Life in the Cloud

Data-driven Criminal Justice Reform with Joshua Essex of Recidiviz

Two sisters: one ends up a nurse and the other ends up dead. They were charged with similar offenses, and both wound up in jail. They were placed in different jails across county lines, with a wide disparity in available funding and rehabilitative potential.  Joshua Essex is the co-founder and CTO of Recidiviz, a tech nonprofit that aims to lessen incarceration rates and improve outcomes for the American justice system. Joshua shared this story about his cousins and what led him and a smal...

Using Tech to Renew Retail Therapy with Greg Sakorafis of THE YES

https://www.theyes.com/ "There are many opportunities for new companies to offer a fresh voice to reset people's expectations on what's possible for fashion companies and retail." Greg Sakorafis is the head of shopping experience engineering at THE YES. With its AI machine learning model, THE YES aims to bring more enjoyment and ease back into retail. “It used to be called retail therapy, and I feel like a lot of the time it’s retail anxiety.” Greg gives his take on how the shopping exper...

IoT and IIoT Real-world Applications with Ian Uriarte of Timbergrove

The practical applications of IoT are much more extensive than you might be aware of. Just a few examples of its use are in baseball analytics, the monitoring of oil rigs, and dynamic routing systems that track thousands of palletized shipments. Ian Uriarte, founder and CEO at Timbergrove, joins Kris Reddy on this episode of Life in the Cloud.  Timbergrove aims to predict when an unforeseen event will occur. That way, action can be taken before disaster strikes.  Think of a submersible oi...

People and Process Perspective with Nazgol Khamneipur of CherryRoad Technologies

Family-owned technology company CherryRoad Technologies has almost 40 years of industry experience.  It has successfully navigated and aided in the migration of companies to the cloud. Mastering communications with a business-centric focus has been instrumental in its continued success. Nazgol Khamneipur joins host Kris Reddy on this episode of Life in the Cloud. At the time of the interview, Nazgol was program manager of Oracle Cloud at CherryRoad Technologies. Now she is the director of ...

Cloud-Native Cybersecurity with Vivek Kumar of CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike created a new category of cybersecurity. Its cloud-native endpoint protection platform, the first of its kind, was the next-gen antivirus. Director of global alliances at CrowdStrike, Vivek Kumar, joins host Kris Reddy on this episode.  Now a household name in cybersecurity, Vivek shares the inception point and the many innovations CrowdStrike has made. A sensor called Falcon can scale with the addition of 10s or 100s of new servers. Falcon can work on a personal laptop to EC2...

Fine-Tuning a Never Finished Product with Gal Josefsberg of Guidewire Software

Iterations upon iterations, fine-tuning a product for perfection. In the ever-evolving industry of insurance software, perfection never comes.  There are always new customer requests and innovative features to be released, as VP of Product Management at Guidewire Software, Gal Josefsberg points out. In this episode of Life in the Cloud, host Kris Reddy and Gal cover everything from employee enablement to customer-centricity. Gal gives adoption as the key metric in releasing new features f...

Customer Centricity with Karl Mosgofian of Gainsight

The universal and revolutionary shift in technology to AI is evident, but what's next? What's the next ‘cloud' in tech? CIO of Gainsight, Karl Mosgofian joins host Kris Reddy on this episode of Life in the Cloud.  Over 30 years in tech as a programmer and business analyst, Karl is aware of the changing trends in the industry. He foresees more involvement with less technical things, giving users a more straightforward approach to using their applications at maximum performance. Karl and Kr...

Breaking Down Blockchain with Cory Hymel of Gigster

What is blockchain, and how can it be applied to business? Host Kris Reddy interviews Cory Hymel at Gigster. Formerly the Senior Solutions Architect, Cory recently shifted to Gigster's Head of Blockchain.  Cory simplifies blockchain into digestible bites. At its core, it's a distributed ledger. You visit your bank's website to see your balance and inherently trust them to be correct. Now imagine the vast amount of transfers coming in and out of the thousands of accounts at each bank. Agai...

Collaborative Communications in Real-Time with Kamal Hood of Groupsite.com

Groupsite.com is a community-building platform that optimizes asynchronous communications. In this episode of Life in the Cloud, host Kris Reddy interviews their CTO, Kamal Hood. With an extensive tech background, Kamal was taking programming classes in high school. This was before the internet was fully deployed. For over a decade while freelancing, he developed custom databases, CRMs and helped companies shift over to the cloud. "When you move to the cloud, it frees you from having to ma...

Duplicating and Dissecting Data with Mark Van de Wiel of HVR

How do you provide data feedback near instantaneously on a massive scale? Mark Van de Wiel, CTO at HVR, joins me for another episode of Life in the Cloud. HVR is in the data replication space. It serves large enterprise customers like Pitney Bowes, Lufthansa Airlines, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Fifteen years ago, the most extensive data warehouses used maybe ten terabytes total. Nowadays, HVR is handling ten terabytes of data changes in a single day. Instrumental to their continued successe...

Applying Practical Mathematics with Chris White of Prefect

Our guest this week has a Ph.D. in Mathematics. Chris White was the first hire and is now CTO of the rapidly growing company, Prefect. Prefect is an open-source workflow management system. Through its cloud API, it allows its users to own their execution environment.  Chris shares many exciting insights into the beginnings of a startup. The earlier the stage of a startup, the more landscape you have to define your position. "I like taking bets on myself, and going to a startup is the funda...

The Importance of Cloud Flexibility with Eyal Arazi of Radware

The cloud vs. on-prem. Is one more secure than the other? What security concerns arise when moving to the cloud? On this episode of Life in the Cloud, Eyal Arazi, Product Marketing Manager at Radware joins the show.  Eyal points out that on-prem environments are typically self-contained. Cloud environments rely on shared API, shared identities, and shared roles. If there were an attack on a web server with on-prem, that's as far as the attack would go. In the cloud, the attackers could pi...

Internet Bots Cybersecurity Edition with Benjamin Fabre of DataDome

Website protection—has the book switched from nice-to-have to must-have? It is a need if you're running an e-commerce site or handling customer data of any sort. The increase of 'bad bots' in the last couple of years is hard to fathom. On this episode of Life in the Cloud, I interview Benjamin Fabre. He's the CTO and Co-Founder of DataDome, a company that safeguards websites against nefarious bots. Benjamin points out, “Any website is exposed on the internet because they are using many CD...

Securely Shifting to SaaS with Michael O’Malley of SenecaGlobal

Why do people go to the cloud? When should a company not move to the cloud? In this episode, host Kris Reddy interviews the SVP of Strategy at SenecaGlobal, Michael O'Malley.  "We're trying to take what they have and move it to a more scalable, more sustainable model in a cloud-based environment." Michael points out the importance of leveraging analytics in their business. They want to help their clients' products be as useful to their customer base as possible. Cases in which the cloud ...

Siloing Data with David P. Mariani of AtScale

What advice would you give to people who are starting up companies? David P. Mariani, CTO and Co-Founder of AtScale, joins us on this episode of Life in the Cloud. By living the problem and walking in your customers' shoes, you’re better able to develop a product. Don’t take David’s advice for granted. He’s been a part of several successful startups in his expansive career. All his jobs built on top of one another to solidify his industry-leading expertise and understanding of data. The ...

The Math of the Future with Eric Daimler of Conexus

What is Category Theory, and why is it called the math of the 21st century? We’re fortunate to have the CEO and Co-Founder of Conexus, Eric Daimler, join us for this episode.  Eric carries a wide breadth of experience, from Professional Investing to Policy Advisor and Author. He taught at Carnegie Mellon and worked under the Obama Administration. Eric emphatically speaks on the potent potential of Category Theory. When working with billions and even trillions of data points, this branch o...

Implementation Insights with Nathan Siswanto of Rippling

Imagine a software system that requires a different implementation process for each customer. Now imagine scaling up at a tremendous pace while maintaining excellent customer satisfaction. From 200 to 500 employees in two years, Rippling provides an evolving HR software system. In this episode Rippling’s Manager of Implementation, Nathan Siswanto, joins the show. How has Rippling cultivated a successful implementation practice? Nathan shares the greatest need for having an open communicat...

Centralizing R&D with Shreenath Panditrao of Benchling

"How do we make sure that our systems are scaling to support that growth we are going to see in the coming years?" We have the Head of Business Systems at Benchling, Shreenath Panditrao, join the show in this episode. Born at MIT in 2012, Benchling is a company that accelerates research and development. Built via the cloud, Benchling had in mind easing the process of scientific collaboration.  Shreenath oversees a suite of products, hundreds of different software packages. They allow Benc...

Leadership, Cybersecurity, and Success in the 21st Century with Bob Fabien Zinga of Directly

What do you think is the most crucial skill for success in the 21st century?  With 16 years of experience in IT, cybersecurity, and the Navy, Bob Fabien Zinga carries a tremendous wealth of knowledge. Luckily, we have him as our guest on this episode of Life in the Cloud.  Currently Director of Information Security at Directly, Bob shares his wisdom on the changing dynamics of leadership from the 20th to the 21st century. "No matter what you do, no matter what industry or job, you really n...

