When I was a boy, artificial intelligence was the realm of science fiction; computers that would hold conversations with us in perfect English, that would analyse strategies and forecast risk, and even that would give near-sentient life to awesome supercars that would carry us into dangerous spy missions and out again. Remarkably, here we are […]

One of the things I do as a Smoothie is write. I write to engage. To simplify the complex. To tell stories and illuminate ideas. I mainly write for the spoken word. You know who else writes? ChatGPT. So I challenged us to go head to head. Write one paragraph on why to use ChatGPT […]

Hey there! So, you’re curious about the rollercoaster ride we’ve had with AI becoming as common as avocado toast, right? Well, grab a coffee, and let’s celebrate ChatGPT’s 1st birthday with a look back at highlights and lowlights from the last 12 months.

Engagement Strategies for Digital transformation success

I’ve done many things in IT in my 30-year career, but out of everything, it has constantly been unlocking the value of a company’s data. That has proven to be the most transformational. I’ve consolidated the infrastructures – applications, networks, phone systems, mail platforms, and more – of companies that have grown by merger and […]

For many of us… coming to terms with who we truly are, accepting that and feeling pride is a long and tortuous journey. This is why Pride month is so important and why it’s important for people like me to be visible. What is Pride Month? “Pride Month” is a month-long celebration every June to […]

Humanising Technology Digital Smoothie’s vision is to humanise technology to benefit people, partners and the planet. When we engage with new clients, we often observe team members within organisations who are overwhelmed and stressed due to either the existing technology they are utilising no longer suiting the needs of the business or the lack of […]

As a business owner or leader, having a clear vision and answering all the big questions is vital, such as your business’s core focus, values, marketing plan, and short- and long-term goals. However, are your processes efficient and scalable? Can they deliver your strategy? Is the technology in place adequate? Having a clear vision and […]

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words… Your brand imagery has the power to instantly tell your brand story, connect with your ideal customer, and uniquely appeal to their deepest desires.  Studies show that people understand images faster than words and remember them longer, and if there’s a discrepancy between what […]

What is a headless website? and what are the benefits of GatsbyJS? GatsbyJS is a popular JavaScript framework that is often used for developing static and headless websites.  A headless website is a website that separates the frontend (client-side) and backend (server-side) components. The frontend of a headless website is typically a static website, meaning […]

You want a kick ass website designed to articulate your strategy leaving your customers knowing exactly what you are all about AND satisfied after visiting it, but don’t know where to start? Read on. If you’ve ever jumped onto a website, found exactly what you were looking for and even gone as far as to […]

You want to create content that counts but don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered. French philosopher and writer Voltaire once said, “The secret of being boring is to say everything”. In other words, say too much and nobody will listen. It becomes noise. At least that is my take on it. I […]

Let’s talk cake. It’s your job to organise the cake for a big birthday. For that big moment, the singalong, the candle, the celebration. It’s a big deal. You got the name of a great baker, with amazing recipes, from a trusted friend. You & the baker chatted about cake flavours, fondants, toppings & how […]

The destination and the journey. What is a vision? Is it that moment of realisation when you see that thing, that possibility, that idea that sparks something inside of you that creates knowing beyond the rational? For some, a crystal clear picture of what could be, should be and will be. So real and true […]

I like to match words. It’s my jam. I also liked to match fruit and vegetables when I was a kid and imagine them getting married.. like avocados and mangoes (same same but different colour), and carrot and parsnip (which actually taste delicious when mashed together). So it’s serendipitous that I am now part of […]

One of the greatest shifts of our generation is the desire to find a sense of purpose in the workplace. This has only been accelerated by the pandemic and is one of the drivers of ‘The Great Resignation’. Millennials and GenZ now make up most of the world’s workforce. They care less about security and […]

Successful digital transformation relies on both culture and strategy. Here’s a short story that highlights how culture can impact strategy execution. As the lights came back on, I looked around and I thought to myself, ‘yep, we’ve nailed it!’. There was a palpable energy in the room. They were familiar faces to some. And it […]

It’s great to recognise the importance of change management to hit your strategic goals. There is more to it than project management spreadsheets and scripted regular updates on technical releases. One of my clients provides an excellent case study of what happens when there isn’t a change management strategy, and how turn the ship around […]

Here are four common strategy mistakes that I have observed over the years. But first, a word about strategy…and trifles. Many people think of a strategy as being an all-encompassing document with broad strategic objectives, loaded with buzzwords and lacking in detail. A good strategy should be like a trifle – layers of detail building […]

The importance of a clearly defined business strategy  The importance of a clearly defined AND executable business strategy has been the subject of many textbooks and university courses. What follows strategy setting is where many companies fall short. Strategy execution and culture alignment are just a few areas where companies fail.  The success rate of […]

Are you interested in the latest technology trends? You need to listen to the latest Sisterhood club podcast with Liza Boston. Liza Boston is a Web 3.0 Venture Investor, Metaverse Entrepreneur, NFT Artist, Poet and a Smoothie! On this podcast she discusses the importance of why we need to encourage more women to enter the […]

Thank you Pamela Caldwell and Georgie Hubbard for having me on the Sisterhood club podcast – I had a great time sharing my story with you and your listeners. Related Posts Rania Awad CEO/Founder Strategist, Entrepreneur, Technologist, Mum. Liza Boston Entrepreneur, VC, Founder, Connector, Artist Kerstin Norburn Ideas. Words. Videos Micheline Chami Process optimisation, ecommerce […]

The past few weeks I have been reflecting and speaking to a few of my colleagues and friends about the impact toxic cultures in companies can have  on people’s mental health, motivation (or lack of) and ultimately the bottom line. More specifically – the superficial actions that some leaders take to address employee dissatisfaction and […]

Do you know we have an idea muscle?  It might be hidden under blah and leftover 2020 stuff and busyness but it’s there. Just waiting… Years ago I read a great post by the accessibly smart James Altucher about how coming up with ideas is something we need to work at.  Regularly. His impetus to […]

When leading ourselves, others and our businesses, how can we better live our purpose and values? Clear the path to choose whats right over what’s easy.

Working as a team with the same North Star and shared motivations for problem solving is the ideal. What I see too often is a gap (sometimes a whole time zone) between what a company, a leader, a person says and what they do.

The world is on fire. We have arrived in 2020 with a confusing unraveling of what it feels like to be human in the world. The time has come to heal and repair, to use our knowledge for the good of the planet and the people and to build the future we have imagined.

Her stories mesmerised me; the energy in her storytelling rippled through me. She was like a giant glass of sparkling water overflowing with big, boisterous bubbles that snapped, crackled and popped with life and living.

It used to be called an elevator pitch.
Back when we rode elevators (that was so 2019)
That short conversation that explains an idea, product, business or person in such a clear and clever way that your audience immediately understands. And gets excited about it.