Stare Down the Bull with Susan Hunt https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/ en Stare Down the Bull with Susan Hunt is where innovation meets execution. Each episode dives into candid conversations with top leaders across AI, technology, and enterprise strategy, the people who aren’t just talking about transformation, but driving it. From navigating disruption to scaling smarter, Susan and her guests explore the real challenges behind modern leadership: leveraging AI without losing your edge, building resilient teams, and turning bold ideas into measurable results. If you’re a business leader ready to cut through the noise and lead with clarity in a world of complexity, this is your playbook. https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/46852ec4-be86-11f0-8063-4fc9eb34842e/image/4c66bf1a9ec83710712c588c487b43ff.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress Stare Down the Bull with Susan Hunt https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/ episodic Susan Hunt Stare Down the Bull with Susan Hunt is where innovation meets execution. Each episode dives into candid conversations with top leaders across AI, technology, and enterprise strategy, the people who aren’t just talking about transformation, but driving it. From navigating disruption to scaling smarter, Susan and her guests explore the real challenges behind modern leadership: leveraging AI without losing your edge, building resilient teams, and turning bold ideas into measurable results. If you’re a business leader ready to cut through the noise and lead with clarity in a world of complexity, this is your playbook. Stare Down the Bull with Susan Hunt is where innovation meets execution. Each episode dives into candid conversations with top leaders across AI, technology, and enterprise strategy, the people who aren’t just talking about transformation, but driving it.
From navigating disruption to scaling smarter, Susan and her guests explore the real challenges behind modern leadership: leveraging AI without losing your edge, building resilient teams, and turning bold ideas into measurable results.
If you’re a business leader ready to cut through the noise and lead with clarity in a world of complexity, this is your playbook.

]]> Susan Hunt pannich89@gmail.com The Sound of What’s Next: AI, Taste, and Timing with Gary Clayton https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ Susan Hunt sits down with Gary Clayton to explore the intersection of AI, creativity, and human experience. Drawing from his background in music, technology, and storytelling, Gary shares how taste, timing, and empathy shape great products and why AI’s rapid evolution is forcing leaders to confront deeper questions about ethics, control, and what it really means to build for humans. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Gary LinkedIn Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0000 The Sound of What’s Next: AI, Taste, and Timing with Gary Clayton full Susan Hunt Susan Hunt sits down with Gary Clayton to explore the intersection of AI, creativity, and human experience. Drawing from his background in music, technology, and storytelling, Gary shares how taste, timing, and empathy shape great products and why AI’s rapid evolution is forcing leaders to confront deeper questions about ethics, control, and what it really means to build for humans. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Gary LinkedIn Susan Hunt sits down with Gary Clayton to explore the intersection of AI, creativity, and human experience. Drawing from his background in music, technology, and storytelling, Gary shares how taste, timing, and empathy shape great products and why AI’s rapid evolution is forcing leaders to confront deeper questions about ethics, control, and what it really means to build for humans.

Connect with Susan: 

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]]> 3864 Taking on Giants with Bruce Eidsvik https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ On this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt talks with Bruce Eidsvik, Chief Growth Officer at Servion, to explore what it really takes to challenge industry giants and win. From early voice tech battles against entrenched telecom players to today’s AI transformation wave, Bruce shares hard-earned lessons on perseverance, partnerships, and turning innovation into real enterprise outcomes. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Bruce: LinkedIn Website Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0000 Taking on Giants with Bruce Eidsvik full Susan Hunt On this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt talks with Bruce Eidsvik, Chief Growth Officer at Servion, to explore what it really takes to challenge industry giants and win. From early voice tech battles against entrenched telecom players to today’s AI transformation wave, Bruce shares hard-earned lessons on perseverance, partnerships, and turning innovation into real enterprise outcomes. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Bruce: LinkedIn Website On this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt talks with Bruce Eidsvik, Chief Growth Officer at Servion, to explore what it really takes to challenge industry giants and win. From early voice tech battles against entrenched telecom players to today’s AI transformation wave, Bruce shares hard-earned lessons on perseverance, partnerships, and turning innovation into real enterprise outcomes.

Connect with Susan: 

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Website 

Connect with Bruce:

LinkedIn

Website

]]> 3095 AI: Are We There Yet? From Hall to Jibo and Beyond https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with AI pioneer Roberto Pieraccini to explore the gap between what we expect from artificial intelligence and what it can actually deliver today. Drawing on decades of experience at Bell Labs, Nuance, Google, and Jibo, Roberto breaks down why AI progress is often misunderstood and what it really takes to turn invention into meaningful innovation. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Roberto LinkedIn Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0000 AI: Are We There Yet? From Hall to Jibo and Beyond full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with AI pioneer Roberto Pieraccini to explore the gap between what we expect from artificial intelligence and what it can actually deliver today. Drawing on decades of experience at Bell Labs, Nuance, Google, and Jibo, Roberto breaks down why AI progress is often misunderstood and what it really takes to turn invention into meaningful innovation. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Roberto LinkedIn In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with AI pioneer Roberto Pieraccini to explore the gap between what we expect from artificial intelligence and what it can actually deliver today. Drawing on decades of experience at Bell Labs, Nuance, Google, and Jibo, Roberto breaks down why AI progress is often misunderstood and what it really takes to turn invention into meaningful innovation.

Connect with Susan: 

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Connect with Roberto

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]]> 2063 Drones, AI, and Smart Cities: Inside Federal Tech Adoption with Lacey Wean https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ Susan Hunt sits down with Lacey Wean of Carahsoft to unpack what it really takes to bring emerging technologies into the federal government. From drones and smart cities to AI in public safety, Lacey shares how mission alignment, trust, and long-term strategy determine which innovations actually scale beyond pilot programs. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Lacey LinkedIn Website Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0000 Drones, AI, and Smart Cities: Inside Federal Tech Adoption with Lacey Wean full 1 Susan Hunt Susan Hunt sits down with Lacey Wean of Carahsoft to unpack what it really takes to bring emerging technologies into the federal government. From drones and smart cities to AI in public safety, Lacey shares how mission alignment, trust, and long-term strategy determine which innovations actually scale beyond pilot programs. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Lacey LinkedIn Website Susan Hunt sits down with Lacey Wean of Carahsoft to unpack what it really takes to bring emerging technologies into the federal government. From drones and smart cities to AI in public safety, Lacey shares how mission alignment, trust, and long-term strategy determine which innovations actually scale beyond pilot programs.

Connect with Susan: 

LinkedIn

Website 

Connect with Lacey

LinkedIn


Website

]]> 1390 From Wildfire to AI Reality: Tim Walsh on Customer Experience and Change https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ Technology sales veteran Tim Walsh joins Susan Hunt to trace the journey from Wildfire’s pioneering virtual assistant to today’s AI-driven customer experience platforms. They unpack what AI actually does well, why implementation is so hard for enterprises, the ethical moments that defined better CX, and the career pivots required when the market changes faster than your product. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Tim LinkedIn Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0000 From Wildfire to AI Reality: Tim Walsh on Customer Experience and Change full 1 Susan Hunt Technology sales veteran Tim Walsh joins Susan Hunt to trace the journey from Wildfire’s pioneering virtual assistant to today’s AI-driven customer experience platforms. They unpack what AI actually does well, why implementation is so hard for enterprises, the ethical moments that defined better CX, and the career pivots required when the market changes faster than your product. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Tim LinkedIn Technology sales veteran Tim Walsh joins Susan Hunt to trace the journey from Wildfire’s pioneering virtual assistant to today’s AI-driven customer experience platforms. They unpack what AI actually does well, why implementation is so hard for enterprises, the ethical moments that defined better CX, and the career pivots required when the market changes faster than your product.


Connect with Susan: 

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]]> 2068 Empathy, AI, and the New Rules of Customer Experience with Chris Arnold https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt talks with CX strategist Chris Arnold to explore what it really takes to build customer experience that works in the age of AI. Drawing on two decades leading CX at enterprise scale and his current work at the intersection of automation and empathy, Chris explains why the future of customer experience is not humans versus AI, but humans and AI working together. The conversation also turns deeply personal as Chris shares how a profound life tragedy reshaped his perspective on leadership, resilience, and what truly matters both at work and in life. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Chris LinkedIn Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0000 Empathy, AI, and the New Rules of Customer Experience with Chris Arnold full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt talks with CX strategist Chris Arnold to explore what it really takes to build customer experience that works in the age of AI. Drawing on two decades leading CX at enterprise scale and his current work at the intersection of automation and empathy, Chris explains why the future of customer experience is not humans versus AI, but humans and AI working together. The conversation also turns deeply personal as Chris shares how a profound life tragedy reshaped his perspective on leadership, resilience, and what truly matters both at work and in life. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Chris LinkedIn In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt talks with CX strategist Chris Arnold to explore what it really takes to build customer experience that works in the age of AI. Drawing on two decades leading CX at enterprise scale and his current work at the intersection of automation and empathy, Chris explains why the future of customer experience is not humans versus AI, but humans and AI working together.

The conversation also turns deeply personal as Chris shares how a profound life tragedy reshaped his perspective on leadership, resilience, and what truly matters both at work and in life.


Connect with Susan: 

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Connect with Chris

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]]> 2398 Productizing the Future: How Mike Phillips Turned Research Into Reality https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ Susan Hunt sits down with speech recognition pioneer Mike Phillips to explore what it really takes to turn breakthrough research into global industries. From the early days at MIT and DARPA to founding SpeechWorks and Vlingo, Mike shares how voice technology moved from lab experiment to call centers to smartphones. The conversation also dives into his next chapter building Sense, applying AI to the energy grid, and the hard lessons of leadership, competition, and staring down the bull when survival is on the line. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Mike LinkedIn Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0000 Productizing the Future: How Mike Phillips Turned Research Into Reality full 1 Susan Hunt Susan Hunt sits down with speech recognition pioneer Mike Phillips to explore what it really takes to turn breakthrough research into global industries. From the early days at MIT and DARPA to founding SpeechWorks and Vlingo, Mike shares how voice technology moved from lab experiment to call centers to smartphones. The conversation also dives into his next chapter building Sense, applying AI to the energy grid, and the hard lessons of leadership, competition, and staring down the bull when survival is on the line. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Mike LinkedIn Susan Hunt sits down with speech recognition pioneer Mike Phillips to explore what it really takes to turn breakthrough research into global industries. From the early days at MIT and DARPA to founding SpeechWorks and Vlingo, Mike shares how voice technology moved from lab experiment to call centers to smartphones. The conversation also dives into his next chapter building Sense, applying AI to the energy grid, and the hard lessons of leadership, competition, and staring down the bull when survival is on the line.

Connect with Susan: 

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]]> 1880 The Power of Why: Communicating with Clarity When It Matters Most https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt sits down with chief communication and marketing leader Rick Mack to explore how companies communicate under pressure. From 100 acquisitions at Nuance to navigating a global malware crisis and shaping conversations on Capitol Hill, Rick shares what separates confident leaders from reactive ones. The conversation dives into authenticity, the power of the “why,” AI’s impact on marketing leadership, and Rick’s personal mantra for staying steady when everything is on the line. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website Connect with Rick: LinkedIn Website Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0000 The Power of Why: Communicating with Clarity When It Matters Most full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt sits down with chief communication and marketing leader Rick Mack to explore how companies communicate under pressure. From 100 acquisitions at Nuance to navigating a global malware crisis and shaping conversations on Capitol Hill, Rick shares what separates confident leaders from reactive ones. The conversation dives into authenticity, the power of the “why,” AI’s impact on marketing leadership, and Rick’s personal mantra for staying steady when everything is on the line. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website Connect with Rick: LinkedIn Website In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt sits down with chief communication and marketing leader Rick Mack to explore how companies communicate under pressure. From 100 acquisitions at Nuance to navigating a global malware crisis and shaping conversations on Capitol Hill, Rick shares what separates confident leaders from reactive ones.

The conversation dives into authenticity, the power of the “why,” AI’s impact on marketing leadership, and Rick’s personal mantra for staying steady when everything is on the line.

Connect with Susan: 

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Website

Connect with Rick:

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Website

]]> 1660 From Lab to Life: Justin Chiu on AI’s Real-World Impact https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ AI isn’t magic — it’s math, scale, and intention. On this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt sits down with AI engineer Justin Chiu to explore what artificial intelligence really is, where it’s headed, and what should genuinely concern us. From enterprise AI and reinforcement learning to AI-powered scams, misinformation, and defense applications, Justin breaks down complex concepts into plain English — and challenges the hype around “conscious machines.” This is a grounded, honest conversation about AI’s real-world impact — both promising and dangerous. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Justin: LinkedIn Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000 From Lab to Life: Justin Chiu on AI’s Real-World Impact full 1 14 Susan Hunt AI isn’t magic — it’s math, scale, and intention. On this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt sits down with AI engineer Justin Chiu to explore what artificial intelligence really is, where it’s headed, and what should genuinely concern us. From enterprise AI and reinforcement learning to AI-powered scams, misinformation, and defense applications, Justin breaks down complex concepts into plain English — and challenges the hype around “conscious machines.” This is a grounded, honest conversation about AI’s real-world impact — both promising and dangerous. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Justin: LinkedIn AI isn’t magic — it’s math, scale, and intention.

On this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt sits down with AI engineer Justin Chiu to explore what artificial intelligence really is, where it’s headed, and what should genuinely concern us. From enterprise AI and reinforcement learning to AI-powered scams, misinformation, and defense applications, Justin breaks down complex concepts into plain English — and challenges the hype around “conscious machines.”

This is a grounded, honest conversation about AI’s real-world impact — both promising and dangerous.

Connect with Susan: 

LinkedIn

Website 

Connect with Justin:

LinkedIn

]]> 1904 Beyond the Pitch: Tony Janusky on AI, Leadership, and the New Era of Sales In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt sits down with enterprise sales veteran Tony Janusky to explore how sales has evolved—from the early days of speech recognition and IVR to today’s AI-powered selling environments. Tony shares lessons from nearly two decades at Nuance, why long-term relationships remain a competitive advantage, and how sales leaders can embrace AI without losing the human connection that closes complex deals. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Tony LinkedIn Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000 Beyond the Pitch: Tony Janusky on AI, Leadership, and the New Era of Sales full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt sits down with enterprise sales veteran Tony Janusky to explore how sales has evolved—from the early days of speech recognition and IVR to today’s AI-powered selling environments. Tony shares lessons from nearly two decades at Nuance, why long-term relationships remain a competitive advantage, and how sales leaders can embrace AI without losing the human connection that closes complex deals. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Tony LinkedIn In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt sits down with enterprise sales veteran Tony Janusky to explore how sales has evolved—from the early days of speech recognition and IVR to today’s AI-powered selling environments. Tony shares lessons from nearly two decades at Nuance, why long-term relationships remain a competitive advantage, and how sales leaders can embrace AI without losing the human connection that closes complex deals.

