
The world of technology is complex. Each episode of TechSperience will uncover helpful technology, cybersecurity, cloud, and workplace transformation tips to help the everyday IT professional. Tune in for advice from leading IT experts covering retail, manufacturing, healthcare, K-12, higher education, and more.
Episodes

Feb 21, 2023
Feb 21, 2023
26 min
It's time to rethink your IT strategy and support for remote employees. Learn how to simplify device manageability including provisioning, deployment, and security in this podcast featuring experts from Intel and Connection.
Host: James Hilliard
Guests:
Rhett Livengood, Director of Digital Business Enabling at Intel
Mark Wulfhorst, Director of Technical Services and Solutions, Technology Integration and Distribution Center, Connection
You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

Feb 3, 2023
Feb 3, 2023
36 min
The aftereffects of COVID have brought new challenges requiring new ways of thinking. Most manufacturers and warehouses leverage some level of asset tracking, typically to minimize loss. But location or asset tracking can be used throughout the entire supply chain lifecycle to help identify operational efficiencies. Asset tracking gives you the data needed to make informed decisions. Experts from Zebra and Connection share example use cases in manufacturing and explain how you can gain new insights to lower costs, maximize resources, and stay competitive.
Host: James Hilliard
Guests:
- Terry Price, Senior Sales Engineer at Zebra Technologies
- Ryan Spurr, Director of Manufacturing Strategy at Connection
You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

Dec 21, 2022
Dec 21, 2022
44 min
Retailers can reduce shrinkage, diminish stockout, and enhance experiences for customers and employees with artificial Intelligence (AI). But that is just scratching the surface. AI-enabled intelligent stores can optimize so much more like managing staffing resources, reaching sustainability goals, and even predicting customers’ needs.
This podcast explores how AI solutions – a combination of data management, connectivity, edge computing devices, and software – can create powerful results. Experts from NVIDIA, Lenovo, and Connection cover real-world examples of how retailers are getting their return on investment and what strategies have been successful to reaching strong business outcomes.
Host: James Hilliard
Guests:
- Cynthia Countouris, Director of Product Marketing & Enablement for Retail, NVIDIA
- Matthew Bertucci, Retail Solutions Manager, Lenovo
- Brian Gallagher, Retail Strategy Director, Connection
You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

Dec 8, 2022
Dec 8, 2022
37 min
The healthcare industry is seeing tremendous change. With the pandemic, staffing shortages, and a backlog of patients needing care, now is the time to reset and question traditional approaches. Add in the pressure of data protection and compliance, supporting remote working environments, and providing telehealth services – finding the right technologies and endpoint security solutions is essential to the future of healthcare.
In this podcast, the experts at IGEL discuss how the next-gen edge OS for cloud workspaces is advancing user productivity, patient care, and security while simplifying endpoint management for healthcare enterprises everywhere.
Host: James Hilliard
Guests:
- Chris Feeney, Sr. Presales Engineer, Channel & Team Lead at IGEL
- Carl Gersh, VP of Marketing – North America at IGEL
You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

Nov 21, 2022
Nov 21, 2022
27 min
We often take power for granted. But when there’s a power failure, a planned outage, or a natural disaster, we’re reminded that power is such a necessity. In today’s digital world, data loss and downtime for IT can lead to long-term financial and reputational damage for organizations. The risks are even greater for healthcare and critical infrastructure industries. Listen in on our latest podcast to hear how simple it is to prevent data loss and power failure before it’s too late.
Host: James Hilliard
Guests:
- Joe Doherty, Power and Cooling Business Development Specialist at Connection
- Hillary Watkins, Product Marketing Specialist for Single Phase UPS at Vertiv
You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

Nov 1, 2022
Nov 1, 2022
33 min
In a recent Forrester report, 77% of full-time employees said PC devices play a critical factor in their ability to do their work. In today’s climate of hybrid and remote environments, how do you determine what technologies users need and what's at risk if user experience isn't prioritized? Listen to this podcast to hear why developing persona-based solutions is critical to user productivity, onboarding, and overall happiness.
Host: James Hilliard
Guests:
• Rhett Livengood, Director of Digital Business Enabling at Intel
• Tim Burns, Vice President of Product Management and Workplace Transformation at Connection
Explore Your Wherever Workspace to learn more about persona-based bundles or visit the Intel showcase to discover their latest technologies.
You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, or Podbean.

