In this episode of Digital Transformation Survivors, host Julian Tedstone sits down with Tony Byrne, founder of Real Story Group, to unpack the realities of enterprise MarTech decision-making. With decades of experience offering vendor-agnostic insights, Tony discusses why traditional analyst quadrants fall short, how organizations can navigate platform consolidation, and the growing role of composability in digital experience architecture.

From the pitfalls of overbuying to the emergence of “legless” CMS architectures, Tony shares practical guidance for enterprises managing complex digital estates. The conversation also explores how AI and agents are reshaping content and decisioning workflows—and why strong governance still matters.

Whether you’re rethinking your CMS or evaluating how to manage global vs. local web needs, this episode offers honest perspectives and useful direction.

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In Part 2 of this thought-provoking conversation, host Julian Tedstone welcomes back Alison from Quantum of Value for a candid exploration of the deeper issues surrounding Agile methodologies in digital transformation.

Together, they take on a pressing question: What’s going wrong with Agile? From disillusionment at the boardroom level to ineffective top-down mandates, Alison unpacks the “cargo cult” phenomenon—where organizations go through the motions without understanding the purpose behind Agile practices. She draws on real-world experiences, data from Gartner, and field insights to explain why 70% of digital transformations fail—and how poor adoption, rushed scaling, and a focus on the wrong metrics (like velocity over value) contribute to the problem.

Listeners will also hear about:
• The danger of “sheep-dip Agile” training programs
• How scaling too fast can derail even promising starts
• Why story points and velocity are often misused
• The toll of change fatigue on teams and individuals
• The importance of cultural readiness and meaningful leadership engagement

Alison also shares how her team uses behavioral data to support Agile teams through Performalise, a platform that helps surface and correct performance issues before they grow.

This episode is essential listening for practitioners, leaders, and anyone navigating the realities of digital transformation. It’s honest, accessible, and focused on learning—not just critique.

🎧 Tune in and get ready for Part 3, where Jules and Alison continue to unpack what’s next for Agile and how to reframe success on more meaningful terms.

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In this episode, Alan Perestrello, Managing Director at HartSquare, joins Digital Transformation Survivors to explore how membership and charity organizations are redefining their digital journeys.

From balancing tradition with innovation to building user-led technology ecosystems, Alan shares how communities rooted in shared purpose can make smarter decisions about their marketing and CRM stacks.

Together, we discuss the unique dynamics of member-driven engagement, the challenges of retention versus acquisition, and how truth, standards, and trust are being reshaped in the age of intelligent agents.

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Welcome to the very first episode of Digital Transformation Survivors! In this series, we explore the challenges and breakthroughs that come with managing complex web estates and digital transformation.

In this episode, host Julian Tedstone, Managing Director at Coherence, sits down with Filip Bech-Larsen, CTO of Umbraco CMS—one of the most widely used open-source content management systems powering major brands like Domino’s, Mercedes-Benz, and Carlsberg.

Together, they dive into:
🔹 The rise of open-source in enterprise environments and how trust has evolved over the last decade.
🔹 The balance between flexibility and governance when managing large-scale, multi-brand web estates.
🔹 Why composable architectures can be both a game-changer and a potential pitfall—and how to avoid “composable regret.”
🔹 The hidden complexity of enterprise replatforming and strategies to ensure successful digital transformation.
🔹 How user experience, editor experience, and developer freedom can (and should) coexist.

Filip shares invaluable insights on stability, predictability, and how enterprises can future-proof their digital strategies without getting locked into rigid solutions. Plus, we hear why Umbraco is focused on foundation-first innovation—holding off on AI hype until the tech proves its long-term value.

This episode is packed with strategic takeaways for digital leaders, IT teams, and anyone navigating complex digital ecosystems.

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Managing a digital ecosystem at scale is no small feat, especially when balancing creativity and control. In this episode of Digital Transformation Survivors, host Julian Tedstone sits down with Alan Botwright, Director of Product and Solutions Marketing at Acquia, to explore the evolving landscape of digital experience platforms (DXPs).

Together, they discuss the unique challenges of managing web estates across multiple brands, regions, and audiences. Alan shares insights from his decade-long journey at Acquia, reflecting on the evolution of Drupal from a developer-centric CMS to an adaptable, enterprise-grade DXP. They also tackle the pressing question: How can businesses empower local marketing teams while maintaining consistent brand governance?

If you’re navigating the complexities of content strategy, digital governance, or balancing IT and marketing needs, this episode is for you. Tune in to hear practical strategies and real-world examples from two industry veterans.

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In this episode of Digital Transformation Survivors, host Julian Tedstone sits down with Adam Bird, Senior Technical Website Development Manager at the British Business Bank. Adam shares his insights into managing a complex web estate that supports UK businesses with funding, investment and advice - especially in an environment shaped by government mandates, economic shifts and rapid digital evolution.

They discuss the challenges of re-platforming a growing web portfolio, the balance between governance and agility and the critical role of accessibility in delivering inclusive digital services. Adam also reflects on the impact of AI on content delivery and the future of personalised digital experiences.

Tune in for a conversation packed with real-world lessons on scaling web platforms, navigating public sector digital strategy, and making technology work for everyone.

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In this episode, we explore how AuPairWorld, the world’s leading au pair matching platform, manages global digital operations across six languages, multiple markets, and thousands of daily users.

Sara Redondo, Operations Manager at AuPairWorld, shares insights from her 12-year journey—starting as a linguist and customer support agent to leading digital transformation across content, marketing, and product development.

Key topics in this episode include:

Managing multilingual content – How to balance cultural differences, translations, and user expectations across global audiences.

Agile in a high-stakes environment – How AuPairWorld blends growth hacking and stability to meet evolving user needs.

The power of community – How user-generated content and social media shape engagement and trust.

The role of AI and personalization – Future plans for intelligent content tagging to enhance the user journey.

Lessons in digital transformation – Practical advice for balancing innovation, operations, and user experience in a fast-moving industry.

If you’re interested in scaling digital platforms, managing multilingual websites, or understanding how to stay agile in a complex digital landscape, this episode is packed with insight and real-world strategies.

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How do you consolidate a web estate the size of a small country? In this episode of Digital Transformation Survivors, host Julian Tedstone talks with Antonella Severo, Product Manager for WebCMS at Nestlé Global Services Spain. Antonella shares how Nestlé reduced more than 2,000 websites to 1,300 while improving governance, security, and speed to market.

She walks through the decision to standardise on Drupal, the move to a multi-site model, and the creation of Lightness, Nestlé’s in-house Drupal distribution that drives reuse across brands, categories, and regions. We dig into the shift from WebCMS to WebOps—automation, DevOps, and the operational playbooks behind changes like SSO rollouts and code repository migration.

Expect practical detail on “freedom in a box” for markets, how global and local teams collaborate with a single agency model, and why composable architecture and decoupled setups are shaping what comes next. If you’re scaling content, integrations, and security across dozens—or hundreds—of sites, this conversation maps the path.

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