Straight talk for technology leaders, from advisors who've been in your chair.

CIO Confidential is where Acacia’s advisors, and the technology leaders they’ve worked alongside, say out loud what usually only gets said in private: what the first 100 days actually look like, which board conversations get mishandled, and why so many good leaders inherit someone else’s failure.

What this show is and isn't.

This show is

  • Honest practitioner conversations
  • Useful even if you never call Acacia
  • Content peers actually share with each other
  • Built on real engagements and real mistakes

Not

  • Acacia branded talking points
  • Vendor spotlights or product pitches
  • Thought leadership that’s really a pitch
  • Case studies dressed up as episode titles

Episodes

GATED · UNLOCKS DAY 30

Ep. 01 — First 100 Days: Leverage Without Legacy

An Acacia founder on the one window every new technology leader gets, and loses fast: the days before you’ve inherited anyone else’s problems. 

Featuring Kerry Marker, Nick Dobric and Doug Smith · Acacia Advisors · 38 min

Ep. 02 coming soon

Meet your hosts

Kerry Marker

Co-Founder at Acacia Advisors

Talent executive, entrepreneur, and trusted advisor with 18+ years of experience building recruiting organizations that fuel business growth.

Douglas Smith

Co-Founder at Acacia Advisors

20+ years of executive leadership, business development, and management consulting.

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Frequently asked questions

What is CIO Confidential?

CIO Confidential is a podcast from Acacia Advisors featuring honest, practitioner-led conversations for CIOs, CTOs, and CISOs, covering the first 100 days in a new role, board dynamics, AI adoption, and the real decisions technology leaders face.

The show is hosted by advisors from Acacia Advisors, a technology advisory firm founded by former CIOs, CTOs, and operators, alongside guest technology leaders Acacia has worked with.

New episodes premiere first on this page. After 30 days, they release publicly on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Yes. Early access to new episodes requires a quick email signup; after 30 days every episode is free and public everywhere.