I am a business leader, author, and innovator on a mission to move the technology industry from the era of abundance to the era of efficiency. As the founder and CEO of Fortified, a next-generation database consultancy twice named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies, I have been implementing mission-critical data platforms around the globe for the past two decades. As a sought-after speaker, podcaster, and contributor to technology publications and media, I am laser-focused on enabling businesses to leverage data analytics while scaling their systems to meet the demands of changing technologies. The industry’s latest focus on cloud migrations has spawned WISdom by Fortified, a new SaaS technology that enables companies to better understand the health, efficiency, and financial impact of their technology. In my book, End of Abundance in Tech: How IT Leaders Can Find Efficiencies to Create Business Value (Forbes Books, 2023), I make the case for understanding the true scope of the waste and inefficiencies created by 25 years of storing data and developing code without a focus on efficiency, to devise solutions that benefit the entire industry, if not the entire world. My patent-pending approach saves companies millions by not only creating system efficiencies but also instilling a mindset around improving the health and capacity of technology. I aim to educate and nurture the next generation of CTOs, CIOs, CDOs, and even CFOs, on the true costs of code and data over time, as many systems now live for decades.I hold degrees in Information Systems and Accounting from the University of Cincinnati, which helps me bring a unique financial lens to data systems. An avid explorer and BBQ connoisseur, I am a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, which enables me to ruminate with fellow game changers across the globe. When I'm not traveling or climbing mountains abroad, I live, work, and barbecue in Charlotte, NC.Learn more at www.bendebow.com and listen to my podcast, Tech[e]valuation by Forbes Books.