Épisodes

  • AI Strategy Gap Between Business Leaders and Engineers Breaking Companies with Craig Heile

    AI Strategy Gap Between Business Leaders and Engineers Breaking Companies with Craig Heile
    May 15 2026
    In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization Podcast, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo talk with Craig Heile, Head of GTM AI Solutions at Ascend AI Labs, also the Co-founder and Advisor at Launch GTM. With AI technology advancing at an unprecedented pace, there is often a significant gap between the expectations of business leaders and the technical capabilities of engineers. Craig shares his expertise on how to bridge this gap, ensuring that AI can be effectively integrated into business operations to create lasting value.From understanding AI’s transformative potential to addressing fears among engineers about job displacement, this conversation covers the strategic and operational challenges companies face as they adapt to a rapidly changing technological landscape. Craig also discusses how engineers can evolve into internal advisors, working alongside business teams to optimize workflows and drive innovation.Expect to Learn:- The challenges business owners face when communicating AI needs to engineers.- How to align business strategies with AI integration.- Insights into the evolving role of engineers and AI in organizations.- Practical steps for creating sustainable AI strategies in business.Timestamps:[00:00] - Teaser[01:29] - Introduction[03:00] - The Gap Between Business Owners and Engineers[07:10] - The AI Knowledge Gap[10:55] - Identifying Early Signs of AI Disconnect[13:30] - Managing Shadow AI in Organizations[15:26] - Engineers’ Fear of AI Integration[18:06] - The Changing Role of Middle Management[19:55] - Building a Durable AI Strategy[24:11] - Preparing for AI Transitions: What’s Next?[35:53] - Conclusion📱 Follow the Guest Craig Heile:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-heile/Company LinkedIn:- Ascend AI Labs: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascendailabs/- Launch GTM: https://www.linkedin.com/company/launchgtm/Company Website:- Ascend AI Labs: https://ascendlabs.ai/- Launch GTM: https://launchgtm.com/Company Instagram:- Ascend AI Labs: https://www.instagram.com/ascendlabs.ai📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/📱 Follow Holonic:👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/
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    32 min
  • AI Reliability in Legal Tech for Law Firms to Build Trustworthy Automation with Adam Paulisick

    AI Reliability in Legal Tech for Law Firms to Build Trustworthy Automation with Adam Paulisick
    May 8 2026
    In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo talk with Adam Paulisick, Chief Executive Officer at Skilly, Distinguished Service Professor, Lead Instructor, and Occasional Founder of Executive Education at Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science. He is also Founder and maad Scientist at maad labs, Advisor of Sales and Product at ViralMoment and Advisor of Sales and Go-To-Market at BlastPoint. Adam brings a wealth of knowledge from his experience in AI, product entrepreneurship, and human-computer interaction. He is currently building Skilly, a company deploying AI agents that onboard and train employees in a human-like manner. In this engaging conversation, Adam dives into the challenges and opportunities that AI brings to teams, the dynamics of acquisitions, and how leaders can thrive in the fast-changing tech landscape.Adam Paulisick is a seasoned entrepreneur, having led three companies through successful acquisitions. With a background in AI, human-computer interaction, and entrepreneurship, Adam has also taught at Carnegie Mellon for over a decade. He’s passionate about blending technology with human interaction, and he's currently building Skilly AI agents that train and onboard employees. Adam's career has intersected various domains, from tech to psychology, providing him with a unique perspective on innovation, leadership, and team dynamics.Expect to Learn:- Insights into the effects of acquisitions on teams and the challenges of integrating human talent with AI. - How AI is reshaping job descriptions and team structures, and how curiosity and soft skills are more valuable than ever. - The importance of interdisciplinary thinking and collaboration in fostering innovation. - The role of AI in augmenting human capabilities and its impact on employee productivity and decision-making. - How personal routine and self-awareness play a crucial role in maintaining balance while navigating the entrepreneurial journey.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:[00:00:00] – Teaser[00:01:24] – Adam’s experience with acquisitions.[00:05:28] – Distribution vs. differentiation.[00:07:19] – Integrating AI with humans.[00:11:12] – Proactive change management.[00:13:32] – Skilly’s “AI Fridays.”[00:21:05] – Job descriptions evolve with AI.[00:26:12] – Curiosity and soft skills matter.[00:30:08] – Empathy + AI = success.[00:41:02] – Skilly’s AI agents.[00:52:07] – AI enhances customer journeys.[00:52:46] – Adam’s routine and avoiding burnout.[00:58:25] – Conclusion📱 Follow Guest Adam Paulisick:👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulisick/ 👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulisick/ 👉Company LinkedIn:- Skilly: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skillyai/ - Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science: https://www.linkedin.com/school/cmuscs/ - maad labs: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maad-labs/ - ViralMoment: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viralmoment/ - BlastPoint: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blastpoint/ 👉Company Website: - Skilly: https://www.skillyai.com/ - Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science: https://www.scs.cmu.edu/ - maad labs: https://maadlabs.io/ - ViralMoment: https://viralmoment.com/ - BlastPoint: http://www.blastpoint.com/ 👉Company Instagram:- Skilly: https://www.instagram.com/skillyai/ - Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science: https://www.instagram.com/scsatcmu/ - maad labs: https://www.instagram.com/maadlabs/ - ViralMoment: https://www.instagram.com/getviralmoment/ 📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/ 📱 Follow Holonic:👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/
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    59 min
  • How to Build Reliable AI Systems: When Hallucinations Are Inevitable with Justin Waltrip

    How to Build Reliable AI Systems: When Hallucinations Are Inevitable with Justin Waltrip
    May 1 2026
    In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo talk with Justin Waltrip, Co-founder & Data Scientist at SQUARY AI. Justin has been at the forefront of AI development since 2015, well before the current AI boom took hold. With a deep background in data science and machine learning, he has spent years building AI solutions that tackle complex problems in various industries. Justin focuses on leveraging AI to streamline and enhance the legal industry’s often cumbersome document review processes. Under his leadership, SQUARY AI is developing tools that help law firms and legal departments improve productivity, reduce time spent on manual tasks, and ensure more reliable, efficient outcomes. In this episode, Justin shares his journey, the challenges of building AI for legal tech, and how he and his team are rethinking how technology can support legal professionals.Expect to Learn:- Insights into the challenges of building AI for legal tech- The importance of testing in AI development- How AI tools can reduce tedious work for lawyers while maintaining high standards of accuracy and reliability- The evolving role of AI in the legal field and potential for future automationTimestamps:[00:00] - Teaser[01:13] - Introducing Justin Waltrip[02:15] - AI Engineering Challenges and Overlooked Disciplines[04:05] - Managing AI Unpredictability and Reliability[06:24] - Hallucinations in AI: Can They Be Eliminated?[08:42] - SQUARY AI's Pivot into Legal Tech[14:33] - Engineering for 100% Reliability[17:40] - Pushback from the Legal Industry on Efficiency Tools[23:12] - Managing a Small Startup Team[25:19] - Hiring for Culture and Vision Fit at SQUARY AI [30:58] - Navigating Investor Expectations and Growth[33:48] - Future Plans for SQUARY AI'S Product Development[38:19] - How to Learn More About SQUARY AI📱 Follow Guest Justin Waltrip:👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-waltrip-53082b17b/ 👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justin.waltrip8408?👉Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/squary-ai/ 👉Company Website: https://www.squary.ai/ 👉Company X: https://x.com/CognistX 📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/ 📱 Follow Holonic:👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/
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    39 min
  • How Agentic Engineering Is Replacing Entire Dev Teams and Exposing System Failures with Paul Seibert

    How Agentic Engineering Is Replacing Entire Dev Teams and Exposing System Failures with Paul Seibert
    Apr 17 2026
    In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization Podcast, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo along with Guest Paul Seibert, eCommerce Director of Oracle | NetSuite ERP, SuiteCommerce Advanced, Shopify Plus at Seibert Consulting Group and Founding Member of San Diego Tech Hub talks about the hidden failure modes of software projects through the lens of forensic analysis, legal accountability, and emerging AI-driven development models. The conversation explores how multimillion-dollar software collapses happen, what warning signs teams miss, and how agentic engineering is reshaping the future of software teams.Paul Seibert is a seasoned software expert witness, forensic analyst, and consultant specializing in high-stakes litigation and enterprise systems. With experience testifying in federal bankruptcy cases and exposing systemic data vulnerabilities in major tech platforms, Paul brings a rare combination of technical, legal, and ethical insight into how software systems fail and what organizations must do to prevent it.Expect to Learn- How to identify early forensic “fingerprints” of failing software projects- The role of contracts, statements of work, and financial data in uncovering fraud- Why AI is transforming legal discovery and reducing law firm headcount- When engineers have a moral obligation to become whistleblowers- How agentic engineering is redefining team structure and developer productivityEpisode Breakdown with Timestamps[00:00:00] - Teaser[00:00:47] - Introduction & Guest Background[00:01:48] - Spotting Failing Projects Early[00:03:24] - Forensic Accounting & Fraud Indicators[00:05:03] - AI’s Impact on Legal Discovery (ESI)[00:09:10] - Fraud: Intent vs Systemic Failure[00:11:10] - The Critical Role of Statements of Work[00:14:40] - Whistleblowing & Ethical Responsibility[00:17:51] - Who Owns Responsibility: Customer vs Corporation?[00:23:26] - Agentic Engineering vs Traditional Teams[00:26:56] - Avoiding the “Technical Debt Grave” with AI[00:28:44] - Human + AI: The New Engineering Partnership[00:33:33] - The Future of Engineering Careers[00:40:18] - Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Paul📱 Follow the Guest Paul Seibert:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulseibert1/👉Company Profile on LinkedIn:Seibert Consulting Group: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seibertconsulting/San Diego Tech Hub: https://www.linkedin.com/company/san-diego-tech-hub/👉Company Profile on Instagram:Seibert Consulting Group: https://www.instagram.com/seibertconsultinggroup/San Diego Tech Hub: https://www.instagram.com/sandiegotechhub/👉Company Profile on Facebook:San Diego Tech Hub: https://www.facebook.com/SanDiegoTechHub/👉Company Website:Seibert Consulting Group: https://www.seibertconsulting.com/📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/📱 Follow Holonic:👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/
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    41 min
  • How to Translate Business Strategy into Code That Actually Ships with Craig Klein

    How to Translate Business Strategy into Code That Actually Ships with Craig Klein
    Apr 10 2026
    In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo talk with Craig Klein, President & CEO of SalesNexus and Official Member of Forbes Agency Council. The conversation explores why traditional empathy-driven approaches often fail with developers and how aligning teams through logic, economics, and human understanding can unlock high-performance collaboration. They unpack the psychology behind developers, the evolution of product-minded engineers, and how AI is reshaping the future of software development.With over two decades of experience at the intersection of sales strategy and engineering execution, Craig specializes in translating business needs into technical outcomes. His unique perspective blends sales psychology, product thinking, and real-world leadership experience, making him a powerful voice on aligning teams across disciplines.Expect to Learn - Why developers respond better to logic and economics than user personas - How to bridge the gap between sales, product, and engineering teams - The real role of product managers: translator, bridge, or something else - How AI is changing the role of developers and what won’t change - Practical strategies for building trust, communication, and high-performing teams Episode Breakdown with Timestamps[00:00:00] – Teaser[00:00:49] – Introduction[00:05:39] – Why Engineers Prefer Economics Over Empathy[00:10:03] – Does Business Context Change Code Quality?[00:11:43] – Misconceptions Between Developers & Customers[00:14:20] – The True Role of Product Managers[00:19:07] – Building Trust & Understanding Motivation[00:22:08] – Why Team-Building Events are Important?[00:25:13] – Lessons Learned: Hiring & Product Leadership[00:35:58] – The Future of Developers in an AI-Driven[00:41:05] – Human vs AI in Hiring[00:44:29] – Evolution of the Product-Minded Engineers[00:47:46] – Building AI-Powered Sales Tools[00:52:19] – Managing Distributed Engineering[01:00:52] – Final Thoughts on Alignment & Team[01:02:59] – Where to Find Craig & Closing Remarks📱 Follow the Guest Craig Klein:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kleincraig/👉Company Facebook:Sales Nexus: https://www.facebook.com/SalesNexusCRMForbes Agency Council: https://www.facebook.com/ForbesCouncils/👉Company Instagram:Forbes Agency Council:https://www.instagram.com/Forbes_Councils/👉Company LinkedIn:Sales Nexus: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salesnexus/Forbes Agency Council: https://www.linkedin.com/company/forbesagencycouncil/👉Company Website:Sales Nexus: https://salesnexus.com/Forbes Agency Council: https://councils.forbes.com/forbesagencycouncil📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/📱 Follow Holonic:👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/
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    1 h et 5 min
  • The Remote Team Blueprint for Startup Founders to Build Engineering Culture that Scales - Ariel Ades

