Cisco Podcast Network

Ian and THE Sammy Brenner are back, and Sammy has officially negotiated her way into the co-chair seat for this week’s episode. We’re ditching the usual format to get into the nitty-gritty of the "art of the ask." Sammy shares her journey from "begging" to co-hosting, while Ian reflects on his own early-career lessons and the realization that if you don't ask, you simply won't get.

Beyond the banter, we dive deep into the tactical side of career growth. We’re breaking down how to research your worth, why you should never be the first to drop a number, and the secret power of the pause. Whether you’re staring down a new job offer or prepping for a promotion cycle, we’re sharing the strategies—and the stories—to help you stop leaving money on the table.

While we miss Kat this week, you won't want to miss this one. Tune in now!

The Challenge: Service Providers are facing a dual pressure: exploding bandwidth demands from AI/ML workloads and the critical need to reduce cost-per-bit. Traditional hub-and-spoke architectures can no longer keep up.

Francis will pull back the curtain on how Lumen is transforming its metro and long-haul networks using Cisco Routed Optical Networking.

In this session, we will explore:
• Architectural Evolution: Moving from legacy transport to a converged, flat IP+Optical layer.
• Scaling for AI: How Lumen is deploying 400G/800G to support massive Data Center Interconnect (DCI) demands.
• Operational Efficiency: Practical insights on automating multi-layer provisioning to speed up time-to-service.

20 years. One company. Zero shortcuts.
In this episode of Shift Happens, Jeff Edwards sits down with Amy Bahlo who didn’t join Cisco for the brand—she joined for a September start date so she could spend one more summer at a camp that mattered to her. Two decades later, she’s leading one of Cisco’s most strategic global partnerships, driving $80M in co-sell with Microsoft and now scaling that motion globally with Google.

This episode isn’t just about big numbers—it’s about what actually builds a career that lasts.
Amy gets real about the moments that didn’t go her way—and why missing a role she knew was hers became the catalyst for something bigger 💥 rethink setbacks. She shares how owning outcomes, seeking hard feedback, and staying relentlessly coachable became her edge 🚀 grow faster (and smarter). And she breaks down how co-sell and cloud marketplaces are opening entirely new paths to win 🌱 tap into where the real growth is happening.

Her mindset is simple—and powerful: it’s not about the peak, it’s about the rebound.

How are Mercy Ships and Milton Keynes Hospital using data collection to transform accessing health? In this episode of Tech Unscripted, we explore the future of Tech for Healthcare and its role in improving global patient outcomes. Join us as we sit down with Grady Nichols from Mercy Ships and Ollie Chandler from Milton Keynes University Hospital to discuss how cutting-edge technology is bridging the gap in underserved regions and optimizing clinical decision-making.

Happy (belated) one-year anniversary to the pod! To celebrate, Ian is looking forward to reliving 2016 with The Chainsmokers at Cisco Live, and Kat is building an army of AI agents to do her job for her.

We're breaking down the actual difference between a regular chatbot and an autonomous AI agent, and debating whether outsourcing your life to a virtual Board of Directors makes you lazy or just a genius.

From setting up agents in Webex's AI Agent Studio to managing your new digital employees, we have your AI strategy covered (we think).

Guys...it's been a year. If you haven't given us a click, this is your sign: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html