How Digital Twins Are Quietly Rewriting the Healthcare Playbook Pg. 22
The App Store Is a Graveyard for Mental Health Apps. Here’s How to AvoidJoining It. Pg. 32
Why VR Is Replacing Old-School Learning in High-Stakes Workplaces? Pg. 42
Intheworldofstartups,weloveagoodoriginstory.Butforeverytaleofabrilliantidea sketchedonanapkin,thereareadozenuntoldstoriesaboutthebrutal,complexengineering requiredtomakethatideaworkatscale.Theconversationisshifting.Themostcompelling founderstodayaren’tjustvisionaries;theyareeliteproblem-solverswhohavespentyearsinthe trenches,masteringtheunglamorousbutessentialworkofbuildingrobustdigitalinfrastructure. Theyarethearchitectsofthefuture,andit’stheirstorieswetellinthisissue,“The10MostPromising EntrepreneurstoFollowin2025.”
Ourcoverstory,DmitrySverdlik,CEOofXenoss,perfectlyillustratesthisnewarchetype.Before“AI” wasoneverypitchdeck,Dmitrywasdeepinthehigh-stakes,high-volumeworldofAdTech—an industrythatservedasareal-worldstresstestforthedatapipelinesandreal-timesystemsthatnow powermuchoftheweb.Thiswasn’tajob;itwasadecade-longmasterclassinbuildingtechnologythat absolutelycannotfailundermassiveload.Hesawfirsthandthatthebiggestbarriertoacompany’s growthwasn’talackofideas,butalackoftechnicalfirepowertoexecutethem.HefoundedXenossto solvethatspecific,criticalpainpoint.Hiscompanyisnotjustanotherdevelopmentshop;it’sa specializedteamofengineersforhire,builttosolvethekindofcomplexdataandAIchallengesthat keepotherCEOsupatnight.
Thisissuealsohighlightsaspectrumofotherentrepreneurswhoaremakingtheirmarkthroughsharp executionandclearvision.WefeatureNakishaAdams,whosecompanySkribbleistacklingakey businessneedwithelegantsoftware;RobBuller,afounderatCyberhillPartnerswhoisaddressingthe criticalfrontierofcybersecurity;andGrantCardone,amasterofscalewhohasturnedrealestate investmentintoaformidable,tech-drivenempire.
Thelessonfromtheseleadersisclear:agreatideaisjustthestartingpoint.Theenduringcompaniesof tomorrowwillbebuiltbyfounderswhohaveanobsessionwithexecutionandthetechnicalcredibilityto backitup.Theyaren’tjustchasingthefuture;theyaresystematicallyengineeringit.
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Cover Story
Youprobablyhavenotheardof Dmitry Sverdlik,founderandCEOofXenoss.And that,inaworldobsessedwiththeloudand thehyped,ispreciselythepoint.Dmitryisnottheguy throwinglaunchpartiesfundedbyventurecapitalfunny money,norisXenossahouseholdnamepeddlingthe latestsocialmediadistraction.Instead,heisoneof thosequietengineerswho,yearsago,peeredintothe messy,chaoticgutsoftheinterneteconomyandsawnot justaproblem,butanorganizingprinciple–agaping inefficiencythateveryoneelsewaseithertoobusyor tooblindtofix.
Hisrevelation?“Datahadbecometherealproduct,” Dmitrysays,astatementsosimpleitsoundsalmostlike aplatitude.Except,herealizeditbackwhenmost companiesstillthoughtdatawasjusttheexhaustfumes oftheir actual business.Thiswasnotabouthoarding userinfotosellmoreadsintheusualway;thiswas aboutunderstandingthattheabilitytobuild,manage, andintelligentlydeploymassive,complexdatasystems wasthenewbedrockofvalue.Foranycompany.Inany industry
Dmitry’sstory,andthatof Xenoss,hisNewYorkbasedsoftwareengineeringfirm,isaboutwhathappens whenadeeplytechnicalmindconfrontsamarketfullof businessesflailingaroundwithdigitaltransformation, oftenchokingontheverydatatheythinkwillsave them.Itisaclassictaleofseeingwhatothersdonot, andthenbuildingthespecializedtools–andtheteam–tocapitalizeonthatinsight.Anditiswhy,in2025,if youarelookingforentrepreneurswhoarenotjust chasingtrendsbutbuildingthefoundationallayersof futurebusiness,Dmitryisanameyouneedtoknow
TheAdTechCrucible
Dmitrycuthisteethinthedigitalequivalentofablast furnace:AdTech. “Since the early 2000s, I’ve been operating at the edge of AdTech innovation,” he recounts.Thinkaboutthatforamoment.Theearly 2000s.Mobilephoneswerestillrelativelydumb.The internetadvertisingecosystemwasaprimordialsoup. Histeamwasbehind “the world’s first mobile DSP.” A Demand-SidePlatform,fortheuninitiated,isasystem thatletsadvertisersbuyadimpressionsacrossa universeofwebsitesandappsinreal-time.Doingthis onmobile,backthen,wasliketryingtobuildaFormula 1carwhiletheroadwasstillbeingpaved.Heeven navigatedanAdTechstartuptoa “successful exit.”
Thesewerenotjustlinesonaresume. Thiswasaneducation. “These years gave me a deep appreciation for domain complexity,” hesays.AdTech,withits billionsofdailytransactions,itsneedfor microsecondresponses(real-time bidding),anditsdemandforsystemsthat absolutelycannotfail(high-availability systems),isabrutaltestinggroundfor engineers.Itiswhereyoulearnabout “datapipelinesundermassiveload”not asatheoreticalconcept,butasaseriesof franticlate-nightcallsbecausesomething, somewhere,isabouttobreakunderthe deluge.
Any technological hype comes and goes. And whatever you do, focus on real pain points. ‘‘
Moreimportantly,Dmitrysawapattern.“Great businessesstruggledtoscalebecauseoftechnical executiongaps.”Theyhadtheideas,themarket,the ambition.Whattheylackedwastheengineering firepower,thedeep,specializedknowledgetobuildthe digitalenginestheyneeded.“That’swhatledmeto startXenoss,”hestates,“asoftwaredevelopment servicecompanypurpose-builttosolvethis particularkindofchallenge.”Hedidnotwanttobuild another AdTechproduct.Hewantedtobuildacompany thatcouldbuild any complex,data-heavyproductfor anyonewhohadhitthattechnicalwall.
FromNicheCommandoTeamtoAIInfrastructure Gurus
WhenXenosslaunchedin2013,itdidnottrytobeall thingstoallpeople.Thatisthefastestwaytobecome nothingtoanyone.“Xenossstartedwithaclearniche: buildingcustomsoftwarefortheMarTechand AdTechspace,”Dmitryexplains.“Off-the-shelf productsdidn’tsatisfytheirneedsandbusiness objectives.”Theseclientswerenotlookingforslightly betterAdTechplatforms;theywerelookingforsomeone tobuildtheintricate,bespokemachinerythatstandard softwarevendorssimplydidnotoffer.
Thencamethatdawningrealizationaboutdatabeingthe actualproduct.By2024,itwasundeniable.“Thatled ustoreevaluatethedataengineeringandmachine learningexpertiseweaccumulatedovertheyears,” Dmitrynotes.Theintense,specializedworktheyhad doneinthedemandingAdTechandMarTechsectors had,almostbyaccident,forgedanelitecapabilityin handlingexactlywhatwasbecomingthebusiness world’sbiggestheadache–anditsbiggestopportunity “We’vedecidedtoutilizeourextensiveexperienceto helpmoreclientsacrossdomainswiththeirdata challengesandAIexploration.”
So,Xenosspivoted,orrather, expanded itsaperture. Today,theyarethepeopleyoucallwhenyouneed “tailoredAIanddataplatforms”tosolveknotty problemslikehyperautomation,operationalefficiency, orfindingnewrevenuestreamshiddeninyourdata. ThisisnotaboutsprinklingsomeAIfairydustonanold spreadsheet.“AIdoesn’tcreatevalueonitsown,” Dmitryinsists,withthequietconvictionofsomeone whohasseentoomanyAIprojectsgosideways.“It needsasolidandscalabledatainfrastructure supportingit.”
ThisistheunglamoroustruthoftheAIrevolution.Everyone wantsthe“intelligence,”butfewwanttodothehard, foundationalwork.“AtXenoss,weengineertheentire foundation–datacollectionsystems,pipelines, governance,monitoring,andscalableservinglayers.” Dmitrycontinues, “It’s the deep infrastructure work that makes AI reliable, maintainable, and factually useful.” Their edge?“Webuildthesystemswithinreal-world constraints:incompletedata,legacysystems,and regulatorypressure.”TheygetAIintoproductionfast, whereitcanstartdeliveringvalue,notjustPowerPoints.
