In this episode of Disruption/Interruption, host KJ speaks with Jon Kokot, co-founder and CEO of Civic, an AI-native gov-tech company tackling the massive backlog of constituent communications flooding government offices. Jon shares how Congress received 80 million pieces of correspondence in 2024 alone, driven by AI drafting tools that have lowered the barrier for citizens to contact their representatives. Civic's platform auto-categorizes inbound messages, maps constituent concerns geographically, and helps offices respond with actionable data so that staff can reclaim hours of their day. Jon discusses the company's first customers in New York City processing 311 data, beta users in the US House of Representatives, and a mission to give residents real agency in the American democratic experiment.

 

Key Takeaways:
5:00 — What is driving the surge in government correspondence?
15:35 — Who are the early adopters of this gov-tech platform?
24:30 — How does Civic's platform handle a 300,000-email backlog?
25:20 – When will staffers see meaningful time savings after switching?

 

Quote of the Show (4:47):
"We want to improve the function of our democracy so that residents feel that they have agency in this American experiment."— Jon Kokot

 

Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome.

 

Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval

 

Ways to connect with Jon Kokot:
Company LinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/company/get-civic
Company Website: https://get-civic.com

 

How to get more Disruption/Interruption: 

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD

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In this episode of Disruption/Interruption, host KJ speaks with Jon Kokot, co-founder and CEO of Civic, an AI-native gov-tech company tackling the massive backlog of constituent communications flooding government offices. Jon shares how Congress received 80 million pieces of correspondence in 2024 alone, driven by AI drafting tools that have lowered the barrier for citizens to contact their representatives. Civic's platform auto-categorizes inbound messages, maps constituent concerns geographically, and helps offices respond with actionable data so that staff can reclaim hours of their day. Jon discusses the company's first customers in New York City processing 311 data, beta users in the US House of Representatives, and a mission to give residents real agency in the American democratic experiment.
&nbsp;
Key Takeaways:
<ul>
<li>5:00 &mdash; What is driving the surge in government correspondence?</li>
<li>15:35 &mdash; Who are the early adopters of this gov-tech platform?</li>
<li>24:30 &mdash; How does Civic's platform handle a 300,000-email backlog?</li>
<li>25:20 &ndash; When will staffers see meaningful time savings after switching?</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Quote of the Show (4:47): "We want to improve the function of our democracy so that residents feel that they have agency in this American experiment."&mdash; Jon Kokot
&nbsp;
Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we&rsquo;re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome.
&nbsp;
Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: <a href="https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval">https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval</a>
&nbsp;
Ways to connect with Jon Kokot: Company LinkedIn: <a href="https://linkedin.com/company/get-civic">https://linkedin.com/company/get-civic</a> Company Website:&nbsp;<a href="https://get-civic.com/">https://get-civic.com</a>
&nbsp;
How to get more Disruption/Interruption:&nbsp;
Amazon Music - <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption">https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption</a>
Apple Podcast - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755</a>
Spotify - <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD">https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuption">https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuption</a>

When did you say ”THAT’S IT! I’VE HAD IT!”? Time to Disrupt and Interrupt with host Karla Jo. Every week KJ interviews professionals who are disrupting their industries and altering economic networks that have been antiquated with bull-headed predecessors holding up the progress.

KJ delves into uncovering more from industry rebels and innovators that you didn’t know you needed in your life.

Disruption / Interruption

Disrupting Government’s Inbox: How AI Is Helping Public Officials Hear Constituents Again with Jon Kokot

Brian Kolbusz, founder of BKAI, joins host KJ to unpack why so many AI initiatives fall apart long before the technology becomes the issue. Drawing on years as an IT executive at large corporations, he explains decision architecture and why every AI initiative should map back to a corporate objective, and every objective back to the company’s mission. The conversation covers why nearly 80% of AI initiatives miss their ROI, how pilots built for best-case conditions break at scale, and why AI has to be treated as a people initiative led by the frontline employees who know the work. Kolbusz also shares the 60/40 split he uses to balance customer-facing and internal goals, and how a behavioral health clinic kept patient satisfaction high by giving its AI the voice of a retiring receptionist.

 

Key Takeaways:

6:33 — What does skipping the mission cost a business when it buys AI?

