Transform It Forward
42 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 18 ratingsGiven the current need for transformation at an accelerated rate, what can companies do to move now and move fast? In this podcast, veteran business leader, Paul French, discusses how companies are transforming legacy ideas and technology into brilliant customer experiences. His guests — senior-level business and civic leaders — will share stories of transformation, continuous learning, experimentation, and improvement to keep you relevant and competitive at all times.
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Episodes
Digital transformation predictions for 2023 | Vince Padua and Brian Otten
January 19, 2023 05:00 - 33 minutes - 46.7 MBFor the series finale of Transform It Forward, Paul takes a moment to reflect on the past 12 months and look ahead to what we can expect to see in the new year. The past year has been full of progress, innovation and fascinating new developments in tech. To discuss some of the key highlights from 2022 and what we can look forward to in 2023, Paul sits down with his colleagues Vince Padua, the EVP and Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at Axway and Brian Otten, VP Digital Transformation ...
Evolving the healthcare insurance space through tech | Neetu Rajpal
November 17, 2022 05:00 - 24 minutes - 22 MBWe all know the healthcare space has undergone dramatic changes in recent years, and this episode is all about exploring the industry’s rapid evolution and technological advancements. In this episode, Paul sits down with Neetu Rajpal, the Chief Technology Officer at Oscar. As the first health insurance company built around a full-stack technology platform, Oscar maintains a relentless focus on serving its members. In her role, Neetu oversees Oscar's fully cloud native distributed software st...
Dousing the flames: reducing wildfire risk | John Clarke Mills
November 03, 2022 08:00 - 20 minutes - 28 MBMost entrepreneurs will agree that the best ideas are born out of a genuine need to solve a problem. Necessity is the mother of invention, and if you’re facing a challenge, there’s a good chance there are others who have encountered the same issue. For John Clarke Mills, CEO and Co-Founder of Watch Duty, it was the need for more information about the wildfires that were raging around the ranch he had just bought in Sonoma County, California. It was this pain point that led him to launch the ...
The future of hospitality in a post-pandemic world | Jason Fudin
October 20, 2022 08:00 - 27 minutes - 37.6 MBIn this special panel episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with two of his colleagues at Axway to discuss their top predictions for the world of tech, AI and more in 2022. Along with Vince Padua, EVP, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at Axway and Brian Pagano, Chief Catalyst, VP of Catalysts at Axway, Paul explores the possibilities for everything from cloud technology to APIs and more. The panelists discuss a wide variety of topics including “data fabric” as a popular buzz...
Revolutionizing the customer experience | Lara Compton
October 06, 2022 08:00 - 29 minutes - 40.2 MBWith an ever-evolving tech landscape, stiff competition and an undeniably changing world, marketers seem to have more to contend with today than ever before. Looking at the landscape through a critical lens is essential for brands hoping to stay ahead of the competition and optimize their outcomes. In this episode, Paul sits down with someone who knows all about what it takes to stay on your toes as a marketer today: Lara Compton, the VP of Growth and Brand Marketing at Ruby. The company pro...
Refining Workforce Needs and Wants
September 22, 2022 08:00 - 21 minutes - 28.9 MBIn the third and final installment of this special Transform It Forward mini series, Paul reviews some of the highlights from interviews focusing on an area that affects all industries: the war for talent and refining workforce needs. To inform the discussion, he takes a look back at past episodes featuring Evan Sohn, Chairman and CEO of Recruiter.com, Jon Schlossberg, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman at financial services platform Even, and Amy MacGregor, Global HR Vice President, Employee...
Digital Disruptions in Retail
September 08, 2022 08:00 - 25 minutes - 34.7 MBIn the second installment of this special Transform It Forward mini series, Paul reviews some of the highlights from interviews with Mike Starkey, Chief Information Officer at Christy Sports, Robert Gerwig, Senior Vice President of Distribution at Sweetwater, and Aviva Fink, the Vice President of Growth and Partnerships at Reonomy to take a status check of the retail industry. Using clips from these interviews as a guide, Paul explores the evolution of the retail world over the past few year...
