Andrew Vontz

Mid-sized teams can lead in partner innovation. One of the standout sessions for me at Catalyst Seattle 25 came from Rachael Travis and Mike Blumenstein. She shared how they built a points-based partner program that ties performance, capabilities, and commitment into one scalable system. What stood out was that Smartsheet isn’t a tech giant, yet they’ve rolled out a program that’s bold, structured, and revenue-driving. A real proof point that mid-sized companies can lead the way in partner innovation. This connects directly to one of the content pillars we’re highlighting at Catalyst Europe 25: Programs & Enablement. Kathie Osborne will also be speaking in London about her own approach to points-based programs. Expect more sessions like this, field-tested and built to scale. 23 October 2025 | Convene 133 Houndsditch, London, UK To register: link in comments

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Pangram CEO and co-founder, Max Spero sat down with School For Startups Radio to talk about the successful fundraising round of Pangram Labs and their disruptive technology to detect AI writing. Learn a bit of the Pangram back story including how Max and co-founder Bradley Emi (both Stanford grads) hatched Pangram. Now it is regarded as the most accurate AI detector on the market. Roughly paraphrased, Max says that Pangram is so accurate because it has learned the "specific nuances" that make it possible to recognize different AI models. #AI #AIdetection #education https://lnkd.in/g95pmjEg

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One of the most common frustrations I hear from founders is: “Our headcount plan looked solid at the beginning of the year. Why are we still missing?” In most cases, the plan didn’t fail because of talent. It failed because it assumed ideal behavior. Approved headcount gets treated as productive capacity, but a start date doesn’t equal productivity. Between time-to-hire and ramp, it can take six to nine months before a role is truly operating at full impact. Additionally, if someone leaves, the financial model often captures the salary savings but not the vacancy gap, the hiring drag, or the reset in productivity. On paper, the org chart says, “fully staffed”. In reality, the team is still rebuilding. Headcount planning isn’t just about counting seats. It’s about having the correct job architecture to model how people actually behave. When you plan for the ideal state, you’re almost guaranteed to miss. When you plan for real behavior, your forecasts become far more durable. Join Karina Bensko, SPHR and I for The Scale Gap: A 3-Part Workshop Series on How Hiring, Headcount & Retention Impact Cash & Runway • Three live one hour workshops • Two 30-min 1:1 sessions • Workshop Toolkit (Calculators, Worksheets, and Models) Secure your spot: https://luma.com/nktfgt2i

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A really interesting work by Grove Ventures and their Head of Human Capital Einat Drutin to help founders identify strengths and blind-spots that will help them match their potential Co-Founders Take this quiz to discover your strengths and blind spots as a startup founder, and what you should look for in your startup co-founder: https://lnkd.in/eC7tUSg8 When choosing a Co-Founder there are many visible gaps but there are more invisible gaps around values, vision, skills and even personal intrinsic motivation that you need to dig deep, very deep to find. Here are some of the questions Einat offers founders to explore: - Do we want to build the same kind of company? - How do you define “success”? - What have you done that shows you can build things from scratch? - Can you disagree and still maintain a strong working relationship? - What would make you walk away from this venture? #VentureCapital #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Founders

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My latest for PBS Next Avenue. "Balasubramaniam, along with other founders in their fifties and up, are finding that modern accelerators and pitch competitions aren't only for 20-something tech founders. The experiences, which often include structured mentorship and investor access, are helping mid-career or encore entrepreneurs reinvent themselves and build thriving businesses, too." https://lnkd.in/eNFr4Q9d

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Who is more susceptible to digital media addiction men or women? Dr Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine and Medical Director of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, explains.

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I love this graphic from Beth Kanter for so many reasons: It's a concise overview that helps frame how individuals and organizations can approach #AI. It's a clear and reproducible guide to using AI in the ideation, development and revision of an #infographic. But most of all, what I love is the example of using #AI to combine your talents in new ways. Beth has been a brilliant tech strategist and communicator for as long as I've known her (twenty years!) And she has also always inspired me with her love of hands-on creativity: this is a woman who can wax rhapsodic about pens and markers. AI has opened the door to combining those strategic, communication, and visual talents in a new way. So ask yourself: What are the threads of your own work and creativity, that AI could help you combine in a new way?

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Most organizations pour structure into C-suite searches, but the mid-level leaders who actually turn strategy into results often get a faster, looser process.   In my new article for SHRM (for members), I share a practical AI playbook for hiring this layer more effectively. A few of the principles: - Start with outcomes, not adjectives - Use AI to widen the field and speed the work - Keep human judgment on the calls that carry risk - Measure what happens after the hire, not just time-to-fill   SHRM members can read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/gUe44gEj   Would love to hear how your team is using AI in leadership hiring today. Leave a comment below.   #AI #LeadershipHiring #MidLevelLeaders #AIinHR

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🎧 ICYMI: Here’s a quick clip from our latest episode of the #InclusiveAFPodcast! Katee Van Horn sat down with Horizon Human co-founders Sofia Whelan and Sarah Smart to talk about how HR can embrace AI without losing our humanity. 🤖❤️ From ethical AI practices to building trust with tech, this conversation is packed with insight for anyone leading people in a rapidly changing workplace. 💡 If you haven’t listened yet, now’s the time to catch up. Full episode available via the link in the comments! 👇 What’s one way your team is navigating the intersection of AI + people? Let’s talk. #FutureOfWork #HRLeadership #AIinHR #HumanCentricDesign #PeopleFirst #HRInnovation #InclusiveWorkplaces

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Owning your narrative is leadership. Last week in San Francisco, we gathered with AAF SF Bay Area to talk about positioning in competitive markets. Three themes emerged: Be memorable. Be clear. Be consistent. The market doesn’t reward talent. It rewards clarity. Grateful to everyone who showed up thoughtfully. #personalbrand #careergrowth #leadership

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