How Shopify Is Building The Future of AI Commerce with Andrew McNamaraShopify's Director of Applied ML, Andrew McNamara, reveals how the new Sidekick Pulse and SimGym features are revolutionizing e-commerce for merchants of all sizes. With 15 years of experience building AI assistants—dating back to pre-Siri days—Andrew breaks down how Shopify is using "LLM as a judge" to ensure quality and why "vibe entrepreneurship" is the future of business.Andrew explains how Sidekick has evolved from a simple chatbot into a proactive "AI Co-founder" that can democratize data for small business owners. He shares behind-the-scenes details on Sidekick Pulse, which performs deep research to surface actionable insights (like finding shipping errors that cost sales), and Simgym, a powerful simulator that uses AI shoppers to A/B test store changes before they go live.We also dive into the technical side of how Shopify evaluates these models using statistical rigor and why the ability for merchants to build admin apps with a single prompt is a game-changer for productivity.---Topics Covered- The 15-year evolution of AI assistants from rule-based systems to LLMs- How Sidekick Pulse proactively finds and fixes business-critical errors- Simgym: Using AI shoppers to simulate A/B tests without risking live traffic- The "LLM as a Judge" framework Shopify uses for product quality control- "Vibe Entrepreneurship" and reducing technical barriers for founders- Building custom Admin Apps in seconds using natural language prompts- Real-world examples from Andrew's own maple syrup store- The difference between general chatbots (Copilot) and specialized agents (Sidekick)- How "App Gen" allows merchants to create custom workflows instantlyEpisode Timestamps00:03 - Introduction to Andrew McNamara and his 15-year history with AI01:01 - Comparing early AI assistants (BlackBerry/Samsung) to modern LLMs06:45 - How Sidekick democratizes data analytics for small merchants11:25 - Deep Dive: Sidekick Pulse and proactive business research15:43 - Using "LLM as a Judge" to replace human evaluation at scale18:41 - Generating custom Admin Apps with a single prompt ("App Gen")21:58 - Andrew's personal experience running a Shopify store25:31 - The concept of "Vibe Entrepreneurship" as a North Star26:30 - Using AI to edit online store themes and layouts in real-time37:39 - Simgym: Simulating buyer behavior to predict experiment results42:06 - Why simulation is critical for both small and large enterprise merchants48:04 - The culture of technical depth and passion at Shopify51:34 - Why Andrew has dedicated his entire career to building assistants---## About Andrew McNamaraAndrew McNamara is the Director of Applied Machine Learning at Shopify, where he leads the development of Sidekick and other intelligent merchant features. Previously the Director of the Montreal Research Lab at Microsoft and a key contributor to Bing Chat (Copilot), Andrew has over 15 years of experience building and deploying AI assistants at scale.Shopify is the leading global commerce company, providing trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any size. It powers millions of businesses in more than 175 countries and offers a unified platform for physical and digital commerce.Resources Mentioned- Shopify Sidekick (AI Commerce Assistant)- Sidekick Pulse (Proactive Research Agent)- Simgym (AI Shopper Simulator)- Microsoft Copilot & Bing Chat- "LLM as a Judge" Evaluation Framework---Partner Links- Book Enterprise Training — https://www.upscaile.com/- Subscribe to our free newsletter — https://www.theaireport.ai/subscribe-theaireport-youtube
Jason Eubanks on Building Oracel: Raising $30M in 28 Hours to Disrupt the $236B Go-To-Market Tooling Market with AI-Native Sales AutomationJason Eubanks, CEO and Co-founder of Oracel, discusses how the company raised $30 million in just 28 hours—oversubscribed at $40 million—by solving a critical problem in the go-to-market industry. With a $236 billion market opportunity and only a "desert of innovation" since the late 1990s, Aurasell is building an AI-native platform to intelligently automate sales workflows and consolidate the 12-15 fragmented tools that plague modern sales teams. Jason shares how his experience scaling revenue from $1M to $100M+ across five startups—including Twilio (IPO), Meraki (acquired by Cisco for $1.2B), and Harness—directly informed the founding vision of AurasellEpisode Timestamps- 00:00 - Introduction and Jason Eubanks joins the podcast- 00:26 - Why Oracel raised $30M in 28 hours despite initial $40M oversubscription- 01:24 - The "desert of innovation" in go-to-market tooling since the late 90s- 01:42 - History of CRM evolution from mainframe to cloud to niche products- 03:12 - Founding vision: One intelligent GTM sales platform to replace them all- 03:39 - How pain as a CRO across five startups led to Oracel's creation- 05:58 - The X-Ray productivity assessment revealing tool sprawl inefficiencies- 07:59 - Sellers spending 28% of time selling and 70% on manual tasks- 09:03 - First principles AI-native approach with whiteboards in the kitchen- 09:29 - Five key personas: SDR, seller, IC manager, executive, ops team- 12:18 - AI-native architecture: multimodal interface, lakehouse, and 10,000 agents- 14:39 - Unified data model importance for contextualized AI automation- 15:45 - Current hat wearing: product focus and 50% building go-to-market engine- 18:43 - Platform features and customer experience design philosophy- 19:05 - Three wow moments per persona as success metric- 20:39 - Onboarding experience: automatic territory building and customer choice- 21:40 - 10,000 agents discovering ICP, personas, and competitors automatically- 24:07 - Automated account research and value hypothesis creation- 25:34 - Outbound prospecting content generation with propensity scoring- 26:32 - Outbound sequencer integration and email platform plugins- 27:00 - AI voice dialer coming in three weeks with closed-loop automation- 28:47 - What's missing: deep marketing and customer success automation- 30:49 - Ideal customer profiles: startups and enterprises with tool sprawl- 31:30 - Solution for heavily customized legacy systems coming in December- 34:24 - Dynamic change detection layer solving technical debt- 36:23 - Jason's career arc from BMC Software through Harness- 37:09 - Why: helping go-to-market operators solve problems he experienced- 39:55 - Meraki's disruptive cloud-managed network architecture- 41:51 - Three constants: great product builders, important problems, massive markets- 43:22 - Intrinsic motivation as foundation for hiring and culture- 45:31 - Hiring from first job onward to assess character and values- 51:24 - Understanding why someone wanted to work at 14 years old- 53:21 - Importance of formative years for work ethic and intelligence- 55:46 - AI adoption culture: using own product and building agents internally- 56:36 - All employees use AI daily across PMs, engineers, and operations- 59:25 - Ask AI features: analytics dashboards, data enrichment, natural language-
Discover how Anton, one of the most experienced AI and machine learning experts in the industry, discusses his evolution from building matching algorithms at Bright.com to navigating today's AI landscape. With over a decade of experience in large-scale recommendation systems and data processing, Anton reveals how the fundamentals of big data and embarrassingly parallel computing shaped modern AI applications, and why human-centered design is now more critical than ever in building AI-powered products.Episode Timestamps:- 00:00 - Introduction and welcome- 00:47 - Anton's experience at Bright.com and the recruitment matching problem- 03:23 - The big data era, Hadoop, and Spark in the web 2.0 world- 05:00 - Embarrassingly parallel computing and large-scale data processing- 10:00 - How recommendation algorithms work at scale in recruitment- 20:00 - Evolution of the data scientist role over time- 30:00 - Building intelligent matching systems- 40:00 - Understanding user needs and organizational workflows- 50:00 - The shift toward human-centered AI design- 57:30 - Providing pre-filled content and personalization- 58:02 - Anton's vision for the future and human values- 01:01:46 - Closing thoughts on humanity and technologyAbout Anton:Anton is a veteran machine learning and AI engineer with over a decade of experience building large-scale recommendation and matching systems. He played a key role at Bright.com, a two-sided recruitment platform that pioneered transparent scoring algorithms for candidate-job matching. His expertise spans big data infrastructure, recommendation systems, user experience optimization, and the human-centered approach to AI product development.Resources Mentioned:- Hadoop and Spark (big data processing frameworks)- Big data infrastructure and cloud computing platforms- Two-sided marketplace architectures- Recommendation algorithms and matching systems- User workflow analysis toolsPartner Links:- Book Enterprise Training — https://www.upscaile.com/- Subscribe to our free newsletter — https://www.theaireport.ai/subscribe-theaireport-youtubeHashtags:#AIAgents #MachineLearningSystems #RecruitmentTechnology #BigData #DataScience #RecommendationAlgorithms #HadoopSpark #AIProductDesign #HumanCenteredAI #LargeScaleML #CloudComputing #AIStrategy #FutureOfWork #TechLeadership #CareerDevelopment
Building Teams in the Age of AI: How Slack CMO Ryan Gavin is Reshaping the Future of Work
In this episode, Ryan Gavin, Chief Marketing Officer at Slack, reveals how self-awareness in leadership and the convergence of marketing and product strategy are creating unprecedented opportunities in the agentic era. Learn why employee productivity through AI orchestration is poised to become the fastest accelerator for top line business growth companies have ever seen, and how Slack is positioning itself as the conversational work platform for this transformation.
The conversation explores the critical shift from employees as doers to orchestrators, where every team member—from day-one interns to seasoned executives—will manage digital coworkers and AI agents. Discover the product principles driving Slack's approach to agent integration, the social dynamics of working alongside AI teammates, and why the traditional career ladder is being replaced by immediate access to capabilities across development, creative, analytics, and more. The discussion also covers practical frameworks for building exceptional teams, reducing AI adoption anxiety, and why picking the "right" career path matters less than crushing the job you're in.
Ryan delivers actionable insights on leadership development through self-awareness, understanding how team members receive feedback and recognition differently, and connecting business opportunities with talent growth. You'll also hear his compelling argument for why marketing must sit between product and sales as a strategic amplifier, not just a message distributor, and what marketers need to do to earn their seat at product strategy and sales planning meetings.
Key Topics Covered:
Episode Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and setting the stage
02:16 - Knowing thyself: Ryan's journey to leadership self-awareness through family and life experience
05:19 - What makes an amazing marketer in 2026 and bridging the marketing-product divide
08:43 - From doers to orchestrators: how AI agents give every employee a team from day one
11:24 - Designing agents to work like teammates: Slack's approach to intuitive AI integration
14:55 - Addressing AI fear: why productivity gains lead to higher expectations rather than job loss
18:03 - Advice for the next generation entering an AI-transformed workforce
21:49 - Career lesson from delivering papers in 110-degree Chicago heat
24:30 - Final question: why Ryan does what he does and the importance of lasting market impact
Nick Johnston is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development at Salesforce, where he leads strategic relationships with major technology companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, Google, IBM, and Workday. In this conversation recorded during Dreamforce 2025, Nick shares how Salesforce closed 12,500 Agentforce deals and navigated the complexities of announcing major partnerships like the expanded OpenAI integration that brings Salesforce's Agentforce 360 directly into ChatGPT. He reveals his unique approach to building win-win partnerships grounded in customer demand rather than competitive positioning.
