Connecting Dots with Usama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! We all share the desire to contribute positively to our communities.While making a difference individually is meaningful, engaging in politics amplifies our impact. Today, we have the privilege of discussing the experiences and insights into political life with Yasir Naqvi - a Canadian politician, who has served as the member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre since the 2021 federal election, sitting as a Liberal. Viewing politics as a noble calling of public service rather than a mere career pursuit, Yasir reflects on the trajectory of his academic and professional journey that eventually led him into the realm of politics. In this candid conversation, he opens up about the highs and lows of his political endeavors, shedding light on the motivating factors that sustained him through challenges and debunking myths encountered along the way. Steering away from our usual discussions on business and technical subjects, this episode promises to be an engaging departure, and offers listeners an intriguing glimpse into the daily life of a politician. Whether you're a student of law or diplomacy, someone passionate about current affairs, or envision yourself spearheading an election campaign in the future, we invite you to tune in for an insightful and enjoyable conversation with Naqvi. Disclaimer: It's important to note that we maintain neutrality and are not affiliated with any particular political party. This conversation is intended purely for infotainment purposes. YouTube: https://youtu.be/P6AF1Zr5vVw Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! Leaders are generally expected to inspire and create a vision for their team or company, and unite people, processes and systems to enable that vision. On the contrary, engineers are typically more focused on creating products and services; taking ideas and making them into reality. However, there are a number of overlapping attributes and experiences that make engineers great business leaders. To bust this stereotype, we’ve invited Kevin Stoodley, who hails from an engineering background and gradually transitioned to become a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at IBM Z. In this episode, Kevin delves deeper into the role of a CTO at a company, which is critical in today’s age with new, potentially disruptive technologies surfacing increasingly. He also reflects on the traits of the teams that tend to thrive and survive longer in an organization; importance of client communication; as well as general hierarchy of different job roles within engineering.Amidst listening to all the job hopping stories around you, tune in to this episode to hear a different perspective of rather transitioning from a junior to an executive at a company. Hope Kevin’s plethora of professional advice and reflection on his remarkable career journey inspires you to make informative decisions about yours. YouTube: https://youtu.be/sXDGUAqUtFQ Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! Today, we are thrilled to welcome our guest, Vidya Krishnan, the Chief Learning Officer at Ericsson, who is steering the helm of the company's global learning and development team. Vidya's life story is nothing short of a mesmerizing odyssey - interwoven with the rich tapestry of diverse cultures, globe-trotting across coastlines, and her remarkable transition from the world of engineering networks to enhancing engineering employee experiences through the art of learning and development. Her life has been a continuous voyage of transitions, and the guiding star that has consistently illuminated her path is her desire for lifelong learning. In this episode, Vidya - a brilliant storyteller - paints a vivid picture of her life, transforming almost with every “G” of the telecom network. As she guides us through the chapters of her multifaceted career, she takes pride in declaring herself in the midst of her fourth professional evolution - a testament to her unwavering commitment, strong will, and yearning for continuous growth. And owing to her strong ambition, she hopes to have four more careers ahead of her! Vidya attributes her extraordinary success to her cherished support system, her loved ones, who have consistently provided the bedrock of her strength. She firmly subscribes to the belief that nurturing a learner and forging a leader is a collective effort. Furthermore, Vidya delivers a compelling message of resilience, encouraging our audience to never surrender and transform their mess into a message. For budding professionals fueled by a passion for learning and skill development and for executives dedicated to the cultivation of vibrant cultures, this episode is an absolute imperative. Vidya Krishan's narrative promises to leave you not only inspired and invigorated but also fully equipped to embark on your own exhilarating journey of lifelong growth. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMKHDBS0GLs Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! Most people grow up imagining a dream career that encompasses their passion, makes money, and doesn’t feel like, well, work. But then adulthood hits, and most people think that they arrived at their job because that’s how life unrolled for them, and now they feel stuck. If you feel like you’ve also gone down the wrong career path, it’s not too late to make a change. Our today’s guest, Clare Ashamallah, instills courage to break free from an unfulfilled career by sharing her journey when she transitioned from being a Solutions Architect to working in corporate communications and eventually making her way to be Head of Corporate Communications at Ericsson, Middle East & Africa. Besides comprehensively reflecting on a successful career transition, Clare also highlights the evolution in Human Resources, affecting talent acquisition and retention. She also discussed the millennial trend of swiftly bouncing from one company to