A Note from Shawn: Major Wins, New Services, and Bold New Ventures for Saulsberry Group
Hey Charleston, I'm writing this note on a Sunday morning, coffee in hand, reflecting on what's been an absolutely transformative few weeks for Saulsberry Group. When I founded this company in April 2024, I had a vision: to disrupt the consulting exclusionism I witnessed during my six years at a Big 4 firm. What I […]
Flawed Like the City: How AI Misjudged—and Then Fixed—Charleston’s Calhoun Call
History vs. AI — The Showdown Begins.
When Charleston’s removed Calhoun statue was returned, AI got the story wrong. This article unpacks the moral misfire, the community cost, and how The Saulsberry Directive™ sets a new standard for ethical intelligence.
Synthetic Values: When AI Imposes Beliefs You Never Chose
AI now encodes values quietly, often without our consent. For example, from biased hiring tools to radicalizing recommendation engines, we are witnessing the rise of synthetic values that conflict with community, corporate, and civic ideals. In this context, this article exposes how invisible algorithms shape culture, amplify injustice, and redefine what’s acceptable — all while pretending to be neutral. It introduces a new lens: AI Maturity Alignment, a framework grounded in doctoral research and embedded in The Saulsberry Directive™. If we don’t lead with values, we risk letting the algorithm lead us — far from who we’re meant to become.
Strategic Providence: The Saulsberry Directive™ — A Charleston Blueprint for AI with Purpose
Charleston is on the edge of something remarkable — a convergence of history, innovation, and identity. While the rest of the country wrestles with how to apply artificial intelligence, Charleston faces a deeper question: Can we lead the AI revolution without losing our soul? As a founder, strategist, and doctoral candidate focused on the intersection […]
52 Moves Ahead: What I Know Now That I Couldn’t Have Understood at 32
I recently turned 52. And while birthdays often invite celebration or nostalgia, this one brought something different: clarity. Not just about who I am, but about how leadership, strategy, and growth really work—especially after you’ve had enough time to build, break, and rebuild a few times. But this reflection isn’t just personal. Because what I’ve […]
Two Startup Worlds, One City: A Spectrum of Innovation in Charleston
Charleston’s innovation ecosystem is divided—but not by intention. This article explores the strategic and demographic split between two entrepreneurship centers and what it will take to connect them for inclusive growth.
🎯 Total Experience Transformation: The New Frontier of Strategy
Why forward-thinking Lowcountry firms must stop treating CX, EX, UX, and MX as separate silos—and start designing interconnected journeys that fuel real transformation.
Necessary Destruction: Why Your Life Had to Fall Apart for Your Business to Rise
Sometimes the life you built with love has to be dismantled with courage. It’s not failure—it’s strategy. The breakdown you fear may be the exact blueprint your next chapter needs. You don’t rise by clinging to what’s comfortable; you rise by burning what’s no longer true. Necessary destruction is how authenticity gets born.
🔥 The Strategic Underground: Why the Future Belongs to Micro-Networks, Not Mega-Firms
In an era dominated by bloated institutions and top-heavy hierarchies, a new force is quietly rising: the Strategic Underground. These are micro-networks—agile, expert-driven coalitions—that operate outside traditional power silos yet deliver outsized impact. Unlike legacy firms mired in red tape, these underground alliances thrive on trust, speed, and shared purpose. They are not rebelling for rebellion’s sake—they’re building a smarter, decentralized future. The Strategic Underground isn’t just a trend; it’s a tactical evolution reshaping how power, influence, and innovation flow in the modern economy.
Dating After Divorce Made Me a Better Leader
After thirty years in a committed relationship, I suddenly found myself navigating the uncharted world of dating—and it reshaped how I lead. Vulnerability became my superpower, forcing me to communicate with clarity, intention, and courage. I began to apply the same principles I used in organizational transformation to my own healing, unlocking emotional agility and reclaiming my voice. Dating wasn’t just about romance; it was a masterclass in empathy, boundary-setting, and reinvention. In hindsight, my personal journey became the blueprint for a more authentic, resilient, and visionary version of myself as a leader.
