Automate Office Work

When automating we follow one of two approaches. You either go fast or you go far. And it better be clear to everyone which approach is being taken. So which approach is best for you? Listen to learn the strategies that will bring you to success. If you've ever shipped an automation that nobody used, or spent six months on something that still isn't done, this one's for you.

What happens when the person your automation emails gets promoted and the dollar threshold it relies on changes overnight? In this episode, we dig into one of the most overlooked skills in office automation: building tools that survive. We cover three levels of professional configuration — organizational structure, style and branding, and interface language — and walk through the technical blueprint for making all of it real without writing a single extra line of logic. Whether you're automating for a team of five or a company with offices on three continents, this episode will change how you think about every workflow you build. Hit play, and let's stop building prisons.

What if your entire AI and automation strategy is solving the wrong problem? In this episode, we make a case that most companies are using the most powerful technology in a generation to do one thing: go faster in the direction they're already heading. That's not innovation. That's a faster horse.

Go from the mindset of "handyman" to "architect". Instead of wasting hours tweaking individual scripts or manually customizing reports — building "hammers" for every new nail — you'll learn to build "hammer factories". Scalable platforms and meta-automations that solve entire categories of problems at once. This episode provides the blueprint to raise your altitude, gain massive compounding returns on your time, and transform from a task completer into a platform builder.

Interfaces are the part of software you actually touch — and they matter more than most people realize. In this episode of Automate Office Work, Justin explores how interfaces shape the way you work with data, automation, and systems every single day. Why some tools feel effortless while others feel exhausting. Why bad interfaces create errors, workarounds, and frustration — and good ones quietly save you hours. You’ll learn to spot the difference between “raw data” and a well-designed interface, why spreadsheets often become accidental interfaces, and how the right interface can make even powerful systems feel simple and human. If you’ve ever thought “this tool makes my job harder than it should,” this episode will click instantly. Listen in and start seeing interfaces not as decoration — but as one of the most important parts of automation.

Databases sound intimidating — but they really don’t have to be. In this episode of Automate Office Work, Justin breaks down what a database actually is, why so many people accidentally use Excel as one, and how that leads to stress, errors, and wasted time. No jargon. No theory. Just real-world examples you’ve almost certainly lived through. If you’ve ever fought with spreadsheets, lost track of “the right version,” or felt like your data was working against you instead of for you, this episode is for you. You’ll learn how to think about data in a calmer, cleaner way — and when it’s time to move beyond Excel without feeling overwhelmed. This is databases explained for normal humans, not IT departments. Press play and make your data start helping you instead of hurting you.

Your company already has SharePoint. Here's how to build and deploy into it.

Stop throwing chaos at AI and hoping for magic. Learn why structured data is the single skill that separates people who automate successfully from those who just buy expensive tools that don't work.

I sat down with Samarth Jhunjhunwala, a young Indian lawyer, to get his insights.

In the rush to fix, we often mistake symptoms for causes, leading us to automate confusion instead of creating value. This episode challenges you to slow down, dedicate time to defining the true root problem, and gain the perspective needed for transformative, lasting solutions.

We're getting the gang together again to discuss what's coming up in 2026. A general counsel in an established legal tech firm and law school professor, an ex Amazon lawyer turned engineer building his own AI, an engineer buidling a legal tech AI startup, a legal tech philosopher and ethicist, and an average user.

We have had massively powerful tools for data and information for decades now and yet the average person doesn't seem to be using them or getting any smarter. The problem isn't lack of knowledge. It's curiosity.

The real secret to AI success isn’t technology — it’s discipline. In this episode of Automate Office Work, we explore the AI paradox: most teams don’t need more AI; they need the structure, clarity, and consistency that make AI work in the first place.

True freedom doesn’t come from having no limits — it comes from having the right ones. This episode of Automate Office Work explores how constraints fuel creativity, focus, and innovation — and how structure turns chaos into progress.

What is value, really? In this episode, we break down why most office work isn’t actually valuable — and how to tell the difference between real impact and busywork. Before you automate anything, make sure you know what value truly means.

Does your work involve managing a bunch of spreadsheets that are all connected? A change in one impacts several others? Here's how to create the right interface. A platform.

There’s a big gap between what buyers expect and what vendors experience. We’re breaking down the unspoken truths that could save you time, money, and a lot of frustration.

It's been a year and a half since I started my own company. I meet with another entrepreneur and we reflect on our journeys of how we got started.

Sometimes seeing something from its opposite gives insights. Here's the playbook to stop innovation in its tracks.

It's been a year since since I started podcasting. It's time to look back and reflect.