How Slack Builds Products People Love to Use, with Chief Product Officer Rob Seaman
Private companies can be mission-driven. And in today’s market, they have to be. Rob Seaman, Chief Product Officer at Slack, joins Jess Carter to discuss how leading with purpose helps build better teams and better products. Rob shares lessons from Slack’s integration with Salesforce, including the importance of staying close to customers, balancing speed with quality, and accepting that product leadership is never really “done.” He also reflects on his path from small startups to global enterprises and what it takes to build teams that work with clarity and intent. In this episode, you’ll learn: How product leaders can stay grounded in customer feedback Ways to build teams that deliver both speed and quality Why a clear mission helps teams create better products Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction to the episode with Rob Seaman (02:42) Behind Salesforce and Slack’s integration (05:19) Why products are never truly done (08:17) Finding mission in private sector product leadership (10:02) Building Agent Force and learning from customer adoption (14:38) Advice for stepping into product leadership roles (18:15) Separating noise from real customer signals (23:25) Why product teams need customer insight (28:44) Lessons Rob still values from early startup experiences Alex Komoroske’s “How Organizations Are Like Slime Molds”: https://komoroske.com/slime-mold/ Rob’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seamanrob/
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35:48
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35:48
The Value of Project Managers with Not the Worst PM’s Kelly Vega
From TikTok skits to tech leadership, Kelly Vega shows why project managers are more than task trackers. As program director at VML and the creator of Not the Worst PM, Kelly has built a following by turning the chaos of project management into relatable, entertaining content. In this episode of Data-Driven Leadership, she joins Jess Carter to share what she’s learned leading complex digital projects and building PM teams across industries. Kelly reflects on her path into the profession, how humor on social media has helped her spotlight the realities of the job, and what separates transactional PMs from effective PMs. She also explains how great project managers influence culture, communication, and outcomes in ways that go far beyond checking boxes. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to recognize the traits of a high-value project manager What separates PMs from task managers What PMs can do to build trust and credibility with stakeholders Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction to the episode with Kelly Vega (02:07) Social media stories that capture project manager realities (04:46) Launching long-form PM content (07:52) What makes a project manager high value (10:52) Process-driven PMs versus adaptable leaders (16:17) Lessons from BBC’s failed Digital Media Initiative project (20:10) Avoiding over-engineering and building progress that’s measurable (22:51) How PMs signal urgency and escalate risks effectively (28:45) Leading diverse teams while navigating politics and expectations (32:45) Recognizing PM leadership as culture, engagement, and delivery Kelly’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-suter/ Kelly’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nottheworstpm/ Kelly’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nottheworstpm
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38:36
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38:36
What Data Means for the Future of Pediatric Hospitals
A single error in a medical record can change a child’s life. Theresa Meadows has spent her career making sure that doesn’t happen. In this episode, Jess Carter talks with Theresa, who recently transitioned from CIO at Cook Children’s Health Care System to a new role at symplr. Theresa recalls her unlikely path from transplant nurse to technology leader and shares how those dual perspectives influenced the way she thinks about data, trust, and patient care. Their conversation touches on the complexity of pediatric records, the challenges of moving entire hospitals onto electronic systems, and the opportunities she sees for AI to ease the burden on clinicians. Woven through it all are the leadership lessons Theresa carried from the bedside to the boardroom, and now into her work guiding the next generation of healthcare innovation. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why pediatric hospitals face different data challenges than adult care facilities How electronic health record conversions can affect patient safety What healthcare leaders should prioritize in their first 90 days in a new role Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction to the episode with Theresa Meadows (02:15) Training physicians on early physician order entry systems (08:16) Career lessons from mentors and moving into Cook Children’s (09:53) Unique data challenges faced in pediatric healthcare (13:17) Transitioning hospitals to electronic health records successfully (19:38) Advice for leaders in their first 90 days (23:41) Where AI and technology are taking healthcare next (30:50) Why mentorship starts with speaking up about your goals
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35:10
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35:10
How to Win Stakeholder Buy-In: Lessons from VP of Data, Veronika Durgin
Most data projects don’t collapse because of the tech. They collapse when stakeholders aren’t involved in the right ways. In this episode of Data-Driven Leadership, Jess Carter sits down with Veronika Durgin, VP of data, to explore why stakeholder engagement makes or breaks a data strategy. Veronika also shares lessons from two decades in data, from troubleshooting transactional databases to leading enterprise-wide initiatives. She reflects on the moment she recognized data as a true business asset, explains why curiosity and a growth mindset are foundational habits for data leaders, and outlines how to design solutions that deliver value more than once. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to keep stakeholders aligned and invested in your strategy Why data leaders should always think about the exit plan What to do to make unused data valuable to the business Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction to the episode with Veronika Durgin (02:25) Learning through doing and building a foundation for strategy (05:35) Plan B thinking and lessons from a sledgehammer story (09:04) Early career memories from Y2K to database administration (12:55) Discovering Infonomics and seeing data as a business asset (15:43) Why treating data with a product mindset changes outcomes (19:16) The hidden costs of data hoarding and storage waste (23:33) How to keep stakeholders engaged and aligned on priorities (30:38) Using Six Sigma to frame problems and business impact “Infonomics” by Doug Laney: https://www.amazon.com/Infonomics-Monetize-Information-Competitive-Advantage/dp/1138090387 Veronika’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vdurgin/ Veronika’s Medium: https://medium.com/@durginv Veronika’s Substack: https://thinksolverepeat.substack.com/
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35:41
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35:41
Cybersecurity Isn’t Just the CIO’s Job Anymore
One phone call. One click. That’s all it takes. In this episode, Jess Carter talks with Jeffrey Foresman, VP of Cybersecurity at Resultant, about why today’s most dangerous breaches don’t start with technical flaws, but with people. With over 30 years in the field, Jeffrey shares stories of social engineering attacks that bypass sophisticated defenses, explains why traditional compliance measures fall short, and outlines a more realistic framework for security: prevention, detection, and response. Jess and Jeff also dig into human risk management, validation protocols, what it takes to build a culture where security is everyone’s job, and slowing down just might save you. In this episode, you will learn: How attackers use urgency and familiarity to bypass internal controls Why cybersecurity maturity starts with real-world threat alignment What business leaders should ask about their help desk and MFA processes Things to listen for:(00:00) Introduction to the episode with Jeffrey Foresman (06:09) Why compliance training often fails to prevent breaches (08:05) Trusted cybersecurity frameworks for assessing maturity and risk (11:02) How attackers are bypassing firewalls and fooling help desks (13:45) Real-world social engineering tactics every team should know (20:42) Building response plans that reduce downtime and damage (25:25) What to do when employees keep failing phishing tests
The power of Data is undeniable. And unharnessed - it’s nothing but chaos.
Making data your ally. Using it to lead with confidence and clarity. Host Jess Carter is solving problems in real-time to reveal what’s possible. Helping communities and people thrive. This is Data Driven Leadership a show brought to you by Resultant.
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