Q&A with Sangram Vajre, Co-founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus

MEDIA 7 | December 5, 2019

Andrea Lechner-Becker, Chief Marketing Officer at LeadMD is an experienced Marketing and Sales Executive with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in Business Process, Marketo, Sales, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and IT Service Management, Andrea is also a strong business development professional and a storyteller. MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into marketing? ANDREA LECHNER: Frankly, not having better options. I originally attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse thinking I’d major in Archaeology. I wanted to be Indiana Jones! But, after visiting the archaeology building – i.e. the cold, dark basement of the science building – where a girl sat to piece together pieces of an old Native American vase, I knew archaeology was not going to be the right path for me. And so, without being good at science and a major in art or art history was unlikely to pay my bills, I decided to go into “business”. I originally registered as a management major, but took my first marketing class and thought it was more interesting and switched my sophomore year. That was pretty much it. I’d never been involved in business classes or DECA in high school – I didn’t really know what to do or what jobs in marketing were even possible. I dumb lucked myself into it really. M7: As a storyteller, do you relate the brand to a story or story to the brand? AL: Both? Neither? I think there are stories in every brand, because there are people working on the brand and people engaging with the brand and people using what the brand creates. People, most often a single person, are at the heart of great stories. You can start with the “point” of the story you’re trying to tell. Say you have a software that help accountants better create reports for board meetings. It’s likely you’ll want to tell a success story about an accountant getting promoted to CFO in part because your software helped better communicate their work product to the board. You could have the idea for that and go looking for that story in your customers. OR, you could hear that story, and say, “That’s amazing!” and share it with customers, partners and internal people. Stories are all around us – the most important thing is to keep your ears and eyes open for finding them.

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Media 7 | February 23, 2021

Ben Lamm, Founder and CEO at Hypergiant, has been launching and building disruptive businesses for over a decade. Prior to Hypergiant, he was the CEO and founder of Conversable, the leading conversational intelligence platform that helps brands reach their customers through automated experiences on all major voice and text platforms. In addition to leading and growing his companies, he is active in angel investing, incubators, and startup communities, with investments in the software and emerging tech space. He has served as an active voice in the tech community, as well as an active mentor to fellow entrepreneurs on how to build disruptive businesses through accelerators and corporate programs.

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MEDIA 7 | November 28, 2019

Ed Breault, Chief Marketing Officer at Aprimo is a marketer with over 18 years of industry experience. At Aprimo, Ed is responsible for the global brand and growth which includes all Paid/Owned/Earned media, Brand Experience, Product Marketing, Industry Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Strategic Communications, Content Marketing, Analyst Relations, Alliance Marketing, Public Relations, Events, Demand Generation and Account-Based Marketing. MEDIA 7: What’s your superpower? ED BREAULT: I would say it’s applying the full spectrum of art and science that is required in marketing today. Not just left or right brained, but whole-brained strategy. Being human yet data-driven and really understanding numbers and (the right) metrics to make connections to business drivers. Add storytelling to that, so I can effectively communicate to my team, the CEO and CFO as well as my Board of Directors on those metrics, and connecting all that we are doing in marketing to the mission of the business. Then quickly shifting gears to the art and creative aspects of marketing that are required to engage an audience and tell great commercial stories that take complex concepts and craft them in a way that is interesting for people to pay attention to. I have to be the ultimate point of truth for the brand. M7: At Aprimo, how have marketing leadership roles and responsibilities evolved over the past few years? EB: There are so many dimensions needed by marketing leaders today. There are several elements driving this evolution, it’s the new experience battlefront that is emerging and also marketers themselves driving changes. From a market perspective, there is a clear appetite for disruption and consumers are wanting more experiential elements to their buying experience and interactions with brands. Take a few direct to consumer disruptions like trialing products in-home, purchasing directly from a brand or even wanting to ensure that the producer’s trade practices are in line with the buyer’s or even a regulator’s for that matter. Then we want to try before we buy, and we emotionally care about the supply chain of products. Do we TRUST this brand to do business with them? Behind all of this is a story that needs to be told, and it is those marketers who know their audience well and make connections that will win the commercial game. Back to the marketer, there are so many diverse backgrounds that marketers bring now and I’m really intrigued by those who have unconventional backgrounds because they contribute something uniquely new to the field. I love hearing about the marketer’s journey.

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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY, CYBERSECURITY