Simplifying Systems with Kevin Connole of Fivetran

What SaaS do you use for your business that stands out in making a difference? How much time do you or your company spend organizing data? IT Manager of Fivetran, Kevin Connole, joins us in this episode of Life in the Cloud. Fivetran is a SaaS company that automates data integration to simplify data analytics.  Kevin highlights several features that add up to tremendous time savers for their company, like single sign-ons, consolidating software packages you currently have, and many more. ...

Optimizing Software Systems with Brian Martinek of Checkr, Inc.

When issues arise with current software systems, investing in a new setup can be a no-brainer. The challenging part becomes what questions to ask before investing. We have the Corporate Engineering Program Manager at Checkr, Inc., Brian Martinek, join us on this episode of Life in the Cloud. Checkr pioneered the first API for background checks. Then exploding demand from companies like Uber and Lyft led to dramatic growth. Brian has seen the recent implementation of several new software sy...

Starting up IT Security with VuDang Tran of Hint Health

Why has the frequency of security breaches in healthcare risen recently? What can be done to prevent cyberattacks? In this episode of Life in the Cloud, the Head of IT Security at Hint Health, VuDang Tran, teaches us more about the healthcare space. Hint Health operates 100% via the cloud and has a niche within direct primary care, boldly challenging the typical patient, insurance, doctor model in healthcare. VuDang provides insights into the shifting healthcare space. He also highlights ...

Getting to know GCP with Carly Wild of Google Cloud

“What kind of company would be a good candidate to use GCP?” From Amazon Web Services to Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Carly Wild has served in the cloud space for 14 years. Working as a Partner Sales Manager, Carly joins this episode of Life in the Cloud to give us a more in-depth look into GCP. Carly takes us back to GCP’s origins, and how GCP began with their storage solution back in 2008. She offers up that the services and tech have been around as long as Google. Next, Kris puts Carly...

Enhancing Education Models with Nick Gardner of Watershed

How is technology shaping the future of PreK–12 instruction? In this week’s episode of Life in the Cloud, Kris Reddy interviews his friend Nick Gardner, the Executive Director of Watershed Collaborative. Nick shares his founder story and provides enlightenment on the VTS space. VTS, or Visual Thinking Strategies, is an education model formulated for museums. Now, Nick and Watershed are working to transform the classroom through the usage of VTS. The problem has been tinkering with VTS to ...

Cloud’s Trillion-Dollar Prize

What if there were an untapped trillion dollars of value within an industry?  McKinsey Quarterly makes that claim in their recent quarterly article, titled Cloud’s trillion-dollar prize is up for grabs. Demonstrated from the start of the article, the value of cloud computing is still at the tip of the iceberg. CEO of Moderna, Stéphane Bancel gives credit to the cloud for their development of a Covid vaccine. Where does McKinsey calculate the unrealized trillion dollars?  In this episode ...

The Power of Big Tech Companies and Facebook’s Clash with Australia

How much viewership do Facebook and Google’s platforms add to news agencies? If the news agencies want a piece of the pie – is there any motivation other than wanting more money? In this episode of Life in the Cloud, Jake Jorgovan and Kris Reddy review a Wall Street Journal article. The article outlines new legislation in Australia. Now, Facebook and Google have to pay local Australian news companies to post their content.  When should a platform be required to pay the publisher? In which ...

Entrepreneurial Evolution with Francois Gouelo of Enso Connect

Francois Gouelo continues the conversation on this episode of Life in the Cloud. What is there to like and dislike in entrepreneurship? What would you have done differently?  Francois speaks and reflects on the evolution as his entrepreneurial life has unfolded. "Everything that you have to do to steer the business forward is what's fun and fascinating."  An admirable vision, Francois shares what he envisions in the future for Enso Connect, from short-term rentals on autopilot to the poss...

Entering Entrepreneurship with Francois Gouelo of Enso Connect

Fascinated by the structure of building a business, Francois Gouelo saw his path in life. With classes on entrepreneurship in his last semester, he forewent graduate school. He experienced a real-world problem and envisioned the solution. In this episode of Life in the Cloud, host Kris Reddy interviews his friend. The Founder and CEO of Enso Connect, Francois shares the story behind his company. What started as property management software shifted to a guest communication platform. Francoi...

Big Tech Censorship

To be able to censor the president of the United States, that’s a powerful institution. “Where exactly do we draw the line between free speech versus speech that needs to be stopped?” In this episode of Life in the Cloud, Jake Jorgovan and Kris Reddy discuss a recent article from the Wall Street Journal. Referenced below, the authors of the article propose a solution to big tech’s power on censorship. The solution involves middleware and integrating with the tech platforms. In theory, putt...

