Pratik Kothari, CEO of TechArk, shares how he built a 120+ person global technology company spanning the US and India, and why embracing AI early has become a leadership imperative, not a risk.

From launching TechArk while still employed full-time, to building a 24-hour global delivery model, to leading AI adoption internally before selling it externally, this conversation dives deep into modern leadership, global communication, and navigating rapid technological disruption.

Topics include building trust across cultures, why waiting on AI is more dangerous than testing it, how leaders earn buy-in through execution, and why small community-driven events often matter more than massive conferences.

This is a candid look at what it actually takes to build a resilient, future-ready company.

00:00 Why leaders fear AI and how teams really respond
02:03 The origin story of TechArk and its early experiments
03:35 Growing to 120+ employees across the US and India
04:42 Building a true 24-hour global operations model
06:33 Why offshore tech projects fail and how to fix them
09:25 How Pratik ended up in Norfolk and Hampton Roads
12:48 The power of authentic startup communities
18:42 How great leaders earn buy-in through listening
22:48 TechArk's evolution from software to digital growth
26:53 Why networking works better when money isn't the goal
34:14 The AI challenge that changed TechArk internally
38:38 Global attitudes toward AI, US vs India vs China
44:07 How CEOs should evaluate AI risk and adoption
49:10 Firing bullets before cannonballs, a growth strategy
56:06 Advice for entrepreneurs building long-term relevance
59:19 A local food recommendation that defines Hampton Roads

1. Full conversation with Pratik Kothari on leadership, AI adoption, and organizational alignment, Fervent Four Show

2. Learn more about TechArk and its AI-forward approach: https://www.techark.com

3. AI Collective Hampton Roads, a community-led initiative focused on the human side of artificial intelligence and responsible AI education: https://www.theaicollective.ai/hampton-roads

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Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than most people are prepared for. Jobs are already being eliminated, AI agents are operating with real-world consequences, and robots are moving from novelty to inevitability.

This conversation breaks down what's actually happening beneath the surface of the AI boom, why "today is the worst AI will ever be," and how economic disruption from AI is unfolding right now, not years from now. It explores job displacement that is already underway, the rise of agentic AI, how businesses are misusing tools without guardrails, and why safety and control are becoming urgent concerns.

Rather than focusing on hype or tools of the week, the discussion stays grounded in how AI is being adopted, misunderstood, and accelerated in the real world, and what individuals and organizations need to understand before assumptions fall behind reality.

00:00 AI economic disruption and what is coming
02:10 Today is the worst AI will ever be
06:05 Agentic AI and bots acting without guardrails
11:05 AI job displacement is already happening
13:27 Why junior roles are disappearing first
16:10 Robots and the shift in physical labor
25:10 Why AI needs a human layer and community
35:20 A simple prompting framework anyone can use
39:40 How to choose AI tools without shiny object syndrome
51:25 AI safety AGI and the lack of an off switch

About AI Collective Hampton Roads
AI Collective Hampton Roads is building a practical, people-first AI ecosystem across the region, focused on education, responsible adoption, and real-world use cases for businesses, students, and organizations.
Learn more: https://www.meetup.com/aicollectivehr/

Follow AI Collective Hampton Roads: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ai-collective-hampton-roads/

About Innovate 757
Innovate 757 documents and shares what's being built across Hampton Roads, highlighting founders, operators, and the ideas shaping the region's innovation economy.
Explore more stories: https://www.innovate757.org

Follow Innovate 757: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovate757/

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Most founders don't make bad decisions because they lack discipline or intelligence. They make them under pressure, with reduced cognitive bandwidth they don't recognize.

In this episode of The Fervent Four Show, Tracy Lamar-Ray breaks down how stress, threat response, and habit formation quietly shape founder decision-making. This is not a conversation about motivation or hustle. It's a practical look at how the brain actually works under pressure, and why founders often misread what's happening when execution stalls, clarity fades, or burnout creeps in.

We explore why stress shrinks thinking, how habits form and lock in under pressure, why businesses can't outgrow the founder's internal capacity, and what it really takes to create space for better decisions. If you're building a company and feel like everything is harder than it should be, this episode explains why.

00:00 – Why founders struggle to think clearly under pressure
03:45 – Cognitive bandwidth explained and why stress changes decisions
07:30 – Survival mode, threat response, and shrinking judgment
12:10 – Why businesses can't outgrow the founder's willingness to grow
16:55 – Self-awareness vs. self-criticism in founder development
21:40 – Strengths, habits, and how behavior actually changes
27:15 – Why willpower fails and repetition wins
33:30 – Burnout as an operational risk, not a badge of honor
39:10 – Why founders wait too long to ask for help
45:20 – Creating space for better decisions before desperation
50:45 – Closing thoughts on capacity, growth, and leadership

Learn more about Glom: https://www.glominitiatives.com/