Oct 20, 2022
Oct 20, 2022
38 min
Research by IDC show that 90% of enterprises around the world are relying on a mix of on-premises, or dedicated, private clouds, as well as public clouds, and legacy platforms to meet their infrastructure needs. Data center cloud solutions need to change as business needs fluctuate. This episode covers the best practices of a hybrid cloud strategy featuring experts from Intel and Connection.
Host: James Hilliard
Guests:
- Vijay Bandari, Cloud Solution Architect at Intel
- Steve Fowler, Cloud Solution Architect at Intel
- Kiran Agrahara, Cloud Solution Architect at Intel
- Kevin Slate, Senior Director of Cloud Services and at Connection

Oct 16, 2022
Oct 16, 2022
31 min
Colleges and universities are prime targets for cyber attackers. From the large volumes of PII to medical and research data, higher education institutions are a gold mine for bad actors. The pandemic also added new attack vectors as institutions turned to remote and hybrid learning environments. CISOs, CTOs, and IT teams within higher education have a very challenging task when it comes to cybersecurity and data protection. With open networks, diverse user types, and limited resources, what can colleges and universities do to enhance protection? Listen to this podcast for tips on how to develop a cybersecurity risk management plan for your institution.
Host: James Hilliard
Guests:
- Bobby Sears, Senior Vertical Alliances Manager, Higher Education at Connection
- Steve Nardone, Senior Director of Security and Network Solutions at Connection
- Tim Allen, Director of Operations and Technology at Connection
For additional cybersecurity resources, visit: https://www.connection.com/cybersecurityawarenessmonth.
Thank you for listening. You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Podbean.
Follow Connection on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or read our latest insights.

Oct 12, 2022
Oct 12, 2022
36 min
K-12 is a highly targeted sector when it comes to cyberthreats. In a recent report by CoSN, cybersecurity is a top priority among CTOs. Remote and hybrid environments have drastically increased the volume of devices to support the needs of educators and students. And each device is a potential point of entry for bad actors. There’s also a lot of PII available on these networks, making school districts a prime target for data breaches and ransomware. Listen to this podcast to learn what school districts can do to enhance cybersecurity measures.
For additional cybersecurity resources, visit: https://www.connection.com/cybersecurityawarenessmonth.
Host: James Hilliard
Guests:
- Pam Aulakh, Vertical Alliances Manager, K-12 at Connection
- Steve Nardone, Senior Director of Security and Network Solutions at Connection
- Tim Allen, Director of Operations and Technology at Connection
Thank you for listening. You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Podbean.
Follow Connection on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or read our latest insights.

Oct 4, 2022
Oct 4, 2022
28 min
Host: James Hilliard
Guests:
- Ryan Spurr, Director of Manufacturing Strategy at Connection
- Steve Nardone, Senior Director of Security and Network Solutions at Connection
- Tim Allen, Director of Operations and Technology at Connection
The pandemic, smart manufacturing initiatives, and Industry 4.0 trends has shifted manufacturing into a digital transformation. As such, the industry is now experiencing a dramatic uptick in ransomware attacks. The majority of these attacks target operational technology (OT) systems by gaining access through compromised home networks and the devices of remote workers. Manufacturing organizations have highly complex infrastructure and environments. Having an accurate picture of security vulnerabilities is a challenge in itself. Listen to this podcast to explore how manufacturing organizations can mitigate their cybersecurity risks and find a more secure path forward.
For additional cybersecurity resources, visit: https://www.connection.com/cybersecurityawarenessmonth.
Thank you for listening. You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Podbean.
Follow Connection on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or read our latest insights.