another and if and when the idea can benefit an employee. An advocate of taking risks and experimentation, she fosters students and young professionals to make the right connections for their career paths. So if you’re thinking about entering the job market, making a career switch, or simply excelling in your current role, I hope that this conversation with Clare inspires curiosity, conviction, and courage in you that can help you shape a future self you will be proud of. Remember that there is no way of guaranteeing success, but not trying might leave you with regrets. YouTube: https://youtu.be/RE7Y4X8WcTQ Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! Do you remember the times when you wanted to download a movie to watch for a long plane ride? On a 3G network, it would take over an hour to download a Netflix movie. With 5G, that gets cut down to a few seconds. With 6G, you will download 142 hours of Netflix movies in just one second! As 5G is already being deployed worldwide, it is thus a great time to start talking about 6G. And who could reflect better on this cutting-edge technology than Marie Hogan - a 6G Portfolio Strategist, who has experienced the evolution from analog almost-walkie-talkies to virtualized network slices handling gigabits per second for single users. In this episode, Marie not only narrates the story of mobile generations but also connects her current role to the positions she had held in the past and the different technologies she worked with. As we were discussing advanced technologies, we also reflected on how Sweden has emerged as the innovation powerhouse despite being a small nation, and today it’s a hotbed for fields like sustainable technology, life sciences, healthcare, digitalization, and automation. While sharing some career advice, she accentuated the importance of having a sustainable routine to think clearly, achieve more, and do work that actually matters. So if you want to learn about the evolution of network technology or are curious how a 6G network would be sculpted, tune into this comprehensive conversation with Marie Hogan to get answers to your burning questions. Cheers to faster connectivity! YouTube: https://youtu.be/rZ9iWw-3lOE Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! We’d like to think that innovation comes from freewheeling chaos. Think again: it's an extreme order that begets breakthroughs in business. In fact, many of the innovations that have changed the world, including railroads, the Internet, and even language, only succeed because of standardization. Similarly, in the telecommunications industry, standardization through 3GPP has been vital to facilitate global connectivity, support millions of jobs, and generate a sizable proportion of global GDP. To reflect more on this topic, we have with us today a Germany-based Senior Standards Strategist for 3GPP/5GAA - Osaid Khaliq. For individuals and organizations thinking of standards as a necessary evil, Osaid bursts the myth by explaining the significance and the entire process of standardization. As we were hovering over the topic of innovation, we also managed to pull two weeds with one yank by asking Osaid about the process of filing patents. An expert in this field as well, he thoroughly explained the entire procedure. So if the light bulb above your head is glowing and you know that turning it into a marketable product can be a lucrative idea, tune into this episode where Osaid and I embark on an intellectual journey exploring innovation, standardization, and patents so you can transform your brightest idea into the next big innovation! Osaid's Socials:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/osaid-khaliq-57723142/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/MQtxiHi-x4M Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! The world is in the middle of a great digital transformation and leading telcos are also embracing digital disruption. From mobile edge computing to creating the next generation of Quantum Internet, and much else besides, telecommunication innovation can be seen everywhere. To dive deeper into how this industry can have a truly transformational impact, we have with us today Tatiana Zander – Director, Disruptive Technologies at Ericsson, US. In this episode, Tatiana demystifies her current role as a technology lead; and shares with us the way she drives innovation from prototype to minimum viable product. A believer in taking on challenges head-on, questioning the status quo, and staying persistent, Tatiana shares with us how she started her journey as a software engineer and climbed her way up the ladder in just a decade. So, if you are curious how the new disruptive technologies are creeping their way into the telecom industry or simply want motivation to overcome your challenges, this insightful conversation with Tatiana is a must-listen.  Tatiana's Socials:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatiana-zander/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/W1_UEnQjPJM Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! With the ‘‘Great Resignation’ spreading its tentacles worldwide, companies are beginning to realize the importance of workforce analytics and HR metrics to stem this tide of workers exiting their companies. To further connect the dots on the key performance indicators of HR in an organization, we have Zahid Mubarak with us today, who’s the founder and CEO of HR Metrics - an HR consulting and training firm based in Pakistan. Reflecting on his experience in the field of human resources, Zahid shares with us the way companies can retain and empower their workforce by tracking them through the valuable tool - HR metrics. He also debunks the myths and the brunt of rumors the human resources department usually faces in a company, and shares advice for someone looking for a career in this field. Zahid also highlights that in today’s competitive world, it is very important that individuals are able to find an edge over their