Advertise on podcast: IT in the D

Astronomicon is back for another year! Find the convention April 10 through April 12, 2026 at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest. We’re joined by founders and organizers Mike and Dustin to hear about the history, how the con is going, and what to look forward to this year.

Christina Fair has lots of titles: Founder of Reconnect, Co-founder of Hum, Entrepreneur in Residence at Ann Arbor SPARK, Executive Director of Detroit Executives Association, and board member of Bees in the D. She joins us this week to talk about her work across Detroit’s startup and community ecosystem, including Ann Arbor Spark, Michigan Founders Fund, and the Detroit Executives Association. Christina explains Bees in the D’s urban rooftop hives, Meijer honey distribution, and Detroit City Distillery collaborations. She describes common startup challenges—especially people and leadership gaps—contrasting Midwest “nice” with Silicon Valley’s fail-fast culture, and emphasizes finding complementary co-founders. They cover revenue vs exit-focused business models, AI-driven process automation in real estate, Hum’s pivot from move-event ISP strategy to an embedded internet-shopping widget, Detroit’s digital divide efforts, and the speed of AI-enabled prototyping.

Our guest this week is Pete Martin, Director of Portfolio Management at Michigan State University Research Foundation. We talk about Michigan technology startups, including pitching and funding. Pete talks about his origin and some of the startups he finds interesting. We also take a look at why companies and people leave or ignore Michigan. Of course, we had to touch on the impact AI is having on startups. Finally, if you’re looking for a new gig, check out the MSU Research Foundation job board.

Andrew Koper joins us this week to talk about Moregetsdone.com, his online collaborative task management tool. We talk about why he decided to build it, how it works, and the ways it can work for various types of organizations. We also brainstorm ideas for future improvements including AI-enhanced workflows.

This week’s guest is David Williams, CIO of Buztel, a large local law firm. He tells us about how lawyers are using AI, what’s allowed, what’s not allowed, and the implications thereof.

This week, we’re joined by David Baird, founder of Gloabi. Gloabi makes AI “organisms”—avatars that have phone numbers, email addresses, and can post on social networks. David tells us what your Gloabi AI can do for you, how it works (even without you sometimes!), and the story behind the project.

Our guest this week is Jeff Dwoskin, CEO of Stampede Social. We talk to him about social media management, touching on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube (and discuss some bizarre yet engaging YouTube trends). We get into the nuances of creating and scheduling content, the influence of algorithms, and the challenges of engaging audiences. Jeff shares experiences in social media campaigns and automated DM responses. We also talk about the dynamics of stand-up comedy, drawing from Jeff’s experience as a comic. The episode concludes with potential interest in comedy classes and the importance of staying relatable and original in content creation. Listen to Jeff’s podcast Classic Conversations where he interviews actors, comedians, and musicians.

On this podcast, we often talk about getting started in the IT field by applying for help desk gigs, and we talk to C-suite and business owners, but this week, we’re filling in the middle of the story. Brad Woessner (you’ll recognize him from our meetups!) joins us to talk about his IT career and what it’s like to crew the help desk.

In this episode Bob and Randy ‘welcome Mike Kennedy, Founder and Chief Security Officer at Ostra Security, and Mel Kolinski, Sales and Channel Chief at Ostra. They dive into an open discussion about cybersecurity, highlighting the issues with transparency and honesty in the industry. Mike shares his experiences of starting Ostra and his motivations behind it, emphasizing the need for honest relationships and better security practices. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on security, the problems of selling fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD), and the importance of a community-driven approach to improve cybersecurity standards. The episode wraps up with insights into the Truth in Cyber initiative, advocating for more ethical practices in cybersecurity.

This is part 4 of a 4-part series. Randy and I were recently invited to podcast on the floor of the 2025 Cyber Winter Wonderland at the beautiful Madison Loft. My guest host of the day was host of the Great Security Debate, Brian Schneble. Enjoy the listen, and THANK YOU to CXO Forum for partnering with us to podcast at your event! Part 1 Steve Monato and Ken Sowinski of UWM Part 1’s discussion focuses on the evolving role of AI within organizations, touching on AI use cases, data security, and the necessity for clean, organized data for effective AI modeling. The panelists emphasize the shift from understanding AI to implementing and deriving business value from it. They also discuss the importance of communication between IT and business units to promote effective AI adoption, the impact of automation on employee tasks, and the future role of AI in sectors like mortgage processing. The conversation explores the balance between AI-driven automation and human oversight to ensure efficiency and address challenges associated with new AI tools. Part 2 Eric Olmstead Palo Alto Networks and Jonathan Gough of Pellera Part 2 is a discussion of the evolution and current trends in IT security and technology integration. Pellera Technologies provides a detailed overview of their global operations, focusing on AI, data cloud, and cybersecurity solutions. The discussion covers Palo Alto Networks’ advancements in security, including the integration of AI in their security platforms and the concept of Zero Trust, emphasizing its continued relevance. The conversation also explores the complexities of AI implementation, the challenges of non-human identities (NHIs), and the importance of robust security measures in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Both companies highlight the need for innovation and vigilance in managing current and emerging security threats. Part 3 Brandon Allen and Pete Sheldon of Prophet Security Part 3 focuses on the challenges faced by Security Operations Centers (SOCs) amid a growing volume of alerts and the role of AI and machine learning in addressing these challenges. Profit Security is utilizing AI-driven platforms to enhance alert investigation and reduce false positives, allowing analysts to focus on more critical issues. The conversation delves into topics like the evolution from traditional machine learning to modern AI, the importance of context and reasoning in alert processing, and the continuous need for human oversight and expert feedback in AI systems. Additionally, the discussion touches on industry-specific issues such as the energy costs associated with running AI and compute centers, the adaptability of AI to new threat vectors, and the potential for AI to improve operational efficiency within organizations. Part 4 Björn Olson of Pellera and Henry Samson of Palo Alto Networks. Part 4 covers the evolving landscape of technology and security. The discussion covers the prevalent issues in the automotive and manufacturing industries, including underutilization of tools, data protection challenges, and the impact of technological advancements on security practices. The conversation also touches on the importance of understanding customer needs, the necessity of solving real problems, and the need to plan for future challenges like quantum computing. The roundtable aims to provide insights into balancing sales with genuine problem-solving and advancing security measures while managing financial constraints.