Whohiresthesedatacommandos? “Our roots are in AdTech and MarTech,” Dmitrysays,butnowtheclientliststretches into “Oil and Gas to Finance and Banking.” Thesearenot startupslookingfortheirfirstapp.“Mostclientsalready havesolidinternalteamsbutrunintoarchitecturalor scalinglimits.Theyturntouswhenoff-the-shelftools fallshortandthestakesdemandcustomengineering.”
Theproblemsareusuallydeeplyembedded.“Fragmented datasources,brittlepipelines,modelsthatsilently degradeinproduction,oroutdatedinfrastructurethat can’tsupportAIworkloads.”Xenosscomesin,notwitha pre-packagedsolution,butwithateamreadyto“rebuild thefoundation,designingscalablesystems,integrating AIwhereitactuallymovestheneedle,andgivingour clientscompletecontrolovertheirdatalifecycle.”That lastpart– “complete control” –iskey.Itisaboutturning datafromasourceofanxietyintoanasset,aweapon.
Andtheydoitwithanalmostobsessivefocusonintegrity andsecurity “We design for traceability from the start,” Dmitryemphasizes,listingdatalineage,auditlogs,and automatedvalidation.Hissecurityprincipleisrefreshingly blunt:“Ifit’snotobservable,it’snotsecure.”ForAI ethics,they“avoid‘blackbox’modelsunlessthere’sa businesscase,andeventhen,wemakesurethey're explainableandmonitored.”Thisisnotjustgoodpractice; itisgoodbusinesswhenyouarehandlingthecrownjewels ofothercompanies.
Success,forDmitry,isnotjustabouthittingfinancial targets,thoughXenossdidachieveastaggering932% revenuegrowthoverthreeyears,landingitontheInc.5000 list. “If what we build runs critical business functions, scales under load, and earns trust from internal users, that’s impact,” hesays.Therealprize? “When a client stops seeing data as a problem and sees it as a competitive asset.”
Howdoeshepullitoff?Dmitrydescribeshis leadershipasbuilton“clarity,autonomy,and accountability.”Hehiressmartpeople,points thematthemountain,andgivesthemthegearto climbit. “At Xenoss, we operate with high autonomy and high responsibility.” Innovationis notaccidental;itis“structured”viaaninternalhub. Operationalexcellenceis“asystem”ofrigorous processes.Hestaysclosetohisengineersand clients, “because that's where real alignment happens.”
Itwasnotalwaysaneasysell. “Early on, one of the biggest challenges was earning trust from large enterprises as a lean, engineering-led company,” headmits.Theydidnothaveamassivesalesforce. Theyhad“strongexecution.”Theydelivered. Reputation,itturnsout,isstillapowerfulcurrency TheshifttoexplicitlyfocusonAIanddata engineeringin2024 “aligned perfectly with both client demand and our core strengths.”
Lookingahead,Xenossis “platformizing” its expertiseintoreusablecomponentstospeedup impact.Theyaredigginginto “agent-based systems” fordecision-makingand hyperautomation,anddeepeningpartnershipswith techgiantslikeAWS,GCP,Databricks,and Snowflake.
Awayfromthedigitalcoalface,Dmitrypracticesa kindofstrategicdisconnectiontomaintainbalance. Healsomentorsearly-stagefounders. “It’s a way to give back, but it also keeps me sharp,” hesays. “Helpingothersnavigatetoughdecisionsforces metothinkclearlyandstaygrounded.”
Hisadvicetoaspiringinnovatorsisstraightforward andpractical,reflectinghisexperiencethrough varioushypecycles: “Focusonrealpainpoints. Companiesthatwinaren’ttheoneswiththe bestpitchdecks;they’retheoneswhosesystems arestillrunning,stillscaling,andstilldelivering valueone,two,threeyearslater.”
Inaworlddrowningindataandthirstyfor solutions,DmitrySverdlikandXenossarequietly, competently,buildingthedams,theaqueducts,and theturbines.Andthatisastoryworthfollowing.
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GrantCardoneoperatesonadifferentset ofassumptions.Hedoesnotmerelybuild businesses;heconstructsanentire doctrineforsuccess,acounter-narrativetoprevailing wisdom.AsCEOofCardoneCapital,managing over$5billioninassets,andleadingsevenprivately heldcompanieswithcombinedannualrevenues reaching$750million,Cardonehasprovenhis frameworkworks.Yet,histruepowerliesnotjustin hisbalancesheets,butinhisrelentlesspursuitofa singularidea:successisnotmerelyanaspiration;it standsasaduty,anobligation,aresponsibility.This convictiondriveshiseverymove,allowinghimto commandinfluencewithaprecisionthatborderson thestrategic.
Cardoneactivelyseekstodismantletraditional thinking.Heidentifiesthe“middleclass”asa mythology,atrapsprungbyoutdatedadvice.He issuescommands:“Quitsavingmoney.Quitbuying homes.Quitborrowingforcollege.”These declarationshitlikebluntinstrumentsagainstthesoft pietiesofconventionalfinancialplanning.Heargues thatmostAmericansfindthemselvesfinanciallystuck becausetheyfollowoldrules—save,buyahouse, planforretirement,borrowforeducation.Heasserts thesestrategiessimplydonotworkanymore.Hesees asystemthat,bydesign,keepspeoplefinancially illiterate.Hismission:tore-educate.
TheArchitectofDisruption:FromAdversityto Autonomy
Cardone’searlylifeofferednoblueprintforempire. Addictionthreatenedhistwenties.Hefacedpersonal andfinancialchallengesthatmighthavederailed others.Heovercamethem.Thisperiodforgedhis foundational“no-excuses”mindset,aresiliencehe wouldlatercodifyintohisbusinessphilosophy.
Heenteredtheautomotivesalesindustry There,he quicklybecameatopsalesperson.Heachievedthis notbyadheringtoestablishedmethods,butby creatinghisowntechniques,hisownhighperformancemindset.Helearnedtodisruptthestatus quodirectly,tochallengeexistingprocesses.This earlysuccessrevealedafundamentaltruthtohim: mostpeoplefollowestablishedpaths,evenwhen thosepathsleadtomediocrity.Hechosedisruption. Foroverthirtyyears,hehasappliedthiscutting-edge, disruptiveapproachtosales,marketing,socialmedia, andconsulting.Hehelpscompaniesexpandsales, increasetransactionprofitability,andreduceturnover byimplementingproven,industry-leadingprocesses throughmanagementandtrainingtechnology.He identifiedtheflawsinstandardpracticesandoffereda differentway
TheStrategyofScale:AmplifyingLeverage, DominatingtheLandscape
Cardone’stransitionfromsalestrainingtorealestate investingrevealsacalculatedmovetoamplify leverageanddominateadifferentkindoflandscape. Hebeganinvestinginmulti-familyrealestateinthe mid-1990s.Hisportfolionowspanseightstates, includingCalifornia,Arizona,Texas,andFlorida, encompassingover40transactions.
In2012,Cardoneexecutedamovethatdisplayedhis strategicacumen:hemadethesinglelargestprivate acquisitioninFlorida.ThisinvolvedtheHarbour Portfolio,fivepropertiesjustnorthofMiami.Cardone competedagainst38othergroups.Heprevailed.The $59millionpurchase,comprising1016units, immediatelyproducedapositivecashflowexceeding 8%annually.HeusedFannieMaedebt.Histhirdpartymanagementteamcapitalizedonalackofnew productdevelopmentintheareaandtrendingrising rents.Thisacquisitionexemplifiedhisfocuson “value-addopportunities”intertiarymarkets.
HetargetslocationsoverlookedbyREITs, seekingareaswithbarriersorlimitationsto newproductcomingtomarket.Thisstrategy allowshimtooperatewithlessdirect competition,consolidatinginfluencewhere othershesitate.
CardoneCapital,whichhefoundedin1996, servesasthevehicleforthisstrategy.It allowseverydayinvestorstopoolfundsinto large-scalepropertydeals.Hehasbuiltan extensiverealestateempire,embodyingthe philosophyhepreaches:aggressiveinvesting andleveragingdebtasagrowthstrategy This contradictstraditionalfinancialadvice,yetit underpinshiswealth.
TheGlobalClassroom:Engineering InfluenceandControllingtheNarrative
Beyondhisdirectinvestments,Cardone functionsasaprolificcontentcreatorand publicspeaker.Hehasauthoredeight businessbooks,including The 10X Rule, Sell or Be Sold,and If You’re Not First, You’re Last.Heoffersthirteenbest-sellingbusiness programs.Hecreatednegotiatingsoftware andanInteractiveVirtualSalesTraining Program.Thesetools,hestates,change people’slives.Hepromotessuccess, providingpracticaltoolsforpeopleofall professionalbackgroundstobuildtheirown economiestoward“truefreedom.”
Hehasbuiltamassivefollowingonsocial media.Millionsoffanswatchhisvideos, attendhisconferences,andusehisonline trainingplatforms.Eventslikethe10X GrowthConferenceattractthousandsof entrepreneurs,professionals,andbusiness leadersglobally.Hisdynamicpresenceand “no-excuses”philosophyhavemadehima powerfulvoiceinpersonaldevelopmentand businessgrowth.Thisisnotaccidental influence;itisengineered.Cardone understandshowtocontrolthenarrative,how toscalehismessagedirectlytoaglobal audience,bypassingtraditionalgatekeepers. Heleveragesdigitalchannelsasacommand center,disseminatinghisdoctrinewidelyand efficiently
Furthermore,hecontributesthoughtleadership througharticlesinForbes.Hehaspresentedon multipleoccasionsbeforetheCapitolHillSteering CommitteeonTelehealth.Heservedasamemberof theHIMSSPublicPolicyCommittee.Hedirectsa consultingbusiness,leadingdigitalproduct developmentanddeliveryformajorhealthcare industrycompaniesinNorthAmerica.Headvises cross-functionalstakeholdersonadvancingproduct valueandawareness,developingfeaturesthat improvemarketpenetration.Hepromotesclinical productandserviceofferingsforendcustomers. Hecoordinatescustomer-facingbusinessand technologyanalysisengagementstoidentify opportunitiesforhigh-valueproductdevelopment basedonimmediateandevolvingcustomerneeds. Hemanagesproductdevelopmentlifecyclesto ensureefficientcreationandreleaseofproductsthat generatesignificantrevenueandbuildcustomertrust. Heprioritizesmultipleconsultingandproduct developmentprojects,strategicallypositioning operationsandtechnologyresourcesaccordingto rapidlychangingbusinessgoalsandmarket demands.Hisactivities,bothdirectandadvisory, reflectasystematicapproachtoinfluenceand execution.
TheCounter-IntuitiveCommands:Offeringthe “Secret”
Cardone’smostprovocativeadvicedirectly challengescommonwisdom.Hewarnsagainst savingmoney,buyinghomes,andborrowingfor college.Hearguesthesetraditionalpathsperpetuate debtandkeepindividualsstuckinthemiddleclass.
“Themiddleclasshasbeenleftbehind,”hestates, “becausethey’vebeensavingmoneyanddoingthe rightthings—andit’snotworking.”
Instead,headvisespeopletoadoptthepracticesof thewealthy.Thisincludesusingtaxadvantagesand makingsmartinvestments.Heurgespeopleto“put moneytowork”ratherthanleavingitinsavings accounts.HecallsmostAmericansfinancially illiterate“bydesign,”arguingthatwidespread financialstrugglesstemfromsystemicissuesand outdatededucation,notindividualfailings.
Headvocatesforaradicalreorientationtoward strategiesemployedbythewealthy,including leveragingtaxadvantages,makingstrategic investments,andactivelydeployingcapital.
Hisstanceagainstborrowingforcollegetapsdirectlyinto widespreadfrustrationaboutescalatingtuitioncostsand thedubiousreturnoninvestmentmanygraduatesface. Heembodiesthephilosophyhepreaches,havingbuiltan extensiverealestateempireandavehicle(Cardone Capital)thatallowseverydayinvestorstoaccesslargescalepropertydeals.Heexemplifiesaggressiveinvesting andthestrategicleveragingofdebtforgrowth.His message,therefore,carriesweight;hehaslivedthe counter-narrative.
Cardone’spersonaljourneyfromaddictionandfinancial hardshiptobuildingamulti-billiondollarempire reinforceshisphilosophy.Hedoesnotjustpreachsuccess; hemodelsit.Heframesthispersonalachievementnotas individualtriumph,butasablueprintotherscanfollow
Beyondhiscommercialsuccess,Cardoneactsasa philanthropistandadvocateforfinancialliteracy.Through theGrantCardoneFoundation,hesupportsunderserved youth.Heprovideseducationandmentorshipin entrepreneurshipandmoneymanagement.Hismission:to helppeoplebreakoutofthemiddle-classmindset.
Heurgesthemtoachievefinancialfreedomby“thinking andacting10Xbigger.”Whetherthroughrealestate,sales training,ormotivationalspeaking,Cardonecontinuesto inspiremillionstotakecontroloftheirfinancialfutures.
Ultimately,GrantCardonepositionssuccessasanonnegotiableduty.Hedoesnotoffergentlesuggestions;he issuesdirectives.Hisentireenterpriseservesasamassive, ongoingre-educationcampaign,designedtoreshapehow peoplethinkaboutmoney,risk,andtheirownpotential. Hecommandsinfluencenotthroughcharm,butthrough conviction,throughademonstratedabilitytobuildwealth bydefyingnorms,andthroughadirect,unvarnished deliveryofhisownprovenplaybookforprosperity.Hehas builtamovementbydefiningobligationasthepathto freedom.
You’renottheonlyversionofyourselfanymore.
Somewhere—inaserverfarmyou’llnevervisit,running codeyou’llneversee—yourdigitaldoublequietly watchesyou.Itlearnsfromyourbloodwork,your medicalhistory,yourheartbeat.Itdoesn’tsleep.It doesn’tforget.Andit’snotjustrecording.It’sprojecting.
Thisistheworldofmedicaldigitaltwins.Andifyou’re stilltreatingthemlikefuturisticnovelties,you’relate. Thisisn’taboutgadgets.Thisisaboutleverage.Thekind ofleveragethatCEOsuseintheboardroomto outmaneuvertheircompetitors.Thekindofleverage hospitalswillneedtosurviveaworldwherepatients behavelikeconsumersanddatadriveseveryclinical decision.
Let’sbeclear:digitaltwinswon’tjustenhance healthcare.Theywillreplacetheguesswork.
Stripawaythetechlingo.Here’sthetruth.
Amedicaldigitaltwinisyourbiologicalreflectionincode.It’s avirtualversionofyou—fedbyyourgeneticprofile, wearables,bloodtests,imagingscans,andmore.Itruns simulations.Itwatchesfordeviations.Itruns“what-if” scenarioslongbeforeyourbodybreaksdown.
It’snothypothetical.It’smathematical.
Builtwithmachinelearningmodelsandreal-timephysiological data,thetwincansimulatehowyourbodymightrespondto differenttreatments,diets,drugs—evenfuturediseases.
Thisisnolongeralabprototype.It’sbeingdeployedrightnow inpilotprogramsfromBostontoBarcelona.Andtheearly signals?They’renotjustpromising—they’redecisive.
WhatYou’reMissingIfYou’reNot PayingAttention
Mosthealthcaresystemsstilltreatpeoplelike theyliveinsidespreadsheets.Age,weight, BMI.Baselines.Averages.Thesearen’t insights—they’reshortcuts.
Adigitaltwindoesn’tcareaboutaverages.It models you—downtothecellularlevelif needed.
Andhere’sthestrategicshift:
Withatwin,doctorsstopreacting.Theystart anticipating.
CaseinPoint:TheHeartThatWarnsYou BeforeItFails
AttheBarcelonaSupercomputingCenter, researchersdidn’tbuildatool.Theybuilta revolution:adigitaltwinofthehumanheart calledAlyaRed.
100millionvirtualheartcells.50equations percell.Ittakes10hourstosimulate10 heartbeats.Whydoesthatmatter?
Becausethisheartcanspotfailuresbefore symptomsshowup.Itseeswhatmedication willfixyou before youneedthemedication. That’snottheory.That’strajectory.
Imagineyou’reacardiacpatient.Wouldyou ratherwaitforchestpain—orseeasimulation flagdeterioratingbloodflowinreal-time?
ThisiswhatAlyaReddelivers.Strongflows appearasredandorange.Sickzonesglow blueandgreen.Thecolortellsthestory. Doctorsdon’tguess.Theyact.
Let’sTalkStrategy:WhatDigitalTwins ActuallyChange
1.TheyKilltheStandardProtocol
Yourtreatmentisn’tbasedonpopulationleveltrialsanymore.It’sbasedonyourown future.
CEOstalkabout“precisionstrategy.”Thisis “precisioncare.”It’sthesameprinciple. Understandthelandscape,simulateoutcomes, executetheoptimalplay
2.TheyFliptheHealthSystemIncentives
Today,providersprofitwhenpeoplestaysick longer.Buttwinsenableearlyintervention.That onlyworksinavalue-basedcaremodel.Soif you’renotshiftingyoursystemnow,you’re bettingagainstthetrend.
