Making Data Simple – Details, episodes & analysis

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Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at [almartintalksdata@gmail.com] and tell us why you should be next.

Synopsis

What if hiring wasn’t about flipping through endless CVs but instead focused solely on skills? In this episode of Making Data Simple, we sit down with Tim Freestone, founder of Alooba, the groundbreaking platform revolutionizing how businesses hire for analytics, data science, and engineering roles. Tim shares how Alooba eliminates bias, speeds up hiring, and ensures candidates are evaluated based on what really matters—their capabilities.

From his journey as an economics teacher to leading data teams, Tim’s insights are a must-hear for anyone tackling hiring challenges in today’s competitive job market. Learn how Alooba’s data-driven approach is transforming recruitment and why the future of hiring might just leave resumes in the dust.

Show Notes

• 4:46 – How do you go from economics teacher to head of business intelligence?
• 7:53 – Do CV’s matter anymore?
• 13:22 – What business problem is Alooba solving?
• 16:05 – Do you have any data that supports your theory?
• 19:01 – Why analytics, data science, data engineering?
• 20:26 - What do you do that others don’t?
• 23:50 – How does Alooba define success?
• 25:42 – Who’s your target client base?
• 32:40 –Is there a customer you can talk about?
• 36:24 – What does Alooba mean?

Alooba 

Connect with the Team
Executive Producer Kate Mayne - LinkedIn.
Host Al Martin - LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us a text

Phillip Swan is a dynamic, forward-thinking leader renowned for turning complex challenges into strategic opportunities. As Chief Product and go-tomarket (GTM) Officer at The AI Solution Group, Phillip blends customercentric go-to-market strategies with cutting-edge product development, leadership, and partnerships. 

• 01:19 Meet Phillip Swan
• 03:33 Wind River Systems
• 07:30 Responsible AI Solutions
• 08:25 3 Key Areas : Manufacturing, Financial, Pharma
• 10:22 AI on Quicksand
• 11:30 AGI in 6 Months.  Seriously?
• 13:08 The Definition of AGI 14:32 A Responsible AI Culture
• 19:51 Is Regulation the Catalyst?
• 21:57 AI Change Management
• 24:24 Phillip and the AI Group
• 25:33 AI Solution Group
• 29:16 Achieving Responsible AI
• 30:36 Clean Data
• 36:16 What Scares the Responsible AI Guy
• 39:36 Shadow AI
• 40:54 A Summary

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/phillip-swan

Website: https://www.theaisolutiongroup.ai/

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun. 

#LeadershipInTech
#FutureOfAI
#GoToMarketStrategies
#CustomerCentricity
#ProductInnovation
#StrategicGrowth

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us a text

Chris Konarski, VP Client Engineering, IBM, talks about how to place client obsession, co-creation, and curiosity to work within the Enterprise.

• 01:55 Who is Chris Konarski?
• 04:41 Client Engineering
• 09:02 Client Obsesses, Biased to Action, Curiosity
• 11:49 Love to Designers
• 13:37 Four Weeks to Deliver
• 16:04 3 Most Successful AI Use Cases
• 18:14 AI Win Rate
• 21:05 Use Case Problems
• 30:36 What Client Engineering is NOT
• 37:12 Competitors 
• 39:33 Client Engineering's Future
• 41:36 Measuring Success
• 44:14 In Summary
• 44:37 For Fun
• 49:22 What's True
• 57:20 It's a Wrap

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-konarski/

Website: https://www.ibm.com/client-engineering

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun. 

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us a text

Part 2: "See the Game, Change the Game".  More money ball with Paul Bessire, 

VP of Data, Coterie Insurance.  Fascinating stuff.  

• 01:00 Paul's customers
• <Ok, off the rails on sport psychology> 
• 09:50 Moneyball for insurance
• 15:10 Can you underwrite at the individual level?
• 20:17 In summary
• 24:09 Startups and adverse selection
• 31:10 Three tweetable nuggets?
• 33:00 For fun

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulbessire/

Website:  https://coterieinsurance.com/

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at 

almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next.  The Making 

Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where 

we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while 

keeping it simple & fun. 

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us a text

Part 1: Can't get enough of money ball?  Feels more like sports radio.  Making Data Simple welcomes Paul Bessire, VP of Data, Coterie Insurance.  

