{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Growth Wizards Podcast","title":"Robert MacDonald, Chief Product Officer at Strategic Education","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/2ca3d763\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2016,"description":"From Partnerships to Agentic AI: Lumavac’s Robert Macdonald on Scaling Without SprawlSummaryIf AI pilots are popping up across your org but nothing sticks, you may be building on cracked foundations, fueling “agent sprawl,” and trying to automate the past. Robert Macdonald, co-founder of Lumavac and former leader at Google, Pinterest, and Fox (plus a stint as Chief Product Officer in EdTech), shares how to make agentic AI real—and scalable. Drawing on 25 years in partnerships and product, Robert breaks down a practical path: start with one use case, fix technical debt, immerse cross-functional teams, and align on a shared playbook. He unpacks Lumavac’s hybrid approach—Velocity—a combination of tool and hands-on guidance that centers on spec-driven development, context engineering, and secure system agents. Robert also reveals his partnership blueprint, inspired by Stuart Diamond’s “Getting More”: build on authentic value exchanges, spot early red flags, and co-develop with product and engineering to move faster together. Expect concrete advice for CISOs, execs, and GTM leaders on establishing ownership, reducing chaos, and turning curiosity into consistent outcomes.Timestamps[00:45] – Robert’s path: Google, Pinterest, Fox, EdTech CPO, and why he founded Lumavac[03:22] – The partnership playbook: value exchange, transparency, and “Getting More”[07:41] – Early red flags: guarded partners, low investment, and resetting with better questions[13:24] – Top AI mistakes: cracked foundations, agent sprawl, and automating the past[16:12] – Immersion over memos: getting execs and non-technical teams hands-on[18:55] – Where to start: single use cases, ownership, and calming CISO concerns[20:54] – Inside Velocity: spec-driven development, context engineering, and system agents[27:39] – Differentiation and GTM: hybrid tool + services, co-building, and “start with one”Takeaways- Build partnerships on explicit value exchange and transparent goals; use “Getting More” to co-create...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/mDOdm4LYQlL6wDBHXYQfcGudUXRPAbTh4SUpQ1dzhOA/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9jZmYz/MzEzNTkwMDcwOTUx/ZWYxMzI3YWRkNGUx/ZmU3NS5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}