Agents of Change. Conversations on shipping AI.

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Ep. 10 · Aug 19, 2026 · 54 min

Why Your Dashboard Is Failing You | Zach Gemignani, Juice Analytics

Why dashboards fail, and what to do instead. Justin Tannenbaum talks with Zach Gemignani (co-founder, Juice Analytics) about 20 years of trying to make data actually get used. They cover why dashboards die on the vine, how Spotify Wrapped shaped Juice’s product Forward, why AI made low-agency “slop” worse, vibe coding, MCP servers, and why the future of data delivery is personal, not just visual. Agents of Change, from AppStream Studio. Discovery call: https://appstream.studio/schedule-a-discovery-call https://appstream.studio #AgentsOfChange #DataVisualization #Dashboards #JuiceAnalytics #AppStreamStudio

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  Ep. 9 · Jun 9, 2026 · 51 min

  Killing the Pilot: How Enterprise Deals Actually Close — Johnny Childress

  Johnny Childress has interviewed roughly 6,500 salespeople and is on his fifth startup. In this episode of Agents of Change, host Justin Tannenbaum sits down with his longtime sales mentor to break down how enterprise deals actually close. They get specific: the multi-year options ask, why Johnny removed the word "pilot" from his vocabulary, the "term for convenience" clause that quietly guts a three-year contract, the one question he asks before hiring any salesperson, and why showing up in person still wins. Plus a pragmatic take on AI: 85% good enough, a $12 timer, and using tools for speed instead of perfection. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: the mentor on the show 01:32 The multi-year options ask 04:15 Where it came from: SaaS churn and the spiff 06:45 Background: Cincinnati to Electronic Arts 10:00 Freight brokerage, 120 calls a day 13:30 San Francisco, 52 interviews, first startup 18:40 Killing the word pilot 22:50 The term-for-convenience trap 24:29 Hiring and the it factor 31:00 The one interview question 37:43 Show up belly to belly 44:13 AI, 85% good enough, the $12 timer 48:27 Close: next guest, band, referral LINKS Johnny Childress on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnychildress Agents of Change on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agents-of-change/id1865474766 Full episode on YouTube. Or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Agents of Change, from AppStream Studio. Discovery call: https://appstream.studio/schedule-a-discovery-call https://appstream.studio #AgentsOfChange #EnterpriseSales #B2BSales #SalesLeadership #Startups #AppStreamStudio

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  Ep. 8 · May 26, 2026 · 45 min

  AI Agents Picked Bitcoin Over Fiat. What Now? — Jonathan Sexton

  What does an AI model pick when you ask it to hold money? On Episode 8 of Agents of Change, Jonathan Sexton walks through a Bitcoin Policy Institute study that put 36 frontier AI models through 9,072 monetary scenarios. Zero picked fiat as their top preference. For long-term store of value, 79 percent picked Bitcoin. That study is the spine of a wider conversation: what AI agents will actually do when they start making payments, why hiring frameworks should screen for curiosity before agency, and why most operators are still tracking the cultural narrative on Bitcoin instead of the trade-show floor. In this episode: → The new bottleneck in software is imagination, not knowing the language → Why token-spend is a bad incentive for AI-enabled teams (and what to measure instead) → The Bitcoin Policy Institute experiment and what the numbers actually mean → The two-layer payment stack: stablecoins for movement, Bitcoin for hold → AI personhood compared to corporate personhood — the analog that bites → What Wall Street showing up to Bitcoin 2026 means for the cultural narrative Chapters: 00:00 Intro 02:00 AI is the new weather talk 04:35 From songwriter to operator 07:00 Curiosity, creativity, and how to hire 10:50 Software's new bottleneck is imagination 12:20 Token-maxing vs real productivity 16:30 What people actually hire attorneys for 19:50 The thing AI will never be 22:30 AI personhood and corporate personhood 27:00 What AI models picked when offered a choice of currency 30:30 Bitcoin 2026 — and Wall Street showed up 35:00 Block, Square, and Main Street Bitcoin 37:50 The legitimization moment 41:00 Convenience traded for sovereignty 43:00 Closing — most important song of 25 years Full episode on YouTube. Or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for new episodes of Agents of Change — operator-grade conversations on AI, modernization, and the work that actually ships. About the guest: Jonathan Sexton is a brand strategist and Bitcoin-focused operator who writes about Bitcoin for Unchained. He started as a songwriter and musician before moving into technology and marketing. About the host: Justin Tannenbaum is the CEO of AppStream Studio, where his team builds production AI agents for companies that need AI in production, not on a slide deck. Agents of Change, from AppStream Studio. Discovery call: https://appstream.studio/schedule-a-discovery-call https://appstream.studio #AgentsOfChange #Bitcoin #AIagents #AgenticAI #BitcoinPolicyInstitute #Crypto #FrontierModels #JonathanSexton #AppStreamStudio

