How Will You Lead in the Age of AI? Insights from Denver Startup Week and the 1st Denver AI Summit

Day -????Fearless Friday?

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"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." — Steve Jobs?

This past week has been nothing short of extraordinary as Denver Startup Week, the world’s largest free entrepreneurial event, and the 1st Denver AI Summit came together to create a powerful platform for innovation, leadership, and community engagement. I’m incredibly honored to have been a part of both events, delivering sessions that helped inspire, educate, and empower so many entrepreneurs, leaders, and innovators.?

I had the privilege of leading and co-hosting eight impactful sessions, touching on critical topics such as sales and pitching, maximizing growth and valuation, building an AI-ready company, and writing books with AI. I want to take a moment to reflect on some of these key sessions and extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined in.?

?? Key Sessions at Denver Startup Week?

Denver Startup Week was the perfect partner event, providing entrepreneurs with tools to ignite their passion and accelerate their growth. I’m proud to have co-led a variety of sessions that offered something for every stage of the entrepreneurial journey. Here's a quick recap of the key sessions:?

• Ignite Your Passion: Fuel Your Entrepreneurial Journey?

Co-hosted with Mamie Lamley, this session was all about aligning your passion with your business goals. We helped participants uncover their “why,” laying the foundation for sustainable success by leveraging personal values to fuel business strategy.?

• Supercharge Your Sales Growth: Take It to the B.A.N.K.?

Together with Mamie, we explored how personality-driven sales techniques can transform client relationships and boost revenue. This session focused on turning satisfied customers into loyal brand advocates by tailoring communication strategies to different client types.?

• Maximizing Business Growth and Valuation?

Co-presenting with Sumanth Channabasappa and Patrice Barber, we delved into key areas investors scrutinize and how startups can maximize their valuation. Participants walked away with insights to strategically position their businesses for growth and secure investment.?

• Building an AI-Ready Business: 7 Essential Steps for Entrepreneurs?

Partnering with Samuel Helms, we covered the 7 essential steps that every entrepreneur should know to successfully integrate AI into their business. This session demystified AI and provided practical insights for smarter, more efficient growth.?

• Unlock Business Growth: Essential AI Tools & Strategies for Entrepreneurs?

We broke down powerful AI tools that can transform business operations, allowing founders to reclaim valuable time for high-value activities. This session showed how AI can accelerate both productivity and profitability—even for beginners.?

• Pitching with Purpose: Unlock the Mighty Force of Scripting?

In collaboration with Mamie Lamley, we taught participants how to craft compelling pitches that win over investors and clients. We explored the art of scripting, using AI tools to fine-tune messaging for maximum impact.?

• Boost Your Brand & Thought Leadership: Write a Bestselling Book Using AI?

This hands-on workshop was a crowd favorite, where we demonstrated how AI can be a powerful tool for aspiring authors. Participants learned how to use AI to structure, write, and publish a book quickly—establishing themselves as thought leaders in their fields.?

• Leveraging AI to Enhance Startup Team Performance and Communication?

Patrice Barber and I shared actionable insights into how startups can leverage AI to improve team collaboration and productivity. AI-powered communication tools and dashboards were key takeaways that can help businesses align their teams around clear objectives.?

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?? Keynote Inspiration: Insights from Reid Hoffman and Eric Schmidt?

Two amazing keynote speakers delivered powerful sessions, leaving us all inspired to think bigger and act bolder.?

1. Reid Hoffman — Co-founder of LinkedIn, renowned entrepreneur, and visionary.?

Reid’s keynote highlighted the essence of fearless leadership in today’s rapidly changing AI landscape. Here are a few of the key takeaways:?

• Embrace Experimentation: Reid emphasized that to build successful AI-ready organizations, we must create a culture of experimentation. "The best way to do it is to experiment," he remarked, highlighting the importance of encouraging innovation.?
• Risk and Innovation: "When you call for something new, some of it’s going to be risky," he reminded us. This insight underscores that calculated risk is essential for meaningful innovation.?
• Inclusivity: Reid underscored the importance of ensuring that AI is equitable, accessible, and beneficial to all, especially as organizations scale.?
• Learning from Failure: He stressed that fearless leaders understand not every initiative will succeed but emphasized that the journey involves learning and adapting along the way.?

2. Eric Schmidt — Former CEO of Google, AI pioneer, and co-author of The Age of AI.?

Eric’s keynote expanded on the practical aspects of implementing AI at scale, with a focus on leadership in uncertain times:?

• Vision for Innovation: Leaders must articulate a vision that integrates AI to solve real-world challenges. For example, Eric spoke about how city leaders can use AI for smart infrastructure and public services, driving efficiency in traffic management and urban planning.?
• Embracing Change: He noted that advancements in AI, such as infinite context windows and AI agents, are transforming decision-making processes. Organizations like Google and Microsoft have embraced these technologies to stay ahead.?
• Understanding Risks: Eric also focused on the ethical implications of AI, especially in areas like military AI. Leaders must ensure accountability in AI applications, emphasizing the U.S. military’s commitment to keeping a "human in the loop" for AI-driven operations.?
• Fostering Collaboration: He stressed the importance of cross-functional teams in AI development, suggesting that leaders facilitate collaboration between AI experts, ethicists, and professionals from various domains to ensure the ethical and effective use of AI.?

Both Reid and Eric’s keynotes resonated with the 7-Step AI-Ready Framework I presented during Denver Startup Week, with their emphasis on experimentation, risk-taking, collaboration, and continuous learning.?

?? 7 Steps to Building an AI-Ready Organization?

For those who joined me in my session on creating an AI-ready organization, thank you for your incredible engagement. The 7-step roadmap?I presented offers a solid foundation for any organization looking to embrace AI:?

1. Define Your AI Vision: Leaders must have a clear understanding of what they hope to achieve with AI.?
2. Conduct Process Analysis: Assess current workflows to identify where AI can have the most impact.?
3. Implement Pilot Programs: Start small but think big—pilot AI initiatives before scaling.?
4. Customize AI Solutions: Tailor AI tools to fit the unique needs of your organization.?
5. Build a Leadership Team: Surround yourself with AI-savvy leaders who can drive innovation.?
6. Prioritize High-Value Use Cases: Focus on areas where AI can deliver the greatest return on investment.?
7. Upskill Your Team: Continuous learning and development are non-negotiable in an AI-driven organization.?

These steps were reinforced throughout the summit, not only in the keynotes from Reid and Eric but also in the many insightful discussions that followed. I’m thrilled to have witnessed how organizations are ready to take on these challenges.?

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?? Special Thanks to the Denver Startup Community?

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mamie-Jean Lamley , Samuel Helms , Patrice (Taylor) Barber and Sumanth Channabasappa Sumanth for being outstanding co-presenters and partners and 世邦魏理仕 for hosting these events. The insights and collaboration were instrumental in making these sessions not only informative but transformational.?

A special thanks to the Mayor Mike Johnston of Denver, who is championing AI adoption in government and community services. His vision for a more efficient, AI-powered future for Denver sets an inspiring example of how cities can leverage technology to improve the lives of their citizens.?

?? Looking Ahead: Building Confident AI Leaders?

As both events come to a close, one thing is certain: AI is no longer the future—it is now. Whether you’re just starting your journey or leading the charge in AI innovation, the time to build an AI-ready organization is now. By taking bold steps, fostering a culture of experimentation, and equipping teams with the right tools, we can lead confidently into the AI era.?

?? Reflection Questions:?

• How can you integrate AI into your day-to-day operations to reclaim time for strategic initiatives??
• What is the next bold step your organization can take to stay ahead in the AI-driven world??
• How will you ensure your AI initiatives are inclusive and ethical, benefiting everyone in your organization and community??

?? In Closing?

Thank you to everyone who participated in Denver Startup Week and the Denver AI Summit. Your engagement, questions, and ideas have inspired me to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with AI and leadership. Let's continue building a future where technology empowers us to lead with confidence and purpose.?

To a Better You,??

Dr. Eric Goodman??

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P.S. If you'd like to have a low-tech informal recording of seeing what Reid Hoffman had to say please visit here for the Fireside Chat: AI for Good with Reid Hoffman . And you'll also find the inspiring Fireside Chat: Navigating the Future of AI and its Transformative Impact on Science and Discovery with Eric Schmidt

If you’re ready to accelerate your productivity, performance, and profitability, let’s connect for a complimentary discovery meeting to discuss how we can give you and your organization the superpower of AI. Feel free to email me at [email protected] or send me a message here on LinkedIn.???

Also, if you're courageous and ready to embrace the future, join us for a FREE online event - Achieve & Innovate: The AI Business Workshop on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, from 11 to noon pm MST. This free, one-hour session will provide practical strategies, success stories, and expert insights to help you transform your business with AI.??

Don’t miss this chance to elevate your operations and drive innovation. Secure your spot today! ??

Also, please comment below on how you are currently or how you're planning to leverage AI in your business.

#Leadership #AI #Entrepreneurship #DenAISummit #DENStartupWeek?

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