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Tech problems rarely start as tech problems. They start as messy decisions, unclear ownership, and tool sprawl that quietly turns into risk. We’re joined by Charleston-based business and technology advisor Elliott Friedman, who’s lived on every side of the table: founder, operator, CTO, and now a trusted guide for professional service firms and private equity teams navigating growth and complexity. 

We dig into what “holistic” advising really means in practice. Elliott shares the red flags he looks for when a company is headed for trouble, from leadership teams treating technology as a grudging expense to organizations dragging hidden tech debt and paying for SaaS bloat they barely use. We also talk about the difference between building clean systems from day one for a new firm versus reverse-engineering legacy environments during private equity due diligence, where the goal is to reduce risk and create long-term value. 

Then we tackle the topic everyone’s wrestling with: AI. Elliot breaks down ethical AI use for CPAs and other regulated professionals, why dumping sensitive client data into consumer tools is dangerous, and why “AI” can sound confident while being completely wrong. He also tells the story of “vibe coding” a purpose-built CRM on a flight, proving that the right-sized tool can beat a bloated platform when you only need a tight workflow that your team will a

King & Columbus is a full-service marketing and advertising agency based in South Carolina that helps brands grow through a mix of creative storytelling and data-driven strategy. They offer everything from branding and content creation to media planning, digital advertising, and PR—focused on delivering measurable results across digital, social, and traditional channels. https://kingandcolumbus.com

South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) is a public, nonprofit organization that fuels South Carolina’s innovation economy by supporting technology-based startups, academic research, and industry partnerships. Through funding, coaching, and its investment arm SC Launch, SCRA helps early-stage companies grow, commercialize ideas, and scale within the state’s key innovation sectors.

Support the show

Title Sponsor: Charleston American Marketing Association

Presenting Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions

Annual Sponsor: ‪SCRA; South Carolina Research Authority

Quarterly Sponsor: King and Columbus

Cohosts: Stephanie Barrow, Mike Compton, Rachel Backal, Tom Keppeler, Amanda Bunting Comen

Produced and edited: RMBO Advertising

Photographer | Co-host: Kelli Morse

Score by:  The Strawberry Entrée; Jerry Feels Good, CURRYSAUCE, DBLCRWN, DJ DollaMenu
Studio Engineer: Brian Cleary and Mathew Chase

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