In this episode of Future Forward, we're delighted to be joined by Shawn Ahmed, Chief Product Officer at Cloudbees, a company that's transforming how DevOps teams build, deploy, and scale software.

We dive into Cloudbees' groundbreaking new platform, Unify a true game-changer for the DevOps community. Shawn shares the vision behind Unify and how it empowers developers with greater autonomy while giving enterprises the governance and oversight they need. We explore the critical balance between developer freedom and enterprise control, and why getting this right is essential for driving innovation, speed, and security.

You'll hear how Cloudbees is removing the complexity from cloud operations, how developer needs are evolving, and what lies ahead for platform engineering.

Shawn also offers practical advice for companies scaling their DevOps strategies.

Whether you're a CTO, a platform engineer, or a developer this episode is worth a listen!

Visit cloudbees here: https://www.cloudbees.com/

Visit Shawn's Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnahmed/

Visit Nick's Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ndkjobs/

Are we entering the 'bet on yourself' economy?

In this episode of Future Forward, we speak with serial entrepreneur Alex Smereczniak, co-founder and CEO of Franzy, a platform reshaping how aspiring entrepreneurs discover and acquire franchises.

Alex shares his journey from raising $33 million to scale his previous venture, 2ULaundry, to launching Franzy an idea born out of frustration with outdated, expensive franchise brokerage models. Throughout the conversation, Alex reflects on the differences between the startup and corporate worlds, highlighting why he’s always been drawn to the energy, pace, and purpose of building from the ground up.

We discuss how Franzy uses AI to make franchise exploration smarter and more transparent, and why he believes the right franchise can offer a stronger foundation for success than many startups.

We also explore the mindset needed to thrive in entrepreneurship, including the importance of resilience, curiosity, and self-belief. Alex’s message is clear: don’t wait for perfect conditions, just start.

This episode is packed with insight for anyone thinking about launching a business or exploring alternative paths to ownership. It's a fantastic listen.