About
I'm Kevin Ziegler, a fractional CTO and four-time founder based in Milwaukee, WI with 20+…
Services
Activity
6K followers
-
Kevin Ziegler shared thisRecently with a group of experts across domains atFractionals United®, I put together a SMB AI guide, check it out!Kevin Ziegler shared thisMost small businesses know they should be using AI. Almost none of them know where to start. The advice out there is either written for enterprises with IT departments or it's a list of tools that's outdated the week it's published. Neither helps a 10-person company figure out what to actually do on Monday morning. I'm lucky to be surrounded by fractional leaders who solve exactly this problem for their clients every day. So I pulled a group of them together in Fractionals United® to write the guide, with each contributor covering their own function: finance, HR, legal, marketing, operations, product, and technology. We cover what to understand before you spend a dollar, what to buy, where to start in the first 30 days, and what to avoid. It's free, it's practical, and it's written for owners, not enterprises. You can read it here: https://lnkd.in/gZq-c_GR Thanks to Crystal Black, Amy Bonsall, Carol Fraser, Paul Mosenson, Scott Palmer, Jason Prosnitz, Lindsay Sailor, MBA, Mitch Schwartz, Ben Shichman, and Kevin Ziegler for sharing what they know.
-
Kevin Ziegler shared thisCome tonight to see what some founders are building, including a concept I'm working on!Kevin Ziegler shared thisIf you're looking for something to do tomorrow night (July 7th), stop by Discourse Coffee at 6pm and get a chance to try out our AR for manufacturing prototype! Midwest Founders Community Heres the link: https://lnkd.in/guWCgNP8 Address: 158 S Barclay St
-
Kevin Ziegler shared thisLena DeLaet - you're awesome, Summerfest Tech #9 was better than ever - thank you!! Volunteering as a "Navigator" this year with MKE Tech Hub Coalition, I had a lot of fun helping connect people (I'd do it anyway!) Great to see familiar faces and meet new ones: Allan Wick, Joseph Murphy, Timothy Goebel, Joe Poeschl, Paul R., Yash Zode, Brian Kim, Zach Katch, David Wishnick, Ken Doyle, Ron Franczyk, Robert Dodds, MBA, Mary Jane Sanchez, Jason Biwer, Jason Dobbs, Jacob Miller, Kathy Henrich, Glenn Gottfried, Aaron Colcord, George Mitri, Amanda Fadely, Julea Ferrara, Elijah May, Ravi Redlam, Bryant Williams, Bryant Renn, Sean Tepper, Sarah J. Buszka, MPA, Steven Baumgartner, Naveen Lalit Kankate, Ivan Rahman, Erik Kennedy, Bradley Steckart, Carl L., Rima Thakkar, Aaron Towns, Micah Z. Crawford, Jabari Moore, Jarrett English and many others I may have missed.
-
Kevin Ziegler shared thisA few weeks ago, a VP of Operations showed me the local language model he'd been running on his laptop. He was testing prompts, comparing tools, building a real point of view on where AI could take his operation. His CEO had no idea. That's the conversation I'm having in nearly every mid-market company right now. The sales rep drafting in ChatGPT. The finance lead cleaning spreadsheets in Copilot. The ops manager summarizing tickets in Claude. None of it governed. Most leaders barely aware it's happening. The instinct is to clamp down with a policy and an approved-tools list. Don't do this. Your employees already did the hardest part. They found real problems, tested tools against each other, and proved the technology works on your actual data. That's the discovery a top-down initiative would spend six figures trying to replicate. The real risk isn't that they're using AI. It's that you can't see what data is moving through it, or what happens if those tools change overnight. Governance isn't a list of banned tools. It's visibility. Can you answer three questions today: who's using AI, what for, and what data is involved? If you can't, that uncertainty is your starting point. Not a strategy deck. A conversation. Full playbook, posted at Innovation Vista: https://lnkd.in/gnzFZBNuYour Employees Are Already Using AI. You Just Don’t Have a Strategy For It Yet. · Innovation VistaYour Employees Are Already Using AI. You Just Don’t Have a Strategy For It Yet. · Innovation Vista
-
Kevin Ziegler shared thisAmanda provides excellent insights on job numbers - woth a follow 👇Kevin Ziegler shared thisThe job numbers beat expectations. Growth being spread across a few sectors instead of just healthcare is a nice change of pace. Speaking of expectations, the gap between vision and reality for AI and AI job replacement seems to keep growing. Adopt at all cost turning more into oh, not really at *that* cost. Breakdown here 👇
