Ep.25 Challenging the Status Quo: How to Become a Business First Technologist
In this episode of The Public Sector Show by TechTables, Joe Toste speaks with Sanjay Gupta, CIO of the Small Business Administration (SBA), about the importance of having an agile mindset in developing proactive solutions. Gupta highlights the need to understand both the business and technology landscapes to be able to identify and apply solutions that address business needs. He also emphasizes the importance of delivering tangible value to gain credibility, challenging the status quo, and taking a business approach first with technology as an enabler.
Highlights
* Sanjay discusses the attributes of implementing solutions at the SBA, such as shared services, reducing IDs, and enterprise SSO initiatives.
* Sanjay emphasizes the importance of having an agile mindset in developing proactive solutions.
* The cloud initiative allowed the SBA to respond expeditiously to the huge volume of transactions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
* Sanjay discusses the importance of understanding the business landscape and recognizing the business drivers.
* Sanjay talks about the Trusted Internet Connections modernization and the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation Program, which both required discussion, partnership, and collaboration with other constituents and stakeholders to influence and drive change.
* Sanjay highlights the need to deliver tangible value to gain credibility, challenge the status quo, and take a business approach first, with technology as an enabler.
To hear more, visit www.techtables.com

🎥 Upcoming Live Podcast Tours
1. 2026 IGNITE Powered by Info-Tech LIVE - Austin, TX - Sept. 17th-18th
If you’re an IT leader in Austin, Houston, or nearby, Info-Tech’s got complimentary tickets with your name on them (just DM me I’ll be there). IGNITE is getting past the AI hype and into the real questions CIOs are wrestling with: how to get your people actually using AI, what the shift from “employee in the loop” to “employee on the loop” looks like, and how to budget when the costs keep moving up.
→ Ready to join the conversation in person? Email joe@techtables.com

2. 2026 EDUCAUSE - Denver, CO - Sept. 30th - Oct. 1st
Returning for a third year in partnership with Carahsoft, and we could not be more excited. TechTables heads to Denver to celebrate the leaders, the stories, and the work shaping the future of higher education!
→ Ready to join the conversation in person? Email joe@techtables.com
Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:
1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter
Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more — straight to your inbox.
Join now: https://www.techtables.com/
2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?
Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader — our next retreat is November 4th-6th in Austin, TX!
Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series
The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.
»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.
