Tech for Non-Techies

Jennifer Byrne studied Psychology at university and went on to become the Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft US. Listen to this episode to learn how this liberal arts graduate transitioned into tech and became one of the most senior people in the industry.  Learning notes from this episode: "You have to understand the difference between acquiring digital context versus digital fluency. Context means seeing the bigger picture of how things connect together, but not necessarily understanding the detail," says Jennifer. Jennifer says that it is impossible to know everything about technology, even when you are at the top. Instead, she says understand the broad context of how tech products get made and do deep dives into areas that interest you. As a CTO you have to think strategically: what problem are we solving? How can technology be applied to this problem?  Good CTOs must connect technology strategy to drive business decisions. Follow Jennifer Byrne on LinkedIn. Get the Black Friday offer: 6 months free Tech for Non-Techies membership when you sign up for an annual subscription. This is only available to the first 6 people who sign up.  As a Tech for Non-Techies member, you'll get: Monthly coaching with Sophia Matveeva Live masterclasses with global experts Supportive Online Community Library of masterclasses from Harvard professors, Y Combinator alumni, tech investors and digital leaders to watch on demand Exclusive Resources & Perks There are only 6 Black Friday memberships available. Grab yours here.  Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter. 

Lots of smart people want to transition into careers in tech, but don’t know how to get started. If that sounds like you, then listen to how Alexandra Soroko went from finance to tech leadership. Today, Alexandra is Head of Merchant Sales at Visa in France, and connects fintech companies, banks and Visa’s technologies to help some of the world’s largest companies process payments. In her role, she combines tech knowledge, marketing and finance skills. She started her career at JP Morgan, but didn’t let her lack of tech skills stop her. Learning notes from this episode: “You don’t need to be an engineer, but you need a willingness to understand what lies beneath the surface if you want to succeed in a tech business,” says Alexandra "If we don't have a vision, life just happens to us," says Alexandra. Before embarking on a transition into tech, think about your values and what you want from your next role. Alexandra’s six desires for her dream job were: market leading brand, growing tech market, a leadership position, balanced work schedule and international company. What do key attributes do you want your dream job to have? Learn the language of tech and combine that with building your network with people and companies that recruit for the job you want.    If you want to transition into a career in tech, then apply for Sophia's How To Break Into A Career In Tech program. In this program, you will learn you what you really need to know about tech to succeed as a non-technical professional, and work with Sophia to create a tailored career action plan, and get her support throughout your journey.  APPLY HERE Join the Tech for Non-Techies membership community. As a community member, you'll get: Monthly coaching with Sophia Matveeva Live masterclasses with global experts Supportive Online Community Library of masterclasses Exclusive Resources & Perks Learn more and sign up at https://www.techfornontechies.co/membership   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter. 

The number of technology oriented jobs is predicted to rise to 190 million in 2025, according to Microsoft. But, if you're a non-techie, how do you get in on that? In this episode, you'll hear how three people transitioned into successful careers and tech, and learn how to apply their tactics to your career transformation. Learning notes from this episode: To succeed in tech as a non-techie, you need to learn core technology concepts and understand how they translate to business outcomes and user needs. You do not need to retrain as a coder. There are more ways to be part of the tech boom than you think. For example, if you're a marketing expert, you could run a marketing company, which only serves tech clients.  Transitions into tech often have an interim step, like volunteering for a start-up or helping a product team do user feedback. You can use this interim step to build your network, learn about new opportunities and add a tech position to your LinkedIn profile. Listen to learn how Oksana Stowe transitioned into venture capital; how Juliet Eysenck used her journalism experience to get into product management; how Vikas Singh used his obsession with running to launch  apps as a non-technical founder, and how Ronan Walsh combines marketing nous and tech knowledge to serve his SaaS clients. If you want to take your career transition into tech from aspiration to reality, apply for Sophia's How To Break Into A Career In Tech program. We will screen applications and if we believe our program can help you, you will get a link to a free consultation call with Sophia.  APPLY HERE   Listen here on Apple Podcasts.  Listen here on Spotify. Join the Tech for Non-Techies membership community. As a community member, you'll get: Monthly coaching with Sophia Matveeva Live masterclasses with global experts Supportive Online Community Library of masterclasses Exclusive Resources & Perks Learn more and sign up at https://www.techfornontechies.co/membership   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter.   