Connect with Susan: 

LinkedIn

Website 

Connect with Tony

LinkedIn

]]> 2174 When Data Isn’t Enough: Leadership, Risk, and Resilience with Tim Delisle https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with Tim Delisle, founder of 514 and former Head of Development at Nike. Tim shares his journey from being rejected from an engineering program to leading massive teams at one of the world’s most iconic brands. The conversation explores resilience, leadership under pressure, the realities of acquisition, building effective teams inside complex organizations, and what it truly means to stare down the bull as a founder and executive. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Tim: LinkedIn Website Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000 When Data Isn’t Enough: Leadership, Risk, and Resilience with Tim Delisle full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with Tim Delisle, founder of 514 and former Head of Development at Nike. Tim shares his journey from being rejected from an engineering program to leading massive teams at one of the world’s most iconic brands. The conversation explores resilience, leadership under pressure, the realities of acquisition, building effective teams inside complex organizations, and what it truly means to stare down the bull as a founder and executive. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Tim: LinkedIn Website In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with Tim Delisle, founder of 514 and former Head of Development at Nike. Tim shares his journey from being rejected from an engineering program to leading massive teams at one of the world’s most iconic brands. The conversation explores resilience, leadership under pressure, the realities of acquisition, building effective teams inside complex organizations, and what it truly means to stare down the bull as a founder and executive.

Connect with Susan: 

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Website 

Connect with Tim:

LinkedIn

Website

]]> 2570 Before & After 9/11: A Life Lived Inside a Moment the World Remembers with Trish Straine https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ In this deeply moving episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with longtime friend Trish Straine as the country approaches the 25th anniversary of September 11. Trish shares her experience of losing her husband, Jimmy in the World Trade Center attacks just days after giving birth to their second child. Together, Susan and Trish reflect on grief, resilience, motherhood, faith, community support, and the long arc of healing. Trish also discusses co-founding Stephy’s Place, a free community-based grief support center, and how loss shaped her strength, perspective, and purpose. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Trish: Website Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000 Before & After 9/11: A Life Lived Inside a Moment the World Remembers with Trish Straine full 1 Susan Hunt In this deeply moving episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with longtime friend Trish Straine as the country approaches the 25th anniversary of September 11. Trish shares her experience of losing her husband, Jimmy in the World Trade Center attacks just days after giving birth to their second child. Together, Susan and Trish reflect on grief, resilience, motherhood, faith, community support, and the long arc of healing. Trish also discusses co-founding Stephy’s Place, a free community-based grief support center, and how loss shaped her strength, perspective, and purpose. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Trish: Website In this deeply moving episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with longtime friend Trish Straine as the country approaches the 25th anniversary of September 11. Trish shares her experience of losing her husband, Jimmy in the World Trade Center attacks just days after giving birth to their second child. Together, Susan and Trish reflect on grief, resilience, motherhood, faith, community support, and the long arc of healing. Trish also discusses co-founding Stephy’s Place, a free community-based grief support center, and how loss shaped her strength, perspective, and purpose.

Connect with Susan: 

LinkedIn

Website 

Connect with Trish:

Website

]]> 1858 Inside Venture Capital With Eric Collins: Power, Access, and Who Really Gets Funded https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ What does it really take to scale businesses, shift venture capital norms, and create opportunities for underrepresented founders? In this episode, Susan Hunt sits down with venture capitalist, former Obama Administration advisor, and ImpactX co-founder Eric Collins for a wide-ranging conversation on capital access, inclusive investing, AI-driven growth, and what happens behind the scenes in venture capital.  From living in Washington D.C.’s historic Watergate to advising the Small Business Administration, building venture-backed companies across the U.S. and UK, and presenting awards at Buckingham Palace, Eric shares rare insights on power, proximity, and how doing good and doing well can coexist. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Eric LinkedIn Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000 Inside Venture Capital With Eric Collins: Power, Access, and Who Really Gets Funded full 1 Susan Hunt What does it really take to scale businesses, shift venture capital norms, and create opportunities for underrepresented founders? In this episode, Susan Hunt sits down with venture capitalist, former Obama Administration advisor, and ImpactX co-founder Eric Collins for a wide-ranging conversation on capital access, inclusive investing, AI-driven growth, and what happens behind the scenes in venture capital.  From living in Washington D.C.’s historic Watergate to advising the Small Business Administration, building venture-backed companies across the U.S. and UK, and presenting awards at Buckingham Palace, Eric shares rare insights on power, proximity, and how doing good and doing well can coexist. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Eric LinkedIn What does it really take to scale businesses, shift venture capital norms, and create opportunities for underrepresented founders?

In this episode, Susan Hunt sits down with venture capitalist, former Obama Administration advisor, and ImpactX co-founder Eric Collins for a wide-ranging conversation on capital access, inclusive investing, AI-driven growth, and what happens behind the scenes in venture capital. 

From living in Washington D.C.’s historic Watergate to advising the Small Business Administration, building venture-backed companies across the U.S. and UK, and presenting awards at Buckingham Palace, Eric shares rare insights on power, proximity, and how doing good and doing well can coexist.


