Conquer Local Podcast

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube🎯 AI automation isn’t about doing everything faster. It’s about deciding what shouldn’t require a human at all. 🎯In this episode, we sit down with Ashley, AI operator and founder of AI workforce Alliance, who cut her workweek from an unsustainable 80 hours to 25 hours, by systematizing the exact workflows that quietly drain most modern businesses.It’s a real breakdown of the 5 workflows Ashley automated first, and the 11 AI-agent “workforce” she built next.If your team is:• Drowning in inbox + follow-ups• Spending hours repurposing content• Doing the same research before every call• Losing deals after hours (and weekends)• Struggling to define what “sales-ready” actually meansThis episode will give you a clear playbook for what to automate first and what to protect as human-only work.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:• The 5 workflows Ashley automated.• 11 agents that act as 80% of her operational muscle• How to build a content engine that only costs $75• How to automate your inbox without automating relationships• How to build an after-hours AI agent that qualifies, enriches, and books meetings• How to use an AI CFO persona to stress-test pitch, offer, and closing hook• A simple 3-question filter for deciding what to automate first• Why 2026 will be messy and how to build foundations before you build agentsKEY CONCEPTS COVERED IN THIS VIDEO AI workflow automationContent repurposing systemsInbox triage + drafted responsesLead qualification + CRM enrichmentAfter-hours AI agents (chat + voice)SOPs, SLAs, and knowledge basesRenewal prep + relationship intelligenceClient sentiment tracking (“happiness meter”)AI CFO roleplay for sales enablementThe automation-to-agents autonomy spectrum2026 readiness: foundations → automations → agentsCONNECT WITH ASHLEY GROSS:💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/theashleygross/🌐 aiworkforcealliance.com/CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/X: https://x.com/vendastaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode 💜💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast🟢 Leave a rating on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOnABOUT VENDASTA:Vendasta is an AI-powered customer acquisition and engagement platform that helps businesses get more customers—and keep them. Our platform unifies fragmented tools across marketing, sales, and operations, and uses AI assistants plus proprietary SMB data to automate busywork, streamline workflows, and amplify the humans on your team.We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demohttps://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube🎯 AI search isn’t broken. It just doesn’t work the way most people think it does. 🎯In this episode, we sit down with Chris Long — AI search researcher, co-founder of Nectiv, and one of the leading analysts studying how LLMs actually read, search, and cite the web — to unpack why traditional SEO playbooks are quietly failing in the age of AI.This isn’t about better keywords. It’s not about ranking higher. And it’s definitely not about writing longer content.If your team is:• Ranking well in Google but not getting mentioned by AI• Watching traffic decline while visibility feels unpredictable• Confused by contradictory SEO advice around AI search• Still treating AI like “Google with a chatbot interface”This conversation will finally make AI search make sense.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why AI engines don’t read pages top-to-bottom like Google• How AI uses context windows and “chunking” to extract answers• Why most of your web page may be invisible to AI• How one search can fan out into dozens of unseen queries• Why keyword lists collapse in AI-driven search• What AI engines actually look for when choosing sources• Why tables, bullets, and structure outperform “great writing”• How citations influence ChatGPT and AI Overviews• Why traffic is becoming a vanity metric in a zero-click world• What KPIs actually matter as we move toward 2026• How to rethink SEO strategy for a world where AI is the readerKey concepts in this episode:AI search BehaviorContext windows and content chunkingFan-out queries and query expansionAI vs Google search mechanicsZero-click search and declining CTRBrand mentions vs trafficAI citations and third-party influenceContent structure for LLMsSearch visibility in 2026The future of SEO and GEOCONNECT WITH CHRIS LONG💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-long-marketing/🌐 https://nectivdigital.com/CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/X: https://x.com/vendastaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast… 💜💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast🟢 Leave a rating on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOnABOUT VENDASTAVendasta is an AI-powered customer acquisition and engagement platform that helps businesses get more customers—and keep them. Our