AI DeliveryTechnology Leadership
The adult in the room: what eighteen years taught me that AI can't
AI made building almost free. Surviving production is as hard as it ever was — and that gap is the whole game.
· 4 min read
Insights
Practical thinking for technology leaders
Observations on retail technology strategy, platform decisions, and the reality of transformation. Written for the people making these calls, not the people selling solutions.
Looking for something longer? The guides are step-by-step references you can work through end to end.
AI StrategyTechnology Leadership
Meet ProductMatch: How I Shipped an AI SaaS in Two Weeks
Most companies treat AI as a feature to bolt onto something they already have. I treated it as the product itself — shipped a complete, multi-tenant pricing intelligence SaaS in two weeks, then iterated. Here's the discipline that makes that pace real, not theatre.
· 9 min read
Data StrategyAI
Data: The Foundation of Enterprise AI Success
Why data governance isn't optional. How to avoid the 80% of AI projects that fail before reaching production.
· 8 min read
CRMData Strategy
Why your CRM implementation failed and what to do about it
CRM implementations in retail fail at an alarming rate. This article diagnoses the common failure patterns and provides a practical remediation framework, including when to fix what you have and when to start again.
· 9 min
Due DiligenceLeadership
Standardising technology across a PE portfolio: where to start
Portfolio technology standardisation promises cost savings and operational leverage. This article separates the genuine opportunities from the common pitfalls and provides a phased approach to getting it right.
· 10 min
Vendor SelectionPlatform Strategy
Vendor selection without the theatre: a structured evaluation approach
RFPs, beauty parades, and feature comparisons waste time and lead to poor decisions. Here is a structured, practical approach to evaluating technology vendors that actually works.
· 10 min
LeadershipRetail
The retail operating model nobody talks about: technology as a product function
Most retail businesses treat technology as a cost centre. This article makes the case for embedding technology as a product function, and provides a practical blueprint for what a modern retail tech operating model looks like.
· 9 min
ArchitecturePlatform Strategy
Building an integration strategy that does not collapse under its own weight
Integrations are where most retail technology programmes fail. A practical guide to architecture patterns, middleware decisions, vendor management, and the human side of keeping systems connected.
· 11 min
ArchitectureE-commerce
Headless vs monolith: a practical decision framework for retailers
Cut through the hype. A structured framework for deciding whether headless commerce, monolithic platforms, or a composable middle ground is the right architecture for your retail business.
· 10 min
Due DiligenceTransformation
Post-acquisition technology playbook: the first 100 days
You have closed the deal. Now what? A practical guide to the technology decisions that matter most in the first 100 days after acquiring a retail or commerce business.
· 11 min
AI StrategyRetail
Where AI actually helps retail operations today
Separating genuine operational value from vendor hype. A practical guide to where AI delivers measurable results in retail, and where it is still mostly theatre.
· 9 min
Due DiligenceInvestment
Technology due diligence: what investors actually need to know
Most tech due diligence reports tell investors what the stack looks like. They rarely tell you whether it will support the investment thesis. Here is what to actually look for.
· 10 min
TransformationLeadership
What usually goes wrong in retail technology transformation
After 18 years and dozens of transformation programmes, these are the patterns I see repeatedly. Most failures are not technical. They are organisational.
· 11 min
Data StrategyCRM
Do you actually need a CDP?
The CDP market is crowded and confusing. Before you sign a six-figure contract, here is how to work out whether a customer data platform will solve your actual problem.
· 9 min
AI StrategyTechnology Leadership
Sally Doesn't Sleep: How I Built an AI Agent That Runs My Practice While I'm at the Gym
Most people use AI as a smarter search engine. I built an AI agent called Sally that operates as infrastructure — managing projects, surfacing priorities, and scaffolding work before the first coffee. Here's what happens when you stop using AI and start building with it.
· 6 min read
Platform StrategyE-commerce
When is it actually time to replatform?
Most replatforming decisions are made too early, too late, or for the wrong reasons. Here is how to tell when the pain is real and the business case stacks up.
· 10 min
Technology LeadershipFractional CTO
What a Fractional CTO actually does (and when you need one)
The fractional CTO model is growing in popularity, but the role is often misunderstood. Here's what it actually involves, when it works, and when it doesn't.
· 8 min read
AI StrategyRetail
AI in retail: separating what works from what's theatre
After advising several retailers on AI adoption, here's what I've seen actually deliver results , and what tends to be expensive distraction.
· 7 min read
Platform StrategyE-commerce
How to choose an e-commerce platform without getting it wrong
Platform selection is one of the highest-stakes technology decisions a retail business makes. Here's a framework for making it well.
· 9 min read