-
Kevin Ziegler reposted thisKevin Ziegler reposted thisWe are hiring! Join our dynamic UWM Lubar Entrepreneurship Center team. https://lnkd.in/gsrnEf4m
-
Kevin Ziegler posted thisAre you actually getting a return on your AI investment? If the honest answer is "not yet," you are in good company. And we have seen this movie before. Dot-com. Mobile. Cloud. Every cycle ran the same curve: a wave of spending, a wave of disappointment, then a smaller group that figured out how to turn the technology into results. AI is running the same play. The data backs it up. McKinsey found that nearly two-thirds of enterprises have experimented with AI agents, but fewer than 10% have scaled them to deliver tangible value. Gartner predicts that over 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled by the end of 2027, due to escalating costs, unclear business value, or inadequate risk controls. The failure is rarely the technology. It almost always comes down to two things: 1. No defined outcome. Companies buy the tool before deciding what business result it is supposed to produce. McKinsey's high performers share one habit: they are nearly 3x more likely to have fundamentally redesigned their workflows around AI. Everyone else bolts it onto existing processes and wonders why nothing moves. A pilot with no target is a science experiment, not an investment. 2. No governance. Data quality, risk controls, and clear ownership separate the few who scale from the many who stall. Eight in ten companies cite data limitations as the roadblock to scaling agentic AI. You cannot govern your way to ROI on a broken data foundation. AI does not fail because it cannot work. It fails because organizations deploy it without a destination or guardrails. If you cannot name the outcome and you cannot point to the governance, you do not have an AI strategy. You have an AI expense. What outcome are you actually trying to buy? Sources: McKinsey, "The State of AI in 2025" and "Seizing the Agentic AI Advantage" (2025). Gartner, June 2025.
-
Kevin Ziegler shared thisFounders! We're on a new platform, please update your profiles with Midwest Founders Community!Kevin Ziegler shared thisConnecting with founders across the Midwest just got easier. But first, make sure your Member Profile is up to date. Find all the connections you need in our Membership Directory, and help others do the same! Update your Member Profile today: https://ow.ly/g01H50Z5G0X
-
Kevin Ziegler shared this100% aligned with Amanda Schulze, check out her post on the Founder Factory event held last night!Kevin Ziegler shared thisLast night in Milwaukee was worth the drive. Four research institutions pitched 12 breakthrough technologies, but not to investors. To entrepreneurs. Marquette University, Medical College of Wisconsin, Versiti Inc., and UWM Research Foundation showed up to find founding teams. Operators who can take research-backed, IP-protected innovations and build real companies around them. Prove out product-market fit. Build a go-to-market plan. Get these technologies out of the lab and into the world and help people. The process: University Technology + Team + Founder Factory = Funded Startup Founder Factory is working to bring all these pieces together to activate a startup ecosystem engine in SE Wisconsin. Starting with a structured pre-accelerator with milestone-based non-dilutive funding, mentorship, and a regional network built to support founders through the messy middle (which happens to be my favorite part!). Backed by a state grant program and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation that launched earlier this year. I co-founded two companies inside a corporate innovation studio, a similar structured environment where the institution takes the bet and the founders do the building. Seeing this model built in the open, for a whole region, is great to see and I can't wait to see how it works. They are actively looking for entrepreneurs and operators right now. If you have domain expertise in biohealth, AI, or industrial tech and you are looking for something worth building, reach out to Founder Factory asap, LOI deadline is two days away! Link in comments to learn more...
