Innova.buzz

Innovation and Human Connection in the Age of AI
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The InnovaBuzz Podcast: AI, Innovation & Human Connection The InnovaBuzz Podcast explores the minds of innovators, entrepreneurs, and creatives, diving deep into their values, strategies, and mindset. As we navigate the fascinating intersection of AI innovation and the enduring power of human connection, this podcast is increasingly drawn to conversations that explore novel applications of AI and, crucially, how we can keep our relationships and interactions deeply human in an increasingly digital world. Join internationally recognised transformational strategist and Visionary Human-Centred Podcasting Coach, Dr Jürgen Strauss, as he connects with awesome guests who are eager to share their stories, spark new ideas, and contribute to our knowledge of innovation, service, and modern marketing. Each episode is a conversation designed to spark curiosity. Gain insight into what makes inspiring people ‘tick’, what ‘lights them up’, and why they do what they do. The InnovaBuzz Podcast is for smart businesses and curious minds that want to stay on top of innovation to compete and thrive in today's marketplace. For a flavour of the themes we love to explore—context, creativity, and the art of nurturing human relationships in an AI-powered world—here are a few of my recent Substack articles: "Echoes in the Machine" - https://innovabiz.substack.com/p/echoes-in-the-machine "The Photographer's Dilemma" - https://innovabiz.substack.com/p/the-photographers-dilemma "The Tool in My Hand, The Voice in Your Ear" - https://innovabiz.substack.com/p/the-tool-in-my-hand-the-voice-in Innovation and curiosity are always on the menu. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode! Past guests have included Michael E Gerber, Kevin Kelly, Marcus Sheridan, Gill Hicks, Tanya Alvarez, Anastasia Lipske, Gino Wickman, Jeffrey Madoff, Gabrielle Dolan, Mark Schaefer, Steve Blank, Joey Coleman, Mike Michaelowitz, Ann Janzer, Michele Wucker, Soulaima Gourani, Robin Colucci, Sheryl Plouffe, Kedma Ough, Cathryn Lloyd, Wade Galt, Ramon Ray, Michelle Mazur, David Goldsmith, Todd Cherches, Rita McGrath, Terri Trespicio, Liz Wiseman and so many more wonderful people - over 700 to date! innovabiz.substack.com

  1. Mar 25

    Brent Keltner, Authentic Buyer Journeys and the "Guide by the Side" - Innovabuzz 702

    Our guest in this episode is Brent Keltner, Founder and President of Winalytics, a go-to-market consultancy helping B2B revenue teams build authentic buyer journeys. Brent, a former qualitative researcher and revenue leader, brings a unique “low ego learner” mindset to the world of sales and marketing. We explore the shift from being a “sage on the stage” to a “guide by the side,” the importance of the buying committee over the individual persona, and how to use AI as a teammate to compress days of research into minutes of hyper-personalized outreach without losing the human touch. Key points discussed include: * The “Rugby Metaphor” for go-to-market teams: success comes from team orchestration and multi-phase play, not individual heroics. * Narrow your focus to broaden your appeal: why specificity in your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) actually deepens market connection. * AI as a “BBB+” teammate: using agents for orchestration and research while keeping a human in the loop to elevate the final output to an “A.” Listen to the podcast to find out more. Show Notes from this episode with Brent Keltner, Winalytics It was a real pleasure to host Brent Keltner on the Innova.buzz podcast. Brent is someone who clearly doesn’t do things by halves; his kids even say he’s “allergic to half-assed.” That intensity, combined with his background as a qualitative researcher, makes him the perfect guide for navigating the complex world of B2B sales. We sat down to unpack how to move away from “bludgeoning” buyers and instead focus on building buying readiness through authentic, journey-first conversations. Brent kicked things off with a brilliant metaphor from his favorite sport: rugby. Unlike many American sports, rugby is about the flow of the whole team moving in unison through multiple phases. He sees a great go-to-market team the same way: Sales Development Representatives (SDR), sales, marketing, and customer success all working from the same buyer-centric playbook. It’s not about the individual function; it’s about the journey. When that alignment happens, you can feel the “flow” where everyone is focused on helping the buyer win quicker. The Buying Committee: Moving Beyond the Single Persona We had a great exchange about the limitations of traditional buyer persona documents. Brent pointed out that while personas matter, accounts buy, individuals do not. In a typical B2B deal, there are six to ten people involved. If your marketing is only speaking to one person, you’re leaving your champion high and dry. We discussed the need for “actionable” enablement documents; a simple front-and-back sheet that an SDR can actually use to connect with an economic buyer or a technical lead, rather than a 50-page slide deck that sits in a drawer. The rest of these show notes continue for paid subscribers, where we unpack the deeper ideas Brent surfaces beneath the surface of his revenue model: how the “rugby metaphor” transforms a fragmented sales team into a single, fluid organism, what it actually takes to arm an SDR with actionable intelligence rather than a static persona document, and why “closing the deal” is rarely the seller’s job to be done. We also dig further into the AI orchestration math, the intent data gap in the modern buyer journey, and what it takes to use AI as a “BBB+” teammate without losing the human heart of the message. If you’re drawn to practical conversations about AI that stay grounded in real-world outcomes, plus the human psychology behind the “low ego learner” and the “guide by the side,” I’d love you to join the inner circle. It’s where we explore the unpolished insights that rarely make it into the public version, the moments that sharpen judgment and keep us honest about what AI can, and cannot, do for our relationships. Maybe they’ll keep your curiosity alive too. Narrow Your Focus to Broaden Your Appeal I’ve always found it a bit of a paradox that being more specific helps you reach more people, and Brent nailed it with his phrase: “Narrow your focus to broaden your appeal.” We talked about the fear many entrepreneurs have of “locking out” potential customers by being too niche. Brent’s advice is grounded: focus your proactive targeting and social proof where you have critical mass. If someone outside that niche finds you, you can still choose to work with them, but your message will land much harder when it speaks directly to a specific industry’s problems and uses their language. The “Guide by the Side” vs. The “Sage on the Stage” One of the most profound shifts we discussed was the change in the seller’s role. Brent shared a teaching analogy: the old model was the “sage on the stage” lecturing, while the new model is the “guide by the side.” In a world where 70-80% of the buyer journey is digital and self-educated, sellers don’t close deals; buyers do. Our job is to be the guide, asking the right questions and providing the right content at the right time to help them make an informed decision, even if that decision is that we aren’t the right fit. AI as the Ultimate Orchestrator Naturally, we dove into the “magical Playground” of AI. Brent sees AI not just as a tool for writing emails, but as a teammate for orchestration. We talked about using AI agents to research target accounts, connect value propositions to specific news feeds, and pull in intent data from CRM systems. The goal isn’t to replace the human, but to compress the “BBB+” work; the research and drafting; so a talented human can spend their time on the “A” work of refining the message and building the relationship. It’s about using AI to “roadmap” the conversation and ensure we aren’t sending “garbage” inputs. The Low Ego Learner Finally, Brent shared a personal story about his journey to a black belt in karate. As a former rugby player and wrestler, he initially struggled with the finesse and rhythm of karate. He succeeded by becoming an “equal opportunity learner,” checking his ego at the dojo door and learning from everyone, including his children and the women in his class. This “low ego learner” mindset is perhaps the most important skill for any professional today: the ability to look for learning opportunities in every environment, unencumbered by hierarchy or status. In Summary: Brent Keltner reminds us that in a world of high-tech tools, the most effective strategy is still human-centered: put the buyer first. By narrowing our focus, acting as a guide rather than a lecturer, and leveraging AI to enhance our research rather than replace our heart, we can build buyer journeys that are not only efficient but genuinely authentic. The Buzz - Our Innovation Round Here are Brent’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop. * Most innovative use of AI to enhance human relationships: Using the interactive process of “teaching” AI to understand your perspective. This “dance” of back-and-forth communication forces us to be clearer and less assuming, which is a skill that translates directly to better human communication. * Best thing to integrate AI and human connection: Using AI for clarity and brevity in important emails. It helps sharpen the language so the point gets across in the way that is easiest for the recipient to consume. * Differentiate by leveraging AI: Develop the skill of “recapping and roadmapping.” Just as you frame a conversation for AI with clear inputs and desired outputs, doing the same for human meetings builds trust and ensures everyone is aligned on the journey. Action It is not about you; it is about your buyer. Start living that mindset in every interaction by letting the buyer talk about themselves and their needs first. Reach Out You can reach out and thank Brent via LinkedIn or email him directly at bkeltner@winalytics.com. Links: * Website - Winalytics * LinkedIn - Brent Keltner * YouTube - Winalytics Cool Things About Brent * Brent is a rare and fascinating combination — a Stanford-trained PhD social scientist, a karate black belt, a church business fellowship leader, and someone with a very specific and intriguing winter morning ritual that’s worth asking him about. * Discipline is a defining thread in Brent’s life. Earning a black belt in karate requires years of patient, humbling, repetitive practice — and that same quality shows up in everything he builds professionally. * Brent never really left the research lab. He crossed from academia into the commercial world, but brought the researcher’s instinct with him — still citing peer-reviewed journals, still framing problems as hypotheses, still asking what the data actually shows. * Brent has one of the more sophisticated takes on AI you’ll encounter — not as an evangelist or a sceptic, but as a social scientist asking the better question: where does human judgment add the most value, and where can machines free us to do more of what only humans can do? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit innovabiz.substack.com/subscribe

