Cisco Podcast Network

What if the real competitive advantage isn’t the technology—but the story you tell about it?
In this episode of Shift Happens, Jeff Edwards sits down with Jason Marks, CEO of Techrategy and LEAD Above, to explore why storytelling—not specs—is what actually wins in tech. From simplifying complex platforms to making AI readiness feel practical (not risky), this conversation breaks down how the One Cisco story drives clarity, trust, and better outcomes when it’s told well.
💡 Why listen:
• 🎯 Outcomes beat features—here’s how that changes buying decisions
• 🧠 The right story de-risks AI and future investments
• 💰 Partners win bigger, more durable deals with a cohesive platform narrative
If you sell, design, or influence technology decisions, this episode shows how to turn complexity into clarity—and stories into results.

We’re talking “managing up” today—yes, that elusive art of keeping your boss in the loop (without sounding like you’re bragging or, you know, a robot). Kat and Ian break down what it really means to make your boss’s life easier, from running those infamous one-on-ones to knowing when to say “no, but here’s a solution.” Along the way, we tackle the big questions: Can a yellow sweater actually help you survive February? Is it possible to be strategic and human? And why is it so hard to talk about your own wins without feeling icky?

Spoiler: We don’t have it all figured out, but we’ve got stories, hacks, and plenty of self-deprecating humor (plus a cameo from Ian’s dogs).

If you haven’t already, and you want to keep these half-baked insights coming, check out Cisco’s solutions for small and medium businesses: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html

Digital information is constantly in motion, crossing borders and jurisdictions. Learn about the current dynamics around data sovereignty and the importance of understanding the path your data takes.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
03:38 Data in Flight
06:52 Consideration Factors for Data Paths
10:17 Failover Considerations
12:13 On Encryption and Quantum Computing
13:57 How AI Adds Complexity to Data Sovereignty
16:17 Key Takeaways

For additional insights, check out The Internet Outage Survival Kit: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/the-internet-outage-survival-kit?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q3_internetreport_q3fy26ep131_podcast

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Want to get in touch?
If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at [email protected]. Or, follow us on LinkedIn or X:.

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ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT
This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what’s working and what’s breaking on the Internet—and why.

Tune in to hear ThousandEyes’ Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from recent weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue?
Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more.

Catch all the episodes on your favorite podcast platform:
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCewXUwLMfn7Y69C6vGRVwyw

🚀 What if the future of marketing isn’t campaigns—but conversations?
Jeff Edwards sits down with Bryan Jones, SVP of Global Revenue Field & Partner Marketing at Cisco, to unpack a core belief behind The Cisco 360 Partner Program: stop marketing to people and start talking with them. From simplifying how partners go to market, to increasing velocity with less friction, to turning marketing into a true force multiplier, this episode gets real about what actually drives pipeline and long-term customer value.

Why listen:
• How The Cisco 360 Partner Program shifts marketing from campaigns to human connection
• What it really takes to move partner marketing from good to great—with speed and simplicity
• How partners can amplify differentiation, generate pipeline, and prove real business impact

Ready to make Shift Happen?

Ian and Kat are back and talking things they think they are better at than they actually are...both skiing and the Microsoft Office Suite. From concatenating cells in Excel to creating works of art in PowerPoint, we delve into the products that every single person in the corporate world uses every day and where are our gaps are.

Ian gives tricks to help fake it until you make it in Excel, Kat may be the world's foremost Word user (at least in her own mind), and they both then brag about flex their PowerPoint and OneNote skills. We then talk about how AI is being integrated into everyday tools, AND even talk about how Microsoft Teams runs on Cisco's collaboration endpoints (have to keep the bosses happy with the product pitch)! Also, you should just use Webex. It's the best. And secure.

If you want to learn more about Webex, check it out here: www.webex.com