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  Ep. 7 · May 4, 2026 · 48 min

  The Amazon Strategy That Made Him Second Only to PetSmart

  In this episode, we explore how one business achieved a 12x growth within six months, securing a top customer spot behind PetSmart by leveraging Amazon's unique retail capabilities. Learn about effective strategies for selling on amazon and how understanding the ecommerce landscape can grow your business. This is essential business motivation for any aspiring entrepreneur. Agents of Change, from AppStream Studio. Discovery call: https://appstream.studio/schedule-a-discovery-call https://appstream.studio #CPG #Amazon #brandgrowth #retailstrategy #supplychain #productinnovation #sales #marketing #consumertrends #AgentsOfChange #AppStreamStudio

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  Ep. 6 · Apr 20, 2026 · 54 min

  The Offshore BPO Strategy That's Disrupting Logistics

  In this episode, Chip Reeves, CEO of Enablers, shares his journey from freight brokerage to founding a company that leverages offshore BPO and AI to revolutionize logistics operations. Discover insights on automation, technology adoption, and the future of logistics industry innovation. Agents of Change, from AppStream Studio. Discovery call: https://appstream.studio/schedule-a-discovery-call https://appstream.studio #logistics #freighttech #agentsofchange #AI #automation #offshore #bpo #supplychain #transportation #innovation #AppStreamStudio

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  Ep. 5 · Apr 6, 2026 · 47 min

  The Shift Every Developer Will Face in the Age of AI | Piotr Szyperski

  In this episode, Piotr shares his journey into software development, discussing his early passion for computers and how he transitioned from a full-stack developer to leading a team at AppStream Studio. The conversation explores the impact of generative AI on software engineering, highlighting the shift in workflows from coding to planning and the importance of human oversight in AI-driven development. Piotr also reflects on the future of AI in software development and the potential challenges it poses for new engineers. #agentsofchange #podcast #appstreamstudio #ai #devops #llm #softwareengineering #entrepreneurship #generativeai Agents of Change, from AppStream Studio. Discovery call: https://appstream.studio/schedule-a-discovery-call https://appstream.studio

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  Ep. 4 · Mar 17, 2026 · 36 min

  Navigating DevOps: Insights from Bartek Bieńkowski

  In this episode of the Agents of Change podcast, host Justin Tannenbaum welcomes Bartek Bieńkowski, a seasoned expert in DevOps and security at AppStream. The conversation dives deep into the evolving landscape of DevOps, particularly in the context of AI advancements. Bartek shares his experiences, starting from his early days as a front-end developer to becoming a pivotal figure in DevOps. He discusses the challenges and unpredictability of a typical day in DevOps, emphasizing the importance of being the go-to person for troubleshooting and problem-solving. The discussion also touches on the changing perceptions of the DevOps role, the rise of specialization, and the impact of AI on infrastructure and security practices. Agents of Change, from AppStream Studio. Discovery call: https://appstream.studio/schedule-a-discovery-call https://appstream.studio #AgentsOfChange #AppStreamStudio #DevOps #Security #AI #Infrastructure

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  Ep. 3 · Mar 2, 2026 · 44 min

  Go-to-Market in 2026: What's Actually Changed with AI?