Connect with Susan: 

LinkedIn

Website 

Connect with Eric

LinkedIn

]]> 2762 Leadership First in an AI-Driven World: Jack Meek on Culture, Change & the Future of Websites https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I’m joined by Jack Meek, former GoDaddy executive and founder & CEO of AI-centric CX. We explore what leadership-first culture really looks like, how great leaders build change readiness from the bottom up, and why traditional websites are rapidly losing relevance in an AI-driven world.  Jack shares practical insights on preparing organizations for AI adoption, managing digital reputation beyond SEO, and anticipating change instead of reacting to it. This is a must-listen conversation for leaders navigating transformation, AI, and the future of business. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Jack LinkedIn Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000 Leadership First in an AI-Driven World: Jack Meek on Culture, Change & the Future of Websites full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I’m joined by Jack Meek, former GoDaddy executive and founder & CEO of AI-centric CX. We explore what leadership-first culture really looks like, how great leaders build change readiness from the bottom up, and why traditional websites are rapidly losing relevance in an AI-driven world.  Jack shares practical insights on preparing organizations for AI adoption, managing digital reputation beyond SEO, and anticipating change instead of reacting to it. This is a must-listen conversation for leaders navigating transformation, AI, and the future of business. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website  Connect with Jack LinkedIn In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I’m joined by Jack Meek, former GoDaddy executive and founder & CEO of AI-centric CX. We explore what leadership-first culture really looks like, how great leaders build change readiness from the bottom up, and why traditional websites are rapidly losing relevance in an AI-driven world. 

Jack shares practical insights on preparing organizations for AI adoption, managing digital reputation beyond SEO, and anticipating change instead of reacting to it. This is a must-listen conversation for leaders navigating transformation, AI, and the future of business.

]]> 2169 Cybersecurity, AI and Power and DC: What Keeps Leaders Up at Night https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with Norma Krayem, a nationally recognized leader at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, and public policy. Drawing on her experience as a presidential appointee, senior federal executive, and trusted advisor to Fortune 100 CEOs and global leaders, Norma breaks down how cybersecurity and AI are actually viewed in Washington, and why the gap between technology and policy creates real national security risk.  From nation-state cyber threats to AI moving faster than regulation, this conversation reveals what leaders are worried about behind closed doors, how real policy progress still gets made in DC, and what it truly takes to stare down the bull in a high-stakes, hyper-partisan environment. Connect with Norma:  LinkedIn Van Scoyoc and Associates  Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000 Cybersecurity, AI and Power and DC: What Keeps Leaders Up at Night full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with Norma Krayem, a nationally recognized leader at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, and public policy. Drawing on her experience as a presidential appointee, senior federal executive, and trusted advisor to Fortune 100 CEOs and global leaders, Norma breaks down how cybersecurity and AI are actually viewed in Washington, and why the gap between technology and policy creates real national security risk.  From nation-state cyber threats to AI moving faster than regulation, this conversation reveals what leaders are worried about behind closed doors, how real policy progress still gets made in DC, and what it truly takes to stare down the bull in a high-stakes, hyper-partisan environment. Connect with Norma:  LinkedIn Van Scoyoc and Associates  Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Website In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, host Susan Hunt sits down with Norma Krayem, a nationally recognized leader at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, and public policy. Drawing on her experience as a presidential appointee, senior federal executive, and trusted advisor to Fortune 100 CEOs and global leaders, Norma breaks down how cybersecurity and AI are actually viewed in Washington, and why the gap between technology and policy creates real national security risk. 

From nation-state cyber threats to AI moving faster than regulation, this conversation reveals what leaders are worried about behind closed doors, how real policy progress still gets made in DC, and what it truly takes to stare down the bull in a high-stakes, hyper-partisan environment.

Connect with Norma: 

LinkedIn

Van Scoyoc and Associates 

Connect with Susan: 

LinkedIn

Website

]]> 2287 Stop Wasting Candidates’ Time: Shaun Hervey’s No-BS Fix for Hiring https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast Susan Hunt sits down with Shaun Hervey, founder of Arkham Talent and a brutally honest (and hilarious) voice in recruiting, to unpack why hiring gets so weird, especially in sales. Shaun shares how his comedy-first LinkedIn videos built a business, why leaders cling to outdated hiring “rules,” and what really needs to change: stop wasting candidates’ time and start having direct conversations. They also dig into the role of sales assessments, the reality of startup OTEs, why sales training has disappeared, and what AI may (and may not) replace in the sales process. Connect with Susan: LinkedIn Website Connect with Shaun LinkedIn Website Mon, 05 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000 Stop Wasting Candidates’ Time: Shaun Hervey’s No-BS Fix for Hiring full 1 Susan Hunt Susan Hunt sits down with Shaun Hervey, founder of Arkham Talent and a brutally honest (and hilarious) voice in recruiting, to unpack why hiring gets so weird, especially in sales. Shaun shares how his comedy-first LinkedIn videos built a business, why leaders cling to outdated hiring “rules,” and what really needs to change: stop wasting candidates’ time and start having direct conversations. They also dig into the role of sales assessments, the reality of startup OTEs, why sales training has disappeared, and what AI may (and may not) replace in the sales process. Connect with Susan: LinkedIn Website Connect with Shaun LinkedIn Website Susan Hunt sits down with Shaun Hervey, founder of Arkham Talent and a brutally honest (and hilarious) voice in recruiting, to unpack why hiring gets so weird, especially in sales. Shaun shares how his comedy-first LinkedIn videos built a business, why leaders cling to outdated hiring “rules,” and what really needs to change: stop wasting candidates’ time and start having direct conversations. They also dig into the role of sales assessments, the reality of startup OTEs, why sales training has disappeared, and what AI may (and may not) replace in the sales process.