3.TheyEmpowerthePatient—andForce Transparency
Patientswhoseetheirdigitaltwindon’tstay passive.Theyaskquestions.Theywantreal answers.Andtheycanseewhensomething doesn’taddup.Ifyou’reaprovider,thismeansno morevagueadvice.Yourdatawillbematched againsttheirs.
WhattheSmartSystemsAreDoingRightNow
Let’smakeitreal.
Here’swhatthetop-tierhealthsystemsand tech-forwardclinicsaredoingtodaywithdigital twins:
· RiskMapping:Usingpersonaltwinsto simulatehowlikelyapatientistodevelop diabetes,cancer,orstroke—before any symptomsarise.
· TreatmentSimulation:Tryingoutfive differentchemoregimensonthedigital versionofacancerpatienttoidentifythebest option—before startingasingledose.
· SurgicalPrecision:Pre-testingsurgical proceduresinthevirtualbodytoreducepostopcomplicationsandlowermalpracticerisk.
Thisisstrategydisguisedascare.Anditworks.
ButThere’saCatchNoOneTalksAbout
Digitaltwinsdon’tworkinisolation.Theyneed infrastructure.Cleandata.Securesystems.A clinicalteamthatknowshowtouseinsights—not justcollectthem.
Mostprovidersaren’tready.Andtheoneswhoare? They’renottalking.Becausewhenyougetthisedge, youdon’tbroadcastit.Youscaleit.
Andthatbringsustotheuncomfortabletruth:
Digitaltwinswon’tdemocratizehealthcare.They’ll weaponizeit—forthosewhoprepare.
Ifyou’readecision-makerinhealthcare—clinical, operational,orstrategic—askyourself:
· Isoursystemstructuredtotreatpatternsorpeople?
· Doourcliniciansknowhowtointerpretsimulation data?
· HaveweinvestedintheITbackbonethatsupports twin-basedcare?
· Arewestillreactingtodisease…oranticipating it?
Thewinnersinthenextphaseofhealthcarewon’tbetheones withthebestslogans.They’llbetheoneswhoknowwhat’s coming—becausethey’vealreadyseenit.
FinalWord:ThisIsn’ttheFuture.It’sAlreadyHere.
Thephrase“personalizedmedicine”hasbeenaroundfortwo decades.Butnow,itmeanssomethingveryreal.Itmeansyour body,renderedindata.Simulated.Projected.Protected.
InthewordsofoneCTOataleadingbiotechfirm:
“Westoppeddesigningtreatments.Westarteddesigningfutures.”
That’sthedifferencedigitaltwinsmake.
Andifyou’restillthinkingofthisasatechnologystory,you’re missingthebiggerplay.
Thisisastrategystory.Acontrolstory.Asystems dominancestory
NakishaAdamscommandsattentionby operatingoutsideconvention.AsFounderand CEOofSkribble,sheleadsafirmdedicated toempoweringsmallnon-profitorganizations.Shedoes notmerelychasefunding;sheorchestratesstrategic maneuvers.Adamsunderstandsthattocarveaunique identity,onemustdisregardtraditionalboundaries. Shebelievesinseizingnewopportunitieswithan unorthodoxapproach,unburdenedbyfearofimmediate outcome.Sheviewssteppingbeyondone’scomfortzone notasarisk,butasaprerequisiteforascent.“Itiseasier tostepbackandcritiquethemistakesofthosewhoare navigatingoutsidethebox,”sheasserts.“Puttingyourself inapositionwhereyouattemptedsomething,knowing youmayfail,thatisasuccess.”Thisphilosophyforms thebedrockofherinfluence:acalculatedembraceof audaciousaction.
TheStrategicGenesis:AbandoningFalseSecurity
Adams’sascentbegannotinthenon-profitworld,but withinCorporateAmerica.Shepursuededucationwith relentlessfocus,earningaBBAfromtheUniversityof Wisconsin,andlateranMBAandaBachelorofScience inManagementfromCardinalStritchUniversity Heraptitudefornumbersledherintothefinance industry.Sheclimbeditsladder Yet,adeeperimpulse stirred:adesiretohelppeoplerise.Shefoundherself balancingacorporaterolewithherburgeoningpassion forassistingnon-profits.
Adecisionpointarrived.Sherecognizedshefaceda starkchoice.Hersignificantother,SeanRush,pushedher towardhertruecalling.Sheseveredtieswithher corporatejob.Shesteppedintotheunknownlandscapeof entrepreneurship.Thismovewasnotamereleapoffaith; itconstitutedadeliberateabandonmentofaperceived security,astrategicsheddingoflimitations.“Isawthat therewasaneed,”sheexplains,“notonlytheneedfor womeninthisindustrybutwomenofcolor.”
Sheunderstoodaspecificvoidexisted.“Tobeableto assistanindividualintellingtheirstoryisonething,” sheclarifies,“buttoassistanindividualintellingtheir story,becauseyouseeyourselfinit,isanother.”This recognitionofanunderservedmarket,andherpersonal connectiontoit,becameapowerfullever.Sheseized theopportunity.ShelaidSkribble’sfoundation. Sheleveragedheridentityasacompetitiveadvantage, forgingdeeperengagementwithhertargetclients.
TheUnseenHandofSkribble:Precisionin Persuasion
Skribblefunctionsasanon-profitconsultingcompany. Itprovidesstrategicplanning,grantwriting,andboard development.Adamsensuresherteammeets organizationsprecisely“wheretheyareat”andguides themdirectly“wheretheywanttobe.”Shetransforms theoften-mundanetaskofgrantwritingintoastrategic actofpersuasion.
“Mycontributiontoredefiningtheindustry,”shestates, “isworkingwithsmallernonprofitstoassistthemin theirgoalofbeingrecognizedbyfundersthattendto givetolargerknownorganizationsandtoassistthemin buildingbridges,whichallowsmorevisibilityforthe worktheyaredoing.”ThismissionpositionsSkribble asachampionfortheunderdog.Adamsempowers thesesmallerentitiestopenetrateacompetitive landscape.Sheunderstandsthataccesstofundingflows fromvisibilityandcompellingnarratives.Herfirm provides:fullproposalwriting,lettersofinquiry, proposalreview,prospectresearch,governancepolicy review,andgrantreporting.Theseservicesformthe toolsthroughwhichSkribbleexertsitsinfluence, ensuringthatworthymissionsgaintheresourcesthey require.ThevisionforSkribbleremainsclear:to deliverservicesthatempowerotherstochangetheir communities,allwhileinnovatinginhowthoseservices aredelivered.
ForgingtheInstrument:TheAlchemy ofChallengeandControl
Challenges,Adamsbelieves,forge strength.Overcomingthemallowsa leadertoreflectandrecognizepersonal transformation.Herentrepreneurial journeypresentedseveralhurdles. Shesacrificedfinancialstability. Sheconfrontedanewworldfilledwith unknownvariables.Shenavigatedthe unfamiliarconceptsofentrepreneurship. Shelearnedtomanagehertimeand masterkeybusinessprinciples.This periodwasnotchaos;itwasacrucible.
Sheemergedvictorious,shapedbyher determinationandrefusaltoyield.Her advicetorisingbusinesswomenspeaksto this:“Neverbeafraidtostepoutsidethe box.Therewillneverbethe‘perfector righttime’togoafteradream.Sometimes youjusthavetodoitandfigureitout whileyouareinit.”Thisrevealsaleader whotrustsherinstincts,whobelievesin decisiveaction,andwholearns continuouslythroughdirectengagement withtheunknown.Her“seekingwisdom fromothers”isnotasignofweakness,but astrategicleveragingofexternal expertise,awaytominimizepersonal chaosandmaximizecollective intelligence.
InnovationatSkribbleisnotchaotic experimentation;itrepresentsadirected process.Adamsbelievesin“harnessing thepowerofthelatesttechnologies.” Sheprovidescleardirection.Shegives “properspaceforallthepersonneltogrow individually.”This,shebelieves,creates “magic”andrendersateamunstoppable. Sheillustratesthisbystating,“Innovation isoneofthecorevaluesthatweasan organizationfocusonnurturingand cultivating.Wewereabletobringon COVIDtestinginjusttendaysduetothe spacewegivetoourteamstoinnovate andcreatesolutions.”Thiscontrolled autonomyallowsforrapidadaptationand strategicadvantage.