Transportation’s Tech Adoption
August 25, 2022 08:00 - 28 minutes - 38.9 MBThroughout the Transform It Forward podcast series, Paul has chatted with experts from a wide variety of industries including events, technology and real estate. Now, it’s time to take a step back and connect the dots. For the next few episodes in the series, Paul will be taking a look back at some key clips from past interviews that share common elements or discuss similar industries. In this episode, he takes a look at the transportation industry and how it’s evolved in recent years thanks...
Digital disruptions in the publishing world | Seema Lakhani
July 21, 2022 08:00 - 31 minutes - 42.6 MBOn Transform It Forward, Paul and his guests often discuss new and emerging technologies, exciting innovations and the digital revolution. However, no matter how advanced our technology becomes, there will always be a fundamental human need for powerful storytelling. In this episode of Transform It Forward, he sits down with Seema Lakhani, Chief Product Officer at Wattpad, to explore how technology is merging with the art of storytelling to create a completely new landscape for the publishin...
A new era of leadership | David Cummins
July 07, 2022 08:00 - 30 minutes - 42.1 MBAs industries across the board continue to transform, we’re not only changing the work we do every day, but also, how we do said work. Without the right dynamic, culture, and leadership structure, a team can fall apart pretty quickly, so improving the way we work is often just as important as the work itself. This is a practice often referred to as organizational development, and it’s playing an increasingly essential role in corporate structures everywhere. In this episode of Transform It F...
How the rewards and loyalty industry is winning big | Wes Schroll
June 23, 2022 08:00 - 29 minutes - 40.4 MBEstablishing a personal relationship with your customers is all about building a strong foundation of trust, understanding and mutual respect. In other words, people want to feel like the brands they support are also supporting them. One way to make customers feel truly valued is by rewarding them for their loyalty through perks, points, special deals or gifts, which is where the growing rewards and loyalty industry comes in clutch. In this episode, Paul sits down with the founder and CEO of...
Shifting Gears in the Used Cars Industry | Toby Russell
June 09, 2022 08:00 - 32 minutes - 45.3 MBThe most effective industry disruptions are born from an unmet consumer need. Without a firm grasp on the needs, desires and problems of their customer, companies will fail to innovate in their industry. In this episode, Paul sits down with a guest who has an intimate awareness of this because he’s witnessed it throughout his own career. Toby Russell is the Co-Founder, Board-Director and Strategic Advisor at Shift, a company that’s on a mission to simplify the process of buying used cars. Du...
Shaping the Future of America’s Cities with Macro Trends in Mind | Alon Marcovici
May 26, 2022 08:00 - 25 minutes - 35.2 MBMoving the needle when it comes to developing city infrastructure isn’t always easy. It’s a balancing act involving multiple stakeholders and competing interests, and innovation doesn’t always win. However, this episode featuring Alon Marcovici will remind you that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Alon is the Managing Director at CityAge, a global platform where leaders meet to build the future of our urban planet. During the episode, Paul and Alon discuss strategies for driving innovation forwar...
Bridging the Tech Gap in the Recreational and Outdoor Power Equipment Markets | Jason Guss
May 12, 2022 08:00 - 31 minutes - 43.8 MBAs we continue to witness major transformations happening across industries, many smart investors are keeping an eye on previously untapped industries such as powersports. This ultimately opened up new opportunities for companies to step up and modernize a niche of their own, benefitting the entire ecosystem in the process. In the most recent episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with the co-founder and CEO of Octane to hear his perspective on the changing of the guard in the power...
Revolutionizing the Seniors Care Industry | Sandy Jen
April 28, 2022 08:00 - 30 minutes - 41.3 MBIt’s no secret that the seniors care sector has been in need of a major transformation for decades, but the pandemic served to highlight many of the industry’s long-standing problems and systemic issues. In this episode, Paul sits down with Sandy Jen, co-founder of Honor, the world’s largest senior care network and technology platform. Paul and Sandy discuss some of the emerging innovations that are disrupting the seniors care industry, Honor’s overall mission when it comes to seniors tech, ...
Bringing Estate Planning Into the Digital Age | Julia Staffen
April 14, 2022 08:00 - 26 minutes - 36.3 MBWill and estate planning has been notoriously complex and burdensome, but new technologies are helping us bring the process into the modern age. In this episode, Paul sits down with Julia Staffen, the COO of Willful, a company that’s dedicated to bringing will and estate planning into the digital age to reach its vision of ensuring every Canadian has a legal will. During the episode, Paul and Julia discuss how the world of will and estate planning is changing, and how we can help adults of a...
