Can your enterprise stand out when everyone is using the same AI tools? In this episode of Pure Signal, the team explores how to achieve real differentiation and why bold, strategic thinking is more critical than ever before.

As AI becomes standard across tech stacks and workflows, Ryan Medellin, Kevin Erickson, and Jake Carter challenge listeners to go beyond task automation. They discuss how companies can use this moment not just to move faster, but to think bigger by rethinking customer engagement, internal processes, and even the game they’re playing altogether.

From innovation cycles and macroeconomic uncertainty to the evolving expectations of a new workforce, this episode looks at why tech parity creates both pressure and opportunity. You’ll hear how to build strategic hedges, where human-centered design regains importance, and why companies that embrace creativity over conformity will come out ahead.

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Quotes

"I would ask companies to be thinking about it right now like, how do you do things differently? Where are your competitors going to go? What's going to change? Where could you jump? What I love about right now, I think it creates competitive advantage for smaller or non-entrenched firms." – Kevin Erickson

"Innovation goes wrong when you start with the technology, not the problem. Innovation goes wrong when you fall in love with your idea and the confirmation bias of you ignores all evidence to the contrary. Innovation goes wrong when you move wholesale to trying to make the thing perfect before you figure out if it's working." – Jake Carter

“If everybody's using the same tech, how do we as humans fit in to be those differentiators? If you can take eight hours worth of work that you're supposed to do, and with the tools that you have access to, dwindle that down to three or four, that potentially gives you more time to be on site with a client or working with a partner over the phone. It just seems like it opens up more possibilities to kind of reestablish that connection within the workforce, internally and externally." – Ryan Medellin

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Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

01:30 Standing out amidst the noise

07:15 Taking a page from previous innovation playbooks

13:15 Finding certainty in a highly evolving market

19:00 Focusing on outcomes over speed

24:00 Humans as the differentiators

33:30 Driving authentic excitment aross your teams

41:20 Final thoughts

—

Links 

Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn!

• Kevin Erickson

• Jake Carter

• Ryan Medellin

Learn more about Credera

How do you get bold ideas approved as budgets get smaller and plans face higher levels of scrutiny? In this episode of Pure Signal, the team unpacks what it really takes to earn leadership buy-in for AI and innovation initiatives.

As enterprises race to release their great next product, Kevin Erickson, Jake Carter, and Ryan Medellin unpack how leadership teams are balancing bold ideas with operational reality. From shifting economic headwinds to change fatigue, the episode explores why some projects stall and others gain traction, and what that reveals about timing, trust, and executive attention.

This episode offers a playbook for getting approval, even when you’re not in the room where decisions are made. Topics include translating technical ideas into business outcomes, using design sprints to create executive momentum, understanding the timing of bold vs. incremental bets, and the surprising influence of behavioral economics on buy-in. If you're navigating enterprise dynamics from either the top down or the bottom up, this conversation is packed with tactics to help your next idea land.

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Quotes

"There’s the innovation, and then there’s how you get your organization to go along with it. And those are very different things. One is the big idea. The other is everything from psychology to timing to power dynamics. Honestly, getting buy-in is often harder than the idea itself." – Jake Carter

"What’s interesting right now is how much companies are trying to grow through incremental maturity steps. Not because they’re afraid of bold moves, but because in this kind of environment, boldness without readiness can backfire. The change is nonstop, and people are fatigued. That shifts how you lead and what kind of bets you place." – Kevin Erickson

"From my perspective, the younger generation doesn’t want predictability, they want to be part of change. It’s not about resisting transformation, it’s about being brought along and having a voice in where things are going. That mindset shift is something organizations have to factor into how they lead. Continual evolution isn’t a burden, it’s the expectation." – Ryan Medellin

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Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

01:35 Who's responsible for innovation

04:50 Change is inevitable

09:55 Building excitement for these innovations

13:50 Evaluating if your enterprise is ready

17:30 Maintaining energy & momentum

26:30 Confidence is a needed attribute in today's leaders

29:05 Finding the balance between the future and present

35:10 Tangible advice for earning leadership buy-in

45:10 Final thoughts

—

Links 

Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn!

• Kevin Erickson

• Jake Carter

• Ryan Medellin

Learn more about Credera

What if annual planning no longer fits the world we live in? In this episode of Pure Signal, the team explores why traditional playbooks fall short in an AI-driven era and how leaders must rethink priorities, timelines, and team structures to stay competitive.

With 2026 around the corner, Kevin Erickson, Jake Carter, and Ryan Medellin explore the tension between bold innovation and responsible execution, questioning whether traditional planning models can keep pace with the speed of change. Pulling insights from real client conversations and the recent All-In Summit, the episode explores what AI-first planning actually looks like: budgeting for compute and data readiness, rethinking project structures, balancing near-term experimentation with long-term transformation, and most importantly, investing in your people. This is the year leaders can’t afford to default to copy-paste plans.

Whether you're in strategy, innovation, or delivery, this conversation offers a clear-eyed framework for how to think, plan, and lead in a future that’s already here.

—

Quotes

"Getting your employees upskilled when it comes to AI and how to be effective is really important right now. And then you pair that with some selective hiring. You don’t have to go replace your entire workforce. But you do need the injection of fresh thinking." – Jake Carter

"I would encourage our listeners to really focus more on the strategy. Put a ton of thinking about the strategy of where you want to go, the outcomes that you want to have, and let that start to dictate where you're at versus the mechanics of the buildup of classical elements of that. That will come. In fact, I think you should be using AI driven tools to be able to accelerate that." – Kevin Erickson

"We all want to be part of something big. We want to be part of something that gets us excited to go into the office. I want leaders that dream big, but I also want to be able to see that vision and how I can help support getting there." – Ryan Medellin

—

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

00:30 Waymo rides and the All-In Summit

08:40 How AI-first companies are built different

11:00 The future of annual planning

17:00 Supporting the entire organization

21:00 Upskilling your teams for 2026

24:00 The power of curiosity

28:00 Let people own outcomes, not just projects

34:00 What leaders need to be focusing on

37:00 Boldness doesn’t mean recklessness

42:00 Final takeaways

—

Links 

Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn!

• Kevin Erickson

• Jake Carter

• Ryan Medellin

Learn more about Credera

Enterprises are racing to bring AI into their workflows, but most efforts stall in the pilot stage or get lost in measurement debates. In this episode of Pure Signal, hear what it really takes for organizations to move from experimentation to impact.

Today’s conversation brings together Kevin Erickson, Jake Carter, and Ryan Medellin as they explore how AI is reshaping productivity, why traditional planning cycles are under pressure, and what leaders must do differently to unlock sustainable value. Is faster velocity the real win, or is it a distraction? And how should executives measure progress when the benchmarks themselves are shifting?

From the rise of tiger teams and distributed adoption to the importance of data readiness and new talent skills, the discussion surfaces the levers that actually drive enterprise change. You’ll hear why use cases matter more than proofs of concept, how AI is altering the role of annual planning, and what emerging professionals should focus on to thrive in an AI-native workplace.

—

Quotes

"You need a number of different elements if you're going to get a company to actually change how they're working with AI. One we already alluded to is the field-level workers who are changing the way they're working already. You’ve got to get the tools in the hands of your people.” – Jake Carter

"Cloud computing increased velocity by 4x. You could do more, but you still just took that extra 4x and put it into more backlog. I don’t know if that plays out the same way in AI, because I think it’s going to require departments thinking together or projects getting done differently” – Kevin Erickson

“When AI started becoming a thing, it was almost like you were hiding at first that maybe you were using AI to help velocity because you weren't sure how it would be received from up or below. Now, it seems like it’s almost an opportunity to display what you're doing to help make you more efficient.” – Ryan Medellin

—

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

01:00 Where is the future of work going to be?

07:45 Adapting your workforce to AI

13:00 Work smarter, not harder

18:55 What it really takes to change at scale

25:00 Where this technology impacts the next generation

27:10 New business expectations

32:00 Advice for supercharging the emerging workforce

—

Links 

Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn!

• Kevin Erickson

• Jake Carter

• Ryan Medellin

Learn more about Credera

AI failures are making headlines with a widely circulated MIT study claiming that 95% of GenAI deployments are falling short of expectations. In this episode of Pure Signal, the team breaks down what’s really behind that number and what it means for enterprise leaders navigating AI adoption.

Joining today as new hosts are Jake Carter, Partner and Global Chief Innovation Officer, and Ryan Medellin, a manager in Credera’s Digital Strategy and Delivery practice. Alongside Jason Goth and Kevin Erickson, they dissect the MIT report’s claims and offer a more grounded view from inside the trenches. Why are internal AI efforts failing at twice the rate of external ones? Why do flashy AI projects often disappoint while quiet back-office initiatives deliver real ROI? And most importantly, what should executives be doing differently to lead with strategy, not panic?

From integrating AI into existing workflows to the growing role of shadow IT, the conversation explores how companies can increase the success rate of AI efforts without chasing the hype. You’ll hear what separates failed pilots from scalable wins, why the most valuable use cases are often invisible, and how to turn AI experimentation into enterprise impact.

—

Quotes

"If you know that all of your employees are already using AI, whether they're admitting it or not, figure out what they're using it for. And that'll help you find the use cases that are worth building on. Because AI is already transforming business, it's just not happening through the official channels. It's happening on the side of people's desks." – Jake Carter

"Probably 95% of dot-com companies failed too. But that doesn't mean the internet is not a thing, right? Companies are going to have to continue to push and invest. Individuals are going to continue to do that." – Kevin Erickson

—

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

00:50 Updates to Pure Signal

04:30 Are GenAI efforts failing?

13:00 Every new technology needs iteration

19:50 Where to start as an executive

26:55 Lessons from both the successes and failures

32:30 Make the most of internal AI adoption

37:20 The perception of enterprise solutions

41:15 Wrapping up

—

Links 

Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn!

• Kevin Erickson

• Vincent Yates

• Jake Carter

• Ryan Medellin

Learn more about Credera

AI isn’t just transforming technology, it’s reshaping the very definition of talent. This episode of  Pure Signal examines why organizations need to change their hiring scope to focus on skills like adaptability, curiosity, and a real eagerness to embrace new technologies as AI adoption continues across today’s workforce.

As companies struggle to accelerate AI adoption, a new reality is emerging: technology alone won’t drive transformation. Leaders are realizing that success depends on people who can learn quickly, embrace change, and rethink how work gets done. From mid-market disruptors to global enterprises, the pressure is on to identify and develop teams built for continuous reinvention.

Join Vincent and Kevin as they explore what defines AI-ready talent, how leaders can nurture curiosity and resilience across their organizations, and why the ability to adapt is now a competitive advantage. Their conversation offers a candid look at the human side of AI transformation, and the stakes for companies that fail to evolve their workforce as fast as their tech.

—

Quotes

“Everything goes back to simplistic elements and traits. Who's going to be successful in that model where you have to learn? Well, it's someone who has a learning mindset, a growth mindset. Someone who is curious, someone who's got the discipline to figure it out. Someone who's got the perseverance to work through things. Someone who gets excited about doing it in a different way." – Kevin Erickson

“In these moments, I think we're going to see the mid-market companies get a lot more aggressive. They have the agility, they have the conviction. Oftentimes they're still sort of founder-led or privately owned in some cases, and that gives them more flexibility. They want real growth." – Vincent Yates

—

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

00:30 Why AI adoption is uneven across organizations

03:00 Getting past the first hurdle

06:00 Carrots vs. sticks

10:00 Moving from faster work to better work

13:00 Redefining value when AI levels the field

17:00 Why mid-market companies have the advantage

23:00 Lessons from past tech transformations

28:00 Hiring for adaptability

36:00 Curiosity, resilience, and change as competitive advantage

42:00 Leading through change without burning out teams

46:30 Closing thoughts

—

Links 

Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn!

• Vincent Yates

• Kevin Erickson

• Jason Goth

Learn more about Credera

AI projects are falling short across the tech industry and executives are losing their jobs because of it. This episode of Pure Signal explores the reasons behind boards’ new pressures, what CIOs and CEOs can do to right the ship, and how it is possible to balance speed with strategy in regards to AI. 

From the early days of AI adoption well through to today, workers everywhere have been worried about if their jobs will be replaced by their computer counterparts. And recently people have been losing their jobs..but not because they’re being replaced. High-profile CIO and CEO departures have been making headlines because they’ve been going too slow in their organization’s AI efforts. 

