POE EP. 3: Start with the Audit – What Most Teams Miss About AI Readiness
In this episode of Process of Elimination (POE), Camino5 Co-founder Ryan Edwards and creative strategist Justin L. Brown dig into the step most teams skip — and why it’s costing them dearly.
The audit.
Not the painful, bloated version you’re picturing. We’re talking micro-audits — fast, ego-free check-ins that bring clarity to hidden processes, assumptions, and team dynamics before you layer on AI tools or automation.
Because here’s the truth: AI doesn’t fix broken workflows. It amplifies them.
With Ryan’s systems-thinking and Justin’s on-the-ground insights, this episode unpacks:
Why most AI rollouts fail before they even begin
The difference between a post-mortem and a living, forward-looking audit
How ego, legacy habits, and unspoken workflows block progress
When to bring in outside eyes to neutralize tension and gain perspective
The 5-question audit you can run right now to expose gaps and untangle messes
What it means to “audit before you automate” — and how to build momentum from there
Listen to POE EP. 3: Start with the Audit
If your team is navigating AI integration or stuck scaling the same old process, this episode is where to start.
Inside this episode:
Why most AI rollouts fail before they even begin
The difference between a post-mortem and a living audit
How ego and unspoken workflows create invisible friction
When to bring in outside eyes to create safety and clarity
The 5-question audit that shows you what to fix — fast
What it really means to “audit before you automate”
AI doesn’t fix a broken process. It amplifies it. This episode helps you clean up what’s under the hood before adding more power to the engine.
Process of Elimination: Episode Highlights
0:00 Intro — Why audit is the real unlock for AI
1:05 What most people get wrong about audits
3:20 Signs a team skipped the process check
6:00 Micro-audits: fast, ongoing, and ego-free
9:00 A modern audit isn’t backward-looking — it’s a map forward
13:32 The 5-question POE Audit Framework
20:30 Built-in vs. bolted-on feedback
24:19 This week’s move: Start small, walk through a process with someone new
25:00 Coming next: AI overcorrection and brand voice drift