As AI continues to automate workflows, decision-making, and even communication, one critical capability is becoming more valuable than ever: human connection.

In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Joshua Bernstein, author of The Age of Synchrony, to explore the science behind trust, connection, and communication in an AI-driven world.

They dive into the concept of synchrony, the neuroscience of human interaction, and why the ability to connect, build trust, and read people may become the ultimate competitive advantage for founders, leaders, and operators.

From pitching investors to leading teams, this conversation explores how trust is built, why most decisions are emotional, and what happens to human purpose in a world where AI can do most of the work.

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👤 About the Guest

Joshua Bernstein is an author, investor, and consultant with over 30 years of experience across technology, business, and advisory.

He is the author of The Age of Synchrony, a book exploring how neuroscience, human biology, and emerging technologies are converging to redefine how we connect, communicate, and build trust.

Joshua works with organizations ranging from early-stage founders to multi-billion dollar companies, helping them improve performance, leadership, and human dynamics through the science of synchrony.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabbernstein/

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💡 Key Takeaways

• Trust is created emotionally, not logically

• AI increases the value of human connection, not decreases it

• Synchrony is a measurable neurobiological connection between people

• Most people already have the ability to connect deeply, but noise gets in the way

• The real differentiator in an AI-driven world is authenticity

• AI can simulate empathy, but it cannot create real human connection

• The future will split between scalable AI communication and real human interaction

• Founders who build trust will outperform those who only build products

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🎯 What You Will Learn

• What “synchrony” means and why it matters in business and leadership

• How neuroscience explains trust, connection, and influence

• Why human connection is becoming more important as AI scales

• Simple techniques to build trust faster in conversations

• How founders can improve investor pitches through emotional connection

• The hidden signals people send through language, tone, and behavior

• Why authenticity is the only durable advantage in an AI-driven world

• How to balance AI efficiency with real human relationships

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⏱️ Episode Highlights (Chapters)

00:00 Introduction to Joshua Bernstein and The Age of Synchrony

02:00 Why human connection is declining in the digital age

05:00 What synchrony is and why it matters

08:30 The impact of AI on human relationships

12:00 How to build trust and connection in conversations

16:00 Practical techniques to create synchrony in meetings

20:00 Why introverts can have an advantage in connection

24:00 Trust, authenticity, and emotional decision-making

29:00 Why founders win through connection, not just logic

33:00 AI, digital twins, and the risk of losing human interaction

38:00 The future of human connection in an AI-driven world

44:00 Purpose, meaning, and life in the age of AI

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🔗 Resources Mentioned

• The Age of Synchrony by Joshua Bernstein: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLLFZ4HW/ref=zg_bsnr_g_573358_d_sccl_18/000-0000000-0000000?psc=1

• Vault Profit Partners: https://www.vaultprofitpartners.com/

AI is no longer just about models, prompts, or experimentation. It is becoming infrastructure.

In this episode, I sit down with Shashank Tiwari, CEO and Founder, to unpack one of the biggest shifts happening right now: AI is rapidly commoditizing, and the real value is moving up the stack.

We explore how enterprises are moving from hype to real ROI, why AI agents introduce new risks, and how governance, control, and reliability are becoming critical in the age of autonomous systems.

This conversation goes beyond the noise to focus on what actually matters for builders, operators, and investors.

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👤 About the Guest

Shashank Tiwari is the CEO and Founder of Uno.ai, a Silicon Valley-based company focused on AI-driven automation in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC).

With deep expertise in enterprise systems, AI agents, and risk management, Shashank works closely with large organizations in highly regulated industries such as banking, healthcare, and critical infrastructure.

