[04:27] Can you expand on how you started your career as a field service tech, offering services for free and working your way up?

Shortly after the dot com bubble burst, I went to school for networking and understood school is very different from the real world. I went to a company with an older generation of workers not really experienced with new processes, so I offered to work for free and gain experience. I was building PCs from scratch and then, after a few weeks, I was setting up a network from scratch.

[08:20] Can you explain why those in school can’t just leap out into the real world and become a CSO or CTO? It seems to be a common misconception amongst soon-to-be graduating students.

The shortest answer is experience. It isn’t just IT. There are some specialties where you can come out and obtain something higher but there are so many nuances to IT roles, including the people and politics part.

[11:14] What would you have missed out on if you had gone straight from school to your position now?

The ability to shape your thinking. Knowing when to switch off troubleshooting and when to ask for help. All these things are things you need to learn.

[15:20] Can you tell me a little about balancing all the different hats you have to wear in your role as CTO and Director of Operations?

For example, today I have a team member off sick and one on vacation, and I said “let me know if you need help.” I got a request for help with the accounting software we use, and it’s not really in my wheelhouse. I got her to call support, and while I was in a meeting, I realized that I could just utilize the database for the software by phrasing things differently. We were able to resolve the issue.

[17:10] What’s the biggest misconception about the CTO role that you see?

I’m very involved in everything from the strategic use of technology in our company all the way down to the weeds. I may not be the one implementing it, but I know about it. On the other hand, a CIO is a broader role and is less technically involved. The biggest misconception is that they are interchangeable. CTOs are more technology-minded while CIOs are more business oriented.

[19:50] When you are given a task that’s more enterprise and data-driven, how do you handle that while getting them to understand the process?

Years ago, I was very intentional about removing the order taker for the IT group of our firm. We are the leadership team and we are the ones that look to where solutions can be implemented and built. I have partnered with various vendors to gather different data points so that I can see patterns and get ahead of the game and start working towards anticipated organization needs.

[24:00] Remote, hybrid, in-person – does it matter anymore from a technology and productivity standpoint?

The short answer is no. Certain roles need to be in person. For example, in a leadership role, you need to be able to build relationships and be accessible to your team. People matter, and you need to foster a sense of belonging, which doesn’t happen if you just have transactional relationships.

[29:49] How do you prioritize projects and communicate that to others?

In the first 12 years, from a tech side of things, I implemented some multi-year plans that meant when COVID hit in 2020, technology wasn’t an issue for us. For me now, over the last 18 months, we’ve gone through a new vision and values process. The first question when there is a new project is “does it align with our values?” Our biggest issues right now are staff and creating new services for clients. I don’t have a problem saying no. It’s about aligning with our focus.

[37:31] Can you speak a little to the notion of leading through trust over fear?

Would you rather be feared, respected, or loved? Is your leadership enabling others to improve? What drove me initially was preparing for the worst. Think about brakes on a car, why are they there? To stop in an emergency, and also kind of to go as fast as you want. There needs to be trust to move the company forward.