The AI Advantage: How Business Leaders Can Harness Artificial Intelligence for Real Growth

“Imagine doubling your company’s productivity — without doubling your headcount.”

It might sound like a far-fetched sales pitch, but for modern businesses, it’s quickly becoming reality. The secret? Harnessing the power of AI — and knowing how to do it the right way.

That’s exactly the mission behind AI with Bry, a new podcast created by seasoned technology leader and AI strategist Bryan Dennstedt. With over 25 years of experience guiding startups and mid-sized businesses through the ever-changing world of technology, Bryan understands firsthand how AI is reshaping the business landscape — and how easy it is to get left behind.

Why AI is Non-Negotiable for Business Growth

In Bryan's words, AI is becoming as essential to modern businesses as water is to daily life. “Just like water transforms cities and industries, AI is becoming a basic utility in business,” he explains. The problem? Access to that “utility” is uneven. Many founders and CEOs know AI is important — but few know where to begin.

That’s where AI with Bry comes in. This podcast is tailored for growth-minded leaders of companies doing between $1 million and $50 million in revenue — those who are ready to embrace AI, but need clear, actionable guidance to do it right.

More Than Hype: A Practical AI Playbook

Let’s be honest: The AI conversation is everywhere. But sorting through the hype to find real, usable strategies? That’s another story.

Bryan has designed AI with Bry around three powerful themes every business leader needs to master:

✔ Learn: Understand AI in plain English — no PhD required.
✔ Leverage: Apply AI to real-world business problems to boost efficiency and profits.
✔ Lead: Foster a culture where AI drives innovation, not fear.

But Bryan’s approach isn’t about “boiling the ocean.” Instead, he advocates for starting small, proving quick wins with AI pilot projects, and scaling success — a method he calls “boiling a cup of tea first.”

Real Stories, Real Lessons

Each episode of AI with Bry brings practical insights from founders, CEOs, and tech experts who are already using AI to transform their businesses.

One week, listeners might hear from a startup founder who used AI to double her marketing output. The next, it’s an operations leader streamlining production with predictive AI tools — all on a lean budget. These aren’t pie-in-the-sky case studies — they’re real, candid conversations about what works, what doesn’t, and how you can apply those lessons to your own business.

Expect zero jargon, minimal fluff, and actionable insights you can implement immediately.

Meet the Man Behind the Mic

Bryan Dennstedt isn’t just a tech evangelist — he’s been in the trenches as a fractional CTO, advisor, and innovation strategist for companies spanning healthcare, entertainment, and beyond. His ability to simplify complex technology has made him the go-to “tech whisperer” for countless organizations.

His passion? Helping leaders like you turn AI from an overwhelming buzzword into a practical, business-driving tool.

Why You Should Tune In

Time is your most valuable resource — Bryan knows that. That’s why every episode of AI with Bry is designed to be:

✅ Direct and Strategic — No hype, just actionable advice.
✅ Engaging and Optimistic — AI is exciting; your learning journey should be, too.
✅ Tailored to Leaders Like You — Whether you're tech-savvy or just getting started.

Know a colleague who needs to hear this? Share the AI with Bry podcast and join the movement of leaders transforming their businesses with AI — one actionable step at a time.

Episode's Transcript

Please understand that a transcription service provided the transcript below. It undoubtedly contains errors that invariably take place in voice transcriptions.

Bryan (00:06.958)

Imagine doubling your business's productivity without doubling your headcount. Imagine outsmarting your competitors by working smarter, not just harder. Does that sound far-fetched? It's not. It's the promise of AI for businesses like yours. Welcome to AI with Bry, where we turn today's AI hype into your company's strategic advantage. I'm Bryan Dennstedt, but you can call me Bry.

In this introductory episode, I'm going to show you why mastering AI is as essential as water is for modern businesses and how this podcast will help you drink from that well of innovation. AI with Bry is the podcast for startup founders and CEOs who are doing between 1 million and 50 million in revenue. In other words, leaders of growing companies ready to level up. If you're a business owner,

who's hearing all the buzz about artificial intelligence era, but isn't sure how to actually use it in your day-to-day operations, you're in the right place. This show is built around three core themes, learn, leverage, and lead. We'll learn how AI works in plain English, no PhD in machine learning required. We're gonna explore how to leverage AI practically from automating routine tasks

uncovering new opportunities. So it directly boosts your bottom line. And most importantly, we'll talk about how you're going to lead your team and industry in the age of AI, becoming the kind of forward thinking leader who turns disruption into growth. In short, this podcast is your insider guide to making AI your company's secret weapon. So who am I and why should you spend your precious time with me?

