Become a $1M/yr FDE (Full Course)

Google's most advanced audio models are LIVE, try them for yourself:

Gemini 3.8 Live: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/gemini-3.8-live

Gemini 3.5 Transcribe https://startup-ideas-pod.link/gemini-3.5-transcribe

Gemini 3.5 Live Translate: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/gemini-3.5-live-translate

In this episode, I talk with Vas from Varick about what it takes to put AI to work inside a real company. Vas makes the case that AI pays off through process reengineering, and he walks me through the exact method his forward deployed engineers (FDEs) use: interviews, process mining, step sorting, and agents built inside existing systems of record. We go through real engagements, including a $5B public software company and an accounts payable overhaul that cut the cost per invoice from $31 to $6. By the end, you get a clear picture of the FDE role, the business opportunity behind AI roll-ups, and a five-day plan to start on your own.

Links Mentioned:

FDE Presentation: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/FDE-slides

Vas’s Article: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/vas-fde

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

01:31 – Sponsor: Google

03:58 – FDE Overview

05:02 – AI Roll-Ups and Process Reengineering

08:04 – The Personal Systems Analogy

09:55 – Understanding a company’s process (step-by-step)

14:11 – Case Study: $5B Software Company

18:11 – 4 Buckets for Every Step

19:04 – Build Inside Systems of Record

21:36 – Case Study: PE Portfolio

23:43 – Selling to C-Suite Executives

27:07 – Process of Mapping Five NetSuite Companies

28:39 – Example: Accounts Payable Process Map

32:54 – Case Study: 60-Person Accounting Firm

34:51 – When to Use Code, Agents, or Humans

36:00 – Choosing AI Models

38:16 – Sidekick vs Background Agents

40:29 – The 3 Skills of a Top FDE

42:25 – Why FDEs Earn So Much

45:26 – Five-Day Starter Plan

47:39 – On-Premise Hardware Demand

48:36 – OpenAI Private Intelligence

50:20 – The Full Playbook

52:01 – Closing Thoughts

Key Points

• AI pays off when you re-engineer the process first, then build agents into it.
• Map the real process with interviews, system-of-record mining, and existing docs.
• Sort every step into four buckets: delete, plain code, agent, or human decision.
• Build agents inside the tools clients already use, like Salesforce, NetSuite, and Slack.
• Sell the outcome each buyer cares about, and prove it with before-and-after KPIs.
• Top FDEs combine domain knowledge, production engineering, AI judgment, and strong communication.

The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com

LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/

FIND ME ON SOCIAL

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/

FIND VAS ON SOCIAL

Varick Agents: https://www.varickagents.com/#hero-section

X/Twitter: https://x.com/vasuman

AI Forward Deployed Engineers: https://learn.varickagents.com/fde-in-30-days