Judge Sessions with Lumigo, Tribal DDB and Clipboard Hospitality

Welcome to the Pause Awards show, where we invite past winners and future judges to talk about their journeys, inspiration and lessons learned in their professional careers and beyond.

In this episode, George Hedon, Founder of Pause Awards, speaks with Steve Coochin (Senior Developer Advocate at Lumigo), Davy Rennie (National Managing Director at Tribal DDB) and Tipu Sultan (CIO at Clipboard Hospitality). George asked them questions about key skills for business success, industry foresights, professional milestones, and more.

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To start off, George asked the judges about what they deemed as key skills for excellence in business.

The ability to ask for help is so important. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. And it’s an incredibly valuable business asset to have, no matter what level you’re at.

Davy Rennie, National Managing Director, Tribal DDB

Passion – it’s something that truly drives me, and it’s a major motivator.

Tipu Sultan, CIO, Clipboard Hospitality

Abandoning the traditional career mindset and adopting more of a growth mindset is integral. And off the back of that, adaptability too.

Steve Coochin, Senior Developer Advocate, Lumigo

George then asked what success meant to the three of them:

Success is having the ability to not only have a career driven mindset, but also the ability to engage with communities around the world. Encouraging your best practice adoption, helping people and developers to do that and giving back to make a difference – that’s my definition of success.

Steve Coochin, Senior Developer Advocate, Lumigo

Success is creating a legacy. If I can create a legacy and genuine change, and add value in peoples’ lives, I’ll know that I’ve contributed something to the world.

Tipu Sultan, CIO, Clipboard Hospitality

When my team is recognised for the work they do – whether that’s making the world a better place or just a brilliant piece of creative work or utility – seeing the pride they have in their work, and seeing that recognised makes me feel good. It’s really exciting.

Davy Rennie, National Managing Director, Tribal DDB

The trio then went on to share a piece of business advice that stuck with them through the years:

It doesn’t matter what idea you have, it could be the most radical idea, but as long as you believe in it, and if you can convince yourself, then you can convince anyone in the world.

Tipu Sultan, CIO, Clipboard Hospitality

Remember that you’re dealing with humans. The value of relationships and empathy is more important than anything.

Davy Rennie, National Managing Director, Tribal DDB

One that stuck with me particularly was that if you’ve done what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. If you want to see different results, change the approach.

Steve Coochin, Senior Developer Advocate, Lumigo

Discussing their foresights into the industries they work in, they said:

We want to feel more together and more connected. With the advent of the metaverse and the technology that we constantly talk about, we cannot underestimate the value of people spending time together, whether in the workplace or socially.

Davy Rennie, National Managing Director, Tribal DDB

Hospitality has evolved – we’re more adaptable to technology now, and it’s making business more efficient globally.

Tipu Sultan, CIO, Clipboard Hospitality

The human connection aspect stands true. Since computing has emerged, we’ve strived to understand our own humanity through defining our digital worlds in human terms. And we can now immerse ourselves into that, but I wonder if it’s something we really want to do.

Steve Coochin, Senior Developer Advocate, Lumigo

Chatting about where they’d like to be three years from now:

Hospitality is going more global now, and I’d like to be working from somewhere overseas. Perhaps Italy!

Tipu Sultan, CIO, Clipboard Hospitality

I love traveling, so spending time in countries that are off the grid for us at the moment is definitely high up on the list.

Davy Rennie, National Managing Director, Tribal DDB

The industry moves so fast, I can’t even tell you what I’m doing in a month. But I’d like to live even more remote.

Steve Coochin, Senior Developer Advocate, Lumigo

Before George rounded off with his quick fire questions, he asked them what they’d like to do more and less of:

Spend more time on my farm, and with my family.

Steve Coochin, Senior Developer Advocate, Lumigo

I’d like to plan less and appreciate the present.

Tipu Sultan, CIO, Clipboard Hospitality

Less time spent on video calls and more time spent with people in real life. I’d also like to spend more time with a pen in my hand. The best work we’ve done always starts with that, a whiteboard, pizza, and a couple of beers!

Davy Rennie, National Managing Director, Tribal DDB

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The judges went on to share more personal anecdotes, work-life balance, their sources of fulfillment and more.

Don’t forget to check out the entire conversation below.