platform unifies fragmented tools across marketing, sales, and operations, and uses AI assistants plus proprietary SMB data to automate busywork, streamline workflows, and amplify the humans on your team.We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demohttps://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube🎯 Most agencies have a client alignment and retention problem 🎯In this episode, we sit down with Robert Patin — agency advisor and growth strategist who’s helped firms scale by 800%+ — to unpack where real agency growth actually comes from (and why chasing new logos is usually the slowest, riskiest path).Robert has helped agencies fire up to $2M worth of misaligned clients, not because they weren’t big enough, but because they were quietly killing profitability, morale, and momentum.What You’ll Learn in This Episode• The early warning signs that a client is misaligned• Why clients who nickel-and-dime upfront are the most expensive later• How to calculate effective bill rate per client (and why it’s eye-opening)• Why your lowest-paying clients often drain the most energy• How one agency discovered they were losing $4 per hour on a “top” client• When firing a client is the most profitable decision you can make• How to set and communicate boundaries without damaging relationships• Why retention — not acquisition — drives 70%+ of agency growth• How a 5% increase in retention can unlock massive revenue upside• The simple framework for quarterly business reviews that surface expansion• How to turn one-off projects into 3–4 year retainers• Why agencies already have the clients they need to hit their next revenue milestone• How a single outreach email uncovered $1–2M in revenue in 90 days• Why value articulation — not more work — keeps clients longerIf you’re an agency owner, founder, or operator who feels stuck on the growth treadmill — selling more just to stand still — this episode shows you how to stabilize revenue, increase profitability, and grow without burning out.👉 Hit play to learn how the fastest way to grow your agency might be doing less — with the right clients.CONNECT WITH ROBERT PATIN💼 LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/creative-agency-success/CONNECT WITH USLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/X: https://x.com/vendastaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode 💜💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast🟢 Leave a rating on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOnAbout VendastaVendasta is an AI-powered customer acquisition and engagement platform that helps businesses get more customers—and keep them. Our platform unifies fragmented tools across marketing, sales, and operations, and uses AI assistants plus proprietary SMB data to automate busywork, streamline workflows, and amplify the humans on your team.We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demohttps://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube🎯Your AI rollout didn’t fail because of the tools. It failed because no one wanted to use them.🎯In this episode, we sit down with Dajana Achelpohl — former Google and PayPal leader, founder of AI Changemaker, and one of the most trusted voices in human-first AI adoption — to unpack the real reasons AI initiatives stall inside organizations.If your company has:• Rolled out AI tools that barely get touched• A small group of power users and a large group of skeptics• Teams quietly using their own AI tools behind the scenes• Leaders saying “we need to do AI” without a clear outcomeThis conversation will fundamentally change how you think about AI adoption.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why most AI rollouts fail after launch — not before• The hidden danger of “silent non-use” and fake adoption metrics• Why fear of job loss leads teams to actively sabotage AI• What “Shadow AI” is — and why it’s already inside your organization• How to align non-technical teams around AI without overwhelming them• Dajana’s AI Building Blocks Framework for practical adoption• Why small, boring wins beat ambitious AI moonshots• How to create guardrails that enable innovation instead of blocking it• What an AI Team Charter is — and why it works better than policy docs• Why AI adoption only succeeds when teams co-create the rules• How agencies and service-based businesses are uniquely positioned to win with AIKey concepts in this episode:AI adoption barriersSilent non-use of AI toolsShadow AI risksHuman-first AI strategyAI change managementAI literacy for non-technical teamsAI guardrails and governanceAI ethics and data securityAI team chartersBottom-up vs top-down AI adoptionAI in agencies and service businessesAgentic AI and workflowsAI implementation frameworksPractical AI use casesAI culture and trustFrom AI hype to real valueIf you’re a CMO, agency leader, founder, or operator who’s frustrated by low AI adoption, unclear strategy, or teams that feel anxious instead of empowered — this episode gives you a practical, human-centered path forward.👉 Hit play to learn how to turn AI from a mandate into momentum.CONNECT WITH DAJANA ACHELPOHL💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dajana-achelpohl/🌐 https://www.aichangemaker.com/CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/X: https://x.com/vendastaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode 💜💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast🟢 Leave a rating on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOnABOUT VENDASTAVendasta is an AI-powered customer acquisition and engagement platform that helps businesses get more customers—and keep them. Our platform unifies fragmented tools across marketing, sales, and operations, and uses AI assistants plus proprietary SMB data to automate busywork, streamline workflows, and amplify the humans on your team.We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demohttps://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube🎯Your Martech stack isn’t broken — your mental model is.🎯Your Martech stack isn’t broken — your mental model is.In this episode, we sit down with Scott Brinker, Godfather of Martech, editor of Chief Marketing Technologist and VP of Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot, to unpack a reality most marketers miss:The Martech explosion isn’t chaos — it’s the early stage of an AI-orchestrated system that’s about to collapse thousands of tools into workflows.If you’re feeling crushed by:An exploding Martech landscape, AI tools launching daily, integration hell, unused software, and pressure to “simplify”… this episode flips the narrative and shows why the winners won’t have fewer tools, they’ll have better orchestration.In this episode, you'll learn:Why the Martech Landscape Keeps Growing (and Why That’s Not the Real Problem)The Shift From Tool Accumulation to Stack OrchestrationHow AI Is Changing the Role of Marketers — Not Replacing ThemWhy Integration Matters More Than Ever in an AI-Driven WorldThe Hidden Cost of Unused Software and Fragmented DataHow Smart Teams Are Simplifying Without Losing CapabilityWhere Agencies Can Create Massive Value as AI IntegratorsWhat “Composable Martech” Really Means (Without the Buzzwords)Key concepts in this episode:Martech landscape explainedAI in marketing operationsMarketing automation vs. orchestrationComposable Martech stacksPlatform ecosystems and integrationsAI agents and copilots in marketingTool sprawl and software wasteOperational efficiency in marketing teamsFuture of Martech and AIMarketing technology strategy for agenciesData fragmentation and system silosHuman-in-the-loop AI workflowsHow agencies can monetize AI implementationThe evolving role of the CMOFrom execution to orchestration in marketingIf you’re a CMO, agency leader, or marketing operator struggling with an overcomplicated stack, unclear AI strategy, and tools that promise everything but deliver little — this episode will help you rethink Martech as a system, not a shopping list.👉 Hit play to learn how to simplify your stack, use AI intelligently, and turn Martech complexity into a competitive advantage.CONNECT WITH SCOTT BRINKER💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjbrinker/🌐 https://chiefmartec.com/CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/X: https://x.com/vendastaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast… 💜💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...🟢 Leave a rating on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn...ABOUT VENDASTAVendasta is an AI-powered customer acquisition and engagement platform that helps businesses get more customers—and keep them. Our platform unifies fragmented tools across marketing, sales, and operations, and uses AI assistants plus proprietary SMB data to automate busywork, streamline workflows, and amplify the humans on your team.We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demohttps://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube🎯Are your Google Analytics dashboards lying to you and killing your best marketing?🎯In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Greenfield, CEO and co-founder of Provolytics, to rethink how we measure marketing in a world where clicks, last-touch, and GA4 can’t see the full picture.If you’re tired of:Google saying one thing, Meta saying another, numbers that never add up, and CFOs who don’t believe in branding or CTV... this episode will show you a new, impression-first, AI-powered way to measure what actually works.In this episode, you'll learn:Why Your Clicks and Dashboards Don’t Add UpImpression-Based Measurement: The Metric That Actually Matches RealityWhy marketing doesn’t buy clicksHow AI Finally Solves Multi-Touch Attribution (Without Tracking Every User)Finding the “Hidden Experiments” in Your Media PlanExactly Where to Scale—and Where to Cut SpendHow to use impression-level data and AI A DIY Framework If You Don’t Have an Enterprise Measurement StackKey concepts in this episode:AI