Key Topics Covered:
Episode Timestamps:
03:07 - From college football to coaching varsity wide receivers at Torrey Pines High School in 2006
05:47 - The vibes and trust mentality: lessons from undersized teams that outperform expectations
07:26 - Three core hiring values: low ego, high curiosity, and grit in partnership teams
09:15 - Six months in Buenos Aires learning Spanish through full immersion with Spencer Stuart
12:49 - Customer-driven partnership strategy: building frameworks from market demand to product integration
16:15 - The customer-centric approach at Dreamforce and delivering the Agentforce agenda with partners
18:04 - Using AI to write joint press releases, position partnerships, and create mutually beneficial proposals
21:27 - Career advice for new graduates: get as close to the customer as possible in sales or customer success roles
24:56 - Why human experience and the arts will be the ultimate differentiator as AI automates work
28:02 - Parenting lessons and the "be great" daily motto for building confidence and pushing through challenges
29:06 - Why do you do what you do: achieving hard things in team settings and making family proud
About Nick Johnston
Nick Johnston is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development at Salesforce, where he has spent over 12 years advancing from Customer Success Director to leading strategic technology partnerships. He holds an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and a BA with honors in International Relations from UC Davis, where he also played college football. Nick has been instrumental in establishing major partnerships with OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, Google, IBM, Workday, and other leading technology companies to deliver integrated customer experiences through Salesforce's Agentforce 360 platform.
ransformation and agentic AI.
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Try AI Pals today: http://tavus.io/pals-launch?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=theaireportIn this candid conversation with Quinn Favret, and Hassaan Raza, Co-Founders of Tavus, we dive deep into the future of human computing and how AI is learning to communicate like humans. Quinn walks us through their inspiring San Francisco office—a museum of vintage computing that fuels the company's innovation culture.Topics Covered:0:00 — Introduction & Office Tour2:15 — Building an Inspiring Workspace for Innovation5:45 — The Evolution of Human-Computer Interaction (CLI → GUI → Human Computing)8:30 — What is "Human Computing"? The OS for Human-AI Interaction12:00 — The Waltz of Communication: Understanding Turn-Taking, Tone & Body Language15:20 — Tavus Technology: Perception, Understanding, Reaction & Action20:45 — Introducing Tavus Pals: AI Companions That Reach Out to You25:30 — Real-World Impact: The AI Santa Story & Accessibility30:15 — Ethical AI: Human-First Design & Responsibility35:00 — The Future of Work: Invisible Interface & AI Coworkers (10-20 Year Vision)42:30 — Addressing Job Displacement & Automation47:00 — Building an International, Culturally Diverse Team52:15 — What Makes a Great Tavus Hire: Passion, Craft & Opinions57:45 — Employee Challenges That Changed Company Direction62:00 — The "Why Do You Do This?" Question & Personal Motivations67:30 — Closing Remarks & GratitudeKey Takeaways:Human computing is the next frontier: machines that understand you instead of you learning to understand machinesEffective communication involves far more than words—tone, timing, facial expressions, and body language all matterTavus Pals represent a new category of AI application: emotionally intelligent, proactive, and truly conversationalDiversity of perspective—cultural, generational, educational—is critical to building AI that works for everyoneThe future workplace will have AI coworkers that feel as natural to interact with as human colleaguesTimestamps & Chapters:Vintage Computing Culture & InnovationThe Evolution of Computing InterfacesHuman-Centered AI Design PhilosophyReal-Time AI Perception & UnderstandingTavus Consumer Products & APIEmotional Intelligence in AIEthical Considerations & ResponsibilityFuture of Work & The Invisible InterfaceBuilding an International TeamHiring for Passion Over BackgroundLegacy & ImpactWe explore conversations with founders, technologists, and innovators shaping the future. This episode features Quinn Hassan discussing how Tavus is reimagining human-computer interaction through emotionally intelligent AI.#AI #Tavus #HumanComputing #FutureOfWork #AICompanions #Innovation #TechPodcast #FounderInterview #Startups #EmotionalIntelligence
How a Former Startup Founder (Nancy Xu) is Building the Future of AI Agents at Salesforce Agent ForceJoin us for an insightful conversation with a Salesforce Agent Force leader who previously founded Moon Hub and holds a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford. In this episode, Nancy Xu reveals her unconventional hiring strategies, including asking candidates "what tabs are open in your Chrome browser," and shares why relentless curiosity is the top signal she looks for when building AI teams. Discover how she transitioned from startup founder to enterprise AI leader while maintaining a culture of trust and autonomy.Nancy Xu breaks down the future of work with AI agents, explaining how we'll all transition from "producers" to "directors" as agent orchestration becomes central to every role. Learn about Salesforce's trust layer for Agent Force, the importance of humans in the loop for iterative agent improvement, and why the next 100 years of AI development represents humanity's greatest opportunity since mapping the world. This conversation offers tactical hiring advice, leadership insights on managing impatience as a strength and weakness, and a compelling vision for how AI agents will transform customer experience roles.Key Topics Covered:Unconventional interview questions that reveal candidate curiosity and passion beyond traditional resumesThe three intangibles to look for when hiring: relentless curiosity, mastery of craft, and passionWhy future roles will focus on "what and why" rather than "how" as AI agents handle executionAgent orchestration frameworks including MCP and ATA for agents working with other agentsThe critical role of humans in the loop for continuously iterating agent objective functionsHow trust operates as the number one value at both Salesforce and startup environmentsLeadership philosophy of hiring great people and giving them autonomy within clear directionManaging impatience as both a greatest strength and weakness in leadershipThe blending of research, product, and engineering roles in AI-native companiesWhy this moment in history is humanity's chance to positively impact the course of civilization through AIEpisode Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and unconventional hiring philosophy01:42 - The Chrome browser tabs question and looking beyond traditional resumes03:21 - Hiring for curiosity in a world where jobs will transform in two years05:15 - From producers to directors: The future of work with AI agents07:18 - Comparing culture at Salesforce Agent Force vs Moon Hub startup09:28 - Operating from trust: Lessons from Stanford PhD program on autonomy11:02 - Greatest weakness: Managing impatience as a founder turned enterprise leader13:14 - Advice for 21-year-olds: Pursue passion and blend across departments15:54 - Why now is the perfect moment in human history to work on AI17:10 - Closing thoughts on making positive impact through AI developmentAbout the Guest:This episode features Nancy Xu, a product and engineering leader on the Salesforce AgentForce team who previously founded Moon Hub, an AI-powered talent platform. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford and brings systems thinking and mathematical rigor to building enterprise AI agents. Her work focuses on agent orchestration, trust layers, and enabling humans to work alongside AI at scale.About Salesforce/Agentforce:Salesforce Agent Force is an enterprise AI agent platform that enables businesses to deploy autonomous agents across customer service, sales, and operations. Built with trust as the number one value, Agent Force includes enterprise-grade governance, security, and a trust layer that handles compliance at scale. The platform focuses on agent orchestration, allowing multiple agents to work together while keeping humans in the loop for strategic direction
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Rohit Khanna on AI Agents in Customer Service: How Smarsh Achieved 56% Deflection with Agentforce 360 Platform.
Rohit Khanna, Chief Customer Officer at Smarsh, reveals how AI agents are revolutionizing customer service automation in financial services compliance. In this episode, learn how Smarsh implemented Salesforce Agentforce to achieve 56% deflection rates, 20% productivity gains, and transformed their customer support operations without hiring additional level-one support representatives.
Discover the complete strategy behind deploying AI agents in regulated industries, from building proprietary compliance models to implementing data governance layers that ensure accuracy and regulatory compliance. Rohit shares insider insights on personalizing AI agents (meet "Archie"), managing the transition from chatbots to intelligent agents, and preparing teams for the future of agentic workflows in customer service.
Key Topics Covered:
- AI Agent Implementation
- How Smarsh deployed Agentforce for customer service automation
- Real Results - 56% deflection rate, 20% efficiency gains, 25% faster resolutions
- Financial Services Compliance
- Building AI models for market manipulation, fraud detection, and surveillance
- Data Governance
- Critical frameworks for deploying AI agents in regulated industries
- Personalization Strategy
- Why naming the agent "Archie" dramatically increased adoption
- Future of Work
- From human-in-the-loop to agent-in-the-loop workflows- GenAI vs Purpose-Built Models
- When to use general purpose vs specialized compliance AI models
- Customer Experience
- Balancing automation with trust in financial services
Episode Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to Rohit Khanna and Smarsh
02:44 - What is Smarsh? Compliance technology explained
04:13 - Building AI from the inside out: Proprietary vs partnered models
07:33 - Agentforce implementation journey and challenges
12:26 - Results: 56% deflection rate and productivity gains
15:25 - The power of personalization: Why "Archie" matters
18:21 - Trust and data governance in regulated industries
22:11 - Data governance layers and policy management
25:49 - Human-in-the-loop vs agent-in-the-loop
29:10 - Upskilling teams for the AI-powered future
32:11 - Intelligent agents for financial crime detection
About Rohit Khanna:
Rohit Khanna is the Chief Customer Officer at Smarsh, overseeing global customer support, consulting, migrations, managed services, and Smarsh University. With nearly six years at Smarsh, Rohit has led the company's transformation into AI-powered compliance solutions, managing teams across the Philippines, India, Belfast, Costa Rica, UK, and US.
About Smarsh:Smarsh is the leading compliance technology provider for regulated industries, specializing in electronic communications archiving, surveillance, and AI-powered financial crime detection. For 20 years, Smarsh has been the trusted custodian of communications data for major financial institutions worldwide, using proprietary AI models and GenAI agents to detect misconduct, reduce false positives, and ensure regulatory compliance.
Resources Mentioned:- Salesforce Agentforce
- Salesforce Agentforce for Service
- Digital Reasoning (acquired by Smarsh)
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What's your experience with AI agents in customer service?
