Cirrius Talk

[Ep 050] Claude Code vs Wireframes: Building Interactive POCs in Hours, Not Weeks

Every consulting project carries the same hidden risk: the client doesn’t really know what they’re getting until UAT, and by then the time and money to change it are gone. In this episode of 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸: 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗜, 𝗔𝗹 𝗛𝘂𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮 and 𝗚𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻 break down the POC-first delivery model and how agentic AI tooling has finally made it economically viable. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻: * Why describe-first artifacts (decks, user stories, wireframes) almost always leave a translation gap between consultant and client * How tools like Claude Code and Claude Design compress weeks of POC build into hours - and why expertise still matters * The shift from time-and-materials to outcome-based and fixed-bid contracts that POCs make possible * How POC-first changes vendor selection: ask for an interactive mockup of your business, not a generic demo * Where AI-generated POCs can mislead clients into asking for things their platform can’t reasonably support 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Consulting leaders, delivery managers, software buyers, and product owners who are tired of UAT surprises and want a delivery model that surfaces hard conversations early - when there’s still budget and time to act on them. 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 + 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗔𝗹 𝗛𝘂𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮 leads delivery initiatives at 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, where he has been driving the internal move to a POC-first methodology across engagements. 𝗚𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻 is a senior architect and recurring 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸: 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗜 voice with a developer’s-eye view on how POCs reshape user stories, sprint cadence, and pre-sales risk. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗧𝗔: Learn more about how 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 applies POC-first delivery at https://cirrius-solutions.salesreach.io/cirrius-talk-landing-page [https://cirrius-solutions.salesreach.io/cirrius-talk-landing-page].  𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 Episode Artifact [https://cirrius-solutions.salesreach.io/permalink/asset/a1d16d98-cc16-497f-9634-7f7e313c9a1c] Al Huerta on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/al-huerta/]  Gavin Franklin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-franklin-067247170/] Greg Banks on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-banks-9785197/] Jason Fowler Music [https://www.jasonfowlermusic.com/] Cirrius Solutions [https://cirrius-solutions.salesreach.io/cirrius-talk-landing-page] Agentic AI Playlist [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL82X3ahN92oxRu-lK-MLsmhfDFNhdjHEq] Any Questions: Reach out to us at CirriusTalk@cirriussolutions.com [CirriusTalk@cirriussolutions.com] #AgenticAI #ProofOfConcept #ConsultingDelivery #ClaudeCode #SoftwareArchitecture #Salesforce #AIConsulting

[Ep 049] Salesforce Military Is Back: Inside the AI Summit with Tom House

130 senior leaders. One day in Washington, D.C. A country song written live in the room. And a clear signal that 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 is back. On this 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲, 𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲, Director of Salesforce Military, returns with 𝗧𝗶𝗺 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 to recap the Salesforce Military AI Summit and what it means for veterans, military spouses, employers, and the VSO community at large. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻: * Why the Salesforce Military program is back, and what its three core principles - AI, future-ready workforce, networking and mentorship - look like in practice * The CreativeVets icebreaker that turned skeptics into believers - and the deeper story behind it * The team-of-teams shift across 40,000+ VSOs - and why partnership beats redundant capability * What next year’s two-day summit will look like, and why day one is being built for veterans and spouses who do not yet know what Salesforce is * Why allies without a uniform are essential to the program, not optional 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Veterans and military spouses navigating their next career chapter, hiring managers and corporate allies looking to engage with vetted VSOs, and Salesforce ecosystem leaders thinking about long-term talent. 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 + 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 is the Director of Salesforce Military, a Mustang with ten years enlisted and fifteen years as a supply officer, and the architect behind the recent AI Summit in Washington, D.C. 𝗧𝗶𝗺 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 is a former infantry officer and a recurring voice on Cirrius Talk. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗧𝗔: If you are a veteran, military spouse, or ally and you want into the next Salesforce Military summit, get on the program’s radar now. Follow the show for more 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 episodes. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 Salesforce Military [https://veterans.my.site.com/s/] Creativets [https://creativets.org/] Tim Harting on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-harting/] Greg Banks on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-banks-9785197/] Jason Fowler Music [https://www.jasonfowlermusic.com/] Cirrius Solutions [https://cirrius-solutions.salesreach.io/cirrius-talk-landing-page] - use this link to find a curated list of resources we promote based on first-hand experience. The Military Minute Playlist [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL82X3ahN92owc-TsuZMDRMrfL5ubkmTww] Any Questions: Reach out to us at CirriusTalk@cirriussolutions.com [CirriusTalk@cirriussolutions.com]

