Tech Talks

Latest Episodes:

When AI Drafts Your Contracts: Ryan Lisk on Trust, Risk & the Future of Law Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

“If you’re working to a cookie-cutter legal template, AI deserves to take your job.”

Ryan Lisk, Founder of Hybrid Legal

Ryan started Hybrid Legal at just 21 to make legal services plain-speaking, affordable, and human-centred for SMEs. Now, he’s confronting the sector’s biggest disruption: AI-drafted contracts.

In this episode, David Savage and Ryan explore:

Real cases where AI contracts went dangerously wrong
The difference between templates and true legal nuance
Why trust and accessibility must anchor legal innovation
The burnout crisis for junior lawyers—and whether AI helps or harms
Data privacy risks in large language models
The future skill lawyers may need most: prompting

This is a candid look at how the legal world can balance efficiency with integrity, and why the human element still matters when tech enters the courtroom.

Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠⁠

The AI Reality Check: Why Digital Foundations Still Matter Sep 12, 2025

Show notes

Are businesses really ready for AI, or just feeling the pressure to keep up?

In this episode, Nixon Hire CIO John Whitlow delivers a clear-eyed reality check. He explains why many organisations, especially SMEs, are still stuck in the foothills of digital transformation, struggling with basics like poor data quality (where up to 80% of data is useless).

We dig into:

Why AI hype often outpaces digital readiness
The soaring demand for AI skills vs. the lack of real training
Why AI strategy must be organisation-wide, not just IT
The role of leadership and DE&I in building high-performing teams
Hybrid working’s rebound and the business case for sustainability

John draws on his experience moving from fractional to permanent CIO, showing how human decisions and trade-offs shape tech success far more than flashy tools.

Listen in for a grounded perspective on what it really takes to make AI work.

Download your copy of the Digital Leadership Report here

The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠⁠

From 'Tuna Can Period' Scarcity to Hypergrowth: Bloq.It's Miha Jagodic on Building Green Logistics with Pragmatic Strategy Sep 10, 2025

Show notes

Today's guest Miha Jagodic, co-founder and CEO of Bloq.It, recounts the journey of transforming his startup from its challenging "tuna can period" (a time characterized by extremely limited resources and relentless early development efforts) into one of Europe's hottest and fastest-growing companies.

Bloq.It provides an end-to-end parcel locker solution, revolutionizing last-mile delivery by offering a convenient and cost-effective alternative to home delivery, which is particularly crucial for the booming e-commerce and second-hand marketplaces like Vinted and eBay. Miha emphasizes that this infrastructure significantly reduces CO2 emissions and courier miles, making the "green tech" aspect a vital and impactful part of their story.

Jagodic offers candid reflections on his personal evolution as a founder, moving from an initial "rookie" stage to a CEO leading a team of 350 people, a shift that has seen his role become more managerial yet strategically hands-on. He shares valuable advice for fellow entrepreneurs, stressing the importance of maintaining focus and consistency, directly addressing problems with his "pregnancy test" concept rather than letting them fester, and adopting a pragmatic approach to fundraising. This pragmatic approach means securing investment not out of dire need, but when it is convenient and practical to negotiate favorable terms. The discussion also explores the dynamics of the Portuguese tech ecosystem, the rising prominence and "superior" business practices of Eastern European tech hubs, and the evolving questions faced by hyper-growth startups from investors. So take a deep dive with us into the human decisions and real impact behind scaling a successful tech business, and "Make Tech Make Sense".

The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠⁠

Revolutionizing Indie Film: Christopher Lombardi's Vision for Generative AI in "Princess Halle and the Jester" Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, host David Savage chats with Christopher Lombardi, a filmmaker and practicing doctor, about his groundbreaking work on "Princess Halle and the Jester (director's cut)."

This film is described as the first fully generative AI-enhanced indie feature film. Lombardi explains how generative AI was leveraged not to create entire narratives from scratch, but to significantly enhance the film's environments, expand its scope, add digital crowds, and make the animation of digital creatures more fluid. This innovative hybrid approach allowed Lombardi to achieve a grander cinematic vision on an independent budget of around $150,000, for a film that would traditionally cost $40-50 million.

