In this episode, Host Stephen Bunker sits down with Eric, a partner at Spark 6 and a systems designer focused on defining workflows, to discuss how AI is reshaping modern service businesses and how leaders can adopt automation responsibly, ethically, and effectively.

What You’ll Learn

• How a “legacy” digital product studio can evolve into an AI implementation partner by listening closely to client demand.
• Why adaptability and flexibility are foundational leadership skills when markets shift, technology changes, and crises hit.
• How to identify practical, low-risk entry points for AI (like customer inquiry handling) before moving into more complex agentic workflows.
• What “responsible AI adoption” looks like in regulated industries, including the importance of guardrails and human-in-the-loop decision-making.
• When to use off-the-shelf automation tools versus building custom solutions layered on top of frontier language models.
• How internal AI education and training can remove “deer in the headlights” hesitation and turn uncertainty into informed action.
• A clear way to position AI services without leaning into fear-based marketing grounded in readiness, competitiveness, and long-term scaling.
• Leadership lessons from experience: the value of saying no to poor-fit projects and leading with humanity, kindness, and integrity.

Eric’s story highlights a pivotal shift many organizations are facing: AI isn’t just a new toolset, it’s a broad business transformation that requires thoughtful strategy, workforce enablement, and an ethical approach to implementation. By combining long-standing credibility with a practical focus on workflows, training, and responsible deployment, Spark 6 is building a path for companies to adopt AI with confidence while staying aligned with their values.

To learn more about Eric and their work, visit spark6.com