Selling in the Age of AI - Episode 28: Nishkam Batta

Quote: "Build AI not to replace people, but to augment them." - Nishkam Batta

Episode Summary: In this insightful episode of "Selling in the Age of AI," Frank Somma is joined by Nishkam Batta, founder and CEO of Honest AI and GreyCyan. With a background in business engineering and a passion for practical AI solutions, Nish shares how his companies are helping small and midsize businesses—especially in manufacturing—unlock back-end efficiencies, accelerate workflows, and free teams to focus on human-driven value creation. Discover why Nish believes AI is best used behind the scenes and how sellers can leverage it to stay competitive and deeply human.

Key Topics & Insights:

• The Origins of GreyCyan & Honest AI: From an impulsively named startup to a mission-driven AI solutions provider focused on helping SMBs thrive.
  

• Back-End, Not Front-End: Nish emphasizes that AI’s greatest impact today is in streamlining operational, administrative, and repetitive tasks, especially in manufacturing and logistics.
  

• The Hidden Factory: Uncovering inefficiencies in unseen areas of business—like lead routing and proposal generation—to free up human resources for higher-value work.
  

• AI-Powered Sales Assistants: Real-world example of an AI agent that routes yacht brokerage leads in seconds using metadata and confidence scoring.
  

• Sales Enablement Through Automation: How custom AI tools shorten sales cycles by automating proposal creation, ERP data entry, and drawing interpretation.
  

• Human-in-the-Loop AI: AI should support—not replace—sales professionals by handling low-value tasks and enhancing speed, accuracy, and responsiveness.
  

• Sales and Search Synergy: Why understanding which AI tools are good at which tasks (e.g., ChatGPT vs. Gemini) is critical for effective use.
  

• AI for Lead Generation: Leveraging agents that interface with platforms like LinkedIn, Apollo, and ZoomInfo to automate outreach and research.
  

• Middleware Magic: How Nish’s team builds middleware to integrate AI seamlessly into existing systems without disrupting workflows.
  

• Advice for the Old Guard: Older sales pros can thrive by pairing experience with AI fluency; don’t fear it—learn it, use it, and compete effectively.
  

• The Butcher Shop Analogy: Like handcrafted goods, the value of personalized, expert human sales will always outshine commoditized automation.
  

• Charitable Spotlight: Nish supports SickKids Toronto, advocating for the well-being of children and encouraging donations to this impactful cause.

Connect with Nishkam Batta:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishkambatta/ 

• https://www.linkedin.com/company/graycyan/;

• https://www.linkedin.com/company/honest-ai-engine/  

Connect with Frank Somma:

• https://www.franksomma.com/

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/fsomma/

• https://www.instagram.com/franksomma/
  

Want to take your sales skills to the next level and thrive in the age of AI? Frank Somma is offering a special discount to our podcast listeners!

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