Join Vincent, Jason, and Kevin, as they unpack the rising tension in the C-suite as AI adoption becomes a board-level priority. With only 25% of enterprise AI projects delivering on ROI, companies are reckoning with years of tech debt, siloed systems, and a shortage of generative AI-ready talent. Their conversation dives into how to lead AI transformation from the top without sacrificing security, regulatory standards, or execution speed.

From risk-tolerant innovation and agile delivery to the debate over if titles such as “Chief AI Officer” even mean anything tangible, this episode lays out what forward-leaning organizations are actually doing to win, and why most of them aren’t talking about it publicly.

—

Quotes

"We're asking CIOs to solve all of the tech debt for the past 10 years that organizations haven't invested in or paid for and then on top of that, deliver net new outcomes with AI. That's a really difficult spot. CEOs basically want miracles, and they want them now.”

– Vincent Yates

"Boards want to see bold action. If you're a little sloppy but you're showing demonstrated value in terms of velocity and acceleration, people will likely forgive that. But if you're too cautious and get fired for moving too slow, that’s a much harder story to recover from. Right now, this is a moment for action, not preservation."

– Kevin Erickson

"This idea that you have to choose between innovation and security is completely false. If you design things well and use AI and other automation tools, you can actually be more secure while moving faster. The tools can test for vulnerabilities, generate more secure code, and incorporate best practices by default. You get better outcomes at greater speed."

– Jason Goth

—

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

00:25 Holding executives accountable for slow AI adoption

02:35 Overcorrection? Or justified response?

09:55 Roles are shifting across organizations

13:40 Think slow but act fast

20:35 Lean on specific, measureable pursuits

25:25 Security is no longer a good excuse

29:35 It's okay to break things

38:00 Is it as easy as adding a new title to your executive team?

46:35 Empower your existing teams to orient around action

50:50 Recent AI wins to learn from

—

Links 

Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn!

• Vincent Yates

• Jason Goth

• Kevin Erickson

Learn more about Credera

GenAI capabilities are in a state of constant acceleration, but without true memory, it also is starting from scratch with each use. In this episode of Pure Signal, you’ll hear why context is the next critical unlock in AI and what it means for both businesses trying to stay ahead and consumers craving personalization. 

Opening up with a breakdown of how current models are operating, Vincent, Kevin, and Jason weigh how these platforms will need to evolve in order to be fully customized at the user level in a safe and scalable way. They argue that while the most obvious benefit exists on the consumer side with increased user loyalty, executives and businesses would also be able to leverage this unlock to streamline many of their operations.

Is it technically feasible to carry context from app to app? Will vendors allow it, or fight to own it? And what are the strategic risks of letting someone else control your AI memory layer?

Whether you’re designing new products, leading AI integration, or shaping data architecture, this episode offers a timely look at what it takes to build differentiated experiences in a world of commoditized intelligence.

—

Quotes

"What’s fascinating is that we’re revisiting the same challenges we’ve seen throughout 200 years of computing. General vs. Special Purpose. Memory vs. No Memory. It’s always been the same problem. AI today looks like early mainframes or punch cards in some ways. We’re going to need another evolution to figure out how memory and personalization really work.” – Kevin Erickson

"The way we've designed systems for the last 20 years is to be stateless. The AI models are no different. You either put memory into the model, which is basically not scalable—or you provide it as input every time. That’s why durable, long-term memory is such a hard architecture problem to solve." – Jason Goth

"We're going to move from a world where your data travels with you. That's the game-changer. I shouldn't have to reintroduce myself to every system I use. The intelligence isn't just in the model, it's in what it remembers about me and how seamlessly it can apply that context." – Vincent Yates

—

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

01:00 The value of being remembered

05:35 Will AI models be sought out for stored context?

14:05 Can each platform be fully customized per user?

19:30 Solving future problems with current technology

25:25 Increasing loyalty with added context

30:10 Where will customers see the impact

36:35 Are potential risks worth worrying over?

43:20 It all comes back to differentiation

47:40 Wrapping up

—

Links 

Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn!

• Vincent Yates

• Jason Goth

• Kevin Erickson

Learn more about Credera

M&A processes are more efficient than ever before with AI streamlining complicated processes and offering in depth research at will. Today on Pure Signal, you’ll hear what this might mean for the future of services business, consulting firms, and even government systems.

The conversation kicks off with Vincent, Kevin, and Jason covering traditional rollup models from a pre-AI world. With original investment theses centered primarily around centralizing back office tasks and bringing incremental improvements to functions such marketing and IT, Gen AI is now lowering integration costs and accelerating system migrations in ways that reshape the calculus entirely.

From deconstructing tech debt to reinventing customer acquisition and marketing, the trio tackles big questions. Are legacy systems now strategic assets? What does risk management look like in the AI era? And is consulting still defensible when information advantage erodes?

Whether you're a CEO navigating digital transformation or a strategist rethinking your M&A lens, this episode offers a thought-provoking look into the tools, tactics, and mindsets required to lead in the AI-powered future.

—

Quotes

“If things are cleaned up and there is less technical debt, then there's going to be opportunities to do things you wouldn’t have done otherwise because it would’ve been too costly.” – Jason Goth

“We’ve always onboarded customers this way, but do we need to anymore? The companies that will win are those questioning what’s possible and willing to rethink.” – Kevin Erickson

“You don’t need a 100% accuracy guarantee. What you need is a reserve model and a willingness to accept some errors because being too risk-averse is costing you money.” – Vincent Yates

—

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

00:55 Centralizing service businesses pre-AI

05:45 Where to consolidate first?

12:30 How does the landscape look now with AI?

20:35 The customer acquisition process is changing

24:45 Removing legacy roadblocks to upgrade systems

30:45 Balancing risk and efficiency

37:55 Reimagining what you thought was possible

41:10 Applying this lens of retooling at the societal level

45:00 Facing the new shift in consulting

49:40 CEOs’ adoption of AI

53:50 Wrapping up

—

Links 

Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn!

• Vincent Yates

• Jason Goth

• Kevin Erickson

Learn more about Credera

Today on Pure Signal, Vincent, Jason, and Kevin tackle one of the most fundamental questions when looking at today’s technological landscape:  What do companies actually believe?

In a wide-ranging conversation that spans from post-war industrial America to the Gen AI frontier, the team explores how implicit belief systems, not mission statements, are truly driving corporate behavior. From Bell Labs and Silicon Valley's shifting ethos to the rise of bold, founder-led companies, the discussion reveals why full neutrality is an impossible hill to stand on.

As generative AI begins to reshape not just how companies operate but what they stand for, this episode offers a timely look at why leadership, taste, and strategic conviction are more critical than ever. Whether you're leading or building an organization, this conversation will challenge how you think about purpose, performance, and the future of AI-led business.

—

Quotes

“AI is going to force organizations to define their taste. How they want to sound, look, and operate. You can’t outsource that to a committee. CEOs will have to make bold, unpopular decisions, and that requires a core belief system that doesn’t wobble with the wind.” – Vincent Yates

“I don’t think purpose is just about profits, but I also don’t buy into the idea that stakeholder capitalism alone creates value. The companies that last are the ones that tie employee experience and customer value into a shared mission. That’s where you find real nobility in work.” – Kevin Erickson

“The most successful companies I’ve seen rally around a clear mission. Something bigger than just making money. That sense of purpose drives innovation and attracts people who actually want to build. It’s not about marketing spin; it’s about having something real to stand behind.” – Jason Goth

—

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

01:00 Defining the true beliefs of organizations amidst global turbulence

02:45 Shifting priorities of Silicon Valley companies

06:25 How beliefs create a value prop for employees

08:55 Bell Labs case study11:20 The role of mission-driven innovation in business success

13:10 What companies can learn from a united past

17:15 What gives people purpose?

20:40 Why companies are choosing to stay private

23:55 How are CEOs winning loyalty?

35:30 The importance of defining your company's purpose

36:25 How do you define your company mission?

38:15 How will AI affect company core values?

39:20 The aesthetics of AI

51:10 Where does AI fit in your organization?

52:25 The Corporate AI Mandate 

—

Links 

Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn!

• Vincent Yates

• Jason Goth

• Kevin Erickson

Learn more about Credera