L&D Tech: What’s In and Out through an Investor’s Lens

Most organizations waste money on L&D technology because they don’t think like investors. We sat down with Kimberly Williams, CEO of Absorb Software, to talk about her unique perspective on learning and development technology. As someone with a private equity background, Kimberly offers a fresh take on how investment thinking can shape smarter decisions in the L&D space.Our conversation covered everything from AI’s role in upskilling to trends driving workforce productivity. Kimberly shared practical advice for leaders making tech investments and gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how organizations can align learning tools with real business outcomes.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• How Kimberly’s Background Ties L&D to Investments [2:41]
• Major Trends Shaping People Tech [3:54]
• AI’s Role in Upskilling and L&D Tech [6:07]
• AI Integrating Learning Into Work [8:30]
• If L&D Is Becoming More Strategic [10:20]
• Corporate L&D as a Consultative Role [13:10]
• Creating Measurable Value in L&D [15:20]
• Exciting Investments in People Tech [28:00]
• Evaluating Vendors’ Stability and Growth [34:40]
• Lessons From Mistakes Were Made [42:52]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Absorb Software
• Harvard Business Review – Article that touches on the “half-life of skills”.
• "Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me)" by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson
• Coach Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K)

Connect with Kimberly Williams 

• Find Kimberly Williams on LinkedIn

Connect With Red Thread Research

• Website: Red Thread Research
• On LinkedIn
• On Facebook
• On Twitter

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