The Digital Executive

In this episode of The Digital Executive podcast, host Brian Thomas speaks with Ron Shriberg shares insights from over two decades working with Fortune 100 organizations at the intersection of cybersecurity, risk, and AI. He reflects on a defining early-career moment that shaped his perspective on technology adoption, highlighting the persistence required to drive innovation in the face of resistance. Ron dives into how AI is reshaping banking, financial services, and insurance—not by simply adding more technology, but by streamlining workflows, enhancing decision-making, and strengthening risk and compliance functions. He emphasizes that AI delivers the most value when it augments human judgment rather than replaces it, particularly in areas like fraud detection, automation, and operational efficiency. Looking ahead, Ron outlines how the convergence of AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise platforms will redefine the industry. He explains why strong data governance, embedded security, and accountable AI systems will be critical to building trust and scaling innovation. Ultimately, organizations that treat AI as a core operating model—rather than isolated experiments—will be best positioned to lead in the next decade. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive podcast, host Brian Thomas speaks with Sebastian Scott, co-founder and CEO of Clera, about how AI is reshaping the hiring landscape. Sebastian shares his entrepreneurial journey—from launching his first company at 17 to building Clera into a fast-growing AI-powered talent platform with over 75,000 professionals and 500+ startup clients. He explains how Clera flips the traditional recruiting model with a candidate-first approach, using AI agents to replicate and scale the work of human recruiters. The conversation dives into what’s broken in today’s hiring system—namely the overwhelming “noise” created by mass applications, misaligned incentives on job platforms, and widespread candidate ghosting. Looking ahead, Sebastian explores how AI will enable smarter matchmaking, reduce friction in job searches, and support greater career mobility in a rapidly changing workforce. As automation accelerates and job markets evolve, platforms like Clera aim to create more meaningful, efficient connections between talent and opportunity. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive podcast, host Brian Thomas speaks with Jennifer Kolb, Vice President of Partnership and Workforce Development at MedCerts, to explore how workforce development is evolving in a rapidly changing world. Jennifer shares her passion for connecting people to meaningful, outcomes-driven opportunities and explains how traditional education models are being complemented by faster, more targeted pathways like apprenticeships. She dives into the growing disconnect between employers and job seekers, outlining practical strategies to bridge the gap—such as employer-led training, earn-and-learn models, and scalable partnerships backed by funding. Jennifer also highlights the importance of aligning education with real-world skills and building talent pipelines directly within communities. Looking ahead, Jennifer discusses how AI, technology, and collaboration across industries will reshape workforce development into a more agile, data-driven ecosystem. Her key message: the future belongs to organizations that prioritize people first, continuously develop talent, and create accessible pathways to meaningful careers. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Charles Yeomans, Co-founder and CEO of Atombeam Technologies, about tackling one of the biggest challenges in tech today: the explosion of machine-generated data. Charles shares his unique career journey from U.S. Navy intelligence officer to entrepreneur, highlighting how curiosity and a drive to solve complex problems led him to build and scale multiple companies. That same mindset now fuels Atombeam’s mission to transform how data is processed and transmitted. At the core of the conversation is a growing global issue—data is increasing faster than networks can handle it. With IoT devices generating massive amounts of information, much of it never reaches its destination. Charles explains how Atombeam’s technology, including its Neurpac platform, enables organizations to transmit up to four times more data without upgrading infrastructure—unlocking new efficiencies across industries. The discussion also explores the limitations of today’s large language models and introduces Atombeam’s next-generation AI architecture, the Persistent Cognitive Machine (PCM). Unlike traditional models, PCM continuously learns, reduces inefficiencies, and minimizes hallucinations—making it more reliable for high-stakes environments. Looking ahead, Charles emphasizes the critical role small, innovative companies play in driving breakthrough advancements. As data demands surge and AI systems strain existing resources, solutions like Atombeam’s could redefine global connectivity and the future of intelligent systems. This episode offers a compelling look at how smarter data handling and adaptive AI can reshape the digital landscape. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Aaron Vaccaro, Partner at WestRiver Group and President of Singularity University, to explore the intersection of innovation, investment, and human-centered leadership. Aaron shares his unconventional career journey—from aspiring athlete and physicist to venture capitalist and global innovation leader—highlighting the importance of curiosity, mentorship, and choosing the right people over rigid career paths. He reflects on his early experience helping scale Topgolf into a global brand, where he learned how to grow a business without losing its core identity. The conversation dives into common misconceptions about innovation, particularly the idea that it belongs to a single team or department. Aaron emphasizes that the most successful organizations foster a culture where innovation is distributed, empowering individuals at every level to contribute ideas and solve problems. Aaron also discusses the concept of “making the aspirational accessible,” from transforming exclusive experiences like golf into inclusive, scalable models, to democratizing advanced technologies like AI. He explains how exponential technologies naturally become more accessible over time—and why the real challenge lies in how we choose to use them. Looking ahead, Aaron offers a thoughtful perspective on the future of leadership in an AI-driven world. He argues that while technological advancement is inevitable, the decisions guiding its use are not. Human-centered leadership, grounded in ethics, purpose, and the humanities, will be critical in shaping a future that prioritizes human flourishing over pure technological progress. This episode is a compelling exploration of how leaders can balance innovation with intention—and why the future of technology must remain deeply rooted in humanity. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas welcomes Denis Whelan, CEO of Documo, an AI-forward healthcare SaaS company transforming how unstructured documents move through the healthcare system. With a career spanning multiple industries, Denis shares how his passion for solving “problems in broad daylight”—combined with a personal experience helping his father navigate outdated healthcare processes—led him to tackle one of healthcare’s biggest inefficiencies: document-driven administrative complexity. Denis explains why, even in 2026, nearly 70% of healthcare communications still rely on fax and how this outdated system creates massive operational burdens. From overwhelmed administrative staff to delayed patient care, he outlines the real-world consequences of unstructured data and fragmented workflows. Documo’s mission is to bridge this gap by using AI to transform documents into actionable, structured workflows—helping healthcare organizations reduce manual effort, prioritize critical information, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. The conversation also explores the challenge of innovating within strict regulatory environments. Denis emphasizes that compliance—especially HIPAA—is not an afterthought but a foundational principle, shaping how Documo builds, deploys, and scales its technology while maintaining rapid innovation. Looking ahead, Denis shares an optimistic vision for the future of healthcare, describing today’s landscape as a “murky middle” of interoperability. Using a powerful analogy of pneumatic tubes, he explains how the industry is shifting focus from communication “pipes” to standardized “packages,” and ultimately to the “payload”—the workflows that drive real patient care. As AI continues to evolve, Denis believes the key to connected care lies in unlocking these workflows and centering every process around the patient. This episode offers a compelling look at how AI can modernize healthcare infrastructure, reduce administrative friction, and pave the way for a more connected, efficient, and patient-focused future. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Katie Fortunato, co-founder and EVP of Platform Innovation and Strategy at Hire Innovations. Katie shares her unconventional journey from aspiring actress to tech innovator, highlighting how her early experiences in media, brand marketing, and entrepreneurship shaped her mission to fix a broken hiring system. Katie dives into how Hire Innovations is transforming talent acquisition through its ecosystem of platforms—Recruitics, Talivity, and the newly launched Jobstream—by combining AI-powered tools with a deeply human-centered approach. She explains how these platforms help organizations modernize recruitment, improve candidate experience, and better align talent strategies with business needs. A key focus of the conversation is Jobstream, described as the “ShopMy of career content,” which leverages social media and the creator economy to connect job seekers with opportunities in a more authentic and trusted way. By enabling influencers to share vetted job opportunities and earn through affiliate monetization, Jobstream aims to reduce friction, eliminate job market inefficiencies, and create a more transparent hiring ecosystem. Katie also explores major challenges in today’s hiring landscape, including job board inefficiencies, application overload driven by AI, candidate ghosting, and the growing importance of referrals and networks. She emphasizes the need to reframe rejection into opportunity and build better pathways for job seekers. Looking ahead, Katie shares her perspective on the future of work—where AI, social platforms, and creator-driven ecosystems reshape how people find jobs, build careers, and generate income. She highlights emerging trends such as the rise of skilled trades, the decline of traditional career paths, and the growth of creator entrepreneurship and side hustles as viable full-time careers. This episode offers valuable insights for business leaders, recruiters, and job seekers navigating the rapidly evolving world of talent, technology, and work. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Ian Baer, founder and CEO of Sooth, reveals why traditional marketing is fundamentally flawed—relying too heavily on demographics and past behavior while ignoring the emotional drivers behind decisions. He introduces his “emotional blueprint” method, powered by AI, which analyzes millions of real-time signals to predict why people buy with up to 91% accuracy. Ian explains how emotional connection—not data volume—is the true driver of customer value, often increasing it fivefold. He also explores why most marketing is becoming commoditized, how AI can either accelerate failure or unlock insight, and why brands must shift from targeting audiences to understanding them in motion to stay competitive. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Kevin Ray, CTO and co-founder of Nomo SmartCare, shares how his 25-year career in gaming and consumer electronics shaped a new approach to connected healthcare. Drawing parallels between gaming and health tech, he highlights the importance of security, scalable infrastructure, and intuitive user experience—especially for aging populations. Inspired by personal family experiences, Kevin built Nomo to passively monitor daily activity and detect when something’s wrong—answering a simple but critical question: “How’s mom?” He also discusses startup pitfalls, the importance of product-market fit, and how continuous innovation and consumer-grade experiences will define the future of in-home care. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Chris Hauth, CEO of air up, shares how a university concept evolved into a nine-figure global brand redefining how we drink water. He explains the science behind Scentaste—flavoring water through scent alone—and how it tackles hidden sugar consumption, a major driver of health issues. Chris also reveals key lessons from scaling during hypergrowth, navigating COVID, and expanding across diverse international markets. Looking ahead, he explores the shift toward science-driven, functional consumer products and how air up aims to make healthier hydration accessible to the mass market through breakthrough innovation and lower price points. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Anshuman Yadav, founder of NeuraCraft, shares how fragmented financial systems are holding leaders back—and why traditional FP&A is too reactive for today’s pace. He explains how his AI-native CFO platform, StratiqAI, unifies data, embeds institutional memory, and enables real-time decision-making. Drawing on global experience across the U.S., India, and Canada, Anshuman highlights how capital allocation strategies vary—and why the future belongs to leaders who combine speed with discipline. Looking ahead, he explores how AI will transform finance from backward-looking reporting into a proactive decision architecture that drives smarter, faster business outcomes. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Jim Kras, CEO of Edible Garden, shares how controlled environment agriculture is reshaping the future of food. Drawing on his background in consumer brands and advertising, Jim explains how consistency, freshness, and trust are critical in today’s supply chain—and why traditional farming struggles to deliver all three. He dives into how Edible Garden uses ag-tech, patented systems, and local greenhouse operations to ensure transparency, food safety, and over 98% fulfillment rates. Looking ahead, Jim explores how climate change, consumer demand for cleaner food, and supply chain volatility will accelerate the shift toward indoor, tech-driven farming as a reliable way to feed a growing global population. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Dr. Peter McAllister who shares his journey from early programming to leading data and AI initiatives across mining, healthcare, and supply chain industries. He explains why storytelling—through his sci-fi novel The Code—is a powerful way to explore real-world AI risks and ethical dilemmas. Peter dives into the challenges leaders face as AI evolves faster than governance, warning against blindly automating flawed processes and emphasizing the importance of trust, strong business foundations, and human oversight. Looking ahead, he compares AI’s trajectory to the rise of automobiles, urging leaders to consciously shape a future where innovation and accountability coexist. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Angel Tuccy, media expert, bestselling author, and creator of the Pod-licity Method, shares how a podcast she launched for fun turned into a 10-year award-winning radio career—and a platform that now helps entrepreneurs amplify their message. Angel explains why podcast guesting is one of the most underutilized growth strategies today, offering unmatched reach, flexibility, and long-term visibility without the need for travel or large budgets. She highlights powerful success stories of clients who’ve landed major media features, grown massive audiences, and scaled their businesses through consistent exposure. Looking ahead, Angel emphasizes that in an AI-driven world, authentic human connection and real voices will be more valuable than ever, making podcasting a critical tool for building authority, trust, and lasting impact. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Boomer Anderson, CEO of Troscriptions, shares how a personal health scare at age 30 reshaped his mission from finance to health optimization. Now leading one of the fastest-growing healthcare companies in the U.S., he’s tackling the flaws of the supplement industry with physician-formulated, precision-dose solutions designed for real results. Boomer explains why today’s system is built around disease management—not true health—and how education, transparency, and proactive care can change that. Looking ahead, he explores a future driven by AI, personalized testing, and practitioner-guided insights, where healthcare shifts from reactive treatment to real-time, individualized optimization. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Omar Sarieddine, co-founder of Ticmint, shares how his journey from community event organizer to tech entrepreneur led him to rethink the entire ticketing ecosystem. Frustrated by fragmented platforms and lack of control for creators, Omar built Ticmint as a “Shopify for ticketing”—giving organizers full ownership of their audience, data, and revenue streams. He explores how blockchain can bring transparency, reduce fraud, and enable programmable features like royalties and price controls, while emphasizing that true innovation starts with better infrastructure. Looking ahead, Omar envisions a shift from transactional ticket sales to ongoing audience relationships, unlocking new opportunities for creators to build, scale, and monetize their communities. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Joanne Frederick, founder of Government Market Strategies, shares insights from 30+ years in federal healthcare. She explains how decades of incremental policy changes have created overwhelming complexity—and why true progress requires rethinking system design, not just fixing parts. Joanne discusses aligning incentives, improving access and continuity of care, and simplifying operations to deliver real outcomes for patients, military families, and providers. Looking ahead, she highlights the need for bold, intentional reform to build a more effective and resilient healthcare system. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive podcast, host Brian Thomas speaks with David Balan, co-founder of Selluna.ai, shares how he scaled an Amazon agency to over $1B in managed revenue—and why product imagery is the most misunderstood driver of e-commerce growth. He explains how optimizing a single main image can dramatically increase clicks, conversions, and long-term sales performance. David also dives into how AI is transforming e-commerce by unlocking massive datasets, enabling continuous optimization of listings, ads, and content. The result: faster growth, lower costs, and a new era where even small teams can compete with enterprise-level marketing power. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Tim Thomson, founder of Cyber Trends, shares hard-earned lessons from scaling an MSP to $7M in recurring revenue. He explains why many owners become the bottleneck—and how ego, lack of delegation, and weak processes hold businesses back. Tim emphasizes the power of simple, repeatable systems, strong leadership, and operational maturity to unlock real growth. He also explores how AI is reshaping the MSP landscape, separating those who embrace efficiency and outcomes from those who risk falling behind. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Dr. Wendy Lynch—researcher, author, and analytic translator—explores why organizations struggle to turn data and AI into meaningful decisions. She reveals that the disconnect between business leaders and data teams is systemic, driven by misaligned communication, goals, and expectations. Wendy shares practical strategies for closing this gap, including focusing on purpose over outputs and asking better questions from the start. She also highlights the growing role of analytic translators as trusted intermediaries who bridge understanding, guide collaboration, and help organizations unlock the real value of analytics and AI. If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.