  2. Mar 12

    Anya Cheng, High-Tech Logic and the Art of Personal Expression - Innova.buzz 701

    Our guest in this episode is Anya Cheng, Founder and CEO of Taelor, a pioneering menswear subscription service that leverages artificial intelligence to help high-impact individuals move toward their goals with confidence. Before building her own zero-to-one startup, Anya led digital innovation and e-commerce for global giants like Meta, eBay, and Target. She is also an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University, bringing the logic of data together with the art of personal expression. We explore the intersection of high-level technology and human confidence, the startling environmental impact of unsold fashion inventory, and how AI can act as a sophisticated co-pilot for human stylists to ensure busy professionals always look the part. Key points discussed include: * The “circular” business model of Taelor helps reduce the 30 billion dollars of fashion inventory that goes from factory to landfill annually. * AI serves as a co-pilot for human stylists, managing vast data points on fit, occasion, and quality that are impossible for a human to track alone. * Dressing for the role you want is a psychological tool to combat imposter syndrome and build immediate credibility. Listen to the podcast to find out more. Show Notes from this episode with Anya Cheng, Taelor It was a real privilege to welcome Anya Cheng to the Innova.buzz podcast. Anya joins us from the San Francisco Bay Area with a background that reads like a roadmap of Silicon Valley success, yet her focus remains firmly on the human element of confidence. Our conversation delved into how she transitioned from managing massive corporate systems at Meta and eBay to creating a personalized AI service that removes the friction of “looking the part” for busy professionals. Anya shared a startling statistic that set the stage for our talk: in the US alone, 30 billion dollars of menswear goes directly from factories to landfills every year. This unsold inventory creates a massive environmental footprint, contributing to 10% of global emissions and 20% of polluted water. Taelor addresses this by creating a rental and subscription model that acts as an outlet for brands and a sustainable choice for consumers. It is a clever intersection of commerce and conservation that allows high-quality garments to live multiple lives rather than ending up as waste. The rest of these show notes continue for paid subscribers, where we unpack the deeper ideas Anya surfaces beneath the surface of her business model: how Taelor’s AI and human stylists operate as a co-pilot loop, what the rental data reveals about true garment quality over time, and why “looking good” is rarely the real job to be done. We also dig further into the sustainability math, the feedback gap in the fashion supply chain, and what it takes to use AI without drifting into confident, wrong answers. If you’re drawn to practical conversations about AI that stay grounded in real-world outcomes, plus the human psychology behind confidence and credibility, I’d love you to join the inner circle. It’s where we explore the unpolished insights that rarely make it into the public version, the moments that sharpen judgment and keep us honest about what AI can, and cannot, do for us. Maybe they’ll keep your curiosity alive too. The Psychology of the “Lucky Shirt” and Professional Credibility We discussed the concept of “enclothed cognition”—the idea that what we wear directly impacts how we feel and perform. Anya spoke candidly about her own experience as an immigrant from Taiwan and a female leader in tech, where she used clothing as a tool to navigate imposter syndrome. Whether it is a lawyer fighting for a case or a sales professional heading to a conference, the right outfit serves as a conversation opener and a source of internal strength. Anya’s vision is to help people be successful without the mental load of worrying about their appearance, allowing them to focus entirely on their mission. AI as the Ultimate Stylist’s Co-pilot One of the most fascinating parts of Taelor’s model is the relationship between the AI and the human stylists. Anya describes it as a flywheel: the human stylists train the AI, and the AI acts as a “guardrail” for the stylists, remembering every specific customer preference, from sleeve length to a dislike of the color green. With 150 brands and 30,000 garments in their system, it would be impossible for a human to curate the perfect selection for every scenario—like a job interview or a TED talk—without the data-crunching power of AI. This partnership ensures that the human element remains in control while the technology handles the complexity. Closing the Feedback Loop in Fashion Anya highlighted a major flaw in the traditional fashion supply chain: the lack of feedback. Designers often have no idea why a garment didn’t sell—was the sleeve an inch too long, or the shoulder too tight? Because Taelor is a rental service, they collect real-world data on how clothes perform after multiple washes and wears. This data goes back to the brands, helping them stop producing “junk” and start creating garments with true longevity. It turns the act of getting dressed into a data-driven cycle that benefits the creator, the consumer, and the planet. The Future of Retail: Try Before You Buy The Taelor model mirrors the shift we have seen in other industries, like leasing cars or streaming movies on Netflix. It allows men to step out of their comfort zones and try emerging brands from Italy, Australia, or Canada without the commitment of a full purchase. By lowering the barrier to discovery, Anya is helping smaller, sustainable brands find their audience while giving her customers a “test drive” of the latest styles. It is a move away from the “marketing monster” of big brand names and toward a focus on quality, fit, and the actual job the clothing needs to do for the wearer. In Summary: Anya Cheng is proving that technology does not have to be cold or impersonal. By using AI to handle the logistics of fashion, she is freeing up human energy for more important pursuits. Her work with Taelor is a masterclass in using data to enhance human humanity, proving that when we look our best, we are often at our most confident and capable. The Buzz - Our Innovation Round Here are Anya’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop. * Most innovative use of AI to enhance human relationships: Using AI as a supporting tool for therapists and psychologists. It provides 24/7 support for patients when the human professional is unavailable, acting as a “best friend” gatekeeper while the expert remains in ultimate control. * Best thing to integrate AI and human connection: Using AI to solve labor-intensive or environmental problems, such as AI-driven lobster capturing or strawberry picking. These tools handle the “labor work” and productivity, allowing humans to focus on higher-level strategy and connection. * Differentiate by leveraging AI: Focus on strategic thinking and the “why” behind the problem. Avoid chasing “shiny new objects” and ensure the AI is solving a real pain point for the customer, like Taelor does by helping people feel ready for their day. Action Go out, participate in communities, and talk to more people. Cultivate curiosity by asking “why” and exploring subjects that fascinate you, even if they don’t have an immediate utility. Reach Out You can reach out and thank Anya via her website or connect with her on LinkedIn. You can also email her directly at anya@taelor.ai. Links: * Website - Taelor * LinkedIn - Anya Cheng * LinkedIn - Taelor * Facebook - Anya Cheng * Facebook - Taelor * X - @TaelorStyle * X - @Anyacheng * Instagram - @taelor.style * Instagram - @anyacheng_siliconvalley * Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications Cool Things About Anya * The “Accidental Plumber” Grit: When Anya first arrived in the US, she didn’t know what a corporate “contractor” was. She genuinely worried they were hiring her as a plumber, but her “toward” motivation was so strong she said “yes” first and Googled the definition later. * The Investigative Networking Method: Carrying her journalist’s heart into Silicon Valley, Anya didn’t just apply for jobs during the recession; she cold-called professors and turned a laid-off recruiter into a mentor. She treats every connection like a front-page story waiting to be discovered. * The Australian Serendipity: Just days before our first call, Anya’s world expanded toward Australia when a new investor, backed by the largest Australian family office, introduced her to nearly a hundred of our compatriots in a single week. * Professor by Night: Despite the “zero-to-one” intensity of Taelor AI, Anya maintains a systematic commitment to the future as an Adjunct Lecturer at Northwestern University, bridging the gap between high-level theory and startup reality. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit innovabiz.substack.com/subscribe

  3. Mar 4

    Robert Lee Camp, Cards of Destiny, Astrology, and AI as an Assistant, Not an Oracle, Innova.buzz 700

    Our guest in this episode is Robert Lee Camp, master of the Cards of Destiny system, software developer, and long time student of astrology. Robert has spent 35 years helping people explore what he describes as a mathematical blueprint reflected in a standard deck of playing cards, and how it connects with astrological influences. We talk about where meaning in the card deck comes from, why “newspaper horoscopes” fail, how he blends card work with astrology for more practical and psychological insight, and where AI fits, both as a coding assistant and as a possible future interface for his style of readings. Key points discussed include: * The playing card deck as a mathematical structure, including claimed correspondences like 52 weeks and 365 total pip values. * The Cards of Destiny concept that month and day of birth map to a “life card”, with multiple birthdays sharing the same card, and why that does not mean identical lives. * A clear critique of generic horoscope columns, they are too broad to be meaningful, and often function as entertainment rather than disciplined interpretation. * AI as a useful helper for code and research, plus a sober warning about errors and confident wrong answers, and why human judgment stays central. Listen to the podcast to find out more. Show Notes from this episode with Robert Lee Camp, Cards of Your Destiny This conversation with Robert Lee Camp goes to a place we do not visit every week on Innova.buzz, the intersection of esoteric systems, pattern interpretation, and modern tools. Robert is candid about his own pathway, he started with astrology, then encountered an old book, Sacred Symbols of the Ancients (1940s), that connected playing cards with symbolic meaning. That discovery, and the accuracy he felt it had for him, pushed him into decades of study and teaching. He frames the “regular” 52 card deck as more than a game tool, a structure with mathematical features that appear to mirror calendar cycles. From there, he introduces the core idea many listeners will want to test immediately: your month and day of birth maps to a specific card, and there are multiple birthdays that can share the same card. He is careful, though. Same card does not mean same life, or the same outcomes. He describes each card as having a range, a higher and lower expression, plus many variations in between. The deck, the symbols, and what gets lost over time A strong thread early in our exchange is simple curiosity about origins. Where did this standard deck come from, and why did it settle into this configuration of suits, courts, and numbers. Robert’s view is that much of the original symbolic meaning has been lost, even to modern manufacturers. He offers one concrete example most people recognise visually: the Ace of Spades often being larger and more ornate than the other aces. Manufacturers may say “that’s just how it’s always done,” while Robert argues there is a symbolic reason inside the tradition. We also touch on the fact that not all cultures use the same deck format. That matters, because Robert’s system is tied specifically to the 52 card structure and its internal relationships. Variations, even familiar ones used in certain European games, do not preserve the same correspondences. The rest of these show notes continue for paid subscribers, where we unpack the deeper ideas Robert surfaces beneath the surface of his stories: why the tabloid version of astrology fails, how he blends cards with planetary spreads for psychological insight, and what it really looks like to use AI as a high-speed assistant without losing your human judgment. If you’re drawn to thoughtful conversations about patterns, systems, and the parts of our journey we can’t fully automate, I’d love you to join the inner circle. It’s where we explore the unpolished insights that rarely make it into polished episodes, the moments that sharpen our curiosity and keep us honest as creators. Maybe they’ll keep your curiosity alive too. Blending cards with astrology, and why the tabloid version does not work Robert has an interesting position. He is blunt about generic horoscope columns, in his view, they cannot be valid because they apply to far too many people across a broad birth window. He calls that content made up, and he is not shy about it. At the same time, he speaks from the perspective of someone who has done many readings and has deep respect for more rigorous traditions, including Vedic and Chinese astrology. He describes these as detailed and practical in a way that surprises people who only know the “I’m a monkey” or “you’ll meet a stranger today” versions. Where Robert places his own emphasis is more psychological. Instead of trying to play carnival fortune teller, he aims to help people understand inner patterns, issues under the surface, and the kinds of tensions that can be worked with, so life becomes less reactive and more intentional. The spreads and planetary influences, a glimpse of the internal logic Robert shares an image of what he calls the life spread and spiritual spread, with cards laid out in perfect order, and with rows and columns associated with planets. His claim is that particular placements within that grid correspond to strong planetary themes, and he gives an example of a card associated with Uranus and Aquarian influence. Even if you remain skeptical, the noteworthy part is that Robert is not presenting this as vague intuition. He is presenting it as a structured interpretive system, with internal rules, correspondences, and repeatable placements. That is a very different thing from random guessing dressed up as mysticism. AI, a helper that sometimes lies with confidence The AI segment is one of the most practically useful parts of the episode, because it strips away hype. Robert says there are already AI based astrology reading sites, and he expects it is only a matter of time until someone applies the same approach to his card system. His intention is to build that himself, training an AI to deliver readings in his style, so people can interact conversationally and ask questions about near term concerns. He is not naive about current limitations. He questions whether AI “thinks” in a meaningful way, because he has seen it fail at straightforward tasks and persist in wrong answers. He also offers the counterpoint from software work, where AI can be a serious productivity multiplier. His lead programmer, he says, is getting the work output of several people by using AI well, because he knows how to ask, how to verify, and how to integrate results. That is the line worth underlining: AI helps most when the human using it already has competence, context, and a habit of checking. In Summary: Robert Lee Camp invites listeners into a structured system that he believes reflects life patterns through the mathematics and symbolism of the playing card deck, and he links it to astrological influences in a way he claims is consistent and predictive. Alongside that, he offers an unusually grounded take on AI, powerful as an assistant for research and code, unreliable as an authority, and best used with human judgment firmly in charge. The Buzz - Our Innovation Round Here are Robert’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop. * Most innovative use of AI to enhance human relationships: He has not seen a direct relationship use case, although he notes that increased productivity can reduce stress and indirectly improve relationships. * Best thing to integrate AI and human connection: Using AI to review and streamline his code, improving efficiency and performance in a software project. * Number one skill to develop in the age of AI: Treat AI as a helper that accelerates creative and practical work, and learn how to direct it effectively, especially when you already understand the domain. Action Go to Robert’s website, enter your birthday, and try the free reading to discover your card and explore what it suggests about you. Reach Out You can find Robert Lee Camp and explore the Cards of Destiny system at cardsofyourdestiny.com. Links: * Website - Cards of Your Destiny * Podcast - The Mr Destiny Radio Show with Robert Lee Camp * YouTube - Robert Lee Camp * Facebook - The Cards of Your Destiny Cool Things About Robert * A Salty Realist in a Mystical World: Despite working with ancient cards and astrology, Robert has zero patience for “fluff.” His willingness to call out mainstream horoscopes as “bs” shows a refreshing, no-nonsense authenticity that is rare in the spiritual coaching space. * The Sci-Fi Visionary: His deep love for Star Trek isn’t just a hobby; it’s a framework for how he views human potential. He doesn’t just look at the past through ancient cards; he looks at the future through the lens of optimistic futurism. * The “Business Mechanic”: It is fascinating that he treats interpersonal dynamics like a machine that can be tuned. He doesn’t just give “readings”; he analyzes “staff pairings” and “interpersonal gears,” bringing a developer’s logic to human relationships. * The AI Adventurer: At an age where many might shy away from new tech, Robert is leaning into the “magical playground” of AI. He is actively experimenting with how to bridge a 35-year-old mastery with the cutting edge of large language models, showing that curiosity has no expiration date. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit innovabiz.substack.com/subscribe

  4. Feb 25

    Jacqueline Basulto, Balancing High-Tech Growth with Human-Centric Connection - Innova.buzz 699

    Our guest in this episode is Jacqueline Basulto, Founder and CEO of SeedX, a global digital consulting and marketing firm. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Jacqueline turned a $200 investment into over a billion dollars of tangible client impact. She specializes in empowering organizations to find the balance between high-tech growth and human-centric connections. We explore building culture across a distributed global team, the responsible use of AI as a tool (not a crutch), and why accepting help, both at work and at home, is a leadership skill, not a weakness. Key points discussed include: * Build a distributed team culture by hiring in regional clusters, encouraging paid trial projects, and investing in in-person meetups. * Use AI as a thinking partner: brainstorm, check your work, and challenge your ideas, but never just copy-paste the output. * Accepting help and delegating is not a sign of weakness; it creates room for others to grow and for you to lead. Listen to the podcast to find out more. Show Notes from this episode with Jacqueline Basulto, SeedX It was a genuine pleasure to welcome Jacqueline Basulto, Founder and CEO of SeedX, to the Innova.buzz podcast. Jacqueline brings a rare combination of scrappy entrepreneurial grit and deeply considered human values. Our conversation ranged from the nuts and bolts of building a 70-person distributed team across multiple continents, to the philosophical question of how AI reshapes (or doesn’t) the fundamentals of human connection. Jacqueline opened by sharing what drives her: a desire for direct, tangible impact. Early in her career, she found herself in a role where she couldn’t see the effect of her work on people, and that disconnect pushed her toward marketing and entrepreneurship. Today, that drive extends beyond clients to her own team. She wants the people at SeedX to thrive, to be happy, to grow. It’s a holistic view that many founders talk about but few genuinely embody. From $200 and a Dream: Building a Global Team Out of Necessity Jacqueline started SeedX at 22 with literally $200, probably negative money once you factor in student loans. She needed talent she couldn’t afford locally, so she looked globally. Her third hire, Vlad, was a UI designer from Ukraine, and he’s still on the team years later, now a close friend. What began as a financial necessity evolved into a genuine philosophy: talented, great people exist everywhere. Before COVID made remote work fashionable, SeedX was already operating across continents, turning time zones from a logistical headache into a competitive advantage. When one team logs off, they prepare a handoff for the next time zone. Clients have noticed, particularly those expanding internationally, that someone is always awake and ready to respond. Culture Without a Headquarters: Hiring, Trust, and In-Person Connection I was curious how Jacqueline builds culture when team members may never share a physical office. Her approach is layered. Many hires come through referrals from trusted team members. Beyond that, SeedX uses paid trial projects, a common practice in the remote world, where candidates work on a small engagement before either side commits. It gives both parties a genuine sense of work style, communication, and expectations. Jacqueline also emphasized the need for self-motivated, independent people; in a remote environment, nobody is looking over your shoulder, and that has to be a feature, not a bug. That feeling of watching someone build a global team from $200 and a Ukrainian designer named Vlad, and then figuring out how to keep the human thread alive across four continents, is also the exact starting point for the rest of our fascinating conversation, and for the deeper work I’m exploring. This podcast is the beginning of the conversation, but the personal reflections, the “why” behind what was said, are where the real journey begins. If you’d like to read the rest of this post, where Jacqueline shares her hard-won lessons on delegation, the real cost of mistakes (and why they’re worth paying for), and her refreshingly grounded take on AI as “just human behaviour in a new form,” I’d love to invite you to become a paid subscriber. A subscription unlocks these full, detailed show notes, but more importantly, it welcomes you into a quieter space. It’s where I share my private reflections on these conversations about AI, the “behind-the-lens” stories from my photography, and the personal meditations that connect them all. It’s a place for the curious, and I’d be honoured to share it with you. On the in-person side, SeedX now hires in regional clusters, Argentina, Spain, Kenya, so that local teams can meet up regularly. The entire team gathered once in Barcelona during Jacqueline’s wedding week, which says something about the closeness of the group. The early employees, who shared that scrappy “building something together” feeling, are now the leaders carrying that culture forward into their own teams. AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement: Using It with Maturity and Creativity Naturally, we ventured into AI territory. Jacqueline’s stance is refreshingly grounded: AI is a tool, just like any other that has come before it. She drew a parallel to snail mail. You could send the same generic letter to thousands, or you could send a handwritten note tailored to the recipient. The medium changed with email, and it’s changing again with AI, but the underlying dynamic is the same. The people who use it lazily will produce lazy results. The people who use it thoughtfully will produce something meaningful. At SeedX, the team is encouraged to use AI, but with intention. Brainstorm with it. Fine-tune your thinking. Check your work. But never just feed a prompt in, take the output, and slap it on a client deliverable. Jacqueline’s husband even prompts AI to “roast” his ideas, keeping him grounded. I shared my own approach of asking AI to tear my ideas apart rather than validate them, and we agreed: the real value is in using AI to surface blind spots and risks you hadn’t considered, then strengthening your original thinking. The Leadership Skill Nobody Talks About: Accepting Help One of the most resonant threads in our conversation was about delegation and accepting help. Jacqueline was candid: when she first started SeedX, she was nervous about letting go of tasks. The same pattern repeated when she became a mother. She felt she had to do everything herself. Over time, she reframed both. At work, she recognized she simply wasn’t the best at everything, and holding onto tasks wasn’t just limiting the company’s growth, it was denying her team the opportunity to level up. At home, she drew strength from her own mother’s example, a working mother who commuted two hours daily, and from the reality that historically, raising a family was never a solo endeavour. Her business partner is also her husband, Justin, who left medical school to build SeedX alongside her. That partnership means they’re constantly in sync on work, finances, values, and weekend plans. Jacqueline acknowledged that mistakes are inevitable when you delegate, both your own and your team’s, but she frames them as paid lessons, on-the-job training that builds resilience and capability. In Summary: Jacqueline Basulto offers a grounded, practical perspective on building a business that scales without losing its soul. Her message is clear: hire great people everywhere, give them room to grow (and fail), use every tool available with intention and maturity, and never confuse asking for help with weakness. The human element, whether in marketing, team culture, or parenting, remains the thing that actually matters. The Buzz - Our Innovation Round Here are Jacqueline’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop. * Most innovative use of AI to enhance human relationships: Using a fitness tracker like the Oura Ring, powered by AI, to deepen her relationship with her own health. Also, using ChatGPT with her husband to quickly look things up during conversations, which accelerates their dialogue and curiosity together. * Best thing to integrate AI and human connection: As a personal trip planner, AI helped her plan a Disney trip with her three-year-old daughter, reducing stress and improving the family experience. At work, AI-powered tools help her identify the right people to connect with and understand their problems, making her outreach more relevant and welcomed. * Differentiate by leveraging AI: Develop timeless skills: critical thinking, constant learning, and creativity. Machines can handle technical work, so the differentiator is being more creative than the machine and thinking more critically about how to apply the tools. Action Learn something new, and try to connect with someone who’s not from your part of the world. The unique perspectives that come from cross-cultural connection are a form of learning in themselves. Reach Out You can reach out and thank Jacqueline via the SeedX website or connect with her on LinkedIn. Links: * Website - SeedX * LinkedIn * Facebook Cool Things About Jacqueline * The Anti-Traffic Expat - She didn’t just grumble about LA traffic; she moved to a different continent. Jacqueline chose Barcelona specifically for its walkability. A tech CEO relocating halfway around the world so she can stroll to get a coffee instead of sitting on a freeway is both rebellious and deeply grounded. * Return on Identity - She started SeedX with $200, likely scraped together from lower-middle-class immigrant roots, and has turned that into $1 billion in client revenue. That ratio is not business growth. It is resource alchemy. * The Young Veteran - Born in 1995, she founded SeedX in 2016, at roughly 21. She has been a CEO for her entire adult life. The result: Gen Z energy paired with veteran executive instincts. Very few gues

  5. Feb 18

    Victoria Mensch, From Burnout to Sustainable Leadership in the Age of AI - Innova.Buzz 698

    Our guest in this episode is Victoria Mensch, founder of the Silicon Valley Executive Academy, based in Hayward, California. With 25+ years in the high-tech industry and a background bridging clinical psychology with strategic leadership, Victoria helps leaders move from burnout and cognitive freeze into sustainable, human-centred performance in the age of AI. We explore why automating the wrong things creates more burnout, not less; how organisations can use AI as a transformative enabler rather than a cost-cutting patch; and why curiosity is the single most important skill to develop right now. Key points discussed include: * Automating creative tasks while leaving humans with unfulfilling work accelerates burnout rather than reducing it. * AI strategy should start with value, not cost: ask what makes things better, not just faster or cheaper. * Curiosity, human judgment, and contextual thinking are the skills that machines cannot replicate. Listen to the podcast to find out more. Innovabiz Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Show Notes from this episode with Victoria Mensch, Silicon Valley Executive Academy It was a genuine pleasure to welcome Victoria Mensch to the Innova.Buzz podcast. Victoria brings a rare combination: deep clinical psychology training layered over decades of Silicon Valley strategy work. The result is a perspective on AI that is neither breathlessly optimistic nor paralysed by fear. It is grounded, practical, and, frankly, a little overdue in the broader conversation. Victoria opened with a framing that I found immediately compelling: the idea that we are not passive passengers watching AI carry us somewhere. We are, or should be, active decision-makers shaping the direction. She draws a clear distinction between using AI as a patch, faster, cheaper, more volume, and using it as a genuine transformative enabler. The first approach is tempting. The second is where the real opportunity lives. The Burnout Paradox: When Automation Makes Things Worse Here is the uncomfortable truth Victoria surfaces early in our conversation. Many organisations are automating the creative and cognitively engaging tasks, the ones people actually find meaningful, while leaving humans to handle the distribution, the admin, the repetitive bottlenecks. The result is not relief. It is deeper burnout. People feel like machines precisely because they are now doing the machine work. Victoria’s point is sharp: before you automate anything, ask whether you are automating the right things. Are you removing the bottlenecks that drain people, or are you removing the work that gives them a reason to show up? The IKEA example she shares is instructive. When they analysed their customer service queries, they discovered a large proportion were really interior design questions. Rather than automating those away, they redeployed those staff into a premium design service. That is the difference between cost-cutting and value creation. The rest of these show notes continue for paid subscribers, where we go deeper into Victoria’s three-layer AI strategy framework, the case for keeping human judgment firmly at the steering wheel, and why curiosity, not technical skill, is the most important thing to develop right now. If you are navigating AI in your business or your leadership role and you want a psychologically grounded, practically useful perspective, I would love you to join the inner circle. It is where we explore the ideas that go beyond the hype and into the real decisions that shape how we work and lead. Maybe they will sharpen your thinking too. The Three Layers of AI Strategy Victoria describes a layered approach to AI decision-making that I found genuinely useful. At the individual level, the question is: what do I want more of, and what do I want less of? Not just in work, but in life. AI should free up capacity for the things that matter, not simply compress the same workload into fewer hours. At the team and business unit level, the question shifts to value creation for the customer. What are the real bottlenecks? What processes are we running that perhaps should not exist at all? And at the organisational level, the strategic question is about transformation: can we reconstruct our offering entirely, serve customers differently, remove low-value products and add high-value services? These are not efficiency questions. They are identity questions. Human Judgment at the Steering Wheel One of the most resonant moments in our conversation was Victoria’s insistence that, for the foreseeable future, humans must remain at the steering wheel. Not as a passive safety check, but as an active, courageous exercise of judgment. She makes the point that human judgment is not just about reviewing AI outputs for errors. It is about the willingness to go against the data, to trust intuition, to take a direction that the analysis does not fully support. This connects to something I have been thinking about a great deal: the risk that younger generations, coming up through an education system increasingly mediated by AI, may miss the formative experience of running into walls, making mistakes, and building the kind of intuition that only comes from lived experience. Victoria agrees. The disruption to education is not primarily about information transfer, which AI handles well. It is about whether we can teach emotional resilience, contextual judgment, and critical thinking. Those are the skills that remain distinctly human. Curiosity as the Core Skill When I asked Victoria for the one skill we should all be developing right now, her answer was immediate: curiosity. Not curiosity as a vague aspiration, but as a daily practice. Question the status quo. Ask what else is possible. Resist the pull of the low-hanging fruit and keep asking what would make this genuinely better. In a landscape saturated with AI hype and AI fear, curiosity is the orientation that keeps you learning rather than reacting. Victoria’s broader message is one of agency. We are not watching a technological tide come in. We are making choices, every day, about how AI shapes our work, our organisations, and our lives. The question is whether we are making those choices consciously, with a clear sense of the value we want to create, or whether we are simply automating whatever is easiest to automate and hoping for the best. In Summary: Victoria Mensch offers a clear-eyed, psychologically informed framework for navigating AI without losing what makes us human. Her message is not anti-AI. It is pro-human. Use the tools. Experiment freely. But keep your hand on the wheel, stay curious, and never stop asking what would make this genuinely better. The Buzz - Our Innovation Round Here are Victoria’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop. * Most innovative use of AI to strengthen human relationships: Freeing up time by automating routine tasks, then being intentional about how that reclaimed time is invested in genuine human connection. * Best thing to integrate AI and human connection: Challenging AI rather than accepting its outputs passively, and using that process to help organisations think beyond automation toward genuine transformation. * Key skill to develop in the age of AI: Curiosity, applied broadly: in how you use AI, how you set goals, and how you question the status quo rather than accepting it. Action Start experimenting now. Do not wait for permission. Pick up the tools, explore what is available, and stay curious about what AI can do for your work and your life. Reach Out You can reach out to Victoria and sign up for her weekly newsletter, Frontier Thinking, via her website at svexecutive.co. Links: * Website - Silicon Valley Executive Academy * LinkedIn Cool Things About Victoria * The “Doctor-Executive” Hybrid: Victoria holds both a PhD in Clinical Psychology and an MBA, combined with 25 years of hard-nosed Silicon Valley experience. She is effectively a “corporate therapist” who can diagnose a P&L statement and a panic attack with equal precision. * The “Midwife” to the Machine: In a world dominated by aggressive, masculine metaphors for AI (e.g., “AI is a weapon,” “AI is a co-pilot,” “AI is a forceful disruptor”), Victoria uses the ancient, nurturing metaphor of the “Midwife.” She describes our role not as conquering AI, but as birthing its creativity safely. This linguistic choice completely reframes the power dynamic from fear to stewardship. * The “Sleeper Agent” of Harmony: There is a cool irony in her physical location. She lives in Hayward and operates the Silicon Valley Executive Academy - right in the epicenter of the global “hustle culture” and burnout capital of the world. Yet, her core message is “From Burnout to Harmony.” She is like a “sleeper agent” for wellness inside the machine, teaching the world’s most stressed executives how to slow down. Thanks for reading Innovabiz Substack! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit innovabiz.substack.com/subscribe

  6. Feb 11

    Ashley Faus, Lived Experience: The Ultimate AI Differentiator - Innova.Buzz 697

    Our guest in this episode is Ashley Faus, a marketer, writer, and speaker who specializes in Human-Centered Marketing. Ashley is passionate about helping brands connect problems with solutions through authentic, lived experiences. Ashley joined me to discuss why human imperfection is becoming a premium asset and how we can navigate the skill gaps created by AI. Key points discussed include: * The critical need to preserve “101 level” learning opportunities for junior marketers to ensure future mastery. * Why “lived experience” and context allow humans to out-perform AI in nuanced tasks like planning and connecting. * How “imperfection,” like the “Gen Z shake” or a bakery box, builds more trust than AI-generated perfection. Listen to the podcast to find out more. Innovabiz Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Show Notes from this episode with Ashley Faus It was a genuine privilege to welcome Ashley Faus to the Innovabuzz podcast for a conversation that felt less like an interview and more like a masterclass in human connection. Ashley, a marketer, writer, and speaker, joined us to unpack the concept of Human-Centered Marketing. We dove straight into the deep end, exploring a question that has been on my mind lately: what happens to trust and judgment when AI can generate almost anything on demand? Ashley’s take is refreshing. She believes that while AI is a powerful tool, it lacks “lived experience,” and that is where our true value as humans lies. We started by discussing a potential crisis in skill development. Ashley framed this brilliantly using a university analogy. She explained that she got to where she is today - solving complex “801 level” problems - by spending years slogging through the “101 and 201 level” work. Her concern is that if we enthusiastically hand off all that junior-level work to AI, we deny the next generation the opportunity to learn through doing. It is a powerful reminder that the “grunt work” is often the training ground for mastery. If we outsource the learning process, we risk creating a future workforce that lacks the critical thinking skills to spot when the AI is hallucinating. The Party Planning Test: Why Context is King I loved Ashley’s practical examples of where AI falls short. She shared a hilarious story about using AI to plan a party. It calculated she needed 200 beers for 50 people, completely ignoring the wine and the non-drinkers! A human host knows intuitively that cold weather affects beer consumption or that half their friends prefer wine. AI doesn’t have that context. It can crunch numbers, but it can’t “read the room” before the party has even started. This lack of nuance extends to our personal lives too. Ashley noted that asking AI to plan a date night is futile because it doesn’t know you had Thai food for lunch or that you have leftover spaghetti in the fridge. Humans thrive on these subtle, unspoken details. We build relationships by sharing these small, messy, lived experiences. When we try to strip that away for the sake of efficiency, we lose the very thing that makes connection meaningful. The rest of these show notes continue for paid subscribers, where we dive into the specific human skills, like contextual curiosity and critical vetting, that Ashley believes are the only true antidote to the “efficiency trap.” If you’re looking for a thoughtful, human-centered take on how we build the next generation of leaders in an automated world, I’d love you to join the inner circle. It’s where we explore the unpolished insights that keep our human edge sharp. Maybe they’ll sharpen yours too. The Uncanny Valley and the “Gen Z Shake” One of the most fascinating parts of our chat was about the “uncanny valley,” that unsettling feeling when something is too perfect. We talked about how polished content, like a perfectly lit video or a flawless photo of a playground with no children, can feel eerie. Ashley pointed out the rise of the “Gen Z shake,” where creators intentionally leave in the fumble of setting up the camera. That lack of polish signals: “I am a real person, not a bot.” It turns out we are naturally skeptical of perfection. Ashley shared a story about her baking. She noticed that when she brought homemade cupcakes in a flimsy cardboard bakery box, people assumed they were store-bought and raved about them. When she brought them in a sturdy plastic tupperware, the reaction was muted. Even more telling, people on LinkedIn trusted a “good enough” photo of the cupcakes more than a technically perfect one. The perfect photo felt fake, even though it was, indeed, real. The imperfect one felt real. In a world of AI-generated flawlessness, our human imperfections are becoming our premium asset. Trust, Logic, and Authenticity We wrapped up by looking at the “Trust Triangle” of Logic, Authenticity, and Empathy. Ashley argues that AI can mimic logic, but it fails hard on authenticity and empathy. Authenticity isn’t just about being honest; it is about showing the messy work of how you got there. It is about the “blooper reel” at the end of the video that proves you are not just reading a script. So, where do we go from here? Ashley believes the most important skill we can develop is skepticism, or perhaps, a skeptical curiosity. We need to pause, ask questions, and verify. We need to seek out real human conversations to keep us grounded. As Ashley so beautifully put it, the antidote to the noise of AI is simply more human relationships. In Summary: Ashley Faus reminds us that in a world racing toward automation, the things that make us “inefficient” - our stories, our context, and our imperfections - are actually our greatest strengths. By embracing our lived experience and staying curious, we can use tools like AI without losing the human connection that makes business, and life, worth doing. The Buzz - Our Innovation Round Here are Ashley’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop. * Innovative AI with Human connection – Use AI as a persona simulator, prompting it to behave like your specific audience to test how your messaging and taglines truly land. * Best AI integration example – Debate with the AI by taking both sides of an argument yourself, using it to poke holes in your logic so you can better understand diverse viewpoints. * Differentiate with Connection – Cultivate a healthy dose of skepticism and curiosity, taking time to verify sources and think deeply rather than accepting AI-generated content at face value. Action Call a friend, sibling, or someone you haven’t spoken to in a while and have a real conversation. Get coffee or just talk on the phone to reconnect with the human experience. Reach Out You can reach out and thank Ashley on LinkedIn, where she spends her time creating content and continuing the conversation in the comments and DMs. Links: * Website - Ashley Faus * LinkedIn Cool Things About Ashley * The Multihyphenate Performer: By day Ashley is a marketer, writer, and speaker; by night she steps into the roles of singer, actor, and fitness enthusiast, bringing stagecraft, discipline, and emotional nuance into how she communicates and leads. * The Generational Interpreter: Ashley acts as a bridge between boomers, Gen X, millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha, explaining how each group learned to trust or question information and what that means for AI literacy and deepfakes. * The Job-Change Realist: Rather than buying into “AI will take all the jobs,” Ashley argues that humans tend to raise expectations instead of eliminating work, using examples like the internet and home appliances to show how roles shift rather than disappear. * The Imperfect-Photo Purist: From mosque ceilings in Istanbul to campaigns like “Visit Vienna, Not #Vienna,” Ashley consistently chooses personally meaningful, imperfect photos and experiences over “perfect” or AI‑generated images, reflecting her belief that real stories beat polished surfaces. Video Thanks for reading Innovabiz Substack! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit innovabiz.substack.com/subscribe

  7. Feb 4

    Jen Moss, Authentic Conversations and Storytelling in the Age of AI - Innova.buzz 696

