{"podcast":{"title":"Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!","slug":"austin-tech-connect","podcast_index_feed_id":5893386,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/445386/rss","website_url":"https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/5/7/1/3/571305043495b7a2a04421dee9605cbd/Austin_Tech_Cover.png","author":"Austin Technology Council","episode_count":146,"summary":"Austin Tech Connect is the go to podcast for all things Technology in the Austin, Texas region. The show is hosted by the CEO of Austin Technology Council, Thom Singer. For over two years this show has highlighted local tech leaders who make a difference in the Austin tech ecosystem. Each week Thom sits down with leaders in technology & business from the greater Austin area to explore success stories, business advice, and visions for the future of Austin Tech. The Austin Technology Council has been bringing people together and serving the local tech ecosystem for over 32 years. If you are looking for the \"Whose Who\" of the Austin Technology Community, you need to be listening to the Austin Tech Connect Podcast. The Austin Tech Community is vibrant ecosystem of companies, non-profits, universities, and government agencies that are committed to keeping Austin as a leading technology center. Over the past three decades the city of Austin, Texas has transformed from a college town that is the State Capital, into a fast growing tech center. Homegrown startups grow into international leaders, and many other companies have opened offices in Austin or moved their headquarters. The future…","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/austin-tech-connect"},"episode":{"title":"Leadership That Lasts Decades with Ellen Wood","slug":"leadership-that-lasts-decades-with-ellen-wood","published_at":"2025-05-14T18:12:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/austin-tech-connect/leadership-that-lasts-decades-with-ellen-wood","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/austin-tech-connect","url":"https://a7b1cb29-8eb2-4801-9ccb-e0eb899497ab.libsyn.com/leadership-that-lasts-decades-with-ellen-wood","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/a7b1cb29-8eb2-4801-9ccb-e0eb899497ab/ATC_Ellen_Wood_Podcast.mp3?dest-id=3729132","summary":"In this episode of Austin Tech Connect , Thom Singer sits down with Ellen Wood, the co-founder and CEO of vcfo, and one of this year's inductees into the Austin Tech Hall of Fame. Ellen has been a cornerstone of the Austin business community for nearly three decades, quietly guiding thousands of companies through the challenges of growth, funding, leadership, and culture. Long before the term \"fractional\" became part of everyday business vocabulary, Ellen pioneered the concept with Virtual CFO (now vcfo), offering executive-level finance and HR support to companies that needed experienced guidance but weren't yet ready for full-time hires. We talk about the early days of vcfo, when the whole idea of part-time strategic leadership was still unproven, and how the firm grew from a conversation over coffee to a trusted partner for more than 6,000 businesses. Ellen shares stories about some of her early clients, including garden.com and Vrbo, and how those experiences shaped the firm's ability to adapt through booms, busts, and everything in between. Throughout the conversation, we explore the lessons she's learned about protecting equity, building strong cultures, and the importance of helping entrepreneurs see around corners. Ellen also opens up about why community service has always been part of her professional DNA, from leading the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce to decades of involvement in organizations like Opportunity Austin and AARO. This episode is a celebration of quiet leadership, long-term vision, and the people who built the foundation of Austin's tech ecosystem long before it became the boomtown we know today. Ellen Wood has never chased the spotlight... but her impact on Austin business is undeniable.","meta_description":"In this episode of Austin Tech Connect , Thom Singer sits down with Ellen Wood, the co-founder and CEO of vcfo, and one of this year's inductees into the…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1856,"processing_state":"failed","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/austin-tech-connect/episodes/leadership-that-lasts-decades-with-ellen-wood/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/austin-tech-connect/leadership-that-lasts-decades-with-ellen-wood.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}