marketing measurementMarketing attribution without cookiesImpression-based attribution vs. click-based attributionMulti-touch attribution is brokenIncrementality & lift measurementCTV advertising measurement (Connected TV)Digital out-of-home & podcast ad measurementUpper-funnel vs. lower-funnel budgetingBranding ROI and financial impactHow to prove marketing to your CFOGoogle Analytics 4 (GA4) limitationsFull-funnel marketing mix optimizationMicro-experiments in your media planAI for media mix modeling & budget allocationHow to measure brand campaigns and awarenessPerformance marketing vs. brand marketingFuture of marketing analytics in a privacy-first worldIf you’re a CMO, performance marketer, or agency leader who’s drowning in conflicting dashboards, over-spending on bottom-of-funnel clicks, and struggling to prove the value of brand and CTV, this episode will show you a practical, AI-powered path out of the chaos.👉 Hit play to learn how to move beyond clicks, unify your metrics, and get more revenue from the same marketing budget.CONNECT WITH JEFF GREENFIELD (Provolytics)💼 linkedin.com/in/jeffgreenfield🌐 provalytics.com CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/X: https://x.com/vendastaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast… 💜💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...🟢 Leave a rating on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn...About VendastaVendasta is an AI-powered customer acquisition and engagement platform that helps businesses get more customers—and keep them. Our platform unifies fragmented tools across marketing, sales, and operations, and uses AI assistants plus proprietary SMB data to automate busywork, streamline workflows, and amplify the humans on your team.We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demohttps://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube🎯Go from 20% to 80% Agency margins, without hiring a single new person🎯In this episode, we sit down with Frans Riemersma, Martech legend, co-author of the Martech Landscape, and one of the sharpest thinkers on AI, composability, and the future of services to break down the new AI Agency Model that is quietly redefining how agencies build, deliver, and scale their work.Frans explains why we’re entering the golden age for agencies, not because of more tools, but because AI is turning services into software, unlocking product-level margins for businesses that previously sold labor.In this episode, you'll learn:Why Agencies Are Entering a Golden AgeHow AI shifts work from human execution → human orchestration, and why agencies with standardized knowledge stand to benefit the most.Service-as-a-Software: The Model Behind 80% MarginsWhy AI is unleashing a new category next to SaaS and how agencies can package expertise into repeatable, scalable, automatable outcomes.Where a 10-Person Agency Should StartHow to find your highest-value, most-repeatable outcomes, follow the money, and turn them into automations and AI-powered products.The Biggest Pitfall: Building Tools Before TestingWhy most agencies create tech they never use and Frans’ “Hack → Pack → Stack” method for validating before investing.Composability, Atomization & The New Martech StackWhy the future isn’t mega-suites or tool sprawl, it’s small, composable “Lego block” tools that integrate cleanly and keep your stack lean.The 12% RuleHow top performers identify the tiny percentage of features and tools that drive 80% of customer value and cut everything else.The Skills That Matter in the AI EraWhy the differentiator isn’t technical mastery anymore, it’s customer obsession, storytelling, distribution, and discovering viable ideas.Key concepts in this episode:AI Agency ModelService-as-a-Software80% Margin FrameworkAI-Powered Delivery SystemsStandardizing Agency KnowledgeHack → Pack → Stack MethodComposability & Martech ArchitectureAtomization of Tools & LaborAI Agents & Autonomous WorkflowsProductized Services for AgenciesLead Mining & Lead Intelligence AutomationCustomer-Centric InnovationFeature Bloat & Decommissioning StrategyFuture-Proof Agency SkillsAI + Services ConvergenceDistribution & Community MoatsIf you want your agency to escape the 20% margin trap, and build AI-powered services that scale like software, hit play.CONNECT WITH Frans Riemersma🌐 https://www.martechtribe.com/💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/fransriemersma/CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCooW1kDrMUb1EORhDbmciOw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/ X: https://x.com/vendasta Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast… 💜💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn...VendastaVendasta is the leading AI software company for customer acquisition and engagement, helping businesses get more customers—and keep them. Our AI-powered platform unifies marketing, sales, and operational workflows, eliminating the need for fragmented tools and streamlining every stage of the customer journey. Powered by proprietary SMB data, intelligent automation, and AI assistants that handle repetitive tasks, Vendasta helps businesses attract, engage, and retain customers with unmatched efficiency.Our solutions empower digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs to scale operations, optimize campaigns, and drive long-term growth.Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Demo Availablehttps://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube🎯What if your business is losing 60% of your deals after the first call?🎯In this episode, we sit down with Jason Kramer, founder of Cultivize and one of the leading voices on CRM-powered sales systems, to break down why most agencies and businesses bleed pipeline revenue and how AI + CRM automation can rescue lost deals you didn’t even know you had.If your team is still manually taking notes, chasing cold leads, or keeping the pipeline in the owner’s head, you’re leaving massive revenue on the table.In this episode, you'll learn:Why Most businesses Lose Deals After the Discovery Call: The #1 place where good prospects disappear and why speed-to-lead still wins deals.The Follow-Up Math That Changes Everything: Why 60%+ of prospects aren’t ready today but will buy and how 7–10 personalized steps increase conversions by 30%+How to Use AI to Rescue “Dead” Leads: Using AI signals to see who’s re-engaging, and how Jason closed deals from year-old prospects.The exact “good news or bad news?” email that gets same-day replies.Why your CRM Is Your Sales Brain: The data you must track, how to automate discovery-to-close workflows and why follow-up without a CRM is basically impossible today.Event & Trade Show Follow-Up (Done Right): How one business generated $1M from an event using his follow-up automation.Key concepts in this episode:AI-Powered Follow-Up SystemsCRM Automation for AgenciesPipeline Leakage & Lost DealsFollow-Up Email Templates That ConvertLead Nurturing & Intent SignalsSpeed to Lead (and Why It Matters)Personalized Multi-Step SequencesLinkedIn Automation for SalesEvent Follow-Up StrategySales Process PlaybooksData-Driven Sales PrioritizationAI + CRM IntegrationHow to Keep Leads Warm for 12+ MonthsAgency Sales Operations & SystemsIf your business is tired of losing deals that should have closed… hit play.CONNECT WITH Jason Kramer:🌐 https://cultivize.com/💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonleighkramer/CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:📹 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@Vendasta💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vendasta🐦 Connect on X: x.com/vendasta 📸 Connect on Instagram: instagram.com/vendastaThanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast… 💜💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...🟢 Leave a rating on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn...VendastaVendasta is the leading AI software company for customer acquisition and engagement, helping businesses get more customers—and keep them. Our AI-powered platform unifies marketing, sales, and operational workflows, eliminating the need for fragmented tools and streamlining every stage of the customer journey. Powered by proprietary SMB data, intelligent automation, and AI assistants that handle repetitive tasks, Vendasta helps businesses attract, engage, and retain customers with unmatched efficiency.Our solutions empower digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs to scale operations, optimize campaigns, and drive long-term growth.Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Demo Availablehttps://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/Transcript

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube🎯What if AI started deciding which businesses get discovered?🎯In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Holland, Director of SEO and one of the world’s leading voices on Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), to unpack why traditional SEO is collapsing and how local agencies are uniquely positioned to win in the age of AI search.Learn why keywords are dead, why AI is becoming the real “reader” of your website, and how agencies can rebuild their SEO services around revenue, positioning, and problem-space optimization instead of traffic and blog posts.In this episode, you'll learn:The Collapse of Traditional SEOKeywords Are Dead. Problem Spaces Are the Future.Why Local Agencies Will Win in AI SearchHow to Identify Problem Spaces for Local BusinessesPrompt-Ready Content vs. SEO ContentThe New Rules of Authority: Brand, Mentions & Mutual InformationHow AI Reads Your Website (and What It Looks For)Category Entry Points (CEPs)Key concepts in this episode:Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)Future of SEO in AI searchProblem-Space OptimizationCategory Entry Points (CEPs)AI Search BehaviourLocal SEO & Revenue-Driven SEOBrand Positioning for AI SearchAuthority Building (mentions, citations, PR)Search Without KeywordsAI-First Organic StrategyMutual Information SignalsContent Strategy for AgenciesUser Intent in AI SearchCollapse of Top-of-Funnel SEOIf you want your agency to survive (and thrive) as AI takes over search… hit play.