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Start At Zero

Start At Zero

Written by: Abhijit Verekar
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Start at Zero is a conversation-first podcast about what it actually takes to modernize technology, build a business from scratch, and make sense of AI without the hype. Episodes range from focused 15-minute interviews with government leaders and tech founders to longer deep dives where I walk through what I'm building in real time - the AI agents, the automation stack, the hard lessons from 20 years of consulting.


The tone is direct and honest. I don't do scripted questions or softball setups. I want the story behind the story - what went wrong, what you'd do differently, what nobody in the room was willing to say. Guests should expect a conversation that feels like two people working through a real problem together, not a performance.


Topics include government technology, AI in the real world, entrepreneurship, consulting, procurement, and the messy intersection of all of them. Some episodes are interviews, some are just me thinking out loud about something I built or broke that week.


If you've got a real story - something you built, something that failed, a lesson that cost you - you'll fit right in here. I'll send a loose topic outline beforehand, but the best episodes happen when we go off-script.

© 2026 Start At Zero Economics
Episodes
  • State CIOs Just Made AI Their #1 Priority…

    State CIOs Just Made AI Their #1 Priority…
    Sep 20 2026

    Essay. From Start at Zero.

    State CIOs just made AI their #1 priority. Meanwhile, 88% of AI agent projects never reach production. What that gap means for public buyers.

    Read the essay: https://avavero.substack.com/p/state-cios-just-made-ai-their-1-priority

    Type: Essay (solo). Guests remain biweekly.

    Navigator: govai.averoadvisors.com
    Start at Zero: startatzero.averoadvisors.com

    This episode uses a digital voice modeled on Abhijit Verekar where noted by the platform.

    📅 Let’s Stay Connected:
    Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help!

    Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation
    ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report

    Top Public Sector ERP Systems: :
    ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml

    Learn More About Avero:
    ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com

    Connect With Us:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors

    Connect With AV:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar

    (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com

    ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.
    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • Responsible AI Governance: How Public Sector Leaders Avoid Costly Mistakes

    Responsible AI Governance: How Public Sector Leaders Avoid Costly Mistakes
    Mar 26 2026

    AI is already inside your organization — whether you’ve approved it or not.

    In this episode of Untangled, we break down what responsible AI governance actually looks like for local government leaders. This isn’t about buying tools. It’s about building structure before scale.

    We cover:

    • Why AI adoption without governance creates hidden risk
    • The four pillars of readiness: data hygiene, strategy alignment, governance, and management capability
    • Why traditional monthly IT committees won’t work for AI
    • How to balance innovation with public trust and transparency
    • What the NIST AI framework means in practical terms
    • Why understanding your AI maturity level is the first real step

    AI doesn’t remove risk. It multiplies whatever foundation already exists.

    If your organization hasn’t defined ownership, decision rights, monitoring, and policy guardrails — AI is already running ahead of you.

    This conversation is designed for CIOs, city managers, department heads, and governing bodies who want to deploy AI responsibly — without becoming the next cautionary headline.

    #LocalGovernment #GovTech #AIinGovernment #AIGovernance #PublicSectorLeadership #TechnologyGovernance #DigitalTransformation #DataGovernance

    📅 Let’s Stay Connected:
    Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help!

    Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation
    ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report

    Top Public Sector ERP Systems: :
    ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml

    Learn More About Avero:
    ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com

    Connect With Us:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors

    Connect With AV:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar

    (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com

    ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • How Long Should Digital Transformation Really Take?

    How Long Should Digital Transformation Really Take?
    Mar 12 2026

    How long should digital transformation actually take?

    Nine months? Twelve? Eighteen? Two years?

    In this episode of Untangled, we break down what truly determines a realistic public sector transformation timeline — and why the answer has far less to do with technology and far more to do with change management, staff capacity, contract negotiations, sunset pressures, and governance.

    We cover:

    • Why readiness and selection can move quickly — but implementation cannot
    • The role of change management in timeline compression
    • What “go-live” really means (and why vendors don’t get to define it)
    • How sunset dates and vendor pressure distort planning
    • Why agencies without an independent advisor often overspend and overextend

    If you're planning an ERP implementation or facing a system sunset, this conversation will help you separate urgency from reality.

    #LocalGovernment #GovTech #ERP #DigitalTransformation #ChangeManagement #PublicSectorLeadership #TechnologyGovernance

    📅 Let’s Stay Connected:
    Hit subscribe so you don’t miss our latest episode. We also go live weekly with more industry insights, so be sure to join us! And if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments—we’re here to help!

    Government IT Modernization and ERP Strategies for 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Sector Transformation
    ➡ https://conference.averoadvisors.com/2025report

    Top Public Sector ERP Systems: :
    ➡ https://share.hsforms.com/1ee49ru4aSpe3x4Byzuqifgeexml

    Learn More About Avero:
    ➡ https://www.averoadvisors.com

    Connect With Us:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/averoadvisors
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/averoadvisors
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averoadvisors
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@averoadvisors

    Connect With AV:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verekar

    (865) 415-3848 | info@averoadvisors.com

    ©2025. Avero Advisors. All Rights Reserved.
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
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