Business and Product
Start with the curated reading path, or browse related writing below, newest first.
- Send Your AI Assistant to My MCP Service --
A working example of asking an AI assistant to use my public MCP service, with plain-language prompts and the curl command behind tool discovery.
- Give Your MCP Service a Predictable Address --
A practical naming convention for business MCP services: use mcp.yourdomain.tld and publish clear connection instructions.
- Your Next Customer Might Send an AI Agent --
Preparing your business for AI-assisted customers starts with reliable answers, clear permissions, and one useful interaction.
- Chaos Is the New Order --
A reflection on operating through continuous shocks by balancing efficiency with resilience, adaptability, and faster feedback loops.
- The Potatoes Were Never The Product --
Parmentier's potato strategy shows how ethical product promotion can create discovery, trust, and perceived value without relying on fake urgency or hype.
- Drift is the default condition. Coherence is the achievement. --
Why drift is the default condition of systems, and why coherence has to be actively maintained.
- By Inches --
A practical reflection on how systems drift through small, repeated deviations before the cost becomes visible.
- What It Actually Costs to Run AI on Your Own Hardware --
Everyone keeps saying, “just run AI locally.” Let’s put some numbers against that. If you want to run a decent local model – not toy models, but something in the 14B to 70B range – you are stepping into real infrastructure territory. Here’s what that actually looks like today. Option 1 – NVIDIA GPU (performance-first)
- The Hidden Tax of Agentic Systems: The Token Economics of MCP --
There is a quiet cost building inside many modern AI architectures. It does not show up in demo environments. It does not appear in proof-of-concepts. It rarely gets mentioned in architecture diagrams. But in production, it becomes unavoidable. I am talking about token overhead – specifically, the growing operational cost of providing Large Language Models
- Adultic AI: Parenting Autonomous Agents for the Real World --
There is a quiet shift underway in software. For the past decade, we built systems that waited. They waited for input. They waited for permission. They waited for instruction. Now we are building systems that act. Autonomous agents can interpret goals, choose tools, chain actions, and produce outcomes with minimal human intervention. For many builders,
- Building for the Break: Why many of today’s public MCP servers are an accident waiting to happen --
Why public MCP servers and agent-facing tools need governance before the first preventable failure.
- The Era When Building Software Stops Being the Hard Part: The Likely Shape of the Next 5 to 7 Years --
As AI lowers the cost of software creation, the harder work shifts toward judgement, governance, and operational coherence.
- The Morris Worm Moment for Autonomous Agents --
Why mature systems design often arrives just after the first preventable incident.
- Agent Readiness Is a Design Discipline --
Agent readiness is a structural property of a system, not an AI feature.
- The Posting Gate: How to Use Social Media Without Letting It Degrade Your System --
Most problems with social media are not moral problems. They are not cultural problems. They are systems failures. People do not lose clarity because platforms are evil. They lose clarity because they allow an external system to shape inputs, behaviour, and feedback loops that were never designed in their favour. The solution is not better
- The Federation Future: How Independent Systems Will Help You Command the Machines --
Introduction: The Coming Power Shift For most of the digital age, business owners have been told a simple story: centralize, streamline, and outsource as much of your technology as possible. Hand over your data to cloud platforms. Use single-vendor suites for everything from email to invoicing. Build your business on someone else’s infrastructure, because it’s
- The Moment You Realize You’ve Been Thinking in Systems All Along --
Core thesis Some people don’t “manage tasks” or “follow processes.” They continuously evaluate system integrity – often without realizing it. I am one of those people. I only noticed recently. The realization Across software, business models, partnerships, content, and even personal boundaries, I kept applying the same invisible tests: I never named this framework. I
- Is Gander’s Goose Cooked Before the Party Even Starts? --
A dated thesis about whether a sovereignty-first Canadian social network can convert launch interest into durable use, revenue, and investor liquidity.
- Command the Machines --
A Practical Manifesto for the Modern Age Technology is neither the enemy nor the solution. It is a tool. A force. A lever. The people who thrive are not the ones who grind harder or work longer. They are the ones who learn to direct the machines instead of being directed by them. This is
- Writing: The Bridge Between Verbal and Nonverbal Communication --
(A VAKIETA Communication Intelligence Perspective) Communication is often divided into two categories: verbal and nonverbal. Verbal communication uses words—spoken or written—to express ideas. Nonverbal communication includes everything else: tone, gesture, facial expression, posture, and rhythm. But writing sits at an intriguing intersection between the two. It is verbal in content yet nonverbal in delivery. When
- Why VAKIETA Isn’t Personality Profiling — And Why That Matters --
Introduction When people first encounter VAKIETA, they often assume it’s another personality profiling system — a kind of DISC, MBTI, or Big Five with better marketing and modern AI polish. That assumption is natural. The personal-development and corporate-training industries have been saturated for decades with tools that claim to explain who you are. But VAKIETA
- Your Voice Isn’t the Value --
AI didn’t steal your lunch — you just forgot how to cook. The Myth of the Sacred “Voice” Writers love to worship their “voice” like it’s some divine gift from the muses. They’ll tell you it’s what makes them special — what separates them from the machines. But here’s the truth: you can still talk
- The First Social Network Wasn’t Facebook — It Was Your Inbox --
Every few years, someone declares email dead. And every few years, email laughs, pours another cup of coffee, and checks in with a few billion people before lunch. We’ve heard it all before. Slack was going to kill email. Then Teams. Then Discord. Then DMs on Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and whatever the next
- AI Isn’t Killing Creativity — It’s Killing “Good Enough” --
An argument for using AI to move beyond generic output, with human judgment, originality, and direction at the centre of creative work.
- Using n8n Without Automating Yourself Into a Corner --
n8n can remove repetitive work, but reliable automation still requires accurate licensing language, security controls, failure handling, and clear ownership.
- 50 Years In, and Still Learning ~ Why I Rebuilt Everything From Scratch (and What It Taught Me) --
After nearly five decades of tinkering with computers–from the days of beige boxes and clunky keyboards to today’s cloud-driven AI—I’ve come full circle. What started as a childhood fascination with the idea of machines that could think has now become part of my daily toolkit. Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic dream; it’s a practical companion woven into my work, projects, and teaching. This return to solopreneurship feels lighter, more creative, and infinitely more fun thanks to the support of AI—and the best part is, the journey is only just beginning.
- Agile Is Dying. AI Just Made Waterfall Cool Again. --
For the past twenty-five years, “Agile” has been the gospel of software development. Executives have sat through endless Agile transformation initiatives, watched their organizations install “Scrum Masters,” and wondered why the promised nirvana never quite arrived. Burndown charts, sticky notes, and sprint ceremonies became part of the corporate theatre. But a quiet revolution is underway,
- Strangling the Monolith: Modernizing Legacy Code Without Losing Your Mind --
Software has a long memory. What began as a tidy project years ago often grows into a sprawling organism—a monolith where user interface, business rules, and database access are mashed into the same files. These systems still work (sometimes miraculously), but they are brittle, hard to change, and intimidating to touch. Everyone knows the codebase
- Federation Friction --
Why Open Protocols Struggle in a World Obsessed with Control Email is the messy miracle of the Internet. Anyone can run a server, everyone can connect, and no single company owns the system. It’s the most successful example of a federated protocol—open, interoperable, and universal. Yet it’s also a daily reminder of why federation is
- Grimm Truths of the Goldilocks Paradox: Why Your AI Strategy Needs a Fairy-Tale Wake-Up Call --
Once Upon a Time (But Not Really) In the comforting lull of corporate strategy sessions, AI often gets talked about like it’s porridge—too hot, too cold, or “just right.” That neat framing—the Goldilocks paradox—is appealing. It suggests you can simply find the middle lane, settle in, and all will be well. But let’s be blunt.
- Code Red, White & Open: Why Digital Sovereignty Is the Next Competitive Advantage --
In a world increasingly defined by digital dependence, control over your tech stack is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Governments are waking up to the risks of vendor lock-in, and businesses of all sizes should take note. This article explores the growing importance of digital sovereignty, why open source and shared standards are more
- When Spaghetti Code Face‑Hugs Your Stack: Contain It Before It Hatches --
An unvarnished guide for senior executives who know legacy systems can turn on them at any moment. 1. A Walk Through the Egg Chamber Picture this: you step into a dark, echoing cavern. The floor is carpeted with Roma‑tomato “eggs,” rows upon rows just waiting. One egg cracks open and a writhing bundle of spaghetti
- Modernizing Legacy: How Containers Bridge the Gap Between Old Systems and Emerging Tech --
If you’re a senior decision-maker in tech or operations, chances are you’re dealing with the same problem I keep hearing about from other execs: your legacy system still runs the business, but it’s holding you back. It works—mostly. It’s stable—kind of. But trying to connect it to modern systems, APIs, or AI engines? Forget it.
- How AI Will Transform Training and What It Means for Solopreneurs & Small Businesses --
There’s no polite way to say this: AI is going to disrupt the world of coaching, training, and small service businesses in a big way. If you sell expertise—especially in areas like social media strategy, SEO, content marketing, or general business coaching—you are standing in the path of a tsunami. But here’s the thing: you
- When AI Writes the Code, Wisdom Writes the Rules --
It used to be that the measure of a software developer was how fast they could code. How cleanly. How cleverly. But in a world where AI can now write, refactor, test, and deploy code faster than most juniors can Google the syntax, raw coding speed and rote memory are rapidly losing their edge. The
- Why Experts Struggle at the Edge of Change --
“An expert is an expert on how the world used to be, not what it might become.” That quote (or some variation of it) has been rattling around in my head for years. And the more I see the world tilting on its axis—especially with tech—the more I believe it. See, expertise is a double-edged
- Judgment as a Service: Why AI Agents Need a Moral OS --
We don’t need more AI agents. We need better ones. That might sound contrarian in a world rushing to automate everything from customer service to creative ideation, but hear me out: the core problem with most agents isn’t capability — it’s judgment. Today’s AI agents are like eager interns. They act fast, they follow instructions,
- If It Can’t Say No, It’s Not an Agent --
Let’s talk about AI agents. Not the marketing buzzword, not the product demos hyped on Twitter, and definitely not the chore-doing bots people are rigging up with Zapier, LangChain, and a handful of prompts duct-taped together. I mean real agents. The kind that act with autonomy. The kind that think for themselves. The kind that,
- Build for Recurring Usefulness and Earned Trust --
A useful product earns its place by solving a real problem at the right frequency. Repeat value matters; addiction, dependence, and daily engagement are poor substitutes.
