In this episode, I speak with Susan Roth, Senior Director of Marketing at Netrality Data Centers, about her remarkable journey from marketing leader to AI agent builder. Susan shared how she went from being uncertain about AI's role in marketing to becoming a pioneer in building sophisticated AI workflows and agents, while managing a small marketing team and investing significant personal time and resources into her education.

What makes Susan's story particularly compelling for healthcare technology marketers is her practical approach to implementation. She's not just theorizing, she's actively using it to transform how a small marketing team operates. From editing video in minutes instead of hours to creating automated research workflows that cost just $1.50 per execution, Susan demonstrates how AI agents can enable small teams to compete at scale. She also offers a pragmatic yet optimistic view of AI's impact on the workforce, emphasizing that organizations will need people to manage and maintain these systems, and that the key is learning to work alongside AI rather than being replaced by it.

For marketing leaders feeling overwhelmed by AI's rapid evolution, Susan's advice is straightforward: start small with low-risk use cases, embrace discomfort as part of the learning process, and remember that AI literacy is an ongoing journey rather than a destination. Her most important message is to "do it scared"—because waiting on the sidelines is no longer an option for marketers who want to remain competitive.

Key Topics Covered

• [00:00:00] - Introduction
• [00:02:00] - Discovering AI as a Human Evolution Story
• [00:06:00] - Learning Resources: Marketing Profs B2B Forum
• [00:09:00] - Shifting Behavior: From Search Engine to Strategic Partner
• [00:10:00] - Introduction to Agentic Workflows
• [00:12:00] - The AI Build Lab: Four-Week Foundations Course
• [00:16:00] - The Builder Mindset for Marketers
• [00:18:00] - Key Tools: Notion, Typing Mind, and Cassidy
• [00:20:00] - Daily AI Applications in Marketing Work
• [00:21:00] - Use Cases: Research, Content Creation, and Video Production
• [00:25:00] - Building 50 Agents: From Research to Email
• [00:28:00] - The Cipher Agent: Automated Sales Research Workflow
• [00:31:00] - AI Adoption: Strategic Use vs. Individual Tools
• [00:33:00] - The Future of Marketing Teams: Humans and Agents Working Together
• [00:35:00] - The "Do More with Less" Question and Workforce Implications
• [00:37:00] - The Importance of Hiring and Training Young People
• [00:39:00] - Advice for Getting Started: Pick One Small Use Case
• [00:40:00] - Learning to Prompt and Using AI to Teach AI
• [00:41:00] - The Ongoing Journey: Being Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

If you are interested in discussing this or any other topic, let's have a chat.  Reach out to me directly to schedule a no-obligation discussion. This isn't a sales call, but rather an opportunity to talk through your questions and challenges.

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Thank you to our presenting sponsors, HIMSS, a leader in advancing health equity, digital innovation, and data-driven care through technology, policy, and community collaboration. And also HealthcareNOW, 24/7 expert shows, interviews, and podcasts, powering healthcare leaders with innovation, policy, and strategy insights.