Start At Zero
Start at Zero is a conversation-first podcast about what it actually takes to modernize technology, build a business from scratch, and make sense of AI without the hype. Episodes range from focused 15-minute interviews with government leaders and tech founders to longer deep dives where I walk through what I'm building in real time - the AI agents, the automation stack, the hard lessons from 20 years of consulting.
The tone is direct and honest. I don't do scripted questions or softball setups. I want the story behind the story - what went wrong, what you'd do differently, what nobody in the room was willing to say. Guests should expect a conversation that feels like two people working through a real problem together, not a performance.
Topics include government technology, AI in the real world, entrepreneurship, consulting, procurement, and the messy intersection of all of them. Some episodes are interviews, some are just me thinking out loud about something I built or broke that week.
If you've got a real story - something you built, something that failed, a lesson that cost you - you'll fit right in here. I'll send a loose topic outline beforehand, but the best episodes happen when we go off-script.
Start At Zero
Modern Policing & Data-Driven Leadership: A Conversation with Chief Paul Noel
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In this episode of Untangled, Avero Advisors CEO Abhijit Verekar sits down with Chief Paul Noel, Knoxville’s 27th Chief of Police, to explore how visionary leadership and technology are reshaping modern policing.
Knoxville Police Department Website: https://knoxvilletnpolice.gov/
Chief Noel, who joined KPD in 2022 after more than 25 years with the New Orleans Police Department, has led one of the most dramatic public safety turnarounds in the country. Under his leadership, Knoxville has seen a 45% reduction in nonfatal shootings and a significant drop in homicides—results driven by data, community partnerships, and cultural change inside the department.
Together, AV and Chief Noel discuss:
- How technology like predictive analytics, drones, and virtual training simulators are changing law enforcement.
- The role of community trust and cultural reform in sustainable crime reduction.
- Lessons from New Orleans’ groundbreaking ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement) program.
- Building the next generation of policing—where accountability, transparency, and innovation intersect.
Whether you’re a government leader, technologist, or community member interested in the future of public safety, this conversation offers real-world insight into how modern policing can save lives and strengthen communities.
Watch the Full Video Here: https://youtu.be/Hphdg9hOeZg
🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on the intersection of technology and public service.
#PublicSafety #GovTech #ModernPolicing #CommunityLeadership #AveroAdvisors
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