outsourcing strategy, agile transformation, software estimation, offshore teams, nearshore delivery, global software operations, leadership in tech

    53 min
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About

Software Without Borders is the essential listen for technology leaders and business owners in the software sector who crave insights from the industry’s top minds. Picture a relaxed, coffee-driven chat where tech veterans discuss cutting-edge projects and business strategies shaping their industry. Tune in to join conversations that traverse the intersections of technology and business, helping you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

Information

  • Creator
    Andy Hilliard - Accelerance
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Software Without Borders