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The Cloud Show with Magnus Mårtensson ft. Sam Vanhoutte - Ep: 61
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Aug 6, 2025
Join this live session with Magnus Mårtensson ft. Sam Vanhoutte for the next episode of The Cloud Show with Magnus Mårtensson on February 21, at 01:05 PM (EST). The show is about cloud leadership and all the important questions relating to cloud projects. Certainly, many matters when a company is going to and wants to be successful in the cloud, are about technology. However, there are many additional matters, adjacent to technology, that we also need to tend to regarding business strategy, human resources, organizational change, planning for a technical cloud approach, and many more questions. These conversations are critical for a healthy cloud and for a swift and accurate cloud approach. GUEST SPEAKER Leveraging two decades of experience in Microsoft and Cloud technologies, I am now working with cloud startups in Europe. My mission is to help these companies build the right software, implement the right features and take the right decisions. I advise and invest in these companies and really love the entrepreneurial mindset at these companies. As a Microsoft MVP, I am a frequent speaker at conferences. I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience, during my years as CTO with Codit, where I helped taking the road to the cloud, focusing on IoT, AI and API drive solutions. 📺 CSharp TV - Dev Streaming Destination http://csharp.tv 🌎 C# Corner - Community of Software and Data Developers https://www.c-sharpcorner.com #CSharpTV #csharpcorner #TheCloudShow #CSharp #Interview
View Video Transcript
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welcome everyone to another episode of
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welcome everyone to another episode of
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welcome everyone to another episode of the cloud show and I am not at home as
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the cloud show and I am not at home as
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the cloud show and I am not at home as you can see I am standing at a
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you can see I am standing at a
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you can see I am standing at a conference floor at uh in mlin in
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conference floor at uh in mlin in
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conference floor at uh in mlin in Belgium at the cloud breu conference and
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Belgium at the cloud breu conference and
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Belgium at the cloud breu conference and I'm standing here in one of the sponsor
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I'm standing here in one of the sponsor
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I'm standing here in one of the sponsor boots this sponsor is codit who have
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boots this sponsor is codit who have
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boots this sponsor is codit who have been you know very kind to sponsor this
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been you know very kind to sponsor this
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been you know very kind to sponsor this conference and it's pretty awesome that
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conference and it's pretty awesome that
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conference and it's pretty awesome that they do now I'm going to talk to another
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they do now I'm going to talk to another
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they do now I'm going to talk to another expert about things that are relevant in
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expert about things that are relevant in
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expert about things that are relevant in our world and the the things that we're
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our world and the the things that we're
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our world and the the things that we're going to be talking about now is how to
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going to be talking about now is how to
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going to be talking about now is how to do startups or rather how what the
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do startups or rather how what the
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do startups or rather how what the difference is between between working as
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difference is between between working as
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difference is between between working as a consultant and maybe working for a
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a consultant and maybe working for a
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a consultant and maybe working for a startup and the the star of the show
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startup and the the star of the show
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startup and the the star of the show today is
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today is
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today is [Music]
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[Music]
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[Music] s hey Magnus hey Sam how you doing doing
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s hey Magnus hey Sam how you doing doing
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s hey Magnus hey Sam how you doing doing good it's really good to see you good to
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good it's really good to see you good to
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good it's really good to see you good to see you again again yes so here we are
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see you again again yes so here we are
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see you again again yes so here we are at another conference in another country
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at another conference in another country
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at another conference in another country and again we're so happy that that
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and again we're so happy that that
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and again we're so happy that that companies Go Get Behind These Community
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companies Go Get Behind These Community
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companies Go Get Behind These Community conferences such as this and and have
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conferences such as this and and have
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conferences such as this and and have Community passion organizers setting
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Community passion organizers setting
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Community passion organizers setting things up and allowing us a moment to to
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things up and allowing us a moment to to
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things up and allowing us a moment to to talk exactly that's great yeah and so
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talk exactly that's great yeah and so
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talk exactly that's great yeah and so you have been working in different uh
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you have been working in different uh
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you have been working in different uh capacities throughout your life we're
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capacities throughout your life we're
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capacities throughout your life we're GNA talk about that but let's give the
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GNA talk about that but let's give the
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GNA talk about that but let's give the audience just a little bit who the heck
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audience just a little bit who the heck
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audience just a little bit who the heck are you Sam so I'm Sam nice to meet you
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are you Sam so I'm Sam nice to meet you
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are you Sam so I'm Sam nice to meet you all um born and lived in Belgium all my
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all um born and lived in Belgium all my
