Asana CIO | The Playbook for Human x AI Collaboration
Connect with Saket Srivastava: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saket-srivastava-84069711/👉 Asana CIO Saket Srivastava joins Liam Lawson to unpack why the future is about **collaboration over autonomy** in AI. He shares how Asana’s Work Graph underpins AI features like Smart Chat, AI Studio, and the new **AI Teammates** (with human-in-the-loop checkpoints and enterprise controls), and explains the evolving role of the CIO from back-office technologist to strategy co-creator. Saket gets specific on IT–HR partnership for AI transformation, surveying employee readiness, building an internal AI council, balancing experimentation with measurable impact, and coaching teams through change. They also tackle job displacement realistically, discuss building an AI-first culture, and end with Saket’s personal motivations, strengths, and where he’d improve.📚 Chapters00:00 Welcome & setup01:31 What Asana is & the CIO role04:39 How the CIO role changed from 2024 → 202506:11 What makes a great CIO (three-level framework)09:15 What are Asana AI Teammates?12:42 Why autonomy isn’t the goal; context, checkpoints, control14:48 Asana’s AI suite (Smart Chat, AI Studio, Teammates)15:04 The Work Graph model & “pyramid of clarity”18:31 Human-in-the-loop in practice (IT ticketing, campaign strategist)20:50 Natural-language collaboration & explainability22:01 Where AI Teammates underperform & the data hurdle25:30 Change management & the IT–HR partnership29:08 Baseline survey: excited-but-stuck employees32:14 Bottom-up innovation + top-down direction33:39 AI council, show-and-tells, and grassroots adoption36:12 Balancing innovation with impact (don’t kill experiments with ROI)37:24 Addressing fear vs. optimism; why leaning in matters40:08 Generational readiness & learning paths43:03 The future of work: augmentation over dystopia44:31 Saket beyond tech; problem-solving DNA46:45 Strengths & what he’d improve as a leader48:59 Why Saket does what he does📰 Join the Newsletter: [https://newsletter.theaireport.ai/subscribe]⭐️ Get Enterprise Training: [https://www.upscaile.com/corporate-training]
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Why the Real Robotics Revolution Starts in the Midwest — Not Silicon Valley | Josh Furstoss
Connect with Josh Furstoss: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-furstoss/Follow Josh on X: https://x.com/josh_furstoss👉 In this episode, Liam Lawson sits down with Josh Furstoss — founder of Spinout Studios and former CEO of Incued — to unpack his journey from cleaning blood off walls in a grocery store meat department to building and exiting a data intelligence startup. Josh shares his wild early job stories, how curiosity and enthusiasm launched his tech career, and the lessons learned working with government agencies on large-scale security projects. They dive deep into the creation and mission behind Incued, the moral drive for financial transparency, and Josh’s new focus with Spinout Studios — helping corporations turn dormant IP and data into profitable spinouts. The conversation also explores wealth, purpose, robotics, the future of work, and what truly brings peace and meaning after an exit.📚 Chapters 00:00 Early Jobs and Wild Grocery Store Stories 04:40 Learning Sales at Best Buy and Samsung 08:10 Breaking Into Tech Through Cold Outreach 12:00 Corporate Life, Security Projects, and the FBI 17:10 Learning Value and Realizing Undervaluation 21:00 First Startup Failures and Founding Incued 25:20 Building Truth and Transparency Into Fintech 27:40 Anger, Pain, and Finding Purpose Post-Exit 33:30 Wealth, Status, and the Myth of Success 38:05 Building Spinout Studios — Founders vs Consultants43:00 The Art of Spinouts and Niche Innovation 47:30 Midwest Private Equity Culture vs SF Startups 51:45 The Future of Robotics and Specialized Automation 53:40 Loneliness, AI Companionship, and Human Connection56:27 The Future of Work and Economic Displacement 01:02:20 Why Josh Does What He Does 📰 Join the Newsletter: https://newsletter.theaireport.ai/subscribe ⭐️ Get Enterprise Training: https://www.upscaile.com/corporate-training
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How Cory Scaled to 36 VAs in 11 Months (With AI & Systems)
