Before the AI Wave: How to Prep Your People, Processes, and Data featuring Lisa Talbot | Episode #0013
Start Small, Think Big - A podcast and newsletter that guides you on your AI and Automation journey.Show Notes
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Summary In this episode of the Start Small Think Big podcast, Brad Groux and Lisa Talbot discuss the integration of AI and automation in business processes. They explore the challenges organizations face when implementing AI, the importance of change management, and the need for proper data preparation. The conversation also touches on the innovations in healthcare driven by AI, the role of energy in AI development, and the significance of building momentum through small wins. The hosts emphasize the importance of understanding processes and involving all stakeholders in the change management process to ensure successful AI adoption.
Keywords AI, automation, business processes, change management, healthcare, energy, data preparation, pilot projects, continuous learning, technology adoption
Takeaways AI can revolutionize businesses, but readiness is key. Organizations often chase shiny technology without proper foundations. Data quality is crucial; garbage in, garbage out. Change management is essential for successful AI implementation. Process mapping helps identify pain points and streamline operations. Small wins build momentum for larger changes.Involve all stakeholders in the change process. AI and automation are interrelated but serve different purposes. Continuous learning is vital in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Empathy and communication are crucial in understanding team needs.
Titles Navigating the AI Landscape: Challenges and Solutions The Future of AI in Business: Insights and Innovations
Sound Bites "The wins build momentum." "We're creating the cult of AI." "AI is not a boogeyman."
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Business 02:36 Challenges in Implementing AI and Automation 05:11 AI in Healthcare: Innovations and Impacts 08:05 The Energy Demands of AI 10:57 The Importance of Change Management 13:42 Process Mapping and Tech Debt 16:36 Engaging Teams in AI Implementation 19:26 Conclusion: Embracing AI for Growth 24:49 Understanding Team Dynamics in Small Businesses 27:24 The Importance of Stakeholder Involvement 30:19 Leveraging AI for Documentation and Communication 34:14 Automation vs. AI: Clarifying the Confusion 37:45 Building a Strong Foundation for AI Implementation 41:32 Creating Momentum Through Small Wins 45:16 The Role of Leadership in AI Adoption
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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 Follow Start Small, Think Big 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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