#AIAgents #CustomerService #Agentforce #Salesforce #ComplianceTechnology #FinancialServices #GenAI #CustomerExperience #AIAutomation #AgenticWorkflows #DataGovernance #FinancialCompliance #CustomerSupport #AIinBusiness #Smarsh
Subscribe to the newsletter — https://newsletter.theaireport.ai/subscribeBook Enterprise Training — https://www.upscaile.com/Salesforce CMO Ariel Kelman reveals how customer-centric marketing, AI agents, and trust shape the future of enterprise technology. Learn leadership lessons from Amazon, MicroStrategy, and building marketing teams that embrace AI innovation at scale.In this exclusive interview recorded at Dreamforce, Ariel Kelman—President and Chief Marketing Officer at Salesforce—shares his journey from data warehouse consultant to leading marketing at one of the world's most influential enterprise software companies. Discover how the "have you talked to customers" philosophy from Amazon's Andy Jassy transformed his approach to B2B marketing, and why trust has become the cornerstone of successful AI agent deployment.Ariel breaks down the evolution of AgentForce, Salesforce's AI agent platform, and explains why enterprise AI requires more than impressive demos—it demands accuracy, security, and customer success at scale. You'll learn practical insights about hiring for intellectual curiosity over technical skills, building transparent resource allocation systems, and why failure is "the inseparable twin sister of innovation."⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Introduction1:03 - From Data Warehouse Consultant to CMO: Career Journey2:50 - Andy Jassy's Customer-First Philosophy at Amazon4:08 - The Foundation of Customer Success in Marketing5:46 - Trust, CRM, AI, and Data: The Four Pillars7:20 - Building Trust as a Marketing Leader8:56 - Introducing AI Agents to Enterprise Customers10:31 - What Trust Really Means in AI12:02 - President + CMO: The Dual Role Explained13:11 - Training Teams Through Inspiration, Not Just Education14:52 - Hiring for Intellectual Curiosity and Humility17:04 - Creating a Culture Where Failure Leads to Innovation18:45 - How Leaders Use AI Daily at Salesforce20:09 - The Joy of Product Marketing20:50 - Why Do You Do What You Do?💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS:Why customer obsession beats technology-first marketing every timeHow to build trust in AI agents for enterprise deploymentThe hiring questions that reveal intellectual curiosity and low egoWhy 95% accuracy isn't good enough for customer-facing AIHow Salesforce uses 17 customer success stories to market AgentForceThe difference between consumer AI and enterprise AI grounded in dataWhy transparency in resource allocation builds team trust🎤 ABOUT ARIEL KELMAN:Ariel Kelman is the President and Chief Marketing Officer at Salesforce, where he leads global marketing strategy for CRM, AI, and enterprise technology solutions. Previously, he held leadership roles at Amazon Web Services, Oracle, and MicroStrategy, bringing over 20 years of experience in B2B technology marketing and sales engineering.📢 RELATED VIDEOS:Mia Jordan, GTM AI Executive at Salesforce (https://youtu.be/pFOAlZNL_U0?si=2BMuatBIpC0biXZ0)Saket Srivastava, Asana CIO (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TryfgNj3D4&t=1s)🏢 ABOUT THIS SERIES:This interview is part of our Dreamforce leadership series, featuring conversations with C-suite executives shaping the future of enterprise technology, AI innovation, and customer experience.#Salesforce #CMO #AIAgents #AgentForce #MarketingLeadership #EnterpriseAI #B2BMarketing #CustomerSuccess #TrustInAI #Dreamforce #TechLeadership #ProductMarketing #CRM #AIInnovation #MarketingStrategy
⚡️ Enterprise Training — upscaile.com🤝 Join the Newsletter — newsletter.theaireport.ai/subscribeIn this episode, we delve into AI in government transformation, digital innovation in the public sector, and the future of work in an AI-driven world. Our guest, Mia Jordan — a former Chief Information Officer (CIO) turned AI GTM Executive at Salesforce — reveals how artificial intelligence, automation, and data-driven decision-making are powering the next wave of digital transformation in government. She shares insights on how public-sector innovation, customer experience (CX), and platform thinking are redefining how agencies operate. You’ll learn how AI strategy, leadership, organizational culture, and AI skills training enable smarter, more connected systems — shaping the next generation of digital government, enterprise AI adoption, and citizen-centric service delivery.We dive into:1. How government can use AI to deliver citizen-first services and customer-like experiences2. Why CIOs are central to blending IT, business, and AI strategy across large organizations3. The “platform mindset” — building once and scaling across multiple departments4. How AI can shorten onboarding time and make training radically more efficient5. Practical steps for employees and leaders to upskill with free AI training (Trailhead)6. Building a learning culture where AI adoption starts from the top down7. Career advice for recent grads entering the AI-driven workforceChapters00:00:00 Intro – The art of authentic conversation00:01:00 How to design government systems that treat citizens like customers00:03:00 CIO insights: blending business, IT, and AI00:05:00 The future of work and how AI is changing employee roles00:06:30 How to learn AI fast – Trailhead and free upskilling00:07:40 The value of grunt work in the age of automation00:09:30 AI onboarding: training employees faster and smarter00:10:40 Culture and leadership in successful AI adoption00:12:10 AI learning cohorts: building confidence and curiosity00:14:30 Measuring AI success: education, engagement, and feedback loops00:15:30 Lessons from government and innovation inside Salesforce00:17:40 What new grads should learn from sales and relationship building00:19:10 Why she does what she does – being a catalyst for change📬 Get in TouchLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/not-the-f1-driver-liam-lawson/Mia Jordan — https://www.linkedin.com/in/mia-jordan-07192852/
Connect with Saket Srivastava: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saket-srivastava-84069711/
👉 Asana CIO Saket Srivastava joins Liam Lawson to unpack why the future is about **collaboration over autonomy** in AI. He shares how Asana’s Work Graph underpins AI features like Smart Chat, AI Studio, and the new **AI Teammates** (with human-in-the-loop checkpoints and enterprise controls), and explains the evolving role of the CIO from back-office technologist to strategy co-creator. Saket gets specific on IT–HR partnership for AI transformation, surveying employee readiness, building an internal AI council, balancing experimentation with measurable impact, and coaching teams through change. They also tackle job displacement realistically, discuss building an AI-first culture, and end with Saket’s personal motivations, strengths, and where he’d improve.