-
Kevin Ziegler liked thisKevin Ziegler liked thisIf you are an owner of a small business in the #Milwaukee area, and you do not have enough time to follow up on your leads, or nurture existing customers on to that next project, consider connecting with Kristie Ford at https://lnkd.in/eDhee2-B She will help you fill up your job schedule quickly!Kristie Ford Consulting - Revenue Recovery & Business GrowthKristie Ford Consulting - Revenue Recovery & Business Growth
-
Kevin Ziegler liked thisKevin Ziegler liked this🚀 🚀 🚀 Please join me in officially welcoming Thamiris Barbosa-Hastings as the newest Chief of Staff at Milky Way Tech Hub! ✨ We are so excited to have Thami join our team. To help our community get to know her, we asked Thami a few questions: 🌟 🌟 What drew you to Milky Way Tech Hub and the work we’re doing in Milwaukee’s tech ecosystem? Coming from a similar background where I didn’t have technology access was something that definitely caught my attention in the Milky Way Tech Hub mission. Being part of Wisconsin Tech Month while working with other organizations also gave me first-hand experience on how to lead the change. What does “belonging/equity in tech” mean to you personally? It means that everyone has the right to feel included in this ever evolving ecosystem. Technology changes constantly, and making sure that our communities have access to these changes is crucial in order to succeed. What are you most excited to help build, organize, or strengthen in this new role? I’m excited about the opportunity to increase our presence in the Midwest as a whole. I’m a tech person, but on the communication and strategy side of it. Being able to combine both plus my passion for equitable technology is exciting. Outside of work, what are a few things that bring you joy or keep you grounded? Music is something that helps me a lot. Either to relax or to give me a creative outlet. I also love watching TV shows and documentaries, or spending time with my pets. As an immigrant from Brazil, it is also important to have a strong relationship with the Brazilian family I have here - having my friends’ support means the world to me. What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you? While I was in Brazil working as a journalist, I was a TV host for a cooking show - but although I cook great food, it was a chef cooking while being interviewed. The other thing is that I was a CNA during the high peak of the Covid pandemic, one of the most challenging jobs I ever had, but it also brought me joy and awareness about technology access. If you could describe the future of Milwaukee’s tech ecosystem in three words, what would they be — and why? Collaborative — Milwaukee's tech scene leans on partnerships between universities, corporates, and startups rather than pure lone-wolf disruption. Homegrown — talent tends to stay or return, building on local strengths like fintech, water tech, and manufacturing/software crossover instead of importing an entirely borrowed Silicon Valley playbook. Rising — steady, unglamorous momentum: more accelerators, more attention flowing into the Midwest. 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 You’ll have a chance to meet Thami tomorrow at the Wisconsin Tech Month Summer Sneak Peek Social! Join us to learn what’s ahead for October, connect with leaders across Wisconsin’s tech ecosystem, and help us officially welcome our new Chief of Staff. Interested in connecting with Thami directly? Her Calendly link will be shared in the comments.
-
Kevin Ziegler liked thisKevin Ziegler liked thisI'm facilitating a workshop at the end of this month that is close to my heart. It's called Listening to Your Inner Voice. It's for anyone navigating a decision, a transition, or a stuck place that keeps weighing on you. We spend a lot of time listening to everything around us. The noise, the expectations, the pressure to figure it out. This is two hours to slow down and listen inward instead. You'll leave with a clearer sense of what your inner voice is actually trying to tell you and how to tell it apart from the parts of you that are just trying to keep you safe. Saturday July 25, 10am-12pm at Hart House in Toronto. Link in comments if you'd like to join. Grateful to Nabil Bou Ali, MBA and Innerkind for the invitation to lead this. It's the kind of work I love sharing with people. And if July 25th doesn't work, I'll be leading another session on August 19th on What Do You Actually Want? More details coming soon.
-
Kevin Ziegler liked thisKevin Ziegler liked thisSome people organize events. Nadiyah Johnson builds rooms where people actually connect. Today, a group of us came together to shape the Wisconsin Tech Month Summer Social — and we collectively landed on our theme: “Connection Through Innovation.” Not handed down. Decided together. That’s how you know it’s real. And honestly, the theme describes Nadiyah perfectly. She has this rare ability to bring founders, technologists, students, and community leaders onto the same platform and make every one of them feel genuinely connected. That’s not event planning — that’s community building. It’s the kind of leadership that turns a scene into a movement. Requisor AI and I have been proud to be part of Wisconsin Tech Month — hosting events, leading sessions, and connecting with builders across the state — and we’re looking forward to many more. The energy in the room today was a preview of what’s coming. If you build, invest, teach, or dream in Wisconsin tech, you’ll want to be at the Summer Social. Come for the innovation. Stay for the connection. #wtm2026 #MilwaukeeTech #ConnectionThroughInnovation #CommunityBuilding
Experience
-
KMZ Consulting, LLC
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Education
-
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
-
Activities and Societies: TKE, Student Manager of Recreational Services
Volunteer Experience
-
Teaching Assistant
TEALS
- 10 months
Education
For the 2019-20 School year, I am volunteering in an AP Computer Science Principals course at the Hmong American Peace Academy - High School (HAPA). I assist the teacher and students with their day to day work and curriculum.
-
Vice President - Technology
Maple Dale Indian Hill Foundation
- Present 13 years
Education
I serve as trustee and technical adviser for the foundation of a school district in a Metro Milwaukee suburb. The foundation raises funds to provide education enrichment for our schools generally related to technology.
