quantum Archives - Don't Stop Us Now

Future Proof Me – More Than an Idea .…

September 28, 2021September 28, 2021
by Claire

Welcome to another of our mini episodes where we revisit the specific pearls of wisdom that our amazing guests have shared with us.

This week we’re exploring what it takes to really innovate in a big corporate or government organisation. Because, as you’ll hear, successful innovation is about much more than having a great idea. Often the challenge really comes when you try to get that idea off the ground.

You may remember a conversation we had with Mandy Birch, an executive with quantum computing company, Rigetti Computing. Mandy also spent many years in the US Airforce in senior operational and logistics roles in the field so she knows all about innovating and getting ideas passed in large organisations.

You’ll hear how Mandy thinks about generating breakthrough ideas and, importantly, getting some of them implemented!

Enjoy this Future Proof Me episode. And if you are getting value from our show then please rate and review us on your podcast listening platform, we’d really appreciate it if you haven’t already.

Useful Links

Our full interview episode with Mandy

Mandy on LinkedIn

Rigetti Computing

Interview

Mandy Birch – On Being Yourself (in a Man’s…

February 25, 2020
by Claire

Our guest this week is former military leader and now Quantum Computing pioneer, Mandy Birch.

Born and bred in the USA, Mandy is super qualified . . . she has a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT; another Masters in in Military Operational Art & Science, and a third Masters in International Relations!

Mandy’s entire career has been in male dominated industries. She spent 16 years climbing to senior ranks in the United States Air Force and now she’s working on Quantum Computing with a company called Rigetti. Rigetti is one of four companies (Sept 2019) to have a fully operational quantum computer.

During our conversation, we were fascinated to hear how Mandy only truly thrived in her career in the military when she learnt to be herself. She talks about how important it has been to her career to feel comfortable in her own skin, even when she was different to nearly everyone else in the room.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How to summarise Quantum Computing in a single sentence
How being under-estimated became a positive and shaped Mandy’s leadership style
Why she believes over-planning your career can be a problem
And why getting used to being different and seeing the value in that made all the difference.

Enjoy this episode with the passionate and mission-driven Mandy Birch.