Skip Howard of Spacee: Transparency, Triumph, and Taking Risks

Skip Howard of Spacee: Transparency, Triumph, and Taking Risks

Author: Dr. Laura Sicola February 13, 2024 Duration: 33:29

Laura welcomes Skip Howard, Founder of Spacee, to this episode of Speaking to Influence. Skip talks about a time when he had a vision that no one, his investors, board of directors, or sales teams believed in, and what happened when he decided to execute it anyway. Tune in to find out what happened!

In this episode you will learn:

  • Why Skip uses a holistic approach to selling products, with transparency about the risks rather than focusing solely on the benefits of a product with clients.
  • How Skip overcame imposter syndrome by shifting his focus to serving his audience valuable information rather than being judged.
  • How COVID led Skip to implement a ‘burn the ships’ mentality of taking risks and failing fast, which inspired his company to be more comfortable taking calculated risks.
  • Why Skip takes his developers to stores to see their tech in action, and how it inspires more buy-in and enthusiasm for the company.

24 Hour Challenge:

Sign up for a free Chat GPT account and ask it to write a LinkedIn profile for you.

About Skip:

Skip founded Spacee, Inc. in 2016 with the idea of building natural user interfaces and reactive intelligence into the physical world. Since then, Skip has been instrumental in developing Spacee computer vision technology, making it one of the leading technology companies in the spatial augmented reality and robotics Sectors.

Skip has worked in the technology industry for 20+ years, gaining experience as a Founder and CTO for Cancer Gene Connect, a hereditary cancer risk assessments leader, and Co-Founder of Pave Systems, a judicial software company. From 2007 to 2015, Skip served as an integral member of Ross Perot's technology team at Hillwood Development Company which included building the media department for Hillwood and designing /implementing a family office financial system.

Outside of Spacee, Skip is passionate about advancing technology knowledge and runs one of the largest Computer Vision Developers groups in North America. Several publications have recognized Skip as a top CEO and innovator, including DCEO (2020 Winner of Innovation in Retail) and Ernst & Young (Finalist for 2019 Entrepreneur of The Year®). He was named one of the Top 500 most influential business leaders in Dallas by D Magazine in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. He is a member of YPO.

You can connect with Skip in the following ways:

You can connect with Dr. Laura Sicola in the following ways:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaurasicola
  • LinkedIn Business Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/laurasicola-inc
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/VocalImpactProductions
  • Facebook: Dr. Laura Sicola
  • Twitter: @LauraSicola
  • Instagram: @drlaurasicola
  • Website: https://laurasicola.com
  • Laura’s Online Course: virtualinfluence.today

Speaking to Influence features conversations about the tangible mechanics of leadership communication, moving beyond theory into practical application. Host Dr. Laura Sicola, an expert in linguistic influence, guides discussions that dissect how language, tone, and presence directly impact credibility and outcomes. Each episode brings a perspective from seasoned executives and industry figures who share their real-world experiences-not just their successes, but the nuanced moments where a single conversation changed a trajectory. The focus here is on the actionable: how to structure a message for a skeptical board, modulate your voice to convey authority without arrogance, and read a room to pivot your approach in real time. This isn't about generic public speaking tips; it's a deep exploration of the strategic choices behind influential speech. Listeners gain access to a toolkit for building confidence, commanding attention, and achieving specific professional results through more intentional communication. The podcast operates at the intersection of business strategy, personal development, and the often-overlooked technical art of persuasion, making it relevant for anyone whose role requires them to lead, sell, or inspire through spoken word. Dr. Sicola's background provides a unique lens, ensuring every conversation yields insights you can use immediately to refine your own impact.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Speaking to Influence
Podcast Episodes
Johann Wrede of Emburse: The Power of Experience [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:47
Joining Laura on this week’s episode of ‘Speaking to Influence’ is Johann Wrede, Chief Experience Officer at Emburse. Johann shares how he manages group dynamics among key stakeholders to keep them from hijacking meeting…
Dr. Laura Sicola: The Big Reveal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:39
Happy New Year! Dr. Laura Sicola is back with Part II: The Big Reveal. In this episode, she unveils her rebranding journey, discussing the issues and challenges her Vocal Impact brand had, and introduces the audience to…
Sneak Peek - What's Even Better than VIP? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:30
Dr. Laura Sicola: Sneak Peek- What’s Even Better than VIP? This week, join Dr. Laura Sicola for Part I of a two part series where she talks about defining and claiming your brand…or more specifically, HER brand! Join us…
Clate Mask of Keap: When It’s Time to Stop Trying to Persuade [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:33
On this week’s episode of Speaking to Influence, join Clate Mask, CEO of Keap Small Business Automation, as he tells Laura about when he knew it was time to put his career on the line by giving an ultimatum to his compan…
Anu Muralidharan of Expensify: A Human ‘Swiss-Army Knife’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:44
This week on ‘Speaking to Influence,’ Dr. Laura is joined by COO of Expensify, Anu Muralidharan, where Anu shares how she was able to build momentum in her company by having everyone identify their own unique value, and…
Chantal Capodicasa of TD Bank: Speak Up! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:37
Laura welcomes Senior Vice President of TD Bank, Chantal Capodicasa, to talk about how she found the courage to speak up in defense of her team and challenge a directive in a time of crisis. In this episode you will lear…