I Lost a Brilliant Engineer
One of our customers, a large call center, challenged us with developing a noise cancellation app that runs directly on their agents' computers, provides real-time speech-to-text transcribing, and leverages AI to ensure the agents follow the company's customer service talk tracks.
My engineers were already busy working on defects and implementing new feature requests for our AI platform, Symbient.ai, and our other products too.
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I've Lost Friends While Building Businesses — And Gained Clarity About People
Building a business is hard. But figuring out who should be building it with you... that’s the part nobody warns you about.
My entrepreneurial journey has been a mix of wins and wipeouts. I’ve built and sold several companies, and I’ve had a few fall apart. When I look back, the successes and failures usually came down to the same thing: people.
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The Engineer’s Approach to Leadership: Fixing the System, Not the Symptoms
Most leadership problems aren't people problems—they're system problems wearing people-problem costumes.
I spent years as an engineer before moving into leadership, and honestly? That engineering brain has been my secret weapon.
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Bigger Isn't Always Better
Does your AI chatbot really need to understand the complete works of William Shakespeare before it can answer a customer's billing question?
Probably not.
Yet here we are—watching companies chase bigger and bigger AI models, convinced that if the first attempt didn't work perfectly, the solution must be MORE. More data. More parameters. More everything.
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Employee Surveillance / “bossware” and Workplace Privacy
A few days ago, I posted about a project I built at a previous company—using Raspberry Pis to track Bluetooth-enabled devices worn by care providers. The goal? Make sure they were actually doing their job and not just billing insurance companies for time they didn't work.
We tested it at our own company HQ first. And even though the data was anonymous, people freaked out. "You're tracking us?" "Is this legal?" "Do you not trust us?"
The post I wrote about it? Also controversial.
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Automation vs. Hiring: The Bet Every Leader Is Making Right Now
I've been thinking a lot about this a lot lately.
We're at this weird crossroads where automation is stupid easy to implement. A few clicks, maybe some API calls, and boom—you've replaced what used to be someone's full-time job.
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AI & Job Displacement (Including Rehiring After AI Rollouts)
Businesses are firing people because of AI. Then they're quietly rehiring them.
Okay, maybe not the exact same people. But definitely the same roles. Just with fancier titles now.
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You're Under Surveillance
You are being spied on and probably don't even realize it.
Not by your boss.
Not by your coworkers.
By the AI you’re talking to every day.
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Synthetic Monitoring: Catching Problems Before Customers Do
If there’s one lesson every engineering and operations team learns—usually the hard way—it’s this:
The cost of an outage is always higher than the cost of preventing one.
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Thankful for the Little Things (in Tech)
Thanksgiving's around the corner, and yeah, I'm grateful for the big stuff — new clients, successful projects, finally taking that long-overdue vacation.
But you know what I'm really thankful for?
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Two Minute Tech Tip Thursday: Learn to Code
You don't need to be a software engineer to build something powerful anymore.
You just need curiosity — and about two minutes a day.
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What would you do?
At a previous job, I worked on a customer project that used Raspberry Pis spread throughout a location to trilaterate Bluetooth signals — essentially forming a mesh network to map movement patterns.
The idea was to track the movements and whereabouts of care providers in assisted-living facilities to ensure they were actually providing care — not just running out the clock and billing insurance. All the data was anonymous unless a device was specifically registered to a person.
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Disagreement isn't dysfunction — it's how it's managed that matters.
The recent government shutdown reminded me of something I see in businesses all the time: smart people hitting a wall, because disagreement turned personal instead of productive.
Here's the thing — disagreement isn't the problem. Dysfunction is.
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The Event-Driven Enterprise: Why Batch Processing is Dead
In today's world, the difference between winning and catching up often comes down to how fast your business reacts.
Yet, many organizations still rely on batch jobs - nightly imports, hourly updates, daily syncs - to move critical data. That might have worked a decade ago, but in 2025 (soon to be 2026), a 24-hour delay is a lifetime.
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Orchestration vs. Integration: Understanding the Difference
You're probably confusing integration with orchestration. (Most people do.)
