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Building the Future: How Paragon Films Uses Tech to Shrink Plastic Waste
Manage episode 483096551 series 3559712
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In This Episode
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Kenny Mullican’s journey begins in software development but quickly takes off when his startup gets acquired by Connectix—the original makers of the QuickCam webcam. He soon transitions from California tech to remote work in Tulsa, working for Logitech and managing video tools long before Zoom was a household name. His early passion for problem-solving through code paved the way for his future leadership in business systems and IT strategy.
When Kenny joined Paragon Films as CIO, the company's IT infrastructure was outdated, with decades-old ERP systems and minimal digital tooling. In his words, “It was about getting the company out of the Stone Age.” Under his leadership, Paragon transitioned from Lotus Notes to Office 365, then from on-premise data to Azure cloud platforms. That investment in cloud transformation turned out to be a foundational move—positioning the company to take full advantage of the AI explosion.
Kenny emphasizes that effective AI adoption isn’t just about plugging in new tools—it’s about building a clean, governed, secure data ecosystem first. By aligning Paragon’s infrastructure with Microsoft Fabric and curating structured Power BI datasets, he ensured that the company's transition into AI would be seamless. Whether it’s cybersecurity posture, ERP system migration, or adopting co-pilot tools, Kenny's story shows the value of preparing for tech trends before they arrive.
The conversation also dives into hiring practices in an AI-driven world. Kenny believes that with the right mindset and AI fluency, recent grads can outperform veterans—provided they’re hungry, driven, and curious. He challenges the traditional emphasis on years of experience, arguing instead for aptitude, motivation, and cultural fit.
Kenny closes the episode with a hopeful vision of the future: one where AI removes mundane tasks, empowers individuals to launch startups, and enables people to do meaningful work they actually enjoy. He doesn’t dream of retirement—he dreams of creation.
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