[Ep 048] Zero Copy, Full View Why Data 360 Changes Everything

Is Data 360 a rebrand or a genuine relaunch? In this episode of 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸: 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲, Greg Banks sits down with co-host 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻 and Cirrius Solutions’ Data 360 lead 𝗘𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗼𝗻 to unpack what actually changed, what zero copy really means, and how to get started without trying to solve everything at once. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻: * Why Data 360 is a relaunch, not just a rename * The difference between connecting and integrating, and why zero copy changes the architecture conversation * Tableau Semantics as a lexicon layer that simplifying your tech stack mapping * Unstructured data ingestion and the new Agentforce 360 native hooks * A pragmatic, iterative way to land your first Data 360 use case 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Salesforce admins, architects, technical leads, and platform owners trying to make sense of Data 360 and figure out a sensible first project at enterprise scale. 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 + 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗘𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗼𝗻 is the Cirrius Solutions team member who stepped up to lead the firm’s Data 360 capability, training directly with the Salesforce Data 360 implementation team. Co-host 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻 brings hands-on enterprise Salesforce architecture experience from across the ecosystem. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗧𝗔: Pick one bottleneck and start there. Reach out at CirriusTalk@CirriusSolutions.com if you want help framing the first use case.  𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 Emily Skelton on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-skelton11/] Trailhead Trailmix [https://trailhead.salesforce.com/users/rf6qo4nxp79bpdgqb9/trailmixes/data-360]  Salesforce Ben [https://www.salesforceben.com/the-case-for-salesforce-data-360-formerly-data-cloud-vs-other-cdps/] Data 360 on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/sfdc-data-360/posts/?feedView=all] Allie Nelson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/allielawler/] Greg Banks on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-banks-9785197/] Jason Fowler Music [https://www.jasonfowlermusic.com/] Cirrius Solutions [https://cirrius-solutions.salesreach.io/cirrius-talk-landing-page] Salesforce at Scale Playlist [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL82X3ahN92oz4XhsI0spD8npwXa5tM4W9] Any Questions: Reach out to us at CirriusTalk@cirriussolutions.com [CirriusTalk@cirriussolutions.com]

[Ep 047] Agentic AI - Evolution of Agent Hosting

You picked your LLM, you picked your use case, and now someone hands you a list of hosting options that all sound like they solve the same problem. They don’t. In this episode, Tim Harting and Gavin Franklin of Cirrius Solutions break down the three real hosting models for AI agents - self-hosted, software-aligned, and the new wave of provider-hosted options from Anthropic and OpenAI - and how to decide which one fits which agent. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻: * The real trade-offs between self-hosted, software-aligned, and provider-hosted agents - and why most companies end up running all three * How Anthropic Cloud Managed Agents and OpenAI Workspace Agents actually differ in build model, lock-in, and how end users interact with them * The four customer archetypes we keep seeing - platform-first enterprise, builder-heavy SaaS, knowledge-worker augmentation, and regulated industries - and the hosting mix each one tends to land on * The questions to ask before you pick: where does the workflow live, do you have a platform team, how sensitive is the data, and how will you observe and evaluate the agent 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Technology leaders, architects, and AI/platform teams choosing where their agents will run - and trying to avoid locking the whole company into a single platform before the use cases are even mapped. 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 + 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Tim Harting and Gavin Franklin lead Agentic AI strategy and delivery at Cirrius Solutions, a consulting firm working at the intersection of cloud, software engineering, data, and AI. They’re rolling these hosting decisions out with real customers every week and watching the provider landscape shift in real time. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗧𝗔: Grab the companion artifact from the show notes - it’s the side-by-side decision framework for the three hosting models, plus the Anthropic vs. OpenAI comparison. Follow Cirrius Talk: Agentic AI for more episodes that cut through the noise. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 Episode Artifact [https://cirrius-solutions.salesreach.io/permalink/asset/a1b73535-21af-495d-9d34-ce4907c6fa30] Tim Harting on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-harting/] Gavin Franklin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-franklin-067247170/] Greg Banks on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-banks-9785197/] Jason Fowler Music [https://www.jasonfowlermusic.com/] Cirrius Solutions [https://cirrius-solutions.salesreach.io/cirrius-talk-landing-page] Any Questions: Reach out to us at CirriusTalk@cirriussolutions.com [CirriusTalk@cirriussolutions.com]

[Ep 046] USA Cares: Keeping Veterans Housed, Working, and Hopeful

USA Cares steps in when veteran families are at the brink—especially when eviction or foreclosure could trigger a fast, devastating spiral. Hear how stability-focused support can create breathing room and a bridge to long-term resources. What you’ll learn * Why housing instability is a key “crossroad” USA Cares targets to prevent deeper crisis * How USA Cares provides emergency grants (paid directly to creditors) and why speed matters * The most common categories of support discussed: housing, vehicle expenses, and utilities Who it’s for Veterans, military spouses, and supporters looking for real-world resources that help during transition and hardship. Guest + credibility Matt Maples is the Texas Director for USA Cares, an organization founded in 2003 to help stabilize veteran families by keeping them in their homes and in their jobs. Links & Resources Matt Maples on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmaples/] USA Cares on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/usa-cares/] USA Cares main site [https://usacares.org/] Request assistance [https://usacares.org/gethelp/] Become a Volunteer [https://www.tfaforms.com/187497] Find a USA Cares Chapter [https://usacares.org/chapters/] Greg Banks on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-banks-9785197/] Jason Fowler Music [https://www.jasonfowlermusic.com/] Cirrius Solutions [https://cirrius-solutions.salesreach.io/cirrius-talk-landing-page] Jason Fowler [https://www.jasonfowlermusic.com/] Follow-up: CirriusTalk@CirriusSolutions.com CTA Need help or want to support the mission? Visit usacares.org (assistance application, donation options, chapter info). Follow the show for more Military Minute episodes. SHARE to help a veteran today!