10:16 — How can an AI pilot look beautiful and still fail at scale?

14:27 — Who knows where AI should be applied first?

22:29 — When does a failed AI initiative still count as a win?

 

Quote of the Show (13:47):

“AI is not an IT initiative. AI is a people initiative.” — Brian Kolbusz

 

Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome.

 

Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval

 

Ways to connect with Brian Kolbusz:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkolbusz/

Company Website: https://bkai.io

 

How to get more Disruption/Interruption:

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuption

Brian Kolbusz, founder of BKAI, joins host KJ to unpack why so many AI initiatives fall apart long before the technology becomes the issue. Drawing on years as an IT executive at large corporations, he explains decision architecture and why every AI initiative should map back to a corporate objective, and every objective back to the company&rsquo;s mission. The conversation covers why nearly 80% of AI initiatives miss their ROI, how pilots built for best-case conditions break at scale, and why AI has to be treated as a people initiative led by the frontline employees who know the work. Kolbusz also shares the 60/40 split he uses to balance customer-facing and internal goals, and how a behavioral health clinic kept patient satisfaction high by giving its AI the voice of a retiring receptionist.
&nbsp;
Key Takeaways:
6:33 &mdash; What does skipping the mission cost a business when it buys AI?
10:16 &mdash; How can an AI pilot look beautiful and still fail at scale?
14:27 &mdash; Who knows where AI should be applied first?
22:29 &mdash; When does a failed AI initiative still count as a win?
&nbsp;
Quote of the Show (13:47):
&ldquo;AI is not an IT initiative. AI is a people initiative.&rdquo; &mdash; Brian Kolbusz
&nbsp;
Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we&rsquo;re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome.
&nbsp;
Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: <a href="https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval">https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval</a>
&nbsp;
Ways to connect with Brian Kolbusz:
LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkolbusz/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkolbusz/</a>
Company Website: <a href="https://bkai.io">https://bkai.io</a>
&nbsp;
How to get more Disruption/Interruption:
Amazon Music - <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption">https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption</a>
Apple Podcast - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755</a>
Spotify - <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD">https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+/+interuuption">https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuption</a>

Disrupting AI Failure: Why the Technology Isn’t the Problem with Brian Kolbusz

Mary Guzman, CEO of Crown Jewel® Insurance, the world's first trade secret insurer, joins host KJ to expose one of the most overlooked assets inside a business. She explains how trade secrets differ from patents, trademarks, and copyrights, and why they now hold an estimated five times the value of patents in the US. The conversation covers why the cyber insurance market has steered clear of intellectual property, how Crown Jewel pre-agrees on what qualifies as a trade secret and puts a value on it before a loss happens, and what that means when key engineers walk out the door with a company's innovation. Guzman also makes the case that founders, CFOs, and investors are sitting on off-balance sheet assets that could reshape how companies get valued, insured, and funded.

Key Takeaways:

4:23 — When should a company patent an idea, and when should it keep it secret?

8:19 — How did trade secrets come to hold five times the value of patents?

18:15 — What happens when a company suspects its trade secrets walked out the door?

27:30 — Who should care most about an asset that never shows up on the balance sheet?

Quote of the Show (28:38):

"All of a sudden you have an off-balance sheet asset that was right under your nose the whole time that's worth $60 million." — Mary Guzman

Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome.

Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval

Ways to connect with Mary Guzman:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-guzman-49183b29

Company Website: https://crownjewelinsurance.com

How to get more Disruption/Interruption:

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuption

Mary Guzman, CEO of Crown Jewel&reg; Insurance, the world's first trade secret insurer, joins host KJ to expose one of the most overlooked assets inside a business. She explains how trade secrets differ from patents, trademarks, and copyrights, and why they now hold an estimated five times the value of patents in the US. The conversation covers why the cyber insurance market has steered clear of intellectual property, how Crown Jewel pre-agrees on what qualifies as a trade secret and puts a value on it before a loss happens, and what that means when key engineers walk out the door with a company's innovation. Guzman also makes the case that founders, CFOs, and investors are sitting on off-balance sheet assets that could reshape how companies get valued, insured, and funded.
Key Takeaways:
4:23 &mdash; When should a company patent an idea, and when should it keep it secret?
8:19 &mdash; How did trade secrets come to hold five times the value of patents?
18:15 &mdash; What happens when a company suspects its trade secrets walked out the door?
27:30 &mdash; Who should care most about an asset that never shows up on the balance sheet?
Quote of the Show (28:38):
"All of a sudden you have an off-balance sheet asset that was right under your nose the whole time that's worth $60 million." &mdash; Mary Guzman
Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we&rsquo;re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome.
Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: <a href="https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval">https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval</a>
Ways to connect with Mary Guzman:
LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-guzman-49183b29">https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-guzman-49183b29</a>
Company Website: <a href="https://crownjewelinsurance.com">https://crownjewelinsurance.com</a>
How to get more Disruption/Interruption:
Amazon Music - <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption">https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption</a>
Apple Podcast - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755</a>
Spotify - <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD">https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuption">https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuption</a>

Disrupting the Billion-Dollar Secret: Why Your Most Valuable Asset Isn’t on the Balance Sheet with Mary Guzman

Michael Schreiber, venture partner at SeventySix Capital and founder of PlayFly Sports, joins host KJ to break down how college athletics is being rewritten from the inside out. He identifies three forces flipping the industry: a massive commercial gap between college and pro sports revenues, rule changes around transfers and athlete compensation through NIL, and a facilities arms race that demands new capital. The conversation covers how early-adopter schools leveraged NIL to punch above their weight, the technology transforming both on-court performance and the business of sports, and why bipartisan legislation is racing to bring guardrails to a chaotic marketplace. Schreiber also shares his perspective on why sports fandom is one of the few things people carry from childhood to the end of life, making sports a forever industry worth investing in.

 

 

Key Takeaways:
4:52 — What makes college sports bigger than most people realize?
8:00 — How wide is the commercial gap between college and pro sports?
9:23 — When did the rules around college athlete compensation finally change?
19:17  – Who were the early adopters capitalizing on the new college sports landscape?

 

Quote of the Show (36:03):
"If anybody's looking to get into an industry or looking to invest in an industry, invest in sports. It's forever." — Michael Schreiber

 

Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome.

 

Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval

 

Ways to connect with Michael Schreiber:
LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-schreiber-4b262a1

Company Website: https://www.seventysixcapital.com/

 

How to get more Disruption/Interruption: 

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuption

Michael Schreiber, venture partner at SeventySix Capital and founder of PlayFly Sports, joins host KJ to break down how college athletics is being rewritten from the inside out. He identifies three forces flipping the industry: a massive commercial gap between college and pro sports revenues, rule changes around transfers and athlete compensation through NIL, and a facilities arms race that demands new capital. The conversation covers how early-adopter schools leveraged NIL to punch above their weight, the technology transforming both on-court performance and the business of sports, and why bipartisan legislation is racing to bring guardrails to a chaotic marketplace. Schreiber also shares his perspective on why sports fandom is one of the few things people carry from childhood to the end of life, making sports a forever industry worth investing in.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Key Takeaways:
<ul>
<li>4:52 &mdash; What makes college sports bigger than most people realize?</li>
<li>8:00 &mdash; How wide is the commercial gap between college and pro sports?</li>
<li>9:23 &mdash; When did the rules around college athlete compensation finally change?</li>
<li>19:17 &nbsp;&ndash; Who were the early adopters capitalizing on the new college sports landscape?</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Quote of the Show (36:03): "If anybody's looking to get into an industry or looking to invest in an industry, invest in sports. It's forever." &mdash; Michael Schreiber
&nbsp;
Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we&rsquo;re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome.
&nbsp;
Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: <a href="https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval">https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval</a>
&nbsp;
Ways to connect with Michael Schreiber: LinkedIn: <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-schreiber-4b262a1">http://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-schreiber-4b262a1</a>
Company Website: <a href="https://www.seventysixcapital.com/">https://www.seventysixcapital.com/</a>
&nbsp;
How to get more Disruption/Interruption:&nbsp;
Amazon Music - <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption">https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption</a>
Apple Podcast - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755</a>
Spotify - <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD">https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuption">https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuption</a>

Disrupting Government’s Inbox: How AI Is Helping Public Officials Hear Constituents Again with Jon Kokot

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