This is part 3 of a 4-part series. Randy and I were recently invited to podcast on the floor of the 2025 Cyber Winter Wonderland at the beautiful Madison Loft. My guest host of the day was host of the Great Security Debate, Brian Schneble. Enjoy the listen, and THANK YOU to CXO Forum for partnering with us to podcast at your event! Part 1 Steve Monato and Ken Sowinski of UWM Part 1’s discussion focuses on the evolving role of AI within organizations, touching on AI use cases, data security, and the necessity for clean, organized data for effective AI modeling. The panelists emphasize the shift from understanding AI to implementing and deriving business value from it. They also discuss the importance of communication between IT and business units to promote effective AI adoption, the impact of automation on employee tasks, and the future role of AI in sectors like mortgage processing. The conversation explores the balance between AI-driven automation and human oversight to ensure efficiency and address challenges associated with new AI tools. Part 2 Eric Olmstead Palo Alto Networks and Jonathan Gough of Pellera Part 2 is a discussion of the evolution and current trends in IT security and technology integration. Pellera Technologies provides a detailed overview of their global operations, focusing on AI, data cloud, and cybersecurity solutions. The discussion covers Palo Alto Networks’ advancements in security, including the integration of AI in their security platforms and the concept of Zero Trust, emphasizing its continued relevance. The conversation also explores the complexities of AI implementation, the challenges of non-human identities (NHIs), and the importance of robust security measures in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Both companies highlight the need for innovation and vigilance in managing current and emerging security threats. Part 3 Brandon Allen and Pete Sheldon of Prophet Security Part 3 focuses on the challenges faced by Security Operations Centers (SOCs) amid a growing volume of alerts and the role of AI and machine learning in addressing these challenges. Profit Security is utilizing AI-driven platforms to enhance alert investigation and reduce false positives, allowing analysts to focus on more critical issues. The conversation delves into topics like the evolution from traditional machine learning to modern AI, the importance of context and reasoning in alert processing, and the continuous need for human oversight and expert feedback in AI systems. Additionally, the discussion touches on industry-specific issues such as the energy costs associated with running AI and compute centers, the adaptability of AI to new threat vectors, and the potential for AI to improve operational efficiency within organizations. Part 4 Björn Olson of Pellera and Henry Samson of Palo Alto Networks. Part 4 covers the evolving landscape of technology and security. The discussion covers the prevalent issues in the automotive and manufacturing industries, including underutilization of tools, data protection challenges, and the impact of technological advancements on security practices. The conversation also touches on the importance of understanding customer needs, the necessity of solving real problems, and the need to plan for future challenges like quantum computing. The roundtable aims to provide insights into balancing sales with genuine problem-solving and advancing security measures while managing financial constraints.