The History & Future of MSPs

When and why did MSPs first begin? How have they developed, and where are they headed? In this new episode of Life in the Cloud, host Kris Reddy discusses with Jake Jorgovan, reviewing how demand for MSPs took off as companies started outsourcing their IT aspects, from network monitoring to cybersecurity, and now to the cloud. As IT demands and complexities have increased, so has the MSP's business structure.   Kris highlights the value-adds of why companies hire out to MSPs, with the keyw...

Differences between AWS, Azure, & Google Cloud Platform

Kris reviews high-level comparisons, such as AWS having more high-profile customers like the CIA and Google Platform taking the lead on open-source integrations. Kris points out Microsoft is taking on the initiative in providing other products to support their enterprise-level products like their Cosmos database and alludes to the most significant differences seen at a highly technical level.   Which vendor may be the most startup-friendly? Kris and Jake hash out what business owners need t...

Intro to cybersecurity

Kris gives easy to understand anecdotes, comparing cybersecurity to physical property. The more inherent value on the property, the more security may be necessary for guarding the lot. The same goes for the value of data and intellectual property that a business needs to safeguard. Sharing insight into the industry's future, Kris explains why companies haven’t solved the problem with hackers and what they’re after in breaking into companies’ intellectual property.   Listen in now to hear m...

Small vs large enterprises in the cloud

Kris identifies what public cloud service small businesses prefer, highlighting the rising complexities involved with cloud migration at an enterprise level. Imagine the IT environment's scalability: thousands of machines with thousands of software licenses and different programs running. The workload required to map out and optimize the processes vastly differs from small businesses with maybe five or ten licenses.   Is it possible that it’s more expensive for businesses to remain on-premi...

Flexera 2020 report takeaways

Opportunities, challenges, multi-cloud usage, and future trends into 2021 – what did 750 tech execs and decision-makers have to say about the Cloud industry in 2020? What is the #1 industry initiative for the fourth year in a row? In this episode of Life in the Cloud, host Kris Reddy fields questions from Diana Chen, digests the 60-page annual report by Flexera, and condenses it down into easily consumable points.  How much time should current cloud optimization take? Kris gives insight in...

Intro to Cloud

In the fifth episode of Life in the Cloud, Kris Reddy and Diana Chen dive into a more in-depth discussion on cloud, discussing its origins, reviewing when companies should consider the cloud, and other overlooked factors surrounding it. "What is the cloud?" Diana points out that most people are familiar with the term, having used Dropbox or Google Drive, but how is cloud different from what people think when they hear "cloud" mentioned?   Painting a picture of the physical cloud, Kris high...

Evaluating the Business Case for Cloud Managed Service Providers

Once your organization has committed to modernizing its IT infrastructure by moving to cloud-based software platforms, there are still several key questions to answer. In this episode of Life in the Cloud, podcast host Kris Reddy walks through how managers and other business decision-makers can evaluate whether to hire an external managed services provider (MSP) to help support those efforts. Kris recommends looking inward first - what exactly is the business trying to accomplish? Does the...

Exploring Pros & Cons of Cloud

Q&A with Diana Chen, Host of Startup Happy Hour Podcast

In previous episodes, our listeners met Diana Chen, Head of Content Strategy at Content Allies and host of Startup Happy Hour podcast. In this episode, Kris Reddy interviews Diana to learn a little more about her background, what inspired her to start a podcast, and how on earth we’re all supposed to figure out what we actually want to do in life. Diana shares how she began her career as a lawyer, though she always suspected it was not the right field for her. She goes on to talk about the ...

It’s Time to Meet Your Host, Kris Reddy!

Welcome to the first official episode of Life in the Cloud. This debut episode features podcast host Kris Reddy, Head of Sales and Marketing at Tuple Technologies. He is joined by Diana Chen, content strategist and startup aficionado. Kris and Diana open the conversation and set the stage for what listeners can expect in future episodes. Kris shares more about his background as a Silicon Valley native who began dabbling in the tech startup world even before graduating college. He also talks...

Welcome to the First Day of the Rest of Your Life… in the Cloud

As Head of Sales and Marketing for Tuple Technologies, a cloud-managed services provider, Kris is an expert thought leader on strategies and innovations in cloud technologies. In this podcast, he’ll explore topics like cloud adoption and cloud migration, along with broader themes like tech industry trends and cutting edge new developments. Guests will include industry experts and leading practitioners in a variety of fields, both technological and beyond. With a background in international ...