I see it all the time — teams think they're "automating everything" when really, they're just connecting a few tools together and hoping for the best.
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Know When to Say No: Picking Your Battles
Every leader wants to say yes. Yes to new ideas. Yes to every opportunity. Yes to solving every problem that pops up.
But here's what I've learned: great leaders know when to say no.
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Your Dashboard is Lying to You
We all love a good dashboard. Those clean charts, those numbers climbing up and to the right. It feels good. It feels like progress.
But here's the thing nobody wants to admit: most of us are tracking the wrong stuff.
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The API-First Mindset: Building for Integration from Day One
Your systems probably can't talk to each other. And that's a problem.
I've seen it happen over and over — teams build software that works beautifully on its own, but the second it needs to connect with another tool? Everything falls apart.
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It's Halloween and not all the scary stuff wears a costume 👻
It's Halloween and not all the scary stuff wears a costume 👻
As a CEO of a software development company, I have plenty of Technology Terrors.
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Why Everyone Needs a Home Lab
Most people think a home lab is just for engineers or hobbyists tinkering for fun.
For me, it’s become something much bigger.
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The Build vs. Buy Decision Tree Every Leader Needs
The hardest question I get asked isn't "Can you build this?"
It's "Should we?"
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Rethinking Rituals: Why Daily Standups Might Be Hurting Your Team
I know, I know. This may be controversial, but hear me out.
Look, I'm not anti-meeting. I'm anti-ritual-for-the-sake-of-ritual.
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AI Anxiety: Why Your Team Fears the Bot
"Is AI going to replace me?"
I've heard this question more times than I can count. And honestly? I get it.
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Empathy-Driven Development: Why We Design for Frustration Points
You know that moment when software makes you want to throw your laptop out the window?
Yeah, we design for that.
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Technology Serves People, Not the Other Way Around
Somewhere along the way, many companies forgot why they build or implement technology in the first place.
They focus on solving a task - not improving the experience. Once their technology "works", innovation stops. The problem is, "works" doesn't always mean it "works for people".
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The 10-Minute Rule: If It Takes Longer, Automate It
Most leaders talk about working smarter, not harder. Here's a rule that actually forces you to do it.
I run this software development company, here at Lucus Labs, and my time gets pulled in about 47 different directions every day. Strategy calls. Client meetings. Product decisions. The usual chaos.
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Midweek Motivation: What Actually Gets Me Out of Bed
Honestly? Some mornings are rough.
Running a business is taxing—mentally, physically, all of it. And the older I get, the more tempting it is to stay under the covers and pretend the problems will solve themselves.
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Being the Smartest Person in the Room Doesn't Mean You're the Only Smart Person in the Room
If you've ever met me in person or heard me speak, you know I have a pretty deep southern accent.
And I'm aware — to some people, I might not sound like "the tech guy" or "the executive." Maybe not even the "smartest person in the room."
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What Would You Do If Your Systems Were Breached Tomorrow?
Like many in the world, I woke up today to the news of a major Amazon Web Services outage that took down several large websites until the issues was resolved. Major websites down. Businesses scrambling. The usual chaos.
Here's the thing though—this time it wasn't a breach. But what if it was?
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The Compliance Trap: When 'Checking the Box' Isn't Enough
Here's something I see all the time.
A company passes their audit. Celebrates. Hangs the certificate. And then... gets breached six months later.
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Trust Architecture: Building Systems Your Customers Believe In
Here's something I've been thinking about lately.
Your business probably has solid security. Firewalls, encryption, backups—all the good stuff. But here's the thing... do your customers actually know that?
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Prompt Injection: The Hack You've Never Heard Of
You know how we're all using AI now. ChatGPT for emails, Copilot for code, AI assistants for pretty much everything. Right?
Yeah, there's a problem nobody's talking about.
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The New Attack Surface: How AI Creates Security Vulnerabilities
Let's talk about something that's probably keeping some of you up at night, or isn't even on your radar .... until now.
AI is everywhere. We're using it to write emails, generate reports, analyze data, automate workflows. It's incredible. But here's the thing nobody wants to admit out loud: we've also opened a massive new door for attackers.
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Why Your Best Employee Just Quit (And How [Good] Tech Could Have Saved Them)
Your star employee didn't quit because of the job. They quit because of the tools.
Look, I've seen it happen too many times. Someone's crushing it—excited, innovative, making things happen. Then suddenly, they're out.
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The Integration Tax: What Disconnected Systems Really Cost You
You're probably paying a tax you didn't even know existed.
I'm talking about the "Integration Tax"—and it's quietly draining your business every single day.
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Agent vs. Assistant: Understanding Your AI's Role
Quick question: Do you know if your AI is an assistant or an agent?
Yeah, I know—sounds like the same thing, right? But here's why it actually matters for your business.
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Weekend Wisdom: The Patience Paradox in Digital Transformation
Here's the thing nobody tells you about digital transformation: rushing it is the fastest way to fail.
I know, I know. In business, we're obsessed with speed. Quick wins. Fast pivots. Rapid deployments. Move fast and break things - right?
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Finding Rhythm: A CEO's Take on Work-Life Balance
When your work is also your passion, "balance" stops being automatic—it becomes something you have to actively build.
I love what I do at Lucus Labs. Building new tech, solving problems, creating things that didn't exist before—that's the stuff that gets me up in the morning. But here's the catch: I'd do this for fun anyway. Which means if I'm not careful, work just... never stops.
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The AI Literacy Gap: Why Your Competitors Are Already Ahead
Your competitors aren't just using AI. They're thinking differently.
Look, I'm not here to sell you on AI. You've heard enough of that already.
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Management Keeps the Lights On. Leadership Sees the Sunrise.
The best business lessons don't come from the wins—they come from the losses.
I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Over the years, I've worked with people in every corner of organizations—from frontline teams to C-suites, from solo founders bootstrapping their first idea to executives running enterprise operations.
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Your Tech Stack, Your Story: Share Your Favorite Tools
Can we talk about tech stacks for a second?
Look, I get it. Every day there's some new AI-powered tool promising to let anyone build an app in 5 minutes without writing a single line of code. And honestly? That's pretty cool.
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Monday Motivation: Lessons From Businesses That Reinvented Themselves
You know what Netflix, YouTube, and Slack have in common?
They all started as something completely different.
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Friday Forecast: The Next 5 Years of AI Technology
I'm obviously no Nostradamus, but I do like to [try to] predict the future—even if I'm wrong. So, here goes.
If the last 5 years of AI felt like drinking from a firehose... the next 5 might feel like sipping espresso while the hose learns to serve it to you.
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AI Ethics: Why 'Can We?' Isn't the Same as 'Should We'?
In AI, the questions "Can we?" and "Should we?" are worlds apart.
Too often, teams get caught up in the thrill of what "Can we" do?
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From Startup to Scaleup: The Tech Growing Pains Nobody Warns You About
Everyone talks about the leap from startup to scaleup like it's a celebration. And it is—customers are flowing in, your team is expanding, and that crazy vision you had is actually becoming real.
But here's what nobody tells you: growth comes with a whole new set of invisible headaches that hit you like a truck.
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The Green Side of Tech: How AI Can Cut Waste
Last week, someone in the comments of one of my posts asked what AI companies are doing to reduce waste and resource consumption. At Lucus Labs, that's been a core focus since day one.
Unlike everyone else, we're not chasing bigger, heavier models that need massive server farms to run. We're building AI that's smaller, smarter, and efficient enough to run on commodity hardware without dimming the lights every time you ask it a question.
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Beyond Chatbots: The Next Frontier in AI for Business
When most people think of AI in business today, they picture chatbots, virtual assistants, and customer support automation. That's been the first wave—useful, but honestly? We're just getting started.
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Weekend Reflection: Why Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast
You've probably heard that phrase before, but here's the truth: it's not just a catchy saying—it's a hard leadership lesson I had to learn the hard way.
A brilliant strategy looks great in the boardroom, but if the culture on the ground doesn't support it, it's dead on arrival.
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Collaboration at Scale: Why Communication Tools Aren't Enough
Slack. Teams. Signal. WhatsApp. Email. Sound familiar?
If you're like most business owners I talk to, you're drowning in notifications. Jumping between pings, threads, and channels until "collaboration" starts feeling more like controlled chaos.
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The New Employee Experience: AI as a Digital Teammate
Remember when the biggest workplace debate was open office vs. cubicles?
Those days feel ancient now.
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Change is Hard: How to Win Over Your Team
Yesterday I wrote about why leaders need to speak both business and tech. Today, let's talk about something even trickier—getting your team to actually embrace change.
Look, announcing change is the easy part. Getting people to adopt it? That's where most leaders drop the ball.
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The Tech-Savvy CEO: Why Leaders Must Be More Than Visionaries
I was in a meeting a while back where a CEO dismissed a critical AI discussion with "I don't need to understand the tech, I just need the results."
That mindset? It's going to cost companies everything.
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Friday Fact Check: Debunking 3 Data Myths That Are Costing You Money
It's Friday, so let's tackle some hard truths about data that I see trip up businesses every single week.
Every company I talk to wants to be "data-driven" – whether you're a solo founder or running a 10,000-person operation. But here's the thing: the same three myths keep showing up, and they're quietly sabotaging results.
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Data Privacy: The New Customer Currency
Your customers aren't just buying your product anymore—they're investing their trust.
Think about it: when was the last time you actually read those terms and conditions? Probably never. But I bet you've hesitated before clicking "accept" on that app download, wondering what data you're about to hand over.
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The Dark Side of Shadow IT
Picture this: Your team just discovered someone's been using a random file-sharing app to collaborate on a major client project. All that sensitive data? It's been living outside your security perimeter for months.
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Data-Driven Decisions: Why Gut Instinct Isn't Enough
We've all been there. Standing at a crossroads with a big business decision, and that little voice in our head says "go with your gut."
Don't get me wrong—I'm not knocking intuition entirely. It's gotten me out of plenty of tight spots over the years. But here's the thing: when it comes to the decisions that really matter for your business, gut instinct alone is like driving blindfolded.
Let me paint you a picture with some real scenarios:
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End of Week Reflection: Why Vision Beats Tools Every Time
I've been thinking about this all week, and it hit me during my morning routine...
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From Chaos to Clarity: The Power of Workflow Automation
Let's be real – we've all been there. You're drowning in repetitive tasks, your team is burning out on data entry, and you're wondering how you're supposed to scale when everyone's already maxed out.
I used to think automation was just for the "big guys" with massive IT budgets. Turns out, I was dead wrong.
Here's what I've learned: workflow automation isn't about replacing people – it's about freeing them up to do what they do best.
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Digital Transformation Isn't Optional - It's Survival
Remember the 1990s? While the internet was exploding, countless businesses were saying: "Our customers don't want email or websites. They want to visit us in our store or they want to call us on the phone."
Fast forward a few years—those same companies were frantically scrambling to catch up. Many never did.
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AI in Action: From Social Media Rants to Call Center Readiness
Yesterday, I shared some unexpected ways businesses are using AI. Today, I want to expand on that with a real-world example where AI played a role at multiple stages of solving a problem.
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AI in Action: Unexpected Places Businesses Are Using It
We all know AI is everywhere these days, but some of the ways companies are actually using it behind the scenes might surprise you.
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Decision Fatigue: Why Business Leaders Are Overwhelmed by Tech Choices
Ever stare at your screen trying to pick between project management tools and feel your brain just... stop working?
You're not alone. Organizations worldwide used an average of 112 Software as a Service (SaaS) applications in 2023, and some sources report that the average reached 371 apps by 2023, with enterprise firms averaging 473. (https://lnkd.in/ecVZ_MK8)
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Collaboration Mode: Enabled
I've been thinking a lot about partnerships lately (for reasons I'll share soon 😉), and honestly? They're one of the most underrated growth strategies out there.
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The Human-AI Partnership: Why Your Business Needs Both Brains and Bytes
Let's talk about the elephant in the room – AI is everywhere, and it's changing how we work. But I'm not buying into the "AI will replace us all" doom or the "AI will solve everything" hype.
The truth? It's somewhere in the middle, and that's where the magic happens.
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Building for the Future: Why Scalability Matters from Day One
I've watched too many promising businesses hit the wall at exactly the wrong moment.
Picture this: Your startup just landed that dream client. Traffic is exploding. Everything you've worked for is finally happening... and then your system crashes. Your app crawls to a halt. Customer support is flooded with complaints.
Sound familiar?
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The Lean Tech Stack: Maximum Impact, Minimum Complexity
Here's something I've learned after watching countless businesses struggle with their technology choices: 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆.
I've seen startups burning through runway on 15+ SaaS subscriptions they barely use. I've watched enterprise teams spend more time managing their tech stack than actually building products. Sound familiar?
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If it ain't broke, fix it!
You know that saying everyone loves to hate? Well, hear me out.
I see it all the time—businesses doing things the same way for years because "that's how everyone else does it", or "it works just fine." And you know what? It usually does work. But here's the kicker: just because something works doesn't mean it's the best it could be.
That's the thing about "if it works, don't fix it" thinking. Sure, it keeps the lights on. But it can also hold you back.
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Your CRM is Basically a Fancy Spreadsheet: The Evolution of Customer Intelligence
Most businesses are still stuck with traditional CRMs - glorified contact lists that track deals and store notes. But customer intelligence has evolved way beyond that.
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The Small Business Renaissance: Why Now is Your Time
Remember when running a small business felt like bringing a knife to a gunfight? When the big guys had all the fancy tools and unlimited budgets while you were juggling spreadsheets and rudimentary apps that don't integrate, and wondering how you'd ever compete?
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Friday Deep Dive: The Psychology of Software Adoption
Ever wonder why smart business owners stick with clunky, outdated software that drives everyone crazy?
It's not because they don't know better. It's psychology.
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Democratizing AI: Making Enterprise Tools Accessible
I keep seeing AI companies in this frantic race to build the biggest, most resource-hungry models possible. It's all about getting their name at the top of some leaderboard, but honestly? It feels like we're missing the forest for the trees.
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Wednesday Wisdom: Lessons Learned from 1000+ Software Implementations
After implementing thousands of software solutions across businesses of every size—from solo entrepreneurs to enterprise giants—I've collected some hard-earned wisdom that might save you some headaches.
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The Network Effect: How Connected Systems Multiply Value
Let me guess: you have a CRM over here, accounting software over there, maybe some project management tool, and a handful of other systems that all do their jobs just fine.
But getting them to actually talk to each other? That's where the fun begins.
You're probably copying data between systems, running the same reports from three different places, or—my personal favorite—keeping "the real numbers" in a spreadsheet because it's the only place where everything actually lines up.
Sound familiar? It should. We've discussed it before.
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Customer Data: Your Most Underutilized Business Asset
Here's a stat that might surprise you: Most businesses are drowning in customer data but barely using it strategically.
That means most of us are sitting on a goldmine and don't even know it.
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The Automation Paradox: More Efficiency or More Personal Touch?
Here's something that's been keeping me up at night: We're automating everything to be more efficient, but are we accidentally killing the human connection that actually makes customers stick around?
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The ROI Reality Check: Are Your Software Investments Actually Paying Off?
You've seen me write about AI integration, security mindsets, siloed systems, and building the right tech stack. But here's the million-dollar question everyone's avoiding: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴?
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AI Predictions for Small Business: What's Coming in 2025
Let's talk about what's really happening with AI in 2025. No fluff, just straight talk.
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Every Hit Doesn't Have to be a Home Run
Here's something I've learned after working with businesses around the world and of all sizes: we're all obsessed with the home runs.
The million-dollar deals. The game-changing partnerships. The revolutionary product launches.
Don't get me wrong – those are incredible when they happen. But here's what I see too often: leaders missing the small wins that actually keep their teams motivated and moving forward.
Think about baseball for a second. Sure, everyone goes wild for a grand slam. But the crowd still cheers when someone gets on base, right? And those base hits? They add up to runs on the scoreboard.
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀?
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The Integration Imperative: Why Siloed Systems Kill Growth
Ever watched an orchestra perform? Every musician plays different notes on different instruments, but they're all following the same conductor and sheet music. The result? Beautiful, cohesive music where information flows seamlessly from one section to another.
Now picture five garage bands playing their own songs in separate rooms simultaneously. Different rhythms, styles, volumes – and nobody's listening to each other. Some songs clash, others get drowned out, and there's zero consistency.
That's exactly what's happening in your business when systems don't talk to each other.
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Two Minute Tech Tip: Building Your Business Tech Stack
It's time for some real talk about your tech stack. Over the last couple of weeks we dove deep into AI integration, security mindsets, and why your systems shouldn't look like a plate of spaghetti. From those discussions I keep getting the same question: "Where do I even start?" 😵💫
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Generative AI? Agentic AI? What's the Difference?
Okay, let's be honest here. If you're feeling a bit lost in the AI terminology soup, you're definitely not alone.
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The Security Mindset Every Business Owner Needs
When did you last think about your business getting hacked?
If you're like most business owners, it's not keeping you up at night. You're busy with growth, customers, cash flow, and everything else demanding attention.
Here's what might surprise you: your business is probably already under attack.
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Monday Myth-Buster: AI is Too Expensive for Small Business
I keep hearing the same thing from business owners: "AI sounds great, but it's way too expensive for a business like mine."
This mindset is stuck in 2019, so leave it there.
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Why Website Uptime Monitoring Isn't Just for Tech Companies
When was the last time you actually tested your website? Not just looked at it, but tried to do what your customers do - fill out forms, make purchases, book appointments?
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The 2-Minute ERP Explanation Every Business Owner Needs
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." - Einstein (probably)
I've been in enough business meetings to know that moment when someone drops "ERP" into the conversation and half the room nods knowingly while the other half tries to look like they totally get it too.
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How AI Transforms Customer Relationship Management
Remember when managing customer relationships meant sticky notes on your monitor and spreadsheets that crashed your computer? Those days are quickly becoming ancient history.
I've been watching AI completely flip the script on how businesses handle their customer relationships. Whether you're a solopreneur or running a team of hundreds, AI is changing the game for everyone.
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Weekend Reflection: What Makes Small Businesses the Economy's Backbone?
My wife and I went shopping over the weekend, and it got me thinking.
As someone who's been in the small business trenches, I can tell you – it's not for the faint of heart. Those 3 AM moments wondering if you made the right call. The constant hustle to keep the dream alive and the lights turned on. It can be a daunting challenge.
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝘂𝗽: small businesses aren't just cute shops we should support out of guilt. They're literally the backbone of our economy.
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All-in-One vs. Best-of-Breed: The SMB Dilemma
I want to take a moment to expand on yesterday's post about "digital duct tape". Specifically, I want to know: do you go all-in-one or best-of-breed?
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The Hidden Costs of Disconnected Business Systems
Here's something that's been on my mind lately...
I was talking to a business owner the other day who was frustrated because they were spending more time wrestling with their software than actually running their business. Sound familiar?
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Why We Built Symbient AI for 'Ordinary Business Users'
Remember when the internet was supposed to make everything easier? Then smartphones would revolutionize work? Now it's AI's turn.
But here's what nobody's talking about: most AI tools feel like they were built by developers for developers. If you're running a business – whether it's just you or a team of 500 – you probably don't have time to become a prompt engineer or learn how to write Python.
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5 Signs Your Business is Ready for AI Integration
Yesterday we talked about how we're flipping the AI script at Lucus Labs - making AI smaller and smarter instead of bigger and more complex. But here's the thing: even the most accessible AI won't help if your business isn't ready for it.
