What does it take to go from CIO to trusted business advisor?

In this episode of The Heartbeat Podcast, host Mike Sommer welcomes Karl Mosgofian—seasoned tech executive and former CIO of Gainsight—to unpack what it really means to lead IT in today’s dynamic enterprise environment.

With over three decades of experience, Karl shares hard-earned insights on scaling organizations, taming technical debt, and evolving IT from a back-office function to a strategic growth enabler. You’ll hear real-world strategies for implementing governance without killing innovation, selecting the right consulting partners, and building a future-proof technology foundation.

Whether you’re navigating startup growth, enterprise transformation, or somewhere in between—this conversation delivers the actionable guidance today’s IT leaders need.

🎯 Perfect for: CIOs, CTOs, IT Directors, and tech execs focused on aligning IT with business outcomes.

💡 Topics Covered:

• Redefining the CIO role in the modern enterprise
• From operator to advisor: the mindset shift
• Scaling infrastructure without chaos
• Managing consultants and hybrid teams
• Technical debt, governance, and innovation trade-offs
• Building systems that last beyond your tenure

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00:00 – Welcome & Introductions

00:12 – Personal reflections and career journey

01:11 – Shifting from CIO to strategic advisor

02:34 – Growth moments and leadership insights

04:05 – Managing scaling complexity

07:46 – Tackling technical debt effectively

13:23 – Change management through consulting

16:54 – How to choose the right consulting partner

17:13 – New models of IT consulting

18:09 – The “Done With You” consulting approach

19:03 – Custom solutions vs. best practices

21:05 – From startup agility to enterprise scale

23:43 – Why documentation drives consistency

31:32 – Balancing innovation with governance

34:25 – Final advice for today’s CIOs