LATEST EPISODES

Philip Rosedale, virtual world entrepreneur and all-around “Starman,” joins the podcast to discuss the biggest themes at the intersection of humanity and technology. He describes building the virtual world “Second Life” and what he believes the future holds for expansive virtual environments and 3D interactions.

A sense of awe runs throughout this episode with Avinash Kaushik, one of the godfathers of web analytics. Avinash is a data visualization expert and Digital Marketing Evangelist at Google and takes a step back with us to wonder at the magic of the Internet while delving into how data can better serve businesses.

Author, coach, speaker, and advocate for inclusive workplaces, Karen Catlin shares stories from her career in Silicon Valley at Adobe and Macromedia, as well as more about her work to encourage us all to be better allies in the workplace.

Tom Peters, best-selling business author, speaker, and “Red Bull of management thinking,” reaches back to his start in Silicon Valley in the 1970s, reflecting on how the Valley has evolved and what work still needs to be done to bring the focus back to the people.

Sian Morson is a start-up founder, a published author, a film producer, creator of a genius beauty app, and an incredibly down-to-earth interviewee. She’s been on both sides of the investor/start-up founder relationship, and is an entrepreneur whose persistence and need to solve nagging problems has served her remarkably well.

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. 

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.