📚 Chapters
00:00 Welcome & setup
01:31 What Asana is & the CIO role
04:39 How the CIO role changed from 2024 → 2025
06:11 What makes a great CIO (three-level framework)
09:15 What are Asana AI Teammates?
12:42 Why autonomy isn’t the goal; context, checkpoints, control
14:48 Asana’s AI suite (Smart Chat, AI Studio, Teammates)
15:04 The Work Graph model & “pyramid of clarity”
18:31 Human-in-the-loop in practice (IT ticketing, campaign strategist)
20:50 Natural-language collaboration & explainability
22:01 Where AI Teammates underperform & the data hurdle
25:30 Change management & the IT–HR partnership
29:08 Baseline survey: excited-but-stuck employees
32:14 Bottom-up innovation + top-down direction
33:39 AI council, show-and-tells, and grassroots adoption
36:12 Balancing innovation with impact (don’t kill experiments with ROI)
37:24 Addressing fear vs. optimism; why leaning in matters
40:08 Generational readiness & learning paths
43:03 The future of work: augmentation over dystopia
44:31 Saket beyond tech; problem-solving DNA
46:45 Strengths & what he’d improve as a leader
48:59 Why Saket does what he does
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Connect with Josh Furstoss: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-furstoss/
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👉 In this episode, Liam Lawson sits down with Josh Furstoss — founder of Spinout Studios and former CEO of Incued — to unpack his journey from cleaning blood off walls in a grocery store meat department to building and exiting a data intelligence startup. Josh shares his wild early job stories, how curiosity and enthusiasm launched his tech career, and the lessons learned working with government agencies on large-scale security projects. They dive deep into the creation and mission behind Incued, the moral drive for financial transparency, and Josh’s new focus with Spinout Studios — helping corporations turn dormant IP and data into profitable spinouts. The conversation also explores wealth, purpose, robotics, the future of work, and what truly brings peace and meaning after an exit.
📚 Chapters 00:00
Early Jobs and Wild Grocery Store Stories
04:40 Learning Sales at Best Buy and Samsung
08:10 Breaking Into Tech Through Cold Outreach
12:00 Corporate Life, Security Projects, and the FBI
17:10 Learning Value and Realizing Undervaluation
21:00 First Startup Failures and Founding Incued
25:20 Building Truth and Transparency Into Fintech
27:40 Anger, Pain, and Finding Purpose Post-Exit
33:30 Wealth, Status, and the Myth of Success
38:05 Building Spinout Studios — Founders vs Consultants
43:00 The Art of Spinouts and Niche Innovation
47:30 Midwest Private Equity Culture vs SF Startups
51:45 The Future of Robotics and Specialized Automation
53:40 Loneliness, AI Companionship, and Human Connection
56:27 The Future of Work and Economic Displacement
01:02:20 Why Josh Does What He Does
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Connect with Cory:
👉 In this conversation, Cory B shares his journey from early entrepreneurial ventures to founding BluMOSA, a LinkedIn agency dedicated to inspiring everyday individuals to find their voice and start their businesses. He reflects on the lessons learned from his early ventures, the importance of building strong team culture, and his approach to risk management. Cory also dives into the role of personal branding, the impact of outsourcing and AI on the future of work, and why being self-focused—not selfish—leads to more meaningful leadership and success.
📚 Chapters
00:00 Inspiring Everyday Entrepreneurs
01:53 Lessons from Early Business Ventures
07:01 Navigating Risk and Confidence in Entrepreneurship
13:27 The Accidental Birth of BluMOSA
17:07 Finding Your Voice and Brand Identity
21:28 The Comprehensive Offerings of BluMOSA
24:47 Team Culture and Motivation at BluMOSA
26:09 Leading by Example: The Importance of Hard Work
26:59 Hiring for Trust and Coachability
28:24 The Future of Work: Outsourcing and AI
30:45 Building a Supportive Team Culture
33:23 Vision for Growth: Supporting Families and Communities
35:41 Self-Focused Leadership: Balancing Personal and Team Needs
37:33 Finding Joy in Work: The Role of Passion
40:56 Optimism in the Face of Change: The Future of Work
43:08 Purpose-Driven Work: Why I Do What I Do
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Connect with Sophie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-theodorou-89261b186/
Connect with Jett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jett-miller-b31041314/
👉 In this roundtable-style conversation, Liam Lawson sits down with Sophie (@teach2ai) and Jett Miller to explore the intersection of AI, content creation, and education. Sophie shares her journey from teaching math and science during the pandemic to becoming a full-time AI consultant, trainer, and content creator with over 100K followers. She explains how authenticity, consistency, and simplicity have fueled her growth on TikTok while working with brands like ClickUp, Bolt, and String. Jett, from DTC House, adds insights into scaling organic short-form content for startups and enterprise clients, revealing how AI-focused marketing campaigns go viral and drive real user growth. Together, they discuss industry pain points, the rise of AI influencers, the future of content authenticity, and why businesses of all sizes should rethink how they communicate value in the age of AI.
