Business Management | Arete Coach 6/17

Book Smart, Street Smart, and the Machines We Now Work With

Most of us grew up hearing about two kinds of intelligence. Book smarts belong to the person who masters the material, remembers the research, and can explain a concept cleanly on demand. Street smarts belong to the person who reads a situation quickly, notices what is going unsaid, and knows which rules can bend and which will break something if touched. The distinction has endured because it captures something most of us have seen firsthand: knowing a great deal and knowing

Oct 224 min read

From Task-Runner to Thinking Partner: How AI Built a McKinsey-Grade Model in 105 Minutes

On July 31, 2025, I read a Wall Street Journal article titled “The AI Company Capitalizing on Our Obsession With Excel.” I searched for the company’s product but could not locate immediate access to the app. On August 12, I then saw an X post from Shortcut AI founder Nico Christie describing the product; my first reaction was that it sounded like “Cursor AI for Excel.” Intrigued, I contacted the company for access. They provided a link—available to others as well—at http://tr

Aug 15, 20256 min read

AI Implementation Is Failing—But Not for the Reasons You Think

AI adoption across the enterprise landscape has accelerated dramatically. Today, 78% of organizations report using AI in at least one function—up from 55% in 2023. But a less reported statistic reveals a deeper issue: 42% of those same organizations are now abandoning most of their AI initiatives. That’s more than double the rate of 2024. The Acceleration Is Real The capabilities are here, and the outcomes should be transformative. But implementation results tell another stor

Aug 1, 20253 min read

Voice-First Productivity: The 3x Advantage for Executives

With a single behavioral shift—speaking instead of typing—knowledge workers can unlock 3x productivity gains and fundamentally reshape how they interface with artificial intelligence. This assertion may seem radical. But the data and lived experience at the intersection of executive productivity and AI adoption suggest it’s increasingly essential. The Productivity Imperative in the AI Era For CEOs, executive coaches, and organizational leaders, the accelerating capabilities o

Jul 16, 20253 min read

The New Operating Model: Why CEOs Must Adopt Algorithmic Thinking

For decades, businesses were modeled like machines: linear, process-driven, and built to run with mechanical precision. But in today’s world of real-time data, intelligent automation, and rapid iteration, this metaphor is breaking down. The winners in today’s economy don’t operate like factories. They operate like algorithms. That may sound like a stretch, but consider this: Netflix refines its product based on real-time viewer data. Amazon tweaks its logistics and product mi

Jun 13, 20254 min read

Picasso, AI, and the End of the Billable Hour

“Wait, you used AI for that? Shouldn’t this cost less?” If you’re building, prompting, or advising in the AI space, you’ve likely heard...

May 28, 20255 min read

Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish: The Oldest Warning for the Newest Technologies

"The sting of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten." – Attributed to John Ruskin, Benjamin Franklin, and generations of business leaders Across centuries of commerce, one strategic tension remains constant: the trade-off between low cost and high quality. While low prices may win in the short term, history shows us that compromised quality often leads to long-term failure—whether in reputational damage, financial loss, or operational collaps

May 7, 20255 min read

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