In this episode of VistaTalks, Host Simon Hodgkins sits down with Giulia Greco, founder of Giulia Greco Consulting and Globalization Consultant at Nimdzi Insights, to unpack the evolving landscape of international expansion, localization strategy, and the role of AI in shaping the future of global business. Drawing on her rich experience leading localization at Shopify and consulting for global clients, Giulia offers a refreshingly candid and insightful perspective on what it takes to succeed in going global today.

Stay Open, Stay Curious

Giulia leaves listeners with a powerful piece of advice:

"It's important to remain open and adaptable… Clinging to the past and the way things were is not a recipe for success."

In a world where technology, culture, and work dynamics are constantly evolving, the most resilient professionals and companies will be those who stay curious, willing to learn, and open to experimentation.

Giulia Greco offers more than just technical expertise in localization; she brings strategic vision, human insight, and refreshing candor to an increasingly complex and fast-moving field. Whether you're a startup looking to go global or a multinational navigating compliance and AI disruption, her message is clear: localization isn't just a support function. Done right, it's a driver of growth, connection, and long-term success.

00:00 - Giulia Greco - VistaTalks Ep 184

01:26 - From Burnout to Business: Why Giulia Started Consulting

04:03 - Localization ≠ Translation: A Broader Globalization Mindset

08:13 - Strategic Blind Spots in Global Expansion

12:54 - Content as Product: Prioritization & Market Strategy

17:09 - What Real Localization Success Looks Like

18:43 - Bill 96 and Compliance as a Growth Opportunity

30:21 - AI in Localization: Tools, Tradeoffs, and Transformation

About VistaTalks:

VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com

Social Media:

X - https://x.com/vistatalks

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Jill Goldsberry, Go-To-Market AI Senior Solutions Consultant at Centaur Labs, is in conversation with Host Simon Hodgkins on this episode of VistaTalks. The conversation explored how AI is transforming healthcare, why high-quality labeled data is the foundation of reliable models, and how Centaur Labs is helping organizations overcome some of the most pressing challenges in this space.00:00 - Jill Goldsberry - VistaTalks Ep 18301:31 - Jill’s role at Centaur Labs and why labeled data is essential03:19 - How Centaur integrates into complex healthcare workflows04:52 - Common misconceptions about data annotation in healthcare06:36 - Centaur’s mobile platform, gamification, and expert contributors09:07 - Real-world use cases, from sleep tracking to Microsoft Research projects11:33 - Tackling challenging data types like surgical video, ECGs, and lung sounds13:12 - Building trust, compliance, and regulatory readiness in healthcare AI15:38 - Emerging trends: dynamic datasets and human-AI collaborationAbout VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Trish Butler has held senior marketing roles at household names such as B&Q, Screwfix, McCann, and the Taxback Group (now CluneTech). These roles gave her a front-row seat to the challenges of scaling international brands, managing multiple markets, and aligning teams around shared values and goals. Host Simon Hodgkins catches up with Trish Butler, Portfolio CMO, on this episode of VistaTalks.

Key Takeaways

Trish closed the conversation with a message every business leader should remember: keep it simple. Focus on clarity, consistency, and delivering on your promise every time. Growth comes not from complexity, but from clear communication, strong culture, and customer-centric thinking.

00:00 - Trish Butler - VistaTalks Ep 182

01:26 - Building Brands in High-Growth Startups

07:02 - Lessons from Leading Multiple Brands

10:33 - Scaling Brands Effectively

16:24 - The Role of AI in Marketing

21:32 - Culture, Communication, and Alignment

26:00 - Go-To-Market Strategies That Work (and Fail)

31:50 - Leading Global Teams and Key Takeaways

About VistaTalks:

VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com

Social Media:

X - https://x.com/vistatalks

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Katherine Melchior Ray, Faculty Member and Lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, President of Global Ally, keynote speaker, and author, joins Host Simon Hodgkins for a conversation on how brands expand globally without losing authenticity. From San Francisco's multicultural roots to luxury, hospitality, beauty, and tech, Katherine's career is a masterclass in bridging cultures, building trust, and staying just a half step ahead of the market, not a leap too far.From San Francisco's "Little Worlds" to a Global CareerKatherine grew up in cosmopolitan San Francisco, with its espresso-fueled Little Italy, vibrant Chinatown, and the Mission's Latino heart, while attending French schools and living in a cross-cultural home. That lived diversity became the foundation for a career spent connecting people, markets, and meaning. She later worked and lived in France and Japan, speaks both languages, and has led teams across industries at iconic brands including Nike, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hyatt, and Shiseido, before moving into tech and teaching at Berkeley Haas.00:00 - Katherine Melchior Ray - VistaTalks Ep 18101:02 - San Francisco roots & a cross-cultural upbringing04:43 - Cultural intelligence: definition and why it matters08:52 - Japan vs. France: when “basics” aren’t basic12:55 - Kit Kat’s “freedom within a framework” playbook18:55 - Building trust across global teams27:34 - Lessons from Nike, Hyatt, Shiseido & tech34:03 - AI’s promise, context gap, and brand valuesAbout VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

With over 70 countries visited, fluency in six languages, and a lifetime of cross-cultural experience, Sylvia Gonner, President of Culturewiz, is in discussion with VistaTalks Host Simon Hodgkins. Sylvia brings both authority and a practical perspective to the challenges of going global.

