Using AI to Be More Human (Year in Review)

Vibe Coding Your Way to Job Security in the Age of AI

What if you could build your company's next internal tool in a weekend, for $30? Aaron Trockman is a partner manager at Glean who had zero formal coding experience — and then built PartnerSync, a fully functional partner automation platform used daily across his sales organization, in about 10 hours using AI tools. In this episode, Sara and Dan sit down with Aaron to unpack exactly how he did it, what tools he used, what it actually cost, and what it means for the future of work. Aaron's story is a clear signal: AI is democratizing product development, and professionals who embrace these tools will have a massive advantage. Key Takeaways: * Aaron built a working MVP for around $30 in AI credits using Base44, then migrated to Lovable + Supabase. * His AI workflow: dump the problem into Glean → generate a prompt with Prompt Cowboy → build in Lovable → debug with Gemini/ChatGPT. * The tool he built, PartnerSync, replaced a capability they were evaluating from Crossbeam at significant additional cost. * Key principle: assess complexity and margin for error before committing — internal tools with ~5–10% error tolerance are ideal for vibe coding. * AI is democratizing product development — a team of one can now ship what once required a team of five. * The future of work isn't AI replacing jobs — it's people who use AI replacing people who don't. * The platform play is shifting: companies are building custom internal tooling instead of buying bloated SaaS they only use 30–40% of. * Prompting tips: assign AI a persona (researcher, UX engineer), tell it to forget its last approach, and switch tools when you hit a wall. * Job security comes from making your team more effective — not just from being able to build. * Aaron's one action for listeners: take your biggest problem right now and ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Glean how to solve it. Just start. Connect with Aaron Trockman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarontrockman/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarontrockman/] Sara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saralynneroberts/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/saralynneroberts/] Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danroberts27/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danroberts27/] Email the show: hello@promptlyspeakingpod.com [hello@promptlyspeakingpod.com] 00:00 Intro & cold open 00:47 What is Glean? Sara's pitch 02:06 Aaron's role: partner manager 02:54 Building PartnerSync — the story 04:57 Replacing a $$$$ SaaS tool for $30 06:06 The AI workflow: start to finish 07:11 Prompt Cowboy & prompt engineering 07:52 Base44 vs Lovable — why he switched 08:57 What is throttling? Plain language 09:46 Total cost: under $100 to MVP 10:33 Sara's Lovable build attempt 12:13 When AI lies about APIs 12:50 AI = brilliant dev with ADHD 14:55 How to scope AI-built projects 16:25 ISVs, internal use & margin for error 16:54 How to push through roadblocks 17:57 Prompting as building a team of one 18:53 Three hours on a multi-model build 20:40 Job security in the AI era 21:46 AI democratizes product development 24:47 How AI changed Aaron's mindset 25:41 Someone using AI will take your job 26:24 What Aaron wants to build next 27:39 Scope: too big vs. your wheelhouse 29:56 The future of SaaS & the platform play 31:21 One action to take in 30 minutes 32:16 Outro

Podcast Update & House Tour

We're taking a short break to upgrade our equipment & set! In this episode, Sara gives a brief tour of their home & recording spaces, highlighting the challenges they've faced and the changes they plan to make. Subscribe so that you don't miss new episodes! Be back soon!!

