We recently hosted a packed Lunch & Learn about How to Work Smarter & Grow Faster with AI. We brought together entrepreneurs, marketers, operators, and tech leaders to talk candidly about how they’re using AI in real life — and where they see it heading next.
The EC’s own team moderated the session, which featured insights from expert panelists: Krissy Manzano (Blueprint Expansion), Anna-Vija McCloud (Piccolo Solutions), and Carlton Davis (AI integrator & operations leader), the session moved beyond the hype and into the habits, tools, and mindsets founders can adopt today.
Here are the biggest takeaways…
✅ Use AI as a Thought Partner, Not Just a Text Generator
All three panelists urged founders to stop treating AI like a shortcut or search engine and start treating it like a collaborator.
“I asked it to sound more like me—and now it writes in my voice about 95% of the time,” said McCloud. “That saves me so much time on things like email intros, LinkedIn recs, or meeting recaps I just don’t want to write.”
“Success with AI is an iterative process,” said Davis. “You should be wowed by the results … if you’re not, it probably has something to do with the prompts that you’re using, how you’re interacting with it, or the knowledge base that you’re giving it to react to.”
Manzano was clear about the limits: “We are not at AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) today. If someone tells you they’ve built a product that can do everything a human can do, they’re either lying or over exaggerating — and if you’re building in a space you don’t really understand, AI isn’t going to save you.”
⚙️ Build Workflows and Agents That Serve Your Business
Whether for operations, marketing, or recruiting, the panelists stressed the power of personalized tools:
“The first thing I’d do is set up a custom GPT or Gemini project,” said Davis. “Upload your documents, give it instructions, and then keep feeding it new data — the more context you give it, the better it gets.”
McCloud shared how her agency revamped their services to combine AI-assisted research with human-created content: “We used to spend hours on planning and keyword research. Now it takes 20 minutes, and our writers can focus on quality.”
Manzano is even using AI to build personal tools, like a family grocery planner: “It automates the prep work so I can get time back for my business. But it only works because I put time in up front to train it.”
✍️ Don’t Let Your Voice Get Lost—Authenticity Still Wins
As more AI-generated content floods the web, sounding genuinely human is becoming a competitive edge.
“You can tell when someone didn’t really write it,” said McCloud. “There’s a kind of AI voice showing up on LinkedIn now. If you haven’t defined your brand voice, AI definitely can’t do it for you.”
Her advice? Use AI to get started — not to replace your unique perspective.
⚠️ Don’t Confuse Speed with Strategy
Speed can be an advantage—but only when it’s grounded in real understanding. The panelists cautioned against chasing hype or launching tools without substance.
“People are rushing to market with things they don’t understand—and they’re getting exposed way faster because of AI,” said Manzano. “You can’t just fake expertise anymore.”
“Using AI for efficiency within your organization might give you some short-term benefits,” said Davis. “But you’re not going to get the long-term benefits. Ultimately, you’ll be consumed by those using AI to generate new ideas about markets, products, and offerings. If you’re just going for cost-cutting, that’s going to be a pretty short-lived phenomenon.”
🔍 Human Critical Thinking Is Your Edge — and Still Irreplaceable
Everyone agreed: AI is powerful, but human oversight, creativity, and judgment are still essential.
“AI is not going to replace you,” said Manzano. “Someone who knows AI and knows how to use it better will.”
McCloud said her team uses AI for brainstorming and research, but every deliverable still goes through a human for quality and brand voice.
Davis reminded the crowd to validate everything: “Hallucinations are real. If you’re not critically reading the output, you’re doing it wrong.”
This Is Just the Beginning
What stood out from the panel was how different each person’s approach to AI was. There’s no single “right” way to integrate it. But if you’re experimenting, iterating, and staying grounded in your own expertise, you’re on the right path.
The founders who win won’t be the ones who use AI the most. They’ll be the ones who use it with intention.
Want to stay in the loop? Sign up for our EC 4-1-1 newsletter or check out the event calendar at ec.co/events.
About the author
