EPISODE 59

Scott Francis spent nearly two decades building BP3 across mobile, cloud, automation, and now AI before stepping back to help other founders navigate the same path. In this episode, Scott unpacks why process outlasts every tech wave, even at companies like Google, and breaks down the "Turing Trap" that's fooling founders who mistake fluent AI output for actual understanding. He shares why the rebranded "forward deployed engineer" matters more than ever, why services can be a positive signal for transformative tech, and how to hire multipliers instead of black holes in the AI era. Plus, the $25K test that separates real deals from time-wasters, and what founders need to know before selling to private equity.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Cold Open: The Turing Trap

00:41 – Intro: Building Companies That Last

03:31 – Welcome Scott Francis

04:25 – Why Process Outlasts Every Tech Cycle

06:16 – Even Google Has Process Problems

09:02 – Signals It's Time to Step Away

11:05 – The Turing Trap and AI Estimation

17:35 – The Forward Deployed Engineer Rebrand

20:16 – Hiring Multipliers in the AI Era

21:30 – Why Services Is a Positive Signal

24:02 – The $25K Test for Real Deals

28:42 – What Founders Should Pay Attention To

32:07 – Advising Founders and PE Debt Overhang

35:56 – Founder Mode Top Five

LINKS

Connect with Scott Francis

Westslope Advisors • LinkedIn • Substack

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Connect with Kevin

LinkedIn • X/Twitter

Connect with Jason

LinkedIn • X/Twitter