His work focuses on automating human-centric tasks while maintaining accuracy, reliability, and control.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tshanky/

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🔑 Key Takeaways

• AI models are rapidly becoming commoditized infrastructure

• The real differentiation is shifting to applications, workflows, and execution

• AI agents introduce new categories of risk and governance challenges

• Enterprise AI adoption is moving from experimentation to ROI-driven use cases

• Automation must balance productivity with reliability and control

• The future of AI is solution-centric, not model-centric

• Coding is getting faster, but building products remains complex

• AI may increase productivity, but it also amplifies risks at scale

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📚 What You’ll Learn

• Why LLMs are becoming the “operating system” of AI

• Where real value is created in the AI stack

• How enterprises are measuring AI ROI today

• Why AI agents create new threat vectors

• The challenges of AI governance and compliance

• Why “vibe coding” does not replace product thinking

• How organizations should think about control in autonomous systems

• What the future of AI applications looks like beyond hype

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⏱️ Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction and guest welcome

02:30 From generative AI to AI agents: what changed

05:00 Why AI is becoming commoditized

07:00 The myth and reality of AGI

10:30 AI and new risk landscapes

14:00 AI as a new threat vector in enterprises

18:00 Governance, compliance, and control challenges

22:00 Shadow AI and visibility gaps

26:00 Why you cannot “opt out” of AI

29:00 From hype to ROI: how enterprises are thinking

34:00 AI productivity vs real business impact

37:00 The reality of AI coding and “vibe coding”

43:00 Why building products is still hard

48:00 AI, creativity, and the future of development

51:00 What’s next: automation of human-centric work

54:00 Elevating GRC beyond processes

56:00 Closing thoughts

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🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Uno.ai

• NIST AI Risk Management Framework

• ISO 42001 (AI Management Systems)

In this episode, Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Will Spengler, Founder and Principal of Frederick Fox, to explore how hiring, entrepreneurship, and scaling professional services businesses are evolving in the age of AI.

Will shares his journey from working in staffing firms to building a 70-person company organically, without venture capital. The conversation dives deep into the realities of scaling a services business, the importance of relationships as a competitive moat, and why AI, despite its capabilities, still cannot replace the human element in hiring.

They also discuss how founders should think about hiring finance talent, common mistakes in early-stage hiring, and the leadership lessons learned from building a business from the ground up.

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👤 About the Guest

Will Spengler is the Founder and Principal of Frederick Fox, a staffing and recruiting firm specializing in accounting, finance, technology, and sales roles. Since launching in 2019, Will has grown the company to nearly 70 employees, scaling organically without venture capital or private equity funding.

Frederick Fox focuses on building long-term partnerships with both clients and candidates, with a strong emphasis on human relationships and performance-driven culture.

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🚀 Key Takeaways

• AI is transforming sourcing and data analysis, but human relationships remain critical in hiring

• Bootstrapping a business forces discipline, clarity, and strong execution

• The real moat in professional services is trust and long-term relationships

• Hiring finance talent requires matching both industry and company stage

• Over-hiring or hiring from large companies can hurt early-stage startups

• Scaling requires a clear vision, strong leadership, and people management skills

• Entrepreneurship comes with significant personal and family trade-offs

• Learning in business comes primarily from failure and iteration, not theory

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🎯 What You’ll Learn

• Why AI cannot fully replace recruiters or human interaction in hiring

• How to scale a professional services business without external funding

• The right way to hire your first accountant, controller, or CFO

• Common hiring mistakes founders make in early-stage companies

• How to build a culture of ownership and performance

• Why relationships are becoming more important in an AI-driven world

• What it really takes to build and lead a growing company

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⏱️ Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction and guest background

01:00 Building Frederick Fox and early journey

03:00 Identifying the opportunity in staffing

05:00 Scaling a business without venture capital

07:00 The importance of vision and planning

09:00 Hiring finance talent in startups

13:00 Where to find top accounting and finance talent

15:00 AI’s impact on recruiting and hiring

19:00 Human relationships as a competitive advantage

22:00 Building internal tools and automation

25:00 Creating ownership through equity

28:00 Leadership lessons and personal growth

32:00 Learning through failure in business

35:00 The reality of entrepreneurship

39:00 Closing thoughts and where to connect

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🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Frederick Fox: https://www.frederickfox.com

• Will Spengler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wspengler/