Responsible for:
Best use of internal technology
Utilizing the appropriate software for annual benefit (raising approx $50K/yr)
Consultation on appropriation of technology funds to schools
Managing web assets (website, social media, etc.)
Organizations
-
Milwaukee Azure
Co-Founder
- PresentAlong with Chris Pietschman, I started this group to create a community of Azure users in the Milwaukee area. We have monthly in person meetups, a slack channel, an information website, and a very excited user base. So far the 100+ members of the group have given great feedback, and are excited to part of this community. http://mkeazure.com/
-
OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project)
Member
- Present -
Information Technology Executives of Milwaukee (ITEM)
-
- Present
Recommendations received
2 people have recommended Kevin
Join now to viewOther similar profiles
Explore more posts
-
Mark Burgess
CRMs in Estate agencies have existed for decades, often claiming to do the basics, just "better." But what if your CRM worked for *you*, not the other way around? An AI operating system like Iceberg Run handles communication, lead qualification, market appraisals, vendor care, property descriptions, and even blog posts while you sleep. It proactively identifies leads and brings opportunities to your attention. This leads to higher revenue per employee and a more profitable business. #CRM #AI #ProductivityHacks #Automation #BusinessEfficiency #TechInnovation #SalesStrategy
3 Comments -
Jessie Grenfell
Codality Standard Operating Procedure No. 1 STFU: Standard Tactic For Understanding. Listening to the client leads to better solutions. The consulting market may be saturated, but my time as a client has shown me there’s still plenty of demand for consultants who know how to listen. #Consulting #SolutionArchitecture #SoftwareDevelopment #TechEthics #Codality
4 Comments -
Joey Glyshaw
I spent three hours last week chasing a silent workflow failure before I learned these 11 n8n techniques. Most automation builders hit the same wall when upstream nodes change and everything downstream breaks. You lose hours rerunning workflows to test one edge case. API calls return deeply nested data you cannot parse. You cannot track which execution failed when multiple workflows share one database. These problems cost you time and trust in your automations. 1. Log now, execution ID, and workflow name in every event so you can trace any run instantly. 2. Use the chat with docs AI to generate complex expressions without guessing syntax. 3. Add a set fields node at key segments to stabilize data references when you modify upstream. 4. Understand the first live wire principle so you know which path n8n processes when routes merge. 5. Access data from any path with item.first to eliminate undefined errors in complex branches. 6. Insert a code node after every API call to parse and flatten nested responses before the next step. 7. Use node.all to pull complete datasets into loops or subworkflows without losing previous context. 8. Pin data in a node and edit it to test edge cases fast without rerunning everything upstream. 9. Build fresh data objects in a code node before major transitions like loops to carry forward all the context you need. 10. Use the reset option in loop over items for manual pagination when memory limits block direct API calls. 11. Drop a do nothing helper node to merge paths, keep workflows tidy, and pull all data through a loop at once. Start with execution ID logging and set fields nodes today. Your future self will thank you when the next bug hits. Comment n8n tips and I will send you a checklist of all 11 with sample code snippets.
-
Rafael Brown
Supporting & Amplifying: “Across the United States there currently more than 3,000 data centers, and that number will soon grow by 1,200 more now under construction, according to Data Center Map, an industry service that tracks data center development. "These facilities are so energy-intensive," Ari Peskoe, who directs the Electricity Law Initiative at Harvard University, told ABC News. "A single sort of warehouse can use as much electricity as a large U.S. city. The amount of new infrastructure that has to be built to power that facility is unlike anything we've seen in generations." The Trump administration has pushed to rapidly build and deploy AI with urgency, arguing it will be vital to stay ahead of rivals like China and protect national security. Nationwide, electricity prices jumped 6.9% in 2025 -- more than double the inflation rate of 2.9% -- according to new analysis by Goldman Sachs economists, who said they "expect data centers to boost electricity demand significantly, accounting for about 40% of total power demand growth over the next five years." In response, activists in Wisconsin, led by the community group Great Lakes Neighbors, have organized protests including a rally at the state capitol earlier this month. The tensions in the city were on full display last December when multiple anti-AI data center protesters were arrested, and one was dragged out of the city council meeting after chanting "Recall, recall, recall," directed at Mayor Neitzke, after her allotted time had ended.” ABC News: https://lnkd.in/gN_XBKfA
1 Comment
Explore top content on LinkedIn
Find curated posts and insights for relevant topics all in one place.
View top content