The Power Connect

Fred Davis
  • 5.0 (28)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hosted by radio and energy veteran Fred Davis, The Power Connect features candid conversations with leaders, executives, and personalities from energy, sports, and media — exploring how the rapidly evolving AI revolution is reshaping industries, culture, and the way we live.

  1. 3D AGO

    Your AI Moat: Zig.AI Co-Founder Steve Ancheta

    Steve Ancheta is a 16-year sales veteran turned AI founder who quit his job at 23 with $10,000 in the bank, a new house, a toddler, and a brand new marriage — and never looked back. Now he's co-founder of Zig.ai, an AI-powered revenue platform built to replace the chaos of disconnected sales tools with one intelligent system that learns how you work, not just what you do. In this episode, Steve breaks down why domain expertise is the only real moat left in the AI era, how Zig's compounding context layer changes the game for sales teams, and why he believes data centers are heading to outer space and the ocean. In this episode: Why the software moat has shifted — building is now a commodity, and domain expertise is the only defensible edge left The $2 billion cattle collar company that proves you don't need a Silicon Valley background to win with AI How Zig sits between generic AI chat tools and rigid legacy SaaS — and why both sides are still wasting your time What the "compounding context layer" actually means: an AI system that learns at the org level and the individual user level Why models are already killing startups — and the three things you must own to survive: data, workflows, and intelligence The AI volume game backlash: why mass email and LinkedIn outreach is already desensitizing buyers and why relationship is becoming the last true differentiator Steve's bold prediction: data centers are going to outer space and the ocean — and why the energy and cooling math makes it inevitable Why trades (roofing, HVAC, plumbing) are the sleeper wealth play of the next decade The batting average framework for lead quality: why closing one in three makes you an industry leader What we're getting wrong: assuming AI will completely surpass human beings in every aspect of what it means to be human What we're getting right: recognizing this is the most revolutionary technology since the internet — and it's not a bubble that's going away Connect with Steve Ancheta & Zig.ai: LinkedIn & zig.ai Powered by The Lead Ref — The Lead Ref is an AI-powered lead marketplace connecting customers with the right businesses — and giving providers exclusive, high-intent opportunities. No shared leads. No spam. No race to the bottom. AI-Powered. With a Human Touch. TheLeadRef.com

  2. MAR 26

    FanwayZ: AI and Sports with Ken Troupe

    Ken Troupe is a sports business veteran and co-founder of Sports Biz Advisors, working with teams and technology companies across professional and collegiate athletics. With decades of experience in ticket sales, relationship-driven revenue, and now sports technology consulting, Ken's seen every wave of "the next big thing" — and he's got a healthy skepticism about who's actually using AI versus who's just slapping the label on their pitch deck. In this episode, Ken breaks down what's actually happening with AI adoption in sports business, why relationship-driven sales still can't be replicated by bots, and where teams are finding real value (and where they're just chasing buzzwords). In this episode: Why only 18-19% of sports professionals are actually using AI tools — despite everyone claiming they are The AI buzzword problem: vendors saying "we're AI" without being able to articulate what they're actually doing How AI is making individual jobs more efficient (note-taking, email cleanup, content creation) before it tackles bigger organizational challenges Why ticket sales jobs aren't going away: the human relationship factor AI can't replicate (yet) The hilarious story of a team that accidentally named their AI sales bot after a successful adult film star How user-generated content platforms like Fanways are using AI to extract metadata (number of TVs at a tailgate, what beer fans are drinking) and feed it directly into CRM systems Ken's approach to AI in the classroom at SMU: use it to refine your original thought, not replace it What we're getting wrong: assuming everyone who says they're an "AI expert" actually knows what they're talking about What we're getting right: staying curious about how AI can drive revenue in a results-obsessed industry Connect with Ken Troupe & Sports Biz Advisors: LinkedIn & sportsbizbuilders.com & fanwayz Powered by The Lead Ref — The Lead Ref is an AI-powered lead marketplace connecting customers with the right businesses — and giving providers exclusive, high-intent opportunities. No shared leads. No spam. No race to the bottom. AI-Powered. With a Human Touch. TheLeadRef.com

  3. MAR 20

    Six Hours to Six MInutes: Bruin CEO Burak Karakan

    Burak Karakan is the co-founder of Bruin, an AI-powered data analytics platform that connects every data source inside your organization and delivers answers in minutes — not weeks. Built by engineers who spent years duct-taping data tools together for enterprise clients, Bruin was born out of frustration with how long it takes businesses to get answers from their own data. In this episode, Burak breaks down why most companies are sitting on a goldmine of untapped data, why agentic AI is completely changing what's possible, and what the next phase of business intelligence actually looks like. In this episode: Why 80% of the value your business needs is already inside your own data — you just can't access it yet From 6 weeks to 6 minutes: what happens when AI collapses the time between question and answer The "burger test" — why teams don't trust answers that come too fast, and how Bruin breaks that psychological barrier How agentic AI differs from traditional AI — and why the ability to iterate changes everything What Bruin's on-premise deployment means for enterprises that can't afford data security risks Why the companies that think AI can't do something today will be proven wrong within a year What's coming next: proactive analytics, autonomous campaign management, and AI data teams that never sleep Connect with Burak Karakan & Bruin: LinkedIn & getbruin.com Powered by The Lead Ref — the AI-powered business growth platform delivering exclusive, intent-based leads and targeted marketing campaigns with a human touch. We open doors to commercial and B2B relationships you can't access alone. TheLeadRef.com

  4. MAR 18

    AI Strategizing: Jim Spignardo from ProArch

    Jim Spignardo leads AI enablement at Pro Arch, a deep Microsoft partner helping enterprises navigate the AI revolution. With a focus on practical implementation over hype, Jim conducts executive briefings for organizations trying to move beyond "what is AI?" to "how do we actually use this?" In this episode, Jim breaks down why most companies are still in the "second inning" of AI adoption, why Microsoft Copilot is quietly dominating the enterprise space while everyone obsesses over consumer tools, and the critical mistake organizations make when they skip the "what problem are we solving?" question and jump straight to tools. In this episode: Why AI hallucinations happen — and the dangerous reality that AI's first obligation is to make you happy, not tell you the truth How Microsoft is playing the long game: building the infrastructure that powers their competitors while positioning Copilot as the enterprise AI front-end The human skills gap that AI actually makes more important — why expertise matters more than ever, not less Why one skilled person with AI can now do the work of five, but you can't skip being skilled in the first place The real timeline for AI transformation: why it's going to take 10-12 years before we look back and don't recognize 2023 What organizations get dangerously wrong about AI job displacement versus the actual "adjustment" that's coming Why Pro Arch always starts with use cases and data readiness before ever discussing which AI tool to implement Connect with Jim Spignardo & Pro Arch:LinkedIn & proarch.com

  5. MAR 10

    What's In Your Head? BrainGrid.AI's Tyler Wells

    Tyler Wells has spent over 25 years in software development — with stops at Skype, Microsoft, Twilio, and multiple startups along the way. Now he's channeling all of that experience into BrainGrid, a platform designed to solve one of AI's biggest frustrations: turning a messy idea in your head into working, deployable software. In this episode, Tyler breaks down why simply having access to Claude Code or Cursor doesn't automatically make anyone a developer, why context is king when working with AI agents, and what he and his co-founder discovered that became the foundation for BrainGrid. In this episode: Why non-technical founders still face real barriers even with powerful AI coding tools available How BrainGrid acts as an AI-powered product manager — asking the right questions to turn your idea into a detailed software specification The origin story of BrainGrid and the "aha moment" that started it all Why Anthropic's models consistently outperform the competition in their evaluations The biggest daily challenges of building a product at the speed AI now makes possible What we're getting right — and dangerously wrong — about AI Connect with Tyler Wells & BrainGrid: braingrid.ai & LinkedIn

  6. MAR 3

    AI Co-Work: Subatomic.AI's Karl Simon

    Adapt. Evolve. Scale. That’s the Mantra at Subatomic.Ai and in this episode, Fred Davis sits down with Karl Simon, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Subatomic AI, to explore how agentic AI is reshaping industries from manufacturing to wealth management to legal services. Karl has been in the data game since the 90s (yes, building data warehouses at Oracle before it was cool), and now he's leading a company that's gone from 23 to 100+ AI coworkers internally — while maintaining zero dissatisfied customers. This conversation delves into: ✅ Why businesses should hire AI coworkers, not buy software ✅ How agentic workflows adapt, evolve, and scale at the speed of business ✅ The "SaaS apocalypse" and why static software is dying ✅ How Subatomic turned a pessimistic prospect into their lead investor ✅ The AI bubble: infrastructure vs. application layer ✅ Why "seeing is believing" — and how to demo AI in days, not months ✅ The future of work: humans as managers of AI coworkers ✅ What we're getting right (and wrong) about AI 🔗 Connect with Karl Simon:‍ ‍ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlsimon/‍ ‍ Subatomic AI: [https://www.subatomic.ai/]‍ ‍

  7. FEB 26

    Voice Recognition: Thoughtly’s Torrey Leonard

    Fred Davis sits down with Torrey Leonard, Founder of Thoughtly, for a candid discussion on how autonomous voice agents are replacing rigid phone trees and text-based chatbots. Leonard explains why the future of inbound marketing relies on executing immediate, human-sounding voice calls to mathematically triple lead conversion rates the second a prospect enters a funnel. The conversation explores the bandwidth reality of voice communication, the critical difference between lead generation and lead conversion, and why AI must function strictly as a frictionless copilot to tee up human closers for high-ticket deals. Leonard also shares his balanced view on what the industry is getting right — and wrong — about AI as adoption accelerates across the enterprise. Website: https://thoughtly.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torreyleonard/

  8. FEB 24

    Meeting Magician: Sembly.AI Co-Founder and CPO Artem Koren

    Fred Davis sits down with Artem Koren, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Sembly AI, for a grounded discussion on where AI meeting tools are delivering real business value. Koren explains why the future of workplace AI goes far beyond simple transcription and into structured meeting intelligence that drives measurable outcomes after conversations end. The conversation explores the growing saturation in the AI market, the shift toward agent-driven workflows, and how serious operators are separating practical impact from hype. Koren also shares his balanced view on what the industry is getting right — and wrong — about AI as adoption accelerates across the enterprise. Website: https://www.sembly.aiEmail: artem@sembly.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akoren

See All (79)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
28 Ratings

About

Hosted by radio and energy veteran Fred Davis, The Power Connect features candid conversations with leaders, executives, and personalities from energy, sports, and media — exploring how the rapidly evolving AI revolution is reshaping industries, culture, and the way we live.

Information

  • Creator
    Fred Davis
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    79
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Power Connect

You Might Also Like