Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

Four Synozur leaders - Michelle Boyd, Michelle Caldwell, Joshua Christensen & Shari Oswald – join Chris McNulty on a special holiday edition of Polaris to reflect on 2025's seismic shifts in AI, the gap between technology and organizational maturity, and why 2026 will separate those who merely adopted tools from those who fundamentally transformed how work gets done.

Agentic AI arrived in force in 2025 – Microsoft Copilot evolved from a helpful assistant into an embedded constellation of specialized agents across M365 applications, fundamentally changing how teams operate daily.

The maturity gap is widening – Technology advancement is dramatically outpacing organizational readiness, with leadership capability now becoming the real constraint rather than the technology itself.

End-user training is no longer optional – Organizations are finally realizing that responsible AI adoption requires structured learning programs, not just tool deployment—people need guidance on how to have conversations with AI, not just search for keywords.

AI shifted from tech talk to leadership discussion – The conversation evolved from "what can AI do?" to "how do we govern it responsibly?" with leaders focused on accountability, trust, and cultural impact rather than just features.

Authenticity beats perfection – From pop culture to business strategy, 2025 rewarded genuine human connection, long-form conversation, and immersive shared experiences over polished soundbites and surface-level engagement.

Strategy without execution discipline won't cut it in 2026 – Organizations that invest in people, governance, and AI fluency alongside their technology will significantly outperform competitors who only focus on tools.

Decision support is the new frontier – The most sophisticated organizations are operationalizing AI as a decision-making backbone, using it to surface insights, test scenarios, and challenge assumptions in ways that augment human judgment.

Michelle Boyd (Head of Delivery Excellence, Synozur)

• "We're not just talking about AI anymore—we're living it. We leverage that agentic embedded experience across the M365 environment every single day, and it's become a game changer for how we operate and how we help our customers."

• "AI can surface insights I probably wouldn't have connected on my own. There's the gut check—sometimes we see results and think 'that's not exactly right for me'—but other times AI connects dots I would have missed."

• "Organizations on the tip of the spear in AI adoption are going to start using it as an operational backbone—leveraging it for decision-making possibilities, setting up scenarios, and getting recommendations that inform strategy."

Michelle Caldwell (CEO, Synozur)

• "AI stopped being just a technology conversation and became a leadership discussion. The real questions shifted to accountability, trust, and how leaders make decisions in an AI-augmented world."

• "Technology maturity is outpacing organizational maturity. We're not looking at a technology problem—we're looking at an organizational and leadership maturity challenge."

• "In 2026, we'll see two types of organizations: those that adopted AI tools and those that fundamentally redesigned how work gets done. The gap between them will be significant. AI fluency becomes table stakes for leadership."

Joshua Christensen (Head of Future of Work and Product Strategy, Synozur)

• "We're going to find more clients who invested in AI over the last year but haven't seen returns. You can't just cast a wide net and pray something good comes out. You've got to narrow your focus and dive deep."

• "This is not a button you just turn on and everything's automatically great. It takes thought, initiative, planning, and some hard truths about your organization—not just how it's run, but how your technology stacks were built."

• "People that aren't in technology are finally clinging to what generative AI actually is—understanding it's a completely different breed from what they thought AI was, and realizing the true implications."

Shari Oswald (Learning Experience Officer, Microsoft MVP, Synozur)

• "I'm so happy to see a refocus back on the end users this year. With the rise of AI, people are realizing their teams need to be trained. Companies are refocusing on learning, and this is probably one of my best years ever."

• "When you search, you get content. When you use AI, you get context—but you also have to provide context. It's like coaching a teenage child to do chores. You can't just say 'take out the trash'—you need to give them all the parameters."

• "I had 310 people in my Ignite session on prompting 101. People are not comfortable. They don't know where to start. You can't just expect them to pick it up—it's intimidating."

Center for Humane Technology - "The AI Dilemma" Presentation by Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin discussing ethical and societal impacts of AI https://www.humanetech.com/podcast/the-ai-dilemma

Netflix Acquires Warner Bros. Discovery Major entertainment industry consolidation announced December 2025 https://about.netflix.com

Figma Slides Professional presentation design tool launched in 2024/2025

The Wizard of Oz at Sphere Las Vegas Immersive AI-enhanced theatrical experience opened August 2025

Vibe Coding Tools Referenced: Replit: Claude Code (Anthropic): Lovable:

TV Shows Mentioned: Severance (Apple TV+) The Paper (NBC Peacock) Fallout (Amazon Prime Video) Stranger Things (Netflix) South Park (Comedy Central)

Synozur Platforms Mentioned: Orion - AI maturity model platform Vega - OKR and strategic planning platform for the Company Operating System™ Constellation/SCDP - Time tracking and project management Nebula - Digital envisioning platform

Michelle Caldwell CEO, Synozur Alliance LinkedIn: Michelle Caldwell | LinkedIn

Michelle Boyd Head of Delivery Excellence, Synozur Alliance LinkedIn: Michelle Boyd, MBA PMP SIDL | LinkedIn

Joshua Christensen Future of Work and Product Strategy Leader, Synozur Alliance LinkedIn: Joshua Christensen | LinkedIn

Shari L. Oswald Chief Learning Officer, Synozur Alliance | Microsoft MVP & Certified Trainer LinkedIn: Shari L. Oswald, MVP, MCT, MSOM | LinkedIn

Strategy - Now With AI | January 6, 2026 (Online)

M365 Community Days DC 2026 January 29-30 at Microsoft Innovation Hub in Arlington VA

Partner Vibe | January 28-30 at the Marriot Courtyard in South Padre Island Texas

M365 Community Conference | April 21-23 at the Loews Saphire Falls in Orlando Florida

AI+IM Summit | April 28-30 Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD

Polaris is produced with help from Riverside.fm. Our holiday theme song, "A Snowflake's Tale" is provided courtesy of Epidemic Sound. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Reflections on 2025 02:50 AI and Technology Trends in 2025 08:35 Achievements and Highlights at Synozur 12:40 Pop Culture in 2025 19:47 Looking Ahead to 2026 30:21 Looking Ahead: Events and AI Strategy 31:41 Reflecting on 2025: Highlights and Milestones 33:40 The Rise of AI: Transformations and Innovations 35:21 Thanks and Happy New Year

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

Larry Namer, co-founder of E! Entertainment Television, shares his remarkable journey with Chris McNulty on Polaris - from working underground installing cables in Manhattan to building a multi-billion-dollar global media empire that transformed celebrity culture, pioneered red carpet coverage, and expanded entertainment across 140 countries—plus his insights on AI, thinking globally, and why passion alone isn't always the answer.

1. Technology Creates Opportunities for the Bold: Larry started E! with just $2.5 million and 31 interns when competitors needed $60-100 million, proving that constraints can drive innovation and focus when you understand the technology landscape.

1. Think Globally from Day One: E! expanded to 14 countries in its first year by recognizing that the world loves Hollywood content—a lesson that applies to any business in today's interconnected marketplace.

1. Embrace AI as a Creative Amplifier, Not a Replacement: Larry uses AI tools like Perplexity to reduce business plan creation from five days to one hour of editing, freeing time for higher-value creative work and strategic thinking.

1. The Medium Shapes the Message: From broadcast to cable to streaming, each technological shift doesn't just change distribution—it fundamentally transforms what content can be and how audiences engage with it.

1. Follow Competence, Not Just Passion: Larry's advice challenges conventional wisdom: most people confuse passion with hobbies. Instead, find something you're good at, work until you're great, and that mastery will become your passion while funding your hobbies.

1. Know When to Pivot: Assess your projects regularly. Time is your most valuable asset, and successful entrepreneurs recognize when market conditions, technology, or regulations have changed enough to warrant a new direction.

1. Low-Cost Innovation Beats High-Budget Imitation: E! succeeded by getting premium content (movie trailers, celebrity footage) for free and surrounding it with low-cost production, following MTV's model but applied to entertainment instead of music.

On Entrepreneurship and Rejection:

"We were rejected over 100 times. In one meeting with a VC, the guy literally took the business plan and threw it at my head and said, 'How dare you insult me with such a piece of garbage?'"

On AI and the Future:

"Anybody who's not learning AI and how to bring AI into their equation is going to get left behind. It's an unbelievable creative tool. It used to take me five days to research and create a business plan. Now it takes me 30 seconds with AI, then an hour to edit it."

On Global Thinking:

"Stop thinking of just the US as being the only market. You got to think globally. If you think of what the foreign markets are, you could create things that may resonate for the whole world."

On Passion vs. Mastery:

"Most people confuse their passion with their hobby. Find something that you're good at, work your butt off until you become great at it, and then that'll become your passion, which will then give you enough financial resources to enjoy your hobbies."

Larry Namer's Company & Social Media

• LJN Media (Larry Namer's company): https://www.ljnmedia.com

• Larry Namer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-namer

• Larry Namer on IMDb: Larry Namer - IMDb

• Larry Namer on Wikipedia: Larry Namer - Wikipedia

Larry Namer's Book

• "Offscript: Recipes for Success" by Larry J. Namer: https://www.amazon.com/Offscript-Recipes-Success-Larry-Namer/dp/B0DVNY8KH6 [Amazon]

Larry Namer's Upcoming Projects

• The Immigrant Podcast (launching on YouTube and Spotify) Pamela Anchang, Will Launch A Lifestyle Show with Heart, "The Immigrant Podcast" in January with Larry Namer, Founder of E! Entertainment - Formidable Woman US
• Stall Talk (women's empowerment podcast) Stall Talk Podcast (@stalltalkbabes) • Instagram photos and videos

Cultural References & Locations

• Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York: Visitor Information | Coney Island Fun Guide | New York

• Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs: Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs & Restaurants | Nathan's Famous

• Star Trek: The Next Generation Syndication | Memory Alpha | Fandom

• The Kardashians: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kardashians

Companies & Networks Mentioned

• E! Entertainment Television:

• HBO (Home Box Office):

• CNN:

• TBS (Turner Broadcasting System):

• MTV (Music Television):

• Netflix:

• YouTube:

• TikTok:

• Spotify:

• Fox Broadcasting:

Personalities & Shows Mentioned

• Jon Stewart (The Daily Show, Talk Soup alumnus) Jon Stewart - Wikipedia

• Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live!)

• Greg Kinnear (Talk Soup host)

• Craig Kilborn (Talk Soup host)

• Howard Stern (The Howard Stern Show)

• Tom Cruise (actor)

• Arnold Schwarzenegger (actor)

• Madonna (musician)

• Muhammad Ali (boxer)

• Joe Frazier (boxer)

• George Foreman (boxer)

• Tom Brady (NFL quarterback)

Media Executives & Visionaries Mentioned

• Chuck Dolan (founder of Cablevision, HBO)

• Jerry Levin (former CEO of Time Warner, architect of HBO)

• Ted Turner (founder of CNN, TBS)

• Barry Diller (media executive)

• Alan Mruvka (E! co-founder with Larry Namer) Alan Mruvka - Wikipedia

• Vladimir Putin (former Vice Mayor of St. Petersburg, current Russian President)

• Rupert Murdoch (founder of Fox)

Concepts & Statistics Referenced

• Marshall McLuhan's "The medium is the message" concept The medium is the message - Wikipedia

• Streaming viewership statistics: via Nielsen's The Gauge report Streaming Reaches Historic TV Milestone, Eclipses Combined Broadcast and Cable Viewing For First Time | Nielsen [May 2025]

• Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000-hour rule for mastery Outliers (book) - Wikipedia

Historical References

• Bruce Springsteen's "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)": 57 Channels (And Nothin' On) - Wikipedia

• The Beatles' White Album The Beatles (album) - Wikipedia

• The Onion (satirical news): www.theonion.com

• Strategy - Now With AI | January 6, 2026 (Onlin
• M365 Community Days DC 2026 January 29-30 at Microsoft Innovation Hub in Arlington VA

• Partner Vibe | January 28-30 at the Marriott Courtyard in South Padre Island Texas
• M365 Community Conference | April 21-23 at the Loews Saphire Falls in Orlando Florida
• AI+IM Summit | April 28-30 Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD

Polaris is produced with help from Riverside.fm. Our theme song, "Alternative Dream" is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction 01:44 Terms and Data Points 05:06 The Wild West of Early Cable Television 07:31 The Birth of Home Box Office and Content Creation 10:16 Innovating in Cable: The Rise of E! Entertainment 13:18 The Challenges of Starting a New Network 16:17 The Impact of E! Entertainment on Pop Culture 18:53 Redefining Entertainment: The Talk Soup Phenomenon 21:36 Reflections on Success and Global Influence 24:23 International Expansion and Media Ventures 29:55 The Evolution of Technology in Media 34:00 AI's Impact on Creativity and Business 39:16 Cultural Reflections and Personal Passions 41:27 Upcoming Events and AI Strategy for 2026 43:06 The Beatles and Bruce Springsteen 44:26 Next on Polaris 45:00 Conclusion

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty interviews Ed DeAngelis, CEO of EDA Contractors, who shares his journey of transforming a roofing company into a leader in the construction industry through a focus on servant leadership and a people-first approach. Ed discusses the challenges faced in the construction sector, the importance of creating a win-win culture, and how humanity plays a crucial role in business success. He emphasizes the need for vulnerability in leadership and the impact of AI on the future of the industry.

Humanity as a Strategy

Treating employees as human beings first—before focusing on transactions—unlocks greater loyalty, performance, and organizational success.

Win-Win Beats Zero-Sum

Moving away from "I win, you lose" thinking to collaborative partnerships creates sustainable success with employees, vendors, and customers alike.

Leadership Evolution Takes Time

Shifting from command-and-control to servant leadership requires patience—not everyone will come along, and that's okay.

Vulnerability Is a Superpower

The best leaders know what they don't know. Humility and vulnerability build trust far more effectively than projecting invincibility.

Accountability and Care Coexist

Being people-first doesn't mean avoiding accountability—you can hold people to high standards while still treating them humanely.

The Human Brain Outpaces AI

While AI will automate mundane tasks, human emotion, creativity, and the ability to dream remain irreplaceable competitive advantages.

Culture Attracts Talent

In an industry facing a shortage of 439,000 workers, creating a best-in-class environment makes your organization the top choice for skilled talent.

Ed DeAngelis Quotes

"Humanity as a strategy. Be strategic on how you want to treat your people as humans first. Secondarily, you will then treat them where there's a transaction in there—but first treat them as a human."

"Vulnerability is one of the greatest assets of a great leader. The best leaders I've ever dealt with are so humble to the point that they know what they don't know."

"I'm not afraid of artificial intelligence, but I'm also not afraid of the value of humanity of humans. The human brain is a thousand times more powerful than an artificial intelligent brain."

"A robot can only do what the robot can do. A human being with the right focus on their emotion, their drive—they are way more powerful."

Ed DeAngelis [ LinkedIn] – CEO, Servant Leader, Believer in "Humanity as a Strategy"

EDA Contractors – Specializing in exterior envelope solutions for commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings

Titan 100 – Ed DeAngelis was named one of Philadelphia's top 100 CEOs in 2025

Companies and Organizations Mentioned:

Zappos – Known for customer-centric and people-first culture

Starbucks – Pioneer in employee-focused corporate culture

Google – Recognized for innovative workplace culture

Southwest Airlines – Famous for servant leadership approach

Vanguard – Founded by John Bogle, known for client-first philosophy

Statistics and Data Sources:

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Source: approximately 49.9% of businesses fail within five years

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) – Source: The construction industry needs 439,000 new workers in 2025

Sports Reference:

Philadelphia Eagles – Super Bowl LIX Champions (February 2025), defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22. Jalen Hurts named Super Bowl MVP.

ESPC 25 (European SharePoint Conference) – December 1-4, 2025, Dublin, Ireland

Strategy, Now With AI – January 6. 2026 (Teams Webinar)

M365 Community Days DC – January 29-30, 2026 (Arlington, Virginia)

Polaris is produced with help from Riverside.fm. Our theme song, "Alternative Dream" is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:45 Introducing Ed DeAngelis

01:34 News and Data Points

03:10 Welcoming Ed to Polaris

05:27 Career Journey and Entrepreneurial Spirit

07:55 Current Business Climate and Challenges

10:18 Leadership Evolution and Style

12:33 Creating a People-First Culture

14:48 Implementing Change and Overcoming Resistance

19:08 Navigating Different Paths in Business Relationships

19:41 The Power of Humanity in the Workplace

22:45 Leadership Beyond Transactions

25:41 The Strength of Vulnerability in Leadership

27:00 The Future of the Construction Industry

30:17 The Impact of Pop Culture on Leadership Philosophy

34:28 Upcoming Events and Community Engagement

35:44 Gratitude and Reflection During Thanksgiving

36:37 Future Conversations and Insights on Technology

37:09 Closing Credits

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty discusses the latest innovations announced at Microsoft's Ignite conference, focusing on AI advancements in Microsoft 365. Key topics include the introduction of Work IQ, the centralized management platform Agent 365, new features in Office apps, enhancements in Outlook for AI powered scheduling, and the role of SharePoint in AI-driven collaboration. The episode also highlights the Knowledge Agent for automating metadata management.

• Work IQ is Microsoft's new data layer that lets Copilot and agents understand roles, responsibilities, and collaboration patterns—turning generic prompts into context‑aware guidance.
• Agent 365 centralizes agent governance (registry, Entra agent IDs, conditional access, Purview/Defender signals) inside the Microsoft 365 admin center—so IT can inventory, permission, and quarantine agents.
• Office Agents & Agent Mode arrive for commercial Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, enabling document, analysis, and deck creation directly from chat—with transparent steps and model choice where enabled.
• Outlook updates: voice triage, context‑aware one‑tap prompts, and a "Schedule with Copilot" flow that auto‑builds invites and agendas from email context.
• Video: Sora 2 integration enters Microsoft 365 via a Frontier early adopter path for Copilot licensees—enterprise controls, watermarking, and audio.
• SharePoint is the "CMS for AI": Copilot now reasons over metadata, pages, images, sensitivity‑labeled content—raising answer precision; Knowledge Agent helps auto‑suggest and tag columns and is included with M365 Copilot licenses starting in January (site‑level opt‑in).
• What to do next: name and explain Work IQ internally, stand up Agent 365 guardrails, pilot Office Agents with clear KPIs, prep for Sora 2, and amplify SharePoint news via Viva Amplify.

