It may sound surprising but in my first ever conversation with Ethan D Peck I asked him to record a podcast episode with me. He happens to be my boss and is a wealth of knowledge. Ethan clearly can make fantastic conversation and there's always something to learn from him. The initial discussion with Ethan was to talk about career paths and that evolved into a few things which are highly insightful. You will want to bookmark this conversation. In this podcast - we talk about >Introduction > About Ethan > Career Paths > Corporate All-rounders > Rules to Manage Life > Daylight Saving > Conclusion --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

There's been a lot of talk about the happenings at Silicon Valley Bank! Here's my simplified understanding of what happened! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support

The trigger for this conversation was a post from Rob on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sdcorporatecounsel_techlayoffs-activity-7024375397391757314-KaC9/ In this conversation Rob explains how the healthcare system is broken and what could be done to fix it. The part I loved the most is where Rob talks about the fact that there should not be a profit motive for healthcare. Be sure to comment on Rob's post to share your thoughts. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

This is part II of my conversation with Vikram. In my previous conversation with him - Vikram mentioned a few things about Entrepreneurship that caught my attention. I requested him for another conversation which is how this podcast came about. There are multiple aspects of this conversation which is fascinating to me e.g. how we think of design as UI is good but there's a deeper aspect to design or the comment around in-order for you to be better off than your cohort - you'll have to be worse off than your cohort for a long time. Also - if you watch the video version on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQV2gsCh-54) you'll see smart lights are not very smart at all - and if any of you who are watching have a way to make smart lights smarter please do. I decided not to edit that part out so you get a behind-the-scenes view of how this works. In this video we talk about: - Thought Process around designing a product - What's the experience around building and developing a product? - Living through development hell - managing life and finances - How does an entrepreneur find investors? - Advice to entrepreneurs You can find Vikram on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikramnayak85/ Vikram Series of blogs make for a great read here: https://medium.com/@vikramnayak.vn Link to the previous conversation with Vikram: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/hJuMzhARgwb --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

Vikram is what we would call a serial entrepreneur. What impresses me the most about Vikram is his ability to explain concepts so clearly and in a manner that makes it easy to understand. Had he not been an entrepreneur I'd bet he'd have been an academic and a very famous one that. In this video Vikram and I talk about data and he also gives us a view into his world of being an entrepreneur, he explains the world of data and analytics - where it has come from and where it is going to. He also gives also gives us a sneak peak into how products are built and what it takes. I have requested him for more time to learn more. I must say I'm mind blown by this conversation. In this video we talk about: Intro How do Entrepreneurs survive through the process? How does Vikram describe himself as someone in the data space? How has Vikram seen the field of analytics evolve? What is the next frontier of analytics? Talking about his current venture and breaking down a few complex terms (ML-driven Quant Trading to consistently generate Alpha across asset classes and instruments) Vikrams Advice to anyone wanting to get into analytics and entrepreneurship and what skillsets make one successful You can find Vikram on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikramnayak85/ Vikram Series of blogs make for a great read here: https://medium.com/@vikramnayak.vn --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

A Technical Program Manager (TPM) is one of the key roles in any organization today. They oversee and drive programs. In this podcast we have Shashank Melkote who breaks down the role by comparing it against a Project Manager and the journey for one before and after being a TPM. Shashank is an Engineering Manager at Amazon and is hiring for Software Development Roles - so you're interested in working with someone who is knowledgeable, smart and empathetic - you can apply to roles below: - https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3024194324/ In this video we talk about: > Introduction > Project Manager v/s Program Managers > Project Manager to Program Manager - Natural Progression? > Program Managers v/s Technical Program Managers(TPMs) > Day-to-day responsibilities of a TPM > What are the characteristics of a good TPM? $ Key pillars of being a successful TPM > Most challenging aspect of being a TPM? > Can I be a TPM straight out of college? Who can switch to a TPM? > Career growth after being a TPM? > Next conversation topic with Shashank? Sound: bensound.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

With both the Delta and Omicron variants behind us - the world seems to be in a much better place today than it was a few months back. Travel is starting to pick up, offices are opening and we're meeting more people in person. After having a fantastic conversation in April of 2021 (link below) - in this video we have Dr. Lalitha Parameswaran who is an infectious diseases specialist talk to us about how we got to Delta and Omicron and what we could expect in the future. We discuss: Intro What is a variant? Delta & Omicron Can we expect more variants? How can we prevent new variants? What is a breakthrough infection? Vaccines v/s breakthrough infections Closing thoughts and advice to us Previous Episode with Dr. Parameswaran: https://anchor.fm/agneljdcruz/episodes/Fighting-Vaccine-Misinformation---Dr--Lalitha-Parameswaran-evkuts --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