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all um born and lived in Belgium all my life yeah uh and actually the biggest
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life yeah uh and actually the biggest
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life yeah uh and actually the biggest part of my career was actually in this
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part of my career was actually in this
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part of my career was actually in this company was coded I was co-founder and
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company was coded I was co-founder and
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company was coded I was co-founder and CTO at the company y uh and we grew it
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CTO at the company y uh and we grew it
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CTO at the company y uh and we grew it to a company of 200 people in eight
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to a company of 200 people in eight
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to a company of 200 people in eight countries so that's quite impressive I
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countries so that's quite impressive I
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countries so that's quite impressive I always focused on consultancy in the
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always focused on consultancy in the
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always focused on consultancy in the Microsoft world so focusing on
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Microsoft world so focusing on
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Microsoft world so focusing on technology y uh but I think three years
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technology y uh but I think three years
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technology y uh but I think three years ago or something I left since we got
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ago or something I left since we got
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ago or something I left since we got acquired by another company and I wanted
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acquired by another company and I wanted
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acquired by another company and I wanted to do something totally different yeah
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to do something totally different yeah
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to do something totally different yeah yeah yeah and that's where I started
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yeah yeah and that's where I started
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yeah yeah and that's where I started focusing on startups on startups yeah so
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focusing on startups on startups yeah so
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focusing on startups on startups yeah so you were in a larger context and you
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you were in a larger context and you
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you were in a larger context and you worked with Enterprises as customers
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worked with Enterprises as customers
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worked with Enterprises as customers huge things and now instead you're doing
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huge things and now instead you're doing
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huge things and now instead you're doing startup stuff so of course there are
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startup stuff so of course there are
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startup stuff so of course there are many major differences here but let's
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many major differences here but let's
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many major differences here but let's break it down like what's what shocked
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break it down like what's what shocked
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break it down like what's what shocked you the most of uh the
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you the most of uh the
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you the most of uh the change from a sales point of view yeah I
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change from a sales point of view yeah I
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change from a sales point of view yeah I think the biggest change is that with
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think the biggest change is that with
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think the biggest change is that with this company we arrived at a customer
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this company we arrived at a customer
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this company we arrived at a customer and the customer explains this is the
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and the customer explains this is the
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and the customer explains this is the pain point this is a problem yeah and we
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pain point this is a problem yeah and we
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pain point this is a problem yeah and we believe you can solve it ah okay and the
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believe you can solve it ah okay and the
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believe you can solve it ah okay and the only thing that we had to do and of
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only thing that we had to do and of
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only thing that we had to do and of course well only it's still a thing yeah
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course well only it's still a thing yeah
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course well only it's still a thing yeah right is convince a customer that we've
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right is convince a customer that we've
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right is convince a customer that we've done that we've done similar things
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done that we've done similar things
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done that we've done similar things we've we could make an offer we have the
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we've we could make an offer we have the
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we've we could make an offer we have the best people and that's the way you
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best people and that's the way you
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best people and that's the way you typically win a customer and then you
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typically win a customer and then you
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typically win a customer and then you get a project and then you do the thing
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get a project and then you do the thing
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get a project and then you do the thing okay but the startups I work with and
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okay but the startups I work with and
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okay but the startups I work with and the startup that that I have myself it's
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the startup that that I have myself it's
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the startup that that I have myself it's different you do cold calls to customers
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different you do cold calls to customers
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different you do cold calls to customers right you arrive at a customer if they
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right you arrive at a customer if they
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right you arrive at a customer if they are happy enough to invite you which is
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are happy enough to invite you which is
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are happy enough to invite you which is already a thing and then you try to
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already a thing and then you try to
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already a thing and then you try to convince them that they have a problem
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convince them that they have a problem