Connect with Susan: LinkedIn Website Connect with Shaun LinkedIn Website

]]> 2359 Where Deals Are Won or Lost: A Chief Legal Officer’s Playbook for Sales Leaders https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast Susan Hunt is joined by Lauren Nardone, Chief Legal Officer at CB Insights, known as the “Velvet Hammer”, for a candid conversation about how sales and legal can work together to close deals faster and smarter. Drawing from years of enterprise SaaS and AI negotiations, Lauren shares why legal should be viewed as a strategic partner, not a deal blocker, when to bring legal into the deal cycle, and how trust, transparency, and shared ownership transform negotiations. This episode is a must-listen for sales leaders navigating complex, high-stakes deals. Connect with Lauren: LinkedIn CB Insights Connect with Susan: LinkedIn Surge Growth Consulting Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000 Where Deals Are Won or Lost: A Chief Legal Officer’s Playbook for Sales Leaders full 1 Susan Hunt Susan Hunt is joined by Lauren Nardone, Chief Legal Officer at CB Insights, known as the “Velvet Hammer”, for a candid conversation about how sales and legal can work together to close deals faster and smarter. Drawing from years of enterprise SaaS and AI negotiations, Lauren shares why legal should be viewed as a strategic partner, not a deal blocker, when to bring legal into the deal cycle, and how trust, transparency, and shared ownership transform negotiations. This episode is a must-listen for sales leaders navigating complex, high-stakes deals. Connect with Lauren: LinkedIn CB Insights Connect with Susan: LinkedIn Surge Growth Consulting Susan Hunt is joined by Lauren Nardone, Chief Legal Officer at CB Insights, known as the “Velvet Hammer”, for a candid conversation about how sales and legal can work together to close deals faster and smarter. Drawing from years of enterprise SaaS and AI negotiations, Lauren shares why legal should be viewed as a strategic partner, not a deal blocker, when to bring legal into the deal cycle, and how trust, transparency, and shared ownership transform negotiations. This episode is a must-listen for sales leaders navigating complex, high-stakes deals.

Connect with Lauren:

LinkedIn

CB Insights

Connect with Susan:

LinkedIn Surge Growth Consulting

]]> 1989 no Building AI That Actually Works: A Conversation with Joseph Hackman https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Joseph Hackman, founder and CEO of Permanence, former machine learning leader at Intel, and one of the sharpest engineering minds I know. We talked about his early start in coding at age six, his path through Intel and ASAP, how he built one of the strongest AI engineering teams in the industry, and why enterprise AI adoption keeps failing. Joseph shares where AI is headed, what’s hype vs. reality, and how Permanence is redefining what “quality” means in an AI-powered engineering world. Connect with Joseph: LinkedIn Website Connect with Susan: LinkedIn Surge Growth Consulting Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000 Building AI That Actually Works: A Conversation with Joseph Hackman full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Joseph Hackman, founder and CEO of Permanence, former machine learning leader at Intel, and one of the sharpest engineering minds I know. We talked about his early start in coding at age six, his path through Intel and ASAP, how he built one of the strongest AI engineering teams in the industry, and why enterprise AI adoption keeps failing. Joseph shares where AI is headed, what’s hype vs. reality, and how Permanence is redefining what “quality” means in an AI-powered engineering world. Connect with Joseph: LinkedIn Website Connect with Susan: LinkedIn Surge Growth Consulting In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Joseph Hackman, founder and CEO of Permanence, former machine learning leader at Intel, and one of the sharpest engineering minds I know.

We talked about his early start in coding at age six, his path through Intel and ASAP, how he built one of the strongest AI engineering teams in the industry, and why enterprise AI adoption keeps failing. Joseph shares where AI is headed, what’s hype vs. reality, and how Permanence is redefining what “quality” means in an AI-powered engineering world.

Connect with Joseph:

LinkedIn

Website

Connect with Susan:

LinkedIn

Surge Growth Consulting

]]> 1697 no Why Who’s in the Room Matters: Judy Spitz on AI, Bias & Breakthrough Tech https://surgegrowthconsulting.ai/podcast/ In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Dr. Judy Spitz, AI pioneer, former Verizon CIO, and founder of Breakthrough Tech. We explore Judy’s groundbreaking early work in speech recognition, her rise through the executive ranks, her leadership philosophy, and her mission to change the face of tech by unlocking opportunities for overlooked talent. We also dive into AI ethics, algorithmic bias, and why who’s in the room matters more than ever. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Surge Growth Consulting  Connect with Judy  LinkedIn Break Through Tech Mon, 01 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000 Why Who’s in the Room Matters: Judy Spitz on AI, Bias & Breakthrough Tech full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Dr. Judy Spitz, AI pioneer, former Verizon CIO, and founder of Breakthrough Tech. We explore Judy’s groundbreaking early work in speech recognition, her rise through the executive ranks, her leadership philosophy, and her mission to change the face of tech by unlocking opportunities for overlooked talent. We also dive into AI ethics, algorithmic bias, and why who’s in the room matters more than ever. Connect with Susan:  LinkedIn Surge Growth Consulting  Connect with Judy  LinkedIn Break Through Tech In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Dr. Judy Spitz, AI pioneer, former Verizon CIO, and founder of Breakthrough Tech. We explore Judy’s groundbreaking early work in speech recognition, her rise through the executive ranks, her leadership philosophy, and her mission to change the face of tech by unlocking opportunities for overlooked talent. We also dive into AI ethics, algorithmic bias, and why who’s in the room matters more than ever.

Connect with Susan: 

LinkedIn

Surge Growth Consulting 

Connect with Judy 

LinkedIn

Break Through Tech

]]> 2235 no From AI to Adversity: How Steve Chambers Redefined Innovation and Resilience In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Steve Chambers, an early pioneer in speech recognition, AI, and robotics, to explore how innovation, resilience, and reinvention shape both business and life. From scaling Nuance to a multibillion-dollar company to surviving cancer and earning his PhD at Harvard, Steve’s story is a powerful reflection on technology, transformation, and the human spirit. Episode Highlights: Culture drives success: Steve shares how aligning people and values fueled Nuance’s growth. Pioneering AI and SaaS: He reflects on the early evolution of speech recognition and subscription models. The future of robotics: Steve predicts a wave of emotionally intelligent robots built for real human connection. Resilience and reinvention: After surviving cancer, he’s focused on using AI to advance education and purpose-driven innovation.        Connect with Susan:       LinkedIn Website Connect with Steve:    LinkedIn Website Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:05:00 -0000 From AI to Adversity: How Steve Chambers Redefined Innovation and Resilience full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Steve Chambers, an early pioneer in speech recognition, AI, and robotics, to explore how innovation, resilience, and reinvention shape both business and life. From scaling Nuance to a multibillion-dollar company to surviving cancer and earning his PhD at Harvard, Steve’s story is a powerful reflection on technology, transformation, and the human spirit. Episode Highlights: Culture drives success: Steve shares how aligning people and values fueled Nuance’s growth. Pioneering AI and SaaS: He reflects on the early evolution of speech recognition and subscription models. The future of robotics: Steve predicts a wave of emotionally intelligent robots built for real human connection. Resilience and reinvention: After surviving cancer, he’s focused on using AI to advance education and purpose-driven innovation.        Connect with Susan:       LinkedIn Website Connect with Steve:    LinkedIn Website In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Steve Chambers, an early pioneer in speech recognition, AI, and robotics, to explore how innovation, resilience, and reinvention shape both business and life. From scaling Nuance to a multibillion-dollar company to surviving cancer and earning his PhD at Harvard, Steve’s story is a powerful reflection on technology, transformation, and the human spirit.

Episode Highlights:

  • Culture drives success: Steve shares how aligning people and values fueled Nuance’s growth.
  • Pioneering AI and SaaS: He reflects on the early evolution of speech recognition and subscription models.
  • The future of robotics: Steve predicts a wave of emotionally intelligent robots built for real human connection.
  • Resilience and reinvention: After surviving cancer, he’s focused on using AI to advance education and purpose-driven innovation.

       Connect with Susan:       LinkedIn Website Connect with Steve:    LinkedIn Website


]]> 1921 no Fearless Leadership: Susan Hunt on Speaking Up, Building Trust, and Staring Down the Bull In this special episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt switches seats as guest host Steve Chambers interviews her about the drive, resilience, and bold leadership that define her career. From her fearless start at Motorola to building lifelong professional relationships, Susan shares how she learned to “stare down the bull” in business, leadership, and life and why she’s determined to make space for women’s voices in tech and AI. We covered a lot of territory including: Why saying the thing everyone’s thinking but afraid to say can change the outcome of any meeting How building trust and genuine relationships opens doors that titles and roles can’t The importance of calling out corporate bullies and how to stand up for your team What it means to lead with both confidence and compassion Why women’s representation in AI and tech still has a long way to go Connect with Susan: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Website⁠ Connect with Steve: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Website⁠ Mon, 17 Nov 2025 09:55:00 -0000 Fearless Leadership: Susan Hunt on Speaking Up, Building Trust, and Staring Down the Bull full 1 Susan Hunt In this special episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt switches seats as guest host Steve Chambers interviews her about the drive, resilience, and bold leadership that define her career. From her fearless start at Motorola to building lifelong professional relationships, Susan shares how she learned to “stare down the bull” in business, leadership, and life and why she’s determined to make space for women’s voices in tech and AI. We covered a lot of territory including: Why saying the thing everyone’s thinking but afraid to say can change the outcome of any meeting How building trust and genuine relationships opens doors that titles and roles can’t The importance of calling out corporate bullies and how to stand up for your team What it means to lead with both confidence and compassion Why women’s representation in AI and tech still has a long way to go Connect with Susan: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Website⁠ Connect with Steve: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Website⁠ In this special episode of Stare Down the Bull, Susan Hunt switches seats as guest host Steve Chambers interviews her about the drive, resilience, and bold leadership that define her career. From her fearless start at Motorola to building lifelong professional relationships, Susan shares how she learned to “stare down the bull” in business, leadership, and life and why she’s determined to make space for women’s voices in tech and AI.