The Need for Digital Disruption in Education | Kristina Francis
March 31, 2022 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBThe global need for digital disruption in education goes far beyond an appetite for new technology to play with, encompassing large-scale systemic issues with existing pathways to the workforce and traditional models of learning and work. On today’s episode, Paul chats with Kristina Francis, Head of JFFLabs at Jobs for The Future. In her role, Kristina oversees advisory, acceleration, data, and investing initiatives that connect traditional systems with systems disruptors to enable equitable...
How Digital Drives Open Revolution | Guga Stocco
March 17, 2022 08:00 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBInnovation: it’s a word that’s commonly thrown around corporate settings today. But who are the key players that are actually driving change forward in industries like tech, finance and advertising? In this episode, Paul sits down with one of the creative leaders and entrepreneurs helping to drive transformation across industries today, Guga Stocco. As the co-founder of Futurum Capital, Guga has more than 20 years of experience in building up digital businesses and leading corporate transfor...
2022 Outlook: Digital Transformation Predictions
March 03, 2022 05:00 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBIn this special panel episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with two of his colleagues at Axway to discuss their top predictions for the world of tech, AI and more in 2022. Along with Vince Padua, EVP, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at Axway and Brian Pagano, Chief Catalyst, VP of Catalysts at Axway, Paul explores the possibilities for everything from cloud technology to APIs and more. The panelists discuss a wide variety of topics including “data fabric” as a popular buzz...
Season Two Wrapped: Best of the Season
December 23, 2021 05:00 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBOn the final episode of Transform It Forward season two, Paul is reflecting on some of the most interesting, insightful and thought-provoking interviews of the season. From content marketing to the events industry, Paul and his guests have covered a wide range of topics on season two of the podcast, all through the lens of the cutting-edge transformations we’re seeing in society today. As we close the door on 2021 and look ahead to 2022, Paul is counting down some of the most memorable clips...
Reimagining Urban Mobility | Jason Gross
December 02, 2021 05:00 - 36 minutes - 33 MBOn this episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with Jason Gross, the Vice President of Mobile at Curb, a company that’s reimagining urban mobility. With a driver-first approach to ride-hailing, Curb is bringing upfront pricing to the largest nationwide network of taxis and licensed for-hire vehicles. The company provides unparalleled transparency to riders and drivers alike, facilitating billions of dollars in payment transactions annually through its open mobility platform. During ...
Evolving the Events Industry | Daphne Hoppenot
November 11, 2021 05:00 - 26 minutes - 24 MBOn this episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with Daphne Hoppenot, founder of The Vendry. Launched in 2019, The Vendry is a digital marketplace and professional community for the events industry with over 18,000 members. During the episode, Paul and Daphne discuss how the events industry was one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Daphne shares how she responded to the situation, pivoting to position The Vendry as a community platform for event professionals that would en...
Driving Change in the Transportation Industry | Michael Nalepka
October 28, 2021 04:00 - 38 minutes - 35 MBOn this episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with Michael Nalepka, the General Manager of VideoProtects at J. J. Keller. Offering video-based solutions for drivers and fleets, VideoProtects is bringing the science of video-telematics to the transportation market. Having joined J. J. Keller this past January, Michael has had an extensive career in the transportation technology field. He’s held roles at Procon Analytics and PeopleNet, helping to drive innovation and cutting-edge pro...
Keeping Score in the World of Sports Retail | Mike Starkey
October 14, 2021 04:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBOn this episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with Mike Starkey, Chief Information Officer at Christy Sports. Mike has held several positions in e-commerce and retail over the years, including VP of IT Strategy at enVista, Senior VP of Information Systems at Performance Bicycle and Director of IT Retail Strategy at Sears. His experience has touched all aspects of the retail world including e-commerce, logistics and supply chain as well as strategy and business management. During th...
Converting Customers Through Content Marketing | Michael Brenner
September 30, 2021 04:00 - 28 minutes - 26 MBAs companies seek better ROI for their marketing efforts today, more and more brands are turning to quality content as their number one tactic. On this episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with Michael Brenner, CEO at Marketing Insider Group. Michael is a globally-recognized keynote speaker on leadership, culture and marketing, and the author of the bestselling book The Content Formula. As an influencer and thought leader in the marketing space, Michael helps companies attract and...
