When today’s guest realized most companies were automating chaos instead of clarity, they decided to fix it.

In this conversation, I check in with Shelly Thomas, the founder of Building Beta, to unpack what’s actually happening with AI inside organizations right now. Not the hype. Not the buzzwords. The real work.

Shelly brings a rare mix of engineering rigor and operator experience, and it shows. We talk about why so many AI efforts fail before they start, how leaders are using it backwards, and the simple idea that changes everything: you cannot automate what you cannot explain.

We also dig into trust, ownership, and why automation isn’t a “set it and forget it” tool, it’s more like hiring a new employee who still needs guidance. 

This conversation cuts through the noise to focus on what actually matters, and highlights some AI principles that are just good leadership principles.

Connect with Shelly on LinkedIn

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My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets