Christian Hammer is a tech optimist and the dynamic CEO of Vala AI, spearheading innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence and enterprise solutions. With a career spanning decades across global powerhouses like Wayfair, Nike, Appnexus, and Maersk, Christian has consistently been at the forefront of digital transformation, leaving an indelible mark on the tech landscape.

In this conversation, we explored his insights into merging artistic creativity with technological innovation, Vala AI's mission to streamline information within businesses, and his optimistic views on future technologies like genetic manipulation and robotics. Key topics include the intersection of art and technology, the future of software development, and the evolution of human-computer interaction.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Christian Hammer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chammer1/
• Christian Hammer Podcast: http://podcast.techtastic.tech/
• Christian Hammer Website: https://christianhammer.io/
• Christian Hammer Artwork: https://c-hammer.com/
• Vala AI: https://vala-ai.com

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:12 Intro and background 00:00:45 Technology and art 00:01:59 The Intersection of Art and Coding 00:05:29 Process of Creating Art vs Coding 00:08:00 Building solutions and value creation 00:09:33 Vala AI Evolution, Tech Debt and Data Dictionary 00:17:31 Vala AI Use Case Scenario 00:20:07 Future of Software Development and AI 00:25:11 Future of Aplication Interaction 00:28:22 Technological Optimism and Future Innovations 00:33:08 Sci-Fi Recommendations 00:34:30 Closing

CONNECT:

• Website: https://hoo.be/elijahmurray
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elijahmurray
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/elijahmurray
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elijahmurray
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahmurray/
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-game-w-elijah-murray/
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elijahmurray
• RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/3e31c0c/podcast/rss

Dr. Aju Samuel is a medical graduate turned management professional. He has worked in healthcare and digital industries, led Aviva’s health and pensions businesses in the UK, and co-founded The Performance Factory, a Strategy Consulting firm. He continues to consult globally on strategic roadmaps and digital transitions and is a co-founder of startups in foodtech, fintech, and healthtech, and an angel investor.

In this conversation, we explored Dr. Aju’s journey in healthtech startups. We discussed his diverse career, the founding of The Performance Factory, and his latest venture, Kennar Heath, which leverages AI to improve patient-centric healthcare. Key topics include the inefficiencies in healthcare, the transformative potential of AI, and the necessity of integrating technology into healthcare education.

EPISODE LINKS:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajusamuel/

TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:12 Intro and background 00:03:22 From Employee to Entrepreneur Mindset 00:05:03 Fear of failure 00:07:21 AI in Strategy Consulting 00:09:25 Cross Industrial Application 00:10:22 Kennar Health 00:16:32 Use Case Scenario 00:20:22 Future of Healthcare with AI 00:30:16 Revolutionizing Healthcare 00:33:37 Closing

CONNECT:

• Website: https://hoo.be/elijahmurray
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elijahmurray
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/elijahmurray
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elijahmurray
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahmurray/
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-game-w-elijah-murray/
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elijahmurray
• RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/3e31c0c/podcast/rss

Richard 'RJ' Kedziora is the co-founder of Estenda Solutions, focusing on people and process management, providing strategic technical direction, guidance, and innovative insights in creating digital health solutions that improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and improve patient/provider satisfaction. In this conversation, we explored RJ's journey from software development to impactful health tech solutions, focusing on key topics like integrating technology and human-centric processes, software development for healthcare, digital therapeutics, AI's impact on healthcare, and the significance of behavioral change for long-term health.

EPISODE LINKS:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjkedziora/
• Website: https://estenda.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:12 Intro and background 00:01:14 Software development journey 00:03:04 Healthcare Technology 00:07:58 Digital Therapeutics 00:11:08 GenAI in healthcare 00:18:30 Challenges of the Healthcare Industry 00:24:09 Fee for Based Sick Care to Value Based Care 00:27:46 Personal Health and Long-Term Goals 00:31:36 Future of Health Technology 00:38:11 Closing

CONNECT:

• Website: https://hoo.be/elijahmurray
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elijahmurray
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/elijahmurray
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elijahmurray
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahmurray
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-game-w-elijah-murray/
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elijahmurray
• RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/3e31c0c/podcast/rss
  

James Owens is the Chief Technology Officer for Xactus. Over his nearly 30-year career, James has used technology to solve complex business problems, applying innovation to provide businesses with strategic differentiation and building high-performing technology teams. In this conversation, we explored his transition from software development to the mortgage industry, his experiences in process reengineering during the 2008 financial crisis, and his role in modernizing lending systems. We also discuss the cultural and technological shifts at Xactus, the creation of an internal AI chatbot named Zelda, and the future of AI technologies.

EPISODE LINKS:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-owens-cmt-06262/
• Website: https://xactus.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:12 Intro and background 00:04:14 Shifting to the Mortgage Industry 00:09:31 Consulting and Process Reengineering 00:16:33 Process engineering vs. process improvement 00:21:57 Building a Credit Card Company in nine months 00:25:38 Comparison Between Startups and Large Corporations 00:28:04 Xactus 00:30:29 Understanding the Mortgage Industry 00:33:50 Shifting to a FinTech Culture 00:36:45 Empowering Change: Agile Cultural Transformation 00:41:32 Generative AI 00:44:57 Building and Implementing Zelda 00:51:27 AI and Technology Roadmaps 00:55:44 Future of AI and Personal Assistants 00:59:52 Conclusion

CONNECT:

• Website: https://hoo.be/elijahmurray
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elijahmurray
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/elijahmurray
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elijahmurray
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahmurray/
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-game-w-elijah-murray/
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elijahmurray
• RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/3e31c0c/podcast/rss

Beth Nevins is the founder at Developa.io and an expert in talent strategy. In this conversation, we explored the interplay between AI integration, talent dynamics, and founder leadership within the realm of tech startups. We focused on key topics like leveraging AI for innovation, evolving job roles to meet technological advancements, and recruiting individuals with AI expertise. The importance of nurturing a cohesive team culture, aligning with company values, and understanding stakeholder impact were also discussed. Founder leadership and its influence on team motivation and dynamics are central themes, underscoring the significance of synchronization between leadership styles, organizational culture, and team commitment.

EPISODE LINKS: Beth Nevins' LinkedIn

TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:12 Intro and background 00:01:17 AI impact on the Workforce 00:04:17 AI in Talent Acquisition 00:08:09 Traits of Startup Talent 00:12:39 AI, change is inevitable 00:15:49 Journey to recruitment and startups 00:20:59 Traits for tech startup talent 00:25:43 Balancing performance and temperament 00:29:36 Shifts and constants in talent assessment 00:33:50 Stakeholder Management 00:36:03 Building High-Performing Teams 00:37:57 Relational leadership 00:40:45 Urgency vs. building relationships 00:45:29 Recognition and Motivation Strategies 00:49:57 Closing

CONNECT:

• Website: https://hoo.be/elijahmurray
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elijahmurray
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/elijahmurray
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elijahmurray
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahmurray/
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-game-w-elijah-murray/
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elijahmurray
• RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/3e31c0c/podcast/rss
• Newsletter: https://elijahmurray.substack.com/

Joao is the CEO of CrewAI and a former AI Engineering Director, leading the development of AI Agent technology. In this conversation, we explored cutting-edge advancements in AI, focusing on key topics like multi-agent systems, the impact of transformer technologies, and AI applications in marketing and sales.

EPISODE LINKS:

Joao's Linkedin Joao's X CrewAI's website

TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:12 Intro and background 00:01:04 Defining AI 00:02:48 The Shift to Transformer Models and GPT 00:05:14 Understanding Agents in AI 00:09:08 Code to Conversational Interfaces 00:12:13 Crew AI: A Framework for Autonomous Agents 00:14:02 Use Cases of Crew AI 00:18:12 Lowering the entry barrier to AI 00:20:18 Empowering Work with AI Agents 00:22:41 Business Use Cases and Crew AI Plus 00:26:06 Advancements in AI: Agent Frameworks and Industry Leaders 00:27:28 Crew AI's Unique Approach and Competitive Edge 00:29:36 AI: Vendor Agnosticism and Self-Improving Agents 00:32:03 Understanding AI Through Familiar Concepts 00:34:16 The Evolution of AI Technologies and the Rise of Multi-Agent Systems 00:36:48 The Potential of Fine-Tuned Models and Agents 00:40:32 Getting Started with Crew AI: Practical Steps and ROI 00:45:00 Closing CONNECT: Website: https://hoo.be/elijahmurray YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elijahmurray Twitter: https://twitter.com/elijahmurray Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elijahmurray LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahmurray/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-game-w-elijah-murray/ Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elijahmurray Newsletter: https://elijahmurray.substack.com/

Jean Pierre-Louis is an accomplished global health and strategic leader passionate about leadership, philanthropy, and global health. In this conversation, we explored his entrepreneurial journey, resilience, and the power of purpose in entrepreneurship.

EPISODE LINKS: Jean Pierre-Louis' LinkedinCapraCare websiteRockstarmoon website TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:13 Intro and background 00:01:15 From Haiti to the World 00:05:44 Entrepreneurial Journey, From Music to Public Health 00:09:07 Failure and Cultivating a Winning Mindset 00:14:08 Non profit vs for profit 00:17:40 Discovering Your Purpose 00:23:51 CapraCare: A Vision for Global Health 00:27:57 Community, Loneliness, and Advice 00:30:38 Closing

CONNECT:

• Website: ⁠https://hoo.be/elijahmurray⁠
• YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@elijahmurray⁠
• Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/elijahmurray⁠
• Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/elijahmurray⁠
• LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahmurray/⁠
• Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-game-w-elijah-murray/⁠
• Spotify: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elijahmurray⁠
• RSS: ⁠https://anchor.fm/s/3e31c0c/podcast/rss⁠
• Newsletter: https://elijahmurray.substack.com/

Brian Hollins, founder and managing partner of Collide Capital, joins us to discuss his path from growing up in Washington D.C. to attending Stanford and Harvard, and eventually founding a venture capital firm focused on equity and opportunity. In this conversation, we explored key topics like the impact of AI on startups, leadership strategies, and supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Brian Hollins' Linkedin
• Collide Capital
• The Takeoff institute

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:12 Intro and background 00:03:42 The eye opening experience of travel 00:06:53 Drive 00:10:12 Hard Work to Working Smarter 00:12:41 Ruthless Prioritization 00:17:13 Time and energy audit 00:23:19 Intentional growth 00:26:11 Takeoff Institute 00:27:36 Advice for startups, AI and founder market fit 00:35:39 Realities of Entrepreneurship 00:39:06 AI : Adoption, Fatigue, and Strategic Use 00:44:11 AI best practices: Be familiar 00:48:40 Closing

CONNECT:

• Website: https://hoo.be/elijahmurray
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elijahmurray
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/elijahmurray
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elijahmurray
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahmurray/
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-game-w-elijah-murray/
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elijahmurray
• RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/3e31c0c/podcast/rss