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In this episode, I talk with Vas from Varic about what it takes to put AI to work inside a real company. Vas makes the case that AI pays off through process reengineering, and he walks me through the exact method his forward deployed engineers (FDEs) use: interviews, process mining, step sorting, and agents built inside existing systems of record. We go through real engagements, including a $5B public software company and an accounts payable overhaul that cut the cost per invoice from $31 to $6. By the end, you get a clear picture of the FDE role, the business opportunity behind AI roll-ups, and a five-day plan to start on your own.
Links Mentioned:
FDE Presentation: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/FDE-slides
Vas’s Article: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/vas-fde
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
01:31 – Sponsor: Google
03:58 – FDE Overview
05:02 – AI Roll-Ups and Process Reengineering
08:04 – The Personal Systems Analogy
09:55 – Understanding a company’s process (step-by-step)
14:11 – Case Study: $5B Software Company
18:11 – 4 Buckets for Every Step
19:04 – Build Inside Systems of Record
21:36 – Case Study: PE Portfolio
23:43 – Selling to C-Suite Executives
27:07 – Process of Mapping Five NetSuite Companies
28:39 – Example: Accounts Payable Process Map
32:54 – Case Study: 60-Person Accounting Firm
34:51 – When to Use Code, Agents, or Humans
36:00 – Choosing AI Models
38:16 – Sidekick vs Background Agents
40:29 – The 3 Skills of a Top FDE
42:25 – Why FDEs Earn So Much
45:26 – Five-Day Starter Plan
47:39 – On-Premise Hardware Demand
48:36 – OpenAI Private Intelligence
50:20 – The Full Playbook
52:01 – Closing Thoughts
Key Points
• AI pays off when you re-engineer the process first, then build agents into it.
• Map the real process with interviews, system-of-record mining, and existing docs.
• Sort every step into four buckets: delete, plain code, agent, or human decision.
• Build agents inside the tools clients already use, like Salesforce, NetSuite, and Slack.
• Sell the outcome each buyer cares about, and prove it with before-and-after KPIs.
• Top FDEs combine domain knowledge, production engineering, AI judgment, and strong communication.
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FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
FIND VAS ON SOCIAL
Varick Agents: https://www.varickagents.com/#hero-section
X/Twitter: https://x.com/vasuman
AI Forward Deployed Engineers: https://learn.varickagents.com/fde-in-30-days
