About

About this Blog

I'm starting this blog because I think the world is in an interesting spot. As a self-taught software engineer, technical expertise has historically been the value I've offered the world. Seemingly overnight, AI has changed the value of expertise as a commodity. It hasn't erased its value entirely, but it has changed the way it is distributed and made 'expertise' more accessible. This isn't a bad thing, but in this new environment, execution becomes critical for existing experts.

Zooming out a level, many people realize these changes will have profound impact on society. It takes a bit of imagination, but most of the upcoming challenges will also be opportunities for some. The first step is to envision what the world will look like in 3, 5, 10 years and beyond.

One of these changes is that small businesses without a clear AI strategy will get 'siphoned up' or 'squashed,' by larger businesses utilizing the technology. The user-interface isn't the moat it was in web 2.0, it can be replicated by a coding agent. Without the interface value, small businesses essentially become 'books of business' to be acquired by larger businesses at a much lower multiple than they would've been pre-AI. That is the 'siphon' outcome - the 'squashed' outcome is that the bigger business simply poaches the customers. Luckily, small businesses can strategically deploy AI to increase operational and customer acquisition efficiency - boosting their multiples for a 'siphon' scenario and avoiding the 'squashing' scenario and, maybe even unlocking a third option of 'direct competition.' Many small businesses have one thing that many large businesses do not and that is agility.

I plan to write about all of these things and more including occasional overlap with my hobbies: running, cooking, photography, and learning to paint.

About Me

I'm Jeff Wickham - technologist, hobbyist, and thinker. I serve as VP of Technology at a growing HR-tech firm based in Cincinnati, OH where I lead data-driven iniatives that solve client problems and make our teams more efficient.

Over fifteen years ago I discovered the joy of using computers to build systems. Since then, I haven't stopped building and learning - both for work and for fun. Several years ago I earned an MBA so I could better understand the inner workings of business and contribute more meaningfully to business strategy discussions.

In my free-time I enjoy many hobbies. Running and cooking are the most consistently practiced while photography and painting are more cyclical. For me, running serves as both a physical and mental pursuit. Long runs are a great time to think and connect with nature.

I live in Columbia, MD (between Baltimore and D.C.) with my wife and our dog Garmin. Garmin has the energy of a Jack Russell, the herding tendencies of a Corgi, and the cuddling and sun-affinity of a house cat.