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Unifying the Vision: Aligning Tech and Business to Drive True Transformation
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In this episode of the Tech Trajectory Podcast, host Chris Davies sits down with John Sullivan (Sully) to explore what it takes to lead large-scale transformation, without losing sight of people, purpose, and impact.
Sully shares his journey from engineer to CEO, and how listening to customers and translating business needs into tech outcomes became a career-defining shift. From OKRs to flywheels, ride-alongs to data dashboards, this episode is packed with practical stories and clear-headed thinking on how to get alignment, and why buzzwords are no substitute for intent.
Whether you’re scaling a startup, transforming a product team, or simply trying to get business and tech to speak the same language, this one’s for you.
1. Tech strategy is business strategy
[02:00] Sully shares how his early experience riding along with sales teams helped him shift from building for tech’s sake to solving business problems with tech.
2. Why OKRs changed everything at Chargefox
[08:30] In a post-acquisition pivot, Sully introduced five company-wide OKRs to align teams and give structure to a newly evolving software business.
3. Driving transformation with data and purpose
[15:00] From dashboards to Python scripts, Sully doubled down on making data accessible and meaningful—building alignment from the numbers up.
4. Leading with intent (and ditching buzzwords)
[21:00] You won’t hear Sully say “data-led” or “people-first,” but you’ll see it in his actions. He shares why clarity of intent matters more than corporate speak.
5. Navigating the personal side of transformation
[23:30] Whether it’s changing operating models or growing teams, Sully breaks down why true transformation is always personal—and why setting the ‘stall’ is essential.
6. What doesn’t work (and what surprised him)
[28:00] Not every team needs Agile. Sully challenges blanket transformation methods and shares what really made a difference across business functions.
7. From chaos to clarity: lessons in leadership
[32:00] As a CEO, Sully reflects on loneliness, switching leadership styles, walking the walk, and how a “why” mindset can be both a superpower and a headache.
8. Defining success and building flywheels
[38:00] Sully explains how Chargefox moved from a vague directive (“become a software business”) to a platform strategy, accelerants, and a flywheel that made it all work.
Where to find John Sullivan:
- LinkedIn: John Sullivan
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