Most CEOs face the challenge of wanting to leverage AI for business growth but struggle with where to start and how to implement effectively. The common misconception is that AI implementation should be straightforward like ERP integration, but the reality requires a strategic, phased approach. This episode reveals how fractional AI teams can help businesses scale without linear headcount growth, focusing on three key areas: revenue operations automation, document analysis, and customer service transformation.The conversation covers essential frameworks including the importance of AI strategy alignment across leadership teams, the "buy vs. build" analysis for AI solutions, and the critical role of process mapping before implementation. The discussion emphasizes that successful AI adoption starts with culture shift from the top, where leaders must become AI champions and model "AI-first thinking" to drive organizational change.HighlightsIdentify scaling bottlenecks by asking: "What hires would you need if your business grew 50-100%?"Start with AI strategy alignment before any tool implementation to ensure leadership consensusFocus on automating existing manual processes before pursuing predictive analyticsUse visual process mapping to uncover workflow inefficiencies and redesign for AI optimizationImplement fractional AI teams rather than hiring single "director of AI" rolesTarget low-hanging fruit in revenue operations, document analysis, and customer serviceDevelop "AI-first thinking" by asking "How can AI help me?" for every business challengeExperiment with different AI models (Claude, OpenAI, Gemini) to understand their strengthsImportant Concepts and FrameworksFractional AI Teams Model — Outsourced teams providing AI strategy, engineering, and project management expertiseLink: https://www.kore1.com/fractional-ai-teams-when-to-use-contract-ml-engineers-vs-full-time-hires/AI Strategy Framework — Structured approach to aligning AI initiatives with business outcomesLink: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-adoption-framework/scenarios/ai/strategyProcess Mapping for AI Implementation — Visual documentation of current workflows to identify automation opportunities Link: https://www.cflowapps.com/ai-process-mapping/Buy vs Build Analysis — Evaluation framework for deciding between custom development and off-the-shelf AI solutionsLink: https://www.windwardstudios.com/white-papers/build-buy-software-developmentCurrent State vs Future State Workflows — Comparative analysis of existing processes versus AI-optimized versionsLink: https://miro.com/value-stream-mapping/current-vs-future-state-diagram/AI Culture Shift — Organizational transformation where AI-first thinking becomes embedded in decision-makingLink: https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/what-we-do/capabilities/applied-artificial-intelligence/articles/build-ai-ready-culture.htmlTools & Resources MentionedClaude (Anthropic) — Advanced AI model competing with OpenAI, known for strong reasoning capabilitiesOpenAI/ChatGPT — Leading AI platform for general-purpose AI assistance and automationGoogle Gemini — Google's AI model integrated across Google Workspace and cloud servicesLovable — AI-powered presentation and visualization tool for creating interactive contentWhisper Flow — Voice-to-AI tool for dictation and conversational AI interactionSuper Whisper — Mac-specific voice-to-AI tool with customizable prompts and workflowsAWS Trainium 3 — Amazon's custom AI chip for training large language modelsCadre AI — Fractional AI teams providing strategy and implementation servicesCalls to ActionConduct a leadership alignment session to define your company's AI strategy and ensure all executives share the same vision.Map three key business processes using visual process mapping to identify automation opportunities and workflow inefficiencies.Experiment with at least one new AI tool you haven't tried before (Claude, Gemini, or specialized tools like Lovable).Ask the scaling question: "If our business grew 50-100% in the next year, what hires would we need?" to identify AI automation priorities.Start using voice-to-AI tools for daily tasks to increase personal productivity and model AI adoption for your team.Conduct a "buy vs build" analysis for your top three AI use cases before committing to implementation.Schedule regular AI demo sessions where team members share practical applications they've discovered.Key Quotes"It's not about the agent, it's about the workflow" — Riley Stricklin"Everybody wants to chat with their company data like they chat with ChatGPT" — Riley Stricklin"I am 60-80% more efficient every week, essentially twice as productive" — Riley Stricklin"The only way we've seen true culture shift happen is starting at the top" — Riley Stricklin"What hires would you need if the business grew 50-100%?" — Riley StricklinChapters00:00 — Introduction to AI Strategy and Fractional Teams02:47 — Time Magazine's AI...
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51 mins