• "If LLMs are the CPUs of the AI cloud, Copilot just became the operating system for work."
• "Work IQ is the difference between canned answers and advice that fits how your team actually gets work done."
• "Agent 365 finally moves us from shadow bots to managed, measurable automation."
• "Metadata is the secret sauce—it's why Copilot can do things you still can't do in generic chat tools."

Microsoft Official Copilot News: https://aka.synozur.com/msftcp25

Microsoft Official SharePoint News https://aka.synozur.com/msftsp25

Synozur Blog on Copilot News https://aka.synozur.com/copilot-ignite25

Synozur Blog on SharePoint News https://aka.synozur.com/sharepoint-ignite25

Synozur Blog https://www.synozur.com/insights

Microsoft Ignite 2025 overview and registration — https://ignite.microsoft.com/en-US/homeignite.microsoft.com ESPC25 (Dec 1–4, 2025, Dublin) — https://www.sharepointeurope.com/sharepointeurope.com Microsoft 365 Community Conference 2026 (Orlando) — https://m365conf.com/m365conf.com TechCon 365 Conference Series — https://www.techcon365.com/portal/techcon365.com AI+IM Global Summit 2026 (AIIM) — https://www.aiim.org/aiim-global-summit-2026aiim.org Fintech Meetup 2026 (Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas) — https://www.fintechmeetup.com/homefintechmeetup.com

Polaris is produced with help from Riverside.fm. Our theme song, "Alternative Dream" is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

Chapters

00:00 Intro to Microsoft Ignite 2025 01:14 Copilot News 08:02 SharePoint News 11:42 What does it all mean? 14:15 Upcoming Events 15:33 Next on Polaris 15:55 Thanks and Credits

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty speaks with Adam Harmetz, Corporate Vice President for SharePoint at Microsoft. They discuss Adam's career journey, and the significant role of AI in knowledge management. The conversation delves into how SharePoint is evolving as a knowledge engine for AI, the importance of community feedback in product development, and the future of information management. Adam shares insights on balancing customer needs with product focus and reflects on the pride he feels in the SharePoint community as it approaches its 25th anniversary.

• Data volume is exploding: Our world generates around 2.5 million terabytes of data every day and 90 percent of existing data was created in the last two years. Harnessing this data tsunami requires AI-powered tools that curate and surface the right information at the right time.
• AI adoption is mainstream: Studies show over 77 percent of companies are either using or exploring AI to drive productivity, and about 65 percent of organizations are already using generative AI to improve operations.
• Searching wastes time: Research suggests that knowledge workers spend nearly 19 percent of their workweek searching for and gathering information. AI-driven knowledge agents present a huge opportunity to reduce that overhead and focus teams on higher-value tasks.
• SharePoint's massive scale: SharePoint now serves over a billion users worldwide and processes more than two billion pieces of content every day. It has evolved from a portal into the collaboration and knowledge backbone of Microsoft 365.
• Intelligent content curation: Microsoft's new Knowledge Agent enriches documents with metadata, analyzes pages to fix broken links, retires outdated pages and creates new pages from simple prompts. Enriched metadata enables Copilot and agents to deliver deterministic, context-aware answers.
• Preparing for multiple futures: Adam Harmetz argues that work will likely involve a blend of chat-centric AI experiences and rich, branded intranets. Organizations should ensure their content is AI-ready and prioritize clear governance and metadata so they can pivot as technology evolves.
• The human element: SharePoint's passionate community underscores the importance of trust and empathy. Adam stresses nurturing, informing and listening to people who place their careers on a platform. Synozur's people-first philosophy aligns with that ethos, emphasizing partnerships and tailored, business-focused outcomes.

• "When AI is looking for answers, SharePoint often becomes the primary citation source—almost double the next source".
• "Semi-structured data in SharePoint is the sweet spot for enterprise AI: structured enough to apply more structure, yet collaborative enough to capture everyone's voice".
• "The future won't be a clean break; it will be a split world where humans and agents co-evolve and reason over shared data stores".
• "In these paradigm shifts, it's better to ask why and how than to dwell on why not — great product making happens when we respect our customers' trust and solve real pain points."

• Data growth statistics: Our discussion referenced IFLScience's report noting that the world produces roughly 2.5 quintillion bytes (≈2.5 million terabytes) of new data each day, and 90 percent of existing data has been created in the last two years.
• ChatGPT adoption: We noted that ChatGPT amassed 100 million monthly active users within two months of launch, making it the fastest-growing consumer app in history.
• AI adoption statistics: According to AI Statistics, 77 percent of companies are using or exploring artificial intelligence in their operations. The CloudFactory blog cites McKinsey research indicating that about 65 percent of organizations were actively using generative AI by late 2025.
• Knowledge worker productivity: A Forbes column summarizes an IDC/McKinsey study showing that knowledge workers spend roughly 19 percent of their time searching for and gathering information.
• SharePoint usage: Microsoft reveals in its SharePoint blog that customers add over two billion pieces of content every day. At the 2025 M365 Community Conference, Jeff Teper announced that SharePoint has surpassed one billion users and runs two billion Power Automate flows each week.
• Knowledge Agent: Microsoft's official blog post "Introducing Knowledge Agent in SharePoint" outlines how the agent enriches and organizes content, suggests metadata columns, fixes broken links and helps build AI-friendly pages.
• Metadata & deterministic AI: Another SharePoint showcase explains how metadata understanding yields more precise, context-aware answers from Copilot and agents.
• AI models: Google's generative image model Nano Banana can combine and edit images based on natural language prompts, while OpenAI's Sora 2.0 video generator offers realistic, multi-shot video creation from text and images.
• Historical context: We mentioned the Library of Alexandria, the ancient repository that sought to collect every book in the world.

