Field notes from the AI frontier.
Hard-won lessons on applying AI inside real businesses — from the engineers, operators, and founders doing the work at Surton.
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A Practical SOP Framework for Founders Stuck in the Weeds
A five-step system for documenting repeatable work, handing off ownership, and getting founders back to high-leverage decisions.
A 3-Step System for Posting Consistently on LinkedIn
A simple way to turn last week's meetings, questions, and client conversations into a steady stream of LinkedIn posts.
How to Fire Someone Without Damaging the Team: The 2025 Surton Termination Playbook
A practical, legally careful framework for handling terminations with clarity and dignity while protecting team trust. Includes decision criteria, meeting scripts, offboarding checklists, and team communication templates.
AI Panic Is Missing the Real Constraint
AI will change how work gets done, but adoption, context, and human judgment still matter far more than the loudest predictions suggest.
How to Trust Your Team Without Losing Control: The 2025 Surton Delegation Ladder
A five-level delegation framework for increasing team ownership without creating chaos, rework, or bottlenecks. Includes decision-rights templates, escalation rules, and manager coaching scripts.
Remote Hiring Mistakes That Kill Teams: The 2025 Surton Distributed Work Hiring Guide
The complete framework for hiring remote engineers who thrive without supervision. Includes 2025 remote work data, async assessment methods, and Surton's distributed team hiring process.
How to Tell a Real Pivot From a Distraction
A practical framework for deciding when to stay the course, when to pivot, and how to test a new market without breaking the business you already have.
How to Pivot When Your Market Stops Growing: The 2025 Surton Market Momentum Framework
A practical framework for identifying stalled markets, spotting stronger demand signals, and pivoting before growth flatlines. Includes market momentum scorecards, decision thresholds, and Surton's pivot validation process.
What Actually Matters in a Co-Founder: The 2025 Surton Partnership Selection Framework
The three non-negotiables for co-founder fit: absolute trust, exceptional capability, and chemistry that creates leverage. Includes Surton's partnership assessment and trial framework.
The 5 Non-Negotiables for Starting a Services Business: The 2025 Surton Foundation Framework
The 5 foundational decisions that determine services business success: partner selection, financial model clarity, capacity discipline, quality standards, and customer proximity. Includes Surton's founding principles and financial templates.
A New CTO’s First 100 Days
A practical 100-day plan for new CTOs: learn the business, assess the team, and leave with a roadmap the company can actually execute.
10 books that can change how you build a business
A sharper founder reading list: ten books that improve customer insight, financial judgment, systems thinking, and long-term decision-making.