Start Small, Think Big - A podcast and newsletter that guides you on your AI and Automation journey.

AI can help you finish the work. It cannot take responsibility for whether the work is right.
Doug Gabbard, Principal Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft and the creator behind Practicing Photography, joins Brad Groux and Robert Groux to talk about using AI where it actually helps: learning unfamiliar creative tools, finding buried knowledge, improving scripts, and turning experience into better requirements.
Doug shares how he uses screenshots to get help in Photoshop and Lightroom, builds agents around departmental SharePoint knowledge, and brings engineering discipline to his photography workflow. We also get into the limits: confident wrong answers, missing security requirements, the future of entry-level learning, and why people skills still matter.
The question to take back to your next project: What did I miss?
Takeaways
Start with a real task you understand, not a tool you want an excuse to use.
Give AI the relevant context: source material, desired outcome, constraints, and what failure looks like.
A script that runs is not automatically secure, scalable, or ready for other people to use.
Ask for criticism and missing requirements, then check the response against evidence.
Use AI to repurpose your own ideas without handing over your point of view.
Keep learning the fundamentals—and learn to explain them to people.
Resources discussed
Microsoft
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Lightroom
ChatGPT
Gemini
Claude
Microsoft Copilot
SharePoint
Backblaze
Azure Blob Storage
Synology
n8n
Supabase
OpenClaw
PowerShell
Microsoft Sentinel
Microsoft Agent Builder quick start (PDF)
Follow Doug
Practicing Photography
YouTube
LinkedIn
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Find the podcast, newsletter, and our other channels: https://linktr.ee/digitalmeld
More episodes and articles: https://digitalmeld.io/podcast/
Recorded February 19, 2026. Product availability, pricing, and policies discussed reflect the conversation at that time. Doug shares his own experience; this is not an official Microsoft product announcement.
Recorded and edited using Riverside — https://go.sstb.ai/riverside (affiliate link).
Affiliate disclosure: Some links above are affiliate links. Digital Meld may earn a commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you.

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Sid Atkinson, co-founder and CEO of Applied Curiosity and co-host of The Data Culture Podcast, joins Brad Groux to explain why AI readiness starts with better questions, consistent data practices, and a clear business purpose—not another platform.

Brad and Sid discuss how lightweight governance helps smaller companies move quickly without taking unnecessary risks, why institutional knowledge needs context and effective dates, and how leaders can close the perception gap between what they think is happening and the ground truth inside the business.

They also explore the role of SOPs in agentic work, the danger of treating governance frameworks as the goal, how to balance repeatable processes with innovation, and why human accountability remains essential. Sid closes with a blunt rule for every leader: know the nouns that define your business—customers, markets, segments, channels, and products—before asking AI to reason across them.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Start with the business questions that matter, then identify the data and capabilities required to answer them.
• Small organizations need lightweight rigor, not enterprise bureaucracy.
• Capture the reasoning and context behind experienced employees’ decisions, not only the written steps.
• Tag or retire outdated knowledge so AI does not treat decades of documentation as one current truth.
• Use governance frameworks to identify useful capabilities; do not mistake the framework for the mission.
• Standardize proven work and reserve deliberate time and budget for larger experiments.
• Automate the discovery of commitments and follow-ups, while keeping human relationships human.
• Define the shared nouns of the business before attempting advanced analytics or AI.

RESOURCES DISCUSSED, IN EPISODE ORDER

Applied Curiosity — https://www.appliedcuriosity.ai/
The Data Culture Podcast — https://rss.com/podcasts/dataculture/
Veritas Kanban — https://github.com/BradGroux/veritas-kanban
Leaders Eat Last — https://simonsinek.com/books/leaders-eat-last
Start With Why — https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why
The Infinite Game — https://simonsinek.com/books/the-infinite-game
In Search of Excellence — https://tompeters.com/writing/books/
OpenClaw — https://openclaw.ai/
Like Clockwork — https://samgoodner.com/
Start Small, Think Big links — https://linktr.ee/digitalmeld
CRISP-DM — https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/spss-modeler/18.6.0?topic=guide-about-spss-modeler
DAMA-DMBOK — https://dama.org/learning-resources/dama-data-management-body-of-knowledge-dmbok/
CMMI Model — https://www.isaca.org/resources/reference-guide/cmmi-model-quick-reference-guide
BrainMeld.io — https://www.brainmeld.io/
Claude — https://www.anthropic.com/claude
Microsoft 365 Copilot — https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/microsoft-365-copilot-overview
PLAUD — https://www.plaud.ai/
Sid Atkinson on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidatkinson
TASSCC — https://www.tasscc.org/

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Digital Meld helps organizations build the capability to adapt by combining clear business standards, accountable AI, useful automation, and practical data systems.

