The Digital Executive

• Decentralizing Trust: Mike Miglio on Reinventing Insurance for the DeFi Era | Ep 1152

  In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas welcomes Mike Miglio, CEO and founder of DEIN, the decentralized marketplace transforming how risk and insurance function across the DeFi ecosystem. With a deep history in crypto law, blockchain protocols, and decentralized innovation, Mike brings firsthand insight into why insurance—at its core—is really about trust.Mike explains how DEIN aims to replace reputation-driven DeFi risk assessment with transparent, on-chain market dynamics. Instead of relying on hype, VCs, or exchange listings, DEIN enables users to “put their money where their mouth is,” allowing free-market underwriting to determine real-time pricing, utilization, and perceived trustworthiness of any protocol. Built on modular, multi-chain architecture spanning more than 150 networks, DEIN makes it possible to add coverage for new chains and assets within minutes.He also discusses the challenge of pricing risk in a rapidly evolving DeFi landscape—where only a decade of fragmented data exists—and how DEIN uses bonding-curve economics and siloed pools to maintain capital stability and underwriting discipline. As the platform scales globally, Mike shares how DEIN surfaces relevant risks based on wallet activity, ensuring users aren’t overwhelmed despite the platform’s massive coverage universe.Looking ahead, Mike outlines the milestones needed for decentralized insurance to reach mainstream adoption, from launching a true autonomous DAO to eventually expanding into life, property, and real-world asset insurance. His long-term vision: DEIN becoming the trust backbone for global risk, where thousands of daily claims are adjudicated by token holders who earn income participating in a fully decentralized insurance economy—empowering users, not intermediaries.A compelling discussion for anyone interested in DeFi, risk markets, blockchain governance, and the future of global insurance.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Reinventing Recruiting: David Windley on AI Agents, Human Judgment, and Future of Talent | Ep 1151

  In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with David Windley, CEO and Executive Chairman of HootRecruit, the AI-powered talent sourcing platform reshaping how companies find and engage top talent. With a distinguished HR leadership background at Yahoo and Microsoft, David brings decades of expertise to his mission: transforming recruiting through intelligent automation—without eliminating the human touch.David explains how advancements in AI inspired him to rethink traditional recruiting workflows as early as 2015, identifying opportunities where technology could dramatically accelerate sourcing while improving quality. He breaks down how HootRecruit’s full agentic AI platform instantly parses job descriptions, discovers matched candidates, and generates assessment insights—while recruiters remain firmly in control of final decisions.The conversation dives into how HootRecruit delivers 4x faster hiring and reduces time spent on manual sourcing by up to 95%, not by cutting corners but by shifting human effort to deeper, qualitative evaluation. David emphasizes that AI’s true value is its ability to handle massive, time-consuming tasks—freeing recruiters to focus on culture fit, engagement, and meaningful human judgment.David also shares his long-standing belief in flexible, outcome-based work. He predicts that recruiting technology will play a key role in enabling more inclusive, hybrid, and performance-focused workplace models—where what you deliver matters far more than where you sit.A thoughtful and energizing discussion for HR leaders, founders, and anyone curious about how AI and human expertise will shape the future of talent.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Rethinking Ads with Dr. Duane Varan | Ep1150

  In this episode of The Digital Executive, Brian Thomas welcomes Dr. Duane Varan, CEO of MediaScience and MediaPet, and one of the world’s most published researchers in advertising science. Dr. Varan shares the remarkable story of how a call from Disney unexpectedly pulled him from academia into commercial research—leading to the creation of the Disney Ad Innovation Lab and ultimately the rise of MediaScience as a global leader in audience measurement.Dr. Varan explains how neuro metric tools—skin conductance, heart rate, facial coding—reveal the real emotional story behind audience reactions, often contradicting traditional surveys. He highlights surprising findings from political debates, global campaigns, and cross-cultural studies, showing how unconscious responses drive far more than people admit.The conversation takes a critical turn as Dr. Varan warns about the industry’s growing reliance on unvalidated AI “attention scores,” calling them a major risk to decision-making and scientific rigor. He contrasts this with promising breakthroughs, including MediaPet’s ability to recreate big-budget ads with AI in hours—delivering the same impact as originals and transforming how brands test creative concepts.From ethics and transparency to the next decade of AI-driven creative development, Dr. Varan offers a candid, insightful look at the future of advertising and why the industry must balance innovation with evidence-based science.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Deleting Meeting Madness: Erik Braund’s Mission to Rebuild Human Connection at Work | Ep 1149

  In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Erik Braund, founder and CEO of Katmai—a groundbreaking virtual office platform designed to restore spontaneity, human connection, and real collaboration in the age of meeting overload.Erik shares his journey from music and video production to building one of the most innovative remote-work platforms on the market. He discusses how his creative background, love for hardware, and pandemic-era problem-solving led to Katmai’s radically different approach: a browser-based virtual workspace where face-to-face interactions feel natural, meetings shrink from 54 minutes to 14, and 90% of collaboration happens spontaneously—just like a real office.He breaks down the technical challenges behind Katmai’s unique video-driven avatars, why they built their own 3D engine, and how five years of working entirely inside their own product shaped its evolution. Erik also talks about the shift away from meeting recordings toward AI-powered summaries, the limitations of VR headsets for daily work, and why presence—not more tech—is the future of hybrid collaboration.If you're ready to rethink meetings, remote culture, and the future of work, this conversation offers a refreshing, human-centered roadmap to what comes next.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Daniel Burrus on Hard Trends & Future-Ready Leadership | Ep 1148

  In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas welcomes renowned futurist, bestselling author, and strategic advisor Daniel Burrus. As the creator of the Hard Trends methodology and the Anticipatory Organization model, Daniel teaches leaders how to predict disruption before it happens—and turn certainty into a competitive advantage.Daniel breaks down the power of distinguishing hard trends (future facts) from soft trends (assumptions), explaining how this clarity reduces uncertainty and empowers organizations to make bold, confident moves. He shares real-world examples, his global work with Fortune 500 executives, and the learning systems he’s developed to train teams to reliably identify and act on emerging trends.The conversation explores the difference between everyday innovation—pre-solving predictable problems—and exponential innovation, which enables organizations to become proactive disruptors rather than victims of disruption. Daniel emphasizes that trends only matter when paired with opportunity, creating a roadmap for growth, transformation, and strategic clarity.Looking ahead, Daniel highlights the most underestimated hard trend of the coming decade: the rising importance of trust in an era of generative AI and increasing disinformation. While technology accelerates, he argues, the enduring differentiator will be human relationships and trustworthiness.A powerful discussion for leaders seeking to anticipate change, align their organizations, and build a future grounded in both innovation and integrity.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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