AI First with Adam and Andy

In a fascinating discussion, Eric Vaughan, CEO of IgniteTech, shares insights from his bold AI transformation journey. He reveals how he reshaped his organization into an AI-DNA powerhouse and drove a significant cultural shift. Eric emphasizes the importance of CEO belief in fostering a culture of innovation and discusses the challenges of managing resistance and rapid change. He also describes innovative practices like 'AI Mondays' and rapid prototyping cycles that have drastically increased product delivery speed, making AI an integral part of every employee's toolkit.

In this bite-size episode of AI First with Adam and Andy, the hosts tackle one of the most common misconceptions in enterprise AI adoption: that you need a perfect data lake before you can begin.Adam and Andy explain why this “wait until the data is ready” mindset slows innovation and how forward-thinking leaders are getting results now by experimenting with the data they already have. Through real client examples, they contrast the old IT-led playbook with a faster, executive-driven approach that emphasizes iteration, accessibility, and speed.If you have ever wondered when to start your AI-first transformation, the answer is simple: today.

In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy, Adam Brotman and Andy Sack explore what it really takes for organizations to transform with AI. They argue that the journey doesn’t begin with data lakes, councils, or playbooks, it begins with leadership.The conversation dives into why CEOs need their own “aha moment,” how to empower internal change agents, and what it looks like when teams stop waiting for readiness and start making better decisions, faster. Adam also shares a real-world example of helping a CEO unlock major business value using GPT-5 Pro in just minutes.It’s a candid look at the mindset, culture, and urgency that define truly AI-first companies.

The global economy is undergoing a seismic shift that rivals the Industrial Revolution in scale and impact. In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy, the hosts dive into the massive recent deals shaping the AI landscape, from Nvidia’s multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI to OpenAI’s unprecedented infrastructure agreement with Oracle.Far from being financial hype, these moves point to a deeper truth: we are still at the very beginning of the AI era, and the next five years will demand enormous investments in data centers, compute, and energy to power this transformation. Andy and Adam explain why executives should look beyond the headline numbers, what this means for the future of knowledge work, and how AI will reshape global productivity at every level.

Dan Todd, CEO of Influence Mobile and the mind behind the Rewarded Play app, shares insights from a 90-day transformation into an AI-first company. He discusses introducing enterprise AI tools and tracking their use through engaging Slack contests. Dan highlights productivity boosts, with developers cutting project times significantly and marketing gaining deeper insights. He candidly reflects on AI pitfalls, including a costly prompt error, and encourages leaders to embrace AI early to stay competitive.

Jennifer Strickland Fowler, CEO of Destination Pet, shares insights from her journey transitioning from healthcare to leading a network of pet care centers. She reveals how AI transformed her approach, from skepticism to viewing it as a crucial ‘co-pilot’ for enhancing recruiting and vendor selection. Jennifer discusses AI's role in creative strategy, improving operational efficiency, and the importance of freeing staff to focus on meaningful interactions with pets and owners. She highlights the concept of non-linear ROI, emphasizing the indirect benefits of AI adoption in service-driven industries.

In this special mini-episode of AI First with Adam and Andy, Adam Brotman and Andy Sack dig into two of the biggest AI stories making headlines.They start with the recent MIT study that fueled a viral Fortune headline claiming 95% of corporate AI projects fail. Adam explains what the research actually found, from the limitations of wrapper apps to the importance of micro use cases and realistic measures of success. Together, Adam and Andy highlight why leaders should avoid getting distracted by shiny solutions and instead double down on the small, practical wins that drive real business value.Then the conversation turns to OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT-5. With polarized reactions ranging from disappointment to awe, Adam and Andy cut through the noise to share their perspective on where GPT-5 truly fits in the broader AI landscape. They explore how the frontier models are advancing together, why expectations matter, and what the “trough of disillusionment” means for businesses today.This episode is a candid, hype-free look at what’s really happening in AI innovation, and what leaders should be paying attention to now.

Henrik Werdelin, a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of companies like Bark, and Nicholas Thorne, an ex-Wall Street expert turned entrepreneur, dive into the transformational power of AI in business. They discuss how the rise of "Entrepreneurship 3.0" changes competitive moats, pushing for deep connections with customers. Their insights on accelerating product launches and focusing on community-driven businesses highlight a shift towards customer-first strategies. They also encourage empowering internal entrepreneurs to drive innovation within larger companies.

In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy, we’re joined by Keith Fairclough, CIO of Cabi, a women’s apparel brand with a national network of over 2,000 independent stylists. Keith walks us through how he went from early AI experimentation to spearheading a full-scale transformation at Cabi, turning curiosity into capability across the entire company.Keith breaks down the lessons from their AI bootcamp with Forum3, the structure they built to scale adoption (including org-wide training, AI office hours, and GPT competitions), and real use cases now saving time and expanding output, from automated marketing retouching to a custom GPT for IT sprint planning. He also shares what didn’t work, including missteps around executive involvement and building out an AI champions team.If you’re a leader looking to scale AI across your organization, not just implement tools, this episode offers a front-row seat to what it looks like to lead with vision, structure, and practicality.

In this special episode of AI First with Adam and Andy, we go global with our first international guest, Shawn Walchef, founder of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media, joining us from Bulgaria. Shawn shares how he’s using AI not just to support operations, but to fuel real innovation across both his restaurant and media businesses.He walks us through a game-changing Father’s Day activation where a voice AI agent, trained on his own podcast content and voice, answered 150+ customer calls, freeing up his team and driving record-breaking sales. He also explains how AI has become his remote creative partner, helping him turn iPhone clips into full media assets while traveling in Istanbul.From launching voice tech in his BBQ shops to using ChatGPT for deep market research on potential family investments, Shawn is a masterclass in AI-first thinking. His stories show how any business, no matter how local, can scale globally and strategically with the right AI mindset.