Enterprise AI Innovators

On the second episode of Enterprise Software Innovators, hosts Evan Reiser (Abnormal Security) and Saam Motamedi (Greylock Partners) talk with Shamim Mohammad, Executive Vice President, Chief Information & Technology Officer of CarMax. CarMax has been at the forefront of the used car business for decades and has consistently stayed at the frontier by being unafraid to adopt new technologies alongside their core business. Shamim walks through the differences of what he calls “start-up” vs “end-up” companies, and the multiple ways CarMax has deployed exciting new technological innovations to keep their business thriving. From AI models to an omni-channel customer experience, CarMax is a worthy example of a previously exclusively brick and mortar business that has successfully transformed themselves into a digital platform.

Quick hits from Shamim:

On CarMax disrupting itself in their transformation to being a digital business: “…fortunately for CarMax, we were not afraid to disrupt ourselves because we knew that if we didn't guess what's gonna happen, you know, maybe not immediately 3, 4, 5 years, 10 years down the road, we would be disrupted. So we wanted to disrupt ourselves before somebody else did.”

On the omni-channel approach CarMax offers its customers: “If somebody is not as comfortable with all the digital experiences and they want to go talk to a human being in a store, they could do that. So what I found is in our omni-channel approach, most of the customers are taking advantage of the digital tools and capabilities we have built, but then also a lot of them are going to the store and finishing their transaction."

On the importance of a startup ethos: “I've seen what a startup kind of mindset can do. And the energy and the passion a startup company has is invaluable. And when the company gets too big and gets away from that startup mindset is when trouble begins.”

Recent book recommendation: Getting To Nimble by Peter High

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Enterprise AI Innovators is a show where top technology executives share specific ways AI changes how work gets done in the enterprise.

Find more great insights from technology leaders and enterprise software experts at https://www.enterprisesoftware.blog/

Enterprise AI Innovators is produced by Abnormal Studios.

On the first episode of Enterprise Software Innovators, hosts Evan Reiser (Abnormal Security) and Saam Motamedi (Greylock Partners) talk with Michael Keithley, CIO of United Talent Agency. UTA is one of the world’s top talent companies, working across music, sports, film, and other high impact areas of entertainment. Previously, Michael was CIO and CTO of Creative Arts Agency, another large talent organization, where he worked for 24 years. In this conversation, Michael shares stories on how CIOs in entertainment can best leverage data, the benefits of partnering with startups, his take on the most exciting next frontiers in technology, and moments in his career where disruptive technology implementations were met with pushback from the old guard.

Quick hits from Michael:

On how UTA benefits from exposure to startups: “[We] learn from startups themselves on how they work and what their philosophy is…and infuse that in our culture.”

On colleagues recognizing startup-inspired workflow methodologies: “And I remember vividly, we had these crisis things early on in the pandemic where every morning we'd get on the Zoom and talk about stuff. And I said, ‘Do you guys realize that we have been practicing agile the last two months?’“

On the old guard being resistant to new technology: “When I came to the realization that the Internet was going to be a thing, I ended up getting a short .com domain. And I bought it for $5,000 and the CFO was furious because ‘what possible use would there ever be for the Internet.’ There's just a lot of stories like that, where people aren't ready to get on board with the new technologies”

Book Recommendation: The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson

Like what you hear? Leave us a review and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

Enterprise AI Innovators is a show where top technology executives share specific ways AI changes how work gets done in the enterprise.

Find more great insights from technology leaders and enterprise software experts at https://www.enterprisesoftware.blog/

Enterprise AI Innovators is produced by Abnormal Studios.