Founder and CEO
AsCEO,Adams’responsibilitiesincludecreating andimplementinggrowthstrategies.Shebuildsand maintainstherightteam.SheensuresSkribble’s brandmaintainsacohesivemessageacrossall platforms.Shemanagesherdaywithprecision, prioritizingclientwork.Sheadjustsfutureevents withthesamedisciplinedapproach.Whenherteam worksonaproject,sheensuressingularfocus, eliminatingdistractions.Thisrigorousdiscipline maintainshighquality
Shekeepsherselfandherteammotivatedby returningtothecompany’scoremission. “Irememberandremindusofthe‘WHY,’”she states.“Whyarewedoingthis?Iamnotdoingthis forme,butfortheorganizationsthattrustSkribble withtheirmissions.”Thispowerfulmotivational levercentralizespurpose,unifyingeffortsand maintainingunwaveringquality.Itminimizes internalfriction,transformingindividualtasksinto collectivededication.Shecontinuouslyseeksto learn,surroundingherselfwithmentorswho“push andchallenge”her,ensuringshenevergrows“too comfortable.”Thisreflectsaleaderwhounderstands theconstantneedforself-refinement.Shealsopays backtothecommunity.Shespeakstoyoungwomen aboutherjourney,providingassistancesotheycan forgetheirownpathstothetop.
AdamsaimstoexpandSkribble’srootsinthe comingyears.“Iwanttocontinuetobuildclientele inotherstatesandcountries,”sheasserts.This interstateandinternationalexpansionrepresentsa strategicmovetobroadenhersphereofinfluence. Hervisionextendsbeyondimmediatebusiness gains.Sheplanstostartanon-profitfoundation specificallytoassistyoungwomenintheir entrepreneurialgoals.“Myvisionistocontinueto buildalegacy,”sheexpresses.“Iwanttoknowthat whenIamnolongerhere,Ihavecreatedandleft somethingformychildrenthatchangedthelivesof individualsinapositiveway.”Thiscommitment elevateshermissionbeyondmerecommerce. Itimbuesherworkwithatimelessquality,inspiring deepercommitmentfromherteamandsolidifying herinfluenceacrossgenerations.
Whilefuelinghercompany’sgrowth,Adamsdedicatesample timetoherfamily.“IdesignatetimetoensureIdonotmissout onopportunitieswithmychildren,”shestates.BeforeSkribble, shehatedmissinggames,plays,andotherspecialmoments. Now,shemakessuresheattendsgames,picksupherchildren frompractices,andarriveshomewhentheyreturnfromschool. Thisdisciplinedcommitmenttoherpersonallifeisnota compromise;itisastrategicactofself-preservation.Itensures hermentalrenewalandsustainshercapacityforleadership, confirmingthatmasteryoverselfunderpinsprofessional dominance.
NakishaAdamsoperateswiththeprecisionofastrategist. Sheidentifiesoverlookedopportunities.Shecultivatesloyalty throughsharedpurpose.Shetransformschallengesintotools forgrowth.Shecommandsinfluencebyembodyingthevery changesheseekstocreate,onesmallnon-profit,onevital grant,onefutureleaderatatime.
Openyourphone sappstore.Search ’ for mentalhealth. Youwillfinda “ ” seaoftranquiliconsandcalming colorpalettes.Youwillseeappsfor meditation,moodtracking,anxietyrelief,and AIchatbotspromisingafriendlyear.
Now,understandthis:mostofthemareghosts. Theyaredigitalheadstonesinavastand growinggraveyardofgoodintentions.They aredownloadedinamomentofhope,usedfor threedays,andthenabandoned,forgottenuntil theuserpurgestheirphoneofdigitalclutter.
Leadersandentrepreneursarefloodingthis market,drivenbyagenuineglobalneed. Theyseetheexplosivegrowthprojections. Theyreadaboutthedemandforaccessible, stigma-freecare.Buttheyarefailing.Theyare failingbecausetheyareaskingthewrong questions.Theyarebuildingproductsbasedon afatalmisunderstandingofthemarketthey aretryingtoenter.
Theythinktheyareinthebusinessof software.Theyarewrong.
Ifyouareenteringthisspace,youareinthe businessoftrust.Andtrustisthemostbrutal andunforgivingmarketofall.Yourappwill notbejudgedonitsfeaturelist;itwillbe judgedonitsabilitytoearnandmaintainthe mostsacredtrustapersoncanoffer
So,beforeyouspendasingledollar,youneed toabandontheconventionalwisdomofapp development.Youneedtounderstandwhythe graveyardissofull,andyouneedanew strategytoensureyourventuredoesnot becomeitsnextresident.
TheAnatomyofFailure:Why99%ofMental HealthAppsAreDeadonArrival
Thepathtotheappstoregraveyardispavedwith threecriticalstrategicerrors.Leadersmakethem everydaybecausetheyareapplyingtherulesof otherindustriestoafieldwithnoparallel.
1.TheFeature-ListFallacy:Mostproduct roadmapsarebuiltonachecklist:Moodtracker? Check.Journalingfunction?Check.Guided meditations?Check.AIchatbot?Check.You buildaproductwithmorefeaturesthanthe competitionandassumeyouwillwin.
Thisisalosingstrategy Alistoffeaturesisnota product;itisacollectionofdisconnected gimmicks.Auserinmentaldistressdoesnot needmorebuttonstopress.Theyneeda cohesive,guidedexperiencerootedinaproven clinicalphilosophy.Withoutatherapeutic framework(likeCognitiveBehavioralTherapyor DBT)guidingthedesignofeverysinglefeature, yourappisjustdigitalnoise.Itprovides distraction,notdirection.Anduserscansensethe differenceimmediately
2.TheFreelancerGamble:Tosavemoney, manyventureshirealoosecollectionoffreelance developersanddesigners.Fromapurelyfinancial perspective,itseemslogical.Fromastrategicand ethicalperspective,itisanactofgross negligence.
Youareaskinguserstopourtheirdeepestfears, traumas,andsecretsintoyourproduct.Youare collectingthemostsensitivepersonaldataon Earth.Entrustingthatdatatoafragmentedteam ofcontractorswithnocentralizedsecurity commandisacatastrophicliabilityrisk.
Itisthedigitalequivalentofbuildingabankvaultwithlocks madebythreedifferentpeoplewhohavenevermet.Oneweak link,onesecurityoversight,andyourentireenterpriseisnot justdestroyed—itistoxic.
3.TheAppBuilderIllusion:Theriseofno-codeappbuilders hascreatedtheillusionthatanyonecanbuildamentalhealth app.Thisisperhapsthemostdangerousfallacyofall.You cannotbuildaclinical-gradetoolonaplatformdesignedforecommercestoresandrestaurantmenus.
Theseplatformslacktheindustrial-gradesecurity,thedata encryption,theHIPAA-compliantinfrastructure,andthe nuancedUI/UXcapabilitiesrequiredforthismission.Usingan appbuilderforamentalhealthtoolislikeperformingsurgery withaplasticknife.Thetoolisfundamentallyunsuitedforthe task,andtheresultisinevitablefailureandharm.
Toavoidthegraveyard,youmustabandonthegoalof “buildinganapp”andadoptanew,singularmission:building aTrustProtocol.ATrustProtocolisasystemdesigned aroundoneoutcome:earningandkeepingauser’sabsolute confidence.Itisbuiltonthreenon-negotiablepillars.
Pillar1:ClinicalLegitimacyYourproductcannotjustfeel therapeutic;itmust be therapeutic.Thisisnon-negotiable.
· YourMandate:Yourdevelopmentprocessmustbeginwith clinicians,notcoders.Theentireuserjourneymustbe designedbymentalhealthprofessionalsbasedonevidencebasedpractices.Everyfeaturemustanswerthequestion:“How doesthissupportaspecific,proventherapeuticoutcome?”Ifit doesn’t,youcutit.Your“AboutUs”pageshouldfeatureyour ChiefMedicalOfficerandclinicaladvisors,notjustyourCEO. Legitimacyisyourfoundation.
Pillar2:TheDigitalVaultUsersaregivingyoutheirdigital soul.Yourresponsibilityistoprotectitwiththeferocityofa nation-stateprotectingitsgoldreserves.“HIPAAcompliance” isnotagoal;itistheabsoluteminimumentryticket.
· YourMandate:Youmustbuildadigitalvault.Thismeans end-to-end,zero-knowledgeencryptionwhereevenyourown administratorscannotviewuserdata.Itmeansregular,thirdpartypenetrationtestingandsecurityaudits.Itmeansdata sovereignty,allowinguserstocontrolanddeletetheir informationcompletely.Youmustcommunicatethis commitmenttoyourusersrelentlessly Theyneedtoknowyou areafortress,notaflimsyshed.
Pillar3:RuthlessEngagementDesignInotherapps, “engagement”meansnotifications,streaks,anddopamine loops.Inmentalhealth,thatapproachispredatory Engagementisnotaboutkeepingusershooked;itisabout providingtangiblevaluethatmakesthemfeelsafeand supported.
