Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Automation First: Pros and Cons

• Jeff and Mercer emphasize that successful automation requires a clearly defined, repeatable process before any building begins.

• Initially, Jeff viewed automation negatively, associating it with spam and a lack of human involvement, but now recognizes its necessity and value when a human element is retained.

• The hosts highlight the "never too late to automate, but sometimes it's too soon" principle, stressing the importance of manually proving a process before automating it.

• Mercer and Jeff outline a nine-part automation framework, beginning with strategic planning to define the desired result, the business process, and feasibility before any technical implementation.

• The discussion stresses that the "build" phase, which many mistakenly start with, is the fifth step in their framework, occurring after thorough planning and technical blueprinting.

• A key benefit of strategic automation is the creation of reusable "Lego bricks" or interchangeable parts, allowing for easier maintenance and scaling of complex automation workflows.