Kent Vanho, MBA

ALPHA COAST

At AlphaCoast.com, we help career executive coaches, recruiters, and franchisors guide professionals at all levels in career transition. 

Just to name a few, current clients hitting records revenue growth within three short months:
Larnell Vickers - 3,530% ROI
Johnny Walker - 1,810% ROI
Maryse Williams - 2,560% ROI
Ron Nash - 1,250% ROI
Briar Dougherty - 2,120% ROI
Jewel Bracy DeMaio - 2380% ROI
many, many more...

How do we do that? 

Introducing our Client Accelerator™ Program, an implementation, not training, but a one-on-one partnership to help you grow and scale your coaching business through our 4-step proven process:

Build:  We'll audit your entire customer journey to ensure that you have a strong and congruent positioning, messaging that resonates & an offer with a USP (Unique Selling Point) that separates you from your competition while validating that you have product-market-fit before we launch or activate your lead flow (Done-With-You)

Launch:  We'll build out the entire infrastructure, automations, and implement all tech stacks for you, and then infuse ready-to-buy inbound leads flow DAILY inside your business with dedicated resources to handle messaging, follow-ups, even book meetings straight to your calendar (Done-For-You)

Operate:  All you'll do is take the calls, close, fulfill, and simply repeat.  Need help with sales training? No problem. We'll work with you 1-on-1 to get you to your desired close rate (Done-With-You)

Scale:  We'll work with you 1-on-1 to solve your growing pains & remedy any bottlenecks before doubling the lead flow to double your revenue (Done-With-You)

To learn more, meet me at AlphaCoast.com

Chief Executive Officer

Cisco

➡️	Led worldwide effort to architect $3B Partner Plus global incentives channel program, which has roughly 4500 partners with a $45M budget to drive incremental growth for the Cisco commercial business from a $65B addressable market size 
➡️	Responsible for program management - strategy, implementation, IT, evolution, planning, marketing, communication and daily operations with strong focus on program evolution, governance, and strategy alignment with company's vision.
➡️	Drove cross functional engagement to develop and build the global Partner Plus incentives program “DNA” such as global incentives structure, program terms and conditions, program enrollment, marketing and business plans, and virtual engineering support
➡️	Managed partner measurement and payment process of $45M Partner Plus Program.  Worked closely with global and regional program and finance teams to ensure accurate contra funds distribution
➡️	Developed best practices to ensure optimal partner experiences at the time of program enrollment to receiving their rebate incentives are as pleasant as possible
➡️	Drove alignment and engagement with several cross functional teams to implement global consistency and simplification within the program strategy and processes and allow flexibility at the regional level when possible
➡️	Supported and managed relationships with external vendors to manage business and operational aspects of program rewards funds management and payment processing
➡️	Developed analytics using large datasets to justify program’s performance - KPI’s, its effectiveness, ROI, and future growth projections
➡️	Leveraged SFDC platform to track and assist in resolving partner escalation issues 
➡️	Managed and supported Solution Technology Integrator (STI) program where Cisco rewards Enterprise and Service Providers partners on a joint integrated technology solutions via MOU contracts to drive broader solutions appeal and greater revenue for both Cisco and its partners

Global Channels Operations Program Manager

➡️	Successfully launched five global channel incentives end-to-end on the Partner Program platform
➡️	Led cross-functional impact assessments to gather requirements for global channel incentive rebate programs, e.g. Partner Plus, Cloud MDF, Value Incentive, Big Bets and Quick Bets MOUs, for enterprise, service provider and commercial partners
➡️	Authored a series of test scripts, use cases, BRDs and user stories
➡️	Worked in conjunction with IT Development to deliver system capabilities, documented and socialized in the BRD
➡️	Conducted business requirements reviews to ensure all user stories, use cases and business requirements were correctly captured
➡️	Oversaw end-to-end Business Acceptance (BAT) and User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for quarterly and monthly system releases
➡️	Led multi-release, parallel-running deliverables from business requirement to the go-live and into production support phases
➡️	Headed cross-functional deep dives on as-is MOU program requirements; delivered findings to management to drive program decision-making processes
➡️	Noted and tended to communications and training needs to support IT releases; noted possible risks and anticipated risks in order to develop holistic plans to mitigate or address each
➡️	Offered production support for rebate programs using FIN-BI, PPI-BO and data analysis tools to note causes and offer solutions 
➡️	Integrated and systematically supported partner program registrations in SFDC from Cisco Partner Program Platforms

Senior Project Manager

➡️	Successfully launched Cisco Commerce Workspace (CCW), an enterprise ordering tool with built-in financial business requirements that took the place of a previously-used legacy model 
➡️	Defined project scope with senior management and stakeholders, including deliverables to support business goals 
➡️	Sustained executive relationships to achieve project deadlines; also held regular status meetings with project teams to keep everyone motivated and informed of organizational developments and corporate news developments
➡️	Tracked lessons learned and shared expertise with colleagues to ensure new processes were integrated into future efforts 
➡️	Created and executed project work plans; revised to adhere to evolving needs and requirements
➡️	Completed project documents; stored suitably in order to deliver projects on time to achieve functionality, quality and performance

Project Manager

➡️	Handled resource scheduling, definition and documentation; also held meetings and delivered presentations as a liaison between the Project Manager, Business, IT and Managed Services teams
➡️	Delivered functional metrics for Cisco Systems’ Business Support Center to drive compliance with corporate reporting structures 
➡️	Suggested process improvements to ensure operational excellence and enhance service sales experiences across the board
➡️	Offered third-level and normalization support for opportunity management tools: CSCC, IQT, SCC; proactively and interactively managed incidents using the Remedy and RightNow case management systems to track concerns
➡️	Communicated daily with each theater to understand their pain-points and achieve resolution by rolling out scalable, optimized solutions e.g. mapping out global support process for GSSO and the Proactive Business Monitoring process flows for theaters
➡️	Acted as the sole intermediary between the GSSO to Customer Service (CS); led daily functions and strategic efforts to identify and resolve communication breakdowns, process concerns and quote conversion failures in need of intervention
➡️	Directed the Quote Conversion Failed (QCF) Process; cooperated with Theater Leads and process/tool Owners to develop and map a process for each theater to resolve QCF issues efficiently without compromising established service-level agreements (SLAs)
➡️	Tackled noted issues and led data analyses to validate Technical Defects (TD) proposals for process teams to resolve
➡️	Offered daily service support, case analyses, and resolutions at the highest L3 level for global service support operations
➡️	Led the delivery of daily CSCC global support by identifying major tool defects and process breakdowns
➡️	Heightened the visibility of issues to the director level; working with solutions and process teams to drive global CSCC adoption as partners/customers transitioned from SCC/IQT service tools

Sr. Business Analyst

Also worked as a Business/Data/Market Analyst (2003-2005) and Business Analyst Intern (2002-2003) with Cisco Systems

Business Intelligence Analyst

Toastmasters International

➡️ Retained existing membership and drove membership growth
➡️ Collaborated with VP of Public Relations to expand club presence
➡️ Conducted induction ceremonies for new members
➡️ Ensured public speaking growth needs are met and supported and encouraged "everyone has an equal speaking opportunity" policy.

