Agents of Change

Johnny Childress, a Series A revenue leader who has interviewed around 6,500 salespeople, joins Justin Tannenbaum to break down how enterprise deals actually close: multi-year options, paid agreements over free pilots, the term-for-convenience trap, the one hiring question, showing up in person, and a pragmatic take on AI.

What does an AI model pick when you ask it to hold money?On this episode of Agents of Change, Justin Tannenbaum hosts Jonathan Sexton — brand strategist, songwriter, husband, father, youth basketball coach, and Bitcoin-focused operator who writes for Unchained.The conversation anchors on a Bitcoin Policy Institute study that tested 36 frontier AI models — Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, xAI, DeepSeek, Minimax — across 9,072 monetary scenarios with neutral framing. Zero picked fiat as their top preference. Stablecoins led for payments. For long-term store of value, 79 percent picked Bitcoin. The study becomes the spine of a wider operator conversation on what AI agents will do when they start making payments on our behalf.Key takeaways:- Software's new bottleneck is imagination, not language. With agentic tooling, the "I don't know how to code" excuse is mostly retired. Hire for taste and clarity in 2026.- Measuring AI teams on token spend is the same incentive trap as paying engineers by lines of code. Companies that measure activity get activity. Measure outcomes instead.- The agentic AI payment stack is two layers, not one. Stablecoins for the payments layer (speed). Bitcoin for long-term store of value (uninflatable supply).- AI personhood will likely follow the corporate-personhood legal precedent. Corporations got full legal personhood with very little built-in responsibility for the people or environment around them. The same shape could happen with AI agents.- Curiosity precedes agency. Most hiring frameworks screen for the wrong variable.- Wall Street showed up at Bitcoin 2026 — managing directors and VPs, not marketing associates. The cultural narrative on Bitcoin still lags the trade-show floor by 12-18 months.About the guest:Jonathan Sexton started as a musician and songwriter, pivoted into technology and brand strategy, and now works on Bitcoin-focused projects including writing for Unchained. About the host:Justin Tannenbaum is the CEO of AppStream Studio, where his team builds production AI agents for companies that need AI in production, not on a slide deck.Subscribe to Agents of Change for operator-grade conversations on AI, modernization, and the work that actually ships.

In this in-depth interview, Jeff Siddiqi shares his journey from door-to-door sales to becoming a leading expert in consumer packaged goods (CPG). He discusses industry trends, the importance of Amazon for brand growth, and insights from Expo West, providing valuable strategies for brands aiming to scale and innovate.

In this episode, Chip Reeves, CEO of Enablers, shares his journey from freight brokerage to founding a company that leverages offshore BPO and AI to revolutionize logistics operations. Discover insights on automation, technology adoption, and the future of logistics industry innovation.

In this episode, Piotr shares his journey into software development, discussing his early passion for computers and how he transitioned from a full-stack developer to leading a team at AppStream Studio. The conversation explores the impact of generative AI on software engineering, highlighting the shift in workflows from coding to planning and the importance of human oversight in AI-driven development. Piotr also reflects on the future of AI in software development and the potential challenges it poses for new engineers.

In this episode of the Agents of Change podcast, host Justin Tannenbaum welcomes Bartek Bieńkowski, a seasoned expert in DevOps and security at AppStream. The conversation dives deep into the evolving landscape of DevOps, particularly in the context of AI advancements. Bartek shares his experiences, starting from his early days as a front-end developer to becoming a pivotal figure in DevOps. He discusses the challenges and unpredictability of a typical day in DevOps, emphasizing the importance of being the go-to person for troubleshooting and problem-solving. The discussion also touches on the changing perceptions of the DevOps role, the rise of specialization, and the impact of AI on infrastructure and security practices.

In this episode of Agents of Change, host Justin Tannenbaum and guest Will Gray discuss personal growth, productivity strategies, and the evolving landscape of go-to-market roles in the age of AI. They share insights on New Year resolutions, effective time management tools, and the importance of understanding the intersection of sales and marketing. Will reflects on his career journey, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the significance of family life, emphasizing the need for balance and continuous learning.

In this inaugural episode of Agents of Change, host Justin Tannenbaum interviews Lukasz Himalowski, co-founder and CTO of AppStream Studio. They discuss Lukasz's career journey, the founding of their open banking platform, the acquisition experience, and the transition to AppStream Studio. The conversation also covers the growth and scaling of AppStream, the importance of aligning incentives in product development, and the role of AI in software development. Finally, they make predictions about the future of AI in the industry.

In this conversation, Cesar Bustamante discusses the importance of investing in skills beyond just monetary gain. He emphasizes that personal development, particularly in learning languages and technical skills, can lead to significant career advancements. The impact of the pandemic on opportunities for growth is also highlighted, along with the common fears that hold individuals back, especially in Latin America.