Consumer facing tech businesses like Uber aren’t just competing with other firms that provide a similar service. They’re competing with everything that vies for your attention. This is why B2C tech businesses tend to be more innovative, better at design thinking and take inspiration from a wider pool than their enterprise tech counterparts. Learning notes: The Attention Economy refers to products which compete for consumers’ attention, which widens the competitive landscape exponentially. Uber isn’t just competing with Lyft, or your feet. Going out competes with staying in, so sometimes you’re choosing between an Uber to a party or Tindering at home. Smart B2B companies are taking inspiration from consumer innovation. The innovation team at Barclays asked if Domino’s Pizza could track customer orders, why couldn’t Barclays could keep borrowers up to date with the progress of their loans?   If you’re working on a B2B business, learn from consumer companies. Study the UX design on Bumble. Learn about effective algorithms from TikTok, understand what product managers do at Facebook. Get the FREE GUIDE to how the most successful companies approach innovation (and how that applies to your business and life here: The Pragmatist’s Guide To Innovation (in business & in life)   Join the Tech for Non-Techies membership community. As a community member, you'll get: Monthly coaching with Sophia Matveeva Live masterclasses with global experts Supportive Online Community Library of masterclasses Exclusive Resources & Perks Learn more and sign up at https://www.techfornontechies.co/membership   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter. 

95% of new products fail, according to Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen. But, usually this isn't because they are badly made, but because they don't solve the right problem. Before you delve into product development, define the problem you are solving. In this episode, you'll learn from Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg, author of What's Your Problem and Innovation As Usual, about how to reframe problem solving in business and in life. Learning notes: Non-techies can play an important role on product teams by being focussed on the problem they are solving, because they are less likely to get stuck in the weeds of building. Not all problem solving needs fancy technology. Often, small changes in design can have a big impact, at a much lower cost.  Being focussed on the problem is vital at the start of product development, and as your product matures. Keep analysing how people use it to see if you're still solving the right problem. To learn key technology concepts you need to succeed in the innovation economy, join tomorrow's FREE session, on 28 October 12 pm EST / 5 pm BST: How To Speak Tech: Masterclass For Leaders Join the Tech for Non-Techies membership community. As a community member, you'll get: Monthly coaching with Sophia Matveeva Live masterclasses with global experts Supportive Online Community Library of masterclasses Exclusive Resources & Perks Learn more and sign up at https://www.techfornontechies.co/membership   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter. 

Working in innovation at a large company can be a great way to join the tech boom for non-techies. But what do you do when you get there?  Innovation leaders have a wide range of backgrounds. Some have deep tech expertise, and others are marketing pros. The innovation path a company has chosen determines the background of the person who'll lead it. Learning notes:  There are 6 paths to innovation: private, public, incremental, breakthrough, product and process. Breakthrough innovation is when a company asks itself: we need to do something completely different. What is that thing? How do we do it? Public innovation is tied to marketing and how customers see the brand. Private innovation doesn't leave the company's walls until it is ready to be commercialised and often comes with patent protection (think biotech businesses). If you want to learn more about the paths to innovation and how to apply them to business and life, get Sophia's e-book: Innovate, but how? The practical pragmatist's guide to growth (in business & in life)   Do you have a brilliant app idea and no tech knowledge to build it? Get your FREE guide here.   Join the Tech for Non-Techies membership community. As a community member, you'll get: Monthly coaching with Sophia Matveeva Live masterclasses with global experts Supportive Online Community Library of masterclasses Exclusive Resources & Perks Learn more and sign up at https://www.techfornontechies.co/membership   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter. 

What’s technology for? Tech products can make our lives better and make businesses a lot of money. But, without a focus on the user and on the business, technology is an academic project at best, or just an expensive hobby. In this episode, you’ll hear from Elisabeth Bohlmann, VP of strategy at December Labs, a product and development studio that works with corporates like Google, and start-ups to validate ideas and build products. Learning notes from this episode: If you don't have a technical background, learning from other people who are succeeding in tech but aren't techies, is often the best way to learn. They can anticipate your questions and mistakes much better than someone who has been coding since they were 8. Before hiring developers, always validate your ideas and create a prototype with designers. Design thinking is central to tech. Whether you're working in a start-up or a corporate, think about business needs first and then find out how technology can meet them.  Say hi to Elisabeth Bohlmann here. If you don't have a technical background and want to hire product teams, get Sophia's e-book on How To Hire Product Teams: a guide for non-technical founders.   ... Do you have a brilliant app idea and no tech knowledge to build it? Get your FREE guide here.   Join the Tech for Non-Techies membership community. As a community member, you'll get: Monthly coaching with Sophia Matveeva Live masterclasses with global experts Supportive Online Community Library of masterclasses Exclusive Resources & Perks Learn more and sign up at https://www.techfornontechies.co/membership   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter. 

Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, and Ben Horowitz, the co-founder of VC fund A16Z, both started their careers as Product Managers (PMs). PMs rise to leadership positions in the tech sector, because the job combines user perspectives, business needs and technological capabilities.  Whatever you want to do in the tech sector, learning how product managers think will help you succeed. Learning notes: A product is a solution to a problem somebody is experiencing. Good product managers always focus on the user and the problem. Product Managers lead developers, marketers and designers, but rarely know how to do all those jobs themselves.  To lead the team successfully, product managers set product goals. This means telling the team where to go, not how to get there. To get into product management, learn a bit, do a bit. Taking courses is useful, but make sure to also participate in making a product. You can get involved in product management by volunteering with a start-up, helping a product team with user research or making a simple product using no-code apps.     To download Sophia's guide on the top resources, books and podcasts on Product Management, click here.  ... Do you have a brilliant app idea and no tech knowledge to build it? Get your FREE guide here.   Join the Tech for Non-Techies membership community. As a community member, you'll get: Monthly coaching with Sophia Matveeva Live masterclasses with global experts Mini-course on how to go from idea to live app Supportive Online Community Library of masterclasses Exclusive Resources & Perks Learn more and sign up at https://www.techfornontechies.co/membership   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter.        Photo by Leon on Unsplash

You’ve probably heard the term cloud computing, but like most non-techies, you’re not sure what it means. In this episode, you’ll learn what it is and how businesses use it to solve problems. You’ll learn from DJ Johnson, who works at Microsoft Azure. DJ started his career as an NBA player and transitioned into a career in tech. Learning notes from this episode: Cloud computing allows businesses to rent space to store data. Previously, companies had to store data on their own servers, which was much more expensive. The two biggest players in cloud computing are Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. As a non-techie, first identify business problems and then see if technology can fix them. For example, during Covid when suddenly many people ended up working from home, one of DJ’s clients suffered from major time lags in their communications. Their internal messenger service was taking 3 days to deliver a message! This was making customers and employees frustrated and unhappy. The business and user facing side identified the problem, and then the product and technology side fixed it. Get in touch with DJ Johnson here.   If you want to build a tech business, but don't have a technical background, then join Break Into Tech: Masterclass For Non-Technical Founders here.    ... Do you have a brilliant app idea and no tech knowledge to build it? Get your FREE guide here.   To watch the full session on video and access learning notes, join the Tech for Non-Techies membership community. As a community member, you'll get: Weekly live masterclasses with global experts Mini-course on how to go from idea to live app Supportive Online Community Library of masterclasses Monthly live coaching with Sophia Matveeva, tech entrepreneur & Chicago Booth MBA Exclusive Resources & Perks Learn more and sign up at https://www.techfornontechies.co/membership   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter. 

Many investors view non-technical founders as more risky. Sometimes this is plain silly, but there are legitimate investor concerns that non-techie founders will make costly mistakes that technical founders will not. The answer is not to learn to build the product with your bare hands, but to know enough about tech to have a product strategy and relate it to business goals.  Learning notes from this episode: “You can be the ripest juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches,” - Dita von Teese. Some investors don't invest in non-technical founders and they never will. There are plenty of those who do. Spend your time on them. Learn how to connect product metrics to business metrics, for example how does user engagement relate to revenue or fundraising goals? Understand key tech concepts to make the right hires and set the right goals, but you do not have to retrain to become a coder yourself. Plenty of non-technical founders have raised millions and built successful tech businesses. You can hear them on this podcast. Learn from Alexandra Zubko, who has built a global SaaS business called Triptease with two other non-technical founders, and raised $28 million to date. Hear from Robyn Exton, a non-technical founder and Y Combinator alumna, who has built HER, a dating community for queer women.  Listen to Tech for Non-Techies episodes with non-technical founders who have built AI businesses, content platforms and marketplaces, and have been backed by VCs and angel investors.   If you want to buid a tech business, but don't have a technical background, then join Break Into Tech: Masterclass For Non-Technical Founders here.    Do you have a brilliant app idea and no tech knowledge to build it? Get your FREE guide here.   To watch the full session on video and access learning notes, join the Tech for Non-Techies membership community. As a community member, you'll get: Weekly live masterclasses with global experts Mini-course on how to go from idea to live app Supportive Online Community Library of masterclasses Monthly live coaching with Sophia Matveeva, tech entrepreneur & Chicago Booth MBA Exclusive Resources & Perks Learn more and sign up at https://www.techfornontechies.co/membership   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter.