It’s that time again—budget season. But how do you plan AI spending for a future that keeps shifting?

Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao to unpack how leaders can budget for AI in 2026 without wasting spend or missing out. The takeaway? Don’t budget for “AI”—budget for solving real business problems. From aligning with KPIs to adopting a 70/20/10 allocation model, they outline how to move from pilots to scalable, ROI-focused AI investments.

Next, Pete Buer sits down with Alex Kelleher, CEO of Quantum Rise, who makes the case for thinking in products, not projects. He explains why agility, measurable KPIs, and shared risk models are redefining how consulting delivers AI value—and how your business can adopt the same mindset.

Plus: A new segment, “What’s Your Password (And Why Is It 123456)?”, reveals how even global giants like McDonald’s are still failing cybersecurity 101—and what AI-powered defenses can help you do better.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/z8-16tvNw50 

Visit Knownwell.com to see how your own company’s data could be working harder for you.

It’s easy to launch an AI proof of concept. It’s hard to turn it into a solution people actually enjoy using and continue to use over the long haul.

In this episode, Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker teams up with CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao to unpack the real-world challenges of operationalizing AI. From starting with the right problem to mastering change management and workflow integration, they share practical strategies for bridging the gap from prototype to production.

Pete Buer kicks things off with a look at a Columbia University/New York-Presbyterian AI breakthrough that detects hidden heart disease with 77% accuracy—and how early detection applies to industries far beyond healthcare.

Then, Pete sits down with Jim Garrity, Chief Client Officer at SingleStone, to explore his delightfully BORING AI framework. They discuss why targeting unglamorous but business-critical processes can unlock major value, how insurance underwriters are speeding decisions with AI, and why professional services retention is all about avoiding single-threaded relationships and spotting growth opportunities early.

Explore how to stop flying blind and start harnessing AI for what it does best before it’s too late. Visit www.knownwell.com to get a guided tour of the platform.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/U8KG0iPUPNU 

Why do firms silently bleed customers, and how can AI help stop it?

In this revealing episode of AI Knowhow from Knownwell, CMO Courtney Baker, CEO David DeWolf, and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao lift the curtain on the biggest Knownwell platform update yet. They explore how AI can detect hidden signals across departments, sometimes before the metrics even move, and why ignoring 90% of the noise is just as critical as surfacing the right 10%.

Using a playful analogy involving Courtney and Mohan's beloved Oura Rings, the team illustrates how contextual clues in client relationships can predict major issues before they explode. David and Mohan explain how Knownwell’s new features proactively identify fires, budget pressures, and executive turnover to help firms avoid disaster.

In this week’s “AI in the Wild,” Pete Buer breaks down a controversial Microsoft memo that makes AI usage mandatory and raises deeper questions about critical thinking, tool diversity, and performance reviews.

Plus, in part two of his interview, Matt Stauffer, CEO of Tighten, shares why AI hasn’t radically changed his software team's structure—and how seeing AI as a junior developer helps separate hype from reality. His take? AI shines in grunt work but still needs human oversight to deliver excellence.

Explore how to stop flying blind and start harnessing AI for what it does best before it’s too late. Visit www.knownwell.com to get a guided tour of the platform.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9MYYHhcU3cA 

Client churn may be inevitable, but what if your relationships were strong enough to resist it?

Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao to dissect how AI can help build resilient, multi-threaded client relationships. They explore why single-threaded accounts are risky, how AI can map relationship networks, and the ways it enables proactive value delivery through real-time insights and signals.

Special guest Matt Stauffer, CEO of Tighten, sits down with Pete Buer to share how professional services firms can responsibly integrate AI. Matt warns against AI maximalism and discusses the real ROI behind building AI tools—advising companies to start with the business problem, not the shiny tech.

All of that, PLUS Pete unpacks insights from LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky on how to AI-proof your career. 

Want to turn insights into action? Download Knownwell’s white paper, “AI-Powered Strategies for Scaling Professional Services,” at www.knownwell.com/scalingwhitepaper. 

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/geeqPMhGRcY 

Another CEO memo on AI is making waves - this time from Amazon’s Andy Jassy, who outlines the tech giant’s aggressive AI strategy and hints at workforce reductions. While some may see it as ominous, others view it as a rallying cry for change. The AI Knowhow team dives deep into what this latest corporate proclamation really means.

First, NordLight CEO Pete Buer and Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker unpack Jassy’s memo, especially its stark honesty about AI's impact on jobs—and what it means for your own upskilling strategy.

Then Courtney is joined by Knownwell’s CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao to unpack how leaders at all levels—not just the C-suite—can take initiative, align teams, and prove they’re a few steps ahead before the next memo lands. From strategic intent to narrative discipline and modular operating systems, they break down the practical moves that position you to lead with action, not just reaction.

Also, Pete Buer chats with Jeff McKay, founder of Prudent Pedal, to explore how AI is transforming organizational structures in professional services firms. They examine McKay’s “IC Triad” model and how marketing, sales, and delivery must evolve to remain competitive in the AI era.

Check out the Knownwell platform to see how your own company’s data can unlock next-level decision-making at www.knownwell.com. 

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/inqzp0KmoWg 

Accenture just rebranded its core services as "Reinvention Services." But is this just corporate posturing or a sign of something bigger happening in professional services?

First, Pete Buer returns with a breakdown of the business impact of Accenture's move. He asks: Is AI finally becoming an operating system for enterprises, not just a toolkit? He dives into how Accenture’s internal reorganization reflects broader pressures in the consulting industry, including margin compression, commoditization, and the urgent need to differentiate.

Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by Knownwell CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao to further unpack the implications of Accenture's bold repositioning. They explore why this move might signal a shift from episodic transformation to continuous reinvention and how smaller firms can adapt and stay relevant.

David shares how positioning—not just performance—is now critical for service firms trying to escape the zero-sum game. Mohan offers a grounded analysis of how AI collapses silos and demands a rethinking of not just tools, but organizational architecture.

If your business is still treating AI as a “next quarter” concern, this episode is your wake-up call.

Visit Knownwell.com to see how your own company’s data could be working harder for you.

What if your next wave of growth isn’t about chasing new logos—but mining gold from the clients you already have?

In this cepisode, CMO Courtney Baker challenges the traditional growth mindset with Knownwell’s CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao. Together, they break down why net revenue retention (NRR) is the real growth lever, especially for professional services firms. They explore the inefficiencies of over-investing in new sales and reveal how failing to rigorously manage and measure existing relationships is holding companies back from true scalability and predictable growth.

Meanwhile, Pete Buer dives into the latest AI in the Wild: Meta’s audacious push toward artificial general intelligence, led by Scale AI’s Alexander Wang. Is this the next paradigm shift or just Metaverse 2.0?

And back by popular demand—it’s the return of the AI Snake Draft! Courtney, David, and Mohan face off with their must-have AI tools for 2025. Which apps have become indispensable? Which tools are heading to the D-League? Find out who steals the draft with surprises, strategy, and a little smack talk.

Plus, download the new Knownwell playbook for AI-powered strategies to scale your professional services firm: www.knownwell.com/scalingwhitepaper 

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/N8b_AtMIM2E 

What happens when you give every employee access to the paid version of ChatGPT? At Knownwell, it wasn’t just a tech decision—it was a culture shift.

Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker, CEO David DeWolf, and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao explore the real-world implications of a strategic move: providing company-wide access to ChatGPT. They share what sparked the decision and how a structured rollout strategy transformed productivity, communication, and innovation across the team. They also dive into what smart deployment looks like, from setting enterprise controls to embedding AI within your company's OKRs.

Pete Buer kicks off the episode with an eye-opening look at Apple’s latest research into large language model reasoning and why businesses must approach AI tools with both optimism and caution. He unpacks the importance of human-AI collaboration and encourages leaders to ditch the “magic wand” mindset.

Also in this episode: Part two of Pete’s interview with Ardy Tripathy, AI lead at OpsCanvas. Ardy reveals how AI can help eliminate “zombie resources” in cloud infrastructure, streamline CI/CD pipelines, and enhance visibility across systems. He also offers practical tips for CEOs on how to lead AI experimentation without losing control.

This episode is a must-listen for leaders navigating the AI learning curve, and for teams wondering what enterprise-wide access really unlocks.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NneA_LgHEYc 

Curious what your company’s data looks like on Knownwell? Schedule a demo at www.knownwell.com. 

Skating to where the puck will be? Not enough. In professional services, it's all about anticipating where your client—the skater—is headed next. But how do you stay ahead when clients start zigging, zagging, and getting slammed into strategic pivots?

This episode of AI Knowhow tackles that challenge head-on. Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao to unpack how AI can empower service leaders to become true strategic navigators. They explore why staying close to clients, decoding digital breadcrumbs, and scaling the "trusted advisor" model are essential in today’s AI-driven landscape.

For our expert interview segment, Pete Buer sits down with Ardy Tripathy, AI lead at OpsCanvas, to explore how his team is using AI to automate infrastructure intelligently. Ardy shares a refreshingly honest rubric for evaluating AI use cases and explains how he turns high-potential features into real, verifiable products.

All that PLUS Pete chats with Mohan about Meta's new AI assistant. Is it a friend or just surveillance dressed in chatbot clothing? They break down the privacy red flags and why Meta’s approach is a cautionary tale for any business building customer-facing AI.

Want to see your company’s client intelligence in action? Visit Knownwell.com to learn how Knownwell helps professional service leaders move from reactive to proactive.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jlZtX-u7HME 

You think you’re delivering five-star service—but do your clients feel the same?

In this episode of AI Knowhow, Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao to tackle the thorny disconnect between service quality and client perception. They explore why perception often outweighs actual performance in professional services, and how leaders can use AI to measure, manage, and close that gap—at scale.

Plus, in a clip from a recent Knownwell webinar, Pete Buer illustrates what a fully AI-powered client management operating system looks like—interconnected tools, real-time insights, and automated recommendations driving both efficiency and experience.

All that PLUS Pete joins Mohan to unpack a revealing Duke University study that found AI users in the workplace are seen as less competent. Together, they discuss what leaders must do to publicly de-stigmatize AI use and foster a culture that values innovation over fear.

From emotional signals in client conversations to proactive alerts on account risk, the future of client service is about more than delivery—it’s about being felt. If your best work isn’t recognized, does it even count?

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0w2CpPyEBMo  Sign up for Knownwell: www.knownwell.com