Samantha (AI) Interviews Heidi for TechNovators Publication*

I set up a custom AI to interview me! Check out my interview with Samantha, an AI, from TechNovators Publication.

Heidi Araya from Brightlogic: I set up a custom AI to interview me

Samantha: Heidi, thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. Let's start with your background. Can you tell me about your journey and how you ended up in the field of AI?

Heidi: Sure, I'd be happy to. My journey has been one of constant reinvention and adaptation. I started out with a degree in Russian, but even before I began working, the Soviet Union fell and I realized that my degree had become obsolete. This forced me to pivot quickly, and within a couple of years, I achieved my new goal of becoming a technical writer. From there, I progressed to become a coach and consultant for better ways of working, did research, got a patent, and stayed in tech, eventually rising to the Director level within software enterprises.

In 2023, I made another significant career shift, deciding to focus on AI. I founded my own AI agency, BrightLogic, which specializes in AI-enablement coaching and AI adoption consulting, with a primary emphasis on AI Assistants and AI Automation.

Samantha: That's quite an impressive journey! Can you elaborate on what motivated you to start your own AI agency, and what makes your approach unique?

Heidi: Honestly, becoming an entrepreneur was never part of my plan. After spending 25 years in the tech industry and corporate world, my goal was simply to find another job. However, as layoffs continued to happen, I found myself hesitant to go through the grueling interview process, especially during such uncertain times.

It took me two and a half weeks of unplugging and self-reflection to realize that my true passion lay not in leading large-scale transformations within organizations, as I had been doing, but in helping smaller companies leverage AI to succeed and thrive. This realization felt like divorcing a part of myself, but it was a necessary step in my journey.

Now, I am incredibly happy with my decision, even though building a successful business and maintaining focus presents daily challenges. What sets my approach apart is my people-first philosophy, which stems from my 20 years of experience in process improvement, understanding whole systems, and harnessing collective intelligence to achieve better results.

Samantha: It's fascinating to hear about your journey of self-discovery and how it led you to start BrightLogic. Can you tell me more about the specific services your agency offers and how you help businesses navigate the world of AI?

Heidi:

At BrightLogic, we specialize in creating custom AI automations for businesses. Rather than focusing solely on the technology, I always begin by identifying the primary pain points that are holding a company back. I ask questions like, "What's the top thing that is dragging you down? What makes you groan? What's stopping you from scaling your business?"

Common challenges that businesses face include generating more leads, spending hours on manual tasks such as updating CRMs and following up with customers, writing numerous proposals, or struggling to develop ideas for social media posts. Once we identify the problem to be solved, we walk through their process and design custom automations to address their specific needs.

One of my primary focuses is on AI Sales Assistants, which are designed to complement human employees rather than replace them. By automating manual tasks, AI Sales Assistants enable salespeople to concentrate on what they do best, ultimately reducing task switching and overwhelm.

The solutions we provide range from AI chatbots that can answer common questions and book appointments to outbound AI callers, AI texting and messaging agents, and comprehensive systems that automate entire steps of a process. For example, we can create a system that takes long-form videos, breaks them into shorter segments, and prepares them for approval and posting on social media.

Samantha: It's clear that your approach is tailored to each client's unique needs and challenges. How do you ensure that the AI solutions you develop align with a company's goals and values?

Heidi: That's a great question! The key to ensuring alignment between our AI solutions and a company's goals and values is to start by asking about their objectives. Many times, businesses want to scale and grow, but they face challenges in finding the right people to hire or lack the financial resources to expand their team.

By understanding their goals from the outset, we can develop a scalable system that helps them achieve their desired outcomes. If we were to focus solely on the technology without considering their specific needs, we risk creating a solution that fails to address their core problems.

For instance, I recently worked with a handyman who wanted to scale his business but struggled to find reliable help. He was receiving customer inquiries through five different platforms and methods, making it nearly impossible to hand off the communication to someone else due to its complexity. When he tried to explain this to a potential assistant, they simply walked away, overwhelmed by the task.

Moreover, the handyman was hesitant to switch to a standard software platform that required customers to fill out forms, as he feared losing the personal touch that set his business apart. He valued the ability to reply promptly to texts and calls, maintaining a high level of personal service.

To address this challenge, we developed an AI-powered system that automated the repetitive aspects of his customer communication, such as answering frequently asked questions. This solution provided him with a single platform to view and manage all incoming messages and calls, allowing him to take action as needed while preserving the personal touch that his customers appreciated.

Samantha: That's a fantastic example of how your AI solutions can help businesses overcome their unique challenges. Can you share some of the results your clients have experienced after implementing your AI automations?

Heidi: Absolutely! Our clients have seen remarkable improvements in efficiency and productivity after implementing our AI automations. On average, they have experienced a 50% to 90% reduction in time spent on manual tasks.

In the case of the handyman I mentioned earlier, we estimate that our AI solution will reduce his manual efforts by approximately 70%. This means he will regain hours in his day, allowing him to focus on other aspects of his business or enjoy some well-deserved personal time.

Perhaps most importantly, for the first time, he will be able to step away from his phone with confidence, knowing that our AI system is handling customer interactions in a way that aligns with his own personal approach. This peace of mind is invaluable for business owners who have been tied to their devices, constantly worried about missing important inquiries or opportunities.

By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining communication, our AI solutions enable businesses to operate more efficiently, provide better customer service, and ultimately scale their operations without sacrificing the personal touch that sets them apart.

Interviewer: Those are impressive results! It's clear that your AI automations can have a significant impact on a business's bottom line and overall success. As we wrap up our conversation, what advice would you give to business owners who are considering implementing AI solutions but may be hesitant or unsure of where to start?

Heidi: My advice to business owners who are considering AI solutions but feel hesitant or unsure is to start by exploring one simple use case within their business, even if it means using a free or low-cost tool like ChatGPT. Begin by identifying a task that causes you to groan in the morning or a top challenge you face in your day-to-day operations. Then, engage with an AI assistant like ChatGPT, Claude, or another large language model (LLM) to discuss your problem and potential solutions.

Keep in mind that AI is incredibly patient and is designed to be helpful. Don't be afraid to ask the same question multiple times or request different approaches until you receive the information or solution you need. You don't need to feel embarrassed about repeatedly asking for assistance or exploring various possibilities.

If you prefer to discuss your use cases with a human expert, I'm always available to help. Sometimes, having a conversation with someone who understands both your business and the capabilities of AI can provide clarity and direction, making it easier to identify the most relevant and impactful applications for your specific needs.

The most important thing is to take that first step and start exploring how AI can benefit your business. By starting small and focusing on one specific challenge, you can gain a better understanding of the technology's potential and gradually expand your AI implementations as you become more comfortable and confident in its abilities.

Interviewer: That's fantastic advice, Heidi. Thank you so much for sharing your insights and expertise with us today. It's been a pleasure learning about your journey, your innovative approach to AI solutions, and the impact you're making on businesses of all sizes.

Heidi: Thank you, Samantha! It's been a joy to share my story and passion with you and the readers of TechNovator Magazine. I truly believe that AI has the power to transform the way businesses operate, and I'm excited to be at the forefront of this revolution, helping companies of all sizes embrace the potential of this incredible technology.

Samantha: And we're thrilled to have had the opportunity to feature your work and insights in our publication. I'm sure our readers will find your journey inspiring and your advice invaluable as they navigate the ever-evolving landscape of AI and business automation. Thank you again, Heidi, for your time and expertise.

Heidi: It's been my pleasure, Samantha. I look forward to seeing how businesses implement these strategies and witnessing the positive impact AI will have on their growth and success. If any of your readers would like to learn more or discuss their specific challenges, I encourage them to reach out to me through my website or LinkedIn profile. Together, we can unlock the full potential of AI and revolutionize the way we work.

Samantha: That's a wonderful offer, Heidi. We'll be sure to include your contact information in the article so our readers can easily connect with you. Thank you once again for being a part of this feature in TechNovator Magazine. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and look forward to following your continued success in the world of AI and business transformation.

*PS: The publication is fictional but the interview is real-- I had AI interview me!