Vice President at Starseach Toastmasters

At Alpha Coast, we help career, executive coaches, recruiters and franchisors guide professionals at all levels in career transition. To date, we have generated $88M+ ARR in the last 5 Years for 400+ Coaches & counting:

Just to name a few, current clients hitting record growth within 3 short months:

🚀 Larnell Vickers - 3,530% ROI
🚀 Melissa Beaudet - 1,140% ROI
🚀 Briar Dougherty - 2,120% ROI
🚀 Kris Plemmons - 1,810% ROI
🚀 Maryse Williams - 1560% ROI
🚀 Johnny Walker - 1108% ROI
🚀 Ron Nash - 1095% ROI
and many more...

How do we do that?  Through our Client Accelerator™ Program, where we
✔️ Ensure that you have a strong positioning, messaging that resonates & an offer with a USP while validating that you have product-market-fit before we launch (DWY)
✔️ Build & infuse ready-to-buy inbound lead flow DAILY inside your business (DFY)
✔️ Train you on our proven, scalable sales process to book sales calls and convert inbounds into customers (DWY)
✔️ Work with you to solve your growing pains & remedy any bottlenecks before doubling the lead flow to double your revenue (DWY)

Additionally, you get step-by-step strategies to accelerate your growth, 1-on-1 support from a dedicated success account manager, and a community of like-minded entrepreneurs.

Together we can make your dreams a reality because we believe that everyone deserves a chance at success!

The success of our members is at the heart of what we do. That's why we're committed to giving you the best advice possible and the most comprehensive support to help you reach your goals faster.

With AC, you'll have everything you need to craft your own success story.

We don't just want to see you succeed - we want to be part of it! 

Sincerely,
Kent Vanho 
Founder

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

"I was humming along ignorantly at 4-8 sales calls per week for about 5 years. With Alpha Coast, now I am leading 35-40 calls per WEEK...hitting $40k per month." Neil Schultz, Founder at CareerUpgrader

“Kent’s approach captures the speed of the market... His system works within days of beginning and has been a total game-changer for us.”
-Briar Dougherty, CEO & Founder of Career Organic

"The decision to partner with AlphaCoast was not one I took lightly. For months, I was skeptical about the value of such an investment.... my only regret is not having engaged with Kent and his team sooner, especially given that the initial investment was recouped within the first month." -Jessica Simko, Founder at Conscious Career Intelligence

You've made it this far; feel free to FOLLOW ME & visit AlphaCoast.com to learn more.

At AlphaCoast.com, we help coaches, consultants, and business owners add $1M ARR through inbound leads in 12 months or less. 

Just to name a few, current clients hitting records revenue growth within three short months:
Larnell Vickers - 3,530% ROI
Bob Britz - 1,810% ROI
Angie Bruhn - 2,560% ROI
Jamison Jacobs - 1,250% ROI
Briar Dougherty - 2,120% ROI
Dr. Jeffrey Maggee - 2,750% ROI
many, many more...

How do we do that?  Through our Client Profinder™ program:  It is an implementation program, not training, where we primarily focus on installing and refining the following core components of your business in order to scale to $1M ARR:
✔️ A solid online presence that commands credibility
✔️ A full pipeline of constant inbound leads who submit proposal inquiries daily
✔️ A refined proven process to book sales calls and convert them into customers
✔️ A scalable fulfillment process that can handle volume without limiting the quality of service

Additionally, you get step-by-step strategies to accelerate your growth, one-on-one support from a dedicated growth expert, and a community of like-minded entrepreneurs. 

Together we can make your dreams a reality because we believe that everyone deserves a chance at success!

The success of our members is at the heart of what we do. That's why we're committed to giving you the best advice possible and the most comprehensive support to help you reach your goals faster. 

With AlphaCoast.com, you'll have everything you need to craft your own success story. 

To learn more, meet me at AlphaCoast.com

Kent V.

Some people saw the winner in you.

Before you ever had proof.
Before you had results.
Before you had the confidence to say it out loud yourself.

Think about that for a moment.

Someone believed in you first.

Not because of your resume.
Not because of your track record.
Just because they saw something real in you.

Great leaders do that.

They hype you when you have nothing to show yet.
They see your potential before you recognize it.
They speak to your future, not your fears.

And that changes everything.

Here are 5 ways to show real gratitude to the people who supported you early:

1️⃣ Say thank you in real words
2️⃣ Lift someone else the way they lifted you
3️⃣ Keep doing the work they believed you could do
4️⃣ Be the kind of person people feel safe betting on
5️⃣ Tell them the exact moment that shifted things for you

Your story has their fingerprints all over it.

Do not forget the people who believed in you before the world did.

And if you want to pay it forward,
go believe in someone who is still learning to believe in themselves.

Who believed in your before you were ready?
Tag them in the comments 👇

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✅ Follow me Kent Vanho, MBA  for more on careers, coaching, and business.

CEO at Alpha Coast | We scale career coaches from $5k to $50k/mo, with our Done-For-You Lead Gen service | On avg, clients achieve $20k per month in 3 months | 400+ Clients & counting | See case-studies in link below ⬇️

Harsh Truth:

Most people stay stuck, thinking about what they don’t have.

They think about rest when at work.

They think about work when at rest.

And this split drains people more than the workload itself.

Here’s what actually helps:

→ Work in clear blocks so you know when to stop
→ Move your body so stress has somewhere to go
→ Take real rest days so your mind can actually reset
→ End your day with a short review so tomorrow is lighter
→ Create a simple plan for the day so you are not guessing
→ Focus on one task at a time so your brain stops juggling
→ Turn off notifications during deep work so you get real progress

One focused hour beats five distracted hours.
One true day off beats a whole week of sloppy half rest.

You do not need perfect balance.
You need presence.

Work when it is time to work.
Rest when it is time to rest.

Life gets a lot clearer when you stop living it in your head.

What’s one thing you do that helps you stay present?
Drop it below 👇

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These days leaders obsess over KPIs.
But they forget the most important ones are not numbers:

They are people.

Everyone wants better results.
Higher performance.
Clear progress.

But leaders often look at the scoreboard
before looking at the people who make the work move.

Here is the truth many avoid:

When leaders take care of their people,
People take care of the numbers.

A supported team tries harder.
A trusted team solves problems sooner.
A valued team stays focused when work gets heavy.

Here are the KPIs that matter long before any metric shows up:

1️⃣ Do people feel safe sharing their ideas
2️⃣ Do they understand what you expect from them
3️⃣ Do they feel appreciated in a way that is real
4️⃣ Do they get feedback they can use right away
5️⃣ Do they have the tools to do their best work
6️⃣ Do they believe you want them to grow
7️⃣ Do they feel steady, not tense, when you walk into the room

If these are strong, performance rises.
If these are weak, no dashboard can hide it.

The numbers reflect the environment you create.
The environment reflects how you lead.

Care for the people,
and the results will follow.

Which KPI are you focused on most right now?
Share it in the comments 👇

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This will transform your growth 👇

Most people think learning is about reading a book…

Or listening to someone talk about a cool idea.

But real learning doesn’t work like that.

The stuff that sticks?
The stuff that actually changes you?

👉 You learn by doing.