Connect with Cory:bluemoso.comlinked-agency.com👉 In this conversation, Cory B shares his journey from early entrepreneurial ventures to founding BluMOSA, a LinkedIn agency dedicated to inspiring everyday individuals to find their voice and start their businesses. He reflects on the lessons learned from his early ventures, the importance of building strong team culture, and his approach to risk management. Cory also dives into the role of personal branding, the impact of outsourcing and AI on the future of work, and why being self-focused—not selfish—leads to more meaningful leadership and success.📚 Chapters00:00 Inspiring Everyday Entrepreneurs 01:53 Lessons from Early Business Ventures 07:01 Navigating Risk and Confidence in Entrepreneurship 13:27 The Accidental Birth of BluMOSA 17:07 Finding Your Voice and Brand Identity 21:28 The Comprehensive Offerings of BluMOSA 24:47 Team Culture and Motivation at BluMOSA 26:09 Leading by Example: The Importance of Hard Work 26:59 Hiring for Trust and Coachability 28:24 The Future of Work: Outsourcing and AI 30:45 Building a Supportive Team Culture 33:23 Vision for Growth: Supporting Families and Communities 35:41 Self-Focused Leadership: Balancing Personal and Team Needs 37:33 Finding Joy in Work: The Role of Passion 40:56 Optimism in the Face of Change: The Future of Work 43:08 Purpose-Driven Work: Why I Do What I Do 📰 Join the Newsletter: https://newsletter.theaireport.ai/subscribe ⭐️ Get Enterprise Training: https://www.upscaile.com/corporate-training
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How Sophie Theodorou Built 100K Followers with One-Take AI Videos
Connect with Sophie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-theodorou-89261b186/Connect with Jett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jett-miller-b31041314/👉 In this roundtable-style conversation, Liam Lawson sits down with Sophie (@teach2ai) and Jett Miller to explore the intersection of AI, content creation, and education. Sophie shares her journey from teaching math and science during the pandemic to becoming a full-time AI consultant, trainer, and content creator with over 100K followers. She explains how authenticity, consistency, and simplicity have fueled her growth on TikTok while working with brands like ClickUp, Bolt, and String. Jett, from DTC House, adds insights into scaling organic short-form content for startups and enterprise clients, revealing how AI-focused marketing campaigns go viral and drive real user growth. Together, they discuss industry pain points, the rise of AI influencers, the future of content authenticity, and why businesses of all sizes should rethink how they communicate value in the age of AI.📚 Chapters00:00 Welcome Sophie and Jett00:40 Sophie’s transition from teacher to AI creator01:57 The viral TikToks that started it all03:05 Why authenticity beats high production04:41 Overcoming hesitancy in content creation06:25 How Sophie and Jett started working together08:24 Inside DTC House’s shadow accounts10:01 Using AI tools for real client work6:21 Why Sophie’s account stood out to Jett27:42 Internet “money bros” and fake AI claims50:23 From workshops to AI consulting55:34 Pain points businesses face with AI\58:58 The challenge of scaling consulting work01:00:39 Teaching adults vs. teaching students01:03:19 What people really need to learn about LLMs01:07:43 Why Perplexity stands out01:09:01 Why people like working with Sophie01:10:58 Why Sophie does what she does01:14:01 Final advice for AI founders📰 Join the Newsletter: [https://newsletter.theaireport.ai/subscribe]⭐️ Get Enterprise Training: [https://www.upscaile.com/corporate-training]
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95% of AI Fails at Big Companies, AI SaaS is dead | Othmane Khadri
Connect with Othmane Khadri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/othmane-khadri-b48162236/👉 Othmane Khadri shares his journey from working in startups to launching his own agency, emphasizing the importance of betting on oneself and the evolving landscape of AI and entrepreneurship. He discusses the challenges of marketing in a commoditized product environment, the significance of data in AI implementations, and his agency's unique approach to support early-stage startups. Othmane also reflects on the qualities of successful entrepreneurs, the cultural perceptions of entrepreneurship, and the importance of personal values and health in achieving success.📚 Chapters00:00 From Employee to Entrepreneur: A Pivotal Shift 05:42 The Future of AI and Entrepreneurship 11:27 Building a Unique Agency: Insights and Strategies 16:52 Navigating Early Stage Startups vs. Established Companies 22:30 The Role of Data in AI Implementation 28:17 Leveraging AI for Business Growth 34:26 The Human-AI Collaboration in Business 38:28 Incentivizing Talent in the Age of AI 40:50 Finding and Attracting High Ownership Talent 43:09 Hiring for Brains vs. Hands 44:54 The Importance of Incentives and Profit Sharing 48:35 The Evolution of Earleads and Branding 52:07 Common Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs 55:11 Learning from Failure and System Thinking 57:30 Cultural Perspectives on Entrepreneurship 01:05:43 Processing Failure and Personal Habits 01:07:42 Motivations Behind Entrepreneurship 📰 Join the Newsletter: https://newsletter.theaireport.ai/subscribe ⭐️ Get Enterprise Training: https://www.upscaile.com/corporate-training
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