Bart Mroz

- PUT PEOPLE FIRST before the tech, not after.

Technology should make life better. Not busier. Not more chaotic.

The best companies I've seen?
They listen. They simplify. They build with purpose.

Not because they're scared.
Because they give a damn.

When fear runs the show, we stop thinking. We stop asking the basics:
- What problem are we solving?
- Who's this actually for?
- Does it even matter?

I'm tired of the panic moves. You want to lead? Start here:
- Get clear on your vision.
- Think critically.

Too many tech decisions today are driven by FOMO, not logic.

Everyone's chasing the next shiny thing ... AI, tools, platforms ... because they're afraid of being left behind. Not because they actually need it.

And that's the problem.

@WillGuidara make a statement with this book and end of the day we are in hospitality business no matter what we are doing in business.

a.co/d/1qdyad5

I just finished reading Unreasonable Hospitality and it should be a required reading for anyone in client services and even if you are on the production side of agencies.

if you want to do good work, you have to care
not just about the outcome
the process, the people, the details

Truth is: curiosity without follow-through is just theater.
You’re either building—or you’re just browsing.

Everyone loves a fresh start ... until it costs them clarity, commitment, and calendar time.
New ventures feel exciting. Full of promise.
But most people don’t want the actual work.
They chase curiosity, not outcomes.
They dabble, then disappear.

By the way if you want to chat with our awesome crew come hang out at our Product and Design Conference www.linkedin.com/smart-links...

Stop treating legacy modernization like rocket science. Audit, Refactor, Replatform, AI Augment. Done.

3. Replatform: Get it to the cloud already. Containers, cloud-native services, CI/CD—less infrastructure headache, more doing actual business.

4. AI Augment: Finally, add some smart automation. Use AI to handle routine tasks, boost insights, and improve user experiences.

1. Audit: First, know exactly what mess you're dealing with. Map dependencies, spot outdated junk, and pick your battles wisely.

2. Refactor: Clean the damn code. Make it efficient, modular, and ready to scale—without breaking what works.

Modernizing legacy systems isn't some fancy IT trend—it's survival. I've seen enough outdated software choke innovation and waste good budgets.

Here's my simple, no-BS approach:

This isn't about chasing trends. It's about future-proofing what you build so it doesn't collapse under its own weight when you try to scale.

Stop duct-taping legacy and calling it innovation.

Build it right. Then plug in the AI.

Loose coupling = fewer migraines when something breaks.

AI needs clean, consistent, and current data. Without the right foundation, you're just building a smart brain in a broken body.

Modern patterns like event-driven design, API-first interfaces, and loosely coupled services aren't buzzwords. They're survival skills.

Event-driven systems let you react in real time.
APIs keep your data accessible and modular.

Most AI fails not because the model is wrong—but because the plumbing is trash.

You want scalable, AI-ready systems? Then start with the architecture, not the algorithms.

Start with a real business problem.
Then we can talk models.

I've worked with teams who want "AI-powered everything"—but they don't know where their data lives, who owns it, or what problem they're even solving.

AI isn't a shortcut. It's a multiplier.
So if you're unclear, disorganized, or just chasing hype—it'll show.

Everyone's talking about AI like it's magic.

It's not. It's math.
And if your inputs are garbage, your AI will just give you faster garbage.

Matt is speaking at our conference in June and you should come see him speak.
www.linkedin.com/smart-links...

Try this: Block one hour with your team this week. Fill in one page answering those three questions.

See how fast things move when everyone knows what matters.

Impact doesn't start with better tools. It starts with better focus.

This framework helps teams stay focused, make faster decisions, and stay connected to outcomes—not output.

It cuts down busywork and forces clarity.

No more chasing vague goals.

The idea is simple: instead of bloated documents and long meetings, take one hour to create a one-page plan that answers three questions:

- What are we trying to achieve?
- How will we measure success?
- What do we need to do next?

I've worked with teams across startups and global brands. The common struggle? Endless planning with little action.

Then I came across Matt LeMay's "One Page / One Hour Pledge." It changed everything.

Your product team doesn't need another roadmap.

It needs a one-page plan that drives real impact:

You spend hours aligning on KPIs but still miss the bigger picture.

What's one habit cue you can add to your workspace today? Try it out. You might be surprised how much it helps.

It's about priming your environment—digital or real—so the next action is right there, obvious and easy.

Business development doesn't need to be a hidden task buried under emails and apps. Make it visible. Make it part of your space.

What if we did that for our own business routines?

- At the end of each day, I reset my workspace.
- I queue up tomorrow's business development tasks.
- I close the day knowing the next step is set and easy to spot.

But here's where the Amish come in (stick with me):

They clean their workspaces for 30 minutes at the end of each day. Everything gets wiped down. Tools put away. Sawdust gone. Their environment is ready for the next day before they even start.