Here’s what actually happens when you learn:

📚 10% from reading
🎧 20% from hearing
📺 50% from watching
💬 70% from talking it through
🎤 80% from teaching or presenting it
✍️ 90% from trying it yourself

Wild, right?

You don’t remember the podcast you half-listened to.
You remember the thing you applied the same day.

So if you want to grow faster…

Stop only reading it.
Stop only hearing it.

Start talking about it.
Start practicing it all the time.

That’s how you turn info into skill.

That’s how you grow faster… month after month.

What have you learned recently?
Drop it below 👇

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How to learn:

11 Truths That Upgrade Your Career
(learn them before it’s too late)

Most people learn these years later than they should.
And that delay slows their confidence, choices, and income.

Learn them early and your whole path speeds up.

Here’s what actually moves your career forward:

1. Hard work is not the strategy
→ People notice outcomes, not late nights
→ High effort without direction burns you out

2. Quiet work keeps you invisible
→ Value only counts when people can see it
→ Hidden impact limits your options fast

3. Skills expire faster than you expect
→ Every industry changes quicker each year
→ Fresh skills keep you flexible and ready

4. Busyness is not a winning brand
→ A packed schedule can hide poor priorities
→ Results build trust more than hours spent

5. Loyalty does not protect your role
→ Companies adjust quicker than people think
→ Staying stuck costs you growth long-term

6. Your network multiplies your options
→ Relationships open doors resumes cannot
→ Advocates help you get seen in bigger rooms

7. Raises rarely appear without action
→ Leaders need proof, not assumptions
→ Tie your work to visible improvements

8. Comfort slows your future down
→ Easy seasons make you stall quietly
→ Growth starts in places that feel new

9. Dream roles can drain you too
→ Perks do not fix being undervalued
→ A shiny job means nothing if you feel stuck

10. Your boss is not your career plan
→ Their goals shape your tasks, not your pathway
→ You decide what direction you grow toward

11. You will outgrow teams and old versions of you
→ It is normal to shift as you develop
→ Letting go creates room for real progress

Learning these early saves you years of sidesteps and confusion.
Your confidence rises.
Your decisions get sharper.
Your career finally moves forward instead of looping back.

Which truth hits you right now?
Drop it below. 👇

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11 Truths that Upgrade your Career Instantly

Bad culture feels like a knot in your stomach every sunday night.

Great culture gives you peace of mind.

And no matter what a company claims, 
culture is really just how a place makes you feel every single day.

If people feel stressed, ignored, or worried all the time,
then the culture is broken, even if the branding looks perfect.

Here are 10 reasons your team dreads Monday morning:

1/ No one feels heard
→ ask for input, write it down, circle back with updates

2/ Leaders only show up when something is wrong
→ schedule regular check ins focused on progress, not problems

3/ Too many “urgent” messages
→ set response windows so people can actually unplug after work

4/ Unclear expectations
→ define goals in plain language so the team knows what “good work” looks like

5/ Tension that never gets addressed
→ call a 15 minute reset meeting to clear the air before it becomes toxic

6/ People feel replaceable
→ acknowledge effort directly, not through mass messages

7/ Feedback only arrives during mistakes
→ give small, frequent coaching moments during normal days

8/ Workloads are not managed
→ review capacity weekly so burnout is caught early, not late

9/ Trust is low inside the team
→ let people own tasks fully instead of redoing their work

10/ Everyone pretends everything is fine
→ start meetings with “what’s one thing we can improve this week” to get honest voices

Culture is a daily feeling, not a slogan.
And people stay where they feel supported, not drained.

Which point matters most in your workplace right now?
Share it below. 👇

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Your phone is hijacking your brain.

(and poisoning your mental health)

Most people think they are stressed because life is busy.

But the real issue?
Their brain is overloaded from constant dopamine hits.
Every scroll gives a quick spike.
Every spike creates a crash.

And those crashes stack up fast.

This is why you feel drained, foggy, or unfocused.
Your brain is trying to recover from chaos it never asked for.

Here are 7 habits that keep frying your dopamine:

1️⃣ Checking your phone before you even get out of bed
↳ Your nervous system goes straight into overload
↳ You start the day with stress instead of calm

2️⃣ Scrolling whenever you feel bored
↳ Boredom is where creativity grows
↳ Overstimulation turns everything into noise

3️⃣ Reacting to every notification
↳ Each ping pulls your brain out of focus
↳ You lose more energy than you think

4️⃣ Using your phone to escape real life
↳ Avoiding problems makes them heavier
↳ The crash after feels worse than the stress before

5️⃣ Searching for quick pleasure when you feel low
↳ The boost is temporary
↳ The drop after hits harder than the high

6️⃣ Jumping between apps all day
↳ Your brain is not built for constant switching
↳ Mental fatigue builds quietly

7️⃣ Letting your phone guide your habits
↳ Without intention, it runs your entire day
↳ The more control it has, the less control you feel

Dopamine is not the enemy.
Your phone is not the enemy either.
Losing control of your attention is the real problem.

If you want to feel better mentally,
Use your phone less.
Use real life more.

Small changes make your brain stronger than you realize.

Which one hit you hardest?
Let’s discuss in the comments 👇

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Your phone is hijacking your brain

These 16 skills pay you back forever.

Not because they’re popular, 
but because they’re timeless.

1/ Learn to sell with real conviction.
↳ If you can’t sell, you can’t scale, not your ideas, not your vision.

2/ Communicate clearly in every conversation.
↳ Clarity builds confidence. Confusion kills opportunity.

3/ Focus deeply on what actually matters.
↳ Depth compounds faster than distraction ever will.

4/ Manage your energy like your business depends on it.
↳ Because it does. Consistency beats intensity every time.

5/ Build systems that scale beyond your effort.
↳ Winners rely on habits. Leaders design repeatable growth.

6/ Listen fully before making any assumptions.
↳ You learn more by staying curious, not loud.

7/ Make decisions fast and refine as you go.
↳ Action creates clarity. Waiting creates doubt.

8/ Take feedback even when it stings.
↳ Growth rarely feels good in real time.

9/ Adapt quickly when conditions start changing.
↳ Flexibility keeps you in the game longer.

10/ Market yourself without feeling like you’re bragging.
↳ Visibility is a skill, not vanity.

11/ Manage money with discipline and foresight.
↳ If you don’t track it, you lose it.

12/ Think for yourself instead of following crowds.
↳ Original thinking separates players from leaders.

13/ Teach what you know to others.
↳ Impact multiplies when you pass it on.

14/ Lead yourself before trying to lead others.
↳ You can’t demand what you don’t demonstrate.

15/ Say no to protect your priorities.
↳ Every yes has an invisible cost.

16/ Stay curious long after you’ve “made it”.
↳ The minute you stop learning, you start fading.

The best skills don’t expire.
They compound, year after year, result after result.

Which one are you doubling down on right now? 
Drop it below 👇

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OKRs are your ambitious goals.

KPIs are how you track execution.

Ignore either... and your growth stalls.

Most coaches try to scale on feel.
But feel isn’t data.
And opinions don’t build predictable income.

OKRs set your direction.
KPIs prove you’re moving towards it.

Together?
They turn chaos into clarity.

OKRs (Objectives + Key Results)
Your blueprint for bold growth.

What They Do:

✔️ Turn big goals into clear outcomes.
✔️ Align your team behind one focus.
✔️ Make long-term strategy actionable now.

When To Use:

👉🏽 You’re scaling fast and need focus.
👉🏽 You’re setting quarterly priorities.
👉🏽 You want your team rowing in sync.

Ask Yourself:

→ What single result moves the needle most?
→ Are our goals stretching or playing safe?
→ Does everyone know what winning looks like?

End Goal:

Everyone’s clear on where you’re headed and how you’ll get there.

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

Your scoreboard for performance.

What They Do:

✔️ Show what’s working (and what’s not).
✔️ Keep growth consistent.
✔️ Flag problems before they blow up.

When To Use:

👉🏽 You want to measure stability.
👉🏽 You’re tracking ongoing systems.
👉🏽 You need visibility across the team.

Ask Yourself:

→ Which numbers prove we’re on track?
→ What early signs warn something’s off?
→ Are we tracking progress or just activity?

End Goal:

No guessing. Just clarity, consistency, and control.

TLDR:

OKRs = Where you’re headed.
KPIs = How you’ll get there.

Miss one... and you’re running in circles.

Are you using both to scale your coaching business right now? 👇🏽

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You’re probably wasting 15 to 20 hours every week.

These 8 frameworks reveal why:

1️⃣ Eisenhower Matrix
 ↳ A simple way to sort urgent and important work
 ↳ Stops you from treating every task like a fire
 ↳ Helps you spend more time on work that grows your value

2️⃣ RICE Scoring Model
 ↳ Based on reach, impact, confidence, and effort
 ↳ Removes bias and emotion from decisions
 ↳ Helps you pick projects that boost visibility and results

3️⃣ ICE Scoring Model
 ↳ A faster version of RICE using just three factors
 ↳ Allows you to rank ideas in minutes
 ↳ Reduces overthinking so you move quicker

4️⃣ WSJF Method
 ↳ Prioritises ideas with the biggest return for the least effort
 ↳ Exposes tasks that waste hours but add little value
 ↳ Positions you as someone who finds smart wins fast

5️⃣ OODA Loop
 ↳ Helps make sharp decisions in fast-moving situations
 ↳ Prevents overthinking or freezing
 ↳ Keeps you agile and ahead of change

6️⃣ RAPID Framework
 ↳ Clarifies who recommends, agrees, performs, gives input, and decides
 ↳ Removes confusion and friction around decision making
 ↳ Helps you lead cleaner meetings and build trust faster

7️⃣ Cynefin Framework
 ↳ Helps you assess whether a problem is simple or complex
 ↳ Avoids using one leadership style for every situation

8️⃣ Strategic Governance Rhythms
 ↳ Weekly, monthly, and quarterly check-ins to realign priorities
 ↳ Keeps your focus sharp instead of drifting
 ↳ Enables consistent growth—not just progress during a crisis

Your success is shaped less by effort and more by what you give effort to.

Use these frameworks so your time finally matches your goals.

Which one do you want a deeper breakdown on?
Drop it below 👇

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Most people think work-life balance means working less.

(they are so wrong)

It just means building a life that actually fits you.

Here is what helps:

1. Track your natural high-energy hours
→ Schedule your important work here and protect this time.

2. Notice when your focus drops
→ Shift to lighter tasks or take a short break instead of forcing it.

3. Build recovery into your day
→ Walks, quiet moments, or simple resets prevent burnout.

4. Create a weekly rhythm that supports your life
→ Work, family, health, and personal goals should all have space.

When you understand your energy, your days feel lighter and your output improves.

What part of your day drains you the fastest?
Share it in the comments 👇

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The biggest mistake I made years ago,
is the same mistake I see people making every day..

They let self-doubt make decisions for them.

They say no before anyone else gets the chance to say yes.

You’d be surprised how many people self-reject before the world even does.

They don’t speak up in meetings.
They don’t apply for the job.
They don’t pitch the idea.
They don’t ask for help.

Not because they can’t...
But because they think they can’t.

That’s what self-doubt does,
It kills opportunity quietly.

If that’s you right now, here’s what helped me break the loop:

1️⃣ Do it scared.
↳ Waiting to feel ready means you’ll never start.

2️⃣ Borrow belief.
↳ If you can’t believe in yourself yet, borrow it from someone who does.

3️⃣ Act first, think later.
↳ Confidence doesn’t come before action... it comes from action.

Self-doubt might never disappear completely...
But courage gets louder every time you move anyway.

Your next win is one brave step away.

What’s one thing you’ll do today even if you’re unsure?
Drop it below 👇

♻ Repost this if it resonated with you.
✅ Follow me Kent Vanho, MBA for more on careers, coaching, and business.

9 Harsh Business Truths

(That accelerate your growth curve)

Everyone wants the rewards.
Few are ready for the reality.

Here are 9 truths every founder learns the hard way:

1️⃣ No one’s coming to save you
↳ Waiting kills more businesses than failure ever did.
↳ Momentum starts the moment you stop blaming and start building.
↳ Progress compounds once ownership becomes instinct, not effort.

2️⃣ Your idea means nothing without proof
↳ Passion doesn’t replace validation, data does.
↳ The market only rewards problems solved, not stories told.
↳ Get it live, get feedback, then iterate faster than anyone else.

3️⃣ You will lose people along the way
↳ Growth changes your pace, not everyone keeps up.
↳ Some leave because your success mirrors what they won’t chase.
↳ Protect your peace by surrounding yourself with builders, not bystanders.

4️⃣ Momentum hides weak foundations
↳ Growth exposes every shortcut you made early.
↳ What you ignore at $10K becomes chaos at $100K.
↳ Fix structure now or you’ll rebuild it under pressure later.

5️⃣ Your emotions can ruin your business
↳ Reacting fast feels powerful, until it costs you clarity.
↳ The calmest person in the room usually wins.
↳ When in doubt, slow the decision, not the discipline.

6️⃣ You can’t hire your way out of poor leadership
↳ Great hires fail under bad direction.
↳ If they don’t know where you’re going, they can’t move fast.
↳ Lead with clarity first, competence follows.

7️⃣ Not every opportunity is a good one
 ↳ Distraction is dressed up as opportunity 90% of the time.
 ↳ Saying no sharpens focus; saying yes to everything dulls it.
 ↳ Depth beats expansion when you’re building for endurance.

8️⃣ Most people won’t understand your drive
 ↳ Your ambition will look like obsession to average minds.
 ↳ Don’t explain vision to people who’ve never built one.
 ↳ Keep your energy for execution, not convincing.

9️⃣ Your business will only grow as fast as you do
 ↳ Stagnant founders create stagnant cultures.
 ↳ New levels need new habits, not new logos.
 ↳ Upgrade your mindset before upgrading your metrics.

Business doesn’t reward comfort.
It rewards those who stay honest, adapt fast, and keep showing up.

Which truth hit hardest for you?
Drop it below 👇

♻ Repost this if it resonated with you.
✅ Follow me @Kent Vanho for more on careers, coaching, and business.

9 Harsh Business Truths

Good managers manage.

Great leaders change people.

A good coach is not here to keep you comfortable.

They pull you into discomfort,
into honesty,
Into reality.

Most people think growth feels smooth.
It does not.
Real growth sounds like:

“I do not know if I am ready.”
“This feels uncomfortable.”
“This scares me.”

And that is exactly where things start to shift.

A strong coach does not give you every answer.

They help you find them.
They challenge your patterns.
They invite you into bigger responsibilities.
They believe in the version of you that you have not stepped into yet.

I have seen it again and again at Alpha Coast.

The people who grow the fastest are not always the most experienced.
They are the ones who:

✓ Learn quickly
✓ Take feedback without shutting down
✓ Adjust their approach when needed
✓ Step forward even when they feel unsure

Pressure does not grow people.
Belief does.
Accountability does.
Honest coaching does.

A coach changes you by helping you see what you avoid,
by asking the questions that make you pause,
and by refusing to let you shrink.

If you want real growth, find someone who does not let you hide.
Comfort keeps you the same.
Coaching moves you forward.

Which part of this lands most for you today?
Share it below 👇

♻ Repost this to support someone who wants to grow.
✅ Follow me Kent Vanho, MBA for more on careers, coaching, and business.

Nothing hits harder than achieving your goals and realizing they weren’t your own.

You did everything right.

Climbed the ladder.
Got the title.
Made the money.
Still... something feels off.

Because this is what we’re taught success looks like:

🏆 Impressive job title
💰 Big annual salary
🏠 Expensive house

But here’s what success actually looks like:

✅ Desire to progress
✅ Control of your time
✅ Work you’re proud of
✅ The challenge to grow
✅ Making your own choices
✅ Working with great people

Success isn’t about reaching the top.
It’s about rising on your own terms.

The goal isn’t to live someone else’s dream.
It’s to build a life that feels like yours.

If you’ve ever hit a milestone and felt... nothing,
that's your sign to redefine what winning really means.

What does success look like to you right now?
Drop it below 👇

♻ Repost this if it resonated with you.
✅ Follow me Kent Vanho, MBA for more on careers, coaching, and business.

The most successful people have this in common:

Someone who believed in them before they made it.

Because belief builds people.

You can have all the skill in the world...
but sometimes it takes one person to say “I see you”, before you see it yourself.

That’s how confidence starts.
Not from certainty... but from borrowed belief.

For me, it was someone who reminded me,
“You’re not stuck... you’re just scared.”

That one sentence changed everything.

Because when someone believes in you,
they don’t just lift your confidence...
they change your direction.

If you’ve ever had that kind of person, you know the power of it.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

1/ Borrow belief until you build your own.
↳ That’s not weakness, it’s how growth begins.

2/ Be that person for someone else.
↳ One “you’ve got this” can rewrite someone’s future.

3/ Never forget who believed first.
↳ Loyalty starts with gratitude.

The truth is...
Success isn’t built alone.
It starts with one believer.

Who believed in you before success showed up?
Tag them below 👇

♻ Repost to remind someone they matter.
✅ Follow me Kent Vanho, MBA for more on careers, coaching, and business.

Experience looks great on paper.

Attitude wins in real life.

You can train almost any skill...
But you can’t teach hunger, humility, or heart.

I’ve seen people join Alpha Coast with zero background in lead gen...
And within months, they’re running projects like seasoned pros.

Why?
Because they show a desire to:

✅ Learn fast
✅ Take feedback without taking it personal
✅ Flex their approach when plans change
✅ Step up when more responsibility shows up

Those traits turn good employees into future leaders.

When you hire, don’t just look for what’s on paper.
Look for curiosity, consistency, and coachability.

Because skills fade...
Attitude compounds.

That’s how we build winning teams at Alpha Coast.
Hungry people who grow with us, not just work for us.

♻ Repost this to help a leader hire smarter.
✅ Follow me Kent Vanho, MBA for more on careers, coaching, and business.

Helen Yu

CEO @Tigon Advisory Corp. | Host of CXO Spice | Board Director |Top 50 Women in Tech | AI, Cybersecurity, FinTech, Insurance, Industry40, Growth Acceleration

As the founder and CEO of Tigon Advisory, I help tech companies of all sizes multiply their growth opportunities by leveraging AI, cybersecurity, IoT, supply chain, and customer experience. With over a decade of technology industry experience, I offer CXO-as-a-service and guidance to organizations through digital transformation, strategic planning, enterprise risk management, go-to-market optimization, and influencer marketing.

I have worked with enterprise clients such as SAP, IBM, Salesforce and Microsoft, as well as B2B SaaS, Fintech, Insuretech, and Martech startups. I also serve as an independent board director and a venture capital advisor, where I bring a unique perspective on technology thought leadership, cybersecurity risk management, go-to-market strategy, and customer experience. I am a certified cybersecurity expert from MIT Sloan School of Management, an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago, and a respected industry thought leader, a Wall Street Journal best selling author, a keynote speaker, and a host of CXO Spice podcast. I am passionate about empowering and mentoring the next generation of technology leaders, especially women and minorities.

Director Board of Directors

CEC is a security service integrator with focus markets in manufacturing, healthcare, SLED and Corporate Campus.  Customers with complicated organizations and physical plants rely on CEC as extensions of their teams in making strategic investment and management decisions related to their technology and infrastructure. I serve as Culture and Compensation Committee Chair. 

How do you ensure autonomous vehicles are safe when you can't possibly test every real-world driving scenario?

At NVIDIA GTC, I explored AI-powered autonomous vehicles and discovered NVIDIA Halos, a comprehensive safety system that's redefining how we approach this challenge.

Here's how Halos solves this challenge:
✅ Photorealistic virtual simulations generate countless driving scenarios
✅ AI-powered contingency plans activate when anomalies are detected
✅ Continuous monitoring ensures safety and reliability

Three-Pillar Validation Approach:
✅ NVIDIA DGX for AI development with advanced curation workflows that filter out undesirable behaviors before they ever reach the road
✅ Omniverse with Cosmos for photorealistic simulation, generating massive variations in our safety test data
✅ DRIVE AGX for deployment, where modular redundancy ensures safety even when AI models show uncertainty

Industry Recognition:
✅ First AI systems lab to earn ANAB and TÜV certification
✅ Internationally certified technology for end-to-end AV safety

Complete Safety Stack:
✅ A2le-decertified Drive OS and automotive-grade hardware
✅ Modular redundant architecture with third-party validation
Every layer designed to handle critical driving tasks safely

The future of autonomous vehicles is certified and validated safety systems.

#AutonomousVehicles #AI #Safety #NVIDIAGTC #AVDevelopment #Innovation 

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg Or 👉 
#CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

What will separate AI leaders from AI laggards in 2026?

Pleased to contribute to the 2026 DATAcated Trends & Predictions Report, and the insights from 14 data and AI leaders point to a transformative year ahead.

My prediction? AI agents evolve from tools to true workplace teammates.

In 2025, we saw AI become multimodal - processing text, images, and voice simultaneously. Agentic AI systems began handling complex multi-step tasks autonomously, with reasoning models showing dramatic problem-solving improvements.