📚 Chapters00:00 Welcome Sophie and Jett
00:40 Sophie’s transition from teacher to AI creator
01:57 The viral TikToks that started it all
03:05 Why authenticity beats high production
04:41 Overcoming hesitancy in content creation
06:25 How Sophie and Jett started working together
08:24 Inside DTC House’s shadow accounts
10:01 Using AI tools for real client work
6:21 Why Sophie’s account stood out to Jett
27:42 Internet “money bros” and fake AI claims
50:23 From workshops to AI consulting
55:34 Pain points businesses face with AI
\58:58 The challenge of scaling consulting work
01:00:39 Teaching adults vs. teaching students
01:03:19 What people really need to learn about LLMs
01:07:43 Why Perplexity stands out
01:09:01 Why people like working with Sophie
01:10:58 Why Sophie does what she does
01:14:01 Final advice for AI founders
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Connect with Othmane Khadri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/othmane-khadri-b48162236/
👉 Othmane Khadri shares his journey from working in startups to launching his own agency, emphasizing the importance of betting on oneself and the evolving landscape of AI and entrepreneurship. He discusses the challenges of marketing in a commoditized product environment, the significance of data in AI implementations, and his agency's unique approach to support early-stage startups. Othmane also reflects on the qualities of successful entrepreneurs, the cultural perceptions of entrepreneurship, and the importance of personal values and health in achieving success.
📚 Chapters
00:00 From Employee to Entrepreneur: A Pivotal Shift
05:42 The Future of AI and Entrepreneurship
11:27 Building a Unique Agency: Insights and Strategies
16:52 Navigating Early Stage Startups vs. Established Companies
22:30 The Role of Data in AI Implementation
28:17 Leveraging AI for Business Growth
34:26 The Human-AI Collaboration in Business
38:28 Incentivizing Talent in the Age of AI
40:50 Finding and Attracting High Ownership Talent
43:09 Hiring for Brains vs. Hands
44:54 The Importance of Incentives and Profit Sharing
48:35 The Evolution of Earleads and Branding
52:07 Common Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs
55:11 Learning from Failure and System Thinking
57:30 Cultural Perspectives on Entrepreneurship
01:05:43 Processing Failure and Personal Habits
01:07:42 Motivations Behind Entrepreneurship
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Try breaker here: joinbreaker.ai/tair1
👉 In this conversation, Liam Lawson and Ben Billups dive into a wide range of topics—from the benefits of standing desks and coworking spaces to the impact of AI on technology and marketing. They discuss the transition from agency work to SaaS, the importance of email marketing and newsletters, and how AI is reshaping the future of communication. Ben also shares insights from building his unique email platform, Breaker, highlighting ethical marketing, solving real customer problems, and navigating compliance challenges. The episode wraps with forward-looking predictions on tech trends, audience ownership, and the evolving role of AI in business.
📚 Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Standing Desks
02:52 Coworking Spaces and Venture Capital
05:42 The Future of Tech and AI
08:43 Vibe Coding and GPT-5
11:23 Product Market Fit and Email Marketing
14:37 The Rise of Newsletters
17:12 Creating Unique Content
20:17 Transitioning from Agency to SaaS
22:45 Mindset Shift in SaaS Development
34:23 Navigating SaaS Development Challenges
35:59 Differentiating Breaker in the Email Market
37:50 Innovative Lead Generation Strategies
41:58 Target Audience and Market Fit
43:44 Understanding Email Compliance and Deliverability
47:22 The Impact of AI on Business and Compliance
48:18 Building a Defensible Business Model
50:48 The Future of Audience Ownership
56:45 Rented vs. Owned Audiences
57:42 The Role of Platforms in Business Growth
59:41 Customer Support in a Scaled Environment
01:01:16 AI Integration in Business Processes
01:03:29 Predictions for the Future of Tech and AI
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Connect with Manthan Patel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leadgenmanthan/
👉 In this conversation, Manthan Patel shares his journey into AI and content creation, highlighting the role of altruism, self-improvement, and openness in building a meaningful career. He discusses his early experiences with AI, his work with Vector Shift AI, and the lessons learned from his mentor, Albert. Manthan also dives into course development, the importance of understanding audience psychology, and the evolution of lead generation strategies. Along the way, he emphasizes the value of personal branding, effective time management, and human connection in high-ticket sales. The discussion closes with advice for those entering the AI industry—reminding us that technical expertise is no longer a barrier to starting.