    The Remote Team Blueprint for Startup Founders to Build Engineering Culture that Scales - Ariel Ades
    Mar 27 2026
    In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo talk with Ariel Ades, former Co-founder and CTO of TBM Labs and previously Senior Engineering Manager at iConnections and Holonic. The conversation explores how culture, hiring philosophy, and resilience shape successful teams from the ground up. Ariel Ades shares lessons from scaling engineering teams across fintech and healthcare, with a focus on nearshore talent, remote leadership, and navigating failure as a core part of innovation.Ariel Ades is an experienced engineering leader with over 25 years in the tech industry. He has played a pivotal role in building and scaling teams in fintech and healthcare, including serving as the first engineer at a startup where he shaped both the technical architecture and company culture. Ariel specializes in nearshore team building, distributed systems, and leadership strategies that blend technical excellence with human-centered thinking.Expect to Learn-How to build strong engineering culture from day one-Why understanding the “why” behind a product drives team performance- The real advantages of nearshore teams beyond cost savings-How to use failure as a strategic learning tool in startups- Why hiring for mindset and passion beats hiring for resumeEpisode Breakdown with Timestamps[00:00:00] – Teaser[00:01:20] – Introduction [00:02:57] – Building Culture as the First Engineer[00:06:02] – Early Hiring Mistakes & Team Growth[00:07:48] – Learning Through Failure[00:10:53] – The Problem with “Routine” Post-Mortems[00:13:57] – The First User Failure Story[00:18:38] – Nearshore Teams: Myth vs Reality[00:24:44] – Trust vs Control in Remote Leadership[00:37:40] – Common Mistakes in Remote Engineering Management[00:41:46] – AI vs Human Engineers[01:00:00] – Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Ariel📱 Follow the Guest Ariel Ades:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-ades/👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ariel.ades/👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariel.ades/👉Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tbm-labs/👉Company Website: https://tbmlabs.com/📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/ 📱 Follow Holonic:👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/
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    1 h et 1 min
  • The Truth About Scaling Dev Teams Without Funding in a World of AI and Mistrust with Sol Nasisi

