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In this episode of the Human-First AI Marketing® podcast, Mike Montague sits down with content marketing strategist and fractional CMO Charlie Van Derven to explore a simple but powerful truth: AI can help you scale—but it can’t build trust for you.

Together, they dig into:

• Why high-trust services like financial advising (and any B2B sale that isn’t a click-to-buy) still demand real human connection
• The telltale signs of “AI Slop” and how to avoid sounding robotic online
• How financial advisors and SMBs can use webinars, email, and LinkedIn to nurture prospects without chasing them
• Why content marketing isn’t just about volume—it’s about visibility, voice, and value
• When to automate vs. when to actually start a conversation

Charlie also shares his Perfect Client Playbook approach, how he builds targeted prospect lists that convert over time, and why your CRM might be your most powerful sales weapon—when used with intention.

If your team is stuck posting content that isn’t converting or using AI tools that create more work than results, this conversation is your reset.

Top Takeaways

• AI is a tool, not a replacement for trust.
  You can speed up content creation with AI, but conversions still require a real human relationship—especially in high-stakes industries like finance.
• Human connection becomes your advantage as AI content floods the feed.
  In a world drowning in generic automation, the brands that show up with authentic, thoughtful outreach stand out.
• Webinars are a powerful trust and timing signal.
  When someone signs up and shows up, they’re raising their hand; it’s your cue to engage like a human, not a funnel.
• LinkedIn works best when it’s used to start conversations—not broadcast promotions.
  Charlie emphasized the importance of 1-to-1 engagement: finding a detail in someone’s profile, asking a real question, and building a relationship over time.
• Email marketing still converts—when it’s targeted and consistent.
  A well-built, highly relevant email list outperforms social algorithms every time if you’re showing up with the right message at the right time.
• CRM hygiene is sales enablement.
  Knowing who opened what, when, and how many times helps identify warm leads that even your best rep would otherwise miss.
• Trigger events drive sales—not speed.
  A person may not need your service today, but when life changes (a divorce, business sale, inheritance, etc.), that’s when trust pays off.
• Marketing is part inspiration, part infrastructure.
  AI can help with consistency and coverage, but you still need creative strategy, emotional intelligence, and a point of view to build loyalty.
• Your content must reflect who you are—not just what you do.
  Templated messaging and "prompt packs" break trust. The voice, tone, and context still need to come from you.

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.

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What if you could plug your business into AI and instantly see where your next 10X opportunity is hiding?

That’s exactly what Solomon Thimothy, serial entrepreneur and founder of ClickX, is doing for growing companies right now. In this episode, Solomon joins Mike Montague to unpack the new growth formula for modern marketers: data + focus + automation.

They dig into why most small businesses are sitting on mountains of unused data, how to connect tools like HubSpot, Google Analytics, and Claude to surface real-time insights, and why doing less can actually create more scale.

From smarter prospecting to AI-assisted decision-making, this isn’t about chasing shiny tools, it’s about learning how to turn information into acceleration.

If you’ve ever said, “We just need more leads,” this conversation will change how you think about growth forever.

Top Takeaways

• Your CRM is a crystal ball. Most teams use it to track deals; few use it to predict revenue. Solomon explains how to unlock insights you didn’t know were hiding in plain sight.
• AI can’t fix confusion. 10X growth starts when you eliminate noise. Focus on the one offer or audience that actually drives profit.
• Automation is leverage, not laziness. Connecting your data and letting AI do the analysis earns back time to do what humans do best. Automate the busywork and get back to selling, creating, and strategizing.
• Cold outreach isn’t dead, bad outreach is. Solomon shows how to use AI to research and write personalized emails that sound like a human and perform like a machine.
• The future is prompt-driven marketing. Tomorrow’s marketers won’t click buttons, they’ll craft better questions.

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.

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What if your next big AI idea isn’t a product, but a responsibility?

That’s the challenge Noelle Russell brings to this conversation. She’s an AI innovator who’s helped launch Amazon Alexa, led teams at IBM and Microsoft, and trained more than 3 million people in AI literacy. She's also the author of the hit book "Scaling Responsible AI: From Enthusiasm to Execution". Her message isn’t just about bigger, faster, or smarter technology; it’s about building AI systems that still feel human.

In this episode, Noelle Russell and host Mike Montague talk about the difference between scaling technology and scaling trust. They unpack why “responsible AI” isn’t just a tech policy, but a leadership philosophy. From inclusive data and ethical automation to the emotional story that first drew Noelle into AI; they dive deep into what it takes to create systems that make life better.

Whether you’re a small business leader, marketer, or executive navigating the next wave of AI adoption, this conversation will help you lead with confidence, curiosity, and care.

Top Takeaways

• Every AI starts as a "baby tiger"
  It’s cute and useful at first, but it grow up fast. Plan for its scale before those cute automations become messy ones that bite.
• Ask the two magic questions
  “Where did you get that answer?” and “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” build responsible awareness. AI is an amazing tool, but it still needs your guidance.
• Inclusive data equals inclusive outcomes.
  Your data defines your values. Human oversight ensures your AI represents everyone you serve.
• Be a rational optimist.
  Noelle’s story about her son shows that AI’s greatest impact is accessibility, not automation.
• Scale trust, not just technology.
  The biggest risk isn’t AI replacing people, but rather people forgetting why they use AI in the first place.
• Leadership drives responsibility.
  Responsible AI is a leadership choice.

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.