competition by having a personal brand identity. So if you’re an employer looking for ways to better tackle recruitment and employee turnover or a professional curious to learn about the HR department and its evolution with analytics, look no further. This insightful conversation with Zahid will help you demystify yet another executive job title as well as enlighten you about the new trends in one of the highly integral departments in an organization. Happy Recruiting! Zahid's Socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zahid-mubarik-shrm-scp-sphri-gphr-5a1b672b/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/zahidmubarik YouTube: https://youtu.be/CzylZdlNLXo Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! As our dependence on technology grows, so does our vulnerability to cyber attacks. Therefore, businesses today are devoting an increasing amount of resources to detecting and preventing cybercrime; hence, resulting in an increasing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals. To reflect more about this booming field, we have today, Ali Hasnain Rizvi, CTO of ID Ware - identity and access management provider, based in Germany.  In this episode, Ali shares with us his transition from Pakistan to Germany, where the language, culture, norms, and expectations were very different from back home. Despite the barriers, he remained determined to integrate into the new country and kept growing in his career, which eventually landed him a C-Suite role. Besides his technical role, Ali also wears the hat of being a mentor for young students and entrepreneurs, guiding them regarding their business ideas and pitch. While sharing advice for early professionals, he stresses on the importance of staying ambitious and focused on the tasks at hand. So, whether you’re starting your career or seeking to change direction towards the field of cybersecurity, tune in for an insightful and lighthearted conversation with Ali.  YouTube: https://youtu.be/q9T28uJPDPg Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-hasnain-rizvi-b93720107/ Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! With an increasing emphasis on understanding customers, companies today are evolving from the traditional role of being product oriented to focusing on customer solution. While product marketing focus on product, and solution marketing is about marketing solutions, "portfolio marketing" is the term that captures “all of the above" - the product, solution, and industry. To better explain this full monty role, we have with us today Karen Biehl, who’s Head of Portfolio Marketing at Ericsson, Germany. In this episode, Karen walks us through her transition from the banking industry to telecom. As a strategy and product leader, she shares her passion for shifting the traditional industries from within and generating business impact. She also provides advice on adopting and exhibiting effective leadership qualities and being intentional in all our career moves. So if you’re curious to know about the shift in market focus or are looking to explore a career in portfolio marketing, tune into this comprehensive conversation with Karen Biehl to get more clarity regarding this all-encompassing role. Karen's Socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenbiehl/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/PsXWJELEhts Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! You would’ve noticed that the fifth generation mobile networking, 5G, is hotly anticipated these days. But how many generations back does your memory stretch? 4G, 3G? 2G, even? Today, we bring to you Paul Challenor - VP of Network Product Solutions for Ericsson North America, who has had the privilege of being on the cutting edge of all the new technologies and has experienced the evolution from analog almost-walkie-talkies to virtualized network slices handling gigabits per second for single users. In this episode, Paul not only marches us through the history of the five mobile generations but also connects his current role to the positions he had held in the past and the different technologies he worked with. He also talks about his global experience of working in the US, Canada, France, India, and the UK, while trying to maintain a healthy balance between work and life. So if you’re curious to know about the journey of network technology or are looking to explore a career in telecommunication, tune into this comprehensive conversation with Paul Challenor to get answers to your burning questions. Happy Connectivity! Paul's Socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/challoner/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/CeKQ8DusowE Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! Where you start out doesn't predict that's where you'll end up. All you need is the curiosity to explore, the vigor to network, and the ability to tell a great story to make a meaningful change. Having all these skills, our today’s guest - Sarah Collins, started her journey as an English and History major and has now successfully transitioned to be the Head of Customer Success at Fellow.app - meeting management software.  In this episode, we asked Sarah to tell us about her role in customer success, which is a relatively new role that has emerged with the movement toward subscription-based software models. She also reflects on the way her college years and previous work roles helped her acquire skills and land her current job in tech. Besides, we explored the company itself and how it’s to be working in a startup culture.  So, if you’re worried about pursuing a career unrelated to your college major, curious about working at a startup, or want to effectively manage your meetings, we hope that our lively and insightful conversation with Sarah would help answer your questions.  