Revolutionizing the Insurance Industry Through Automation | Mark Morissette
September 16, 2021 16:48 - 36 minutes - 33.7 MBThe insurance industry was dramatically impacted by the pandemic, but some providers have been quick to evolve in the face of the crisis. On this episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with Mark Morissette, Founder and CEO of Foxquilt, a leading North American insurance technology company focused on empowering small businesses and B2B networks to save on small business insurance. The company’s insurance-as-a-service platform is complemented by a unique data and machine learning unde...
The Power of API-Driven Technologies | Vince Padua
September 02, 2021 08:00 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBOn this episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with Axway’s Chief Innovation and Technology Officer, Vince Padua. Vince is known for his outcome-driven approach to building visionary technology, and over his 20-year career, he's created several groundbreaking products for Fortune 500 companies. Through his work, he has successfully accelerated tech adoption rates and delivered large-scale initiatives to democratize technology outcomes. During the episode, Vince shares his perspectiv...
The New Frontier of Employee Benefits | Jon Schlossberg
August 19, 2021 09:00 - 37 minutes - 34.2 MBOn this episode of Transform It Forward, we learn how a financial services platform called Even is changing the game for employee financial well-being. Paul sits down with Jon Schlossberg, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman at Even, to learn how the company is transforming the way employers look at assisting the financial needs of their employees by helping them achieve the lives they want. As the saying goes, the more you put in, the more you get out, and Even gives you the opportunity to sh...
Dimensions of Data: Transforming Commercial Real Estate | Aviva Fink
July 08, 2021 04:00 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBThe pandemic has changed the way we work, shop and experience life. Although the commercial real estate industry is generally optimistic about the path forward, questions remain—especially in retail. In this episode, Paul sits down with Aviva Fink, Vice President of Growth and Partnerships at Reonomy, a property intelligence platform for commercial real estate professionals. They discuss how retail brands can thrive in a post-COVID world, change management and the multiple dimensions of data...
Transforming Telecom | Jacqueline Teo
June 24, 2021 09:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBConnecting people in a digital environment has never been more important than in the past year. Effective digital communications give us the ability to create strong global connections, collaborate with one another, and find solutions to complex challenges. Enter: Jacqueline Teo, Global Chief Digital Officer at HGC Global Communications. In this episode, Jacqueline sits down with Paul to discuss change management strategies, the importance of access when spurring adoption for telecommunicati...
Women in Tech: Transform or Disrupt?
June 10, 2021 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MBAlthough women represent nearly half of the entire workforce today, they’re still massively underrepresented in the technology industry. Transformation is needed not only for the women working in technology now, but also for the girls hoping to make their mark on the industry in the future. In this episode of the Transform It Forward podcast, we share a panel discussion from the recent Axway Summit 2021, which brought these issues to light and sparked a dialogue around the need for diverse l...
Video: The Future Of Market Research | Simon Glass
May 27, 2021 09:00 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBTraditional qualitative market research is impersonal and hard to scale. To make matters more challenging, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, in person interviews and focus groups were no longer accessible. Enter: video. In this episode of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with Simon Glass, the CEO of Discuss.io, to chat about how video conferencing software is the future of qualitative research. They discuss how video creates a more comfortable setting for subjects to open up, how the resea...
Insurance: The Changing Frontier | Dan Watt
April 29, 2021 04:00 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBThe insurance industry is traditionally thought of as slow-moving, but today, even the longest-standing industries are being forced to adapt. On this week’s episode of Transform It Forward, Paul chats with Dan Watt, VP of Product Management at FINEOS, a firm dedicated to creating core systems for life, accident, and health insurers globally. The two discuss the challenges that the insurance industry is currently facing, the need to unify and leverage existing data sources, how (and how not) ...
Insurance: The Changing Frontier
April 29, 2021 00:00 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBThe insurance industry is traditionally thought of as slow-moving, but today, even the longest-standing industries are being forced to adapt. On this week’s episode of Transform It Forward, Paul chats with Dan Watt, VP of Product Management at FINEOS, a firm dedicated to creating core systems for life, accident, and health insurers globally. The two discuss the challenges that the insurance industry is currently facing, the need to unify and leverage existing data sources, how (and how not) ...
