In this episode of The Agile Coach Podcast, we sit down with Ashley Gross, CEO of AI Workforce Alliance and recognized by Forbes as the highest-paid AI consultant in the market. Ashley shares her remarkable journey from a decade-long career in marketing to becoming a leading AI educator and consultant, specializing in the implementation of AI agents and generative AI in business.

Ashley discusses how her need to balance motherhood with a demanding career led her to explore AI tools, ultimately transforming her workflow and delivering outsized results for her organization. She breaks down the fundamentals of AI and AI agents in plain language, explains the difference between automation and agentic workflows, and highlights how businesses, especially project managers, business analysts, and enterprise leaders can leverage AI agents to drive efficiency, boost collaboration, and solve real business problems.

We explore the cultural and operational challenges of AI adoption in enterprise settings, including data privacy, change management, and the importance of cross-functional enablement. 

Ashley also provides a behind-the-scenes look at her consulting process, from identifying bottlenecks in customer journeys to building and scaling agentic workflows that deliver measurable ROI. She shares practical advice for aspiring professionals looking to future-proof their careers in the age of AI, emphasizing experimentation, continuous learning, and the value of people skills.

Key Takeaways:

• Ashley’s Journey: How a marketer condensed her workweek using AI, leading to a $25M pipeline overachievement in just three months1.
• AI vs. Automation: Understanding the distinction between rule-based automations and autonomous AI agents, and why it matters for business processes1.
• Real-World Impact: How AI agents can autonomously manage project workflows, from transcribing calls to creating actionable tasks in tools like Asana1.
• Enterprise Adoption: Insights into how even risk-averse industries like healthcare and government are embracing AI, and the cultural shifts required for successful implementation1.
• Data Security & Regulation: Best practices for vetting AI vendors, ensuring compliance, and using AI to audit privacy policies1.
• Implementation Blueprint: Ashley’s approach to identifying business problems, piloting agentic workflows, and scaling solutions across organizations with robust documentation and enablement plans1.
• Measuring ROI: A framework for tracking both quantitative and qualitative outcomes during AI pilot projects and organization-wide rollouts1.
• Future of AI Roles: Predictions about emerging roles like “marketing engineer” and the importance of domain expertise and adaptability in the evolving AI landscape1.
• Career Advice: Why curiosity, intentional tool optimization, and people skills are critical for anyone looking to build a resilient career in AI-driven business environments1.

Connect with Ashley:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/theashleygross/

Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction to Ashley Gross & her background
02:00 – How Ashley condensed her workweek with AI
05:00 – AI vs. automation: What’s the difference?
10:00 – AI agents in project management: Real-world examples
13:00 – Enterprise adoption: Culture, excitement, and barriers
15:00 – Data privacy, regulation, and vendor selection
18:00 – Ashley’s consulting process: From problem to agentic workflow
21:00 – Case study: Accelerating sales cycles with AI agents
24:00 – Scaling agentic workflows: Documentation & enablement
27:00 – Measuring ROI: Quantitative and qualitative outcomes
29:00 – The future of AI roles and skills
30:00 – Career advice for aspiring AI professionals
32:00 – Ashley’s educational programs and closing thoughts

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