-----------------CONNECT WITH Andrew Holland🌐 https://www. zoogly.co.uk 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-holland-seo/-----------------CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:📹 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@Vendasta💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vendasta🐦 Connect on X: x.com/vendasta 📸 Connect on Instagram: instagram.com/vendastaThanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast... 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn...Vendasta is the leading AI software company for customer acquisition and engagement, helping businesses get more customers. And keep them. Our AI-powered platform unifies marketing, sales, and operational workflows—eliminating the need for fragmented tools and streamlining every stage of the customer journey. With proprietary SMB data, intelligent automation, and AI assistants that handle repetitive tasks, Vendasta helps businesses attract, engage, and retain customers with unmatched efficiency. Our solutions empower partners like digital marketing agencies, franchisors, and MSPs to scale operations seamlessly, optimize campaigns, and drive long-term growth.Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Demo Available https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

​​​​▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube🎯 Are CEOs ready for the 2026 acceleration🎯2026 is the year AI stops being optional. It’s the year your competitors’ AI advantage becomes your business problem.In this episode, AI adoption strategist Brett Schklar reveals the new CEO playbook for AI transformation, showing exactly how leaders can set the tone, accelerate efficiency, and prepare their organizations for what’s coming next.In this episode, you'll learn:🚀 AI-ifying the Pain: How to identify the daily tasks that waste your time and automate them with real AI tools you can deploy today.📈 Return on AI (ROAI): The six lenses to measure AI’s real impact🏗️ Creating a Safe AI Sandbox: How to set up a private AI playground for your team to experiment, fail safely, and innovate faster before going live.🧠 Prompting as the New Leadership Skill: How the best leaders are moving beyond “prompt engineering” to “AI conversation design” and training their teams to do the same.📞 Voice AI and ChatGPT for Business: Why customer-facing AI assistants are the new front line for customer experience and revenue.💬 The Trust-But-Verify Rule: Why CEOs should never delegate AI blindly and how to build systems that draft, learn, and improve alongside your team.🔥 Culture Before Code: The #1 mistake CEOs make when adopting AI, and how to unlock innovation across the company.Key concepts in this episode:AI transformation strategy for CEOsAI readiness auditReturn on AI (ROAI) metricsAI adoption roadmap 2026ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot integrationAI sandbox for business leadersAI change managementVoice AI and customer experienceAI automation in daily operationsLeadership in the age of AIHow to build trust and safety in AI systemsHow CEOs can lead AI innovationGenerative AI in business strategyAI productivity and automation toolsIf you’re a CEO preparing for 2026, this episode is your wake-up call.The leaders who win next year will be the ones who make AI a cultural movement, not just a technical upgrade.-----------------CONNECT WITH BRETT SCHKLAR:🌐 https://www.growpowered.com/💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/bschklar/📩 brett@aifirstleadership.com-----------------CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:📹 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@Vendasta💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vendasta🐦 Connect on X: x.com/vendasta 📸 Connect on Instagram: instagram.com/vendasta​​Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast... 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...Leave a rating on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn...Vendasta is the leading AI software company for customer acquisition and engagement, helping businesses get more customers. And keep them. Our AI-powered platform unifies marketing, sales, and operational workflows—eliminating the need for fragmented tools and streamlining every stage of the customer journey. With proprietary SMB data, intelligent automation, and AI assistants that handle repetitive tasks, Vendasta helps businesses attract, engage, and retain customers with unmatched efficiency. Our solutions empower partners like digital marketing agencies, franchisors, and MSPs to scale operations seamlessly, optimize campaigns, and drive long-term growth.Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Demo Available https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/