Here's what I see for 2026:
✅ AI agents as colleagues - Independently managing projects and workflows end-to-end
✅ Real-time data processing becomes critical - AI systems require continuous learning from live streams
✅ Synthetic data generation explodes - Addressing data scarcity for specialized training
✅ Federated learning scales - Training across distributed datasets without compromising privacy
✅ Data governance intensifies - Lineage tracking under regulatory pressure
Organizations treating data as dynamic fuel will be the ones that thrive.

Special thanks to Kate Strachnyi and DATAcated for assembling perspectives from Cassie Kozyrkov, Marinela Profi, Bernard Marr, Lara Sophie Bothur, Stijn (Stan) Christiaens, Christina Stathopoulos, MSc, Serena H. Huang, Ph.D., Helen Yu, Pascal BORNET, Jess Ramos ⚡️, Kristen Kehrer, Andreas Kretz, Sadie St Lawrence.

👉 Download the full report FREE: https://lnkd.in/eMevgwDH

What are you most excited about for AI in 2026?

#AITrends2026 #CIO #CTO #CEO #BoardDirectors #Data #AI

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg Or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

2026 AI Trends & Predictions

How do you deploy AI infrastructure before the AI systems even arrive?

Schneider Electric's new reference designs, co-engineered with NVIDIA, provide the answer.

Industry-First Controls Framework Bridges OT and IT systems through standardized MQTT architecture, enabling seamless interoperability between power management, liquid cooling, and NVIDIA Mission Control. Real-time optimization across every layer of the stack.

NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 Reference Design Supports rack densities up to 142 kW with validated frameworks for the next-generation Blackwell Ultra architecture. Digital twin capabilities through ETAP and EcoStruxure IT Design CFD enable pre-deployment simulation.

The focus on redundancy, power quality monitoring, and validated engineering directly addresses the industry's deployment bottleneck.

I look forward to attending Schneider Electric's Innovation Summit in Las Vegas next Tuesday and Wednesday, touring their switch data center and examining these solutions firsthand.

Watch the keynote: https://lnkd.in/gxuRQGjm
#Energy #Tech #AI #Grid #Automation #DataCenter

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg Or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

How prepared is your organization to bounce back when an AI-driven disruption hits?

That’s the focus of my latest CEO newsletter, following Commvault Shift Virtual, where I outlined why AI resilience is becoming a top priority for executive teams and boards.

AI is accelerating decision-making, increasing identity complexity, and tightening the margin for recovery. Resilience is a strategic imperative.

In the newsletter, I break down the shift toward Commvault Cloud Unity and Resilience Operations (ResOps), and why unifying security, identity, and recovery is essential for organizations building on AI.

👉 Read the full newsletter for the board-level perspective and what this means for the years ahead. Watch the replay here: https://lnkd.in/gN6WmZ9C

What’s the biggest AI-resilience concern on your radar right now?

#CommvaultSHIFT #CyberResilience #CISO #CIO #CTO #CEO #BoardDirectors

Stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg Or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

A Message from Sanjay Mirchandani, CEO, Commvault “The question we’re addressing today is simple: how fast can you recover in a world where breaches a

Open article: Commvault Shift Virtual: The Dawn of AI Resilience by Helen Yu • 4 min read

Commvault Shift Virtual: The Dawn of AI Resilience

What happens when the world's leading GPU innovator and cloud computing giant double down on their 15-year partnership?

I found out at Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent, where I sat down with Dave Salvator, Director of Accelerated Computing Products at NVIDIA.

His answer? "We never take our foot off the gas."

Here's what that relentless pace of innovation looks like:
✅ Full Blackwell lineup now available on AWS (GB200, GB300, MGX Pro 6000)
✅ NVLink Fusion integrating with AWS Trainium4; opening NVIDIA's proven, 7x faster fabric technology to custom silicon
✅ AI Factories expanding on-premises deployment options for enterprises
✅ Confidential computing in Blackwell for secure AI workloads in regulated industries
✅ Nemotron models live on Amazon Bedrock

Dave shared something that resonated with me: while hardware advances get the headlines, algorithmic innovation is the next frontier. NVIDIA's Project DIGITS is focused on delivering 40-50% performance gains through smarter algorithms instead of more compute.

The takeaway? This partnership isn't slowing down. With yearly platform roadmaps and Rubin already on the horizon, 2025 is shaping up to be transformative for AI infrastructure.

Watch my full interview with Dave: https://lnkd.in/gAEEFFfC

#NVIDIAPartner #AWS #reInvent2025 #AcceleratedComputing #EnterpriseAI 

Stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation,
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"We never take our foot off the gas. Both companies are very biased towards action. We like to move quickly." — Dave Salvator, Director of Accelerated

Open article: Accelerating AI Innovation: Inside the NVIDIA-AWS Partnership at re:Invent 2025 by Helen Yu • 4 min read

Accelerating AI Innovation: Inside the NVIDIA-AWS Partnership at re:Invent 2025

What's it like watching the Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifications from the T-Mobile Magenta tower?

Unforgettable.

Huge thanks to T-Mobile for hosting such an incredible experience—the views from the Sphere Magenta Club were unmatched, and the magenta glow fit right in with The Sphere's spectacular light show. Started the evening with my first-ever aura reading, then tried on a racing suit and helmet. My AI-generated racing persona? Nano Banana 🍌.

Finished the night watching qualifications light up The Sphere while hanging out with a creative bunch—turning online connections into real ones, surrounded by the T-Mobile team and fellow F1 fans.

Sometimes the best experiences come from saying yes to the unexpected. 🏎️

#LasVegasGP #F1 T-Mobile For Business #SphereMagenta 

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg Or 👉 
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What’s Driving AI from the Lab to the Real World?

Bridging the gap between experimental AI models and industry-scale applications became the theme of my time exploring NVIDIA’s presence at Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent; from a VC Startup breakfast at Osteria di Brera to hands-on demos across the Expo floor.

NVIDIA unveiled several breakthrough technologies this week:
✅ NVIDIA DRIVE Alpamayo-R1: The world's first open, industry-scale reasoning vision-language-action model for autonomous mobility
✅ Mistral Large 3: Now 10x faster on NVIDIA infrastructure
✅ Nemotron models on Amazon Bedrock: Bringing specialized agentic AI for text, code, images, and video directly to AWS customers
✅ Cosmos Cookbook: Practical resources for scaling physical AI development

The convergence of cloud infrastructure and AI is accelerating. NVIDIA's focus on open models, optimized performance, and accessible tools is democratizing AI development, making sophisticated applications available to startups and enterprises.

My conversation with Dave Salvator, Director of Accelerated Computing Products, reinforced how NVIDIA is addressing the entire AI lifecycle, from data generation to deployment.

We're witnessing a pivotal moment where physical AI, reasoning models, and open-source approaches are creating possibilities that seemed impossible just years ago.

I am thrilled about the opportunity to interview two startups founders from the NVIDIA Inception program: Diligent Robotics and Distributional, where we'll explore how they're leveraging these technologies to solve real-world challenges.

#Startup #Inception #AWSreInvent #NVIDIAPartner

Stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation,
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Building the future of AI but struggling to access the compute power and expertise you need?

That's exactly why NVIDIA created Inception and the Inception Tour was my favorite part of Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent this year.

