PowerTalk
Welcome to another edition of PowerTalk
 
I’m your host Chris Versace, editor of the investment newsletter PowerTrend Profits. I’m also the  portfolio manager of the Thematic Growth Portfolio at Fabian Wealth Strategies, and these are my 1-1 conversations with the movers and shakers in the business world that take you behind the scenes and in the know. Be sure to check out ChrisVersace.com for more on PowerTrends and past editions of PowerTalk as we'll as FabianWealth.com for more on my Thematic Growth Portfolio.
 
Joining us this week is Bob Picciano, Senior Vice President of IBM’s Information and Analytics Group and we hit the ground running talking about Big Data. While many still think of IBM as a PC and cash register company, that couldn’t be further from the truth. 
 
As you’ll learn IBM has been transforming itself into a Big Data and Analytics powerhouse over the last few years and that investment is paying off. The combination of more than $24 billion invested to date to build IBM’s Bid Data capabilities through a combination of R&D initiatives and more than 30 acquisitions has led to better than 40,000 service engagements for IBM. 
 
The growth in Big Data recently led to IBM upsizing its 2015 revenue target to $20 billion. The original target was $16 billion, but IBM hit that in 2013. That should give you an idea of how fast Big Data is growing and how IBM is performing. 
 
If that’s not enough, what until you hear what Bob has to say…
Direct download: 03-25-14_IBMPOWERTALK_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:55pm EDT

Exploding Demand for Big Data and Analytics at Financial Services and Healthcare Companies
Welcome to another edition of PowerTalk. I’m your host Chris Versace, editor of the investment newsletter PowerTrend Profits. I’m also the  portfolio manager of the Thematic Growth Portfolio at Fabian Wealth Strategies, and these are my 1-1 conversations with the movers and shakers in the business world that take you behind the scenes and in the know. Be sure to check out ChrisVersace.com for more on PowerTrends and past editions of PowerTalk as we'll as FabianWealth.com for more on my Thematic Growth Portfolio.
 
If you are like me, from time to time you hear a bunch of terms being thrown about. So far in 2014, I’m hearing the words “big data," “analytics” and “the Internet of Things” thrown about and I bet you are too. 
 
Big data and analytics are helping a number of companies make faster, smarter decisions about how to run their businesses. 
 
Here are two examples of what I am talking about
 
  • Anheuser-Busch — the home of Budweiser beer —  recently conducted a massive data-analysis project better understand the sales tactics of its most successful beer sellers among its 40,000 US retailers.
  • Did you know that every day Coca-Cola downloads all of the crazy soda combinations that have been made that day with each of its Coca-Cola Freestyle machines. Why? To see which combinations could be worthy of becoming the next big beverage from Coca-Cola.
 
It’s not just beer and beverage companies that are using big data to make smarter decisions. In 2013 an executive survey by NewVantage Partners with leading Wall Street firms found that: 
  • 96% of executives reported having a Big Data initiative planned or in progress, 
  • 75% of executives cited the need for improved cost performance as the most important driver of Big Data investment.  
And yes, those financial services firms are seeing meaningful results from these initiatives. 
 
Joining me to talk about this is Sheila Dalton, founder of Big Data Company Gray Matter Analytics  a consulting firm that specializes on Big Data and analytics for the financial services and healthcare industries. I had a great conversation with Sheila because she tells it like it is, she even shares which companies she thinks are doing it right and which ones are going about it all wrong. Wait until you hear it, I bet you’ll be more than surprised. 
Direct download: 03-18-14_GRAYMATTERPOWERTALK.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:03am EDT

Privacy And Freedom in The Digital Age with Susan Morgan of GNI

 

Welcome to another edition of PowerTalk. I’m your host Chris Versace, editor of the investment newsletter PowerTrend Profits. I’m also the  portfolio manager of the Thematic Growth Portfolio at Fabian Wealth Strategies, and these are my 1-1 conversations with the movers and shakers in the business world that take you behind the scenes and in the know. Be sure to check out ChrisVersace.com for more on PowerTrends and past editions of PowerTalk as we'll as FabianWealth.com for more on my Thematic Growth Portfolio.

