In this episode of the OSL Podcast, Rob speaks with Nick Sales, a consulting technology and business success leader who helps growth stage companies build strong products, high performing teams, and scalable technology foundations.
Nick shares his non linear career journey from early AI research and investment banking to Big Four consulting and startup advisory. They unpack what the fractional CTO role actually looks like in practice, how retainers and outcome driven engagements work, and where founders often misunderstand the value of senior technical leadership.
The conversation also explores the realities of GenAI in modern product development, why it is powerful for rapid prototyping, and why it can be risky to rely on in production environments if you do not yet know what good looks like.
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In this episode, we speak with Kath Hipwell, CEO of the Association of British Climbing Walls, about her mission to improve safety and accessibility across the UK’s climbing facilities. She shares how a new live incident reporting tool helps climbing centers track real-time data, identify risks earlier, and strengthen safety standards.
AI agents were hyped to be 2025’s big productivity breakthrough, but the real wins came from small, practical automations rather than bold “digital worker” fantasies. Businesses that focused on clear use cases, team upskilling, and quick, measurable improvements saw the most value, while grand AI transformations mostly stumbled due to messy processes and poor data.
In this podcast, Rob dives into how non-technical founders can tackle the challenges of building a tech startup. He shares actionable strategies for working with developers, grasping key tech concepts, and leveraging the right tools and resources—no coding skills necessary. With his extensive experience in the startup space, Rob offers valuable insights on bridging the divide between business and technology, helping founders transform their ideas into thriving ventures.
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