Since my Marketo days, I've been passionate about scaling startups. As an advisor, I've had the privilege of guiding several from early stage to exit. The most thrilling part is watching founders create something that solves real pain points and finding that repeatability to scale.

In my book "Ascend Your Startup," I talk about conquering 5 disconnects to accelerate growth with principles that are relevant to startups building what's next in AI.

At the NVIDIA Inception Pavilion, I got to interview two incredible #startups leveraging the Inception program:
✅ Adam Allevato from Diligent Robotics
✅ Scott Clark, CEO of Distributional

Stay tuned for their stories to see how they're scaling their innovations.

My key takeaway: NVIDIA operates like a startup when it comes to innovation. They've built an incredible ecosystem and genuinely care about giving back to the community. That's what sets them apart.

Inception gives startups access to:
✓ State-of-the-art GPU computing
✓ Direct collaboration with NVIDIA engineering specialists
✓ Invitations to GTC conferences worldwide
✓ Connections to NVIDIA's venture arms
✓ A community of 30,000+ startups globally

The only criteria is that your company must be less than 10 years old. No equity required. No cohort limits. Just continuous support as long as you're building.

Heartfelt appreciation to the NVIDIA team for making this experience possible: Hanako Tonozuka, Daman Oberoi, Ashutosh Joshi, and Amy Kaplan.

Is your startup ready? Join 15,000+ innovators: https://nvda.ws/48xgtEh

#NVIDIAPartner #AWSReInvent #Startups #Inception #Founders

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Are you automating the insanity or transforming your business?

That's the question Chris Hallenbeck, SVP & GM of AI & Platform at Boomi, posed in our latest CXO Spice conversation. And it cuts to the heart of the challenge.

Here's what most leaders miss: Agentic transformation isn't about making old processes faster. It's about fundamentally rethinking how work gets done.

The difference between chatbots and AI agents? Context, connectivity, and control.

Chris shared a powerful example from Serco, a company serving governments worldwide. They transformed how they handle employee certifications, moving from annual checks to something far more sophisticated. It resulted in reduced costs, lower risk, and increased operational impact. 

Here's the reality check that every executive needs to hear:
"AI is actually easy. I can build an agent that is extraordinarily powerful in under five minutes. Connectivity is really hard. Connectivity with quality data is the hardest."

So what separates successful agentic transformation from expensive pilots that never reach production?  The companies that understand this distinction and build the right foundations now will gain substantial competitive advantages.

The CXO Spice Newsletter breaks down the complete framework with detailed examples and the path forward for enterprise leaders.

Watch CXO Spice conversation with Chris Hallenbeck: https://lnkd.in/gWy4XZ_g

Are you ready for agentic transformation? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

#AgenticAI #AgenticTransformation #IPaaS #BoomiAmbassador

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"We're not trying to do the old thing faster. We're saying it can actually be done better with higher impact and lower risk." This powerful statement 

Open article: From Digital to Agentic: The Next Evolution in Business Transformation by Helen Yu • 5 min read

From Digital to Agentic: The Next Evolution in Business Transformation

Is your marketing strategy treating AI as a persona?

At the Schneider Electric Innovation Summit in Las Vegas, I sat down with Abby Gabriel, CMO of Schneider Electric North America, and this shift in thinking became crystal clear.

As Abby explained: "We now look at AI as one more persona. How does AI as an influencer take our information and ultimately provide a recommendation to our customers?"

Think about that. Not optimizing FOR AI tools. Not using AI to automate. But marketing TO AI as a decision influencer.

Here's what else stood out from our conversation:
✅ Energy tech redefined – After more than 135 years in North America, Schneider is leading the convergence through three pillars: electrification, digitalization, and automation.
✅ Digital dominance – Digital now represents 65-70% of Schneider's marketing mix, with AI strategy at the forefront. Their MySchneider portal serves more than 100,000 customers monthly.
✅ Sustainability as strategy – Serving 40% of the Fortune 500 with end-to-end decarbonization solutions—consulting, hardware, software, and services that turn strategy into results.
✅ Ecosystems over egos – With 1,500+ customers, partners, and suppliers at the Summit, Schneider proves success comes from elevating the entire ecosystem.

The future of energy technology is electrified, digitalized and automated. It turns watts and servers into intelligence, ecosystems, and sustainable outcomes.

Watch our full conversation: https://lnkd.in/gJT37MFs

On this Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for leaders like Abby Gabriel who are pushing us to think differently about the future of technology and sustainability.

#EnergyTech #AIStrategy #Sustainability #B2BMarketing #Innovation #Sponsored #SchneiderElectricInnovationSummit #ISNA2025 #InnovationSummitLasVegas #EnergyTechLeaders

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At the Schneider Electric Innovation Summit North America, hosted in Las Vegas, I sat down with Abby Gabriel, CMO of Schneider Electric North America.

Open article: The Future of Energy Technology: A Conversation with Schneider Electric's Abby Gabriel by Helen Yu • 4 min read

The Future of Energy Technology: A Conversation with Schneider Electric's Abby Gabriel

What happens when the world’s most advanced AI hardware meets the industry’s most powerful cloud platform?

This week at Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent, the answer was unmistakable; and the NVIDIA presence was impossible to miss.

From packed keynotes to buzzing expo-floor demos, it’s clear we’re entering a new era where AI infrastructure is a catalyst. The conversations all pointed in the same direction:
✅ Accelerated computing is now table stakes.
NVIDIA GPUs powering AWS instances are enabling companies to build, train, and deploy models at speeds that felt impossible just a year ago.
✅ Partnership is the multiplier.
AWS × NVIDIA is empowering enterprises to scale AI workloads globally, securely, and efficiently.
✅ GenAI moved from concept to production fast.
Autonomous systems, enterprise agents, real-time LLMs, next-gen developer tools - NVIDIA’s ecosystem had a gravitational pull all week.

But what stood out most were the PEOPLE who bring that innovation to life: listening, guiding, inspiring, and elevating every moment.

The 1-minute clip captured something deeper than product demos; it showed a team showing up with energy, expertise, and genuine passion:
✅ Conversations that sparked curiosity
✅ Seamless collaboration across teams
✅ Visitors energized by every interaction
✅ A polished, human experience delivered with pride

Because in the end, hardware accelerates AI… but people accelerate possibility.
And this week at re:Invent, NVIDIA showed exactly what that looks like.

#NVIDIAPartner #AWSreInvent #Inception #AI #Robotics

Amy Kaplan Dave Salvator Scott Clark Adam Allevato Jess Ramos ⚡️Jean Kang Megan Lieu Daman Oberoi Hanako Tonozuka Viktoria Semaan Linda Haviv

The gap between data and AI success? Context.

SaaS brought agility but broke cohesion. Enterprises now have powerful data islands that don't speak the same language.

On November 18, discover how SAP Business Data Cloud unifies data across finance, supply chain, HR, and procurement—creating the semantic layer your AI models need to deliver real business value.

Register 👉: https://lnkd.in/g5VYih_7

Hear from Accenture's Terje "T" Sorlie and SAP's Justin Ham & Orla Cullen on building AI-ready data foundations, plus live demos:
✅ Intelligent applications in action
✅ Agentic AI with SAP Joule
✅ Predictive planning powered by AI-ready data

SAP and SAP S/4HANA Cloud ERP #Event #AI #Data

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg Or 👉 
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Want to know what kills most transformations?