  Will Gray, founder of Graystone Consulting and the go-to-market lead behind AppStream Studio and Aiventic, joins host Justin Tannenbaum to break down how the right morning mindset compounds into real productivity, how the go-to-market role is being rebuilt by AI, and the exact stack he uses to drive pipeline. Then Will tells the unforgettable story of summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in a whiteout and the one principle he pulls from it for business and fatherhood: just don't stop. 🔗 Work with Will → https://graystoneconsulting.co 🔗 Connect on LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/in/willgrayco In this episode: • Why early morning routines and "eating the frog" set the tone for everything • How GTM is splitting into specialists as AI absorbs the routine work • The full outbound loop: RB2B → Clay → HubSpot → Instantly → human follow-up • Becoming a force multiplier instead of a one-man army • Shipping at 80% — and why founder perfectionism kills momentum • Summiting Kilimanjaro at 19,341 feet, one foot in front of the other ⏱ Chapters 00:00 New Year's resolutions: 75 Hard, dry January, the 5 a.m. wake-up 04:21 Morning routines and intention-setting 05:50 Productivity systems: time blocking and "eat the frog" 07:57 What people get wrong about go-to-market — and how AI is splitting the role 14:29 Will's GTM stack: Instantly, Apollo, Clay, RB2B, HubSpot, LinkedIn 16:50 The full outbound loop, end to end 18:20 Becoming a force multiplier 23:30 Shipping at 80% and beating perfectionism 29:51 When it hit the fan: summiting Kilimanjaro in a whiteout 39:45 His "Kilimanjaro today": growing Graystone and being a girl dad 43:47 Legacy, the Eddie Murphy doc, and selflessness as a parent 44:36 The next 3–5 years: AI + human 46:51 Where to find Will 🎧 Listen to the full episode of Agents of Change by AppStream Studio for more insights! #AgentsOfChange #GoToMarket #Startups #FounderLedSales #AI #Entrepreneurship #Marketing #AppStreamStudio Agents of Change, from AppStream Studio. Discovery call: https://appstream.studio/schedule-a-discovery-call https://appstream.studio

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  Ep. 2 · Feb 16, 2026 · 41 min

  Invest in Skills, Not Just Salary | Cesar Bustamante

  Cesar Bustamante discusses the importance of investing in skills beyond just monetary gain. He emphasizes that personal development, particularly in learning languages and technical skills, can lead to significant career advancements. The impact of the pandemic on opportunities for growth is also highlighted, along with the common fears that hold individuals back, especially in Latin America. #Collaboration #Innovation #SoftwareEngineering #Teamwork #AppStreamStudio #TechCulture #Brainstorming #Podcast #Engineering #CareerGrowth #AgentsOfChange Agents of Change, from AppStream Studio. Discovery call: https://appstream.studio/schedule-a-discovery-call https://appstream.studio

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  Ep. 1 · Feb 10, 2026 · 36 min

  How AI Will Be King | Lukasz Chmielewski, AppStream CTO

  In this inaugural episode of Agents of Change, host Justin Tannenbaum interviews Lukasz Chmielewski, co-founder and CTO of AppStream Studio. They discuss Lukasz's career journey, the founding of their open banking platform, the acquisition experience, and the transition to AppStream Studio. The conversation also covers the growth and scaling of AppStream, the importance of aligning incentives in product development, and the role of AI in software development. Finally, they make predictions about the future of AI in the industry. #agentsofchange #appstreamstudio #ai #softwaredevelopment #entrepreneurship #productdevelopment #technology #innovation #generativeai Agents of Change, from AppStream Studio. Discovery call: https://appstream.studio/schedule-a-discovery-call https://appstream.studio

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