    Our guest in this episode is Jen Moss, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of JAR Audio, a premier branded podcast agency. With a rich background in public broadcasting at the CBC and creative writing, Jen helps brands like Amazon and Lululemon move beyond surface-level noise to facilitate deep, nuanced conversations that earn genuine trust. We explore the critical distinction between using AI for efficiency versus connection, the power of acknowledging the “elephant in the room” to build credibility, and why the messy human process of creation is more valuable than a perfect, generated result. Key points discussed include: * Brands have an obligation to “show their strings” and engage deeply in social discourse to earn trust. * Draw a hard line with AI: use it for efficiency tasks, but never for the work of human connection. * Combat the “empty mall” of the internet by producing less content of higher quality and specificity. Listen to the podcast to find out more. Innovabiz Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Show Notes from this episode with Jen Moss, JAR Audio It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Jen Moss, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of JAR Audio, to the Innova.Buzz podcast. Jen brings a fascinating blend of deep journalistic integrity from her CBC days and a sharp eye for brand storytelling. Our conversation felt like a masterclass in stripping away the superficial to get to the “nitty gritty” of what makes communication actually land: nuance, patience, and a willingness to “show your strings.” Jen started us off with a refreshing take on the role of brands today. We moved past the idea of companies just selling widgets; Jen argues that brands, as powerful entities using resources and employing thousands, actually have an obligation to wade into social discourse. It’s not just about winning hearts and minds; it’s about earning them. She posits that the more a brand can drop the facade and engage with society on a human level, the more likely we are to trust them. It’s a move from transactional to relational, facilitated by the patience and depth that only a podcast can really provide. The “Elephant in the Room” Strategy: Building Trust by Owning the Mess I loved Jen’s practical example regarding a mining company client. We discussed the inherent “trust problem” in that industry, given that mining is dirty and people are skeptical. Instead of shying away or painting a rosy, green-washed picture, Jen advised them to lean right into the discomfort. They produced a series explicitly tackling the trust deficit before talking about their innovations in electrification. Jen’s point was clear: you cannot underestimate the intelligence of your audience. If you don’t acknowledge the elephant in the room, the skepticism and the past mistakes, people will just tune you out. But by honoring that hesitation, you earn the right to share the rest of your story. The rest of these show notes continue for paid subscribers, where we unpack the deeper ideas Jen surfaces beneath the surface of her stories: how specificity becomes universality, why process matters more than polish, and what it really takes to keep human connection alive in a world drifting toward the “empty mall” of AI‑generated content. If you’re drawn to thoughtful conversations about storytelling, craft, and the parts of creativity we can’t outsource, I’d love you to join the inner circle. It’s where we explore the unpolished insights that rarely make it into polished episodes, the moments that sharpen our curiosity and keep us honest as creators. Maybe they’ll keep your curiosity alive too. Local Stories with Global Echoes Drawing on her background teaching creative writing, Jen shared a beautiful insight about the power of specificity. We often think we need to go broad to reach everyone, but Jen flipped that on its head. She believes a hyper-local story, like a mother in East Vancouver dealing with postpartum depression, resonates with a mother in Tanzania because the feeling is universal. Whether it’s a community bank or a global tech giant, the lesson is the same: the more specific and honest the story, the more global its impact. It’s about resonances that “translate out,” bridging gaps between vastly different lives. The AI Line in the Sand: Efficiency vs. Connection Naturally, we ventured into the “wild west” of AI. Jen’s agency draws a hard, fascinating line: use AI for efficiency, never for connection. She compared using AI for creative connection to taking an elevator to the top of a building instead of the stairs. You get there faster, but your legs don’t get any stronger. If the goal is to deepen a relationship or facilitate a nuanced conversation, AI acts as a distancing mechanism, creating a “palpable uncanny valley.” Jen was adamant: we can use the tools to tighten edits or research (carefully!), but the moment we outsource the heart of the message, we lose the game. The Value of the Struggle: Why Process Matters This led to a profound exchange about the “process” of art. We talked about photography, specifically the difference between an AI-perfected sunrise and one where you woke up at 4 AM, shivered in the cold, and waited for the light. Jen argues that the process, the cold, the coffee, the waiting, is what imbues the final product with value. In an era where we can’t tell the difference between a real and a fake image visually, the “show your work” aspect becomes critical. We care about the art because a human lived through something to make it. Fighting the “Empty Mall” Syndrome Jen didn’t mince words about the current state of the web, referencing the “enshittification” of the internet, a place risking becoming an “empty mall” of generated noise. Her antidote? Do less, but do it better. Resist the urge to use AI just to blast a “fire hose of content” at people. Instead, treat a podcast or a piece of content as a contract with your audience, a promise not to waste their time with mediocrity. Quality, authenticity, and respect for the listener’s time are the only things that will keep the lights on in the digital mall. In Summary: Jen Moss offers a sobering yet inspiring roadmap for content in the age of AI. Her message is a call to arms for creators and brands: Stop trying to hide the mess, stop automating the heart out of your work, and start respecting the intelligence of your audience. By focusing on deep, specific, human-centric storytelling, we can fight the noise and build relationships that actually mean something. The Buzz - Our Innovation Round Here are Jen’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop. * Most innovative use of AI to enhance human relationships: Using a VR environment where AI praises something a student hates, challenging them to then reclaim agency by remixing that text into a poem. * Best thing to integrate AI and human connection: A “Tale of Two Podcasts” experiment where they pitted a human-produced show against an AI-produced one, proving that 99 out of 100 listeners preferred the warmth of the human version. * Differentiate by leveraging AI: Be constantly curious about the tools, but differentiate by strictly prioritizing quality, authenticity, and human oversight in a sea of mediocrity. Action Trust that if you have something to say, there are people out there who want to hear it; drill down into who you are talking to and why, and you won’t go wrong. Reach Out You can reach out and thank Jen via her website or email her directly at jen@jarpodcasts.com. Links: * Website - JAR Audio * LinkedIn * YouTube * Blog Cool Things About Jen * Mingus, the 22-Pound Cat: A self-proclaimed empty-nester, Jen shares her home with a husky-cross dog named Luna and a rather substantial 22-pound orange tabby cat named Mingus. * Marketing Maverick: Despite running a successful branded podcast agency, Jen’s secret to success is her “deep dislike of most marketing tactics,” driving her focus on authentic connection over superficial strategies. * AI-Powered Poet: Jen is actively exploring the creative potential of AI, including building an AI-driven immersive VR poetry experience with her students at the University of British Columbia. Video Thanks for reading Innovabiz Substack! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit innovabiz.substack.com/subscribe

  8. 12/17/2025

    Zohar Bronfman, Merging Neuroscience and Predictive AI to Anticipate Future Customer Behavior - Innova.Buzz 695

