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What happens when small business owners and marketing leaders stop trying to do it all themselves? In this episode of the Human First AI Marketing Podcast, host Mike Montague sits down with Jaime Jay, founder of Bottleneck Distant Assistants, to explore the power of delegation in a world transformed by AI. Together, they explore the critical distinction between task delegation and establishing a true “delegation department,” the significant impact of turnover on business costs, and how combining AI and human assistants can drive productivity, creativity, and growth.

Listeners will learn about Jaime’s concept of Delegation Intelligence, a framework for identifying what to automate, delegate, or keep on your plate. From brain-dumping ideas to documenting repetitive tasks, Jaime shares practical tools SMB owners and marketing directors can use to reclaim time and scale smarter. Whether it’s freeing yourself from email, avoiding burnout in the AI era, or empowering others to shine, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the future of work and the human edge that will keep your business thriving.

Key Takeaways

1. Every business needs a “delegation department.”
Jaime argues that delegation isn’t just an HR task; it should be treated as a core business function to reduce turnover, improve clarity, and unlock growth.

2. Turnover costs more than you think.
Hiring and replacing an employee can cost thousands in training, onboarding, and lost productivity, making smart delegation a powerful cost-saving strategy.

3. Delegation Intelligence is a new framework for leaders.
His Delegation IQ blueprint helps entrepreneurs decide what to automate, delegate, or eliminate, freeing up mental space and reducing stress.

4. Don’t try to create a “mini-me.”
Leaders often fail by delegating only the tasks they dislike; instead, they should empower assistants to complement their strengths rather than duplicate them.

5. Document tasks as if it’s the last time you’ll ever do them.
By recording processes as you perform them, you create a reusable library that assistants or AI can leverage, paving the way for scalability.

6. Hire for values, not just skills.
Jaime stresses the importance of assistants aligning with company beliefs and having the confidence to disagree, fostering stronger collaboration and trust.

7. Delegation creates ripple effects.
Empowering assistants not only benefits the business but also helps them grow personally and professionally, leading to positive global impacts

8. AI is powerful, but burnout is real.
While AI can supercharge productivity, many founders risk “CEO AI burnout” unless they learn to delegate the heavy lifting to specialists and teams.

9. The future of work is hybrid.
Jaime envisions a world where humans, AI, and distant assistants collaborate, creating leaner, more innovative companies, eve

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

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What if AI wasn’t just another shiny object but a way to get back to what actually works in marketing? In this episode, Mike Montague sits down with David Berkowitz, founder of the AI Marketers Guild and author of The Non-Obvious Guide to Using AI in Marketing, to talk about how small and mid-sized businesses can avoid the trap of AI slop and instead use smart tools to create real connections, trust, and creativity at scale.

Together, they unpack the risks of lazy automation, the rise of spammy AI outreach, and how thoughtful marketers can stand out by doing less but better. You’ll learn practical ways to personalize proposals, customize your content engine, use AI as an “editor”, not an engine, and create experiences your buyers actually care about. If you’re overwhelmed by tools, tired of robotic content, or just looking for a smarter, more human-first way to market, this conversation is your permission to rethink everything.

Key Takeaways

1. Avoid the Tragedy of the Commons in Marketing
When everyone uses AI to blast more content, we risk burning the very channels we depend on. Attention is a limited resource.

2. Don’t Reward Shortcuts That Hurt the Brand
The immediate ROI from spammy outreach may look good in the short term, but it erodes trust and damages long-term growth.

3. Personalization Beats Proliferation
AI is most powerful when used to create custom, relevant experiences, not just more messages.

4. Use AI to Do What Was Previously Impossible
The real power of AI isn’t just speed; it’s enabling small teams to create interactive, personalized tools like quizzes, assessments, and tailored content they could never afford before.

5. Be the Editor, Not the Typist
AI should be your first draft assistant, not your final voice. Great marketers still have to think critically and creatively.

6. Build Custom AI Projects by Use Case
Create saved projects or "custom GPTs" for each client, product, or process to increase relevance and reduce repetition.

7. Ask Your AI How to Make Things Better
One of the most useful prompts is simply: “How would you improve this?” It invites iteration and innovation.

8. Interactive Content is the New Differentiator
Tools like quizzes, assessments, and vibe-coded landing pages stand out in a world of static blog posts and cold email.

9. Quizzes Aren’t Just Gimmicks, They’re Lead Qualifiers
AI-powered quizzes provide personalized insights to your audience while collecting valuable data for your marketing efforts.