Design thinking is a term used to represent a set of cognitive, strategic and practical processes by which design concepts (proposals for products, buildings, machines, communications, etc.) are developed. Many of the key concepts and aspects of design thinking have been identified through studies, across different design domains, of design cognition and design activity in both laboratory and natural contexts. An iterative, non-linear process of understanding users, challenging assumptions, redefining problems, and creating innovative solutions to prototype and test is called design thinking. [Wikipedia] In this podcast Raunak Gulshan explains the Design Thinking process. His ability explain it simple words without jargons is fascinating. We discuss: What is design thinking? When does design thinking come in handy? Is this something every business can use? Design Thinking Framework The WOW zone WHY should businesses think of Design Thinking? How does Design thinking relate to the Agile methodology? Real-life Examples Good resources to learn more about Design Thinking Image credit: https://unsplash.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

Bharani Madhav Nittala and I talk at length about the why behind the channel, what I gain from it and how I get it done. This is broken down into: Intro Why Podcasts? What was the genesis of the idea? What feedback have you received? What does it mean to you? Success Criteria - what drives the effort? How do you define what a podcast is? Why the diverse set of topics on your channel? How time consuming is podcasting? Who is your audience? What makes a good Podcast? Does it take passion or skill? How important is your voice? Can he start his own channel? What is the most annoying/difficult part of podcasting? How do you market your podcast/videos? Do you lose friends when you annoy them with updates? Opinion on plagiarism/copying You can find Bharani here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bharani-madhav/ Disclaimer - my methods are very raw and may not be very efficient. It also may not be the right approach for everyone. Each one of us will have a different "Why" and it's important for us to find that when you want to start something like this. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." - Mark Twain. Everyone listening to this would have been approached by an Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) proponent be in Amway, Herbalife, e-Biz, Qnet or some scam Crypto like Bitconnect or Squid Coin. In this podcast Shashank breaks down the MLM world and very cleverly proves how MLMs are more of a scheme than a business model. We discuss: Intro What is an MLM & How do they compare against Ponzi/Pyramid Schemes Why do MLMs exist? What is their business model? Why do proponents focus on recruitment instead of selling? Is there money in it? What are some examples of what they sell? Personal experiences with MLMs Who is most vulnerable? What strategies do MLM practitioners use to sell/recruit? What is the best way to avoid such situations? Closing thoughts Link to my blog on the topic: https://agneljohndcruz.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-perils-of-network-marketing-multi.html List of MLMs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multi-level_marketing_companies --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

There were ~4.4 Million resignations in Sept of 2021 and > 4Million in October. Every month there are millions of folks who quit their jobs in 2021. In this podcast - I discuss the why behind this and what companies could do to prevent this bleeding of their top employees. Some topics I talk about are: What is happening? Why is it happening? Is this normal? Who is gaining from this? Why this affects all of us - what are the side-effects? What can organizations do to reverse this trend? What to expect in 2022? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) - is formally defined as "the integrated collection of capabilities that enable an organization to reliably achieve objectives, address uncertainty and act with integrity." While definitions are great - the best way to understand it to listen a practitioner talk with real-life experience. Depender is a a leader in the GRC space with a large Fortune 50 firm. His experience and passion for the space is evident from the talk. I just love how Depender explains why GRC must be treated as a culture and not as a function. Some topics we talk about: What is GRC? What does an Organization need GRC? What about startups - do companies of all sizes need GRC? What can organizations do to prevent hacking attacks? What kind of roles exist in the GRC space? What is the career ladder within GRC? What roles with AI/ML play in the GRC space going forward? What skillsets are needed to be successful? You can find Depnder on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/depender-singh-58246518/ Music: www.bensound.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

Folks - Nihira Ramaswamy is a cute 6 year-old living in New York City. This cute off-topic podcast is a refreshing take of a 6 year-old on life in the Big Apple, her opinion on Covid and vaccines and what are the little things that bring her joy. I hope you like this conversation refreshes you as much as it did me every time I talk to Nihira. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

I have known Sharon for over 25 years. She's a top counsellor and psychotherapist. Website: https://www.sharonuthappa.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharon.utha... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharonUthapp... Email: info@sharonuthappa.com In this video Sharon talks about: About Sharon What is mental health and why is it important? The evolution of mental health - how we're stopping the stigma What is resilience and how to build it? Advice for someone who has a loved one who needs help or needs help themselves Career Advice One of her secrets to mindfulness and handling stress better How do you find her? Sound: www.bensound.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…

Here's a preview of my conversation with Sharon Uthappa. She's a top counsellor and psychotherapist. Please subscribe so you don't miss out on the full video. We talk about: - The Importance and Evolution of Mental Health - Resilience - Advice on how to handle issues of mental health - How to handle stress better Sound: www.bensound.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agneljdcruz/support…