 

The Internet has led to many revolutions over the last few years and that’s particularly true in how we communicate and collaborate. It’s also shattered existing business models — just ask Barnes & Noble, Circuit City and practically any print newspaper you can still find. It’s also given rise to a number of freedoms - freedom of expression, freedom of information and so on. 

 

One of the potential drawbacks of explosive demand for connectivity and consumers desire for anytime, anywhere access is privacy. In other words, as we continue to shift toward an increasing digital society, there are concerns over privacy and your freedoms.

 

Joining me to talk on these issues as well as talk more about the Global Network Initiative (GNI) is Susan Morgan, the initiative’s executive director. As Executive Director, Susan is responsible for continuing to make GNI a leading voice in defending and promoting freedom of expression and privacy in the information and communications technology industry worldwide. With backers ranging from Google, Facebook, and Microsoft to Websense and Yahoo, GNI is in the thick of it.

 

Susan and I also talk about the once secret NSA surveillance programs that former contractor Edward Snowden allegedly leaked. As Susan points out, even the fiercest critics and staunchest defenders of national security surveillance seem to agree -  more transparency from the U.S. government is required.

Direct download: 03-11-14_GNIPOWERTALK.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:40pm EDT

Where mobile is headed with Liam Griffin of Skyworks Solutions
Welcome to another edition of PowerTalk. I’m your host Chris Versace, editor of the investment newsletter PowerTrend Profits and portfolio manager of the Thematic Growth Portfolio at Fabian Wealth Strategies, and these are my 1-1 conversations with the movers and shakers in the business world that take you behind the scenes and in the know. Be sure to check out ChrisVersace.com for more on PowerTrends and past editions of PowerTalk as we'll as FabianWealth.com for more on my Thematic Growth Portfolio.
 
A few weeks ago we had a great conversation with Bill Davidson of Qualcomm (QCOM), which served as a precursor of sorts to Mobile World Congress, the largest mobile trade show/industry event. It’s an annual event and tends to be chock full of new product announcements and key note speeches that give one the heads up as to what is coming. If you tuned into the Qualcomm PowerTalk, you got a great sneak peak. If you missed it, I have another conversation to share with you this week that I am sure will be as illuminating and insightful.
 
Joining me on PowerTalk this week is Liam Griffin, executive vice president and corporate general manager, responsible for all Skyworks’(SWKS) business units. That makes Liam a key person to talk with when it comes to mobile today and getting insight as to where it’s headed. 
 
From smartphones and tablets to smart locks and thermostats and monitoring applications to medical applications such as portable glucose meters that are a part of upcoming Connected Home and mHealth markets, Skyworks’s RF solutions are enabling these applications. The same can be said about wearables and the connected car markets, as well as the company’s customer basewhich includes the who’s who in connected devices.
 
During the December 2013 quarter alone, Skyworks earned new design wins across a number of diverse applications, including 
  • 802.11 solutions in set-top boxes, Blu-ray players and LED/4K TVs, 
  • RF subsystems for Ericsson for 4G LTE base stations, 
  • power management devices within Philips wearable technologies and health and wellness applications, 
  • connectivity ICs supporting Nests suite of smart home products, 
  • switch models in Belkins wireless home lighting solutions, 
  • envelope tracking solutions within multiple 4G LTE platforms and 
  • connectivity ICs in Fitbits smart scale and connected wristband fitness systems
That’s right, this PowerTalk is another soup to nuts conversation on where mobile is today and where it is going. That makes my PowerTalk with Liam a great way to close out Mobile World Congress and discuss what’s ahead for both mobile and connectivitybut also Skyworks.
Direct download: 03-04-14_SKYWORKSPOWERTALK.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:28pm EDT

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