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<p>I speak with Krishna Kumar, author of <em>The GenAI War Room</em>, who ha ...

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Source: https://www.jjude.com/feed.xml

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<title>Joseph Jude - Coach • CTO • Podcast Host</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com</link>
<description>Building a flywheel of success for life and career</description>
<language>en</language>
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<title>Krishnakumar on 'Optionality Bets with Generative AI'</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com/kk-optionality-bets/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
<h2 id="why-you-should-listen" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#why-you-should-listen">#</a> 🎧 Why You Should Listen</h2>
This episode of Gravitas WINS Conversations is a must-listen for business leaders, CTOs, CMOs, and innovation-focused professionals who want to understand how to budget for, structure, and execute meaningful AI experiments.
I speak with Krishna Kumar, author of The GenAI War Room, who has coached over 30,000 professionals and facilitated 140+ AI workshops. Together, we explore how generative AI is changing the economics of innovation and why leaders should allocate 10% of their CapEx into “optionality bets” to stay relevant, foster experimentation, and lead responsibly in an AI-native world.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nl2yub6xt5Q" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2 id="5-major-points" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#5-major-points">#</a> 📌 5 Major Points</h2>
<h3 id="1-why-optionality-bets-matter" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#1-why-optionality-bets-matter">#</a> 1. Why Optionality Bets Matter</h3>
<ul>
<li>Traditional risk management mindset stifles experimentation and innovation.</li>
<li>AI is evolving faster than previous tech waves, requiring a new mindset.</li>
<li>Experiments are a small cost to stay relevant — or at least not become irrelevant.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="2-how-to-justify-funding-ai-experiments" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#2-how-to-justify-funding-ai-experiments">#</a> 2. How to Justify Funding AI Experiments</h3>
<ul>
<li>Cost of failure is now affordable; no need for massive upfront investment.</li>
<li>Talent acquisition for AI teams is costlier than lightweight experiments.</li>
<li>Tools like ChatGPT can help build tailored pitches for skeptical CFOs or boards.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="3-examples-of-enterprise-ai-experiments" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#3-examples-of-enterprise-ai-experiments">#</a> 3. Examples of Enterprise AI Experiments</h3>
<ul>
<li>Banks use GenAI for knowledge management, regulatory compliance, and internal tools.</li>
<li>AI voice agents outperform humans in scale, consistency, and empathy.</li>
<li>AI can democratize customer service by treating every user equally, regardless of value.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="4-ai-is-not-just-a-tool-it-s-a-canvas" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#4-ai-is-not-just-a-tool-it-s-a-canvas">#</a> 4. AI is Not Just a Tool, It’s a Canvas</h3>
<ul>
<li>LLMs like ChatGPT are open-ended, shaped by human imagination.</li>
<li>They support cognitive tasks: writing, analyzing, visualizing, reasoning.</li>
<li>Comparing AI to the alphabet: infinite combinations and use cases.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="5-team-and-leadership-structure-for-ai-success" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#5-team-and-leadership-structure-for-ai-success">#</a> 5. Team and Leadership Structure for AI Success</h3>
<ul>
<li>Small and mid-sized teams have agility to move fast.</li>
<li>Leaders must shift from COE thinking to “war room” urgency.</li>
<li>Real transformation requires focus, pride, and accountability from leadership.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="5-most-interesting-quotes" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#5-most-interesting-quotes">#</a> 💬 5 Most Interesting Quotes</h2>
<ul>
<li>“Optionality bets are a small price we pay to not become irrelevant.”</li>
<li>“AI is not just a tech revolution, it’s a cognitive revolution.”</li>
<li>“Good leaders take AI personally — they want to be relevant and bring their teams with them.”</li>
<li>“Failure is affordable now. That changes how we should approach experimentation.”</li>
<li>“AI is like the alphabet — you can create literature, analysis, or anything, depending on your imagination.”</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="3-key-takeaways" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#3-key-takeaways">#</a> ✅ 3 Key Takeaways</h2>
<ol>
<li>Budgeting 10% of CapEx for AI experiments is not wasteful — it’s strategic insurance for staying relevant in a rapidly evolving market.</li>
<li>AI empowers smaller teams to scale, innovate, and serve better — but leadership focus and accountability are irreplaceable.</li>
<li>Generative AI is more than a tool; it’s a creative partner and thinking amplifier. The winners will be those who explore its full canvas.</li>
</ol>
<h2 id="edited-transcript" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#edited-transcript">#</a> Edited Transcript</h2>
Joseph Jude: Hello and welcome to Gravitas WINS Conversations. I'm your host, Joseph Jude. Jeff Bezos says, "Winners pay for many experiments." With generative AI, the cost of trying bold ideas has dramatically dropped. Small teams can ship quicker and learn faster.
My guest today says you should put 10 percent of your CapEx into optionality bets. We're going to discuss what kinds of bets are worth making, how to spot winners, and how leaders can build a culture of smart experimentation.
My guest, Krishna Kumar, is not new to the podcast. I spoke with him earlier in episode number 96 about <a href="/genai-for-leaders">Krishna Kumar on 'Solve and scale with Generative AI'</a>. I highly recommend you check that out. He's back on the podcast after a year. In that time, he has written a book, <a href="https://kkaction.gumroad.com/l/GenAIWarRoom">The GenAI War Room</a>, drawing from his vast experience coaching over 30,000 professionals and facilitating more than 140 AI workshops.
Before we get into the interview, can I request you to subscribe to the podcast, write a review, and share it with your fellow business leaders?
Hello KK, welcome to the conversation.
Krishna Kumar: Good to be back, Joseph. I've been observing you over the last year. Interesting and great progress.
Joseph Jude: Let's start with this. When you say 10 percent on optionality bets, what do you mean by that? What are these optionality bets? Why 10 percent? Walk me through that.
Krishna Kumar: Enterprises often feel risk management is more important than experimentation, and that's where innovation slows or stops. They try to understand and control every bit of risk, which suppresses creativity.
Rather than building a rigid AI strategy, it's better to experiment with it. Many companies are still using pre-AI mental models—project planning, digital transformation strategies. But AI is a different canvas. It's growing 25 times faster than any other technology we've seen. So our approach as leaders must change accordingly.
Another reason for optionality bets: we can't learn everything upfront. The only way to learn is by doing. Even enthusiastic, curious teams can't keep up with everything. Most enterprises don't have that luxury. Optionality bets give us a language and a strategy to stay relevant. It's a small price to pay to avoid becoming irrelevant.
Joseph Jude: KK, we'll get into the types of experiments soon, but these require funding. How can business leaders, especially CTOs, CEOs, and CMOs, convince their CFOs or boards to fund these smart bets? What kind of proposal can be presented?
Krishna Kumar: One big advantage now is that the cost of experimentation has dropped drastically. As you said earlier, it's affordable failure. Previously, a digital transformation project worth $5 million couldn’t fail. But now, we can run smaller experiments at lower risk.
Hiring AI talent—builders, researchers—is 10x more expensive than just doing some smart experiments. So leaders can present these experiments as a more cost-effective alternative. Use tools like ChatGPT’s GPT-4 to build a case. Treat it like a personal strategist: ask it to generate a slide deck or pitch for your skeptical CFO. It delivers sharp, personalized narratives and data. This is applied intelligence—affordable and deployable.
Joseph Jude: One beauty of this technology is that you can use AI to understand AI. You can even build a case for AI using AI.
KK, you run workshops, coach professionals and companies. What kind of experiments are we talking about? Can you share examples of what marketing, tech, and sales teams are doing? Not just asking ChatGPT for a sales pitch, but actual structured experiments.
Krishna Kumar: Most enterprises I talk to get excited about the productivity potential of AI. They see it's not just a tool—it’s a wide canvas. During enterprise workshops, we explore use cases and tools. Teams then pick what’s most relevant and deployable.
For example, a recent bank workshop felt like a war room. The Chief Operating Officer attended the full day. We generated 60 use cases across credit, sales, marketing, operations, and strategy. We shortlisted 15, then deployed 3 immediately—all internal tools.
These included knowledge management systems, regulatory compliance workflows, and internal productivity tools. AI made it easier to solve contextual, complex problems. Employees no longer needed to ask around—they could query the system and get useful, step-by-step answers in minutes.
The ROI? Problem-solving time dropped from two hours to ten minutes. Accuracy, judgment, and creativity improved. Scale improved—AI could solve problems for 10,000 people simultaneously. For example, sales teams using AI voice agents could handle queries on 200 products with natural, empathetic tone—better than most humans.
Young users are comfortable with AI agents. The entire call is documented, retrieved next time, and context is preserved. Service becomes more consistent, more equal, more scalable.
Joseph Jude: That’s insightful. You said something powerful: AI democratizes customer service. It treats everyone equally, not just based on wealth.
You also said AI is not just a tool, but a canvas. Can you elaborate?
Krishna Kumar: A tool performs a fixed task. But LLMs like ChatGPT are shaped by our imagination. There’s no manual. It’s like the alphabet—you can create literature, technical documents, anything.