· YourMandate:Thedesignmustbeintuitive,calming, andempathetictothepointofbeinginvisible.Theusermust neverstruggletofindwhattheyneed.Yourappshouldcreate a circleofcare. Thismeansitsnotificationsaregentle “ ” reminders,itsinsightsaregenuinelyhelpful,anditsuse providesasenseofrelief,notasenseofobligation.Thegoal istobealifeline,notanothersourceofstress.
YourExecutionPartner:BuildingaLifeline,NotanApp
YoucannotbuildaTrustProtocolwithfreelancersorgeneric appbuilders.Yourequireastrategicpartner—aspecialized developmentcompanythatunderstandstheyarenotjust writingcode,butbuildingaclinicalinstrument.
Whenyouvetthesepartners,throwoutthestandard checklist.Askthesequestionsinstead:
1. “Showmeyourclinicalintegrationprocess.”Don’task ifthey vebuilthealthcareapps.Demandtosee they ’ how integrateclinicalpsychologistsandtherapistsintotheir designanddevelopmentsprints.Iftheydon thaveaclear, ’ documentedprocessforthis,walkaway
2. “Givemeyourlatestthird-partysecurityaudit report.” ’ “ ” ’ Don taskiftheyare HIPAAcompliant. That sa yes/noquestion.Demandtheproof.Aseriousfirmwillhave thisonhandandwillrespectyouforasking.Itprovesthey arearchitectsofdigitalvaults,notjustcoders.
3. “Explainhowyourfeaturedesigndrivesspecific therapeuticoutcomes.”Don’tsettleforademooftheir moodtracker.Makethemexplaintheclinicalpsychology behind it sdesignedthatway.Howdoesitsupporta why ’ CBT-basedthoughtrecord?Howdoesithelpauser recognizecognitivedistortions?Thisseparatesthefeaturelistersfromthetruebuildersoftherapeutictools.
4. “Whatisyourplanforpost-launchgovernanceand iterativeimprovement?”Alifelineneedsconstant monitoringandmaintenance.Youneedapartnerwhooffers arobustplanforongoingsupport,bugfixes,security patching,andscaling.Theirjobisn toveratlaunch;it sjust ’ ’ beginning.
TheFutureIsNotanApp;It’saPredictive System
Thecurrentgenerationofappsisreactive.Auser feelsanxious,sotheyopentheapp.Thenext generation—theonethatwilldominatethe market—willbepredictive.
Thisisthenextstrategichillyoumustplanto take.Thefutureisnotinself-reporteddataalone. Itisinthesecureintegrationofobjective, physiologicaldatafromwearables.Sleeppatterns, heartratevariability,activitylevels.
Bycombiningthisdatawithuser-reported information,atrulyintelligentsystemcanbegin to identifythesubtlepatternsthatprecedea mentalhealthcrisis.Itcanmovefrombeingatool youreachforinapanictoaproactivepartnerthat providesan intervention thepanicsetsin. before
“ ’We venoticedyoursleepqualityhasdeclined forthreeconsecutivenights,apatternpreviously associatedwithincreasedanxietyforyou.Hereis a5-minutebreathingexercisetotry.”
Thisisthefuture.Itisasystemofproactive, personalizedcare.Anditcanonlybebuiltona foundationofabsolutetrust.
YourChoice:GraveyardorLifeline?
Thementalhealthappmarketisagraveyard becauseitisfilledwithwell-intentionedtoysbuilt bypeoplewhodidnotunderstandthegravityof theirtask.Theybuiltapps.
Yourmission,shouldyouchoosetoacceptit,is different.Yourmissionistobuildalifeline.A robust,secure,clinicallylegitimateinstrument thatapersoncanclingtointheirdarkest moments.
Thisworkisnoteasy.Itisnotcheap.Itrequiresa levelofstrategicseriousnessfarbeyondtypical techdevelopment.
Butthechoiceisyours.Willyoubuildanother headstonefortheappstoregraveyard?Orwill youfindtherightpartnerandbuildalifelinethat mightactuallysaveone?
RobBullerdoesnotmerelyparticipatein thetechnologysector;heactivelyshapes itstrajectory AsFounderandManaging PartnerofCyberhillPartners,heconsistently navigatesandredefineshowenterprisesapproach criticaldomains:cybersecurity,artificialintelligence, andcloudtransformation.Robtranslatescomplex technologicaladvancementsintotangiblebusiness impact.Thisdedicationhassolidifiedhispositionas apioneer,aforcewhoexertssignificantinfluence withintherapidlyevolvinglandscapeofmodern technology.Heidentifiesfundamentalproblems. Hebuildssolutionsthatscale.
CyberhillPartners,LLC,whichRobleads,delivers specializedprofessionalengineeringservices.The firmprovideshigh-qualityenterprisetechnology solutionstoFortune500andgovernmentclients. Cyberhillcollaborateswithleadingtechnologyfirms inAI,cybersecurity,andcloud,combiningitsexpert serviceswithinnovativesoftware.Thisapproachis notincremental;itlaysnewfoundations.
CyberhillisnotRob’sfirstventure.Overtwo decades,hehasfoundedmultiplecompanies.This entrepreneurialjourneyincludesPahu,recognizedas theworld’sfirstAI-basedidentitysolution.Pahu holdsapatentpending.Itprovidesmachine-tomachine,AI-generatedauthentication,integrating withplatformslikeAuth0.Itsmobileapplication functions.Pahuidentifiesuserswith99.9% accuracy,leveragingbillionsofdatapoints.This levelofprecisionisnotaluxury;itstandsasa fundamentalrequirementforsecuredigital interaction.
Rob’sabilitytoanticipatemarketshiftsbecame evidentearlyinhiscareer.Inthelate1990s,while Amazongainedtractionsellingbooksonline,Rob introducedanonlinegroceryshoppingplatform.
Itofferedin-storepickup.Hedidthisyearsbeforemajor retailerslikeWalmartandTargetadoptedsimilarmodels. Heenvisionedthe“buyonline,pickupinstore” experience—anow-standardpractice.Hepredicteda fundamentaltransformationinconsumerbehavior This demonstratedaninnatecapacitytoperceiveemerging patternsandbuildinfrastructureforfuturedemands.
Hisacademicbackgroundreflectsadisciplined,analytical mind.RobholdsaBAintheBasisofBiologicalBehavior (pre-med)fromtheUniversityofPennsylvania. HepossessesaDepartmentofDefenseTopSecret Clearance.Aftergraduation,hefacedapivotalchoice:a financecareeronWallStreetoratechnologypathatPrice Waterhouse.“Ithoughttomyselfthattechnologyisgoing togrowintosomethingbig,”Robrecalls.“Iwantedtobe apartofthiskindofgrowth.Thatisreallywhatstarted mycareerintechnology.”HeenteredanintensiveMITIS program,wherehetrainedinprogrammingandsystems thinking.Programming,Robexplains,demandsextreme specificity.Onemustinstructaprogramabouteverypiece andpartforproperconstruction.“Thisrequiresadifferent kindofthinking,”headds.“AndIlovedit.”This rigorous,logicalapproachunderpinshisabilitytodissect complexproblemsandbuildrobustsolutions.
Robmaintainsastrongpassionforemerging technologies.However,healsorecognizesrecurring cyclesintheindustry.“Itoftenfeelslikewe’rewatching thesamemovieplayoutinnewformats,”hestates.This clear-eyedperspectivepreventscomplacency;itcompels continuousinnovationandstrategicadaptation.
Rob,aprovenpioneerine-commerce,AI,and cybersecurity,buildssolutionsdesignedtoimprovelives. HefoundedCyberhillin2017.Atthattime,cloud computingboomed,andcybersecurityconcernsamplified forcompanies.“Itwasaripeopportunitytohelp companies,”heasserts.
“Ourviewfromtheverybeginningwasthatas enterprisesexpandtothefringeswithIoT,they needtobesmarter,moresecure,andscalable,” Robexplains.“Soscalableiscloud,smarterisAI, andmoresecureiscybersecurity Theseare Cyberhill’sthreemainareasoffocus.”Thisclear articulationdefinesCyberhill’sstrategicpurpose. Robpositionedthefirmattheintersectionofthese critical,convergingtechnologies.
LivingnearWashington,D.C.,atthetime,Rob immersedhimselfindiscussionsaboutregulations andpolicy-making.Theseconversationsinspired Cyberhill’sfounding.Thenameitself,drawnfrom CapitolHill,symbolizestheintersectionof governanceanddigitalsecurity.Robenvisions Cyberhillasacrucialbridge.Itelevatesthe importanceofcybersecuritybyemphasizing complianceandregulatoryalignment, transformingatechnicalnecessityintoastrategic imperative.
