The Digital Project Manager

Why the Biggest AI Winners Haven’t Been Founded Yet

AI is moving fast—but the underlying challenges aren’t new. In this episode, Galen sits down with Eugina Jordan to unpack what today’s AI boom can learn from past transformations like 5G. From tool overload to shaky business models, they explore why the winners of this wave won’t just be the biggest players—but those who can turn AI into real, usable value for everyday people.They also dig into what AI actually unlocks for small and medium-sized businesses, why “ordinary people” may be the biggest beneficiaries, and how the next wave of innovation might already exist—just waiting for the tech to catch up.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Eugina:LinkedInFacebookInstagramTikTokYouTubeYOUnifiedAI

Your Spreadsheet Can’t Do This: AI That Actually Knows Your Business (with CEO of Forecast, an Accelo Company)

AI isn’t just another layer of tooling—it’s becoming the operating system for how professional services teams plan, deliver, and scale their work. In this conversation, Tim Fisher sits down with Joe DiPaulo (CEO of Accelo) to unpack how AI-native PSA platforms like Forecast are shifting teams from reactive firefighting to proactive, data-driven delivery.They explore what’s actually changing on the ground: from margin leakage and spreadsheet chaos to predictive resourcing and AI-assisted decision-making. The throughline is clear—AI isn’t about replacing people, it’s about helping teams scale smarter, with better visibility, stronger utilization, and more consistent outcomes.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Joe:LinkedInAcceloForecast

How to Know When Your Team Is Truly at Capacity (And When to Hire)

Capacity planning can feel like a tug-of-war between sales, delivery teams, and leadership—especially when growth goals collide with a team that already feels stretched. In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Brandon Llewellyn, Head of Delivery at Cirface, to unpack how delivery leaders can use data to diagnose real capacity issues, make smarter resourcing decisions, and avoid the trap of “just squeezing in one more project.”Brandon shares how his team approaches capacity planning using simple but powerful metrics, why top-down planning often beats granular task estimates, and how productized services, deal size, and role clarity can dramatically change how “busy” a team feels. They also explore how AI is influencing operational efficiency—and what leaders should actually do with the time it frees up.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Brandon:LinkedInCirface

Innovation vs. Risk: How a Former Mastercard Exec Designs AI Strategy

When AI hype is shouting “anything is possible,” it’s easy for teams—especially in regulated, risk-aware orgs—to feel like innovation is either reserved for the “creative people” or only happens in labs behind closed doors. JoAnn Stonier makes the case that innovation isn’t a personality type—it’s a muscle. You can train it, but you also need permission, constraints, and a shared way of working so the results don’t devolve into chaos (or a pile of half-baked agents someone tries to “just unplug”).This episode is a practical look at how to balance innovation with risk without turning your org into a two-headed “push-me pull-you” that never goes anywhere. The throughline: design thinking isn’t a tired framework—it’s the operating system that helps organizations create consistent, values-driven guardrails as AI becomes increasingly democratized across every function.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsCheck out this episode’s sponsor: TogglConnect with JoAnn:LinkedInThe Cantellus Group

What NATO Taught Me About EQ in High-Stakes Transformation

Emotional intelligence has always mattered in project work—but in the age of AI, it’s becoming a differentiator. In this episode, Galen sits down with Nadja El Fertasi, founder of Thrive with EQ and former NATO leader, to unpack how EQ shows up in high-stakes digital transformation—and why it may be the most overlooked risk mitigation strategy in your toolkit.Drawing from nearly two decades inside NATO’s cyber and digital transformation initiatives, Nadja shares how stakeholder engagement, influence, and emotional resilience directly impact everything from project delivery to cybersecurity. As AI accelerates automation and amplifies both opportunity and risk, the real question isn’t whether EQ still matters—it’s whether we’re investing in it fast enough.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsCheck out this episode’s sponsor: TogglConnect with Nadja:LinkedInThrive with EQ