The C-Suite Chronicles

In this enlightening episode The C-Suite Chronicles podcast, we dive deep into the world of inclusivity in the tech industry. Join us as we discuss the critical importance of leadership representation, the empowering impact of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Business Resource Groups (BRGs), and the measurement of progress toward diversity, equity, and inclusion goals (DEI) through retention, employee satisfaction, and other metrics.

Our guest speakers, tech leaders who are experts in fostering an inclusive workplace, share their insights on how to create an environment where underrepresented groups feel a sense of belonging and safety to bring their most authentic selves to work while performing at peak productivity. We'll also explore the connection between inclusivity, productivity, and mental health, shedding light on the invaluable benefits inclusive cultures bring to both individuals and organizations.

This episode offers practical strategies to help you navigate the complex journey of building an inclusive workplace. Tune in and gain valuable insights on how to create a more diverse and inclusive tech industry where everyone can thrive.

The world of artificial intelligence is undergoing a generative AI revolution. Its industry impact is undeniable, from innovations in AI in biotech, healthcare, and enterprise engineering to AI’s role in problem-solving and AI-powered content creation. AI-driven innovation trends are pervasive; AI integration into our daily lives also poses concerns, including job disruption, AI ethics, and regulatory challenges. Gen AI’s limitless future promises to shake things up from a job impact perspective, and AI-driven industry transformation is expected to accelerate at an ever-increasing pace. AI experts Boaz Ashkenazy and Heather Redman weigh in with their take on generative AI, where it’s headed, and how it may impact the workforce in the years ahead. Want to better understand the future of AI and its profound impact on our world? Tune in now!

Recent studies show women in leadership is on the rise, but women are still underrepresented in all roles in tech, including in the upper ranks. Having women leaders is crucial to an organization’s success because it fosters innovative workplaces and inclusive cultures. There’s still work to be done when it comes to creating pathways for women leaders in the workplace. Systemic challenges and disconnected environments mean there is a need to close the gender gap in tech leadership. According to our guest, Dr. Carol Parker Walsh, this requires adaptive leadership dedicated to empowering women’s voices, creating authentic spaces of trust, offering internal leadership support, and adopting a human-first people approach to help bridge the gender divide and build more inclusive networks for women leaders and retain diverse talent. Dr. Carol is an expert on empowering professional women to excel in their careers and helping organizations unlock innovation through inclusive leadership.

U.S. immigration policy is exacerbating an already dire domestic talent shortage in the tech industry. America must embrace sweeping immigration policy reform to help bolster talent retention and attraction in the startup ecosystem, improve workforce diversity, and minimize the economic impact of the massive brain drain of foreign nationals seeking employment in other countries. Canada’s immigration policy, for example, makes international talent acquisition much easier for employers operating there. H-1B visa program limitations and policy challenges are hindering tech recruitment efforts and creating an innovation gap in America. There is a great opportunity in building a tech economy through immigration, but only if the laws change. Join Jennifer Grundy-Young, TECNA CEO, and Tahmina Watson, a Seattle immigration lawyer, and best-selling author, for a discussion on the current state of the U.S. immigration system, immigration law insights, and tech recruitment challenges and solutions.

A healthy company culture is a must for employee well-being, engagement, and talent retention. Building and maintaining optimal organizational health can be challenging for tech leadership, who often face intense pressure from investors, customers, and stakeholders while developing and delivering groundbreaking products and services at the speed of innovation. C-suite leaders must embrace radical accountability when cultivating a strong company culture, along with a healthy dose of emotional intelligence and transparency, and a drive for continuous learning. Open communication, and laser focus on diversity and inclusion, team collaboration, work-life balance, and employee recognition can help foster a culture of employee empowerment and workplace happiness. In this episode, Dorota Shortell, CEO, Simplexity Product Development, and Sean McClain, Founder and CEO, Absci, share how they create healthy cultures and happy employees despite internal and external pressures.

As a business leader, making an effort to engage with your peers through networking is key to building professional connections, valuable relationships, and lasting partnerships. But networking is more than making small talk, sipping subpar wine, and nibbling stale cheese. It’s about leveraging the value of community, collaboration, and conversations to make genuine human connections, solve critical challenges, and create an impact. Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council and a seasoned keynote speaker on the power of building your network, and Pankaj Sharma, Executive Vice President, Global Remittance Business Management at Remitly, offer their best networking tips and strategies to help you make the most of connecting with your peers to achieve your goals, and theirs.

Michael Schutzler, CEO of WTIA, talks about why successful diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies start with an organization's leaders and why companies that don't embrace DEI now risk falling behind their competitors within the next decade.

Anecdotally, the current fundraising environment for early-stage startups is rough. That said, venture capitalists and others are still investing in startups. Despite tough market conditions, the right companies can still raise capital when matched with the right investors. In this episode, you’ll hear from a panel of four Pacific Northwest-based founders seasoned in entrepreneurship sharing their experiences with raising startup funding and their best fundraising tips and success stories.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies are about more than social and racial justice, altruism, or filling hiring quotas. They should be focused on defining precisely what DEI means to an organization and cultivating a culture of belonging in the workplace for all individuals, regardless of their background, race, experience, etc. DEI starts at the top. If the CEO isn’t bought in, it’s going to be near impossible to get the rest of the organization on board. In this episode, Yolanda Chase, Chief Diversity Officer, WTIA, and Michael Schutzler, CEO, WTIA, discuss the critical importance of DEI integration in tech organizations, reflect on areas of progress and improvement in DEI in 2022, and offer their predictions on what DEI trends to expect in 2023.

Entrepreneurship isn’t for the faint of heart. Starting a business can be a lonely, grueling journey, and if you aren’t careful, it can take a monumental toll on your mental and physical health.

Derrick Morton, Founder and CEO of the gaming company FlowPlay, and Jonni Ressler, Founder, and CEO of the consulting firm, Eleven 11 Solutions, share their best advice for preserving your mental health in business and other ways to stay sane in startup mode and beyond.