AI is a cognitive revolution. It’s not just tech—it augments your thinking. With it, your ideas develop faster, better. It’s your assistant, analyst, visualizer.
Joseph Jude: Let's talk about your book. You mention a "Six Bucket Framework." What is it, and how can companies use it?
Krishna Kumar: Companies needed a structure to identify AI use cases. The Six Bucket Framework helps them organize where AI can help. It's not a perfect structure, but it works for 80% of companies.
Here are the six buckets:
<ol>
<li>Time – Tasks that consume too much time. AI can reduce a 6-hour task to 30 minutes.</li>
<li>Effort – Tasks employees dislike. AI can relieve repetitive or tedious work.</li>
<li>Accuracy – Tasks needing precision. AI reduces human error, especially in resume screening or credit analysis.</li>
<li>Judgment – Areas where human bias creeps in. AI can follow consistent, predefined criteria.</li>
<li>Creativity – Not everyone is creative, but AI can boost creative output.</li>
<li>Scalability – AI helps small teams do work that previously needed large headcount.</li>
</ol>
The old model said, "To grow, hire more." The new model says, "To grow, use AI to scale." It’s a shift in thinking.
Joseph Jude: It changes the operating paradigm. A smaller team can now serve larger demand using AI agents. What team structure works best for this?
Krishna Kumar: Small and mid-sized teams have agility. They can move fast, avoid bureaucracy. Leaders need to act like war room commanders, not COE managers. A COE is slow and thought-heavy. AI needs urgency.
War rooms create focus, urgency, and attention. It’s not a side project. If you treat GenAI as a side-project, it will be sidelined. Leaders must take ownership and pride. Good leaders take AI personally—they want to be relevant, they want their teams to succeed.
Joseph Jude: From everything you’ve said, it’s clear: humans still matter. AI augments us, it doesn’t replace us.
Krishna Kumar: Absolutely. AI isn’t accountable—humans are. Leaders still need critical thinking, storytelling, trust-building. AI lets us take on more, but we remain responsible.
Joseph Jude: What’s one experiment you’re personally excited about in the next six months?
Krishna Kumar: An AI-first university. A place where everything is learned with and through AI. Like kids picking up an iPad—AI learning will feel natural soon. Structured credentials won’t matter as much. AI makes learning accessible and structural-less.
Joseph Jude: I relate to that as a homeschooling dad. My sons use ChatGPT to explore complex ideas and write essays—on mimetic theory, hedgehog and fox models, and more. I can visualize what you're building.
Joseph Jude: What kind of workshops do you offer, and how can people connect with you?
Krishna Kumar: Over the last year, I've run various formats. What works best:
<ul>
<li>Mental Models for Leaders – They don’t need the tech. They need frameworks.</li>
<li>Use Cases – Real tools solving real problems.</li>
<li>Live Kitchen – We solve live problems. Sometimes it fails. That’s okay. Failure is affordable.</li>
<li>Verticalized Programs – For HR, doctors, designers, legal, etc.</li>
<li>Enterprise Workflows – Build AI-native workflows.</li>
<li>GenAI War Room – 90-day pilot, cross-functional teams, serious execution.</li>
</ul>
Joseph Jude: You also wrote a book. How did you use GPT to write it?
Krishna Kumar: I wrote every day. After each workshop, I noted insights. Then used GPT to expand my points. GPT-4 helped me think in different roles—strategist, CFO, analyst.
The ideas are mine. Frameworks are mine. GPT was my collaborator. It helped sharpen and structure my thinking. I’ve acknowledged that clearly in the book.
Joseph Jude: Thank you, KK. Talking to you is always insightful. You’re a practicing philosopher—you experiment, reflect, and then share. It’s a pleasure having you.
Krishna Kumar: Thank you, Joseph. Always a pleasure to be here.
Joseph Jude: I hope you’ve enjoyed our conversation. Please share your key takeaways, subscribe to the podcast, and share it with others. Live a life of wins.
<h2 id="connect-with-krishna-kumar" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#connect-with-krishna-kumar">#</a> Connect with Krishna Kumar</h2>
<ul>
<li>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishnakumarm/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishnakumarm/</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="connect-with-me" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#connect-with-me">#</a> Connect with me</h2>
<ul>
<li>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/jjude">https://twitter.com/jjude</a></li>
<li>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjude/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjude/</a></li>
<li>Website: <a href="https://jjude.com/">https://jjude.com/</a></li>
<li>Newsletter: <a href="https://jjude.com/subscribe/">https://jjude.com/subscribe/</a></li>
<li>Youtube: <a href="https://youtube.com/gravitaswins">https://youtube.com/gravitaswins</a></li>
<li>Email: <a href="mailto:podcast@jjude.com">podcast@jjude.com</a></li>
<li>Executive Coaching Program: <a href="https://gravitaswins.com">https://gravitaswins.com</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="your-feedback-counts" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#your-feedback-counts">#</a> Your feedback counts</h2>
Thank you for listening. If you enjoy the podcast, would you please leave a short review on Apple podcast or on YouTube? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in finding this podcast. And it boosts my spirits. 😀
I would like to hear what resonated the most with you in this episode. Either email me or share it on social media and tag me. Thank you for your support.
Have a life of WINS.
Gravitas WINS Radio is produced by <a href="https://jjude.com/">Joseph Jude</a>. Be sure to subscribe on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/gravitas-wins-radio/id1562802449">Apple Podcast</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7LOBjAyjBkechMC0xMIj9E">Spotify</a>,<a href="https://www.youtube.com/gravitaswins">YouTube</a>, or the podcasting app of your choice.
Please check out other episodes of <a href="/gwr-themes">Gravitas WINS Radio Interviews categorized by theme</a>. For easy consumption, they are categorized by themes. If you are a fellow podcaster, you might be interested in <a href="/how-i-podcast">How I Podcast</a> or <a href="/i-use">Tools I use</a>.
Got comments? Send them to me via <a href='https://twitter.com/jjude'>Twitter</a> or join the <a href='https://jjude.com/kk-optionality-bets/'>conversation</a>.'Krishnakumar on 'Optionality Bets with Generative AI'' appeared on <a href='https://jjude.com/'>Joseph Jude</a>.
]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2025 05:38:46 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Jude</dc:creator>
<guid>https://www.jjude.com/kk-optionality-bets/</guid>
</item><item>
<title>LinkedIn Tried to Charge Me After I Cancelled Premium (A Tweet Fixed It)</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com/linkedin-cancel-tweet-helps/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
I’ve been on LinkedIn Premium for close to three years now. Honestly, didn’t see much value in it after all that time. So I decided to cancel it.
Now, I didn’t have the patience to dig through all the settings. So I did what most of us do—I Googled “how to cancel LinkedIn Premium.” First result was a LinkedIn help page. I clicked it, found a direct link to cancel, went there, saw a single button that said “Cancel.” Clicked it. Done.
After that, I checked the Premium page—it said: 
“Your subscription has been cancelled. You will continue to have access to Premium features until May 6.”
<img src="https://cdn.jjude.com/linkedin-premium-canceled.webp" alt="LinkedIn Premium Canceled">
Perfect. I took a screenshot and moved on.
<h3 id="then-the-weird-stuff-started" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#then-the-weird-stuff-started">#</a> Then the weird stuff started.</h3>
A few days later, I started seeing failed charges on my card. Thankfully, I had deactivated that particular card a while ago. So the charges weren’t going through. Still, I was puzzled. Why was LinkedIn trying to charge me for a subscription I’d already cancelled?
At first, I thought maybe it was a one-off. Maybe the system hadn’t updated. But no—it was happening every day.
<img src="https://cdn.jjude.com/2025-05-19-linkedin-still-attempting-payment.webp" alt="LinkedIn Error After Cancelling">
So I created a support ticket with LinkedIn. Attached my screenshot. Explained everything.
The support engineer replied, saying I still had an active subscription.
Huh?
I sent the same screenshot again—“cancelled,” clear as day.
But then I followed the link he sent. And to my surprise, it did show an active subscription. I was baffled. How? I’d cancelled it. I had proof. Yet there it was—still active.
<img src="https://cdn.jjude.com/2025-05-20-linkedin-will-not-auto-renew.webp" alt="LinkedIn Will Not Auto-Renew But Active">
I went back to support. His reply? 
“You need to pay for the pending subscription. Then request a refund.”
Wait, what?
<h3 id="i-was-stuck-in-a-loop" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#i-was-stuck-in-a-loop">#</a> I was stuck in a loop.</h3>
I’d cancelled. I had proof. But LinkedIn’s system didn’t recognize it. The support experience was ridiculous—like going in circles.
So I did what any annoyed customer does these days.
I <a href="https://x.com/jjude/status/1924421188140322977">tweeted</a> about it.
Tagged @LinkedIn and @LinkedInHelp. Explained the situation.
Within an hour, someone from LinkedIn Support DM’d me. Asked for details. I sent the same screenshots.
