Cracking the Code: How Startups Can Win with MSP Partnerships | The Pair Program Ep57

How do startups break into the market without a massive sales force? And what do Managed Service Providers (MSPs) really look for in vendor solutions, beyond the sales pitch? In this episode, Tim Winkler and Mike Gruen sit down with Brian Luckey (CIO at Integris) and Ian Y. Garrett (CEO & co-founder of Phalanx) to explore the high-stakes world of vendor-MSP relationships. They dive into how cybersecurity startups can leverage MSP partnerships to scale, the biggest pain points MSPs face, and what separates a winning product from one that never gets traction.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why Managed Service Provider (MSP) partnerships can be a startup’s secret weapon
• The must-have features MSPs demand from vendors
• How automation and AI are reshaping cybersecurity
• The biggest mistakes vendors make when pitching MSPs
• What the future holds for MSP services and security

If you’re in tech, you won’t want to miss this one!

About Brian Luckey: Brian Luckey is a transformational leader with 20+ years in IT, operations, and service delivery, Brian specializes in scaling businesses, optimizing performance, and driving innovation. As CIO at Integris, he enhances IT infrastructure, customer experience, and revenue growth for businesses of all sizes. With two MBAs and a Ph.D. in Management Information Systems, he blends strategic vision with hands-on expertise to implement cutting-edge technologies, streamline processes, and foster high-performing teams.

About Ian Y. Garrett: As CEO and co-founder of Phalanx, Ian is revolutionizing secure file sharing for startups and SMBs. A former US Army Cyber officer and defense sector data scientist, he has firsthand experience tackling cybersecurity challenges at scale. Combining his operational expertise with Ph.D.-level research in AI and cybersecurity, Ian is building automation-driven solutions that eliminate human error and simplify data protection in an increasingly complex digital world.

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Graduating from Set-Asides in Government Contracting: The Path to Sustainable Success | The Pair Program Ep56

In this episode, hosts Tim Winkler and Mike Gruen welcome two industry leaders: Greg Schaub, CFO of Anika Systems, and Rolf Holman, Chief Strategy Officer of Falconwood. Together, they explore the challenges and opportunities of transitioning from small business set-asides to competing in the full and open market.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Effective strategies for safeguarding revenue during transitions between federal contracts
• How to build and fund a successful business development team for scalable growth
• The role of joint ventures and partnerships in maintaining competitiveness
• Modernization in technology and its impact on company culture
• Finding the right balance between internal innovation and strategic mergers/acquisitions

About Greg Schaub: Greg Schaub is the Chief Financial Officer at Anika Systems, overseeing financial strategy and growth initiatives. With over 20 years of experience, he has excelled in driving efficiency, managing mergers and acquisitions, and leading strategic transformations across industries such as defense, government services, and technology. Greg’s leadership is backed by advanced degrees in finance and business administration.

About Rolf Holman: Rolf Holman currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer for Falconwood. Rolf leads the strategic planning and initiatives including business development, mergers & acquisitions, transformation, and the company’s partnerships. An accomplished executive with over 30 years of global IT experience, across Defense & Security, Government, Banking, High Tech, Communications, Media, and Entertainment industries.

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Securing the Future: Traditional IT vs. Blockchain in Banking | The Pair Program Ep55

In this episode of The Pair Program, hosts Tim Winkler and Mike Gruen explore the future of cybersecurity in financial services with two distinguished experts: Jacques Boschung, CEO of Halborn and Sandip Wadje, Managing Director and Head of Emerging Technology Risks at BNP Paribas. Together, they unpack how blockchain, AI, and emerging technologies are reshaping cybersecurity and risk management in the financial sector.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The evolution of cybersecurity: From traditional IT to blockchain and AI.
• The role of quantum computing in reshaping encryption and security protocols.
• Why “Secure by Design” is a must-have for emerging technologies.
• Blockchain’s impact on risk management and settlement systems in finance.
• How AI is transforming threat detection and risk assessments in the banking world.

About Jacques Boschung: Jacques Boschung is the CEO of Halborn, a leader in Web2 and Web3 cybersecurity. Jacques has spent most of his career with prominent IT vendors such as HPE, IBM, and, more recently, Dell Technologies, where he served as SVP for EMEA Alliances and Telecom. Between 2020 and 2022, he was President and General Manager of Inovalon’s Payer business. Additionally, Jacques is a member of the board of Swiss Medical Network, the second-largest healthcare provider in Switzerland, and Chairman of Well Gesundheit AG, the leading medical app in that market.

About Sandip Wadje: Sandip Wadje is Managing Director and Head of Emerging Technology Risks at BNP Paribas. With over 23 years of experience in cybersecurity, IT risk, and compliance, Sandip specializes in Cloud, AI, and Digital Assets. He is recognized for simplifying complex risks, driving transformative change, and influencing Fortune 500 stakeholders to enhance technology and cybersecurity initiatives. Sandip has shaped regulatory guidelines, shared insights with industry forums and regulators, and led global teams. He has established Centers of Excellence and advanced cutting-edge technologies, earning a reputation for managing diverse, high-impact portfolios.

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CTO Wisdom with Charity Majors | Beyond the Program

Welcome to CTO Wisdom. In this series, we interview technical leaders who have stepped into executive positions.

Today’s guest host, Eric Brooke, speaks with Charity Majors, Co-founder and CTO of honeycomb.io

In today’s episode, they discuss:

• How Charity’s career started with a music scholarship and led to being a Founder, CEO and CTO.
• How a love of Command line and firefighting fueled a passion for infrastructure engineering.
• Navigating ADHD and its impact on building a successful career.
• The evolution from engineer to successful manager, director, and executive.
• The value of co-owned decisions and full board transparency at the executive level.
• And more!

About today’s guest: Charity Majors is the co-founder and CTO of honeycomb.io. She pioneered the concept of modern Observability, drawing on her years of experience building and managing massive distributed systems at Parse (acquired by Facebook), Facebook, and Linden Lab building Second Life. She is the co-author of Observability Engineering and Database Reliability Engineering (O'Reilly). She loves free speech, free software and single malt scotch.

About today’s host: Eric Brooke has a rich and varied leadership career - leading up to 21,000 people and Billions in revenue, throughout 14 countries. In their career, they have been an Executive six times (e.g. President, CEO, CMO, and CTO) and a Board member of multiple organisations. Eric has been a CTO of scaling startups from 0 to 120 engineers. As an adviser and mentor, they have helped multiple other startups scale both in Canada and the US. As well as supporting multiple startup incubators such as 1871 in Chicago and TechStars.

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The AI Impact: Transforming Tech Roles and the Future of Work | The Pair Program Ep54

In this episode, we dive deep into the transformative power of AI in the workforce with two thought leaders shaping the future of tech talent: Dr. Diana Gehlhaus, Director for Economy at the Special Competitive Studies Project, and Angela Cough, Special Advisor to the Department of Defense’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer.

Together, they explore:

• The evolution of tech roles as AI continues to redefine industries.
• The ripple effects of AI on hiring practices and workforce education.
• Key skill sets and industries poised for growth as AI evolves.
• How organizations can prepare for critical shifts in education and upskilling.

Dr. Gehlhaus and Cough bring their rich backgrounds in policy, defense, and innovation to discuss how AI is reshaping what it means to be "tech talent" and the opportunities it presents for professionals across various sectors.

Whether you're a tech leader, educator, or job seeker, this episode will inspire you to rethink how we approach the workforce in the age of AI.

About Diana Gehlhaus: Dr. Diana Gehlhaus is a Director for Economy at the Special Competitive Studies Project. She is also an adjunct policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. Diana was previously a senior advisor in the U.S. Department of Defense Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (DoD CDAO), as well as a research fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET).

About Angela Cough: Angela Cough serves as Special Advisor to the Department of Defense’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO). She leads the Digital Talent Management Division, driving innovation and advancing the DoD’s data, analytics, and AI workforce. Previously, Angela spearheaded the AI and Data Accelerator Initiative (ADA), enhancing digital capabilities across the Department and promoting data literacy. Her experience includes serving as Deputy Director of Defense Digital Services, managing counter-small unmanned product development, and contributing to NATO C-sUAS policy. With over 20 years of experience in startups and small businesses, Angela is also an entrepreneur, investor, and holds a black belt in the Martial Art of Tang Soo.