• Book reference: Adam recommended the Dungeon Crawler Carl LitRPG series by Matt Dinniman.
• Guest links: Connect with Adam Harmetz on LinkedIn
• Personal Blog (with Helen Harmetz): Mind the Beet

• Microsoft Ignite 2025 – Nov 17-21, 2025 (San Francisco, CA).
• ESPC25 (European SharePoint Conference 2025) | Dec 1-4, 2025 (Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) Dublin, Ireland).
• Copilot and the Company OS | January 4, 2026 (Webinar)

Polaris is produced with help from Riverside.fm. Our theme song, "Alternative Dream" is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

00:00 Introduction to Adam Harmetz and Career Journey 05:25 The Impact of AI on Knowledge Management 08:09 SharePoint as the Knowledge Engine for Co-Pilot 10:47 The Future of SharePoint and AI Integration 13:07 Community Influence on Product Development 15:54 Challenges Faced by Customers and Solutions 18:42 AI's Role in Product Design and Development 21:16 The Importance of Trust in Technology 24:07 Reflections on SharePoint's Legacy and Future 28:02 Customer Opportunities 34:02 Billion User Legacies 35:49 SharePoint Year 25 - Year 50 37:11 Personal Views on Pop Culture 39:23 Upcoming Tech Events 40:33 The Journey of Knowledge Management 42:00 Next on Polaris 42:33 Conclusion

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

Nonprofits are moving from AI experiments to governed, human‑centered deployments. AIIM's Tori Miller‑Liu and Synozur's Andrew Borg share field lessons, from "conversational search" that cites sources to coalition‑driven ethics and the EU AI Act's impact horizon.

AI is a force multiplier, not a headcount reducer. The biggest value today is in accelerating research, finance, content triage, and enterprise search—so your people spend more time on strategy and relationships.

Governance is behind adoption. Surveys show most nonprofits use AI in some form, but comparatively few have formal policies—an exposure area leaders should close.

Regulation is real—and staggered. The EU AI Act is now law (entered into force Aug 1, 2024) with phased obligations through 2026; even non‑EU orgs will feel its ripple effects via vendors and data flows.

"Frontier Firm" playbook is emerging. Microsoft's 2025 Work Trend Index highlights human–agent teams and "intelligence on tap"; nonprofits can apply the same operating model to scale impact responsibly.

Ethics + belonging are differentiators. Keep human connection in the loop—AI can process, route, and answer, but it shouldn't replace the sense of community members join for.

Start with existing platforms. Many nonprofit tech vendors now ship AI capabilities; piloting within your current stack reduces cost, risk, and time to value.

Data privacy & access control are non‑negotiable. Especially for nonprofits working in sensitive contexts—design for minimum necessary data and tight permissions from day one.

"Use AI to multiply value—not replace people. Our job is advancing member outcomes, and AI helps us do more of that."

"Belonging beats the bot. Let AI handle transactions; keep humans where community and trust are built."

"Start where you are: pilot inside the tools you already own before building from scratch."

"For nonprofits, AI is a force multiplier on training wheels—powerful, but it still needs guardrails."

"Keep AI at arm's length ethically. Until models have a moral core, humans must stay accountable."

"Cooperate to accelerate. Sector coalitions let nonprofits share tools, data, and hard‑won lessons."

"Don't buy the hype—buy outcomes. The winners align AI to real missions and measurable value."

Tori Miller‑Liu (LinkedIn): CEO of AIIM (Association for Intelligent Information Management)

Andrew Borg (LinkedIn):Head of Ethical AI & Nonprofits at Synozur

82% of nonprofits are using AI; Nonprofit Quarterly: "Sector Adopting AI, Building Reserves, and Expanding Missions

European Commission: "AI Act enters into force" (Aug 1, 2024)

Fast Forward's accelerator program saw six times more AI-powered nonprofit applicants than the year before: Stanford Social Innovation Review: "Mapping the Landscape of AI‑Powered Nonprofits"

300% increase since 2018 in the use of AI to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Google.org (Research brief))

IBM watsonx Assistant (conversational search / RAG)

ASAE: Association Coalition for AI (ACAI)

Forbes Coverage of MIT "GenAI Divide" ROI findings (context for '95% fail' headline)

Jared Spataro from Microsoft on defining the "frontier firm" and on 'headline hype' obscuring the real buseinss value of AI.

NetHope "AI Lighthouse" for Nonprofits (responsible AI resources)

Avett Brothers and "Swept Away" on Broadway (official)

Experts Live | October 10, 2025 at Microsoft NYC in Times Square

CollabDays New England 2025 | October 17, 2025 Microsoft New England in Burlington MA

Vancouver AI Summit | October 20, 2025 Vancouver BC

TechCon 365 Dallas - | November 3-7, 2025 (Dallas, TX). Irving Convention Center

Microsoft Ignite 2025 – Nov 17-21, 2025 (San Francisco, CA).

ESPC25 (European SharePoint Conference 2025) | Dec 1-4, 2025 (Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) Dublin, Ireland).

Polaris is produced with help from Riverside.fm. Our theme song, "Alternative Dream" is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI and Its Impact

01:51 News and Data Points

03:42 Tori Miller-Liu and Andrew Borg

06:10 AI in Nonprofits: Opportunities and Challenges

08:04 The Dichotomy of AI Perception

10:50 Governance and Risk in Nonprofits

13:44 AI as a Force Multiplier

16:03 The Future Workforce and AI

16:38 The Role of Education in AI Utilization

19:52 Human-AI Interaction and Ethical Considerations

21:53 AI's Role in Enhancing Community Engagement

24:30 Cooperation Among Nonprofits

27:24 Advice for Nonprofits on AI Adoption

33:43 Cultural Reflections and Personal Insights

37:36 Upcoming Tech Events Overview

38:29 Closing and Acknowledgments

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty and futurist Michael Tchong, founder of the Ubertrends Academy, discuss the profound impact of AI on society, the workforce, and the economy. They explore the rapid advancements in AI technology, the potential for job displacement, and the need for upskilling in the workforce. Michael emphasizes the importance of understanding the trends and innovations that AI brings, as well as the cultural shifts that accompany these changes. The conversation highlights the urgency for businesses and individuals to adapt to the evolving landscape shaped by AI.

AI's Disruption Is Here: AI is already transforming work and society on a massive scale – a change many experts call even bigger than the internet revolution. Leaders can't ignore it.

Adaptation Is Key: Rather than fearing automation, organizations must focus on upskilling talent and using AI to streamline workflows. Those who leverage AI will outpace those who don't. In Michael's words, "Everyone needs to upskill… that's the only way you're going to survive."

Short-Term Pain, Long-Term Gain: New tech often displaces jobs initially (especially entry-level roles). But if harnessed correctly, AI can boost productivity and create new opportunities – similar to how desktop publishing eventually made print bigger, not smaller.

Real Problems, Not Just "Me-Too" Tools: Michael argues today's AI boom is filled with copycat chatbots. The real value will come from AI solving everyday pain points – for example, automating tedious workflows so people can focus on creative, high-value work.

Quality vs. Quantity: With generative AI, it's now easy to pump out content – including low-quality "AI slop." In the long run, either AI will learn to produce truly high-quality results, or people will seek out human authenticity. (Think of it as a "flight to humanity," where authenticity becomes a differentiator.)

Stay Ahead of the Wave: Michael's motto is, "I help you catch the next wave before it catches you." The message: be proactive. Understand the trends (like AI) shaping your industry, and lead with them – don't chase them after the fact.

• "AI is the biggest revolution – even larger than the internet itself."
• "With AI, we're going to get a 10× wave of unforeseen effects on society."
• "Everyone needs to upskill in AI – it's the only way you're going to survive."
• "The #1 pain point for everyone is: why does it take so freaking long to do anything? Workflow is the biggest opportunity for AI to boost productivity."

• "Every breakthrough is social before it's technical. What changes the wires changes us."
• "Either AI gets better at quality, or there will be a flight to humanity – people craving authentic, human work."
• "AI won't replace people. But people using AI will replace those who don't."

University of San Francisco – https://www.usfca.edu Michael Tchong serves as an adjunct professor of innovation at USF

Ubertrends – https://www.ubertrends.com Ubertrends Academy, Michael Tchong's trend forecasting & innovation academy (and title of his book "Ubertrends – How Trends and Innovation Are Transforming Our Future").

Michael Tchong on LinkedIn

ChatGPT reached 100 million users in its first two months (Source: Ubertrends)

Only 17% of U.S. adults expect AI to have a mostly positive impact on society in the next 20 years (Source: Pew Research Center)

18% of work globally could be automated by AI, affecting 300 million roles (Source: Goldman Sachs)

Open Letter on AI Pause – In 2023, Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and 1,000+ tech leaders signed an open letter urging a 6-month pause on advanced AI development, warning of "profound risks to society"[5].

Teens & AI Therapy –28% of parents report their teen has used AI for emotional support (Source: Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Connected Kids (2025))

Ford CEO on Jobs – Jim Farley (Ford Motors) predicted at Aspen Ideas Festival that "AI is going to replace literally half of all white-collar workers in the U.S.". (Source: Ford Authority.)

John Oliver's Take – On HBO's Last Week Tonight, John Oliver discussed how it's not going to be AI replacing lawyers; it's going to be lawyers with AI replacing lawyers without it.

"The Victorian Internet" (book by Tom Standage) chronicles how the 19th-century telegraph revolutionized communication, spurring phenomena from instant stock quotes to the first "online" romances – a reminder that technology has long disrupted social norms.

TribalNet Conference | September 14-18, 2025, Reno Nevada

London Tech Leaders' Summit | October 7-8., 2025 Minster Building - right near the Tower of London - London UK

Experts Live | October 10, 2025 at Microsoft NYC in Times Square

Vancouver AI Summit | October 19-20, 2025 Vancouver BC

TechCon 365 Dallas - | November 3-7, 2025 (Dallas, TX) - Irving Convention Center

Microsoft Ignite 2025 – Nov 17-21, 2025 (San Francisco, CA).

ESPC25 (European SharePoint Conference 2025) | Dec 1-4, 2025 (Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) Dublin, Ireland).

Polaris is produced with help from Riverside.fm. Our theme song, "Alternative Dream" is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:11 Terms and Data Points

03:32 Introducing Michael Tchong

05:24 The Rise of AI and Its Impact

07:07 Future of Work and Labor Market

09:50 AI in Marketing and Business Transformation

11:20 Agentic AI

14:27 Conclusion and Future Directions

30:22 Cultural Influences

32:57 Upcoming Tech Events and Conferences

34:03 The Impact of Technology on Society

35:16 Closing

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty and Rob Asen discuss the critical challenges of corporate transformation, the role of transformation offices, and the impact of AI on business strategies. They share insights from successful transformation projects, highlight common pitfalls to avoid, and outline a five-step process for effective transformation. Additionally, Rob shares his personal experiences with community service through flying patients and rescue dogs, emphasizing the importance of engagement and leadership in driving change.

• Transformation ≠ PMO++: A PMO ensures projects run; a Transformation Office owns the strategy and is empowered to make course corrections without months of re alignment. PMO = "doing things right;" TO = "doing the right things."
• Lead from the top (and closer to the work): Transformations only stick when the CEO and senior team are personally engaged, with the TO reporting at or near the top of the house. AI now lets leaders be "virtually hands on" deeper in operations.
• A 5 part operating lens—Vision, Leadership, Impact, Capacity, Measurement—keeps strategy connected to execution, prioritization, change absorption, and outcomes (not activities).
• Be adaptive to shocks: Geopolitics (e.g., the new U.S. tariffs now in effect) and supply chain fragility demand faster decision cycles—exactly where a TO excels over a reporting only PMO.
• Reality check: Only about 12% of major transformations fully achieve their original ambition—raising the bar on the governance and empowerment a TO provides.
• AI shifts roles: As AI reduces administrative overhead, PMO functions evolve, while executives gain better telemetry and can intervene at the right altitude—without substituting governance for management.
• Human factor matters: Deep, credible sponsorship, clear trade offs, and authentic change management beat checklists and adoption dashboards every time.