- Writing for Search and AI Systems Without Chasing a New Acronym --
Durable publishing practices for search engines, answer systems, people, and machines—without pretending AI visibility can be guaranteed.
- What is Vibe Coding? The Hype, Hope & Hidden Hazards --
In the ever-evolving world of software development, new trends pop up faster than you can say “deprecated.” Some make sense. Others are marketing spin masquerading as progress. And then there’s vibe coding—a concept that sounds cool, feels empowering, but falls apart under scrutiny. If you haven’t come across the term, vibe coding refers to the
- Running Software Without Installing It: How to Use Docker the Smart Way --
Why Bother? Installing software the old-fashioned way clutters your machine fast. It drags in dependencies, risks version conflicts, and can turn clean-up into a frustrating mess. Docker changes the game. Instead of installing software directly on your system, you run it inside a container. Your system stays clean. No conflicts, no clutter, no wasted time
- Lunacy or a Leap of Faith? --
On March 31st, I did something some might call foolish. Others might call it brave. Me? I’m still not sure which camp I fall into. Maybe both. After years of working in a stable, well-paying role as Vice President of Software Engineering at Shift4 (formerly Givex), I handed in my resignation. No drama. No burned
- Build a Tech Stack That Can Survive Vendor and Jurisdiction Risk --
A practical framework for data residency, vendor concentration, sanctions, contractual access, portability, and tested exit plans without treating nationality as a proxy for trust.
- The Power of Small Daily Wins: How Microlearning Compounds Over Time --
Winning moments C.S. Lewis once wrote: “Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on
- The Scaling Trap: Why Solopreneurs Should Focus on Smart Systems, Not Growth --
Bigger Isn’t Always Better In the business world, scaling is glorified as the ultimate goal. We hear it everywhere—“You have to scale to succeed!” Investors push it. Business books preach it. Entrepreneurs chase it. But here’s the hard truth: scaling isn’t designed for solopreneurs. Scaling means increasing revenue while minimizing costs, usually by hiring, delegating,
- Don’t Build Your Brand on Borrowed Land! --
Why your website, email list and other assets you control should form the foundation of your brand, with social media as a supporting tool.
- The Solopreneur’s Success Mindset: How to Work Smarter, Not Harder --
Solopreneurship is a unique path — one that offers freedom, flexibility, and control over your destiny. But it also comes with challenges: decision fatigue, isolation, and the ever-present risk of burnout. The difference between struggling solopreneurs and those who thrive? Mindset. If you want to build a profitable, sustainable business without working 24/7, you need to
- The Power of Integration --
In a world where experts focus on either AI, marketing, or networking, standing out means bringing them together into a smarter, more efficient system — one that actually helps solopreneurs get real results without wasted time or effort. If you’re a solopreneur looking for an edge, this integrated approach is your key to success. “Success isn’t about
- Building a Tech Stack That Scales with Your Small Business --
Welcome to the fourth edition of Tech with a Twist! This February 1st issue is all about building a tech stack that grows with your business. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to streamline and scale, having the right tools in place can make all the difference. Today, we’ll explore how to choose, implement,
- Testing 90-Minute Focus Blocks Against Pomodoro --
A practical way to compare short and long focus blocks without pretending one timer matches every brain, task, or working day.
- Maximizing Social Media for Business Growth: A Strategic Approach --
In business, you have but one function—to find new customers and keep them. Today, let’s explore how social media can augment this essential process and help you build stronger connections with your audience. The Power of Social Media in Relationship Building At its core, social media accelerates relationships, moving people from strangers to engaged connections
- The Power of Marketing Automation: Never Lose a Lead Again --
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “People buy when THEY’RE ready to buy … and NOT BEFORE!” Nearly 7 out of 10 people who say “No thanks” today will say “Yes!” within 12 months. Let that sink in for a moment… that means you need to keep asking—or, put in a more palatable way—keep following up. But who
- Online, There’s a Sucker Born Every Second! --
P.T. Barnum once said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” With the advent of the Internet, the same snake oil salesmen, con artists, and charlatans are back—only now, they wield the power of technology to “prove” their dubious claims. So, paraphrasing Barnum: There’s a sucker born every second… online! Think about this: If I gave you