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Building and Scaling Customer Success Teams: A Startup’s Playbook | The Pair Program Ep53

In this episode, we sit down with Romaine Buck, VP of Customer Success at Articulate, and Toni Ann Careccio, Chief Customer Officer at PortPro, to explore the evolving role of Customer Success (CS) in startups and beyond. Both Romaine and Toni bring a wealth of experience in building and scaling CS teams that drive real value for customers and businesses alike.

They discuss:

• The impact of Customer Success: How CS helps companies uncover the “why” behind customer needs
• Key differences between customer success and customer service teams, and why this newer discipline has become essential in tech
• The role that CS teams play, including managing renewals, upselling, and building strong customer relationships
• Fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptability within CS teams
• Where Romaine and Toni see this field heading for startups and beyond

If you’re scaling a startup, leading a CS team, or just curious about how Customer Success drives business impact, this episode is packed with actionable insights and strategies.

About Romaine Buck: Romaine is the VP of Customer Success at Articulate - an e-learning software company for creating workplace training. Before Articulate, Romaine was the Director of CS at Sprout Social and led CS for the central region of LinkedIn’s Sales Solutions product. Romaine transitioned into Customer Success after a sales career at LinkedIn and Monster.com. Prior to saas, Romaine also had careers in property management and journalism.

About Toni Ann Careccio: Toni is the Chief Customer Officer and Board Member at PortPro, a technology company with deep expertise in the global drayage industry. She has built an expert team of drayage and customer success experts to ensure that PortPro’s clients are taken care of from the minute they join the company by carefully listening to their needs and addressing their concerns. Before her role at PortPro, Toni worked as an Associate at Edison Partners where she was responsible for sourcing and evaluating investment opportunities in the Enterprise Solutions sector. Prior to this she co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer for Axle Technologies, a robust ELD and Fleet Management Solution for trucking companies in the US and Mexico.

In this episode of How We Hatched, host Tim Winkler sits down with Matt Theurer, Co-Founder & CEO of HyperSpectral.ai, to explore Matt’s entrepreneurial journey and his groundbreaking work in AI-driven spectral technology. Matt’s career has been marked by a series of bold ventures, from his early days at NIH to leading successful tech companies, including the sale of Virtustream to EMC for $1.2 billion. Today, Matt shares how HyperSpectral.ai is revolutionizing areas such as food safety, human health, and secure supply chains by combining AI with spectral data.

They delve into:

- Matt’s journey from a curious engineering student to pioneering entrepreneur.

- His venture with Virtustream, including the pursuit of raising venture capital.

- The origins of HyperSpectral.ai and the many use cases of their technology

- Interest from DARPA in solving secure supply chain issues and expanding HyperSpectral’s applications in government

Join us as Matt shares insights into balancing family, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of innovation in spectral technology.

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Unlocking Value in the Federal Market: A Conversation with Deep Water Point & Associates | The Pair Program Ep52

In this episode, we dive into the complex world of federal market consulting with Greg Buckis and Meghan DiAndrea, leaders at Deep Water Point & Associates. Deep Water is known for blending government and industry expertise, offering clients tailored guidance to navigate the intricacies of the federal space. Greg and Meghan share insights into their unique business model and the values that drive their work. Whether it's helping clients write winning proposals or guiding them through acquisitions, Deep Water is all about empowering growth and delivering results.

They discuss:

• Deep Water’s innovative business model and their talent-first approach.
• How Deep Water leverages a consultant-heavy model to drive growth.
• The types of projects they undertake, from government-wide contracts to transaction advisory.
• The qualities they look for in consultants and the unique backgrounds they attract.
• Industry trends and emerging opportunities in the government sector.

Tune in for an engaging conversation on how Deep Water Point & Associates is shaping the future of federal consulting!

About Meghan DiAndrea: Consultant with more than a decade of government contracting experience specializing in corporate operations. She is a proven leader focused on driving enterprise organizational performance and translating business strategy into powerful people strategy. Since joining Deep Water Point and Associates she has advised on and led client engagements across the federal business lifecycle with primary focus on pre- and post-merger integration.

About Greg Buckis: Greg is the CFO at Deep Water Point & Associates and has held senior financial roles in various GOV CON businesses to include public company corporat controllers and private company CFO. He also was at Nasdaq helping them go public. Much of his career has involved change management, business transformation and Mergers and Acquisitions.

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