Evolved Radio

Ashley Cooper on Lovable, Local-First AI Apps, and Safe Agent Workflows for MSPs The host interviews Ashley Cooper (COO at Cyber Drain, VP of Community at Rewst) about her use of Lovable and other AI coding tools to build small, local-first, deterministic apps and learn through prompting. Ashley describes receiving a Lovable contributor gift after ranking in the top 0.01% of users, her early failed attempt to rebuild community software, and her shift to rapid, browser-based prototypes like JSON-to-CSV converters, receipt/expense and food trackers, and a webhook-driven PSA time-entry timer. She explains her workflow moving from Lovable scaffolding to GitHub/VS Code with Copilot, plus experimenting with Bolt and tools like OpenClaw, emphasizing trust boundaries, least privilege, and treating agents like employees. They discuss prompt engineering using philosophical mental models, risks of unvetted "vibe-coded" SaaS, and advising MSPs to start with data readiness and education before deploying AI for clients. This episode is brought to you by Opsleader Pro. A place for MSP owners and managers to get the systems and tools they need to build a stable and growing MSP. Part group coaching, part peer group, everything you need to run a successful MSP. 00:00 Meet Ashley Cooper 01:17 Lovable Gift Surprise 03:01 Early Builds and Lessons 05:25 Hackathon One Shot Apps 09:34 Finding Ideas to Build 11:00 Viral AI Side Projects 14:09 Keeping or Killing Projects 18:22 Local First Automation Wins 19:51 Beyond Lovable Toolchain 24:03 OpenClaw Risks and Power 30:49 AI As Employee 31:18 Stress And Bias 32:02 Context Anxiety 34:52 Prompt Writing Workflow 37:23 Mental Model Prompts 41:44 Deep Instruction Sources 47:20 SaaS Apocalypse Debate 49:53 MSP AI Readiness 53:47 Education And Governance 56:30 Closing Thoughts

Welcome back to another episdoe of the Evolved Radio Podcast! In this episode, I'm joined by Peter Melby and Ryan Barton with New Charter Technologies. Sure, AI is everywhere these days, but we cut through the hype to talk about how things actually changed when ChatGPT hit the scene and suddenly put powerful AI tools in the hands of everyone. Ryan shares how that breakthrough moment inspired him to roll up his sleeves and experiment with AI in real business scenarios. Peter talks about why New Charter decided to take a hands-on approach with AI, instead of just waiting around for vendors to figure it out. We talk honestly about what's working, what isn't, and why sometimes you just have to make your own path with new technology. If you want an inside look at how AI is impacting MSPs or you're just curious about what's really possible right now, tune in! We've got practical insights, plenty of candid takes, and even a few laughs along the way. This episode is brought to you by Opsleader Pro. A place for MSP owners and managers to get the systems and tools they need to build a stable and growing MSP. Part group coaching, part peer group, everything you need to run a successful MSP.

Welcome to another insightful episode of the Evolved Radio Podcast! Today, we dig into the timeless wisdom of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." with Andrea Caldwell, VP of Coaching and consulting at Franklin Covey. Celebrating the book's 35th anniversary, Andrea sheds light on why Stephen Covey's principles have stood the test of time, attributing their longevity to the foundational truths they encapsulate. We explore how these habits have shaped our personal and professional lives, emphasizing the significance of paradigms, proactive behavior, and continuous self-renewal. Whether you're familiar with Covey's work or new to these concepts, this episode promises to offer valuable insights into creating a more intentional and effective life. So let's go! This episode is brought to you by Evolved Management Training Courses. Online courses specifically crafted for MSP needs. A Service Manager BootCamp course, a project manager for MSPs course, an MSP Account Management course course, and an IT Documentation Done Right course.

Today on the Evolved Radio Podcast, we continue our series on Rethinking the vCIO role in MSPs. I'm joined by Jim Tarala from VCIO University to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the vCIO role. We'll explore the importance of role clarity, client segmentation, and tips for distinguishing between account managers and vCIOs. Jim shares valuable insights into the need for a strategic approach when targeting different client segments and how MSPs can create value with vCIO services. Listen for more actionable strategies to refine your client interactions and elevate the services you provide. This episode is brought to you by Evolved Management Training Courses. Check out my latest course! MSP Account Management.

In today's episode, I'm joined by Alex Farling from Empath. In the last episode, Luis Giraldo and I were talking about vCIO. Alex was listening to the episode and took up my challenge to fight us in the comments. Alex has lots of opinions and experience in the vCIO field, having built one of the leading platforms for vCIO out there. Interestingly, even Alex says he hates the term vCIO and explains why. We also discuss "firing" clients, the critical role of communication in maintaining positive relationships, agendas, and the nuanced roles required in smaller MSPs. This is another episode packed with insights and on the role of account management in the MSP space. So get ready to rethink the vCIO role again with us on the Evolved Radio Podcast! This episode is brought to you by Evolved Management Training Courses. Check out my brand new course - vCIO and Account Management for MSPs Or my other online courses specifically crafted for MSP needs. A Service Manager BootCamp course, a project manager for MSPs course, an MSP security fundamentals course, and an IT Documentation Done Right course.

Welcome to another episode of Evolved Radio Podcast! Today, we're talking Sales strategies and tactics with my guest, Megan Killion, chief consultant with MKC Agency. We start off by discussing finding strength in adversity. Megan shares her story about an incredibly challenging period in her life and what she learned. This was an unexpected rabbit hole we went down, but it's relevant since business development means getting a lot of "No"s, which can be so uncomfortable for people that they never start. Then Megan shares practical tactics on qualifying leads, understanding client needs, and framing discussions to turn prospects into customers. This episode is packed with useful tactics that you can use immediately to grow your business. So let's go. This episode is brought to you by Evolved Management Training Courses. Online courses specifically crafted for MSP needs. A Service Manager BootCamp course, a project manager for MSPs course, an MSP security fundamentals course, and an IT Documentation Done Right course.

Welcome to another episode of Evolved Radio Podcast! Today we have an insightful discussion lined up with cybersecurity expert Wes Spencer. We explore the critical need for governance and how cyber insurance is a catalyst for improved security practices in small businesses. We also touch on the hype cycle in the cybersecurity industry and the need to move beyond a tool-centric focus. We also discuss strategies for protecting our kids in the digital age, from screen time limits to open conversations about social media. Finally, we chat about the influence of private equity in the MSP market and if that is a net negative or positive. Wes is a bright mind in our industry and is also willing to speak honestly and openly. I really enjoyed this conversation, and I'm sure you will, too. Let's dive in. This episode is brought to you by Evolved Management Training Courses. Online courses specifically crafted for MSP needs. A Service Manager BootCamp course, a project manager for MSPs course, an MSP security fundamentals course, and an IT Documentation Done Right course.