A new podcast featuring war stories from silicon valley's past, as well as practical advice on growing technology companies in the future.
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A new podcast featuring war stories from silicon valley's past, as well as practical advice on growing technology companies in the future.
Mar Hicks, Associate Professor of History at Illinois Institute of Technology, drops in to talk about the history of technology and how algorithmic bias has evolved over the years. They discuss topics from how women were purposefully excluded from the tech industry to how transgender algorithmic bias began in the 70’s. Mar shares insights about bias in tech that you have probably experienced but might have only given a passing thought.
Sherry Wei, founder of Aviatrix Systems, talks with Melinda Byerley about how she bootstrapped her company into a $25 million venture-funded startup. Her tips about not giving up too early, putting time into your business, and the role “dumb luck” plays in life and business are refreshing and inspirational.
Paula Buchanan, researcher and self-proclaimed data nerd, brings her passion for education, data, and lifelong learning to this episode. Paula’s goal is to make healthcare data accessible to the public so people are better equipped to make informed decisions. Paula and Melinda explore how conquering the fear of failure and striving to learn more can be a driving force for women and people of color, and really anyone in the tech world.
From creating an award-winning agency, to recognizing a clear opportunity in sex tech (including naming it) and creating Make Love, Not Porn, Cindy has been at the cutting edge of culture for more than a few decades now, and she's here to share that experience with us.
With the close of Season 1, we have learned some surprising take-aways that come from listening without judgement, hearing people’s stories, and looking at the history of tech and Silicon Valley. Here’s what we’ve discovered.
Ellen Petry Leanse joins Melinda Byerley to talk about her experiences in the early days of Apple when she served as Apple’s first User Evangelist. Proclaimed the “nerd queen,” she led the company’s first online debut in 1985 with one of the first BBSs. Her career is a parable of what happens when you are willing to take risks, work hard, and don’t worry about looking back.
Ron Lichty joins Melinda Byerley to share stories about his time in Silicon Valley as a programmer, then a team and product manager. Hear about his instrumental role in the development of Apple’s game changing personal computer, the Macintosh. This is only one highlight of his distinguished career that also includes three patents, several books, and recognition as a thought leader in Agile methodology. Even if you aren’t a techie you will enjoy listening to Ron because, if you use a computer, he has probably influenced your life.
Linda Popky, one of Silicon Valley’s top 100 women of influence, stops in to talk to Melinda Byerley about her lifetime of marketing experiences and specifically her time at Sun Microsystems in the heady days of the genesis of Silicon Valley. In this insightfully fun episode, she talks about how she came to work for Sun and her eventual move from Boston to the West Coast. You will enjoy Linda’s engaging stories about her marketing philosophy, some Silicon Valley history, and the tech marketing ecosystem she has navigated for over 30 years.
Owen Thomas joins Melinda Byerley to talk about the history of his controversial blog post about Peter Thiel’s sexuality and the ethos of narrative control that pervades Silicon Valley. His story includes how and why Nick Denton founded Valleywag, it discusses how journalists can incite grudges, and it explores the destruction that money and power can unleash.
Kumar Garg shares his experiences from the White House Office of Science and Technology during the Obama administration and how the content of a simple whiteboard filled with great ideas went viral. Sprinkled in are stories about Kumar as a young migrant from India and how he came to be involved in and inspired by education policy. A fast-paced and entertaining listen.