From Corporate Rigidity to Startup Agility with Kent Bolton, CTO at Foodini

In this episode, Nicola Steel, Founding Director of JJP Talent Solutions, talks with Kent Bolton, the Chief Technology Officer at Foodini, who brings two decades of experience from both corporate and startup environments. Kent shares his fascinating career journey, highlighting his initial role as an analyst programmer, moving through various positions in tech sales, and even running his own company. His path led him back to the tech space as a business sales project manager before taking on the CTO role at Foodini.

Kent delves into the differences between working in large corporations and startups. He explains how startups offer a more direct and immediate approach, with transparent differences of opinion and the ability to get products to market quickly. In contrast, larger corporations are characterised by more predictable processes and extended timelines.

Throughout the conversation, Kent emphasises his passion for technology and creativity, discussing how his diverse roles have shaped his approach to tech leadership. He shares insights on the importance of strategy, understanding processes and fostering high-quality outcomes.

Kent also touches on the challenges he's faced, particularly in understanding and communicating with people from diverse backgrounds. He discusses his continuous effort to improve leadership skills and the importance of recognising personal strengths and weaknesses.

To stay up-to-date with technological advancements, Kent dedicates time daily to reading about relevant topics and running multiple servers and tools. He highlights the importance of transparency and empowering team members to make decisions in their areas of expertise.

Kent introduces Foodini's mission, which began with an ex-lawyer's passion to solve food allergy issues. He describes how Foodini aims to make finding safe food for people with allergies and lifestyle diets simple and accurate, using AI tools to gather menu data.

Finally, Kent offers advice for those considering transitioning from corporate environments to startups. He underscores the need for adaptability, communication, and involvement in the startup setting, and emphasises the importance of finding roles that align with one's skills and passions.

Tune in for an engaging discussion filled with valuable lessons and insights from Kent Bolton's extensive experience in the tech industry.