• "A PMO makes the trains run on time. A Transformation Office decides if we're even on the right railroad."
• "Strategy needs the right to turn left—without a six‑month re‑alignment."
• "AI won't replace leadership; it makes good leaders hands‑on at scale."
• "If you can't measure impact, you're just admiring activity."

Transformation Office success rates: (Bain) — Only ~12% of major transformations meet original ambition.

Long‑term sustainment: McKinsey — only 12% sustain transformation goals for 3+ years.

Rise of the Transformation Office / Chief Transformation Officer:

Tariffs: Over the past two weeks, sweeping new U.S. tariffs entered into effect. See coverage from NBC, NYT and WEF.

Frozen raspberries & U.S. supply concentration (illustration of fragile chains): Washington State — especially Whatcom County — dominates U.S. frozen red raspberries production.

TSMC & semiconductor dependence (mentioned)

Rob Asen (Synozur Transformation Officer): LinkedIn

PALS SkyHope (Patient AirLift Services) — free medical flights

Pilots N Paws (animal rescue flights)

TribalNet Conference | September 14-18, 2025, Reno Nevada

London Tech Leaders Summit | October 7-8., 2025 Minster Building - London UK

Experts Live | October 10, 2025 at Microsoft NYC in Times Square

Vancouver AI Summit | October 19-20, 2025 Vancouver BC

TechCon 365 Dallas - | November 3-7, 2025 (Dallas, TX). Irving Convention Center

Microsoft Ignite 2025 – Nov 17-21, 2025 (San Francisco, CA).

ESPC25 (European SharePoint Conference 2025) | Dec 1-4, 2025 (Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) Dublin, Ireland).

Polaris is produced with the help from Riverside.fm. Our theme song, "Alternative Dream" is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:27 Data Points and References

02:30 Introducing Rob Asen

06:58 The Impact of AI on Transformation Offices

11:36 Leading Transformation Projects: A Personal Story

11:37 Defining the Transformation Office

21:48 The Telecom Transformation Journey

23:30 Avoiding Transformation Pitfalls

28:11 Recommendations for Successful Transformation

33:42 The Impact of Personal Experiences

39:00 Upcoming Events

39:58 Closing

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty hosts Ryan Barry from M-Files and Ian Story from Microsoft to discuss the evolving landscape of content management, particularly in light of their new partnership. They explore how AI is transforming traditional content management systems, the unique offerings of M-Files, and the importance of unstructured data in leveraging AI effectively. The conversation highlights the benefits of their collaboration, which allows organizations to utilize the strengths of both M-Files and Microsoft without having to choose between them. The episode concludes with insights into future trends in content management and the significance of tailored solutions for specific industries.

· Content is Exploding: The $73 billion content management market is booming, with enterprise data volumes expected to reach 175 zettabytes by 2025 — most of it unstructured. Businesses need effective solutions to transform this information into insights.

· No More Either/Or: The partnership between M-Files and Microsoft removes the old dilemma of choosing between a specialized system and Microsoft 365. Now, clients benefit from M-Files' purpose-built content management solution for industry use cases natively within Microsoft 365, blending collaboration with structure. SharePoint Embedded serves as the storage backend, enabling native Office co-authoring, and native access to M-Files content for Copilot, while keeping content within Microsoft's compliance framework for unified security and governance.

· AI-Ready Content: This joint solution also prepares organizations for the future of AI. By combining M-Files' semantic architecture with Microsoft's AI tools, companies elevate their AI solutions, ensuring accurate and relevant information is accessed by LLM technologies. SharePoint provides broad content services while M-Files delivers out of the box solutions for industry use cases —allowing businesses to tailor solutions to their needs without fragmentation of their investment in Microsoft.

· User Adoption through Simplicity: Ultimately, this seamless approach encourages user adoption. Employees can work in familiar apps while M-Files manages content in the background, promoting compliance and readiness for the AI era.

· Sound bites

Ryan Barry (M-Files) – Vice President, Strategic Operations & Corp Dev

• "In the next five years, every organization – big or small – will be challenged to find a way to effectively implement AI… because they'll be left behind if they don't."
• "A document management system is basically a structured approach to your unstructured data. That's how you make AI work for you – garbage in, garbage out."
• "We've eliminated a painful choice for customers. You no longer have to pick between the Microsoft platform and a specialized solution – now you get both, seamlessly."
• "The reality is, the lowest common denominator tends to prevail. Whatever is easiest for users is what happens. This partnership makes the right way the easy way."

Ian Story (Microsoft) – Principal Architect, OneDrive & SharePoint

• "This is some of the biggest news in content management since SharePoint itself. Two former rivals are teaming up – and the result is greater than the sum of its parts."
• "Everybody loves the library… nobody wants to be the librarian. We need tools that organize and govern information for you, without extra effort."
• "If you've ever named a file 'Final_final_V2.doc', you know you need a better content management system!"
• "Language is the rocket fuel of AI, and language lives in documents. By bringing all your content into one intelligent system, you're filling your AI's tank with high-octane fuel."

M-Files – https://www.m-files.com

Microsoft – https://www.microsoft.com

SharePoint Embedded

Ryan Barry – M-Files VP Corp Dev

Ian Story – Microsoft Principal Architect

M-Files & Microsoft Partnership Press Release –

Microsoft SharePoint Blog – "SharePoint Embedded & M-Files: a new wave of document management"

Forrester Blog (Cheryl McKinnon) – "M-Files Deepens Microsoft Integration"

IDC Data Age Report – Global Datasphere to reach 175 ZB by 2025

Congruity360 Blog – Unstructured Data Stats (80% & 95%)

AIIM Industry Research – "No single ECM system"

"Happy Gilmore 2" - July 2025

Dodgers vs. Red Sox - July 2025 – Red Sox take the series in Fenway, 2-1.

Kirk Gibson 1988 HR – The Natural in real life

FY26 Forward - Microsoft Partner Success Strategies - August 26 (Teams Online)

London Tech Leaders' Summit | October 7-8., 2025 (London UK) Minster Building

Experts Live | October 10, 2025 at Microsoft NYC in Times Square

Vancouver AI Summit | October 20, 2025 (Vancouver BC) – Harbour Centre

TechCon 365 Dallas - | November 3-7, 2025 (Dallas, TX). Irving Convention Center

Microsoft Ignite 2025 | Nov 17-21, 2025 (San Francisco, CA).