After sitting through 82 acquisitions at Oracle, I learned it's not strategy. It's not talent. It's not even budget.

It's legacy infrastructure that no one wants to talk about.

I keep seeing the same pattern in boardrooms:
CEOs are betting big on AI. But most are burning 35% more on cloud than they should.

Here's why:
Data platforms built 20 years ago were designed to store information.
Today you need to access data instantly, wherever it lives, to drive AI outcomes.
That fundamental shift broke the old model.

I've lived this.
In a previous role scaling a SaaS company, our infrastructure costs outpaced revenue growth. We upgraded systems. Added capacity. Getting smarter about how we accessed data was the secret source.

Companies like Zetaris are solving this differently.
Intelligent systems that optimize how data gets accessed and processed.
The impact:
✅ Cloud costs drop 30-60%
✅ Performance improves
✅ Data becomes an advantage, not a drain

Is our infrastructure investment aligned with our AI strategy or working against it?

Explore more: https://bit.ly/4mGo0W4 or Follow Zetaris

#DigitalTransformation #AIStrategy #Governance #DataAnalytics

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How much did YOUR bank take from you last time you exchanged currencies?

Last week, I went to my bank to exchange USD to euros for a trip. They charged me a $36 fee on a $500 exchange. That's over 7% gone.

And I'm not alone. 

Here's the issue most people don't see: banks are quietly taking cuts on every international transaction.

You earn money in USD → Your bank converts it (taking 2-3%) → You pay a supplier → Their bank converts it again (another 2-3%) → You've just lost 4-6% without realizing it.

For businesses processing millions? That's hundreds of thousands lost every year.

Now imagine this:
✅ One account to hold 20+ currencies, so money never has to convert until YOU decide.
✅ Expanding overseas? You can open a bank account in a new country in 60 seconds, from your laptop.
✅ A private global payment network that routes around the traditional banking system so 90% of your transactions arrive on the same day. 
✅ Add on AI agents that handle invoicing, payments, procurement, and compliance checks while you sleep. 

No waiting. No manual transfers. No hidden fees. No 7% cut.
That’s exactly what Airwallex, a global fintech offers..  Airwallex just crossed $1 Bn ARR. (90% growth) by making one thing simple: eliminate the middleman.

Now you can accept payments, hold money in multiple currencies, pay suppliers internationally, and manage team spending, all in one unified platform.

Companies like McLaren Racing, Arsenal FC, and Canva have already made the switch. 

And Airwallex is going all-in: They’ve just raised $330 million at an $8 billion valuation (30% jump in 6 months) led by Addition and with participation from T. Rowe Price, Activant Capital, Lingotto, Robinhood Ventures and TIAA Ventures.

How much is your bank quietly taking from your international payments? It’s time to rethink what global finance looks like.

#FinTech #Payment #AirwallexPartner
 
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What's the one thing you can't teach in business? Experience.

In the final part of my conversation with Richard Howells, VP of Solution Management at SAP, we talked about what sets SAP apart after 50 years in the industry.

That’s Earned trust through experience.

SAP offers 400+ pre-built models, so companies don't have to start from scratch. Plus, with 300 million users in the community, you have access to a wealth of shared knowledge from companies at every stage of their supply chain journey.

And here's Richard’s advice for those just starting out: Think cloud first.
When you're in the cloud, you can leverage the latest AI innovations, keep up with evolving regulations automatically, and stay current without constant manual updates. As Richard put it: "The time is now for cloud."

In times of business uncertainty, you need a foundation built on decades of experience and a platform designed for tomorrow's challenges. That's how you Pivot Fast, Run Lean, and Grow Strong.

Ready to build your future on proven experience and cutting-edge innovation? Explore how SAP helps you navigate uncertainty: https://lnkd.in/gzkffikz 

Thank you, Richard, for sharing these invaluable insights on the future of supply chain and business transformation.

#SAP #CloudFirst #SupplyChain #DigitalTransformation #Innovation
 
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Can AI infrastructure be both sovereign AND scalable?

NVIDIA and Amazon Web Services (AWS) proved it can.
At #AWSreInvent, they announced a partnership that redefines enterprise AI:
✅ NVLink Fusion on Trainium - massive model training, unleashed
✅ AWS AI Factories with Blackwell GPUs - your data, your control, infinite scale
✅ Nemotron on Bedrock - serverless agentic AI, no infrastructure headaches
✅ GPU-accelerated vector search - Amazon OpenSearch + NVIDIA cuVS = 10x faster indexing at 25% of the cost
✅ Physical AI at scale - NVIDIA Cosmos world foundation models now on AWS for robotics and simulation

I will be hosting Dave Salvator, Director of Accelerated Computing at NVIDIA, to unpack what this means on CXO Spice.
We're talking:
✅ Why sovereign AI infrastructure just became enterprise-ready
✅ What 20K+ Blackwell GPUs unlock
✅ How to protect your models while scaling fast

The AI infrastructure conversation just got rewritten.

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gTUeW_hy
What's holding back your AI deployment—compute, sovereignty, or both? 👇

#NVIDIAPartner #AWS #AI #Blackwell #Enterprise

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What if you could scale your security program without expanding your team?

Most companies face a painful reality: as they grow, compliance becomes a resource black hole. 

75% of executives admit their security programs are too complex, stretched thin by thousands of controls and drowning in duplication.

Continuously hiring people doesn't scale.

Here's what's really happening:

Your InfoSec teams are burning out on manual evidence collection, juggling multiple frameworks with overlapping requirements, and struggling to give executives the visibility they need to make informed decisions. Meanwhile, 30% of employees don't even understand their role in maintaining your security posture.

I recently came across Sprinto, a platform that scales compliance through automation.  Here are some highlights of their capabilities:
✅ Pre-built framework overlaps remove duplication automatically
✅ Automated control monitoring, and evidence collection
✅ Real-time dashboards that give executives and security committees visibility
✅ Step-by-step guidance that turns compliance from a burden into a
shared responsibility

When you remove duplication, automate evidence, and give everyone visibility into risks, something remarkable happens: your security program becomes a competitive advantage.

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g4qDmvVD

#Cybersecurity #Compliance #InfoSec #Sprinto

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What’s the biggest barrier keeping AI from doing real work in the enterprise?

That’s the question I explored with Rohan Vora, Product Lead at Glean, in the latest CXO Spice Spotlight. His answer reframed the conversation around autonomous agents.

We covered:
✅ Why autonomy requires more than just great models
✅ How enterprise context unlocks real outcomes
✅ What it takes to orchestrate work across complex systems
✅ How AI is moving from “helping with tasks” to owning outcomes

If you’re thinking about the future of AI-powered work, this conversation is a must-watch  

👉 Watch the full episode here and see how Glean is shaping the next era of enterprise autonomy: https://lnkd.in/gp2VrFEP

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In a recent episode of CXO Spice, I had the opportunity to speak with Rohan Vora, Product Lead at Glean, about one of the most important shifts unfold

Open article: The Future of Autonomous Enterprise Agents with Glean  by Helen Yu • 4 min read

The Future of Autonomous Enterprise Agents with Glean

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