<img src="https://cdn.jjude.com/2025-linkedin-cancel-tweet.webp" alt="LinkedIn Reaching Out Via Tweet">
And boom—within a day, they said it would be resolved. And it was.
<h2 id="so-what-did-i-learn" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#so-what-did-i-learn">#</a> So what did I learn?</h2>
1. This is a dark pattern. 
Even if you think you cancelled—and you have proof—you might not have. LinkedIn's flow gave me a false sense of closure. And they kept trying to charge my card quietly. If I hadn’t deactivated that card, I probably wouldn’t have even noticed.
2. Their support system is broken. 
The same company that resolved the issue via Twitter in 24 hours told me via support ticket that it couldn’t be done. That’s not a tech issue. That’s a people/process problem.
3. They don’t care. 
LinkedIn knows they have a monopoly on the professional network. They know companies will keep paying. So they don’t need to care about individual customers like me. They can afford to piss off a few people.
4. Twitter still works. 
Say what you want about the platform. But it’s still the only place where public complaints get real attention. I even posted about the issue on LinkedIn itself. No response. But one tweet, and LinkedIn fixed it.
I’m not saying I’m leaving LinkedIn. Not yet. But this experience left a bad taste.
What I am saying is: 
I’m never leaving Twitter.
At least not until companies stop pretending support tickets matter and start acting like customers do.
Got comments? Send them to me via <a href='https://twitter.com/jjude'>Twitter</a> or join the <a href='https://jjude.com/linkedin-cancel-tweet-helps/'>conversation</a>.'LinkedIn Tried to Charge Me After I Cancelled Premium (A Tweet Fixed It)' appeared on <a href='https://jjude.com/'>Joseph Jude</a>.
]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 08 Jun 2025 05:41:01 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Jude</dc:creator>
<guid>https://www.jjude.com/linkedin-cancel-tweet-helps/</guid>
</item><item>
<title>Should You Read Business Books?</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com/read-biz-books/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
I started writing a reply to a <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43940747">HackerNews thread</a> on "<a href="https://theorthagonist.substack.com/p/why-reading-business-books-is-a-waste">Most business books are a waste of time</a>." It got long, so I turned it into this blog post. Here's my response.
Having read hundreds of books over the last 25 years, here’s what I’ve come to believe.
There are academic books and there are business books. Academic books are written for precision. They’re written for peers. Business books are written to be accessible and readable. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down. That’s why they’re filled with stories and case studies. But that’s also why they often feel fluffy. You can’t dismiss them just for that.
<h2 id="knowledge-insight-and-discernment" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#knowledge-insight-and-discernment">#</a> Knowledge, Insight, and Discernment</h2>
I look at business books through the lens of a prayer Paul writes to the Philippians. He prays for knowledge, depth of insight, and discernment. For any executive or leader, or anyone trying to be useful, these three are non-negotiable.
<blockquote>
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best - <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians%201:9-10&version=NIV">Philippians 1:9-10</a>
</blockquote>
Business books give you knowledge. They help you understand the vocabulary, the frameworks, the mental models others are using. But knowledge alone is not enough.
Insight comes when you synthesize what you’ve read across different books and even different disciplines. That’s when you start connecting ideas, not just repeating them.
And discernment? That only comes when you’ve applied what you’ve learned in your context, with all the mess and risk that come with it. You have to try something, fail, succeed, reflect. Only then do you begin to develop judgment.
These three—knowledge, insight, and discernment—do not follow a neat sequence. It’s a cycle. You read, you try, you reflect, and you go again.
<h2 id="every-book-has-a-bias" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#every-book-has-a-bias">#</a> Every Book Has a Bias</h2>
<blockquote>
“When we study a topic we need to follow an organizing scheme. Any organizing scheme will inevitably emphasize some aspects and overlook other aspects. As like in maps, reality is portrayed partially and incompletely to help you get to your destination. The way to evaluate an organizing scheme, then, is to find out how faithfully it assists the traveler in the journey.” — <a href="https://amzn.to/3Za8yso">Practicing the King’s Economy</a>
</blockquote>
Every book is a map. And all maps leave things out.
So before you judge a book, ask: 
What is the author’s point of view? What are they leaving out? Who are they writing for?
If their context is different from yours, the book might feel useless. But that doesn’t make it bad. And if it sounds perfect, it still may not fit your world.
<h2 id="directives-vs-stories" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#directives-vs-stories">#</a> Directives vs Stories</h2>
Some books should have been essays. Some essays should have been tweets. But that only works after you’ve lived it.
Derek Sivers describes this well in his piece on <a href="https://sive.rs/2do">directives</a>. He says:
<blockquote>
Compressing wisdom into directives — (“Do this.”) — is so valuable, but so rarely done.
</blockquote>
Once you understand something, it should be expressed as a directive. Until then, you need stories, explanations, and nuance.
When I started in sales, I had a tech background. No idea how to connect with clients. Someone told me: “Make them smile.” At first, I didn’t get it. What does smiling have to do with sales?
Then someone explained: When a client smiles, they drop their guard. They start to trust you. It’s not about telling jokes. It’s about connection. Self-deprecating humor. Lightness.
Now that line—Make them smile—says everything to me. All the stories. All the failures. All the lessons. In one line.
But if you told me that on Day 1, I would have been lost. I needed the stories, until I didn't need them.
<h2 id="building-a-base-before-asking-better-questions" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#building-a-base-before-asking-better-questions">#</a> Building a Base Before Asking Better Questions</h2>
When I became a junior project manager, I came across Josh Kaufman’s Personal MBA <a href="https://personalmba.com/best-business-books/">reading list</a>. I bought almost every book on that list. I came from a software development background, so I didn’t understand finance, marketing, or even the basics of project management.
Those books in that list gave me a starting point. It helped me see the landscape.
I took my time. I read slowly. I tried to absorb what each book was trying to teach. As I began to apply those ideas, I started forming my own questions. They were sharper, more grounded in real experience. I could now ask experts for advice that made sense to my context. I could look for books that addressed specific gaps.
Later, I joined communities—some free, some paid—where I could talk to people who were actually doing the work. That combination of broad reading and direct conversations helped me move forward faster and with more clarity.
<h2 id="scripture-did-it-first" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#scripture-did-it-first">#</a> Scripture Did It First</h2>
This is not a new idea.
The Bible already did this. The Ten Commandments are the directives. The rest of the Bible? It’s the fluff. Stories, explanations, interpretations, applications.
Until you understand the directives, you need the stories. You relate to the people. You see yourself in them.
And when you get the directives, they’re enough.
In fact, Jesus compressed even the Ten into just two: Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself.
That’s it.
Zoom out, and you get two lines. 
Zoom in, and you find ten commands. 
Zoom in further, and you find hundreds of stories.
Same truth, different levels.
Take the first commandment. You shall have no other gods before Me. All of us have a hierarchy of values. Whatever value sits at the top becomes your god. You may call it honesty or financial freedom or success. But that top value is what you pursue, and what you become like. Be careful what you put there.
Or take the command to observe Sabbath. That’s a call to rest, not just for you, but for your team, your family, your ecosystem. It’s a principle that keeps us from burnout, from emotional depletion, from depleting the land itself. You skip rest long enough, and you break not just your health, but the system around you.
And the last commandment—do not covet—warns us against mimetic desire. The more we imitate what others want, the more we lose our own identity. We become what we chase. And if we’re just copying others, we end up hollow.
All of this sits inside ten directives. And even that can be compressed to two. Zoom in, and you’ll find layers. Zoom out, and you’ll find clarity.
<h2 id="let-time-filter-the-books" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#let-time-filter-the-books">#</a> Let Time Filter the Books</h2>
I don't buy business books when they just come out. I wait.
If a book is still being read and discussed five years later, it might be worth it. Otherwise, it’s just noise.
If I want to learn something current, like GenAI, I’d rather join a community. Hang out in forums. Read blog posts and conversations. The action is happening there. Not in books.
<h2 id="learn-from-practicing-philosophers" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#learn-from-practicing-philosophers">#</a> Learn from Practicing Philosophers</h2>
If I want to learn swimming, I’ll ask someone who’s been in the water. Not someone who stood poolside watching 10,000 swimmers.
Consulting? Alan Weiss. 
Life & Business? Derek Sivers.
And I read annual letters. Letters from likes of Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffett. These are not motivational fluff. They are condensed thinking from people who have done the work for decades. They are clearer and more useful than most business books I’ve read.
Wrote about what I learned from Jeff Bezos on <a href="/build-in-public-bezos">building in public</a>.
They don’t just tell stories. They show you how to think.
<h2 id="read-slowly-read-deeply" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#read-slowly-read-deeply">#</a> Read Slowly, Read Deeply</h2>
I don’t speed-read. I don’t read for status.
If a book is good, I read slowly. I take notes. I think. I connect it with what I already know.
I ask:
<ul>
<li>Do I agree with this?</li>
<li>Does it apply to me?</li>
<li>Why does something feel off?</li>
</ul>
Insight doesn’t come from finishing a book. It comes from wrestling with it.