Sarah's Socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-collins-wong/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/yW0QlnYiHD0 Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! Leadership and management are perhaps the most important aspects of today’s professional world; they are also the key maxims taught in the military. To talk about leadership and digital transformation in defence, we have with us today Derek Dobson, who is a veteran and currently works as the Defence, Intelligence, and Federal Public Safety Leader at Microsoft Canada. Having transitioned from a military career in the UK and Canada to a corporate life, we ask Derek to discuss his time in the military, the code of conduct and managerial skills that he translated into civilian life, and the best practices in both defence forces and industry. Sharing his academic journey, he also talks about continuous learning and the value an MBA can add to someone’s professional odyssey. Also being a mentor to university students, Derek provides tips regarding drafting compelling personal statements in this episode. So if you’re looking to transition from combat to corporate life; want tips to nail your MBA application; learn to polish your leadership style; or simply want to know the prospects of a passport-free world, tune in for an insightful and lighthearted conversation with the expert himself. Derek's Socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekdobson1/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/F_O8ESfuVGw Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots! A mental blank during an exam. Missing a deadline. Losing a client sale. We all have been through moments of adversity that feel like absolute failures. But our today's guest, Craig DeMartino - an avid rock climber, shares his perspective that despite the magnitude of the challenge, having a strong mental fortitude is key.  In 2002, Craig’s life changed when he took a 100-foot ground fall. What could have ended someone’s motivation to live let alone pursue a climbing career, provided him with a new perspective to push his body to learn and re-learn the art of climbing. Since the day of his accident, Craig has inspired people - with disabilities and without - by sharing his positive vision.  In this episode, we go beyond demystifying what it's like to be a rock climber; we talk about his and his wife’s passion for climbing, his accident and recovery, the decision to amputate his leg, and embracing a new normal. Most importantly, Craig highlights that whether he’s helping other adaptive climbers reach their goals through coaching and instructing, or pursuing his own endeavors, he doesn’t see barriers, only adjustments.   As he shares his inspiring story, you’d feel that Craig's upbeat attitude and resilience are infectious. Hope this conversation empowers you to never let any barrier hinder achieving your personal and professional goals. Craig's Socials: Website: https://www.craigdemartino.com IG: @craigdem YouTube: https://youtu.be/tR9-tovPuR8 Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots (from a new studio)!    Markets, industries, and trends are constantly changing, becoming a complex and competitive landscape only worsened by ever-increasing digitalization and globalization. For many professionals, this means that their job competition is continually expanding, leaving many wondering how they can stand apart and stay on top of all these moving parts. To reflect on this issue, we have Mark Noonan with us, who is Vice Chair at Deloitte, Canada.    Also holding the role of Canadian Tax Clients industry and Strategy leader at Deloitte, Noonan has to deal with different industry sectors as well as multiple practices within the firm. To be able to stay abreast of the changing industry trends and perform his role effectively, he strongly advocates having a growth mindset. Therefore, in this episode, he accentuates taking ownership of your professional and personal development journey by making lifelong learning a priority.  Noonan further connects dots from his time at Carleton University and being inspired by his dad’s entrepreneurial spirit to eventually work towards becoming a lead partner at the Big 4. An admirer of his hometown, Ottawa, he shares with us how he has seen the city evolve over the years as well as his efforts to give back to the community.    So if you’re curious to know about Deloitte’s culture; landing a job or making a partner at a professional services firm; or are seeking to learn about the skills to thrive in today’s evolving world, we hope that you get your questions answered in our conversation with Mark Noonan. Cheers to lifelong learning!    Mark's Socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-noonan-0b179610/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/SPn8ubc6Dv4

Welcome to Connecting Dots!   To reflect on what makes working at Microsoft valuable, we have Rubia Latif from Seattle, US who shares with us her experience at the company as a Sr. Product Manager.   In this episode, Rubia reflects on her current role as well as the skills needed to be successful in this position. She also talks about the way Microsoft has provided her opportunities to work on exciting company-wide projects so she is able to grow horizontally. Besides her role as a product manager, Rubia mentions being actively involved in PWiC - a platform that helps Pakistani women connect, learn, and grow from each other; this way she is able to not only give back but the organization was a great support as she returned to the workforce after her maternal leave.    While you hear many people complaining about burnout and draining company culture, it was refreshing to hear a positive perspective as well.  Hope this conversation helps you give a clear outlook on the importance of a happy employee in a thriving work culture.    Rubia's Socials:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubia-latif-0b695019/  IG: rubia_latif YouTube: https://youtu.be/LpB-4rmzWu0 Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots!   