• 05:11 Paul's KC connection
• 07:59 The Prediction Machine
• 08:38 Who is this guy???
• 15:31 Paul's story
• 27:01 And about the Tech?
• 29:48 "Box Score" is all the matters

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulbessire/

Website: https://coterieinsurance.com/

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at 

almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next.  The Making 

Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where 

we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while 

keeping it simple & fun.

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us a text

Part 2 : Learning leadership from a 2-star General : "The harder right versus the
easier wrong". Hear about the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP)

• 00:12 How to become a 2-Star General
• 01:22 Raising 3 girls
• 4:10 Leadership style
• 05:21 MDMP to civilian leadership
• 09:55 General McConville's book recommendation
• 10:54 How military influences POV
• 14:06 Advice to others
• 15:52 Finally! The lighting round

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dianne-del-rosso-7950871
Website: https://www.ibm.com/products/expertlabs
Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at
almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making
Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM,
where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and
leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us a text

A 2-star General on the #MakingDataSimple podcast! Dianne Del
Rosso, Brigadier General and VP, WW Services, IBM. Lab Services : World class
consultants with certified skills providing value-based services via simple,
repeatable practices, methodologies, and offerings

• 03:08 Meet the General
• 08:02 Why ditch Westpoint (twice)?!
• 10:10 How do you still balance the Reserves?
• 11:15 Do you hate Navy?
• 12:54 The acquisition space
• 14:57 Why Lab Services, Why now?
• 18:13 The Lab Services mission
• 19:14 Mid and long-term vision
• 20:20 Product vs Client vs P&L
• 23:18 When to use a Partner
• 25:28 Getting in front of clients following COVID
• 27:31 Leaving your mark

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dianne-del-rosso-7950871
Website: https://www.ibm.com/products/expertlabs
Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at
almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making
Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM,
where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and
leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us a text

Hey folks!  Replay this week as we crunch through a backlog of editing.  My favorite coach, Lynne Snead, is guest today to discuss Leadership and Coaching, the good, the bad, and the great. 

Lynne is the founder of Talent Evolution Systems, a behavioral analyst, consultant, training specialist, speaker, coach, Lynne has a back ground in Educational Psychology, and has specialized in organizational performance for over 20 years. Lynne is one of the original Franklin Covey co-authors, has a best seller, she created Franklin Covey’s signature Project Development process and programs, worked directly with Stephen Covey.

1:30 – Lynne talks about her background

5:40 – Lynne’s coaching specialty and mission statement

10:30 – Why don’t all leaders have coaches?

12:08 – Why do you differentiate corporate coaching from life coaching?

16:27 - Do you believe in the element of natural state? 

18:32 – How many individuals have you coached?

19:49 – What constitutes a great leader?

20:55 – What are the common mistakes in a leader?

24:44 – Steer them back on track

Lynne Snead - LinkedIn

Talent Evolution Systems

Lynne’s email: lsnead@talentevolutionsystems.com

Leadership and self deception 

How will you measure your life?

Connect with the Team
Producer Kate Brown - LinkedIn.

Host Al Martin - LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us a text

Meet Nicholas Freund, Founder and CEO of Workstream.io. Nicholas spearheads a seed-stage technology startup that integrates directly with analytical tools data, and existing workflows, to empower data teams to use data assets in a more effective way.

• 01:50 Meet Nichola Freund
• 05:18 Why leave the golden child : Tesla?
• 14:10 Time to start another data company
• 18:37 A startup in COVID
• 21:30 The Workstream pitch
• 25:30 A use case example
• 29:16 Competitive differentiation
• 34:40 Monetization and growth
• 39:31 Launch complete
• 41:42 Kill Your service desk!
• 46:03 Company culture
• 48:31 Recommended books

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nick-from-workstream

Website: https://www.workstream.io

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us a text

Part 2 : A different take on technology. Iain Thomas, Group Creative Director, Virtue talks about the book he wrote with AI. Yes with a non-human called "What Makes Us Human". Why do we suffer? What is the meaning of life? Oh boy...

• 00:00 Writing a book with AI
• 02:56 Has AI provided the meaning of life?
• 07:37 Can AI sell too?
• 07:56 Do we lose our humanity with AI?
• 12:40 The concern : bias
• 14:15 Buy the book. Here's why.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iain-s-thomas-7838445/
Website: https://product.soundstrue.com/what-makes-us-human/

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun. 

Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple? Reach out to us at almartintalksdata@gmail.com and tell us why you should be next. The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.