How One CIO Is Rethinking Strategy Without Cutting Jobs with Sree Kancharla

AI is changing everything, from how we work to how we learn to how we take care of our families. But is it replacing jobs… or creating entirely new opportunities? In this episode of Promptly Speaking, Sara and Dan sit down with Sreeveni Kancharla (“Sree”), CIO at SailPoint, to unpack what the AI revolution really means for leaders, employees, and the next generation entering the workforce. Sree brings a rare, grounded perspective from the front lines of enterprise transformation, balancing innovation, governance, productivity, and humanity in a world where AI agents are becoming part of everyday work. 💡 Topics We Cover: 1. How AI is reshaping the workforce and where the real opportunities are 2. Why AI shouldn’t replace people, but amplify them 3. How leaders should think about productivity, governance, and strategy 4. Why junior employees still matter in an AI-driven world 5. How AI can support personal life decisions, learning, and creativity 6. The importance of human judgment, critical thinking, and boundaries 7. Why embracing AI is no longer optional, but blind trust is dangerous ⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 AI, Job Displacement, and Opportunity 00:43 Introducing Sree and Her Role as CIO 02:01 Why AI Is Different From Past Tech Revolutions 02:41 The Pressure on Leaders to Define AI Strategy 04:39 Junior Roles, Internships, and the Future Workforce 08:09 Why Human-in-the-Loop Still Matters 15:20 Using AI in Personal Life: Healthcare, Family, and Trust 18:20 AI as a Creative and Learning Tool 24:38 How AI Empowers the Next Generation 26:50 Rethinking Business Processes with AI Agents 31:51 Productivity, Strategic Thinking, and Leadership Time 36:49 Learning Habits, Curiosity, and Staying Relevant 39:08 Final Advice: How to Start Embracing AI Today How to Find Sree: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreeveni-kancharla/ Follow Sara & Dan: Sara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saralynneroberts/ Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danroberts27/ Email: hello@promptlyspeakingpod.com [hello@promptlyspeakingpod.com]

Using AI to Be More Human (Year in Review)

Everyone's been talking about AI this year. Where does it move the needle? Where does it fall short? In the final Promptly Speaking episode of 2025, Sara and Dan take a moment to reflect on what they've learned from their guests, and through their own experimentation with AI in life & work. Now, more than ever, it's important that we stop and take a moment to think about where we're trying to go in this world of technology that's moving so fast. ⏱ Timestamps: 01:23 Embracing AI in Daily Life 04:07 The Power of Continuous Learning 04:36 Optimizing Business Processes with AI1 3:44 Real-World Applications of AI 16:38 Reflecting on the Future 22:34 Humanizing Technology Follow Sara & Dan: Sara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saralynneroberts/ Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danroberts27/ Email: hello@promptlyspeakingpod.com

AI in Sales: Slowing Down to Get it Right with Scott Barghaan

What if the biggest risk in AI adoption isn’t falling behind, but moving too fast without clarity? In this episode of Promptly Speaking, Sara and Dan speak with Scott Barghaan, a longtime enterprise sales leader whose career spans EMC and Salesforce, and who now teaches future business leaders at the Kellogg School of Management. Scott unpacks how AI is actually reshaping the practice of sales, not through flashy tools or automated outreach, but through better preparation, deeper customer context, and higher expectations for judgment. He explains how executives are often pressured to adopt AI before clearly defining the problem they are trying to solve, and why AI delivers real value only when it is applied to concrete constraints around scale, cost, and margin rather than introduced as a solution in search of a use case. The conversation explores how buyers are showing up differently, how great sellers adapt without losing authenticity, and what practical, grounded AI adoption looks like for teams of any size. 💡 Topics We Cover: - Why buyers now enter sales conversations later, more informed, and more skeptical - Board-level pressure to adopt AI and how it shapes executive decision-making- Why starting with tools instead of problems leads to disappointment - Using AI to prepare for better conversations, not replace sellers - Customer context as the real advantage in modern sales - Where AI genuinely helps sales teams today and where it can backfire - The risk of AI-assisted communication sounding polished but hollow - Buying committees, political capital, and why “helping buyers buy” matters more than ever - How small teams can pilot AI, measure impact, and scale responsibly - Teaching sales and leadership during a major technology shift ⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to AI, sales, and executive pressure 01:04 Scott’s career journey from enterprise sales to academia 02:41 Advising AI startups and supporting non-profits 04:49 Customer-centric selling in the AI era 08:42 How the role of the salesperson is changing 11:16 Leveraging AI for research, preparation, and insight 25:28 Why buying is harder than selling 31:15 Convincing executives to embrace AI thoughtfully 33:02 Why this technology shift feels different 33:50 AI’s role in business transformation 34:29 Challenges and opportunities with AI adoption 35:21 What successful AI implementation actually looks like 36:42 Addressing fear, risk, and resistance around AI 41:03 Lessons from teaching at Kellogg 46:03 Final reflections and practical takeaways How to Find Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbarghaan/ Kellogg: https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/academics-research/faculty/barghaan-scott/ Follow Sara & Dan: Sara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saralynneroberts/ Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danroberts27/ Email: hello@promptlyspeakingpod.com