AI Without Guardrails Is a Liability: A Candid Conversation with Katie Donovan
Wed Jan 28 2026
In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Katie Donovan, Founder of CAMP Digital, for a deep, practical conversation about the real impact of AI on marketing, operations, and growth in the trades.
Katie breaks through the noise surrounding AI and explains why “AI” has become one of the most misunderstood terms in business today. From operational AI and generative AI to ad performance, data ownership, and compliance, this episode explores what contractors should be paying attention to—and what could quietly put their businesses at risk.
You’ll hear why AI is more than a shift and why it may be bigger than the invention of the internet itself. The discussion covers how search is evolving into a predictive, agent-driven experience, why “queryless search” is coming faster than most people realize, and how small and mid-sized contractors actually have an advantage in this moment if they’re willing to move.
This episode also dives into:
Why messy data leads to dangerous AI outputs
How AI hallucinations and automation errors can create real liability
What contractors must ask vendors about data ownership and compliance
Why trust-but-verify is now a requirement, not a suggestion
How AI agents will soon book jobs, schedule service, and make decisions on behalf of customers
Why marketing, operations, and technology are converging faster than ever
Most importantly, this conversation reframes AI as both an asset and a responsibility. If you’re a contractor, marketer, or business owner trying to understand how AI affects your marketing, your customer data, and the future of search, this episode will give you clarity without hype—and direction without fear.
More
In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Katie Donovan, Founder of CAMP Digital, for a deep, practical conversation about the real impact of AI on marketing, operations, and growth in the trades. Katie breaks through the noise surrounding AI and explains why “AI” has become one of the most misunderstood terms in business today. From operational AI and generative AI to ad performance, data ownership, and compliance, this episode explores what contractors should be paying attention to—and what could quietly put their businesses at risk. You’ll hear why AI is more than a shift and why it may be bigger than the invention of the internet itself. The discussion covers how search is evolving into a predictive, agent-driven experience, why “queryless search” is coming faster than most people realize, and how small and mid-sized contractors actually have an advantage in this moment if they’re willing to move. This episode also dives into: Why messy data leads to dangerous AI outputs How AI hallucinations and automation errors can create real liability What contractors must ask vendors about data ownership and compliance Why trust-but-verify is now a requirement, not a suggestion How AI agents will soon book jobs, schedule service, and make decisions on behalf of customers Why marketing, operations, and technology are converging faster than ever Most importantly, this conversation reframes AI as both an asset and a responsibility. If you’re a contractor, marketer, or business owner trying to understand how AI affects your marketing, your customer data, and the future of search, this episode will give you clarity without hype—and direction without fear.