10. Train AI to Know You, Then Ask for Strategy
When AI understands your business, values, and clients, it can serve as a valuable strategic sounding board, not just a content machine.

11. Creative Layering is the Next Marketing Superpower
By lay

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.

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In this episode of The Social Shift, Mike Montague (Avenue9) sits down with Katie Brinkley (Next Step Social and Podcast) to unpack how AI is changing social media and why the brands that win will be the ones that sound most human, not most automated. They explore the rise of “AI slop” in our feeds, why going viral isn’t a business strategy, and how local and B2B businesses can use podcasting and authentic content to build genuine relationships, not just rack up views.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by content chaos or unsure how to make AI work without losing your voice, this conversation is your reset button. You’ll learn how to blend AI with authenticity, why smaller audiences often lead to bigger results, and how to turn conversations into your most powerful content engine. It’s a must-listen for marketers, business owners, and creators looking to bring marketing back to life.

Top Takeaways

1. AI Made Social Media Sloppy, Now Authenticity Stands Out More Than Ever:
With everyone posting AI-generated fluff, real human content is easier to spot and more potent than before.

2. Going Viral Is Not a Business Strategy:
Business owners should prioritize relevant reach over random views from audiences unlikely to convert.

3. Influencers Chase Attention; Business Owners Should Spark Conversations:
Social media works best when it leads to fundamental interactions, not just likes or trends that disappear tomorrow.

4. Podcasting Builds Trust, Authority, and Community at the Same Time:
A podcast lets you connect directly with your audience and expand your network by interviewing real people in your space.

5. You Don’t Need a Fancy Setup to Start a Podcast, Start the Conversation:
Most of Katie’s podcasting success comes from consistency, genuine curiosity, and a webcam, not expensive gear.

6. Local Businesses Gain a Competitive Edge by Showing Up Online with a Human Voice:
People want to buy from real people in their community; consistent, authentic content can make you the go-to name in your niche.

7. Repurposing Podcast Content Can Fill Your Entire Marketing Calendar:
One great episode can become blog posts, social clips, emails, and more with AI, making it even easier to scale your message without losing your tone.

8. Trust Comes From Depth, Not Just Reach:
It’s better to build deep relationships with 100 people than be forgettable to 10,000.

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.

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In this episode of the Human First AI Marketing podcast, host Mike Montague sits down with Alexander Schlager, founder of Alceberg.ai, to unpack the hidden cybersecurity challenges lurking beneath the surface of AI adoption. From the rise of agentic AI to the evolving threat landscape of autonomous tools and prompt injections, this conversation goes deep into why observability, memory, and human-in-the-loop design are critical for keeping your brand and your customers safe. Whether you're leading marketing for a startup or managing tech stacks in a mid-sized enterprise, you'll gain valuable insight into where AI safety, data privacy, and business alignment intersect.

Key themes include the real-world risks of overreliance on AI, why 95% of agent AI pilots are failing today, and how SMBs can get ahead by investing in security, not just speed. Alex shares a pragmatic view on balancing innovation with compliance, the importance of explainable AI models, and why "natural language is the new code" for marketers. You can tune in to learn how to future-proof your AI initiatives with a human-first approach because what's visible above the surface is only the beginning.

Key Takeaways

1. AI Security ≠ Security AI
It's essential to distinguish between using AI to enhance traditional security tools and securing AI systems themselves, especially agentic AI workflows.

2. Human-in-the-Loop Is Critical (For Now)
Embedding humans into AI decision loops ensures oversight during early deployments and helps agents learn through real-time feedback.

3. Agentic AI Increases Risk Exposure
Unlike simple chatbots, autonomous agents that invoke tools or access memory pose greater threats if misaligned or breached.

4. Overreliance on Early-Stage AI Is a Major Threat
Most agent AI pilots fail due to businesses expecting too much from immature models or failing to prepare their data infrastructure.

5. Data Readiness Is Often Overlooked
Poorly formatted, inaccessible, or unsecured data undermines AI effectiveness and increases the risk of security failures.

6. Observability Must Be Purposeful, Not Passive
Trying to monitor everything is impractical; instead, focus on high-risk events like autonomous tool invocations or sensitive data interactions.

7. Use Specialized AI to Monitor AI, But Keep It Explainable
Monitoring AI systems with black-box models creates new problems; use transparent, interpretable models for accountability.