<h2 id="stories-change-truths-don-t" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#stories-change-truths-don-t">#</a> Stories Change, Truths Don’t</h2>
The basics haven’t changed in thousands of years. Money, work, trust, rest, identity.
The Richest Man in Babylon talked about camels and coins. Today we talk about SIPs and portfolios. Same ideas, different wrappers.
Each generation just tells the story in its own voice. The truths are old. The packaging changes. When you already know the truth, packaging seems waste.
<h2 id="so-should-you-read-business-books" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#so-should-you-read-business-books">#</a> So, Should You Read Business Books?</h2>
Yes, you should. But read the ones that have survived. The ones that have been looked at from different angles, applied in real situations, challenged, and still found useful.
Know that every book carries a bias. That’s not a flaw. It’s how maps work. Just make sure you carry more than one.
Read across domains. Talk to people doing the work. Test ideas in your own context.
And when you’ve lived through the ideas—when you’ve made the work your own—distill it. Boil it down into your own set of directives. The few short lines that carry your failures, your insights, and your context.
Don’t read for status. Read for education. Read for yourself. 
Not to boast on LinkedIn. Or Twitter. Or Facebook. Or whatever your show-off place is.
Got comments? Send them to me via <a href='https://twitter.com/jjude'>Twitter</a> or join the <a href='https://jjude.com/read-biz-books/'>conversation</a>.'Should You Read Business Books?' appeared on <a href='https://jjude.com/'>Joseph Jude</a>.
]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 10 May 2025 08:38:55 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Jude</dc:creator>
<guid>https://www.jjude.com/read-biz-books/</guid>
</item><item>
<title>What Are AI Primitives?</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com/ai-primitives/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As King Solomon says,
<blockquote>
"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." — (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
</blockquote>
Just like <a href="https://www.usv.com/writing/2009/06/the-mobile-challenge/">USV</a> once mapped out mobile primitives, I want to stand on their shoulders and ask: what are the foundational building blocks in this new GenAI world?
Let’s go back to what Albert, one of the USV partners, wrote:
<blockquote>
Carriers seem to have lost their role as gatekeepers for applications as smartphone sales are rapidly ramping and “app stores” or direct downloads are the new distribution models. This is exciting as it opens up a whole new arena for startups to compete in.
</blockquote>
It’s the same story with GenAI. 
Search engines no longer control distribution. 
ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity — these are the new distribution models. 
And like in the early mobile days, this opens up a whole new arena for startups.
Albert continues:
<blockquote>
By “native” we mean opportunities that simply did not exist previously and cannot exist without the phone.
</blockquote>
We can apply the same lens. 
We’re looking for ideas that didn’t, and couldn’t, exist before GenAI.
Here’s how mobile primitives looked back then:
<ul>
<li>Location</li>
<li>Proximity</li>
<li>Touch</li>
<li>Audio Input</li>
<li>Video Input</li>
</ul>
Now let’s see what could be GenAI primitives:
<h2 id="1-chat-interface" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#1-chat-interface">#</a> 1. Chat Interface</h2>
Definition: The default way users interact with GenAI apps — search, act, and browse via chat.
Almost every GenAI product uses a chat UI. 
ChatGPT. Perplexity. Claude. 
It’s the WhatsApp effect. Chat has become a universal interface. 
And now, that same flow is being used not just to talk, but to search, explore, and act.
This will only grow. 
We’ll likely see the chat interface become the layer on top of every action — shopping, support, decision-making.
<h2 id="2-generative-models" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#2-generative-models">#</a> 2. Generative Models</h2>
Definition: The core intelligence that powers GenAI — built on general-purpose or fine-tuned LLMs.
This is the engine. 
Companies can plug into powerful APIs like OpenAI’s. 
Or they can build their own models. 
Either way, the ability to generate language, code, media, on demand, is the heart of GenAI.
<h2 id="3-rag-pipelines" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#3-rag-pipelines">#</a> 3. RAG Pipelines</h2>
Definition: Retrieval-Augmented Generation pipelines fetch and inject relevant content into prompts.
Every serious GenAI app uses some kind of RAG setup. 
It pulls in product docs, user data, historical records — whatever’s needed. 
The pipeline prepares this content and feeds it into the model to generate responses. 
It powers both generation and search.
This is a must-have.
<h2 id="4-proprietary-data" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#4-proprietary-data">#</a> 4. Proprietary Data</h2>
Definition: The one true moat. Your unique data is what makes your app different from others.
This is where real differentiation lies. 
Anyone can use the same model. 
Anyone can build a RAG. 
But only you have your data — customer interactions, domain knowledge, internal content.
If you don’t have that data yet, your first job is to start building the pipeline to get it.
<h2 id="5-agentic-workflows" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#5-agentic-workflows">#</a> 5. Agentic Workflows</h2>
Definition: Autonomous chains of tasks that act, reflect, and adapt to complete goals.
Not mainstream yet. But it’s coming. 
Tools like AutoGPT and Devin are early signs. 
Imagine AI systems that don’t just answer, but take initiative, plan steps, and execute. 
This could become the next primitive layer on top of current models.
<h2 id="the-power-of-convergence" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#the-power-of-convergence">#</a> The Power of Convergence</h2>
Each primitive — chat, generation, RAG, data, and maybe agents — on its own is useful. 
But when they start working together? That’s when it gets interesting.
Albert said:
<blockquote>
Each of these unique capabilities, taken individually, is not novel... But the convergence of all of these features on a single device... will allow new behaviors and applications to emerge...
</blockquote>
Same with GenAI. 
Each primitive is powerful on its own. 
But their convergence is where the magic happens.
And it’s already happening.
We’re seeing new social behaviors, new forms of expression, new ways of working.
<blockquote>
The potential emergence of new behaviors is likely to be as important — if not more so — than these technical capabilities themselves.
</blockquote>
That’s worth paying attention to.
<h2 id="so-what-can-we-expect-to-see" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#so-what-can-we-expect-to-see">#</a> So What Can We Expect to See?</h2>
Let’s look at a few areas where these primitives are already shaping new products.
<h3 id="entertainment" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#entertainment">#</a> Entertainment</h3>
This is always a good signal of mass adoption. 
Why did Google Glass fail? No entertainment value. 
But GenAI already has it — video, music, image generation. 
It’s fun. It’s engaging. It’s everywhere.
One of my favorites: <a href="https://suno.com/playlist/d2886382-bcb9-4d6d-8d7a-78625adcbef7">Feynman lectures as rap songs</a>. 
This is education plus entertainment plus GenAI. 
That kind of convergence is where real value shows up.
<h3 id="shopping" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#shopping">#</a> Shopping</h3>
If users are already chatting inside WhatsApp or ChatGPT — why not let them shop there? 
It’s easier for ChatGPT to add shopping than for a shopping app to build distribution. 
We’ll see shopping apps adopt chat. 
And chat apps add e-commerce. 
That interplay is coming.
<h3 id="education" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#education">#</a> Education</h3>
Personalized, engaging, and even fun. 
GenAI is turning textbooks into songs, lessons into visual stories. 
It lowers the barrier for curiosity and keeps the learner engaged.
<h3 id="healthcare" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#healthcare">#</a> Healthcare</h3>
I’ve heard stories of GPT catching conditions doctors missed. 
I use ChatGPT to go through my annual health reports. 
I can ask any number of questions — without worrying about sounding dumb or taking up a doctor’s time.
<h2 id="shovels-in-the-gold-rush" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#shovels-in-the-gold-rush">#</a> Shovels in the Gold Rush</h2>
Building GenAI primitives — models, RAG, data — is complex and expensive.
So what happens? 
Just like in the gold rush, people are selling shovels.
And these shovels are:
<ul>
<li>Creating GenAI tutorials</li>
<li>Coaching on prompt engineering</li>
<li>Offering certifications</li>
<li>Writing books</li>
<li>Curating newsletters</li>
<li>Aggregating jobs</li>
</ul>
They’re making money because they sit on top of the primitives.
<h2 id="devs-as-a-market" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#devs-as-a-market">#</a> Devs as a Market</h2>
For a long time, people said “developers aren’t a real market.” 
But tools like Cursor and Windsurf have flipped that.
We’ll see more products aimed directly at developers. 
And <a href="https://x.com/stuffyokodraws/status/1920151421330305229">every stage of app development</a> — design, test, deploy, monitor — will be reimagined through GenAI.
<h2 id="in-closing" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#in-closing">#</a> In Closing</h2>
<a href="https://avc.com/2023/02/what-does-native-mean/">Fred Wilson</a> said it best:
<blockquote>
If you want to figure out what the native AI applications are, start by laying out the new primitives and going from there.
</blockquote>
But keep this in mind too:
When mobile first arrived, no one imagined ordering a cab or food on it.
And as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDuF4onPmuE">Ken Stanley</a> put it:
<blockquote>
The next step in greatness often doesn’t resemble the previous step, especially for ambitious, unpredictable goals.
</blockquote>
That’s worth remembering as you are building products. 
Keep an eye on how the markets are shifting. 
Talk to customers regularly. 