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convince them that they have a problem that they maybe not even knew that
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that they maybe not even knew that
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that they maybe not even knew that exists so it's it's a total different
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exists so it's it's a total different
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exists so it's it's a total different mindset it's much harder to do sales um
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mindset it's much harder to do sales um
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mindset it's much harder to do sales um especially if you don't have what they
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especially if you don't have what they
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especially if you don't have what they call a pain killer like something that
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call a pain killer like something that
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call a pain killer like something that everyone immediately resonates yes ah we
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everyone immediately resonates yes ah we
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everyone immediately resonates yes ah we have that pain you solve it if you
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have that pain you solve it if you
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have that pain you solve it if you have what is called sometimes the candy
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have what is called sometimes the candy
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have what is called sometimes the candy it's like a nice to have but we have
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it's like a nice to have but we have
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it's like a nice to have but we have other priorities it's a total different
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other priorities it's a total different
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other priorities it's a total different thing so that's in my opinion the
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thing so that's in my opinion the
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thing so that's in my opinion the biggest difference that's the biggest
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biggest difference that's the biggest
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biggest difference that's the biggest difference I'm sure yeah interesting but
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difference I'm sure yeah interesting but
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difference I'm sure yeah interesting but I mean you were a a a company leader
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I mean you were a a a company leader
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I mean you were a a a company leader growing a company had people under you
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growing a company had people under you
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growing a company had people under you you had staff you know and and and with
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you had staff you know and and and with
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you had staff you know and and and with that comes a certain mindset and a
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that comes a certain mindset and a
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that comes a certain mindset and a certain big set of
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certain big set of
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certain big set of responsibilities uh and I'm sure that's
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responsibilities uh and I'm sure that's
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responsibilities uh and I'm sure that's a different as well now the thing is
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a different as well now the thing is
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a different as well now the thing is with with consultancy you grow a very
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with with consultancy you grow a very
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with with consultancy you grow a very linear way right you you start with a
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linear way right you you start with a
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linear way right you you start with a few people you grow some customers you
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few people you grow some customers you
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few people you grow some customers you see that oh we have to hire new people
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see that oh we have to hire new people
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see that oh we have to hire new people because we have more opportunities and
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because we have more opportunities and
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because we have more opportunities and it goes like very natural hand in hand
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it goes like very natural hand in hand
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it goes like very natural hand in hand yeah sometimes like we did an
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yeah sometimes like we did an
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yeah sometimes like we did an acquisition and so on and then that
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acquisition and so on and then that
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acquisition and so on and then that grows you start a new country yeah so
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grows you start a new country yeah so
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grows you start a new country yeah so it's all quite uh impressive with the
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it's all quite uh impressive with the
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it's all quite uh impressive with the startup thing it's like oh we have this
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startup thing it's like oh we have this
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startup thing it's like oh we have this amount of cash how long what's cash zero
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amount of cash how long what's cash zero
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amount of cash how long what's cash zero day yeah like people were looking what's
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day yeah like people were looking what's
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day yeah like people were looking what's the prognosis what's the the estimat
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the prognosis what's the the estimat
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the prognosis what's the the estimat and it's like how long canv we to away
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and it's like how long canv we to away
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and it's like how long canv we to away of to get new F okay that makes sense
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of to get new F okay that makes sense
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of to get new F okay that makes sense it's totally different that's totally
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it's totally different that's totally
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it's totally different that's totally different and but now I guess at the
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different and but now I guess at the
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different and but now I guess at the same time you have I mean as a corporate
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same time you have I mean as a corporate
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same time you have I mean as a corporate leader you you still had a chance to
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leader you you still had a chance to
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leader you you still had a chance to influence the direction and what you
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influence the direction and what you
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influence the direction and what you were supposed to be doing but you had a
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were supposed to be doing but you had a