I'm Bryan Dennstedt, a fractional chief technology officer, an AI strategist, and a technology leader with over 25 years of experience helping businesses innovate. I've been the tech whisperer for startups and mid-sized companies, from healthcare tech to entertainment, often coming in as an interim CTO, CIO to help build the tech teams, launch products, and integrate cutting edge technologies.

Bryan (02:31.426)

Over dozens of client engagements, I've noticed a pattern. The companies that thrive are the ones that embrace new technology early, but do so with a clear strategy. That's why I'm passionate about demystifying AI for businesses like you. In my journey, I've developed a few simple frameworks to guide AI adoption in startups. First up is the water principle. I often say AI is as essential as water.

Just like water transforms cities and industries, AI is becoming a basic utility in business, but access to it and understanding of it is uneven. My approach is to help you build AI pipelines in your company so every team member can tap into its benefits. Don't worry if you're not an AI expert yet, I'll help you turn on that faucet step by step. Learn, leverage and lead. This is my overarching framework and the theme of our show.

For AI and startups, you have to learn first. Educate yourself and your team about what AI can and can't do. Leverage. Next, apply AI in practical ways to solve real-world business problems. Think of AI as a tool in your toolbox, not a magic wand. Lead. Finally, drive the cultural change. I need you to lead by example so your organization embraces the AI mindset where innovation and data-driven decision-making

become second nature. I need you to start small, scale smart. That's the last big lesson I've learned and a framework I teach is how to think big, but start really small. We'll identify quick win pilot projects where AI can add value in weeks, not years. Then we'll scale up what works. This way you get early ROI and team buy-in while building momentum for larger AI initiatives. No boiling the ocean.

We're going to boil a cup of tea first and then build from there. These are just a few of the guiding principles you're going to hear throughout our show. Again, my goal is to make AI approachable, actionable, and aligned with your business strategy. AI with Bry is an interview-based podcast because I believe in the power of stories and real-world experience. In each episode, I'm going to sit down with founders, CEOs, and AI experts who are in the trenches

Bryan (04:57.025)

using AI to drive growth will unpack their wins, losses, and lessons. One week you might hear from a startup founder who's used AI to double her marketing productivity, and the next week, an operations executive who's streamlined manufacturing with AI-driven predictive maintenance, or a CTO who implemented AI across a team of 10 on a shoestring budget. These conversations will be practical and candid.

We'll dig into what worked and what didn't, and what you can learn from it all. Expect actionable takeaways in every episode. I'll often pause our guests to break down jargon into plain language or to extract a step-by-step insight you can apply at your business. And don't worry, while the core is interviews, I'll occasionally do a solo episode or a quick update to address any listener questions that might pop out.

I'm going to talk about breaking AI news for businesses or even share a new framework or a tool that I've discovered. So please help me ask those questions. New episodes are going to drop weekly so you can make learning about AI a regular habit. Think of it as your weekly briefing on how to stay ahead of the curve. Let me level with you on how we're going to communicate. The tone on AI with Bry is going to be direct, strategic, and no nonsense.

I know as a founder or a CEO, your time is the scarcest resource. So I promise zero fluff. We're going to cut through the hype and focus on what actually matters. If something isn't useful, we aren't going to spend time on it. I'm going to ask some hard questions so you get real insights, not just rehearsed talking points. At the same time, I expect an inspiring and optimistic vibe. I'm excited about the future of AI and many more things. And I want you to be as well.

Every discussion is geared towards sparking ideas and confidence so we can pilot the new AI tool or inspire you to lead your team into uncharted territory. My style is going to be straightforward, maybe even blunt at times, but always with a focus on practical solutions and forward momentum. I want you to finish each episode thinking, I can't wait to put this into action. I am truly excited to kick off this journey with you.

Bryan (07:17.936)

In upcoming episodes, we're going to learn new concepts, leverage them for real results, and lead the charge in this AI-powered business revolution. If you're as pumped as I am to transform your business with AI, then make sure please subscribe to AI with Bry on your favorite podcast platform, follow the show, and never miss an episode. Trust me, you won't want to miss the guests that we have lined up. If you find value here,

Please share this episode zero with a fellow founder or colleague who needs to hear it. Engage with us. I want to hear your questions. This is all about you and helping you learn an AI and the topics that you want to dig into. You can reach out to me on LinkedIn or via our website. And this is just the beginning. Together, we're going to turn AI from a vague buzzword into a powerful tool in your leadership arsenal. Thank you for listening to this introduction episode

of AI with Bry, let's learn, leverage, and lead with AI, and let's do it together.

Bryan (08:28.23)

This episode of AI with Bry was hosted and produced by me, Bryan Dennstedt, produced with help from Nancy Velazquez and Kelly Lopez. Video by Leo Moralina. Sound AI generated. Find us on all platforms at AI with Bry and visit ai.bry.net for more. Learn, leverage, lead.