Find relevant communities and contribute consistently. 
Use a <a href="/sdl">consume-produce-engage</a> learning model to learn by doing.
And maybe Solomon was right. 
There’s nothing new under the sun. 
But there are new combinations. New behaviors. 
New ways of thinking about old problems.
That’s where the opportunity lies. 
And the best way to find it? Build something.
Got comments? Discuss them on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jjude_what-are-the-foundational-building-blocks-activity-7326270143506853890-fuD8">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://x.com/jjude/status/1920505720576815151">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/jjude.com/post/3loob3dux4i2y">Bluesky</a> or <a href="https://mastodon.world/@jjude/114472990801961299">Mastodon</a>.
Got comments? Send them to me via <a href='https://twitter.com/jjude'>Twitter</a> or join the <a href='https://jjude.com/ai-primitives/'>conversation</a>.'What Are AI Primitives?' appeared on <a href='https://jjude.com/'>Joseph Jude</a>.
]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 08:32:34 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Jude</dc:creator>
<guid>https://www.jjude.com/ai-primitives/</guid>
</item><item>
<title>Why I believe: A Journey Into Understanding Christianity</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com/why-i-believe/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
<img src="https://cdn.jjude.com/why-christian.webp" alt="">
I was born into a Christian family. We had daily family prayer, never missed a church service, but I never had a personal copy of the Bible. I never read any Biblical literature growing up. We never had any conversations about what Christianity meant for our lives—nothing about its teachings on family, self, or community. I joined the rituals because everyone else did. I never paused to ask why.
Ironically, my earliest spiritual influences came not from the Bible, but from my mother, a Tamil teacher. I read the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and a range of Tamil religious texts long before I ever opened a Bible. In fact, my first exposure to Christian ideas came not through deep theological study, but through those Tamil writings.
Things changed when I turned 18 and entered college. A senior invited me to a prayer cell. That simple invitation opened a door. For the first time, I had my own copy of the Bible, and I began reading it regularly. For the next six years, I read it without digging deeper—taking the words as they were, but not pausing to reflect or question.
It wasn’t until I turned 30 that something shifted in how I engaged with the Bible. I began approaching it with fresh eyes—not just reading, but reflecting. I started to notice how its truths stood apart from the texts I’d grown up with. That contrast stirred a deeper struggle. I found myself wrestling—not only with the meaning of the text, but also with my identity and the culture that had formed me. I was no longer just learning about Christianity. I was beginning to live it.
Through that journey, I’ve come to appreciate Christianity in three dimensions:
<ul>
<li>the idea of the self</li>
<li>the idea of our relationship with others</li>
<li>the idea of community</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="a-new-way-to-see-myself" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#a-new-way-to-see-myself">#</a> A New Way to See Myself</h2>
All my life until college, I battled an inferiority complex. Despite getting good grades, I always felt small around others—too dark, couldn’t speak English well, and terrible at sports.
I don’t know if the inferiority made me an introvert or the introversion fed the inferiority. Maybe they kept feeding each other. What I do know is I got stuck in a doom loop. My grades started to slip. My confidence sank lower. Everyone expected me to get into one of the top engineering colleges in the state. But I landed in a third-tier one instead. I felt low.
But maybe that “failure” was the beginning of something better. In college, a friend named Arun Edwin changed my mindset and with it, changed everything. He remarked, "Joseph, you are created in the image of God. You are inferior to nobody and superior to nobody." This idea hit me like lightning.
Until then, all I had known about gods was this idea that we’re dolls in their hands—they bless you one day, crush you the next. But this was different. This was the first time I heard that I carried the image of God. That I wasn’t an accident. That I was made with an intent. That I had worth, not because of what I achieved or how I looked or what language I spoke—but because of who made me.
The college was surrounded by mountains. On weekends, I’d trek alone through the hills. Surrounded by natural beauty, I’d stand in awe—tall trees, wind in my face, mountains watching silently. And I’d whisper to myself: "I’m made in the image of the God who created all this. I can shape my life. I have the power to create." That was a huge mindset shift for someone who had always seen himself as smaller than everyone else.
I explored the idea of "being created in God's image" seriously. More importantly, I started practicing it. I started to talk to friends a lot more confidently. I started to get on stage and preach. Though I fumbled on English, I persisted. After all, I'm created in the image of God.
There were still seasons when I drifted. I slipped into old patterns. I forgot who I was. But those seasons brought me closer to another deep truth of Christianity: grace.
Grace is when God meets you exactly where you’ve fallen—not with judgment, but with strength. It’s not just about forgiving sins. It’s about lifting you up when you can’t lift yourself. There were times I didn’t even meet the standards I set for myself, let alone God’s. In all those times, grace carried me.
Looking back, I see it clearly now: grace carried me. That’s why I’m still standing. Still growing.
This is why I'm a Christian: I’m made in His image. I’m sustained by His grace.
<h2 id="seeing-others-through-gods-eyes" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#seeing-others-through-gods-eyes">#</a> Seeing Others Through God's Eyes</h2>
When it came to how I saw others—or rather, how Christianity taught me to see others—it was the same concept that had reshaped how I saw myself. If I am created in the image of God, then everyone else is too. That truth changes everything.
Whether it was little children or grown-ups, rich folks or slum dwellers, women or men—didn’t matter. If they bore God’s image, they deserved to be treated with dignity. So I made it a point to respect them, speak with kindness, and see them as valuable.
Over time, this way of living got noticed. People began to call me humble. They said I was respectful. But I was only doing what the Bible showed me—to treat people the way God sees them.
On the flip side, I didn’t place anyone on a pedestal either. Just as I wasn’t inferior to anyone, I wasn’t going to make anyone else superior in my mind. That meant I approached everyone with critical thinking, even those in authority—pastors, preachers, leaders. I wouldn’t blindly accept something just because it came from someone the world deemed important. Like the people of Berea testing Paul’s words, I wanted to examine things for myself. That made me unpopular in some circles—seen as disloyal or rebellious. But I wasn’t trying to stir trouble. I simply didn’t believe in hero worship.
This wasn’t a middle path between arrogance and submission. It was a whole new lens—a way of seeing people not by status or power, but by divine design.
Even now, I regularly have lunch with slum dwellers and I dine with corporate CEOs in five-star hotels. One doesn’t change my attitude toward the other. I respect both the same.
The world often plays favorites. It flatters the powerful and forgets the weak. But Christianity taught me something different. Everyone bears the image of God. Everyone deserves to be treated that way.
<h2 id="belonging-without-losing-yourself" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#belonging-without-losing-yourself">#</a> Belonging Without Losing Yourself</h2>
Christianity’s take on community has always fascinated me. On the surface, it places a high value on the individual—after all, it teaches that every person is created in the image of God. Taken to the extreme, that idea could steer someone toward a path focused solely on individual worth, individual destiny, individual flourishing.
But then, Christianity does this strange thing. It pairs seemingly opposing ideas and asks us to hold them both. Jesus is both a lion and a lamb. He commands us to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves. In the same way, while we are individually made in God’s image, we are also asked to live in deep connection with others. To submit ourselves to a community—not by force, but voluntarily.
That’s not easy. At first, I thought being part of a community—especially a church—would limit my freedom. I imagined it would flatten me, force me to fit into someone else's mold. But it’s been the opposite. When I choose to stay rooted in a community, not losing who I am but offering who I am, I flourished. I discovered roles I didn’t know existed. I found space to grow—not by competing, but by contributing.
The early church practiced this beautifully. Everyone brought something to the table—literally. It was a kind of potluck living. Not in a way that erased their individuality, but in a way that honored it. No one was above or below. Everyone gave. Everyone received.
I still find this paradox hard to explain. How can you retain full selfhood and yet be fully part of something bigger? How can you subject yourself to others without losing your uniqueness?
I don’t have a complete answer. But I’ve experienced something real. The more I root myself in a community, the more I grow.
<h2 id="still-learning-to-be-a-christian" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#still-learning-to-be-a-christian">#</a> Still learning to be a Christian</h2>
Christianity is not just meaningful; it is useful. Its ideas have helped me build a quiet confidence—one that isn’t shaken by success or failure. And by treating others with respect and dignity, I’ve gained far more than I’ve given. It’s become easier to stay humble because I see everyone, including myself, as made in the image of God.
Without this foundation, I often noticed how we swing between confidence and fear. When things go well, we feel invincible. When they don’t, we feel small and unsure. But with Christ, there’s a deeper anchor. I can attribute outcomes to God and just keep walking the path in front of me—faithfully, steadily, without losing myself in the highs or lows.
These convictions didn’t come overnight. They’ve taken root slowly over the last 30 years. And yet, in many ways, I feel like I’m just getting started. There’s always more to learn, more to live out. That’s what keeps me going—this ever-deepening journey that shapes who I am and how I live.
Image by: <a href="https://unsplash.com/@aaronburden">Aaron Burden</a>
Got comments? Send them to me via <a href='https://twitter.com/jjude'>Twitter</a> or join the <a href='https://jjude.com/why-i-believe/'>conversation</a>.'Why I believe: A Journey Into Understanding Christianity' appeared on <a href='https://jjude.com/'>Joseph Jude</a>.