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The AI Revolution That's Actually Happening (And Why It's Not What You Think)
Walk into any business meeting these days and someone's guaranteed to bring up AI. Companies are throwing money at solutions that require massive cloud infrastructure, specialized teams, and budgets that would make your CFO faint.
Not to mention, the big players in AI are in an arms race to build the largest, most complex models possible. That's fine – there's definitely a place for that. But there's also a massive opportunity they're completely missing.
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The Software Juggling Act That's Killing Your Business (And Your Sanity)
Remember when you started your business? You had this brilliant idea, passion in your eyes, and maybe a rough sketch on a napkin. Fast forward to today, and you're drowning in a sea of monthly subscriptions, passwords you can't remember, and software integration nightmares.
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Safeguard Your Digital Identity: The Importance of Using 2FA and OTP
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, where data breaches and cyberattacks have become distressingly commonplace, it has become paramount to protect our online accounts and digital identities. While passwords provide a basic level of security, they are no longer sufficient to ward off determined hackers. Enter two-factor authentication (2FA), one-time passwords (OTP), and robust backup strategies, three powerful tools that significantly enhance your online security. In this article, we will delve into the importance of utilizing 2FA, OTP, and implementing backup strategies to fortify your digital presence.
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Why you need an EIN for your business and how to apply for one.
Starting a business can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but there are many things you need to consider before you can get started. One of the most important things to do is to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). An EIN is a unique nine-digit number assigned to your business, and it's necessary for tax purposes. In this article, we'll discuss why you need an EIN for your business and how to apply for one.
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What is an ERP and how can it help my small business?
Big companies have benefited from softwares that talk to each other, and data analysis that only companies their size can afford. The other 30+ million small businesses in America are stuck between paper files, email, and rudimentary software systems. Typical businesses, whether large or small, are found to require, on average, ten different software applications just to run their day-to-day business. These softwares range from CRM (Customer Relationship Management) to accounting & financials, product and inventory management, human resources, supply chain management, and so much more. Unfortunately, not all small businesses can afford all of these various products, at least not when first starting out. Even then, paying for all of these products can be expensive. Not only do you have to pay for the products themselves, but you also have to pay for support, training, and so on. In the end, it just isn't feasible to benefit from all the products needed to run your business efficiently and effectively. In fact, it is for this very reason that many small businesses opt for running their business from pen and paper. So, what is a small business to do?
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What is CRM and how can it help my small business?
Staying competitive, especially in hyper-active markets, can be challenging. There are lots of moving components that need constant and continuous nurturing. Keeping track of customers, their contact information, where they are in your sales cycle, and next steps with them are among those components. Luckily, there are tools, such as CRM, that can make a small business owner's life a little easier when it comes to keeping track of their customers.
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Automation in Small Business
Automation is a powerful tool that can help small businesses streamline their operations, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. By using technology to automate repetitive tasks, small business owners can free up time and resources to focus on more important activities, such as growing their business and serving their customers.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Small Businesses
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving technology that is transforming industries around the world. Small businesses are no exception – they too can benefit from the power of AI in a number of ways. In this article, we'll explore some of the key ways that small businesses can use AI to improve their operations, increase efficiency, and stay competitive in an increasingly digital world.
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Free Phone Calls with Symbient™ VoIP
In this era of all-things-technology, it's uncommon to find someone that doesn't carry a smart phone or a typical cellphone at the very least. Even though
cellphones are convenient, portable, and work in most places, there are times and places where cell signals are weak or completely non-existent. While most smart phones support WiFi calling, this too has its limitations and drawbacks. For example, the use of cellphones in the workplace can be prohibitive, even if used over WiFi networks. This is because employees typically don't like using their personal cellphones for work purposes, and employers typically don't provide their employees with cellphones reserved for work-only purposes. But, most employers do have desktop/land-line/analog phones in their facilities, offices, conference rooms, and the like. In fact, even the smallest business can have a two, three, or even more telephones, but providing service to these phones can be expensive. That's why at Lucus Labs we decided to take advantage of VoIP (Voice Over IP) technologies that drastically reduce the costs for small businesses to operate an extensive (or even the simplest) telephone system.
