In Episode 103 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez sits down with Kaitlyn Study, entrepreneur and owner of South Street and Co., to explore what it really means to move from experimenting with AI to fully operationalizing it inside your business. Over the past year, Kaitlyn has automated "250 plus tasks across her business," transforming repetitive processes into structured, strategic systems. As Erik frames it, this conversation is about "automating and operationalizing AI in your business, not the nuts and bolts of which buttons to click, but why this matters strategically and how it becomes a real competitive advantage."

Kaitlyn's journey began with a simple realization: "How can I clone myself without using math and science?" After experiencing team turnover and the strain of repetitive operational work, she turned to tools like Zapier, N8N, and AI platforms to eliminate friction and create clarity. The result wasn't just time savings, it was precision. As Kaitlyn explains, "If the automation doesn't work, I know that I did something wrong and didn't correctly portray what I was trying to get out of it." That level of accountability changed how her agency manages hiring, time tracking, sales follow-ups, and capacity planning.

Listeners will gain practical, cross-industry insights, including:

· Why "auditing your time" is the first step toward meaningful automation

· How to identify "friction" points that signal automation opportunities

· Why "you have to test it and test it and test it" when integrating AI into workflows

· How freeing "brain space" allows leaders to focus on higher-level strategic thinking

· Why the goal "is not to replace people" but to "have you do better, higher level work that you're really great at"

For direct-to-consumer brands, agencies, and growth-focused executives, this episode offers a roadmap for scaling operations without sacrificing creativity or culture. Automation, when applied thoughtfully, becomes evolution, not revolution. As Kaitlyn emphasizes, "The goal is not to replace people. It's to have you do better, higher level work that you're really great at, and to have the nuanced, repetitive tasks taken care of." If you're serious about turning AI from a tool into a competitive advantage, this episode is a must-listen.

In Episode 102 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez and Pat Barry have a candid conversation about one of the most common challenges businesses face with AI today: buying too many tools without a clear strategy. As AI capabilities explode, teams are overwhelmed by choices, and often mistake experimentation for progress.

Pat and Erik dig into why many organizations start with the question, "what tools do we need to buy?" instead of first defining the business problems they're trying to solve. As Pat explains, "Most clients that come to me start with what tools do we need to buy? My reaction is, let's see what you already have, because you might be able to accomplish a lot with what you've already got." The discussion reframes AI adoption around workflows, outcomes, and discipline—rather than novelty.

Listeners will learn:
• Why unchecked experimentation often leads to tool sprawl and wasted budget
• How to evaluate AI tools based on real business use cases and ROI
• Why existing platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft often cover most needs
• How to balance team-level experimentation with organizational governance
• What questions leaders should ask before approving a new AI subscription

Throughout the episode, Erik emphasizes the importance of starting with the workflow, noting, "You've got to work on the use case. Which means you also need to understand the workflows, where it's going to be used." Together, they explore how most teams can handle the majority of their needs with core LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude—and when specialized tools actually make sense.

For marketers, operators, agency owners, and direct-to-consumer leaders, this episode offers a grounded framework for navigating the AI tool explosion without losing focus. The takeaway is clear: AI should make work more efficient and strategic—not more chaotic. Before buying the next shiny tool, make sure it ladders up to a real business goal.

In Episode 101 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez is joined by Amber Goetz, founder of The Active Media, for a practical, no-fluff conversation about how SEO is really changing in 2026. With more than a decade of hands-on SEO experience, Amber shares what she's seeing in the data, what's no longer working, and where brands should focus their time and energy as AI reshapes how people search.

Amber explains that AI is changing SEO, but not replacing it. As she puts it, "AI is not replacing SEO by any means. I think it's reshaping it though." The conversation explores how Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), AI Overviews, and large language models are influencing search results—and why strong brand authority and consistency now matter more than chasing technical checklists or plugin scores.

Listeners will learn:
• Why brand voice and consistency across channels are becoming critical ranking factors
• What SEO tactics are becoming outdated—and which fundamentals still matter
• How citations, schema, and podcasts influence AI-powered search results
• Why human-led strategy paired with AI-driven efficiency is outperforming automation alone
• How local, national, and eCommerce brands can prepare for agentic shopping and reduced website traffic

Amber also breaks down how SEO needs to evolve inside organizations. She challenges teams to move away from siloed execution and toward shared ownership across content, development, PR, and social. As she notes, "Anyone can do SEO. I don't know if they can do it well, but they can." The difference, she explains, comes from pulling real expertise out of the business and turning it into content people—and AI systems—can trust.

For marketers, founders, and direct-to-consumer leaders, this episode offers a grounded roadmap for modern SEO—one rooted in clarity, original thinking, and brand authority. Instead of chasing every new trend, Amber's advice is clear: use AI to improve efficiency, stay focused on what makes your brand different, and build visibility where both people and AI are actually paying attention.