Cyberhillspecializesinengineeringfuture-state softwaresolutionsforFortune500andU.S. Governmententities.Itdeliverscomprehensive implementationservicesthatdrivesuccessand security.Robandhisteamengagedirectlywith leadersinvolvedintechnologystrategiesand operationsacrossbusinesses,includingCIOs, CISOs,CTOs,andChiefArtificialIntelligence Officers.Theyhelptheseleaderspreventissues relatedtocorporatedataandcybersecurity—issues that,ifunaddressed,canseverelyimpacta company.“Wehelpthemsolvetheseissues,”Rob states,“andwe’vebeenverysuccessfulinthat.”
Cyberhillalsoassistslarge,multi-billion-dollar multinationalcompanies.Robcitesclientswith extremelycomplexenvironments,including200 domainsanddatacentersspanningSingaporeand theNetherlands,utilizingbothAWSandonpremisesystemsinNewYorkandSanDiego. Theseenterprisesoperateatmassivescale, managingenormousvolumesofdataacrossglobal infrastructures.Robexplainsthattheirexpansive networkscreatepervasivecybersecuritythreats. Dataconsumptionbecomesessentialforbusiness operations.CIOsoftenleadcostcenters,limiting theirinternalcapabilities.“So,wecomeinand helpforaperiodoftimeandsolvetheproblem,” Robclarifies.
“OneofthethingsthatsetsCyberhillapartisthat webringanentireteamtoeveryengagement,” Robexplains.“Wedon’tjustsolvethe problem—weempowerourclients.”After implementation,Cyberhillprovidescomprehensive resources,suchaswebinarsandtraining documents.Thisensuresclientteamsareequipped forlong-termsuccess.“Ourgoalistoteachpeople tofish,notjusthandafish,”headds.Thisstrategic approachcultivatesdeeperclientrelationshipsand extendsinfluencebeyondimmediateservice delivery
Cyberhillhasexperiencedconsistentgrowthsince itsfounding.“Everyyearhasbeenagrowthyear,” Robconfirms.“Now,withwhatwearedoing, thingsarestartingtotakeoff.Andwearestill evolving.”Thistrajectorysignalsacompanybuilt forcontinuousadaptationandexpansion.
TheBattleforMindset:ElevatingTechnology’s Role
Robdirectlychallengesapervasive,outdated notion:technologyasmerelyacostcenter. Hearguesthatitservesasthecoreengineof modernbusiness.ConsiderGoogleandAmazon. Theyoperateprimarilyontheweb.Everyone interactswiththefrontendoftheirbusiness. “That’stheirstorefront,”Robpointsout,“and they’reworthtrillionsofdollars.”Ifacompany lacksthetechnologyinfrastructuretokeeppace withgrowingbusiness,orifbusinessand technologyarenot“joinedatthehip,”that companywillfallbehind.GoogleandAmazon, conversely,willnotfallbehind.Theirentire businessintegratesseamlesslyintotechnology
“AlotofCEOsorboardslookattechnologyasa costcenter,”Robstates.“Weneedtothink differentlyabouttechnologyattheC-leveland boardlevel;itispartofthebusiness.”Hedemands afundamentalparadigmshift.JPMorganrecently announceditsuseofAIandquantumtechnologies acrossmultipledivisions.“That’sexactlythekind ofalignmentweneedmoreof,”Robsays, “technologydrivingbusinessoutcomes.Itshould bethepairingoftechnologyandbusinesstogether togrow.”Thisdirectandpersistentadvocacyaims tore-educateexecutiveleadershipandredefine technology’sstrategicrole.
Robidentifiesoneofhisgreatestachievementsas offeringpeopletheopportunitytoexcel.“It’s aboutwhatwebuildandwhatweleavebehind,” headds,emphasizinglong-termimpact.Whenhe wasapartneratKPMG,hecollaboratedwith SteveTemares,thenCFOandactingCEOofBed Bath&Beyond.Temaresrequiredan e-commercesite.“So,webuiltanincredibleBed Bath&Beyonde-commercesite,”Robrecalls, “andwepioneeredorderonline,pickupatthe store.Wealsolaunchedoneofthefirstonline weddingregistries,whichhadneverexisted before.”Theseinnovationsbecamea$3billionto $4billionannualrevenuegeneratorforBedBath &Beyond.
Robfindsdeeprewardinobservingformercolleagues,from hise-commercebuildsorstartups,grow,succeed,andpursue newopportunities.“It’sfulfillingoneverylevel,”hesays. Acrosseveryventure,Robhasintentionallybuilthighperformingteams.Hefostersaculturewherepeoplethrive. Manybelieveitisa“privilege”toworkathiscompany Robremembersamomentwhenhandingoutstockoptions: onepersonstated,“Idon’tneedequity.Itisjustanhonorto workhere,andIlovebeingwithallthesepeople.”This anecdotehighlightshisabilitytoattractandretainelitetalent bybuildingacultureofsharedpurposeandhighperformance.
AsManagingPartner,Robperceiveshisroleasacoach. Heguidesateamofhighperformers.Heencourages discipline.Heidentifiesareasforimprovement.Heprepares themforfuturechallenges.“I’matremendousassettothe companyinthatrole,”heasserts.“Thesedays,Ispendmore timeworking on thebusinessthan in thebusiness.” Hepossessesdeepexperienceandinsight,whichheshares openlywithhisteam.Hisabilitytoenvisionthecompany’s futureallowshimtocoachwithbothstrategicclarityand practicalsupport.WhileheoverseesCyberhill’sfinancialand legaloperations,hefindsgreaterfulfillmentinmentoringand leadership.
Robandhisteamdrawsignificantenergyfromtheircurrent projectsandfutureprospects.“We’reworkingonincredible initiatives,partneringwithexcitingclients,andhaving meaningfulconversationsaboutfutureopportunities,” hestates.Thismomentumdrivesmotivationandinspiration. Greatleadership,Robbelieves,balancesvisionandservice: settingcleardirectionwhileequippingtheteamwiththe necessarytools,resources,andsupportforsuccess.
“Thewayforwardismoreclients,morepartners,more people,”Robdeclares.HeenvisionsCyberhillfollowinga naturalbusinessevolution:growinginsize,increasing revenue,developingalongsideclientsandpartners.Roband histeamconsiderexpandingtheirfootprintgloballythrough mergersoracquisitions,particularlyinEurope.However, theirimmediatefocusremainsgrowthwithintheU.S.“There isathoughttoexpandinternationally,butnotthisyear Maybenextyear,”hesays.Theyalreadyserveclientsin Canada.
Theircorevaluesremainconstant:“executingeffectivelyfor allourclients”and“doingrightbyourpeople.”AsManaging Director,Robintendstocontinueensuringthateveryone receivescare,learns,grows,andachieveswork-lifebalance.
Newtechnology,Robstates,inherently changesentireindustries.AIservesasa primeexample.Furtherdisruptionlooms withquantumcomputingandother emergingtechnologies.“Whennew technologiescomeintoplay,”Rob explains,“theyspawnnewindustries,new technologies,software,andhardwarethat complementsoftware.”Asthisshift occurs,oldercompaniesthatfailtokeep pacewillfallbehind.AristaNetworks, anAInetworkcompany,now“blowsthe doorsoff”CiscobecauseitintegratesAI. Ciscorisksobsolescenceifitdoesnot adaptandinnovatedecisively
Everynewwaveoftechnology,Robnotes, generatessubstantialhype.Thisprompts widespreadadoption,fuelingexponential growth—untilaninevitabledecline begins.“Ifcompaniesdon’thavethenext innovationreadytopropelthemforward, theyriskfadingout,”heexplains.“That’s whyit’scriticaltostayaheadofemerging technologies—andthatrequiresconsistent investment.”
TheAIhorizoncontinuesitsrapid advance.Robnotesthetransitionfrom second-generationAItogenerativeAI. Web3beginstoemerge,incorporating ontologiesandknowledgegraphs, conceptsderivedfromdiversedata.AI, Robbelieves,willparallelthehuman brain’sadaptability,withvast,stilluntappedpotential.“Maybeinthefuture, itwillbequantumAIorQofAIor somethingalongthoselines,”headds. RobdoesnotbelieveAIhasreachedits peak.“CertainpiecesofAImightfollowa bellcurve,”hesays.“Anditwillbe replacedwithneweradvancements, suchasquantumAIorotheremerging technologies.”Hepredicts,“AIasa conceptwillprobablycontinuetoevolve overthenext10or20years.”
Rob’sultimategoal:toleavebehinda legacyofpeoplewholearnedfromhim. Mentorsguidedhim,offering“nuggetsof wisdom”henowlivesbyandshares.
