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
5 Budget Decisions That Will Shape Local Government Through 2030
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In this episode of Untangled, an experienced public-sector consultant walks through the five critical technology areas local governments must prioritize as they prepare 2026–2027 budgets.
With AI now overtaking cybersecurity as the top strategic priority among state CIOs, agencies face mounting pressure to modernize—without overspending, reacting impulsively, or locking themselves into the wrong tools.
This discussion covers:
- Why budgeting for AI products is a mistake—and what to fund instead
- How data quality and governance determine whether automation succeeds
- Cybersecurity as an operational utility, not a one-time project
- Cloud and infrastructure modernization strategies that enable—not block—innovation
- ERP replacement decisions and the 80/20 trap most agencies fall into
The episode also outlines eight common budgeting mistakes to avoid, including reactive spending, software bloat, and underfunding foundational capabilities.
Designed for city managers, finance directors, CIOs, procurement leaders, and elected officials, this conversation provides a strategic framework for making disciplined technology decisions that will impact agencies for the next decade—not just the next fiscal year.
#LocalGovernment #GovTech #AIinGovernment #ERP #Cybersecurity #ITStrategy #DigitalTransformation #PublicSectorLeadership
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Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation
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