Follow the SSTB Newsletter. Special thanks to Allen Martinez , and check out BXAIOS.

Summary
In this episode of the Start Small Think Big podcast, Brad Groux and Allen Martinez delve into the intricate relationship between AI, governance, and brand experience. They discuss the importance of coherence in AI systems, the necessity of establishing a solid governance framework, and the role of accountability and receipts in AI operations. The conversation also touches on the challenges of shadow IT, the significance of capturing corporate knowledge, and the evolving landscape of AI in business processes. Allen emphasizes the need for a holistic AI strategy that integrates governance, identity, and accountability to drive meaningful outcomes and compounding advantages for organizations.

Keywords
AI, governance, brand experience, accountability, coherence, business processes, knowledge capture, ROI, automation, shadow IT

Takeaways
AI is not just about technology; it's about the operating model.
Creativity plays a crucial role in AI implementation.
Connecting data across systems is essential for effective AI.
Governance defines what AI can and cannot do.
Every AI workflow must have a defined trigger for human intervention.
The corporate hippocampus helps capture and organize knowledge.
Measuring hidden costs of AI outputs is vital for understanding ROI.
Building a brand identity is crucial for AI success.
A center of excellence can streamline AI governance.
The future of work will involve leveraging AI for enhanced productivity.

Titles
Unlocking AI: Governance and Brand Experience
The Future of AI in Business: Strategies for Success

Sound Bites
"You need to start connecting the data."
"The future favors the bold."
"Governance is your charter."

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to AI and Governance
02:25 The Journey of Allen Martinez
05:21 Understanding AI's Role in Business
08:18 The Importance of Data Integration
10:53 Governance, Identity, and Receipts in AI
13:59 Building a Holistic AI Framework
16:34 The Balance of Constraints in AI
19:26 Conclusion and Future of AI Governance
22:29 The Role of Governance in AI
25:13 Understanding Constraints in AI Deployment
27:27 Navigating Governance in Mid-Market Companies
29:22 Balancing Innovation and Risk Management
31:04 Building a Defensible Business Case for AI
32:35 Establishing a Center of Excellence
33:03 Setting Standards for AI Governance
36:11 The Importance of Corporate Memory
40:37 The Corporate Hippocampus and Brand Advantage
45:14 Building Authentic Connections in AI
45:53 The Importance of Execution Over Technology
46:39 The Rise of Small Innovators in AI
48:25 Measuring Hidden Costs in AI Implementation
49:34 The Future of SaaS in an AI-Driven World
52:44 Governance and AI Workflows
52:58 First Steps in AI Adoption
55:28 Revolutionizing Work with AI
56:47 The Need for Educational Reform
58:36 Encouraging Entrepreneurship in the AI Era
01:02:08 The End

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We build tools that save businesses time and money by helping them unlock their greatest potential and achieve growth through data, automation, and AI-powered solutions.

Follow the SSTB Newsletter. Special thanks to Matt Dorman, and check out NDEVR.

Summary
Building scalable digital systems doesn't require reinventing the wheel—it requires understanding what problem you're actually solving. In this episode, Brad Groux talks with Matt Dorman, co-founder of NDEVR, about the intersection of AI, automation, and business process optimization. They explore how mid-market companies can punch above their weight class by choosing the right tools, establishing process maturity before implementing automation, and navigating the gap between hype and delivery. From vibe coding as a proof-of-concept tool to governance frameworks that don't kill momentum, this conversation cuts through the noise with 30+ years of combined experience in building digital solutions that actually work.

The core insight: process maturity must come first. Without clear problem definition, strong SOPs, and alignment across audience experience (end users), operator experience (internal teams), and builder experience (development), even the best AI tools amplify existing chaos rather than solve problems. Learn why "replacing friction, not people" is the philosophy that scales, how to evaluate when custom solutions are justified versus SaaS platforms, and why the last 20% of implementation—the spit and polish—requires expert evaluation that no model can currently provide.