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were supposed to be doing but you had a lot of other U interested parties and
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lot of other U interested parties and
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lot of other U interested parties and opinions as well nowadays you get to
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opinions as well nowadays you get to
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opinions as well nowadays you get to just roll your own you you decide what
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just roll your own you you decide what
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just roll your own you you decide what you want to do oh yeah so and the the
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you want to do oh yeah so and the the
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you want to do oh yeah so and the the startup I'm mostly active in we are two
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startup I'm mostly active in we are two
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startup I'm mostly active in we are two so I'm you could say the developer the
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so I'm you could say the developer the
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so I'm you could say the developer the CTO the tester technical pre-sales
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CTO the tester technical pre-sales
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CTO the tester technical pre-sales whatever you have yeah and the other
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whatever you have yeah and the other
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whatever you have yeah and the other person is finance and commercial and
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person is finance and commercial and
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person is finance and commercial and business exactly so you do everything
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business exactly so you do everything
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business exactly so you do everything you have all the things you're also
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you have all the things you're also
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you have all the things you're also you're also the one who goes out to buy
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you're also the one who goes out to buy
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you're also the one who goes out to buy new toilet paper ENT yeah right but I
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new toilet paper ENT yeah right but I
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new toilet paper ENT yeah right but I mean that's the life of a of a CEO
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mean that's the life of a of a CEO
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mean that's the life of a of a CEO really they'll do all the things
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really they'll do all the things
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really they'll do all the things whatever is needed that's what you're
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whatever is needed that's what you're
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whatever is needed that's what you're going to do yeah that's right right so
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going to do yeah that's right right so
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going to do yeah that's right right so what's your current like projected plan
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what's your current like projected plan
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what's your current like projected plan what are you looking forward to now as
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what are you looking forward to now as
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what are you looking forward to now as as running your own thing startup thing
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as running your own thing startup thing
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as running your own thing startup thing what's what you want this to so actually
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what's what you want this to so actually
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what's what you want this to so actually the thing is we have the product
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the thing is we have the product
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the thing is we have the product ready and we're still searching for
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ready and we're still searching for
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ready and we're still searching for customers and actually that's also one
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customers and actually that's also one
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customers and actually that's also one thing that I've learned it's always easy
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thing that I've learned it's always easy
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thing that I've learned it's always easy to learn once it's too late you could
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to learn once it's too late you could
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to learn once it's too late you could say the thing you have to do first is
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say the thing you have to do first is
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say the thing you have to do first is find the problem yeah then see if that
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find the problem yeah then see if that
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find the problem yeah then see if that problem resonates with customers with
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problem resonates with customers with
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problem resonates with customers with customers if the IDE that you have to
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customers if the IDE that you have to
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customers if the IDE that you have to solve the problem resonates and then you
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solve the problem resonates and then you
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solve the problem resonates and then you open Visual Studio and not the other way
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open Visual Studio and not the other way
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open Visual Studio and not the other way around I I hear you so you have a camera
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around I I hear you so you have a camera
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around I I hear you so you have a camera right there and a microphone on what's
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right there and a microphone on what's
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right there and a microphone on what's the product tell us so the product we
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the product tell us so the product we
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the product tell us so the product we have the company we have is Sphinx so
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have the company we have is Sphinx so
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have the company we have is Sphinx so Sphinx is a middleware platform yeah
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Sphinx is a middleware platform yeah
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Sphinx is a middleware platform yeah that gives people physical access to the
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that gives people physical access to the
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that gives people physical access to the right location at the right time y
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right location at the right time y
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right location at the right time y physical access physical access
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physical access physical access
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physical access physical access connecting with virtually any type of um
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connecting with virtually any type of um
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connecting with virtually any type of um Smart Lock okay so we don't own and
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Smart Lock okay so we don't own and
