AI & Data Driven Leadership

In this episode, your host Dean Guida interviews Justin Roopnarine, Partner at Limitless Capital, a hedge fund focused on global equity markets using option-based, relative value strategies.

Justin explains her firm's "efficient, hedged, and uncorrelated" investment philosophy, clarifying that options are disciplined risk management tools, not speculation. Drawing on her engineering background and military experience in the Air Force and Space Force, Justin discusses how structured decision-making frameworks under uncertainty apply directly to portfolio management. The conversation concludes with insights on AI's growing role in finance, emphasizing it as a tool that enhances human judgment rather than replacing it.

Check out Justin's work HERE.

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode of AI & Data Driven Leadership, your host Dean Guida speaks with Geoff Livingston, founder of Generative Buzz, about practical AI adoption in marketing and sales.

They debunk common AI myths, particularly fears about job displacement, emphasizing AI as a tool to augment rather than replace workers. Key topics include the difference between AI experimentation and true adoption, the critical importance of data architecture, and CEO leadership in breaking down organizational silos. Geoff outlines a practical roadmap for mid-market companies, stressing mission alignment and data unification. They also address AI's role in associations and creative fields, encouraging organizations to focus on tangible, strategic AI applications.

Check out Geoff's work HERE.

Connect with Geoff on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode, your host Dean Guida interviews Dmytro Negoduik, a self-described "Fractional AI Officer," about how mid-market B2B companies can practically implement AI.

Dmytro explains his approach to identifying "money leaks" in businesses, such as overdue payments and inefficient processes, and emphasizes the difference between casually using AI tools and fully deploying operational AI systems. He discusses building AI call centers, marketing automation, and voice agents, while cautioning against over-automating and replacing human workers entirely. Dmytro also shares his four-step implementation method and stresses that collaboration between humans and AI yields the best business results.

Check out Dmytro's work HERE.

Connect with Dmytro on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode of AI and Data Driven Leadership, Dean Guida interviews Walter Crosby, CEO of Helix Sales Development, about building effective sales organizations.

Walter shares insights on helping founders transition out of direct sales roles, diagnosing root causes of sales problems using data, and tracking key metrics like pipeline health and win rates. He discusses common hiring mistakes, the importance of objective assessments, and aligning compensation with company goals. Walter also addresses AI's role in sales efficiency while debunking the myth that it will replace salespeople, and emphasizes the need for consistent sales processes, clear messaging, and strong coaching to drive scalable, accountable revenue growth.

Check out Walter's work HERE.

Connect with Walter on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode, host Dean Guida interviews Eric Coffie, Founding Member of GovCon Giants and a federal procurement expert.

Eric breaks down the $800 billion government contracting market, explaining how small businesses can strategically pursue contracts rather than blindly chasing bids. He covers key topics including market research phases, bid evaluation, AI-powered intelligence tools, and contract expiration signals. Eric also discusses his AI procurement agent, his Federal Help Center community, and his mission to help small businesses compete against larger, resource-rich contractors, ultimately strengthening America's small business industrial base and national security.

Check out Eric's work HERE.

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode of AI & Data Driven Leadership, your host Dean Guida interviews Seva Ustinov, CEO of Plurio AI.

Seva shares his journey from running a marketing agency to building Plurio AI, an AI-driven platform that automates performance marketing for large advertisers. They discuss the challenges of campaign optimization, data integration, and building trust in AI agents. Seva explains how Plurio AI streamlines repetitive marketing tasks, enabling leaner teams and faster creative testing. The conversation also covers data privacy, the evolving role of marketers, and the importance of workflow automation in staying competitive in digital marketing.

Check out Seva's work HERE.

Connect with Seva on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode, Dean Guida hosts Panos Siozos, Co-founder and CEO of LearnWorlds, as they discuss Panos’s journey from academia to leading an edtech startup.

Panos shares insights on building a remote-first company, the integration of AI in online learning, and balancing scientific rigor with practical usability. He emphasizes AI as a tool to support, not replace, human educators and highlights the importance of privacy, ethical AI use, and continuous learning. The conversation covers managing distributed teams, adapting to rapid change, and the future of customer education in the AI era.

Check out Panos's work HERE.

Connect with Panos on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode, your host Dean Guida interviews Rajeev Butani, Chairman and CEO of MediaMint, about the integration of AI in enterprise operations.

Rajeev shares insights from his extensive tech leadership background, emphasizing AI as an operational tool that augments, not replaces, human roles. He discusses MediaMint’s persona-based AI assistants, the importance of human accountability, and the evolving “service as software” model. The conversation covers AI’s impact on workforce skills, organizational adoption challenges, risk management, and practical advice for young professionals navigating the future of work in an AI-driven economy.

Check out Rajeev's work HERE.

Connect with Rajeev on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode of AI & Data Driven Leadership, your host Dean Guida interviews Ritam Gandhi, founder of Studio Graphene, about the transformative impact of AI on software development, product design, and organizational culture.

Ritam shares his journey from investment banking tech to building an AI-native studio, emphasizing the shift from deterministic to probabilistic software. They discuss challenges in quality assurance, distributed AI adoption, data security, and the evolving nature of user interfaces. The conversation also explores the societal implications of AI, including privacy, risk management, and the uneven distribution of AI’s benefits, while highlighting optimism for AI’s future potential.

Check out Ritam's work HERE.

Connect with Ritam on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode, your host Dean Guida interviews Craig Harris, founder of Lookatmedia, an AI-powered PR and media company.

Craig shares insights from his 35-year communications career and explains how his platform uses a specialized AI language model to create authentic, journalist-tailored press releases and visual content. The discussion covers AI’s role in democratizing PR, the importance of authenticity over AI-generated images, and the future of vertical language models in media. Craig emphasizes maintaining credibility, combating fake news, and how AI can empower organizations of all sizes to tell compelling, trustworthy stories.

Check out Craig's work HERE.

Connect with Craig on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.