Keywords
AI automation, process maturity, product requirements document (PRD), SaaS vs custom solutions, vibe coding, LLM ROI, governance, workflow optimization, mid-market scaling, business transformation, catered solutions, three pillars of experience, digital services, e-commerce, NDEVR

Takeaways
Process maturity first: Define workflows, establish SOPs, and document problem statements before implementing any tool or automation. Without this foundation, tools amplify chaos instead of solving it.
Vibe coding is discovery, not deployment: Use AI-powered no-code platforms to rapidly iterate on proof-of-concepts and build stakeholder alignment. Production implementations always require expert refinement and evaluation.
Watch workflows, don't just ask about them: Observe how people actually work to uncover hidden inefficiencies. Most workflow problems are already solved by existing tools—they just don't know it.
The last 20% requires expert evaluation: Even production-ready AI outputs need human review.
Instruct models to challenge you: Tell LLMs to question your assumptions rather than provide false affirmation.

Titles
Process Maturity First: How to Scale Digital Systems Without the Hype
Replacing Friction, Not People: Building Automation That Actually Works
The Three Pillars of Experience: Balancing Audience, Operations, and Builders in Digital Transformation

Sound Bites
"Process maturity needs to be true before AI and automation works."
"The promises just keep coming and the delivery is meh. It's close."
"Automation isn't always a technology solution. Sometimes it's just a workflow you didn't know existed."
"Everything you do whenever you start is like, what is our goal? And what are the bells and whistles and systems and services that we need to include within that goal?"
"The cost of maintenance outweighs the cost to build."

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
05:20 Remote-first business model and competitive advantage in tech hiring
08:15 Discovery process
12:30 SaaS vs. Custom vs. Open Source
16:45 Vibe Coding as Proof-of-Concept
20:30 Product Requirements Documents (PRDs)
24:00 The Three Pillars of Experience
28:15 AI ROI Reality Check
31:45 Research and Diagnostics
35:20 Model selection
38:30 Catered Solutions
41:15 Governance without friction
44:00 The human bottleneck
47:30 Closing thoughts

https://linktr.ee/digitalmeld
We build tools that save businesses time and money by helping them unlock their greatest potential and achieve growth through data, automation, and AI-powered solutions.

Follow the SSTB Newsletter. Special thanks to Randy Gage.

Summary
In this episode of the Start Small Think Big podcast, host Brad Groux welcomes Randy Gage, an entrepreneur and author with a unique perspective on the intersection of AI and personal growth. Randy shares his remarkable journey from a troubled youth, including time spent in jail, to becoming a successful coach and advocate for entrepreneurs. He emphasizes the transformative power of AI, not just as a technological tool but as a catalyst for personal and professional growth. Randy discusses how he has integrated AI into his daily life and business practices, allowing him to focus on his 'genius zone' while automating repetitive tasks. He also highlights the importance of personal branding in a world where knowledge is increasingly commoditized by AI.

Keywords
AI, entrepreneurship, personal growth, Randy Gage, technology, personal branding, automation, business transformation, Start Small Think Big, Digital Meld

Takeaways
AI is the most cataclysmic disruption of our lifetime.
You need to embrace technology to operate in your genius zone.
Personal branding is more important than corporate branding today.
If you're not using AI, you're not serious about your business.
Focus on solving problems to create business opportunities.
Titles
Unlocking Potential: How AI Transforms Entrepreneurship From Jail to Success: Randy Gage's Journey with AI
AI Will Make “What You Know” Worthless, So Build What You Think
Stop Selling What You Know: AI Is Changing Every Business Model
How a Non-Tech Entrepreneur Uses AI 100 Times a Day
AI Agents Are Replacing 6 Hours of Work in 4 Seconds, Here’s How
The Real AI Advantage: Personal Brand, IP, and Getting Out of the Matrix
Sound bites
"This is going to be the most disruptive change of our lifetime."
"In three years, people will pay you for what you think, not what you know."
"Get off social media; it's a toxic cesspool."
Chapters
00:00 Introductions
01:03 Randy's Unique Journey and Perspective
02:53 The Revolutionary Impact of AI
04:56 Embracing AI in Entrepreneurship
07:33 Mindsets to Overcome in Adopting AI
11:58 The Importance of Personal Branding
18:31 Building a Personal Brand in the Digital Age
23:43 Becoming an Iconic Thought Leader
27:00 The Insurance Gap and Entrepreneurial Solutions
28:05 AI's Impact on Industries
29:15 Leveraging AI for Podcasting Efficiency
32:28 The Importance of Delegation and Genius Zones
37:54 Embracing AI and Automation in Daily Tasks
44:52 The Call to Action: Get Off Social Media
51:37 The End

https://linktr.ee/digitalmeld
We build tools that save businesses time and money by helping them unlock their greatest potential and achieve growth through data, automation, and AI-powered solutions.