Transforming Talent: Your Most Important Asset | Evan Sohn
April 15, 2021 22:37 - 29 minutes - 27 MBAn organization’s most important asset is its people. To kick off the second season of Transform It Forward, Paul sits down with Evan Sohn, CEO of Recruiter.com to discuss the future of human resources, talent attraction, and retention. They discuss what’s needed to transform HR departments in corporate settings, where to best invest your dollars into talent, and how the gig economy will play a key role in the next generation of recruitment. Learn more about Evan Sohn here: https://www.link...
Exploring Digital Transformation in the Energy Industry | Vicki Knott
February 04, 2021 10:00 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBOn this episode of Transform it Forward, Paul is joined by Vicki Knott, Co-founder and CEO of Crux OCM, a company utilizing AI and real-time optimization to enable semi-autonomous operation of oil pipelines, reducing risk and increasing efficiency. The future Vicki pictures for this technology goes beyond oil and gas and allows existing systems in energy and other industries to function more efficiently and profitably, bettering the human experience for workers and customers alike. Tog...
A People-First Approach to Supply Chain Transformation | Robert Gerwig
January 21, 2021 10:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBSupply chain disruption is arguably an inevitability. Factors such as political unrest, tariffs and even weather can cause global supply chain disruption. So how do you manage these disruptions? And as you address major supply chain issues, how do you ensure your people remain at the forefront of everything you do, while still holding your own with the supply chain giants of the world? On today’s episode, Paul is joined by Robert Gerwig, Senior Vice President of Distribution at Sweetwate...
Business Continuity and the Remote Work Revolution | Amy MacGregor
November 26, 2020 10:00 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBMost work environments look very different than they did mere months ago. The shift to remote work was violently accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing workplaces everywhere to manage internal and external challenges they never could have anticipated. Even companies with strong business continuity plans found themselves executing on them more rapidly than they had ever expected. Remaining operational and productive throughout management of a crisis is at the heart of every business co...
Accelerating the Future of Healthcare | Dr. Daniel Pepe and Albert Tai
November 12, 2020 05:00 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBWhat does the future of healthcare look like after the COVID-19 pandemic? Paul sits down with Dr. Daniel Pepe and Albert Tai to discuss the before and after pictures of the healthcare industry, to uncover how it adapted to the ‘new normal’ we’re experiencing today. Dr. Daniel Pepe is a distinguished clinician and educator, with several awards under his belt including the OMA Resident Achievement Award and the PARO Resident Trust Fund Teaching Award. Albert Tai is equally as impressive, being...
Creating Trust In Volatile Markets | Danielle Brown
October 29, 2020 05:00 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBFor our third episode of Transform it Forward, Paul sits down with Danielle Brown, Chief Marketing Officer of Points, to uncover the future of D2C marketing. Points is a technology organization dedicated to helping brands enhance and monetize their loyalty currencies and currently serves 60 of the world’s largest brands. Together, the two mention: Why brands need to consider customer reactions; How to get travel customers excited again, even when the future is shaky and uncertain; Wh...
Creating Customer Convenience | Victor Lee
October 15, 2020 07:00 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBThis week on Transform It Forward, Paul is chatting with Victor Lee, the former SVP of Marketing at Hasbro. Victor is a veteran in the customer experience space, having watched the marketing world evolve from the dot com boom to today’s focus on predictive, contextual targeting methods. During their conversation, Victor discusses four major themes: 1) What brands can do to offer a faster, more seamless online experience; 2) How operational excellence can be used as a unique differentiator ...
Changing the Employee Experience │ Anna Foat
September 29, 2020 23:40 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBIn our inaugural episode of Transform It Forward, host Paul French sits down with Anna Foat, the Director of Global Digital Transformation at Sun Life Financial. Anna is an expert in change management and her approach to handling COVID-19 has been nothing short of exceptional. Throughout their conversation, Anna and Paul touch on four key themes: 1) Why today’s global pandemic is sparking major culture shifts; 2) How to work together in harmony, when your organization is built in siloes; ...