VistaTalks

Holiday Special – VistaTalks Ep 185

Join us for a lively holiday special featuring hosts Simon Hodgkins and María Roa. It was a year shaped by rapid developments in AI, bold movement in branding and marketing, and powerful personal stories from business and sport. The episode served as both a celebration and a reflection, taking listeners through some of the most compelling conversations of the past twelve months. The holiday special brought all of that energy together in one thoughtful recap.00:00 - Holiday intro and year-in-review overview01:42 - AI in healthcare and human compassion05:13 - AI bias, skin tone representation, and ethical data08:39 - Bold and rebellious branding in crowded digital markets12:52 - Global brands, culture, and localization16:53 - From elite swimmer to Head of Marketing22:08 - Travel intelligence, trust, and the future of global travelAbout VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Choosing the Right Global Partner at Every Stage with Giulia Greco – VistaTalks Ep 184

In this episode of VistaTalks, Host Simon Hodgkins sits down with Giulia Greco, founder of Giulia Greco Consulting and Globalization Consultant at Nimdzi Insights, to unpack the evolving landscape of international expansion, localization strategy, and the role of AI in shaping the future of global business. Drawing on her rich experience leading localization at Shopify and consulting for global clients, Giulia offers a refreshingly candid and insightful perspective on what it takes to succeed in going global today.Stay Open, Stay CuriousGiulia leaves listeners with a powerful piece of advice:"It's important to remain open and adaptable… Clinging to the past and the way things were is not a recipe for success."In a world where technology, culture, and work dynamics are constantly evolving, the most resilient professionals and companies will be those who stay curious, willing to learn, and open to experimentation.Giulia Greco offers more than just technical expertise in localization; she brings strategic vision, human insight, and refreshing candor to an increasingly complex and fast-moving field. Whether you're a startup looking to go global or a multinational navigating compliance and AI disruption, her message is clear: localization isn't just a support function. Done right, it's a driver of growth, connection, and long-term success.00:00 - Giulia Greco - VistaTalks Ep 18401:26 - From Burnout to Business: Why Giulia Started Consulting04:03 - Localization ≠ Translation: A Broader Globalization Mindset08:13 - Strategic Blind Spots in Global Expansion12:54 - Content as Product: Prioritization & Market Strategy17:09 - What Real Localization Success Looks Like18:43 - Bill 96 and Compliance as a Growth Opportunity30:21 - AI in Localization: Tools, Tradeoffs, and TransformationAbout VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Why High-Quality Labeled Data Matters in Healthcare AI with Jill Goldsberry - VistaTalks Ep 183

Jill Goldsberry, Go-To-Market AI Senior Solutions Consultant at Centaur Labs, is in conversation with Host Simon Hodgkins on this episode of VistaTalks. The conversation explored how AI is transforming healthcare, why high-quality labeled data is the foundation of reliable models, and how Centaur Labs is helping organizations overcome some of the most pressing challenges in this space.00:00 - Jill Goldsberry - VistaTalks Ep 18301:31 - Jill’s role at Centaur Labs and why labeled data is essential03:19 - How Centaur integrates into complex healthcare workflows04:52 - Common misconceptions about data annotation in healthcare06:36 - Centaur’s mobile platform, gamification, and expert contributors09:07 - Real-world use cases, from sleep tracking to Microsoft Research projects11:33 - Tackling challenging data types like surgical video, ECGs, and lung sounds13:12 - Building trust, compliance, and regulatory readiness in healthcare AI15:38 - Emerging trends: dynamic datasets and human-AI collaborationAbout VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Building Global Brands and Startups with Trish Butler - VistaTalks Ep 182

Trish Butler has held senior marketing roles at household names such as B&Q, Screwfix, McCann, and the Taxback Group (now CluneTech). These roles gave her a front-row seat to the challenges of scaling international brands, managing multiple markets, and aligning teams around shared values and goals. Host Simon Hodgkins catches up with Trish Butler, Portfolio CMO, on this episode of VistaTalks.Key TakeawaysTrish closed the conversation with a message every business leader should remember: keep it simple. Focus on clarity, consistency, and delivering on your promise every time. Growth comes not from complexity, but from clear communication, strong culture, and customer-centric thinking.00:00 - Trish Butler - VistaTalks Ep 18201:26 - Building Brands in High-Growth Startups07:02 - Lessons from Leading Multiple Brands10:33 - Scaling Brands Effectively16:24 - The Role of AI in Marketing21:32 - Culture, Communication, and Alignment26:00 - Go-To-Market Strategies That Work (and Fail)31:50 - Leading Global Teams and Key TakeawaysAbout VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Brand Global, Adapt Local with Katherine Melchior Ray - VistaTalks Ep 181

Katherine Melchior Ray, Faculty Member and Lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, President of Global Ally, keynote speaker, and author, joins Host Simon Hodgkins for a conversation on how brands expand globally without losing authenticity. From San Francisco's multicultural roots to luxury, hospitality, beauty, and tech, Katherine's career is a masterclass in bridging cultures, building trust, and staying just a half step ahead of the market, not a leap too far.From San Francisco's "Little Worlds" to a Global CareerKatherine grew up in cosmopolitan San Francisco, with its espresso-fueled Little Italy, vibrant Chinatown, and the Mission's Latino heart, while attending French schools and living in a cross-cultural home. That lived diversity became the foundation for a career spent connecting people, markets, and meaning. She later worked and lived in France and Japan, speaks both languages, and has led teams across industries at iconic brands including Nike, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hyatt, and Shiseido, before moving into tech and teaching at Berkeley Haas.00:00 - Katherine Melchior Ray - VistaTalks Ep 18101:02 - San Francisco roots & a cross-cultural upbringing04:43 - Cultural intelligence: definition and why it matters08:52 - Japan vs. France: when “basics” aren’t basic12:55 - Kit Kat’s “freedom within a framework” playbook18:55 - Building trust across global teams27:34 - Lessons from Nike, Hyatt, Shiseido & tech34:03 - AI’s promise, context gap, and brand valuesAbout VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks