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Episodes
Monday Apr 14, 2025
Monday Apr 14, 2025
Mark Orttung has pulled off what many software companies fail to do - apply agile principles beyond software development. And the results are profound. With a career leading digital transformation at scale, Mark brings deep expertise in operational agility, leadership alignment, and business growth. In this episode, he joins Andy Hilliard and Rich Wanden to discuss how embracing agile thinking across an entire organization leads to faster decision-making, smarter scaling, and a culture of continuous improvement. He also breaks down the risks of ignoring agility in your own business, from leadership bottlenecks to stalled innovation.
To support our show please visit our sponsor:
Software Without Borders is delivered to you by Accelerance. Powering future-forward software outsourcing and project delivery solutions. https://www.accelerance.com
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Jesse Demmel, CTO of Uplight, is helping energy companies tackle grid challenges with smart devices and customer behavior. With a career spanning giants like Intuit and Under Armour, and as a contributor to Andy Hilliard's upcoming book Total Cost of Delivery, Jesse brings unique insight to today's conversation. In this episode, he joins Andy and Ryan to break down how to access specialized skills in distributed teams, inspire developers to take ownership of their products, and get your team to obsess over solving customer problems.
To support our show please visit our sponsor:
Software Without Borders is delivered to you by Accelerance. Powering future-forward software outsourcing and project delivery solutions. https://www.accelerance.com
Monday Mar 31, 2025
Monday Mar 31, 2025
Where you invest in technology today determines your company’s value tomorrow. In this episode, Andy Hilliard and Rich Wanden sit down with Pete Panagakis, a veteran technology leader with deep experience in software outsourcing, business transformation, and scaling global teams. Pete shares practical insights on how to make smart technology investments, avoid crippling technical debt, and strategically align IT with business goals to maximize valuation. Whether you're scaling a startup or preparing for an acquisition, this episode is packed with real-world advice on turning tech investments into business growth.
To support our show please visit our sponsor:
Software Without Borders is delivered to you by Accelerance. Powering future-forward software outsourcing and project delivery solutions. https://www.accelerance.com
Monday Mar 24, 2025
Monday Mar 24, 2025
How can leaders navigate the balance between agility, innovation, and accountability in modern software development? In this episode, Andy Hilliard and Olivier Poulard are joined by Darrell Swope, a seasoned technology leader with a track record in scaling high-performance teams and implementing agile methodologies. Darrell shares real-world insights on creating strong product roadmaps, fostering team alignment, and integrating customer feedback into the development process. If you're ready to turn vision into action and lead with clarity, tune in and subscribe for an episode packed with actionable strategies.
To support our show please visit our sponsor:
Software Without Borders is delivered to you by Accelerance. Powering future-forward software outsourcing and project delivery solutions. https://www.accelerance.com
Monday Mar 17, 2025
Monday Mar 17, 2025
Great software teams aren’t built by accident—they thrive under leaders who prioritize trust, simplicity, and agility. But how do you accomplish that in today's fast-paced global market? In this episode, Andy Hilliard and Olivier Poulard sit down with Jeff Andrews, a seasoned technology executive with over 30 years of experience in cloud, SaaS, and enterprise systems. Jeff shares practical lessons from his career with real examples of scaling global teams, promoting agile mindsets, and driving success through servant leadership. Forget the buzzwords—this episode is packed with actionable insights for leaders ready to make an impact.
To support our show please visit our sponsor:
Software Without Borders is delivered to you by Accelerance. Powering future-forward software outsourcing and project delivery solutions. https://www.accelerance.com
Monday Mar 10, 2025
Monday Mar 10, 2025
What sets successful tech startups apart in today’s competitive landscape? In this episode, Andy Hilliard and Ryan Schauer sit down with Howie Altman, a seasoned executive, tech entrepreneur, and Fractional CTO. Howie reveals the core principles behind thriving startups, from aligning technical strategies with business goals to building strong relationships and cultivating self-aware leadership. Learn how to navigate the challenges of scaling, embrace innovation, and create a team that will drive success.
To support our show please visit our sponsor:
Software Without Borders is delivered to you by Accelerance. Powering future-forward software outsourcing and project delivery solutions. https://www.accelerance.com
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Technical skills will only get you so far in modern software leadership. Trust, communication, and leadership are the real keys to success. In this episode Andy Hilliard and Olivier Poulard sit down with Tom Holt, a seasoned software executive and agile transformation expert. Tom explores the soft skills that truly define effective software leaders: fostering psychological safety, streamlining lines of communication, and leading distributed teams with intention. Discover how the right leadership mindset can transform teams, reduce complexity, and drive agile success in distributed teams. Don’t miss this insightful conversation—tune in and subscribe!
To support our show please visit our sponsor:
Software Without Borders is delivered to you by Accelerance. Powering future-forward software outsourcing and project delivery solutions. https://www.accelerance.com
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Digital transformation succeeds not by managing distance, but by mastering smart architecture. In this episode Andy Hilliard and Olivier Poulard talk with Bob Grogan, an experienced enterprise architect and technology leader. Bob dives into the critical role of design in driving digital transformation, the impact of AI on enterprise architecture, and how to align tech strategies with business goals. Discover how thoughtful architecture solves the challenges of distributed teams and fuels organizational success. Don’t miss this insightful conversation—tune in and subscribe!
To support our show please visit our sponsor:
Software Without Borders is delivered to you by Accelerance. Powering future-forward software outsourcing and project delivery solutions. https://www.accelerance.com
Monday Jan 27, 2025
Monday Jan 27, 2025
What if AI and robotics could make law enforcement not only safer but smarter and more ethical? In this episode Andy Hilliard and Olivier Poulard dive deep into this game-changing topic with Roman Grigorii, a software engineer at Axos and researcher with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Roman shares how innovations like computer vision and AI-powered transcription are currently transforming public safety in remarkable ways. Don’t miss this compelling look into the future of law enforcement technology. Tune in now and subscribe for more groundbreaking conversations!
To support our show please visit our sponsor:
Software Without Borders is delivered to you by Accelerance. Powering future-forward software outsourcing and project delivery solutions. https://www.accelerance.com
Monday Jan 13, 2025
Monday Jan 13, 2025
What happens when global teams break down cultural barriers and work as one? In this episode, we talk with Hema Ramaswamy, a seasoned tech leader and founder of Sunlit Live. Hema shares her multicultural journey from software engineer to a leadership role, explaining how she turned the challenges of managing multinational teams into strengths. She highlights the importance of a "one team" mindset, clear communication, and documenting processes to boost efficiency across time zones. Whether you're managing global talent or improving team dynamics, this episode is a must.
To support our show please visit our sponsor:
Software Without Borders is delivered to you by Accelerance. Powering future-forward software outsourcing and project delivery solutions. https://www.accelerance.com
Olivier Poulard
Chief Technology Officer, Accelerance\
As Chief Technology Officer at Accelerance, Olivier advises technology leaders on how to build, modernize, and scale high-performing software organizations across globally distributed teams. He brings more than 20 years of international leadership experience across digital product development, software engineering, program management, and offshore outsourcing at scale.
Olivier has led complex, mission-critical technology programs involving more than 2,100 software engineers and technologists across countries including Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ukraine, Russia, and India. His work focuses on helping companies improve how large software programs are organized, planned, contracted, governed, and executed.
Bilingual in English and French, Olivier holds a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering and Computer Science from ENSMA in France. He is also a patent holder, recipient of three major Agile awards, and has lived and worked across multiple countries, bringing a deeply global lens to conversations on software engineering, delivery quality, and distributed team performance.
Tomas Hilliard-Arce
Chief Strategy Officer, Accelerance
As Chief Strategy Officer at Accelerance, Tomas helps clients think through how to structure, scale, and optimize global software development strategies. He works with technology leaders to evaluate delivery models, identify the right software development partners, and build more effective approaches to distributed engineering, vendor governance, and AI-enabled software delivery.
As one of the leaders of the technology community Accelerance is cultivating, Tomas is closely tuned into the priorities, challenges, and opportunities facing today’s software and technology executives. He acts as a connector between CIOs, CTOs, engineering leaders, and top-tier software development firms around the world, helping facilitate conversations around modernization, delivery performance, global talent strategy, and the future of software engineering.
Before joining Accelerance, Tomas built a background spanning business strategy, technology consulting, and executive relationship development, including work with high-growth enterprise technology clients across the West Coast and California. He holds an MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business and received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University. Based in the Los Angeles area, Tomas brings a global and strategic perspective to conversations around software delivery, partner ecosystems, and AI-enabled engineering.