📚 Chapters
00:00 Core Principles of Altruism and Self-Improvement
02:09 First Encounters with AI Technology
04:12 Working with Vector Shift AI
07:45 Lessons from Albert: Entrepreneurship Insights
09:20 Course Development Journey
13:39 Evaluating Course Success and Growth
16:34 Understanding the Audience
18:53 The Evolution of Lead Generation
23:00 Cold Outreach Strategies and Effectiveness
25:00 The Human Element in High-Ticket Sales
28:38 Understanding Client Demographics and Success Stories
30:28 Diverse Clientele: From Vending Machines to SaaS
32:52 Building a Social Media Presence: Strategies for Growth
35:23 The Psychology of Content: Hooks and Engagement
37:17 Daily Routines: Balancing Work and Learning
44:21 The Importance of Personal Branding
52:06 Demystifying AI: Accessibility for All
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Connect with Sabahudin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabahudin-murtic/
👉 In this conversation, Liam Lawson and Sabahudin Murtic discuss the impact of AI on critical thinking, the journey of entrepreneurship, and the importance of building a personal brand on LinkedIn. Sabahudin shares his experiences with AI tools, learning through experimentation, and the significance of community and networking in achieving success. They also delve into client relationships, crafting offers, and provide advice for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to navigate the AI landscape.
📚 Chapters
00:00 The Impact of AI on Critical Thinking
04:42 Personal Journey into AI and Entrepreneurship
09:16 Building a Brand on LinkedIn
13:57 Learning and Experimentation in AI
18:45 The Importance of Community and Networking
23:14 Navigating Client Relationships and Sales
27:50 Technical Infrastructure and Tools for Success
32:24 Crafting Offers and Understanding Client Needs
37:07 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs in AI
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Summary
In this conversation, Ethan Reeves shares his journey from a young programmer to co-founder of Orbit Marketing, discussing the evolution of AI and its impact on marketing. He emphasizes the importance of email marketing, trust, and authority in building successful businesses. Ethan also delves into the challenges of navigating the SaaS landscape, the significance of having a structured process in place, and the joy of creating and building products that provide value to users.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Ethan Reeves and His Background
02:57 The Evolution of AI and Machine Learning
05:36 Founding Orbit Marketing and Its Journey
08:43 The Power of Email Marketing and Newsletters
11:31 Trust, Authority, and Credibility in Email Marketing
14:09 The Role of Personal Stories in Newsletters
17:23 Orbit Marketing's Approach to Client Engagement
20:13 Building Trust Through Value in Email Communication
23:05 The Challenges of Building AI SaaS Products
26:02 The Myth of Easy Software Development
28:58 The Reality of SaaS Valuations and Market Expectations
32:53 Navigating the Vaporware Landscape
35:41 Building a Sticky Software Product
37:31 The Evolution of OrbitFlows
39:22 The Power of Context in AI
42:02 Creating Value and Reducing Friction
44:28 The Importance of Stickiness in Software
46:00 Execution and Vision in Startups
49:56 The Pace of Development
56:56 Aiming for the Stars: The Future of OrbitFlows
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In this podcast episode, Chris Raulf shares his extensive journey in the SEO industry, starting from his early days in 1996 to the present, where he emphasizes the transformative impact of AI on search engine optimization. He introduces the concept of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and discusses the importance of E-E-A-T principles in creating valuable content. Chris also contrasts white hat and black hat SEO strategies, explains the shift from traditional SEO to content marketing, and highlights the evolving landscape of search engines and content distribution. He addresses the implications of AI on search traffic and shares insights on micro SEO strategies and the role of directories and featured profiles in enhancing online visibility. Finally, Chris reflects on the future of SEO and the importance of continuous learning in a rapidly changing environment, driven by his passion for the field.
Takeaways
Chris Raulf transitioned into SEO after years in marketing roles.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is a new term gaining traction.
E-E-A-T principles are crucial for ranking high in search results.
White hat SEO strategies comply with Google's guidelines, while black hat strategies do not.
The shift from SEO to content marketing is significant in today's landscape.
Search engines are evolving to index content from various platforms.
AI is changing how search traffic is generated and managed.
Micro SEO strategies involve creating superior content using AI insights.
Directories can enhance visibility if they rank well in search results.
Continuous learning is essential to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving SEO landscape.
Titles
The SEO Journey: From 1996 to Today
Generative Engine Optimization Explained
Sound bites
"I just decided after reading a horoscope."
"Search everywhere optimization is the new SEO."
"Impressions go up, clicks stay the same."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to SEO and Chris Raulf's Journey
02:58 Understanding Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
05:52 The Importance of E-E-A-T Principles in SEO
08:32 Navigating Domain Authority and Trustworthiness
11:18 Content Creation: Quality Over Quantity
14:14 Transitioning from SEO to Content Marketing
16:54 The Evolution of Search Engines and User Behavior
19:29 Search Everywhere Optimization: A New Approach
22:22 The Impact of AI on Search Volume and Traffic
25:14 Micro SEO Strategies and AI Integration
28:27 Creating a Hybrid Content Strategy
31:39 Maximizing Content Value Through AI Tools
33:02 Understanding Robots.txt and LLM.txt
35:42 Leveraging Featured.com for Personal Branding
38:58 The Role of Directories in SEO
43:12 International Perspectives on SEO Trends
47:03 The Future of AI in SEO
50:41 Continuous Learning in a Rapidly Evolving Field
55:37 Passion for SEO and Its Impact on Career