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Distributing Data with Symbient™ D2™
Imagine you have a bucket you use to transport water for your village. Your village is small, so you can do with just one bucket. Over time your village begins to grow, requiring you to carry more water. Unfortunately, your bucket has a finite storage capacity, leaving you to get another bucket in order to carry more water. To help balance the load, you evenly distribute the water 50/50 between the two buckets. As your village continues to grow, you need more buckets. And, again, you distribute the water evenly between them.
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Payment Processing for Small Businesses
Starting and growing a small business can be daunting. Aside from figuring 
out what to sell and who to sell it to, there's all the day-to-day dilemmas to deal with too. You have to decide where you want to launch and run your business, how much square footage you'll need, who you'll hire as employees, what your marketing material will look like, what your letterhead will look like, and even what kind of toilet paper to stock in your restroom. Once you've gotten beyond all of that, and after you actually have customers in queue, you then have to figure out how to literally get paid from those customers.
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Symbient™ IDS - Intrusion Detection System and Log File Watcher
Every day, companies (and individuals) around the world become victims of cyber attacks. The majority of attacks that take place are completely automated. Hackers find and share exploits that can be sought out by bots that scour the Internet looking for unpatched and vulnerable systems. In many cases, attacks happen by bots simply attempting brute force attacks which involves repeatedly trying a list of possible username & password combinations until it finds a pair that works. This attack can be easily mitigated by using strong passwords. Other attacks can be prevented by keeping your systems up to date. Otherwise, hackers are also made aware of newly discovered vulnerabilities, and write bots that seek out systems that have yet to be updated. So, make sure you apply all security patches as soon as they become available. Recently, I had the honor of speaking with Dave Brereton, the founder and owner of Wisconsin Merchant Services, LLC., where he shared insights into his experiences as an entrepreneur and what it takes to successfully start and run a small business. Graciously, Dave agreed to have our conversation recorded and transcribed as it's a great real-world example that others can relate to and learn from as they set out to build small businesses of their own. You can learn more about Wisconsin Merchant Services, LLC by visiting https://wisconsinmerchantservices.com Running a business can be a challenging endeavor. When you're a small business, it can actually feel very daunting. You just want to get out there and provide great products and/or services to your customers and get paid. But, it's never that simple. One of our core competencies at Lucus Labs is the Internet of Things, or simply "IoT" for short. According to Wikipedia, the Internet of Things "describes the network of physical objects, so known as, 'things' - that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies that is used for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the Internet." In case you haven't noticed, the world has changed dramatically over the last 18 months. Due to COVID-19, we have seen so many companies, large and small, come and go. Most could have been amazing. But due to the pandemic, they never really got the chance they deserved. In fact, some had to close their doors before they even really got started, and that breaks our hearts. Staying connected with your customers is key to building a successful company. But, how do you stay connected when there is a pandemic and people are expected to stay home? If nothing else, the COVID-19 pandemic taught us the need for remote communication via video conferencing is higher today more than ever. It also taught us that not all video conferencing offerings are built the same. Launching and growing a business can be daunting. In their early days, companies struggle to "keep the lights on" because their entire focus is on finding customers and making them successful; this by itself comes with its own challenges and consumes a tremendous amount of energy. Having to worry about their technology stack is typically not at the top of an early stage company’s priority list, even though it is indeed a priority whether they realize it or not. Ask any business founder and they will tell you starting and growing a business is difficult. Every corner provides obstacles for one to overcome, and many of those obstacles begin with the very software you choose to manage your business.
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Business Owner Interview with Wisconsin Merchant Services, LLC.
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Symbient™ Opta™ - Affordable All-In-One Artificial Intelligence Powered ERP, CRM, and CMS
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Symbient™ Spine™ - Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) With Built-In Rules Engine
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Lucus Labs Pay It Forward Program
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Video Conferencing Made Simple
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Choosing the Right Technology Partner
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Choosing the Right Software for Your Business