Most founders learn leadership through business books, mentors, or painful trial and error. Miguel learned some of his most important leadership lessons at the dinner table.

In this minisode, Miguel reflects on how raising kids, especially through the messiest, most humbling moments, quietly shaped the way he leads his team. The same instinct that makes a founder dangerous at work, the certainty that you know best, is the exact instinct that can damage trust at home and in the office. What fatherhood forced Miguel to learn is that passionate people don't need to be corrected. They need to be heard.

For founders who pride themselves on having the answers, this episode is a useful disruption. The strongest teams, like the strongest families, aren't built by the person who's always right. They're built by the person willing to hold their convictions loosely enough to let others lead. That's a lesson you can't find in a business book. Sometimes it takes a teenager pushing back on AP Spanish to teach you what your leadership team has been trying to tell you all along.

Most entrepreneurs are great at building systems for their business. Calendars, processes, accountability, all of it. But very few build systems for being present. Miguel has been an entrepreneur and a father since he was 17, and one of the hardest lessons he's learned isn't about scaling a firm, it's about learning to actually show up for the moments happening right in front of him.

In this minisode, Miguel shares what it really means to create space for memories and why that discipline matters whether you're a parent or not. The insight is simple but easy to miss: your most vivid memories form when your mind is clear, not when your calendar is full. For founders constantly carrying the weight of what's next, this episode is a reminder that presence is a practice, and that the life you're building a business to support deserves the same intentionality you bring to work. Tune in for a conversation that will make you rethink how you transition out of work mode.

Why do so many AI initiatives fail despite the massive investment and excitement surrounding artificial intelligence?

In this episode, Miguel sits down with Art Shectman , Founder and CEO of Elephant Ventures, to discuss how businesses can move beyond AI experimentation and start creating real operational impact. An MIT-trained engineer and technology leader with more than 20 years of experience, Art shares practical insights on AI adoption, agentic workflows, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

From building autonomous robots at MIT to helping enterprises deploy AI at scale, Art has spent his career at the intersection of technology and business transformation. This conversation explores why organizations struggle with AI implementation, how to identify the right opportunities for automation, and what leaders should focus on as AI continues to reshape the way companies operate.

Other insights from this episode include:

• Why most AI pilots fail and how to improve your chances of success

• How to think about AI agents as semi-autonomous coworkers

• The importance of context, organizational knowledge, and human oversight

• Why shorter development cycles are becoming a competitive advantage

• How founders can avoid common cash flow and scaling mistakes

• The role relationships and trust play in building a successful business

• Practical approaches to AI governance and risk management

• How Amazon is helping fund AI proof-of-concept projects for qualifying businesses

• Why the future of AI depends more on discernment and decision-making than technology alone

About Our Guest

Art Shectman is the Founder and CEO of Elephant Ventures, a digital innovation firm that helps organizations transform ideas into scalable technology solutions. An MIT-trained engineer and longtime entrepreneur, Art has spent more than two decades building innovative systems, leading technology teams, and helping companies navigate digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

Learn more about Elephant Ventures at elephantventures.com

Connect with Miguel on LinkedIn or media@centurionfirm.com