39 - The Future of Work: How the White-Collar Job Transformation Shapes Innovation
In this episode, Michael Johnson, President of NJII (New Jersey Innovation Institute), joins host Dean Guida to discuss how NJII bridges academia and industry by commercializing intellectual property and fostering entrepreneurship. He explains NJII’s venture studio model, which partners with corporations to build startups, and highlights their use of AI to drive internal efficiency and support small businesses. Michael shares success stories, addresses challenges in team building, and emphasizes AI as an enabler rather than a job replacer.
36 - Don’t Let Your AI Be the Office Snitch: Keeping Data Safe in the Age of Generative AI
In this episode, host Dean Guida interviews cybersecurity executive Terry Ziemniak, Fractional CISO and Partner at TechCXO, about the evolving challenges of cybersecurity in the age of AI. Terry discusses how small and mid-sized companies can meet stringent security requirements when selling to large organizations, the risks of data leakage with generative AI tools, and the importance of governance, frameworks, and user education. He highlights the need for balancing innovation with risk management, leveraging frameworks like NIST, and combining people, processes, and technology to protect organizations.
35 - Unleashing the Power of AI: A Data-Driven Revolution in Marketing
In this episode, host Dean Guida interviews Benjamin Filip, Director of Analytics at The Merkle and a data analytics and AI expert with over 15 years of experience. They discuss the evolving role of AI in analytics, especially in marketing modeling and attribution. Benjamin shares real-world examples, including a telecom project that doubled marketing ROI, and highlights AI’s strengths in automating tasks but stresses the need for human expertise. The conversation covers AI’s limitations, adoption challenges, data reliability, and the future of jobs.
34 - Sustainable Growth in Fintech: Unlocking the Power of Retention
In this episode, Dean Guida interviews Yemi Oluseun, Retention-Led Growth Strategist and founder of The Change Hive, about her work helping fintech and B2B SaaS companies improve customer retention and growth. Yemi shares her five-pillar retention framework, discusses the role of AI and data analytics in optimizing customer journeys, and explains how she supports VC and PE-backed firms with systemization, cash flow management, and market expansion.