Zetron | March 15, 2023

On March 14, 2023, Zetron, one of the leading communications technology and service providers, announced it has received a contract from the North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC) of Kansas (USA). The contract offers cyber resilience roadmaps and assessments for the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) of 34 counties throughout the states. As the fiscal agent for six of the seven Homeland Security regions in Kansas, the Homeland Security/Emergency Operations unit of the Kansas Highway Patrol applies for and administers Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) funding to subrecipients such as the NCRPC. State and local governments, including fire departments, police, and other public safety agencies, are increasingly susceptible to cyberattacks. As per the Verizon 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), the public sector had the second-most cybersecurity incidents and the fourth-most data breaches among major industries in 2018. In addition, a 2021 Fastly report found that of all cybersecurity alerts, 45 percent are false positives that can be frequently difficult to distinguish from genuine threats and malicious behavior. This results in getting valuable time wasted during an emergency. Zetron, with SecuLore Solutions, a cybersecurity partner and local services partners, will finish cybersecurity assessments and roadmaps of selected thirty-four counties across Kansas, with its population from 600,000 to less than 1300 people. Each counties' assessment will identify threats and provide prioritized, actionable recommendations for remediating vulnerabilities and enhancing the county's cybersecurity risk posture. Following the contract terms, cybersecurity assessments and road maps for Kansas counties selected by NCRPC Regional Project Managers and the Planning Team will be completed in multiple phases through March 2024. About Zetron Zetron is one of the leaders in mission-critical communications technology worldwide. The company offers integrated solutions with exceptional reliability and support. It was founded in 1980 with decades of experience serving the public and private sectors and a sterling reputation for superior quality and dependability. Based in Redmond, Washington, it has customers across all seven continents and in a variety of industries such as transportation, public safety, utilities, the federal government, natural resources and more. In addition, it delivers purpose-built solutions to be always available wherever mission-critical communications must be uninterrupted.

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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

Surfacide | March 20, 2023

Surfacide, an industry leader in UV-C low-level disinfection technology, announced today that it has been awarded a Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). This contract will allow government customers and federal agencies to easily procure Surfacide's Helios® UV-C disinfection systems for their healthcare facilities. As a GSA Schedule Contractor, Surfacide has met all the requirements to sell to the federal government, making the federal purchasing process faster and more cost-effective for government agencies. Government buyers will now be able to access Surfacide products through GSA Advantage!, the government's premier online shopping superstore. The Surfacide Helios system is the only patented, low-level UV-C disinfection solution to use a trio of light emitting 'robots' simultaneously, significantly reducing bacteria and virus on colonized surfaces. The Helios system provides UV-C energy to more exposed areas than single devices—boosting power, dosage and efficacy in a single cycle. The system can be easily moved and configured within different high-impact areas of a hospital or clinic such as patient rooms, patient bathrooms, ORs, outpatient/ambulatory surgery, burn units, labor & delivery, isolation rooms, etc. "As a GSA Schedule Contractor, we now have the stamp of approval stating that we've met all the requirements to sell to the federal government, giving us a huge benefit in the federal purchasing process," said Gunner Lyslo, CEO & Founder of Surfacide. "We're proud to have been awarded this GSA MAS contract and are excited to provide our innovative UV-C disinfection technology to government customers more efficiently." Surfacide is rapidly growing and has become widely adopted in the VA space. After seeing the benefits of Surfacide's scientifically-proven technology, more and more VA facilities are transitioning from single emitters to Surfacide's patented triple-emitter Helios System. About Surfacide Founded in 2010, Surfacide is a UV technology and infection solutions company producing scientifically proven, hospital-grade UV devices. Surfacide's award-winning Helios® System is the world's only patented, triple emitter 'robotic' UV light solution to rapidly reduce bioburden and pathogens. A trusted partner in infection prevention, Surfacide has been deployed in over 600 leading hospitals, nursing homes, dental offices, fire stations, prisons, police stations, commercial office spaces, hotels and public venues worldwide. Surfacide LLC is proud to be American-made and manufactured in Waukesha, WI.

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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE

Carahsoft | March 14, 2023

On March 14, 2023, Carahsoft Technology Corp., the trusted government IT solutions provider, and the Analytics Automation Company, Alteryx, Inc., expanded their partnership to offer automated data analytics to all levels of the Canadian government, including federal, provincial, and municipal, territorial, and crown corporations. Carahsoft will offer Alteryx products and services via its Software Licensing Supply Arrangement (SLSA) contract with Public Services and Procurement in Canada under the agreement. Additionally, Carahsoft will collaborate with its Canada-based reseller partners to support new Public Sector customers and expand the availability of Alteryx's solutions by leveraging additional contract vehicles. The Alteryx Analytics Automation Platform provides an integrated, end-to-end analytics experience, allowing everyone to create transformative business outcomes using data effortlessly. Alteryx Analytics Automation Platform provides a suite of capabilities, including hundreds of drag-and-drop automation building blocks for data cleansing, blending and preparation, as well as statistical, geospatial, and predictive analytics, as well as automated machine learning and natural-language data storytelling, to support at all stage of the journey from raw data to business outcomes, as well as every participant along the way. Team Leads at Alteryx Team at Carahsoft, Marty Gryski, said, "We are thrilled to announce the expansion of our partnership with Alteryx in the Canadian marketplace." He also said, "Alteryx's solutions address the current need for analytics automation to empower critical business functions. We look forward to working with our resellers to continue supporting the Canadian Federal Government in their digital transformation initiatives." (Source – GlobeNewswire) About Carahsoft Based in Reston, Virginia, Carahsoft is the trusted government IT solutions provider, helping Federal, State and Local Government agencies, Health and Education markets and Public Sector organizations. The company delivers solutions for Cybersecurity, Big Data, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, AI, Open Source, Customer Experience and more. Its sales and marketing teams work with resellers, systems integrators, and consultants to offer the best IT services, products, and training through hundreds of contract vehicles.

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