    The Truth About Scaling Dev Teams Without Funding in a World of AI and Mistrust with Sol Nasisi
    Mar 13 2026
    In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo talk with Sol Nasisi is an Executive Director of Digital Marketing at Bentley University, also Co-founder of Chainletter Labs and Founder of Booksie. He is an entrepreneur who has built several companies with intentionally small engineering teams. Together, they talk about the philosophy behind running lean, agile teams, the challenges of scaling without compromising speed, and how blockchain can help solve the pressing issue of authenticity in the age of AI-generated content.Sol’s journey spans startups like Bentley Bookie and Chain Letter, where he focused on making sure documents and data are verifiable in a world where everything can be manipulated. If you’re curious about building efficient teams, scaling trust, and exploring blockchain solutions to verify digital assets, this episode is for you. With years of experience working with small, agile teams, Sol shares his insights on optimizing team dynamics and navigating the challenges of growing a business without losing momentum.What You’ll Learn:- Building Efficient Teams: Why keeping engineering teams small can lead to faster innovation and more flexibility.- Challenges of Scaling: How to know when it’s time to grow your team and the factors to consider when expanding.- Blockchain for Authenticity: How blockchain can ensure that documents and content haven’t been altered, especially in the age of AI manipulation.- Trust and Transparency: Why trust is crucial in both teams and products, and how it can be scaled through technology.- Bootstrapping vs. Raising Capital: Sol’s personal philosophy on growing a business without relying on outside investment.Timestamps:[00:00] – Teaser[00:59] – Introduction of Sol Nasisi[07:24] – The Balance of Scaling the Team[09:55] – The Decision Not to Raise Venture Capital[11:53] – The Importance of Dependability in Hiring[16:04] – Trust and Philosophies in Development[24:26] – Tackling the Question of Trust in AI-Generated Content[26:39] – Blockchain’s Role in Establishing Truth[34:55] – Future Applications & Chain Letter’s Upcoming Developments[37:01] – Closing Thoughts📱 Follow the Guest Sol Nasisi:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solnasisi/ 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sol.nasisi/ 📱 Follow Guest Companies:👉 Bentley University LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/bentley-university/ 👉 Bentley University Website: https://www.bentley.edu/ 👉 Bentley University Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bentleyu/?hl=en 👉 Chainletter Labs LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chainletter-labs/ 👉 Chainletter Labs Website: https://chainletterlabs.com/ 👉 Booksie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booksie-thenextbigwriter-llc/ 👉 Booksie Website: https://www.booksie.com/ 👉 Booksie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/booksiewriting/mentions/ 📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/ 👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/📱 Follow Holonic:👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/ 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/
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    38 min
  • How Startup Founders Can Avoid MVP Failure and Build Validated Products Using AI with Tom Green

    How Startup Founders Can Avoid MVP Failure and Build Validated Products Using AI with Tom Green
    Mar 6 2026
    In this episode of The Dark Arts of Team Optimization, hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo talk with Tom Green, Co-founder and CEO of Verticode where he breaks down how early-stage founders especially non-technical ones, can move from idea to market faster by working backward from value, validating before building, and using tight feedback loops to avoid expensive mistakes.Verticode, a product studio that helps founders launch MVPs quickly while reducing risk and avoiding the typical sunk-cost trap of early product development. He’s worked hands-on with early-stage startups many led by non-technical founders and draws on experience from corporate product environments and startup building in the Bay Area.Expect to Learn- Why MVP success starts before a single line of code through validation and clarity- How Verti Code’s two-week sprint model differs from traditional dev agencies- Where AI helps founders most and where it can quietly hurt them- What “good vs. bad” scaling looks like after early traction especially with dev teams- Why Tom believes founders should prioritize sales over fundraisingEpisode Breakdown with Timestamps[00:00:00] - Teaser[00:01:21] - Introduction to Tom Green[00:02:27] - Tom’s “MVP pain” realization: corporate vs startup MVP reality[00:04:02] - Tom’s path: Amex → first startup attempt → Berkeley → founder lessons[00:08:33] - What makes Verti Code different: speed, transparency, productized sprints, AI guardrails[00:13:01] - Common founder mistake: thinking validation starts after building[00:19:15] - MVP risk + funding: why pre-seed is tough + “skin in the game”[00:22:09] - AI shortcuts: what they help with vs what founders must still own[00:26:58] - After MVP: avoiding vendor lock-in, iterating well, and scaling safely[00:34:27] - The “silver bullet”: prioritize sales over fundraising[00:37:42] - What’s next: building a founder community across regions[00:39:11] - Conclusion📱 Follow the Guest Tom Green :👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-green-vtcd/👉 Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticodevb/👉 Company Website: https://www.verticode.co.uk/👉 Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_verticode_👉 Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verticode/mentions/📱 Follow the Hosts Kyle Johnson and Franz Aliquo:👉 Kyle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclaytonjohnson/👉 Franz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-aliquo/📱 Follow Holonic:👉 Website: https://www.becomeholonic.com/👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomeholonic/
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    41 min