]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Apr 2025 08:48:53 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Jude</dc:creator>
<guid>https://www.jjude.com/why-i-believe/</guid>
</item><item>
<title>How I Built a Resilient Career as an Independent Consultant</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com/resilient-career-life/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Ever since I became an independent consultant in 2009, I've been intentional about building a resilient life. I knew the freedom of independence came with volatility—unpredictable clients, shifting markets, dry spells. As I wrote in <a href="/build-on-rock">Build on the rock for the storms are surely coming</a>,
<blockquote>
"If you live long enough, work long enough, or run a business long enough, you will face storms."
</blockquote>
So how do you weather those storms—without panic, without selling your soul?
My answer: A layered approach to resilience. Year after year, I've worked to strengthen each of these layers. Here's what has worked for me.
<img src="https://cdn.jjude.com/resilience.webp" alt="Building resilience in career">
<h2 id="1-emergency-fund-the-first-line-of-defense" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#1-emergency-fund-the-first-line-of-defense">#</a> 1. Emergency Fund: The First Line of Defense</h2>
At the base of everything is a strong emergency fund. I’ve saved enough to cover at least 12 months of regular expenses. That one decision has changed how I respond to uncertainty.
When you have money in the bank:
<ul>
<li>You're not forced to take every gig.</li>
<li>You don’t have to tolerate toxic clients or soul-crushing deadlines.</li>
<li>You can pause, reassess, and make decisions based on values—not desperation.</li>
</ul>
This buffer has let me work only three days a week for over a decade, choosing projects that energize me. That freedom wasn’t accidental—it was purchased with foresight.
<h2 id="2-diversified-income-multiple-streams-one-goal" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#2-diversified-income-multiple-streams-one-goal">#</a> 2. Diversified Income: Multiple Streams, One Goal</h2>
While 80% of my active income still comes from tech consulting, I’ve deliberately added other revenue streams:
<ul>
<li>Public speaking</li>
<li>Tech due diligence for VCs</li>
<li>Coaching and mentoring</li>
</ul>
More importantly, I’ve benefited from 20+ years of investing. Today, dividends and rental income cover over 60% of my annual expenses.
That gives me breathing room.
<ul>
<li>If the market slows, I don’t panic.</li>
<li>If a client churns, I don’t chase the next deal in fear.</li>
</ul>
Diversified income acts like a hedge—one stream falters, another holds steady. And life goes on.
<h2 id="3-skills-and-services-built-in-flexibility" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#3-skills-and-services-built-in-flexibility">#</a> 3. Skills and Services: Built-in Flexibility</h2>
Resilience isn’t just about money. It’s also about what you can offer.
Over the years, I’ve built a portfolio of services:
<ul>
<li>Fractional CTO</li>
<li>Sales training for senior engineers</li>
<li>Speaking engagements</li>
<li>Executive coaching</li>
<li>VC advisory work</li>
</ul>
These aren’t just ideas—I’ve delivered in all these areas and have references to show for it.
If tech consulting slows down, I can pivot. That optionality is a form of wealth.
<h2 id="4-spending-discipline-a-resilience-multiplier" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#4-spending-discipline-a-resilience-multiplier">#</a> 4. Spending Discipline: A Resilience Multiplier</h2>
My expenses are intentionally low.
<ul>
<li>We eat out once a week.</li>
<li>We travel a few times a year—but plan it within a budget.</li>
<li>I’ve driven the same car for 10 years.</li>
<li>No loans. No lifestyle inflation.</li>
</ul>
My wife is even more frugal than I am—she needs convincing to buy more than two dresses at a time.
Because of that, dividends and rent cover the majority of our needs. I don’t stress over finances. I don’t need to juggle cash flow. Simplicity breeds clarity.
Frugality isn’t deprivation—it’s flexibility.
<h2 id="5-focus-on-growing-revenue" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#5-focus-on-growing-revenue">#</a> 5. Focus on Growing Revenue</h2>
You can only cut expenses so much. But revenue? That has no ceiling.
When you’ve built a financial cushion and multiple income streams, you can take intelligent risks:
<ul>
<li>Launch a product</li>
<li>Sell a course</li>
<li>Start a podcast or YouTube channel</li>
<li>Take a sabbatical to learn or build</li>
</ul>
Your downside is protected. Your upside is open.
That’s when growth becomes fun.
<h2 id="resilience-options" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#resilience-options">#</a> Resilience = Options</h2>
I’ve faced dry spells, lost deals, and taken financial hits. But thanks to this layered approach, I never had to scramble or compromise. I have options. I never become an option.
And that’s the point:
<blockquote>
Resilience means you’re never cornered. You get to play the long game.
</blockquote>
Freedom isn’t just about income. It’s about designing a life that can absorb shocks—and still move forward with intention.
That’s what I’ve tried to build. I hope this gives you a roadmap to start building yours.
Got comments? Send them to me via <a href='https://twitter.com/jjude'>Twitter</a> or join the <a href='https://jjude.com/resilient-career-life/'>conversation</a>.'How I Built a Resilient Career as an Independent Consultant' appeared on <a href='https://jjude.com/'>Joseph Jude</a>.
]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 09:29:39 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Jude</dc:creator>
<guid>https://www.jjude.com/resilient-career-life/</guid>
</item><item>
<title>Announcing "Tech as a Sales Force Multiplier: A Podcast season for IT Leaders Driving Sales"</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com/tech-as-sales-multiplier-season/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
"Most careers turn into sales jobs when you get senior enough." — Sam Altman, former president of Y Combinator.
Sales is the lifeblood of any company. When money flows in, problems get solved. Resources expand. Ambitions turn into reality. Yet, in many IT services firms, the sharpest technical minds are kept at arm’s length from sales. That’s a costly mistake.
<h2 id="the-tech-sales-divide-a-missed-opportunity" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#the-tech-sales-divide-a-missed-opportunity">#</a> The Tech-Sales Divide: A Missed Opportunity</h2>
Most IT services firms operate in silos:
💰 Sales — The smooth talkers, the relationship builders, the deal closers. 
🛠 Tech — The architects, the problem-solvers, the fixers.
This divide leads to missed opportunities:
<ul>
<li>Tech leaders believe, “Sales isn’t my job.” They assume their role begins after the contract is signed.</li>
<li>Sales teams struggle to explain complexity. When a deal hinges on technical depth, a traditional salesperson alone isn’t enough.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="the-future-tech-as-a-sales-force-multiplier" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#the-future-tech-as-a-sales-force-multiplier">#</a> The Future: Tech as a Sales Force Multiplier</h2>
I’m relaunching my podcast, Gravitas WINS, with a bold new season: “Tech Leverage: Winning Sales in IT Services.” This season is for senior tech leaders—directors, architects, delivery heads—who don’t just build solutions but can also drive deals forward. The goal? To show how technical expertise can be the decisive edge in winning high-stakes deals.
I’ve seen this in action: tech leaders stepping up, owning the sales moment, and tipping the scales on multi-million-dollar wins. Now, I want to share how—and I want your stories to lead the way.
<h2 id="what-s-coming-the-playbook-for-tech-driven-sales" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#what-s-coming-the-playbook-for-tech-driven-sales">#</a> What’s Coming: The Playbook for Tech-Driven Sales</h2>
Each episode will dive into real-world strategies tech leaders have used to influence sales, close deals, and elevate their careers. Expect insights, battle-tested tactics, and firsthand experiences from those who’ve made it happen.
Here’s a preview:
<ul>
<li>Solution Selling: How identifying the right technical challenge can turn into a multi-million-dollar deal.</li>
<li>Consultative Selling: The power of deep discovery calls and how they reshape engagements.</li>
<li>Value-Based Selling: Demonstrating ROI in ways that resonate with decision-makers.</li>
<li>Relationship-Driven Sales: The role of long-term client partnerships in sustained revenue growth.</li>
<li>RFP Mastery: Crafting technical responses that win high-stakes contracts.</li>
</ul>
These aren’t just theoretical lessons—they’re actionable insights from those who’ve made an impact. If you have a story that fits, I want to hear from you. Let’s uncover the tactics that help tech leaders drive business success.
<h2 id="why-tech-leaders-matter-in-sales" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#why-tech-leaders-matter-in-sales">#</a> Why Tech Leaders Matter in Sales</h2>
You are the secret weapon in IT services sales. Sales reps can pitch, but you bring something they can’t—credibility. You translate complex problems into solutions. You speak the language of skeptical buyers. You solve challenges on the fly in ways that close deals, not just conversations.
Here’s the best part: you don’t need to become a salesperson. You just need to amplify what you already do. Tech Leverage is your roadmap to making that happen—one episode at a time.
<h2 id="the-host" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#the-host">#</a> The Host</h2>
I’ve been in the trenches, seeing firsthand how tech leaders help win large enterprise deals—or how the lack of technical expertise can break them. As a CTO in sales, I’ve spent years exploring how technical expertise drives business growth. Now, with Tech as a Sales Force Multiplier, I’m bringing those insights—and yours—to the forefront.
<h2 id="let-s-build-this-together" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#let-s-build-this-together">#</a> Let’s Build This Together</h2>
This season isn’t just about insights—it’s about you.
<ul>
<li>Have you turned a client demo into a signed deal?</li>
<li>Navigated a tough RFP to victory?</li>
<li>Built a long-term partnership that’s paid off?</li>
</ul>
I want to hear your story. And if you know someone who fits the bill, send them my way.
Here’s how to get involved: email me at <a href="mailto:podcast@jjude.com">podcast@jjude.com</a>. Let’s make this season a game-changer—together.
<h2 id="the-details" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#the-details">#</a> The Details</h2>
📅 Launch Date: June 2025 
🎙️ Episodes: Weekly 
🔔 Subscribe <a href="https://www.youtube.com/gravitaswins?sub_confirmation=1">now</a> to catch these episode—this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Got comments? Send them to me via <a href='https://twitter.com/jjude'>Twitter</a> or join the <a href='https://jjude.com/tech-as-sales-multiplier-season/'>conversation</a>.'Announcing "Tech as a Sales Force Multiplier: A Podcast season for IT Leaders Driving Sales"' appeared on <a href='https://jjude.com/'>Joseph Jude</a>.
]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 31 Mar 2025 06:15:32 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Jude</dc:creator>
<guid>https://www.jjude.com/tech-as-sales-multiplier-season/</guid>
</item><item>
<title>Reading fiction for 12 straight hours and feeling rather good about it</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com/alex-rider-never-say-die/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
<blockquote>
Fifty thousand people had come to the Suffolk Air Show on the east coast of England. But only one of them was there to commit murder.
</blockquote>
From the very first paragraph, the book was packed with action. The story kicks off with a helicopter being stolen from an airshow. Soon, the story takes us across the U.S., Egypt, France, and London, leading to the kidnapping of 50 wealthy children from a London school. Alex Rider, a teenage spy, is the one who has to stop it.
For 12 straight hours, I was completely lost in a book. No phone, no screens, no distractions—just pure immersion in a gripping story. And by the time I turned the last page, I felt surprisingly refreshed.
I used to read fiction when I was 15 or 16, but over the years, I stopped due to a lack of time. However, since I was sick, and my family was unwell too, I didn’t want to open my laptop and work. So I picked up this book, which my kids had been reading. In a single sitting of 10–12 hours, I finished it.
What I loved about the book was that Alex wasn’t some perfect, all-knowing hero. He didn’t get out of trouble by sheer brilliance or strength. In every dangerous situation, someone helped him. In one scene, Alex is pushed into a river, tied to cement shoes, meant to be drowned. Obviously, he has to escape—you know he will. But I kept wondering how? I assumed he’d pull off some genius trick. Instead, MI6 operatives show up and save him. And it made sense. The way the author built up the story, every rescue felt natural.
The writing was easy to follow, with no complex words that required a dictionary. The descriptions were vivid but not overdone, and every paragraph moved the plot forward. There was no unnecessary commentary on the evils of communism, capitalism, or Western society—just pure storytelling. It was refreshing to read something so tightly written. The scenes were vivid enough to spark my imagination, and since I’ve traveled to some of the places mentioned, I could picture them even more clearly.
But beyond the story itself, I think the real reason I enjoyed it so much was that it made me unplug. For 12 hours, I wasn’t checking emails, scrolling my phone, or switching between tasks. I was fully present in one thing. And that, in itself, felt incredible.
I hadn’t read fiction in years. But this experience reminded me of how powerful a good book can be. And I loved every moment of it. Maybe I need to pick up more.
Got comments? Send them to me via <a href='https://twitter.com/jjude'>Twitter</a> or join the <a href='https://jjude.com/alex-rider-never-say-die/'>conversation</a>.'Reading fiction for 12 straight hours and feeling rather good about it' appeared on <a href='https://jjude.com/'>Joseph Jude</a>.
]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 11 Mar 2025 15:31:58 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Jude</dc:creator>
<guid>https://www.jjude.com/alex-rider-never-say-die/</guid>
</item><item>
<title>GenAI & Agentic AI: Insights from Industry Reports on Enterprise Adoption</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com/genai-and-agentic-ai/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Every major technological shift comes with a familiar pattern: a few companies leap ahead, while others lag behind, drowning in complexity and inertia. GenAI is no different.
Reports from Google, BCG, PWC, and WEF paint a clear picture of what is working and what we can expect in the days to come. Here are the major insights from these reports:
✅ Leverage GenAI effectively: Deploy AI internally, redesign core business functions, and launch AI-driven products/services. 
✅ Three critical enablers: Data, domain expertise, and design. 
✅ Biggest opportunities: Data and search. 
✅ Shift focus: Drive top-line growth instead of obsessing over short-term productivity gains and ROI. 
✅ Win with depth: Solve highly specific, niche problems with domain expertise.
But here’s the challenge: enterprises don’t move at the speed of technology—they move at the speed of their own internal processes, people, and decision-making.
I read through these reports and picked the best insights from these industry reports. Let’s get into it.
<h2 id="actionable-insights-from-google" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#actionable-insights-from-google">#</a> Actionable Insights from Google</h2>
Of all the reports I read, Google’s <a href="https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/google_cloud_future_of_ai_perspectives_for_startups_2025.pdf">report</a> stood out. Maybe it’s because it wasn’t written by analysts in an ivory tower—instead, they interviewed both investors and operators, and even put their names on it. In other words, there’s real skin in the game.
If you read only one report, read the one from Google.
Some quotes:
<blockquote>
The timeline for widespread enterprise adoption of Al will be slower than people think. A lot of last-mile issues need to be solved that aren't obvious until you're deep into them. - Dylan Fox, Founder and CEO, AssemblyAl
</blockquote>
This comes from my own experience—both in building personal GenAI applications and leading GenAI initiatives at the enterprise level. In theory, developing GenAI seems like a cakewalk. But once you step into the real world, you uncover all sorts of messy, practical challenges. Most glowing reports? They’re usually written by those who haven’t actually built anything.
<blockquote>
The fastest ROl in Al is in agents, but the biggest opportunity is in enterprise search. - Edo Liberty, Founder and CEO, Pinecone
</blockquote>
Data and search have long been major bottlenecks in enterprises—whether it’s CRM, ERP, or e-commerce, they all struggle with search limitations. With LLM-powered analytics and search, we might finally break through these barriers. Expect to see a wave of new search interfaces—recommendations, personalization, and even conversational data exploration to surface the right insights when they matter most.
What are the advice for founders (and equally for CXOs):
<h3 id="focus-on-top-line-growth" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#focus-on-top-line-growth">#</a> Focus on top-line growth</h3>
Arvind Jain:
<blockquote>
Al is not just about efficiency. The bigger opportunity is about increasing your topline-doing things and building products you were never able to do before.
</blockquote>
Most CXOs see GenAI as a productivity booster—freeing up top talent to focus on new products and services. In reality, that rarely happens. The people deeply embedded in existing workflows aren’t always the best at envisioning the future. Innovation often comes from those who operate at intersections, think unconventionally, and aren’t bound by how things have always been done.
As I discussed in <a href="/value-in-digital-age">How to Deliver Value in the Digital Age</a>, new technology should drive new business models. GenAI will be no exception.
<h3 id="riches-are-in-niches" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#riches-are-in-niches">#</a> Riches are in niches</h3>
Harrison Chase:
<blockquote>
Vertical, narrow-focused agents basically replace human workflows, and the best way to build them is to think about how a human would do something and then build a combination of code and prompts to replicate that process.
</blockquote>
Specific is terrific and it seems it is true in building agentic AI too.
Dylan Fox also said something similar:
<blockquote>
Instead of aiming for general-purpose AI, focus on solving specific niche problems with a lot of depth.
</blockquote>
<h3 id="dont-build-for-the-middle" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#dont-build-for-the-middle">#</a> Don't build for the middle</h3>
Sarah Guo & Mike Vernal
<blockquote>
Be aware of the different layers of the AI stack (foundation models, middleware, dev tools, and applications) and consider where your company fits. Be cautious about building a company in the middle layer, because it can be under pressure if the foundation models evolve rapidly.
</blockquote>
Get closer to the customer (through UX and design) or focus on the powerhouse driving everything else (data).
That’s why I emphasize three key focus areas for companies:
<ul>
<li>Data – Not just any data, but diverse, behavioral data that reveals what customers actually do—not just what they say.</li>
<li>Design – How users interact with your product and the experience it creates.</li>
<li>Domain – Deep expertise in a specific industry, like e-commerce, that gives you an edge.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="customers-are-looking-for-solutions-not-prompts" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#customers-are-looking-for-solutions-not-prompts">#</a> Customers are looking for solutions, not prompts</h3>
Matthieu Rouif:
<blockquote>
Design your user experience in a way that helps people accomplish their goals without having to use prompts.
</blockquote>
As Clayton Christensen put it, “Customers want a 4-inch hole, not a 4-inch drill.”
Most GenAI solutions today are just prompt-wrappers—take Cursor and Windsurf, for example, which are essentially VS Code with huge system-prompts under the hood. The real opportunity? Build hundreds of these specialized prompt-wrappers in your domain, leveraging strong design and industry expertise.
Then, let data guide you—see what resonates with customers and double down on what works.
<h2 id="companies-dont-move-at-the-speed-of-technology-they-move-at-the-speed-of-organization" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#companies-dont-move-at-the-speed-of-technology-they-move-at-the-speed-of-organization">#</a> Companies don't move at the speed of technology— They move at the speed of organization</h2>
This line from <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/consulting/us-state-of-gen-ai-q4.pdf">Deloitte</a> hit hard
<blockquote>
No matter how quickly the technology advances or how hard the companies producing GenAl technology push organizational change in an enterprise can only happen so fast.
</blockquote>
This has always been true for any major technology shift, but with the breakneck pace of GenAI, it feels even more pronounced. Running a business smoothly requires a completely different skill set than experimenting with the latest tech. Finding the right talent to explore new capabilities—and, more importantly, creating a culture that actually absorbs those changes—is something I hear enterprises struggle with constantly.
The more I speak with those pioneering GenAI use cases in enterprises (and the more survey reports I skim over coffee), the more I see the same theme emerging—one that Deloitte’s report underscores:
<blockquote>
GenAI adoption is driven by internal demand, with early adopters seeking to use the tools to meet their specific needs
</blockquote>
Translation? No matter how many GenAI vendors knock on your door with "game-changing" solutions, if your teams aren’t actively asking for it, adoption will be sluggish.
Deloitte defines agents as:
<blockquote>
AI agents are software systems that can complete complex tasks and meet objectives with little or no human intervention. They are called “agents” because they have the agency to act independently, planning and executing actions to achieve a specified goal.
</blockquote>
(Basically, experienced employees who never get grumpy, don’t take coffee breaks, and—best of all—never ask for a raise.)
Three types of GenAI solutions are emerging:
<ul>
<li>Agentic solutions – Autonomous AI systems (think: a self-driven analyst).</li>
<li>Co-pilots – AI assistants that enhance human decision-making and productivity (think: that 10x productive employee without the ego)</li>
<li>API playgrounds – Infrastructure for companies to build their own AI-powered tools (think: a Lego set, but for AI).</li>
</ul>
The question isn’t whether GenAI will change the enterprise—it’s whether enterprises can change fast enough to keep up.
<h2 id="agentic-powered-automation" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#agentic-powered-automation">#</a> Agentic Powered Automation</h2>
Corporates have always embraced technology to automate operations. Until now, most automation has been built on rigid, rules-based "if-this-then-that" logic. Every rule required a meticulously documented process that could be codified. The problem? The moment the process encounters a scenario that wasn’t pre-programmed, it falls apart faster than a budget projection at year-end.
Agentic automation, powered by LLMs, flips this model. Instead of defining every step, you describe the desired outcome, and LLMs orchestrate specialized agents to handle the tasks dynamically—kind of like hiring an intern who figures things out without needing a 200-page SOP.
PWC <a href="https://www.pwc.in/assets/pdfs/consulting/technology/emerging-technologies/intelligent-automation/powering-automation-with-agents.pdf">defines</a> these as:
<blockquote>
APA marries the capabilities of intelligent automation and the GenAI-powered agents. Within this framework, the agents act as the brain of the system, understanding user requests and planning a set of actions to fulfil the request.
</blockquote>
<img src="https://cdn.jjude.com/pwc-apa-2025.webp" alt="">
<h3 id="use-cases" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#use-cases">#</a> Use cases</h3>
The report lists many use cases inluding:
<ul>
<li>Finance & accounting</li>
<li>Supply chain</li>
<li>Sales & marketing</li>
<li>IT</li>
</ul>
A few use cases stood out:
<ul>
<li>SEO automation – Analyze website content for keywords and performance, then recommend improvements to meta tags, backlinks, and structure.</li>
<li>Automated search visibility reports – Track rankings, generate reports, and suggest SEO strategies to drive organic traffic.</li>
<li>AI-powered customer support – Generate query responses for FAQs, trigger automated workflows, or escalate unresolved requests to a human.</li>
</ul>
The report calls for transparency and explainability. Given that we're dealing with probabilistic models, we may need to redefine both ‘transparency’ and ‘explainability’ to mean ‘best guesses wrapped in confidence", much like the reports these consultants write.
<h2 id="three-value-plays-to-maximize-ai-potential" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#three-value-plays-to-maximize-ai-potential">#</a> Three value plays to maximize AI potential</h2>
<a href="https://web-assets.bcg.com/0b/f6/c2880f9f4472955538567a5bcb6a/ai-radar-2025-slideshow-jan-2025-r.pdf">BGC</a>:
<ul>
<li>Deploy Al in everyday tasks to realize 10% to 20% productivity potential</li>
<li>Reshape critical functions for 30% to 50% enhancement in efficiency and effectiveness</li>
<li>Invent new products and services to build long-term competitive advantage</li>
</ul>
The pattern is clear: Use GenAI to boost internal productivity first—then leverage those gains to innovate and create new products and services.
<h2 id="cross-functional-ai-adoption" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#cross-functional-ai-adoption">#</a> Cross-functional AI adoption</h2>
<a href="https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_AI_in_Action_Beyond_Experimentation_to_Transform_Industry_2025.pdf">WEF</a>
<blockquote>
BMW introduced a platform with multiple genAI agents across its sales, supply chain and marketing functions to accelerate the conversion of data into real-time insights. The platform intelligently chooses a data source specific to the function and then pulls information corresponding to the user’s prompt. This faster transformation of enterprise data into actionable knowledge has improved productivity across both the firm’s corporate functions and on its showroom floors by 30-40%.
</blockquote>
Technology has always broken down silos, and GenAI—especially agentic AI—will take this further by redefining roles and responsibilities. Unlike humans, it works seamlessly across functions without ego.
As the saying goes, AI won’t replace you—but a generalist who works with GenAI without ego will. So, don’t cling too tightly to a rigid job description. Instead, learn how different functions operate and find ways to help everyone work smarter.
Oh, and one more thing—get comfortable with data. In the GenAI era, not understanding your company’s underlying data isn’t just a weakness; it’s career suicide.
Got comments? Send them to me via <a href='https://twitter.com/jjude'>Twitter</a> or join the <a href='https://jjude.com/genai-and-agentic-ai/'>conversation</a>.'GenAI & Agentic AI: Insights from Industry Reports on Enterprise Adoption' appeared on <a href='https://jjude.com/'>Joseph Jude</a>.
]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 Mar 2025 11:39:47 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Jude</dc:creator>
<guid>https://www.jjude.com/genai-and-agentic-ai/</guid>
</item><item>
<title>My pastor calls me a war horse and I love that title</title>
<link>https://www.jjude.com/war-horse/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Not because it’s flashy, but because it captures how I approach both church and work—focused, disciplined, and committed to the mission, without seeking the spotlight.
<h3 id="in-church-leading-without-the-limelight" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#in-church-leading-without-the-limelight">#</a> In Church: Leading Without the Limelight</h3>
I teach. I preach. I help build. But I don’t push myself to the front—I let my pastor lead while I serve with diligence. When it’s not my turn, I step back.
Over the years, my pastor has repeated this phrase to me many times, and each time, it sinks in a little deeper. The war horse doesn’t seek recognition. It simply gets the job done. And the better it does its work, the more it becomes relied upon—and then it can reap its benefits.
<h3 id="in-work-driving-the-vision-not-the-attention" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#in-work-driving-the-vision-not-the-attention">#</a> In Work: Driving the Vision, Not the Attention</h3>
As a CTO, my job is to move the company toward the vision set by our CEO. 
🔹 I sharpen my skills. 
🔹 I contribute where I add the most value. 
🔹 I step out when it’s not my moment.
I don’t have to be in every meeting or every conversation. Learning this has been freeing—it allows me to be fully present where I’m needed, without burnout or overextension.
<h3 id="the-power-of-knowing-your-role" tabindex="-1"><a class="direct-link" href="#the-power-of-knowing-your-role">#</a> The Power of Knowing Your Role</h3>
By focusing on what truly matters, my work feels like a passion, not a burden. I genuinely enjoy what I do.
Not everyone needs the spotlight. Some of us thrive in the trenches, pushing forward with steady strength.
And together, we build something greater than we ever could alone.
The sum is always greater than the parts.
Got comments? Send them to me via <a href='https://twitter.com/jjude'>Twitter</a> or join the <a href='https://jjude.com/war-horse/'>conversation</a>.'My pastor calls me a war horse and I love that title' appeared on <a href='https://jjude.com/'>Joseph Jude</a>.
]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:21:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Jude</dc:creator>
<guid>https://www.jjude.com/war-horse/</guid>
</item></channel>
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