“MygoalistopassonwhatI'velearned,”hedeclares,“soothers canthinkcritically,leadconfidently,andbuildevenbetter.”His messagetoaspiringleadersechoeshisownpractice:effective leadersdonotjustsetthevision;theyrolluptheirsleevesand workalongsidetheirteams.HepointstoSteveJobs,knownfor spendingtimeonthefactoryfloor,collaboratingwithdesigners andengineers.“Hedidn’tjustdeliveravision;heengagedwith peopleandsupportedthem,”Robsays.Futureleadersmust immersethemselvesaspartoftheteam.Buildalongsideengineers. Directthevision.Payattentiontotheteam.
Despitehisaccomplishments,Robmeasuressuccessnotby milestonesalone,butbythepeopleheempowersandthe transformativeideasheleavesbehind.“I’mneversatisfied,”he says.“There’salwaysmoretobuild,moretoteach,andmoreways tomakeadifference.”Robcontinueshisascent,chartingthe courseforthenextgenerationoftechnologicalinnovation.
Youdon’ttrainemployees.
Youeitherpreparethemto execute—oryouwasteeveryone’stime.
Tha’sthecoldtruthmostHRteamsignorewhile burningbudgetonslidedecks,YouTubeplaylists, andmotivationallectures.Theresult?Aworkforce thatzonesout,forgets90%bynextweek,and freezeswhenitcounts.
Youwouldn’tthrowasurgeonintoanORafter watchingavideo.
Youwouldn’ttrustapilotwhopracticedwith flashcards.
Thenwhyareyoustilltrainingemployeesthe samewayitwasdonein1998?
Welcometo2025.VirtualRealityisn’tthefuture.It’s now—andit’seatingtraditionaltrainingalive.
TraditionalTrainingIsDying—QuietlyandIneffectively
Let'snotsugarcoatit.Theoldtrainingmodelisbroken.
· Employeesdon’trememberwhatyouteach.
· Trainersvaryindelivery.Qualityfluctuates.
· One-size-fits-alldoesn'tfitanyoneanymore.
· Someskillsarejusttooriskytoteachinreallife.
You’vefeltit.Employeessitthroughonboarding,nodalong, andforgetitallbythenextshift.Trainersdeliverthesame stalematerialacrossgeographies.Andyourtoptalent?They disengagefast.
Buthere’sthekicker:VRfixestheseproblems—without drama,withoutdelay,andatscale.
What’sReallyChangingin2025?
Inshort:leadersstoppedwaitingforVRto“mature”and startedusingittosolverealpainpoints
75%ofFortune500salreadyuseVRinsomeformfor training.
VRlearnersfinishtrainingupto4xfasterthantraditional learners.
Theyretainupto75%more. They’re275%moreconfidentwhenapplyingwhatthey’ve learned.
That’snotmarketinghype.That’soperationalleverage.Let’s breakitdown.
TheNewTrainingPlaybook:WhyVRWins
1.YouTrainLikeIt’sReal—BecauseItIs
VRdropsyouremployeeintothefire—withoutgetting burned.
Anewwarehouseoperatorlearnstohandleforkliftsinfull3D space.
Astoremanagerhandlesafuriouscustomerwithlivevoice interaction.
Ade-icingcrewdrillsairportprotocolsinafull-blownwinter storm—withoutneedingajetengine.
Thatlevelofrealismforcesthebraintoencodelearning through doing,notwatching.
Youwantretention?Youwantmusclememory? Givethempressure.Givethemcontext.VRdeliversboth.
2.DifferentPeople.OnePlatform.AllCovered.
Oldtrainingtriestospeaktoeveryoneandendsup speakingtonoone.
VRadaptsbydefault:
· Visuallearnersget3Dsimulations.
· Auditorylearnersgetreal-timeguidance.
· Kinestheticlearnersengagethroughmotionand repetition.
· Textlearnerscanreadinstructionsandtriggernoteson demand.
Youdon’thavetochooseaformat.VR is theformat. Itfoldsmultiplelearningstylesintoonecontrolled environment.
Somemistakesinreallifecostlives,lawsuits,or millions.
WithVR,yousimulatethefirewithoutstartingone. Traineeshandledangeroustools,volatilescenarios,or sensitiveconversationswithzerophysicalrisk
Makeamistake?Good.Theylearn.Tryagain.Getbetter. It’sthesafestformofhigh-stakesexperienceyou’llever buy.
ForgettheoreticalROI.Let’stalknumbers.
Sure,you’llspendupfrontonheadsetsandsoftware. Butafterthat?
· Notravelcosts.
· Novenuerentals.
· Noprintingbinders.
· Nohiringexternaltrainersfivetimesayear
AndsinceVRaccelerateslearning,yourteamspendsless timetrainingandmoretimeworking.
CompaniesusingVRconsistentlyreportfewertraining hours,fewerincidents,andfasterramp-ups
Intraditionaltraining,thetrainer’smoodaffectsresults. InVR?Themoduledoesn’tcare.Itdeliversthesame high-standardexperiencetoeveryemployee,every time,inanycountry
That’showWalmarttrained1millionemployees. That’showDeltastandardizeswinteropsatevery airport.
That’showmedschoolsteachsurgeryacrosscontinents.
VRbringsprecisionandpredictabilitytoyourmost humanprocesses.
Trackingwho showed up isnottraining.Trackingwho improvedis.
VRplatformslogeverymovement,decision,and hesitation.
Youseehowlongtheytooktoreact.Whatmistakes theymade.Howmanyattemptstheyneeded.
That’snottraining.That’sinsight. Anditfuelsrealimprovement.
Who’sAlreadyDoingThis—andWinning?
Healthcare
SurgeonsuseVRtoprepforcomplexprocedures. Nursespracticeempathyanddiagnosticreasoningin virtualpatientrooms.
CompanieslikeVirtiandOssoVRletmedicalteams trainwithoutneedingcadavers,labs,ortravel.
Retail
WalmartusesVRforsoft-skills,de-escalation,and leadershipdevelopment.
Newhiresnowhitthefloorfaster—andstaylonger.
Aviation
Deltatrainsde-icingcrewsincold-weatheremergency simulationsusingVR.
LoftDynamicshelpspilotstrainonexactaircraft models—zerofuel,zeroflightrisk.
Manufacturing
Techniciansrehearsemachinecalibrationandfailure protocolsinfullyimmersiveplantsimulations.
EmergencyServices
Firefightersdrillrescues.Lawenforcementofficerspractice split-seconddecisions.
Paramedicssimulatetraumacasesbeforeevertouchinga patient.
Corporate
Leaderslearntogivehardfeedback.
HRstaffnavigatediversityandinclusionscenarios. Teamsrunvirtualteam-buildingsimulationsthatdon’tsuck.
CompanieslikePraxisLabsbuildexperiencesthatunlock emotionalintelligence,notjustcomplianceboxes.
Step
Don’tbuyVRbecauseit’scool.
BuyVRbecausethere’samission-criticalskillyourteam keepsfumbling.
Pickaproblem:onboarding,safety,communication, machinery.
Step2:StartSmall.ScaleHard.
Don’trollout1,000headsets.Startwith10.Testascenario. Gatherdata.Learnfast.
VRrewardsiteration.Notperfection.
Step3:ChoosetheRightPartner
Youcan:
· Buildcustomcontent(slower,buttailor-made)
· Useauthoringplatforms(ifyou’vegotastrongL&Dteam)
· Buyoff-the-shelfcontent(fastest,lowercost,lessflexibility)
UsedirectorieslikeArborXRtofindlegitdevelopers.Avoid anyonewhosays,“Wecanbuild anything.”Youwant specialists
Step4:MeasureWhatMatters
Lookat:
· Time-to-competency
· Reductioninincidentsorrework
· Employeeretentionaftertraining
· Confidenceratingspre/postsession
Showleadershipadashboardthatspeaksmoney, safety,andspeed.
What’sNext:TheVRTrainingFrontier 2025isjustthestart.
Soon,VRtrainingwilluseAItopersonalize modulesinreal-time.
Hapticgloveswillsimulatetexturesand resistance.
ARoverlayswillmixphysicalandvirtual training,blendingrealtoolswithvirtualprompts.
Theorgsinvestingtodaywillowntheexperience, data,andmomentumtomorrow.
FinalThought:Don’tTrainforToday—Train forImpact
Youdon’tneedanothertrainingvendor Youneed results.
Youremployeesdeservemorethanvideosand binders.
Yourorganizationdeservesbetterthanoutdated protocols.
Yourcustomers,yourpatients,yourend-users—all benefitwhenyourteamtrainslikeit matters
Andin2025,thatmeanstraininginVR. Becauseifyou’restilltrainingin2D,you’re preparingpeopleforaworldthatnolongerexists.
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