Untangled

Abhijit Verekar
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  • GOVERNMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

State and local governments provide vital services to their citizens and keep them safe. They are also one of the largest employers in the country. They employ about 14 million people in the US, not including public schools and hospitals. However, they’re also wrought with antiquated systems, broken processes, paperwork overwhelm, lack of transparency, and underutilization of intelligent technologies.If you are a municipal leader, everyday citizen, or work for a state or local government across the US, you’ve come to the right place! Welcome to Untangled, a podcast for municipal leaders, IT managers, CIOs, and city or county council members that focuses on trends in government IT and its current best practices and challenges. Hosted by Abhijit Verekar, the show features special guests from various municipal agencies across the US, team members at Avèro Advisors, and other experienced professionals in the field to share their insights on how to untangle problems and make the Government more innovative and more efficient.

  1. 4D AGO

    Why Your AI Pilot Will Fail (And What Actually Works Instead)

    Most government AI pilots don’t fail because the technology is bad. They fail because the problem was wrong, the data wasn’t ready, the demo lied, and no one defined what success actually meant. In this Untangled episode, we break down why 90%+ of AI pilots never make it to production — and why flashy demos are often the biggest warning sign. Using real government examples, we explain the difference between AI theater and real operational value, why citizens ask messy questions that demos never show, and how agencies waste millions by buying solutions before understanding their workflows. This conversation walks through the five most common AI failure points — wrong problem selection, dirty data, demo environments, lack of human oversight, and fake success metrics — and outlines a practical readiness framework agencies can use before spending a dollar. AI isn’t magic. It’s software. And it only works when you treat it that way. 📅 Let’s Stay Connected: Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help! Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report Top Public Sector ERP Systems: : ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml Learn More About Avero: ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com Connect With Us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors Connect With AV: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.

    34 min

  2. JAN 22

    Why ERP Projects Break Down Long Before Go-Live

    Most ERP projects don’t fail because of bad software or poor intent. They fail quietly, months or years earlier, when decisions are rushed, assumptions go unchallenged, and foundational work is skipped. This Untangled episode breaks down the early warning signs most organizations miss: unclear ownership, unrealistic timelines, unvalidated requirements, underestimating change management, and treating ERP as a technology project instead of an organizational transformation. By the time issues surface at go-live, the outcome is already locked in. ERP success isn’t about perfection — it’s about discipline, sequencing, and honesty early in the process. This conversation focuses on where projects actually go off the rails, and what leaders can do differently before the damage is done. 📅 Let’s Stay Connected: Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help! Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report Top Public Sector ERP Systems: : ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml Learn More About Avero: ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com Connect With Us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors Connect With AV: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.

    26 min

  3. JAN 15

    Best of Breed vs All-in-One: The ERP Debate That’s Costing Governments Millions

    The best-of-breed versus all-in-one ERP debate is framed as a choice — but that framing is the problem. Both sides are selling you something, and neither is telling the full truth. In this Untangled conversation, we break down why this isn’t an ideological decision and why agencies that treat it that way lock themselves into a decade of frustration. Best of breed brings depth and specialization — but also integration risk and operational overhead. All-in-one offers simplicity and accountability — but often at the cost of compromised functionality. Using real government examples, this episode walks through the five questions that actually determine the right approach: how specialized your requirements really are, what your IT team can realistically support, how critical integration is to daily operations, your vendor management maturity, and whether you’re modernizing all at once or in phases. Most organizations don’t need purity. They need fit. The right answer is usually a deliberate middle ground — one vendors don’t sell, but leaders have to design. 📅 Let’s Stay Connected: Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help! Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report Top Public Sector ERP Systems: : ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml Learn More About Avero: ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com Connect With Us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors Connect With AV: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.

    22 min

  4. JAN 8

    Dirty Data: Why Legacy ERP Migrations Fail Before They Start

    Your data is dirty. Not because your staff is careless — but because legacy systems were designed to be forgiving. Over decades, phone number fields became notes, dates changed meaning, duplicates piled up, and rules were quietly broken to keep operations moving. The problem is what happens next. Agencies try to lift that data straight into a modern ERP and are shocked when the system rejects records, reports fail, billing breaks, and audits don’t balance. That isn’t a software failure. It’s a data hygiene failure. This Untangled episode breaks down why “lift and shift” migrations collapse, how semantic drift corrupts history, and the four-step data hygiene protocol agencies must follow before selecting a vendor. Data cleanup isn’t glamorous — but it’s the difference between a smooth go-live and a public disaster.  #UntangledPodcast #GovernmentIT #ERP #DataMigration #PublicSectorTechnology 📅 Let’s Stay Connected: Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help! Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report Top Public Sector ERP Systems: : ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml Learn More About Avero: ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com Connect With Us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors Connect With AV: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.

    12 min

  5. JAN 1

    Bulletproof RFPs: How to Turn Procurement From Opinion Into Math

    Most government RFPs aren’t vague because teams are careless — they’re vague because people are trying to be “fair.” Broad language feels safe. In reality, it’s exactly what gets agencies sued, protested, and stalled for years. In this episode of Untangled, we break down why subjective RFP language turns procurement into a beauty contest — and how vendors use that ambiguity to file protests that agencies can’t defend. We walk through a real-world permitting system case where a city lost two years, millions in revenue, and public trust because the evaluation relied on feelings instead of math. You’ll learn how to: • Replace vague requirements with binary, defensible questions • Use weighted scoring matrices that hold up in court • Eliminate “support” language that shifts work back to staff • Turn demos into measurable outcomes instead of gut reactions • Build an RFP that vendors — and their lawyers — can’t argue with Procurement doesn’t need to be an art. When you treat it like a science, math does the defending for you.  #Procurement #GovernmentIT #UntangledPodcast #RFPStrategy #PublicSectorLeadership 📅 Let’s Stay Connected: Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help! Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report Top Public Sector ERP Systems: : ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml Learn More About Avero: ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com Connect With Us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors Connect With AV: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.

    9 min

  6. 12/18/2025

    Vaporware Traps: Why Government Keeps Falling for Software Demos

    Software demos are built to sell you a story — not to show you what a product can actually do. And in government, that story can cost millions. Vendors walk in with polished screens, AI “prototypes,” and roadmap features presented as if they’re ready to deploy. But once the contract is signed, the reality looks very different. In this episode, we untangle the truth behind vaporware: why governments trust demos too much, how “coming soon” features get used to win deals, and the red flags that show up long before implementation begins. We also talk about what real verification looks like — proof-of-life demos, driving the mouse yourself, sandbox access, and contracts that hold vendors accountable when the promises don’t match the product. If you’ve ever walked out of a software demo thinking, “This feels too good to be real,” this episode explains exactly why — and how to stop falling for it. #GovernmentIT #Leadership #SoftwareSelection #UntangledPodcast #TechnologyTruth 📅 Let’s Stay Connected: Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help! Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report Top Public Sector ERP Systems: : ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml Learn More About Avero: ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com Connect With Us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors Connect With AV: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.

    11 min

  7. 12/11/2025

    From Practitioner to CIO: The Leadership Evolution No One Talks About

    A lot of government CIOs step into the role carrying years of technical experience — but almost no preparation for the executive expectations that come with it. The shift from practitioner to CIO is bigger than most people realize, and it has very little to do with technology. In this Untangled episode, AV and former CIO Robert Kornovich unpack what the job actually requires: communicating without jargon, framing risk for non-technical leaders, navigating politics, aligning teams, managing expectations, and learning how to lead people instead of tasks. They also dig into why many IT professionals struggle with this transition and how mentorship, environment, and organizational culture shape someone’s ability to grow into a true executive. If you're building a career in government IT — or trying to make sense of the leap into leadership — this conversation clears the fog. #Leadership #GovernmentIT #CareerGrowth #CIOPath #UntangledPodcast 📅 Let’s Stay Connected: Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help! Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report Top Public Sector ERP Systems: : ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml Learn More About Avero: ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com Connect With Us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors Connect With AV: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.

    38 min

  8. 12/04/2025

    Why Avero Isn’t a “Tech Firm” — And What Modernization Actually Requires

    Avero gets labeled a “tech firm” all the time — but that’s exactly what we are not. In this episode, we break down why being vendor-agnostic matters, why we refuse to sell software, and why true modernization has far more to do with vision, culture, governance, and sustainability than technology alone. We revisit what organizations miss when they rush into products, how tech-first decisions undermine outcomes, and why ERP transformations fail when political pressure overrides long-term strategy. We also dive into the difference between an implementer and an independent advisor, how perceived conflicts of interest impact public trust, and why understanding government culture is essential to building solutions that actually work. Modernization isn’t “ready, fire, aim.” It’s clarity, intentionality, and hands-on support grounded in the realities of public-sector operations. And that’s why Avero exists — not to sell products, but to guide decisions that stand the test of time. #GovTech #DigitalGovernment #PublicSectorLeadership #ERPModernization #TechnologyStrategy #VendorAgnostic #AveroAdvisors 📅 Let’s Stay Connected: Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help! Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report Top Public Sector ERP Systems: : ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml Learn More About Avero: ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com Connect With Us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors Connect With AV: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.

    42 min
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About

State and local governments provide vital services to their citizens and keep them safe. They are also one of the largest employers in the country. They employ about 14 million people in the US, not including public schools and hospitals. However, they’re also wrought with antiquated systems, broken processes, paperwork overwhelm, lack of transparency, and underutilization of intelligent technologies.If you are a municipal leader, everyday citizen, or work for a state or local government across the US, you’ve come to the right place! Welcome to Untangled, a podcast for municipal leaders, IT managers, CIOs, and city or county council members that focuses on trends in government IT and its current best practices and challenges. Hosted by Abhijit Verekar, the show features special guests from various municipal agencies across the US, team members at Avèro Advisors, and other experienced professionals in the field to share their insights on how to untangle problems and make the Government more innovative and more efficient.

Information

  • Creator
    Abhijit Verekar
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    135
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Untangled
  • Show Website
    Untangled