He discusses the opportunity this technology presents for indie filmmakers to tell bigger stories previously constrained by budget, while emphasizing the continued importance of human-driven storytelling and creative input.

The director's cut of "Princess Halle and the Jester" is expected to stream on Amazon Prime around October 1st.

The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠⁠

Britain's £44 Billion AI Future: Is Everyone Included? Sep 05, 2025

Show notes

Secretary of State Peter Kyle MP discusses Britain's record £44 billion AI investment, detailing a strategic vision to ensure the technology revolution empowers all parts of the country through infrastructure, widespread skills training, and a balanced approach to regulation, aiming for an inclusive 'Goldilocks moment' where creativity is the only limit.

The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠⁠

This Tech Founder Followed the Buddhist Path to Bring Mindfulness to Children Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

What does it take to teach mindfulness to children in a world full of digital distractions? This week, David Savage speaks with Yvonne Knap, founder of StarKid, a company dedicated to making meditation accessible for kids through engaging, puppet-based cartoons. Yvonne shares the profound inspiration from her studies with Buddhist monks in Thailand that led her to realize the direct impact mindfulness could have on young lives. She delves into StarKid's innovative approach to content creation, its commitment to scientific validation through partnerships with pediatric clinics, and her strategic decision to build StarKid as a "zebra startup"; a model that prioritizes the mission of destigmatizing mindfulness for children over the pursuit of a rapid, high-value exit. Discover how StarKid is creating lasting memory and emotional connection by focusing on repetition and real-world application of mindfulness techniques for the next generation.

The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠⁠

The CapCut for Music: Overtune's Blueprint for Creative Control Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

Host David Savage sits down with Overtune founder Sigi Arnason and investor Nick Gatfield to explore the democratization of music creation. Discover how Overtune aims to be the "CapCut for Music," empowering aspiring artists and content creators to produce and release high-quality music in minutes, even without technical expertise. The discussion unpacks the platform's assistive AI features, emphasizing user control and creative involvement over full automation, much like adding an "egg" to a cake mix to ensure personal input. This episode delves into the "human decisions" behind making music accessible to the 90% of people who previously couldn't translate their ideas into sound, showcasing a new workflow that prioritizes genuine creative expression.

The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠⁠

I Used to Change My Accent: Why Emotional Intelligence is Tech's New Power Skill Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

The tech industry often celebrates speed and disruption. But what happens when that pace overlooks the human element? Christina Lewis, a leader who navigated from higher education to scaling giants like Deliveroo and Bolt, shares a deeply personal truth: her initial instinct to change her Midlands accent to "fit in" to the London tech scene. This moment of personal adaptation forged her belief in the power of emotional intelligence (EQ). In this episode, we explore why EQ is now indispensable for everything from retaining female talent and building inclusive cultures to making critical decisions with real-world impact.

As AI reshapes our workplaces, Christina argues that our most human skills—empathy, active listening, and understanding nuance—are tech's next great advantage. Join us as we challenge assumptions about leadership and reveal how leaning into our full, authentic selves makes tech truly make sense.

The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠⁠

AI's Real Challenge: Why Friction Points Trump 'Transformation' Strategy Aug 27, 2025

Show notes

Organizations are under immense pressure to adopt AI, yet many are missing the mark. In this episode, Daemon's Chief Growth Officer Kyle Hauptfleisch cuts through the buzzwords, revealing why the relentless evolution of AI demands a shift from nebulous "AI strategies" to a laser focus on business friction points.

He explains how boards are underestimating the blistering pace of change, the critical shift for humans from "instrument players" to "conductors" in the AI loop, and the often-overlooked process constraints that truly derail value creation.This description opens with an organizational tension (pressure vs. missing the mark), immediately introducing the core challenge. It then unpacks the strategic stakes, emphasizing the human-centred and substantive insights from the conversation without rehashing generic points.

The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠⁠

Sustainable Digital Advertising: Reducing Waste and Carbon Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

Brian O’Kelley, founder of Scope3, joins Tech Talks to reveal the hidden environmental and financial cost of digital advertising and AI. He explains how wasteful ads drive billions in losses and millions of tonnes of CO2, why data centers are such an energy drain, and how cutting digital waste can be both good for business and the planet.

To watch the Tech Flix film this conversation featured in, head to YouTube via this link.

The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠⁠