Episode 514 Building AI-Enabled Agencies with Greg Shove

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Aug 11, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Greg Shove, a serial entrepreneur and AI transformation expert, shares his insights on moving beyond basic AI initiatives to truly future-proof agencies. He discusses his journey as a non-technical founder and the importance of thoughtful leadership in AI integration. Greg provides practical frameworks like OAT for assessing agency readiness and advises on evaluating AI tools strategically. The conversation also dives into the need for transparency in dealing with workforce concerns and embracing AI for transforming client interactions and efficiency.

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ANECDOTE

Pivoting To AI

Greg Shove pivoted his startup after a few hours experimenting with ChatGPT on Feb 1, 2023.
He refocused the company to help organizations become AI-enabled and teach others to use AI.

ADVICE

Address Workforce Anxiety Honestly

Be transparent with employees about AI and set honest expectations about changes to teams.
Explain that some teams may shrink, some will grow, and some will do more work with AI support.

INSIGHT

Augment Yourself Or Become Generic

Choose augmentation over cognitive outsourcing and learn to manage AI outputs.
Avoid lazy copy-paste use that makes work undifferentiated and commoditized.

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Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of Build a Better Agency! Host Drew McLellan is joined by serial entrepreneur and AI transformation expert Greg Shove for a timely conversation that will change the way you think about integrating artificial intelligence into your agency. If you've been wondering how to move beyond surface-level AI experiments and truly future-proof your agency, this episode is a must-listen.

Greg shares his unique journey from being a non-technical founder in Silicon Valley to steering his latest venture, Section, into the heart of the AI revolution. Drawing on real-life examples and client experiences, Greg breaks down the critical stages agencies must navigate to become truly AI-enabled—from overcoming workforce anxiety to moving entire teams from novice to proficient. He and Drew discuss why deploying AI isn’t like rolling out traditional software, the pitfalls of treating it as such, and why thoughtful, transparent leadership is essential in guiding teams through change.

Listeners will walk away with practical frameworks like OAT (Optimize, Accelerate, Transform) to help assess where their agency sits on its AI journey and concrete steps for encouraging adoption across their team. Greg also provides actionable advice for evaluating the sea of AI tools on the market, empowering agency leaders to strategically experiment and prioritize high-value use cases without getting overwhelmed. Plus, they dig deep into the profound business model shifts AI will bring—and how being prepared to pivot can turn disruption into your agency’s biggest opportunity.

Whether you’re anxious, excited, or somewhere in between about the rapid pace of AI, this episode will inspire you to lead the change confidently. Tune in to reimagine how you—and your team—can harness AI to drive efficiency, deepen client value, and stay ahead in a fast-transforming industry.

A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

- Navigating workforce anxiety and resistance around AI adoption
- Moving agency teams from AI novices to confident, proficient users
- Why deploying AI isn’t like traditional software rollouts
- Building a culture of experimentation and continuous learning with AI
- Prioritizing high-value use cases over chasing every new tool
- The importance of leadership engagement and transparency around AI
- Preparing for future business model shifts driven by AI innovation