Tech in the Right Direction

How-to Build, Maintain, and Grow Your Business

This week's guest is Leah Faul, the Founder and Owner of 15000 Cubits − a digital marketing agency that focuses on SEO, social media, and paid media to support small and mid-sized companies' growth. Leah started the company in 2015 and has grown it into the thriving enterprise it is today. That success hasn't gone unrecognized as Leah was recently named to the Houston Business Journal's 40 Under 40 List.
Leah is passionate about her business and has seen success because of her value-focused initiatives. They focus on five core values: People First, Growth Mind-Set, Celebration Culture, Time-Efficiency, and Commitment to Excellence. These values have driven 15000 Cubits and allowed them to grow throughout the years.
Thank you for listening; we hope Leah's story helps inspire others to grow their tech career. To learn more about Leah and her business, visit their website below here: https://15000cubits.com/

Learning, Evolving, and Adapting to Today's Technological Changes

This week's guest is Lori McDonald, a former flight controller at NASA and now the President and CEO of Brilliance Business Solutions. Lori is recognized as an industry expert in her field and is a speaker on website creation, eCommerce, and digital strategy at business conferences. Lori has remained on the cutting edge of business solutions by continually learning, evolving, and adapting to changes in technology. From the growth of eCommerce to the evolution of machine learning, Lori has expanded Brilliance Business Solutions by staying on top of these changes.
Brilliance works with clients to implement digital commerce solutions by making organizational changes through technology. In 2020, the company was named to America's Fastest-Growing Businesses by Inc 5,000. Lori's experience in developing internet solutions for businesses and organizations has allowed her to grow her business into what it is today.
Thank you for listening; we hope Lori's story helps inspire others to grow their tech career. To learn more about Lori and her business, visit her website below.
Brilliance Business Solutions: https://www.brillianceweb.com/
Referenced Books:
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Crucial Conversations
Dare to Lead 

The Importance of Cybersecurity in the Modern Age

This week's guest is Heather Stratford, the founder and CEO of Stronger International. As a thought leader in cybersecurity, Heather keynotes at conferences, universities, and large financial institutions on the importance of keeping their data secure. She continually writes on cybersecurity and was a featured guest at the 2018 G-7 Summit in Canada. Heather also regularly speaks on entrepreneurship, failing forward, women in technology, and diversity in cybersecurity. 
 
Heather is now growing small businesses, and she is passionate about finding and helping young entrepreneurs. This passion led her to become the founder of both Stronger International and Moxie Marketing. Moxie Marketing specializes in turn-key technology and marketing solutions for service industries and their product manufacturers. At the same time, Stronger International specializes in consulting and training with a 360º approach to security. Their services include end-user Security Awareness Training, onsite training in compliance and security, IT and Military Certifications, Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Assessments, and specialty security projects.
 
Thank you for listening; we hope Heather's story helps inspire others to grow their tech career. To learn more about Heather and her business, visit her website below.
Stronger International: https://stronger.tech/

Building and Leveraging Partnerships to Grow Your Career and Business

This week's guest is Karen Chastain, a proven leader in strategic alliance management among some of the world's largest technology companies and a Senior Director of Global Alliances at Episerver. Karen has over 20 years of experience in partner relationship management, strategic business planning, and marketing. This background has allowed her to consistently deliver results by developing mutually beneficial relationships with her partners.
Karen is currently running the technology partner program and app marketplace, which provides a single source for partners to find a solution for their customers. She is also a current member of the WiT Network, which focuses on making it easier for women to imagine, begin, and develop within the industry of technology. Karen has brought her skillset of forging partnerships to these projects, which has helped them grow into what they are today.
Thank you for listening; we hope Karen's story helps inspire the next generation of women. If you would like to learn more about Karen and her company, visit their site: https://www.episerver.com/

Finding Answers Through the Power of Data Analytics

This week's guest is Mariyah Saifuddin, the Founder of Innovative Solution Partners, a Michigan-based IT consulting firm specializing in helping businesses utilize data analytics to make effective decisions. Mariyah has 20+ years of IT and entrepreneurial experience, including work for Ernst & Young, Levy Home Entertainment, and Electronic Data Systems. She is a board member of the NAWBO Greater Detroit Chapter. She is also an alumnus of Emerging Leaders, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program, and a member of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
Mariyah was surrounded by technology ever since she can remember. As the child of immigrant parents who ran a computer parts store, she grew up with technology and computers all around her. This early influence led her to get into IT and eventually start her own business in the tech industry. As the Founder and President of Innovative Solution Partners, Mariyah has used her position to further women's presence in the tech industry through various platforms and organizations.
Thank you for listening; we hope Mariyah's story helps inspire others to grow their tech career. If you would like to learn more about Mariyah and her company, visit their site: https://www.isolutionpartners.com/

Going Remote: How it Can Benefit You and Your Company

This week's guest is Alicia Baldino, the founder and owner of Brandmetix. Alicia's career started in freelance and virtual marketing, but she quickly felt a drive to create something of her own. Her passion for remote work led her to create Brandmetix, a marketing strategy company that focuses on creating custom solutions for brands.
 
Alicia created Brandmetix on the idea that working from home can help you and your company succeed. She considers building a stable work-life balance for her and her employees as an essential piece for growing her business. This idea grew into The Virtual Hustle, a resource and community site where people can share tips and tricks for working remotely.
 
Alicia has excellent advice on how remote work can be efficiently managed for you and your company. Thank you for listening; we hope her story and tips can help you in this new age of working from home. For more information on how to develop good habits while working from home, visit The Virtual Hustle.

How-to Develop Women into Successful Leaders

This week's guest is Angela Spang, the winner of First Women's Entrepreneur of The Year 2017, business owner, and chairman on the board for the World Academy of Medical Science Training and Education. Angela founded June Medical, a company that focuses on developing surgical medical devices, and has made it a priority to have more women included in developing new products and solutions within June Medical. Angela is passionate about developing talent, innovation, and fostering the career success of others. Getting more women involved with project development and having them speak up is essential to her company and organizations’ success worldwide.
Angela is truly a difference-maker in the medical industry, and she is essential for making real change throughout the world. Thanks for listening, and we hope that Angela's story inspires everyone to create social change by closing the gender pay and culture gap.

How-to Make Real Change Through Company Culture

This week's guest is Kati Quigley, the Senior Director of Global Industry Marketing at Microsoft. Kati is responsible for the buyer journey across seven different industries and has helped grow Microsoft's presence throughout those verticals. Kati grew her career within Microsoft and used that growth to further women's involvement in tech leadership.
Kati found her career path by working in various departments and projects for Microsoft. This exposure to different sides of the business helped her grow as a woman in technology and led to her becoming a senior director. Kati is now using her influence to help further women's roles in technology by advocating for cultural changes in the industry.
Kati is an inspiration for every woman who is looking to become a leader within their organization. Thanks for listening; we hope Kati's story inspires everyone to be a part of the change taking place throughout the tech industry.