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

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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.

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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