    Our guest in this episode is Zohar Bronfman, the co-founder and CEO of Pecan AI, who holds dual PhDs in computational neuroscience and philosophy. Zohar is on a mission to democratize predictive power, helping organizations anticipate the future by blending rigorous logic with deep philosophical insight. Zohar and I explore the fascinating distinction between generative and predictive AI, revealing how businesses can use their own data to foresee customer behavior. Key points discussed include: * Layering historical data with context like weather builds precise “onions” of predictive insight for your business. * While AI processes data, humans must remain behind the wheel to provide the essential creative spark. * Treat AI implementation as a rigorous project with clear goals, rather than a quick technological fix. Listen to the podcast to find out more. Innovabiz Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Show Notes from this episode with Zohar Bronfman, Pecan AI The Predictive Power of Data: Merging Neuroscience with AI for Better Business It was an absolute privilege to welcome Dr. Zohar Bronfman to the InnovaBuzz podcast. Zohar isn’t your typical tech founder. With dual PhDs in computational neuroscience and philosophy, he brings a depth of thinking that goes far beyond code and algorithms. We explored how the rigorous logic of science blends with the practical needs of business, and I was struck by his unique perspective on how we can use data to act with genuine foresight. Zohar started by taking a step back to clarify what we actually mean when we talk about AI. He explained that while we are all excited about Generative AI, which is essentially a machine trained to predict “tokens” like words or pixels to create content, there is another branch that is vital for business: Predictive AI. This isn’t about writing a poem; it is about predicting future events based on historical data. It allows a business not just to guess revenue for the next month, but to know with high accuracy what specific customers might do next week. The Onion Metaphor: How to Build a Prediction I loved the imagery Zohar used to explain how these models work. He described building a prediction like peeling, or rather, building, an onion. At the core, you have your historical transaction data, which is essential. But to get a truly sharp picture of the future, you have to add layers. You layer on your marketing activity, then your promotions, and perhaps even external factors like holidays or the weather. The rest of these show notes continue for paid subscribers — where we dive into the specific human skills, like curiosity and artistic bravery, that Mark believes are the antidote to this dread. If you’re looking for a thoughtful, human-centered take on the AI revolution, I’d love you to join the inner circle. It’s where we explore the unpolished insights that keep our curiosity alive. Maybe they’ll feed yours too. Zohar pointed out that weather, for instance, has a massive influence on how we humans behave, often more than we realize. By feeding these rich, multi-layered datasets into the model, the AI can find hidden statistical signals that a human mind simply couldn’t process alone. The more layers you add to your onion, the higher the fidelity of the prediction, allowing you to anticipate the needs of your market with incredible precision. The Predictability of Being Human One of the most fascinating parts of our chat was Zohar’s take on human nature. We like to think of ourselves as free spirits, but Zohar argues that human behavior is actually extremely predictable. Drawing on his neuroscience background, he mentioned research showing that brain scans can sometimes predict a person’s decision before they are even consciously aware of it themselves. For businesses, this is a powerful concept. It means there are patterns in your customer data that tell a story about what is coming next. It is not about manipulating people; it is about understanding them better than they might understand themselves in that moment. By leveraging these patterns, businesses can improve customer experiences and operational efficiency, ensuring they are ready to meet demand exactly when it happens. No Silver Bullets: The Reality of Implementation Zohar was refreshingly honest about the hard work required to make this happen. He warned against the trap of treating AI implementation as a “double-click effort.” It might look easy in a polished demo, but in the real world, it is a project that requires process, maintenance, and change management. He advises leaders not to adopt AI just because the board demands it or because it sounds cool. You need to be very specific about the problem you are solving. If you don’t have a clear goal and a willingness to nurture the system, you end up with a fancy tool that doesn’t move the needle. There is no magic wand here, just smart engineering applied to good data. The Human Spark: Creativity in the Loop Despite the power of these machines, Zohar is a firm believer that the human element remains irreplaceable. He explained that while AI is fantastic at recombining existing knowledge, it cannot generate truly original ideas on its own. That is where we come in. We must remain “behind the wheel,” providing the creative spark and the critical thinking that guides the system. He encouraged us to be interdisciplinary in our approach. To get the most out of AI, we should enrich our minds with history, philosophy, or art. This broad knowledge base fuels our creativity, allowing us to ask the AI better questions and apply its outputs in novel ways. It is this collaboration, the machine’s processing power plus the human’s creative spark, that will define the future of work. Empowerment and Evolution: The Future of Work We wrapped up on an optimistic note regarding the workforce. Zohar doesn’t see AI as a replacement for people, but as a catalyst for evolution. He shared stories of business analysts who, by using tools like Pecan AI, have elevated their roles to become “data scientists” in practice, if not in title. They are now capable of answering questions that were previously out of reach. This evolution empowers people to do more meaningful work. By automating the predictions, we free up our mental bandwidth for the things machines can’t do: building relationships, thinking strategically, and caring for our customers. Zohar’s message is clear: your proprietary data is your number one asset. Use it to empower your team and deepen your human connections. In Summary: Zohar reminds us that while data is the fuel, human creativity is the engine. By using Predictive AI to handle the complex math of anticipating the future, we can focus our energy on the distinctly human tasks of strategy, connection, and innovation. It is about using the rigorous logic of the machine to enable a more empathetic and responsive business. The Buzz - Our Innovation Round Here are Zohar’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop. * Most innovative use of AI to enhance human relationships: Use AI simulation tools to create immersive collaborative environments that bridge the gap between remote and physical work, fostering a genuine sense of societal connection. * Best thing to integrate AI and human connection: Implement predictive AI systems that break down organizational silos, enabling different departments to collaborate effectively around shared foresight and improved customer experiences. * Differentiate by leveraging AI: Develop an interdisciplinary mindset by studying diverse subjects like history or philosophy to fuel the creative thinking necessary to generate unique impact with AI. Action If you own or work at a business, ensure you collect and generate proprietary data that can set you apart and propel your value proposition. Reach Out You can reach out and thank Zohar by visiting the Pecan AI website to learn more about predictive AI, or by connecting with him on LinkedIn to exchange notes on these topics. Links: * Website - Pecan AI * LinkedIn - Zohar Bronfman * LinkedIn - Pecan AI * Facebook - Pecan AI * X - @pecan_ai Cool Things About Zohar * It is not every day you meet a tech leader who doubles as a philosopher. Zohar holds dual PhDs in Computational Neuroscience and Philosophy. While he runs a GV-backed predictive AI company, he retains a deep academic commitment to questioning the nature of knowledge itself. * While his software specializes in predicting the future with mathematical certainty, Zohar himself is still chasing the unknown. Despite leading an international company, he actively maintains a travel bucket list and seeks out new experiences in global regions he has yet to visit. * Zohar joined us from Tel Aviv at nearly 11 p.m. local time! This small detail highlights his dedication and ability to bridge extreme time zones to connect with people. Video Thanks for reading Innovabiz Substack! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit innovabiz.substack.com/subscribe

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About

The InnovaBuzz Podcast: AI, Innovation & Human Connection The InnovaBuzz Podcast explores the minds of innovators, entrepreneurs, and creatives, diving deep into their values, strategies, and mindset. As we navigate the fascinating intersection of AI innovation and the enduring power of human connection, this podcast is increasingly drawn to conversations that explore novel applications of AI and, crucially, how we can keep our relationships and interactions deeply human in an increasingly digital world. Join internationally recognised transformational strategist and Visionary Human-Centred Podcasting Coach, Dr Jürgen Strauss, as he connects with awesome guests who are eager to share their stories, spark new ideas, and contribute to our knowledge of innovation, service, and modern marketing. Each episode is a conversation designed to spark curiosity. Gain insight into what makes inspiring people ‘tick’, what ‘lights them up’, and why they do what they do. The InnovaBuzz Podcast is for smart businesses and curious minds that want to stay on top of innovation to compete and thrive in today's marketplace. For a flavour of the themes we love to explore—context, creativity, and the art of nurturing human relationships in an AI-powered world—here are a few of my recent Substack articles: "Echoes in the Machine" - https://innovabiz.substack.com/p/echoes-in-the-machine "The Photographer's Dilemma" - https://innovabiz.substack.com/p/the-photographers-dilemma "The Tool in My Hand, The Voice in Your Ear" - https://innovabiz.substack.com/p/the-tool-in-my-hand-the-voice-in Innovation and curiosity are always on the menu. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode! Past guests have included Michael E Gerber, Kevin Kelly, Marcus Sheridan, Gill Hicks, Tanya Alvarez, Anastasia Lipske, Gino Wickman, Jeffrey Madoff, Gabrielle Dolan, Mark Schaefer, Steve Blank, Joey Coleman, Mike Michaelowitz, Ann Janzer, Michele Wucker, Soulaima Gourani, Robin Colucci, Sheryl Plouffe, Kedma Ough, Cathryn Lloyd, Wade Galt, Ramon Ray, Michelle Mazur, David Goldsmith, Todd Cherches, Rita McGrath, Terri Trespicio, Liz Wiseman and so many more wonderful people - over 700 to date! innovabiz.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Innovation and Human Connection in the Age of AI
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    239
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jürgen Strauss
  • Show Website
    Innova.buzz

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