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Smart Lock okay so we don't own and build locks we just want to make sure
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build locks we just want to make sure
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build locks we just want to make sure that a company take an example in fresh
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that a company take an example in fresh
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that a company take an example in fresh food delivery TS restaurants and so
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food delivery TS restaurants and so
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food delivery TS restaurants and so makes sense yeah that they can access
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makes sense yeah that they can access
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makes sense yeah that they can access the restaurant in early morning before
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the restaurant in early morning before
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the restaurant in early morning before traffic hits okay makes sense they
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traffic hits okay makes sense they
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traffic hits okay makes sense they deliver in the fridge and the restaurant
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deliver in the fridge and the restaurant
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deliver in the fridge and the restaurant owner doesn't have to be there oh that
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owner doesn't have to be there oh that
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owner doesn't have to be there oh that makes sense cool very cool and
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makes sense cool very cool and
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makes sense cool very cool and everything we do is API first because
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everything we do is API first because
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everything we do is API first because they have to integrate it in their own
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they have to integrate it in their own
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they have to integrate it in their own workflow in their own apps they have for
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workflow in their own apps they have for
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workflow in their own apps they have for delivery they just push the button Open
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delivery they just push the button Open
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delivery they just push the button Open Door yeah so the restaurant can can can
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Door yeah so the restaurant can can can
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Door yeah so the restaurant can can can grant access to the supplier in this
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grant access to the supplier in this
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grant access to the supplier in this case the deliveries in this place okay
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case the deliveries in this place okay
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case the deliveries in this place okay yeah yeah yeah it's all ODS in physical
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yeah yeah yeah it's all ODS in physical
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yeah yeah yeah it's all ODS in physical world if you say yeah it's in the
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world if you say yeah it's in the
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world if you say yeah it's in the physical world and that's cool and like
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physical world and that's cool and like
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physical world and that's cool and like you said you just talk to other people's
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you said you just talk to other people's
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you said you just talk to other people's hardware and their their apis and
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hardware and their their apis and
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hardware and their their apis and they're Tech you don't build your own
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they're Tech you don't build your own
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they're Tech you don't build your own locks you're not you don't have a little
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locks you're not you don't have a little
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locks you're not you don't have a little locksmith building the locks no no
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locksmith building the locks no no
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locksmith building the locks no no because it's because people have these
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because it's because people have these
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because it's because people have these locks and we don't believe that everyone
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locks and we don't believe that everyone
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locks and we don't believe that everyone will have the same type of luck or that
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will have the same type of luck or that
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will have the same type of luck or that a customer that has to deliver uh for
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a customer that has to deliver uh for
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a customer that has to deliver uh for example Goods that they will have 15
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example Goods that they will have 15
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example Goods that they will have 15 different apps to open and operate these
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different apps to open and operate these
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different apps to open and operate these logs so therefore we say just one app
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logs so therefore we say just one app
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logs so therefore we say just one app one API one integration I like it I like
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one API one integration I like it I like
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one API one integration I like it I like it sounds good to me yeah all right well
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it sounds good to me yeah all right well
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it sounds good to me yeah all right well then best of luck with that and and I'm
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then best of luck with that and and I'm
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then best of luck with that and and I'm so happy that you wanted to come on the
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so happy that you wanted to come on the
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so happy that you wanted to come on the cloud show and talk to me a little bit
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cloud show and talk to me a little bit
7:48
cloud show and talk to me a little bit about you know the big differences
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about you know the big differences
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about you know the big differences between being in an Enterprise
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between being in an Enterprise
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between being in an Enterprise Consulting versus startup world so thank
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Consulting versus startup world so thank
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Consulting versus startup world so thank you Sam for being on the show today
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you Sam for being on the show today
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you Sam for being on the show today appreciate that it thank you man and
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appreciate that it thank you man and
8:00
appreciate that it thank you man and audience see you next time on the cloud
8:02
audience see you next time on the cloud
8:02
audience see you next time on the cloud show
8:07
[Music]
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