This is part 2 of a 4-part series. Randy and I were recently invited to podcast on the floor of the 2025 Cyber Winter Wonderland at the beautiful Madison Loft. My guest host of the day was host of the Great Security Debate, Brian Schneble. Enjoy the listen, and THANK YOU to CXO Forum for partnering with us to podcast at your event! Part 1 Steve Monato and Ken Sowinski of UWM Part 1’s discussion focuses on the evolving role of AI within organizations, touching on AI use cases, data security, and the necessity for clean, organized data for effective AI modeling. The panelists emphasize the shift from understanding AI to implementing and deriving business value from it. They also discuss the importance of communication between IT and business units to promote effective AI adoption, the impact of automation on employee tasks, and the future role of AI in sectors like mortgage processing. The conversation explores the balance between AI-driven automation and human oversight to ensure efficiency and address challenges associated with new AI tools. Part 2 Eric Olmstead Palo Alto Networks and Jonathan Gough of Pellera Part 2 is a discussion of the evolution and current trends in IT security and technology integration. Pellera Technologies provides a detailed overview of their global operations, focusing on AI, data cloud, and cybersecurity solutions. The discussion covers Palo Alto Networks’ advancements in security, including the integration of AI in their security platforms and the concept of Zero Trust, emphasizing its continued relevance. The conversation also explores the complexities of AI implementation, the challenges of non-human identities (NHIs), and the importance of robust security measures in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Both companies highlight the need for innovation and vigilance in managing current and emerging security threats. Part 3 Brandon Allen and Pete Sheldon of Prophet Security Part 3 focuses on the challenges faced by Security Operations Centers (SOCs) amid a growing volume of alerts and the role of AI and machine learning in addressing these challenges. Profit Security is utilizing AI-driven platforms to enhance alert investigation and reduce false positives, allowing analysts to focus on more critical issues. The conversation delves into topics like the evolution from traditional machine learning to modern AI, the importance of context and reasoning in alert processing, and the continuous need for human oversight and expert feedback in AI systems. Additionally, the discussion touches on industry-specific issues such as the energy costs associated with running AI and compute centers, the adaptability of AI to new threat vectors, and the potential for AI to improve operational efficiency within organizations. Part 4 Björn Olson of Pellera and Henry Samson of Palo Alto Networks. Part 4 covers the evolving landscape of technology and security. The discussion covers the prevalent issues in the automotive and manufacturing industries, including underutilization of tools, data protection challenges, and the impact of technological advancements on security practices. The conversation also touches on the importance of understanding customer needs, the necessity of solving real problems, and the need to plan for future challenges like quantum computing. The roundtable aims to provide insights into balancing sales with genuine problem-solving and advancing security measures while managing financial constraints.

This is part 1 of a 4-part series. Randy and I were recently invited to podcast on the floor of the 2025 Cyber Winter Wonderland at the beautiful Madison Loft. My guest host of the day was host of the Great Security Debate, Brian Schneble. Enjoy the listen, and THANK YOU to CXO Forum for partnering with us to podcast at your event! Part 1 Steve Monato and Ken Sowinski of UWM Part 1’s discussion focuses on the evolving role of AI within organizations, touching on AI use cases, data security, and the necessity for clean, organized data for effective AI modeling. The panelists emphasize the shift from understanding AI to implementing and deriving business value from it. They also discuss the importance of communication between IT and business units to promote effective AI adoption, the impact of automation on employee tasks, and the future role of AI in sectors like mortgage processing. The conversation explores the balance between AI-driven automation and human oversight to ensure efficiency and address challenges associated with new AI tools. Part 2 Eric Olmstead Palo Alto Networks and Jonathan Gough of Pellera Part 2 is a discussion of the evolution and current trends in IT security and technology integration. Pellera Technologies provides a detailed overview of their global operations, focusing on AI, data cloud, and cybersecurity solutions. The discussion covers Palo Alto Networks’ advancements in security, including the integration of AI in their security platforms and the concept of Zero Trust, emphasizing its continued relevance. The conversation also explores the complexities of AI implementation, the challenges of non-human identities (NHIs), and the importance of robust security measures in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Both companies highlight the need for innovation and vigilance in managing current and emerging security threats. Part 3 Brandon Allen and Pete Sheldon of Prophet Security Part 3 focuses on the challenges faced by Security Operations Centers (SOCs) amid a growing volume of alerts and the role of AI and machine learning in addressing these challenges. Profit Security is utilizing AI-driven platforms to enhance alert investigation and reduce false positives, allowing analysts to focus on more critical issues. The conversation delves into topics like the evolution from traditional machine learning to modern AI, the importance of context and reasoning in alert processing, and the continuous need for human oversight and expert feedback in AI systems. Additionally, the discussion touches on industry-specific issues such as the energy costs associated with running AI and compute centers, the adaptability of AI to new threat vectors, and the potential for AI to improve operational efficiency within organizations. Part 4 Björn Olson of Pellera and Henry Samson of Palo Alto Networks. Part 4 covers the evolving landscape of technology and security. The discussion covers the prevalent issues in the automotive and manufacturing industries, including underutilization of tools, data protection challenges, and the impact of technological advancements on security practices. The conversation also touches on the importance of understanding customer needs, the necessity of solving real problems, and the need to plan for future challenges like quantum computing. The roundtable aims to provide insights into balancing sales with genuine problem-solving and advancing security measures while managing financial constraints.

Brian Schneble of The Great Security Debate podcast is back! We dive into a heated discussion about the recent protests against new data centers in Michigan. Topics cover various aspects such as the environmental impact, energy consumption, and the differences between data centers and compute centers. We also touch on the challenges of modern infrastructure and the complexities behind high energy demands.

This week, we explore the future of AI in education with guests Suzy Siegle, President and CEO of Walsh College, and Dr. Dave Schippers, the Chief Academic Officer/Provost. The conversation covers the introduction of new articial intelligence and machine learning degree programs, and the significance of practical, hands-on education. They discuss the importance of networking, the impact of AI on various industries, and the concept of AI digital twins in academia. The discussion also touches on the evolving role of AI in automotive and other traditionally structured sectors.