What are you passionate about?
Some people answer this with sunsets, sourdough, or long walks on the beach. I answer with emerging technology, which may explain why nobody asks me twice.
But you did ask, so pull up a chair. Here are the five things that reliably make me talk too fast.
1. New technology is my idea of a good time
Artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual reality, the Internet of Things (the polite name for your fridge having opinions). These things are changing how we live and work at a speed that makes my head spin, and I love every dizzy minute of it. I want to know what each one can do, what it might break, and what it means for the rest of us. Curiosity is my cardio.
2. Yes, it’s cool. But what does it do?
“Cool” is not a business case. I have checked.
What really gets me going is the practical bit: how these tools help a business work faster, waste less, understand its customers, and stop losing things in the supply chain. Automation, data analytics, better customer experiences. The unglamorous stuff that quietly decides who is still standing in five years. I enjoy digging into it and sharing what I find, whether or not anyone asked.
3. Getting innovation and strategy to talk to each other
Innovation and business strategy are like two relatives who sit at opposite ends of the wedding. Each is convinced the other is the problem.
I like playing matchmaker. That means keeping up with the trends, working out which ones matter and which are just wearing a nice suit, and helping organisations figure out how to adopt new technology without setting anything on fire. New business models and digital transformation that survives contact with reality: this is my happy place.
4. Finding my fellow nerds
Passion is more fun with company. It is also less likely to be mistaken for a personality flaw.
I want to build a community of people who light up at this stuff. People who swap ideas, compare scars, and team up on projects that push at the edges of what’s possible. If you have ever cornered someone at a party to explain a new tool, you are my people. Come sit with us.
5. Being the person who asks “but should we?”
Every room needs one person who raises a hand and says, “This is exciting, but what about data privacy? What if the algorithm is biased? What happens to people’s jobs?”
I am happy to be that person. Not to spoil the fun, but because the fun lasts longer when nobody gets hurt. I want to be part of the conversations, frameworks, and guidelines that keep technology fair and responsible. Innovation and conscience are not rivals. They are meant to carpool.
So that’s me
Shiny new technology, what it’s good for, how to fit it into a sensible plan, who to enjoy it with, and how to keep it honest. That’s the list.
Now it’s your turn. What makes you talk too fast? Go find it, and if it happens to involve emerging technology, save me a seat.