While communication networks have traditionally been associated with infrastructure like towers and fiber, more and more telecom operators are moving off the ground and into the cloud. This application of cloud technology has attracted big tech giants to tap into the telecom industry as well. To further connect the dots on this recent disruption, we have Brian Kracik with us today, who’s the Head of Telecom Industry Marketing at Google Cloud.   Having started his career as a telecom engineer, Brian eventually transitioned to becoming a marketing executive in the same industry. A day that would have previously been occupied in terminal troubleshooting is now packed with high-impact meetings to make the upcoming Mobile World Conference ’23 – the largest and most influential connectivity event – a success. Besides sharing what his typical day looks like, Brian reflects on his current role and the skills needed to not only be successful in this position but to climb up the career ladder, in general. He particularly accentuates the importance of meaningful networking, and that it’s not only about trading information, but also serves as an avenue to create long-term professional relationships.  As he compassionately shares his journey and provides us with insights into the industry as well as advice on how to grow in it, Brian radiates a very positive vibe – a vibe of a natural leader and a mentor. Hope this insightful conversation helps you demystify yet another executive job title as well as enlightens you about the new industry trends and disruptions. Happy Connectivity!   Brian's Socials:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankracik/ Full Episode: https://youtu.be/luLiA96YIRc Support us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama

Welcome to Connecting Dots!   Ever wondered what the world would be like without technological development? Everything that people enjoy now and what they can do in a few minutes is attributed to research. Our today’s guest, Pernilla Bergmark, is a principal researcher of ICT sustainability impacts at Ericsson, Stockholm.   In this episode, Pernilla mentions the way her team explores various areas through assessments and methodology development, covering environmental aspects such as climate impact, planetary boundaries, and biodiversity, but also engaging in the wider sustainability area focusing on aspects such as the circular economy, smart sustainable cities, digital inclusion, and SDGs. She also shares with us the sustainability impacts of ICT and the role of digitalization in forming more sustainable industries and communities.    Hope this episode sparks your interest in learning more about research-related roles in your particular field of interest as well.   Pernilla's Socials:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pernilla-bergmark/ Full Episode:  https://youtu.be/RS-mBF-KFuw

Welcome to Connecting Dots,   From optimizing Google search rankings and LinkedIn recommendations to transforming all sectors, data science is surely the next big thing. Yet the terms “data science” and “data scientist” aren’t always easily understood, and are used to describe a wide range of data-related work. To demystify these terms for you, we have with us today, Aleena Taufiq -  a passionate data scientist at Verizon, TX.    In this episode, Aleena reflects on her current role, the skills needed to succeed in this position, and how her academic journey paved the way for her career. She shares how she had been fortunate to be dispensed with opportunities such as participating in competitions and presenting in front of companies' boards of directors. As a believer in giving it forward, Aleena started a non-profit organization, Geared Up, that brings engineering enrichment programs to underprivileged schools across the States.    Going the extra mile in her career, Aleena has accomplished a lot, and that too at a young age. Throughout the episode, you’d find her personality exuding dedication towards tech and hope this not only inspires us to dig more into this field but more importantly, it serves as a strong compeller for us to find a job we love as well.   Aleena's Socials:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaiza-qayyum-8a453824/  Twitter: @AleenaTaufiq  IG: @aleenataufiq  Geared Up: https://www.geared-up.org/meet-the-team   Geared Up (blog): https://blog.smu.edu/smumagazine/2018/02/aleena-taufiq-caswell-leaders/  Verizon's story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOn5KkG3lMg  Stem Story: https://www.1mwis.com/profiles/Aleena-Taufiq YouTube: https://youtu.be/pLNj_UeM0l4

Welcome to Connecting Dots!   In this episode, Stephanie connects the dots from doing side hustles as a college student to working for a startup, becoming the firm’s CEO, and holding her position in the top leadership as she switched companies. She not only exercised the traditional leadership of being at the top of the pyramid but is a believer in servant leadership, which allows her to share power and put the needs of others first.   Since Chief of Staff is a very all-encompassing role and Stephanie is a dynamic business leader, her advice to young professionals mainly focuses on broadening your skill set: it’s not just about focusing your energies on learning about one thing but it’s actually the right mix of complementary skills that make a group of people an effective team. She especially emphasizes the importance of interpersonal skills such as public speaking and seeing things through a positive lens. And if you’re worrying over how to make time for acquiring such skills, Rollis suggests replacing mindlessly scrolling through social media with some quality time for reading or understanding business financials. So, in case you were looking for a new year’s resolution, we’ve got that covered as well!  Stephanie's Socials:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanierollis/ TXO Systems: https://www.txo.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/3REvBHHcIAY Support Us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/musama