In this episode of Founders Future, with host Jae Encarnacion, we dive into the AI revolution with Mike Burger, founder of Headquarters for AI (HQ for AI). Mike shares his journey from corporate consulting burnout to building a consultancy that demystifies AI for businesses through his "Dream, Plan, Build" framework. He reveals how HQ for AI helps clients—especially nimble mid-sized companies (25-500 employees)—navigate AI adoption safely, from literacy workshops to custom AI agent development, while staying platform-agnostic in the fast-moving tech race. Mike’s candid take on the consulting industry’s bloat and his "build with purpose" mantra (testing every AI solution internally first) offers a blueprint for lean, ethical AI integration.

Mike opens up about the challenges of scaling an AI consultancy in a hype-driven market, including his team’s pivot from Fortune 500 targets to grassroots referrals and local nonprofit partnerships. He highlights tools like n8n for workflow automation and the importance of human-centric AI adoption ("automate the crap work so teams can focus on strategy"). With plans to expand cold outreach and double down on AI builders (vs. users), Mike’s advice for aspiring founders is gold: "Line up clients before quitting your job, and assess market timing—we knew AI was inevitable, but it took a year for demand to catch up."