8. Toxicity and Illegality Are Easier to Detect Than You Think
With the right training data, it's relatively simple to flag harmful content. More challenging are nuanced alignment and intent checks.

9. SMBs Benefit From Low Regulation, But Not for Long
Smaller businesses can now move faster, but they should still adopt strong safety and liability frameworks before regulations catch up.

10. Alignment Between User Intent and Agent Actions I

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.

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In this episode of Podcasting Made Simple Live, special speaker Mike Montague, founder of Avenue9 and host of the Human First AI Marketing Podcast, shares how artificial intelligence can transform the way you prepare for podcast interviews. Drawing on over a decade of experience behind the mic, Mike reveals how AI can help guests show up sharper, more relevant, and more confident without losing their authenticity.

You’ll learn how to use AI as a creative collaborator to research your host and audience, sharpen your talking points, and uncover fresh, personal stories that resonate. Mike breaks down four key ways AI can enhance your preparation, from crafting standout bios and pitches to brainstorming new storytelling angles, all while maintaining your voice as human and engaging as possible. If you’ve ever struggled with over-prepping, repeating old stories, or freezing up mid-interview, this episode will help you use AI to prepare smarter, connect deeper, and make a lasting impression.

Top Takeaways

1. AI is your collaborator, not your crutch.
Use AI to enhance your preparation and creativity, not to script your answers or replace your authentic voice.

2. Preparation beats performance.
Great guests don’t wing it; they use AI to research the show, host, and audience so they can show up relevant and ready.

3. You can just craft your position before you record.
AI can help you write stronger bios, headlines, and pitches that make a memorable first impression on hosts and listeners.

4. Know the show, the host, and the audience.
By analyzing transcripts or themes with AI, you can tailor your stories and talking points to fit the podcast’s tone and values.

5. Sharpen your stories, don’t repeat them.
Utilize AI to transform familiar anecdotes into fresh, engaging versions that keep your content fresh and memorable.

6. Practice with AI as your interview coach.
Let AI ask you tough or unexpected questions to help you refine your delivery, tone, and clarity before you hit record.

7. Find fresh angles and emotional depth.
Ask AI to surface personal stories, contrarian takes, or emotional insights that connect with audiences on a deeper level.

8. Be human first, always.
AI should make you sound more prepared and more human, not robotic. Once the mic is on, close your AI tabs and focus entirely on the conversation.

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.

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In this episode, Let the Robots Do the Work: Finding the Human Edge in AI Marketing, Mike Montague sits down with Chris Singel, AI Optimist, Delta Digital Agency owner, and TEDx speaker, to explore how small and midsize businesses can embrace AI without losing what makes them unique. From automating the “work that sucks” to unlocking new levels of creativity and strategy, Chris shares why the future isn’t humans or robots, but a powerful collaboration of both.

Listeners will discover practical insights on AI-driven advertising, smarter campaign testing, and managing digital change inside their teams. Chris and Mike dig into the abundance vs. focus dilemma in marketing, the balance between automation and authentic customer connection, and how leaders can empower employees to adopt AI in ways that make their work more meaningful. Packed with optimism, humor, and real-world examples, this conversation will help business owners and marketing directors find clarity and confidence in the evolving AI landscape.


Key Takeaways

1. Automate the tasks that drain energy, not creativity - AI works best when it handles repetitive, time-consuming tasks so humans can focus on strategy, storytelling, and customer relationships

2.AI and humans are not competitors, but collaborators -The strongest results come when technology scales efficiency and people ensure quality, context, and brand alignment

3.“More” isn’t always better in marketing — Instead of chasing bigger lists and constant outreach, SMBs should focus on targeting the right customers with relevant, valuable interactions.

4. Experimentation drives success — Using AI for A/B testing, copy variations, and ad creative helps businesses discover what truly resonates, even if the winning version is unexpected.

5. Good enough is sometimes good enough — For social posts or quick tasks, AI-generated content may deliver similar results while saving significant time and resources.

6. Change management is key — Employee-driven adoption of AI tools leads to happier, more empowered teams, while top-down mandates risk disengagement

7. The future of work is more human — As AI takes over routine labor, people will gain space for emotional intelligence, creativity, and meaningful work that machines can’t replicate.

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.

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What if you could automate 90% of your business without losing the human touch? In this episode, Mike Montague sits down with ⁨@BradfordSCarlton⁩ , founder of Automate Business AI, to explore what’s actually possible when small business owners and creators stop doing everything themselves and start building intelligent systems. From AI-generated content and task automation to building bots for invoicing and marketing, Bradford shares how he has designed a business that operates independently while maintaining his unique personality in the brand.

You’ll learn how to rethink your org chart, spot opportunities to offload repetitive tasks, and use tools like spreadsheets, GPTs, and no-code automation to free up time and creative energy. If you’re tired of juggling tools or stuck wondering how far AI can go without sacrificing quality, this is your episode. It's a candid, human-first conversation about working smarter, not just harder.

Key Takeaways

1. You can automate 90–95% of your business tasks.
Bradford breaks down how most repetitive work, especially in content, invoicing, and admin, can be systematized using AI tools and no-code workflows.

2. Start with your org chart, not your tech stack.
Think like a CEO: define the roles and tasks in your business first, then assign those tasks to bots, tools, or people.

3. Spreadsheets are still the universal data hub.
Most businesses already use Google Sheets or Excel; these are the ideal starting points for automating tasks via AI and APIs.

4. Use AI to serve your team, not replace them.
Bradford emphasizes how automation can eliminate busywork and enable teams, such as his wife and business partner, to concentrate on high-value tasks.

5. You don’t need to be technical to automate.
Despite having no coding background, Bradford uses tools like n8n and ChatGPT APIs to build automations that handle everything from content to task routing.

6. AI content quality improves with better prompts, not better tools.
He shares how “monster prompts” (long, detailed instructions) generate higher-quality content that feels more human and requires less editing.

7. It’s not about perfection, it’s about efficiency.
Even if AI doesn’t get it 100% right, a 90% solution that saves hours each week is often more than good enough.

8. AI-generated media is great for scale, but humans still lead with nuance.
Bradford explains where AI-generated avatars and video fall short, and why human context and emotion still matter, especially in brand and voice.

9. Automation is a global opportunity.
With clients around the world and use cases in every time zone, Bradford reminds us that AI can help small businesses play on a much bigger stage

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.

Send us a text

In this episode of the Human-First AI Marketing Podcast, Mike Montague sits down with AI strategist and founder of AIaSystem.com, ⁨@dustinjensen0351⁩ , to explore how small and mid-sized businesses can harness AI to drive real business outcomes. From workflow discovery to the rise of AI agents that ‘close the loop’ on automation, Dustin shares frameworks, use cases, and practical advice for moving from curiosity to pilot implementation. You’ll also learn why context, not just prompts, is the new currency of AI success, and how SMBs can start building smarter systems without completely overhauling their operations.

Together, they unpack key themes, including the distinction between traditional automation and true AI agents, how to evaluate workflows based on complexity and volume, and what it takes to create a multi-agent ecosystem within your company. Whether you're a marketing director overwhelmed by tech shifts or a business owner ready to experiment with AI, this episode offers clarity, strategy, and forward-thinking ideas to future-proof your operations.

Key Takeaways

1. AI Agents Must Close the Loop
True AI agents complete tasks end-to-end autonomously, unlike traditional automation, which still requires human input.

2. Context Engineering Is the New Prompt Engineering
Success with AI relies on feeding the system relevant context, similar to how you would onboard a new employee.

3. Workflow Discovery Is the First Step to AI Success
Businesses must understand their internal workflows before attempting to automate or augment them with AI.

4. Low-Complexity, High-Volume Tasks Are Prime Targets
The easiest wins in AI adoption come from automating simple, repetitive tasks that happen frequently.

5. SMBs Often Misunderstand What AI Can Do
Most companies either underestimate or overestimate AI’s capabilities, so education and pilot testing are crucial.

6. Multi-Agent Ecosystems Are the Future
Instead of a single monolithic AI, organizations will benefit from specialized agents working together in an orchestrated manner.

7. Start with Co-Pilots, Then Scale to Autonomous Agents
Use AI tools to augment human work before fully replacing processes, especially for high-complexity, low-volume tasks.

8. Proactive AI (Like Oracle Agents) Will Reshape Operations
Dustin envisions AI that prompts humans, not just responds, by surfacing relevant insights and missed actions in real time.

9. Change Management Is as Critical as the Technology
Even the best AI tools fail if teams don’t adopt them, making user experience and behavioral habits key to success.

10. The Future of Work May Be Post-Productivity
Looking far ahead, Dustin suggests that AI may eventually relieve humans from task-driven work entirely, shifting their focus to creativity, connection, and purpose.

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.