In Episode 83 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez is joined by Ken Burke, founder and CEO of Microcasting, to explore the next frontier in direct-to-consumer ecommerce innovation: AI shopping agents. As AI rapidly evolves beyond chatbots, Ken shares a vision for an “agentic” future—where AI doesn’t just assist but actively guides customers through highly personalized and conversational buying experiences.

Ken unpacks how Microcasting’s crawl-walk-run strategy empowers brands to experiment with AI shopping agents, replace outdated customer service tools, and ultimately integrate consumer product discovery, checkout, and post-purchase interactions into a seamless flow. Drawing on early results and real-world implementations, he reveals how AI is reshaping engagement and conversion rates through smarter, data-driven insights gather from live shopping journeys.

Whether you're a brand marketing executive, digital marketer, or tech leader, this episode delivers practical and forward-looking insights on AI shopping integration that can enhance customer experience and grow revenue.

   ******  Get a Free 30-Day Trial of Our AI Shopping Assistant  ******

Listeners of the Digital Velocity podcast can try the AI-powered eCommerce Shopping Assistant free for 30 days—boost conversions, reduce support load, and guide customers to the right products faster. Just email [email protected] and mention “Podcast Friends” to get started.

Contact Ken at:

• Website :   MicroCommerce.ai
• email: [email protected]
• (personal)    Ken Burke | LinkedIn

In Episode 82 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez is joined by consultant and hospitality industry veteran Mark Maynard for a conversation that bridges the gap between high-touch restaurant experiences and high-scale direct-to-consumer businesses.

Mark shares hard-won lessons on building brands that customers love and teams that perform. This episode reveals how purpose, culture, and emotional connection can drive performance across industries, from jazz clubs to ecommerce storefronts.

Leaders will gain actionable takeaways on:

• How to define and live a brand purpose that attracts the right customers and employees
• The hidden cost of misaligned culture in fast-scaling businesses
• Why customer experience is emotional — and how it can differentiate commoditized products
• Lessons from hospitality that translate directly to brand loyalty and retention

Whether you're leading a lifestyle brand, scaling a DTC startup, or optimizing customer experience in a competitive space, this episode offers cross-industry wisdom on how to build purpose-led companies that grow with heart and impact. Linkedin - Mark Maynard Maynard Consulting

Episode 81 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez sits down with Bill Rice, founder of Kaleidico and Bill Rice Strategy Group, to unpack how AI is reshaping marketing strategies In, customer behavior insights, and business growth. From his unique roots in military counterintelligence to leading-edge digital marketing, Bill brings a rare perspective on pattern recognition, data interpretation, and the human element of marketing.

Bill and Erik explore how modern marketers can integrate AI tools like ChatGPT into their daily workflows—not as shortcuts, but as strategic collaborators that elevate creativity and growth. They dissect common AI myths, the importance of “human in the loop” systems, and how emotional intelligence is the key to personalization that resonates. For e-commerce teams and marketers managing massive product catalogs or lean resources, Bill offers practical steps to leverage AI for scale without losing brand authenticity.

If you’re a brand or agency leader looking to grow in today’s complex digital landscape, this episode offers timely insight into the intersection of AI, customer behavior, and long-term strategy.  Bill Rice Strategy Group

In this episode of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez welcomes Dr. Cori Lathan — entrepreneur, neuroscientist, author, and trailblazer in wearable tech and neuroengineering — to explore how technology can augment human capability. 

Dr. Lathan, currently CEO of De Oro Devices and former CEO of AnthroTronix, shares insights from her career inventing tools for space exploration, childhood disability education, brain health, and aging. She discusses how marketers and business leaders can use AI tools not just for efficiency, but to create meaningful change and improve capabilities. 

The conversation touches on the rapid rise of AI-driven innovation, product adoption challenges, and the entrepreneurial mindset needed to turn vision into reality. Whether you’re a CMO, founder, or marketing specialist, this episode will inspire you to think differently about the role of failure, invention, and future-building in business. 

Topics include: 

• What it means to be a techno-optimist 

• Why AI isn’t just a tool — it’s a way to understand human behavior 

• Marketing innovation in the age-tech and medtech industries 

• How to approach failure, iteration, and timing in product development 

• Advice for leaders seeking to integrate emerging tech into their business models 

This episode is a must-listen for those interested in marketing strategy, innovation, AI, and future-forward thinking. 

  InventTheFuture.Tech

In Episode 79 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez welcomes Jaime Weatherby, founder of Weatherby Media, to explore how marketing teams can eliminate content chaos and scale their marketing efforts using systemized workflows and AI-powered tools.

Drawing on years of experience running a full-service agency, Jaime shares the real-world struggles of managing content creation across multiple clients, platforms, and team members. She dives into how her platform, the Own It Marketing System, helps marketers and business owners simplify strategy, streamline execution, and maximize ROI—without relying on a haphazard patchwork of disconnected tools.

 Jaime discusses the critical importance of understanding your ideal client’s emotional needs, the power of strategic repurposing, and why modern content operations need both structure and creativity to thrive. Whether you're managing a scrappy in-house team or overseeing multiple brand voices, this episode delivers practical insights on how to create smarter, more efficient, and more consistent marketing systems that drive growth. Weatherby Media

In Episode 78 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez sits down with Kimberly Storin, Chief Marketing Officer at Zoom, to explore how modern marketing teams can strategically integrate artificial intelligence into their workflows without sacrificing the human connection that drives brand affinity.

Kimberly shares insights from her deep background in B2B tech—including roles at Dell, IBM, and AMD—and breaks down what it takes to move beyond AI experimentation and into scalable, impactful implementation. From choosing the right use cases (like content generation) to fostering a culture of calculated risk-taking, Kimberly outlines a roadmap for mid-sized teams to adopt AI tools while staying rooted in customer empathy.

Listeners will learn how to structure an internal AI “center of excellence,” avoid data-driven pitfalls, and balance innovation with authenticity. If you're a marketing leader curious about integrating AI thoughtfully, this episode delivers practical guidance, strategic perspective, and inspiring takeaways for the path ahead. Kimberly Storin | LinkedIn

In this episode of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez welcomes Michael Katz, founder and CEO of Flowsend.ai, to discuss how brands can use authentic marketing content to drive growth. Michael shares his journey from enterprise software to launching Flowsend, a platform that helps brands turn conversations into content while preserving their unique voice.

The conversation explores why authenticity and imperfection are critical in today’s content marketing, how to overcome creative roadblocks, and what role AI should play in enhancing—not replacing—your storytelling. Michael breaks down actionable strategies for content creation, including leveraging long-form assets, empowering employees, and co-creating with customers. This episode is a must-listen for marketers looking to scale their content efficiently while staying true to their brand voice. www.flowsend.ai

In Episode 76 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez welcomes Joe Hudicka, CEO of EvenFlow and author of the upcoming book The AI Ecosystems Revolution, to unpack the evolving role of AI, trust, communication, and forecasting in the modern supply chain and marketing ecosystem.

Joe shares eye-opening insights about how broken digital systems, disjointed communication, and reactive forecasting are holding brands back — and how a silent shift is already underway, driven by AI ecosystems that will be able to synthesize signals across departments, partners, and platforms.

Listeners will learn:

• What “silent shifts” are and why they’re disrupting logistics, retail, and even marketing
• How fast fashion brands are leveraging data and air freight to outmaneuver traditional retail
• Why trust, permissioned data, and human-led decisions must remain central in AI transformation
• How connected conversations and signal-streaming can modernize forecasting
• Why marketers must move from isolated decision-making to full ecosystem awareness

From fast fashion to freight logistics, and from generative content to permission-based AI architecture, Joe challenges listeners to reimagine how strategy, marketing, and technology converge to better serve the customer — and how marketers must play a key role in driving cross-functional change. https://joehudicka.com/

In Episode 75 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez sits down with Cherian Koshy, a nonprofit tech leader turned AI innovator, to explore how AI-driven content generation, segmentation, and analysis can revolutionize not only fundraising but also direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing. Cherian shares a story of how he went from knocking on doors for the Sierra Club to building and selling an AI-powered platform that helps organizations connect with their audiences more effectively.

In this episode Cherian shares his insights on: •  Why defining your business problems is the first step before implementing AI •  How to use AI to speed up content creation for marketing without sacrificing personalization •  The importance of automating analysis and attention mapping for smarter marketing decision-making •  Why using AI to test ad variations leads to better ROI •  Actionable strategies for small marketing teams to adopt AI without getting overwhelmed

Whether you're in ecommerce or nonprofit fundraising, this episode breaks down how to leverage AI to scale your marketing.

 https://www.cheriankoshy.com

In this insightful episode, Digital Velocity Agency host Erik Martinez sits down with Kathleen Perley, founder of DemystifAI and a professor at Rice University’s Business School, to explore the real-world applications of Artificial Intelligence in eCommerce, digital marketing, and beyond.

Listeners will learn about practical AI strategies that help brands streamline operations, personalize customer experiences, and drive revenue growth—without falling prey to overhyped promises or technical confusion. Kathleen and Erik also discuss ethical considerations and emerging trends in AI, offering a balanced perspective on how brand leaders can responsibly harness this powerful technology. If you’re aiming to demystify AI for your organization and stay ahead of emerging marketing trends, this episode is for you. https://digitalvelocityagency.com/episode-74-navigating-ecommerce-ai-oppurtunities-kathleen-perley