  • We covered a lot of territory including: Why saying the thing everyone’s thinking but afraid to say can change the outcome of any meeting
  • How building trust and genuine relationships opens doors that titles and roles can’t
  • The importance of calling out corporate bullies and how to stand up for your team
  • What it means to lead with both confidence and compassion
  • Why women’s representation in AI and tech still has a long way to go

Connect with Susan:

⁠LinkedIn⁠

⁠Website⁠

Connect with Steve:

⁠LinkedIn⁠

⁠Website⁠

]]> 1965 no How AI Has Developed From Early Stage to Today In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Blade Kotelly, MIT senior lecturer, innovation expert, and author of Is This My Home? A Puppy’s Journey. We trace the evolution of speech recognition from the early days of SpeechWorks to today’s AI explosion, explore how design thinking still shapes modern interfaces, and dive into Blade’s creative process blending human imagination with AI to bring a children’s story to life. My conversation with AI expert Blake Kotelly includes: Early voice-interface lessons still apply in today’s AI-driven world. Most students—and companies—underestimate the real potential of AI. True innovation blends problem understanding, emotional connection, and flawless execution. AI can amplify creativity when guided by human intuition and purpose. Connect with Blade: LinkedIn Website Is This My Home – Book Connect with Susan: LinkedIn Website Mon, 17 Nov 2025 09:50:00 -0000 How AI Has Developed From Early Stage to Today full 1 Susan Hunt In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Blade Kotelly, MIT senior lecturer, innovation expert, and author of Is This My Home? A Puppy’s Journey. We trace the evolution of speech recognition from the early days of SpeechWorks to today’s AI explosion, explore how design thinking still shapes modern interfaces, and dive into Blade’s creative process blending human imagination with AI to bring a children’s story to life. My conversation with AI expert Blake Kotelly includes: Early voice-interface lessons still apply in today’s AI-driven world. Most students—and companies—underestimate the real potential of AI. True innovation blends problem understanding, emotional connection, and flawless execution. AI can amplify creativity when guided by human intuition and purpose. Connect with Blade: LinkedIn Website Is This My Home – Book Connect with Susan: LinkedIn Website In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, I sit down with Blade Kotelly, MIT senior lecturer, innovation expert, and author of Is This My Home? A Puppy’s Journey. We trace the evolution of speech recognition from the early days of SpeechWorks to today’s AI explosion, explore how design thinking still shapes modern interfaces, and dive into Blade’s creative process blending human imagination with AI to bring a children’s story to life.


My conversation with AI expert Blake Kotelly includes:

  • Early voice-interface lessons still apply in today’s AI-driven world.
  • Most students—and companies—underestimate the real potential of AI.
  • True innovation blends problem understanding, emotional connection, and flawless execution.


]]> 1616 no Stare Down the Bull with Susan Hunt Stare Down the Bull with Susan Hunt is where innovation meets execution. Each episode dives into candid conversations with top leaders across AI, technology, and enterprise strategy, the people who aren’t just talking about transformation, but driving it. From navigating disruption to scaling smarter, Susan and her guests explore the real challenges behind modern leadership: leveraging AI without losing your edge, building resilient teams, and turning bold ideas into measurable results. If you’re a business leader ready to cut through the noise and lead with clarity in a world of complexity, this is your playbook. Mon, 10 Nov 2025 22:41:00 -0000 trailer Susan Hunt Stare Down the Bull with Susan Hunt is where innovation meets execution. Each episode dives into candid conversations with top leaders across AI, technology, and enterprise strategy, the people who aren’t just talking about transformation, but driving it. From navigating disruption to scaling smarter, Susan and her guests explore the real challenges behind modern leadership: leveraging AI without losing your edge, building resilient teams, and turning bold ideas into measurable results. If you’re a business leader ready to cut through the noise and lead with clarity in a world of complexity, this is your playbook. Stare Down the Bull with Susan Hunt is where innovation meets execution. Each episode dives into candid conversations with top leaders across AI, technology, and enterprise strategy, the people who aren’t just talking about transformation, but driving it.

From navigating disruption to scaling smarter, Susan and her guests explore the real challenges behind modern leadership: leveraging AI without losing your edge, building resilient teams, and turning bold ideas into measurable results.

If you’re a business leader ready to cut through the noise and lead with clarity in a world of complexity, this is your playbook.


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