David Zey has spent his career at the intersection of IT leadership, application development, and startup consulting. Today he's an Engineer in Residence at TitletownTech — the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft-backed innovation hub — where he's been running manufacturers and growing businesses through the Microsoft AI Co-innovation Lab in Milwaukee.

In this episode, Brandon and David get into the real-world AI use cases that are actually moving the needle for manufacturers — not "I made an email" ChatGPT stuff, but quoting automation, compliance acceleration, and capturing institutional knowledge before it walks out the door. They also dig into when you should hire inside versus bring in outside help, what Wisconsin's data center buildout means for the region's future, and why the rate of change is becoming a competitive advantage on its own.

This one goes deeper than most — from startup risk profiles to whether AI is making creative thought more disposable. Worth the full listen.

Topics covered:
• How David's consulting background across enterprise, SMB, and startups shaped Zeytech
• Why startups are "any other business compressed" — and what that means for technology decisions
• TitletownTech, the Microsoft AI Co-innovation Lab in Milwaukee, and what the 4-day prototype sprint actually looks like
• Real AI use cases in manufacturing: quoting automation, compliance routing, and knowledge capture
• The workforce knowledge problem — and how AI can act as an institutional memory system
• Build internal AI capability vs. bring in outside help: what David actually recommends
• Over 250 AI use cases reviewed in a year — what patterns keep showing up
• Fractional expertise, long-term partnerships, and why Zeytech's model is harder to market but more fulfilling
• Wisconsin as an emerging tech hub — data centers, corporate ecosystems, and what's coming
• The philosophical side: is AI making creative thought disposable?

Connect with David Zey:
Zeytech — https://www.zeytech.com
TitletownTech — https://titletowntech.com

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Questions about IT or cybersecurity for your business?
https://www.m2.technology/get-in-touch or call 920-362-6869

If you've ever gotten off the phone with your IT provider and thought "that was useless," this episode is going to feel very familiar.

In Episode 53, Brandon and Mike from M2 Technology break down the most common reasons businesses end up unhappy with their managed IT providers - and why the same issues keep coming up over and over.

They cover what changes when VC money enters the MSP space, how support ticket triage systems create friction that discourages people from even calling, the scope-of-work games that lead to surprise invoices, and why hardware markups erode trust faster than almost anything else.

The conversation is honest and pretty direct - because Brandon and Mike are having it with real businesses every week, and the frustration they're hearing is real.

If any of this sounds like your current situation, it might be time to find out what a different kind of IT relationship looks like.

Reach out to M2 Technology at www.m2.technology

Ben Kvalo built a gaming career most people dream about: working on Borderlands 2, NBA 2K, and major franchises at 2K and Blizzard. Then he left Netflix to start Midwest Games in Wisconsin.

This episode isn't your typical gaming interview. We get into the business mechanics of publishing games, why video games might actually extend your life, and what it really takes to leave corporate security behind. Ben breaks down the analytical side of risk-taking, why even failed founders come out ahead, and how he's building a publishing company that supports indie developers across the Midwest.

If you've ever had an idea you're too nervous to pursue, Ben's approach to testing concepts and building systems will give you a framework to think differently about that leap.

New games from Midwest Games include Tomb Water, The Legend of Baboo, and Floor is Wet from Wisconsin's Pyramid Lake Games.

Want to discuss your business technology strategy? Reach out to M2 Technology at m2.technology or call 920-362-6869.