ESPC25 (European SharePoint Conference 2025) | Dec 1-4, 2025 (Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) Dublin, Ireland).

Polaris is produced with the help from Riverside.fm. Our theme song, "Alternative Dream" is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

00:00 The Rise of AI in Content Management

01:40 Terms and Data Points

03:20 Navigating the Challenges of Unstructured Data

03:28 Introduction and Backgrounds

05:48 The Partnership Announcement

07:27 Sportsball - Red Sox and Dodgers

09:13 In the News: M-Files and Microsoft

10:21 M-Files Now Native to Microsoft 365

12:30 Customer Reactions and Market Impact

15:16 The Value Proposition of the Partnership

24:29 Content Management and Human Nature

25:21 What's SharePoint Embedded?

30:07 Understanding the Value of Content Management

31:58 The Role of AI in Content Management

37:37 Future Trends in Content Management

41:42 Personal Insights and Recommendations

45:35 Upcoming Events

46:46 Closing Thoughts

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty speaks with Damien Lacey, an expert in operational excellence, about his journey from a consultant to a business owner. They discuss the importance of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies in today's business landscape, the challenges of acquiring a business, and the cultural shifts that come with ownership. Damien shares insights on balancing strategy with operations, the impact of AI on productivity, and offers advice for small business owners looking to improve their operations.

Tru Steel – Tru Steel is a steel fabrication company in Australia acquired by Damien Lacey and his team to implement operational excellence firsthand. The company designs, manufactures, and installs steel buildings, and serves as a real-world example of Lean transformation in action.

OE Partners – Damien's consulting firm, specializing in operational excellence.

Damien Lacey – Founder of OE Partners and Principal at Tru Steel

Lean and Six Sigma – Lean and Six Sigma are proven methodologies for improving productivity and reducing waste. They've been applied across industries for nearly a century, helping businesses streamline operations and solve problems through data-driven decision-making.

McKinsey & Company – Referenced for research on global disruptions and the resurgence of Lean Six Sigma as a top continuous improvement approach (including a mining case of 25% output boost)

Entrepreneur Magazine – Cited for the "Silver Tsunami" statistic: over 12 million boomer-owned small-to-mid businesses in the U.S. are poised for sale as baby boomers retire, creating a buyer's market for transformational change

Bosch (Robert Bosch GmbH) – Global engineering and manufacturing company where Damien first implemented Lean practices (Bosch Production System), referenced in his career story

Toyota – Automotive company famed for the Toyota Production System; referenced as the source of many Lean principles (Damien worked at Toyota to learn from "the source" of Lean)

The Who – Rock band referenced via the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" (lyric: "meet the new boss, same as the old boss") as a pop culture touchpoint about leadership change

Star Trek – Iconic science fiction franchise (Original Series, Next Generation, Voyager) cited as a personal influence illustrating teamwork and problem-solving, contrasted with today's bite-sized media

Seattle Tech Week | July 28 - August 1, Seattle WA

FY26 Forward - Microsoft Partner Success Strategies | August 26 (Teams Webinar)

Tribal Net Conference | September 14-18, 2025, Reno Nevada

London Tech Leaders' Summit | October 7-8, 2025,- London UK

Experts Live | October 10, 2025 at Microsoft NYC in Times Square

Vancouver AI Summit | October 20, 2025 Vancouver BC

TechCon 365 Dallas - | November 3-7, 2025 (Dallas, TX)

Microsoft Ignite 2025 – Nov 17-21, 2025 (San Francisco, CA)

ESPC25 (European SharePoint Conference 2025) | Dec 1-4, 2025 (Dublin, Ireland)

Lean applies everywhere: Lean and Six Sigma principles have been proven across industries – the question isn't if they fit your business, but how to leverage them in your operations.

Operational excellence is timely: In an era of supply chain disruptions, inflation, and labor shortages, continuous improvement methods are seeing a resurgence as companies seek efficiency and resilience.

Transformation through ownership: Damien Lacey's journey from consultant to business owner highlights the difference between advising on improvements and implementing them on the front lines, providing a firsthand perspective on change leadership.

Balance strategy and execution: Even the best strategies fail without execution – success comes from iterating improvements while keeping the business running, "not letting perfect be the enemy of the good."

Empowering small businesses: Many small-to-mid size business owners feel their operations are too chaotic or custom to improve, but Damien shows that by standardizing processes and addressing root causes, there is a path out of the chaos to greater control and efficiency.

Leadership and culture matter: Continuous improvement requires a culture of ongoing learning and problem-solving. Leadership must support building processes (even when prior success came from instinct) to make improvements sustainable beyond any one person's know-how.

Future-focused advantage: Embracing operational excellence and new technologies (like AI) in tandem will widen the gap between average companies and excellent ones – those slow to improve risk falling behind, while adopters can dramatically outperform peers.

"It's not a question of whether Lean applies to my business. It does, and it has – the question is how do I apply it in my business."

"Business owners will embrace an idea quickly if it gives them a result, and dismiss it equally quickly if it doesn't."

"You've got to choose to iterate – not letting perfect be the enemy of the good."

"The gap between the average company and an excellent company will widen… businesses that don't adopt better methods will fall by the wayside."

00:00 Introduction to Damien Lacey

04:06 Damien's Journey in Engineering and Consulting

06:53 Current Trends in Supply Chain and AI

09:25 Operational Excellence: Lean and Six Sigma

10:30 Acquiring True Steel: The Transition to Ownership

13:21 Insights from the Business Acquisition Process

17:13 Cultural Shifts in Business Ownership

19:51 Balancing Strategy and Operations

22:08 Misunderstandings in Operational Excellence

25:15 Starting the Journey to Improvement

27:58 The Future of Operational Excellence and AI

29:21 Personal Insights and Influences

31:38 Conclusion and Staying Connected

32:00 Upcoming Tech Events Overview

33:35 Wrap-Up and Guest Insights

Polaris is produced with the help of Riverside.fm. Our theme song, "Alternative Dream" is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.