About VistaTalks: 

VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com

Social Media:

X - https://x.com/vistatalks 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Artificial intelligence is changing everything, from healthcare and beauty tech to social media and surveillance. However, as systems powered by machine learning become increasingly embedded in our daily lives, a critical question arises: Are they working fairly for everyone?That's precisely what Neda Alipur, a PhD researcher at TU Dublin, is tackling through her groundbreaking work on image processing and AI skin tone representation. Host Simon Hodgkins speaks with Neda about her journey into this complex field and the pressing need for more inclusive AI systems in this episode of VistaTalks. This conversation is an important topic and one that goes right to the heart of bias in data and its real-world consequences.00:00 - Neda Alipur - VistaTalks Ep 179 01:30 - Neda's Journey into Image Processing and AI03:42 - Why Skin Tone Representation in AI Matters06:08 - The Problem with Inaccurate Datasets10:25 - Ethical Challenges in Labeling Skin Tone13:25 - Building a More Inclusive Dataset15:41 - Collaboration and Real-World Applications19:10 - Looking Ahead: Fairness as a Core Design PrincipleAbout VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Host Simon Hodgkins is in discussion with Hristina Racheva, whose journey is anything but conventional. After more than a decade of leading localization, product, and experimentation teams at major global organizations, including the European Commission, Google, and Skyscanner, Hristina made a bold pivot. Today, she’s a somatic guide and nervous system educator helping individuals and leaders reconnect with their inner wisdom to show up more authentically in both work and life.This episode examines the intriguing interplay between high-performance corporate environments and the profoundly personal, yet often overlooked, realm of somatic awareness.00:00 - Hristina Racheva - VistaTalks Ep 17802:10 - The Turning Point: Burnout and Career Shift07:15 - What Is Somatic Work? A Simple Explanation10:42 - Embodied Leadership Explained17:30 - Does somatic coaching contribute to the strategic?18:32 - The Nervous System and Strategic Thinking22:27 - Client Stories: Small Shifts, Big Impact25:34 - Practical Advice: One Powerful Question to Ask YourselfAbout VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Alice Rackley, CEO of Polytag, joins Host Simon Hodgkins for a conversation that cuts through the noise around sustainability and brings fresh insight into what real progress looks like in the world of recycling.

Polytag isn't just another tech company; it's one of the few players actively building the infrastructure needed to make circular economies for plastic packaging a practical reality. Under Alice's leadership, Polytag is transforming how brands track, trace, and take responsibility for their packaging.

00:00 - Alice Rackley - VistaTalks Ep 177

01:26 - From Barcodes to Recycling: Alice’s “Double Pivot”

03:16 - How Polytag’s Two-Tag System Works

07:28 - Sustainability as the New Digital Transformation

10:08 - Why Wales Leads the World in Recycling

13:11 - The Ocado Case Study: Recycling Rewards in Action

18:32 - Tackling Recycling Myths and the Problem with Downcycling

24:32 - Global Standards for a Circular Future

About VistaTalks:

VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com

Social Media:

X - https://x.com/vistatalks

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Kevin Freedman, Founder and CEO of Freedman International, joins Host Simon Hodgkins for an insightful conversation about international marketing, brand agility, and the evolution of creative campaign delivery. The discussion is rich in experience, hard-won lessons, localization insights, and practical guidance for anyone navigating the intersection of global branding. 00:00 - Welcome, Kevin Freedman 01:02 - From Economics to Entrepreneurship 02:41 - The Print Management Origins 05:17 - The UPS Breakthrough and Birth of Localization Services 11:04 - Breaking into Advertising with Global Campaigns 15:39 - What Makes a Strong Localization Strategy 25:24 - The Role of AI in Global Campaigns 35:39 - Global Expansion Tips for Brands About VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Jana Straiton is the Founder and Managing Director of Renegade Marketing. She joins Host Simon Hodgkins for a sharp and insightful conversation about building bold brands in a crowded digital landscape. With a career spanning major players like Adobe and PayPal, Jana brings significant experience to the table, along with a rebellious approach to branding and a passion for helping tech companies stand out.00:00 - Jana Straiton - VistaTalks Ep 17501:25 - What Rebellious Branding Really Means04:57 - Turning Brand Attitude into Real Business Results07:39 - Building Brands from Strategy to Visibility11:21 - Lessons from Adobe and PayPal: Bringing Corporate Insight to Agency Work16:05 - Creative Risk and the Wild Card Pitch19:00 - Common Branding Mistakes in Tech26:04 - Branding in the Age of AIAbout VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks

Kate Irwin is the Managing Director for EMEA at Skift; in this episode, she discusses with Host Simon Hodgkins her thoughts on the evolution of one of the world's largest industries, travel. Kate shares an insightful, engaging, and informative discussion about the challenges, innovations, and opportunities facing the travel industry today and how Skift is helping leaders stay ahead of the curve. For anyone working in or fascinated by the travel sector, this episode of VistaTalks is a must-listen. 00:00 - Kate Irwin - VistaTalks Ep 174 01:38 - From Publishing to Travel Leadership 03:00 - What Makes Skift Different 04:39 - Travel Trends Across EMEA 07:42 - Skift’s Independence and Trust Strategy 16:45 - The Shift to Experience-Led Travel 20:00 - Mentorship, Purpose, and Industry Impact 25:53 - Predictive Intelligence and the Future of Travel About VistaTalks: VistaTalks has an incredible lineup of guests from around the globe. We love to feature interesting discussions with interesting people from all around the world. Follow VistaTalks on Spotify for all the latest episodes, or subscribe to the show on Apple and Google podcasts. VistaTalks is available on many other podcast platforms. To learn more about VistaTalks, please visit https://www.vistatalks.com Social Media: X - https://x.com/vistatalks Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VistaTalks Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vistatalks LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vistatalks