1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,210 Carol Cox: Listen in to my conversation with Denise 2 00:00:02,210 --> 00:00:04,550 Musselwhite all around empowering women in 3 00:00:04,550 --> 00:00:06,680 the age of AI, on this episode of the 4 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaking Your Brand podcast. 5 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,030 More and more women are making an impact by 6 00:00:16,030 --> 00:00:18,760 starting businesses, running for office and 7 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:20,740 speaking up for what matters. 8 00:00:20,770 --> 00:00:23,020 With my background as a TV political 9 00:00:23,020 --> 00:00:25,870 analyst, entrepreneur and speaker, I 10 00:00:25,870 --> 00:00:28,360 interview and coach purpose driven women to 11 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:30,850 shape their brands, grow their companies, 12 00:00:30,850 --> 00:00:33,490 and become recognized as influencers in 13 00:00:33,490 --> 00:00:36,880 their field. This is speaking your brand, 14 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:39,340 your place to learn how to persuasively 15 00:00:39,340 --> 00:00:43,660 communicate your message to your audience. 16 00:00:43,660 --> 00:00:44,920 Hi and welcome to the Speaking Your Brand 17 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:46,780 podcast. I'm your host, Carol Cox. 18 00:00:46,780 --> 00:00:48,400 We are continuing the series we've been 19 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,650 doing all around, inspiring you to use your 20 00:00:50,650 --> 00:00:53,110 voice no matter what your topic or your 21 00:00:53,110 --> 00:00:54,760 industry. If you've been listening to this 22 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:56,680 podcast for a while, you know that I've been 23 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,290 really excited about artificial intelligence 24 00:00:59,290 --> 00:01:02,290 and ChatGPT and all of the ways that it can 25 00:01:02,290 --> 00:01:05,080 help us both personally and professionally. 26 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:06,700 Well, I had the pleasure of sitting down 27 00:01:06,700 --> 00:01:09,730 with Denise Musselwhite, who was a CIO. 28 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:11,710 That's the chief information officer for 29 00:01:11,710 --> 00:01:15,280 many years. She has a deep background in it, 30 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,220 and she is such a strong advocate for 31 00:01:18,220 --> 00:01:20,470 women's empowerment and leadership in 32 00:01:20,470 --> 00:01:22,930 technology. We talk about her journey to 33 00:01:22,930 --> 00:01:25,960 becoming one of the few Latina CIOs and how 34 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:29,260 that journey impacted her, and then we dive 35 00:01:29,260 --> 00:01:32,320 into artificial intelligence and seeing it 36 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:34,660 truly as a collaborative partner in our 37 00:01:34,660 --> 00:01:35,860 professional lives. 38 00:01:35,860 --> 00:01:38,500 Denise talks about some of the custom gpts 39 00:01:38,500 --> 00:01:40,480 she's been creating. If you have no idea 40 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:42,370 what I'm talking about, you're gonna learn 41 00:01:42,370 --> 00:01:45,070 more. In this episode, we also talk about 42 00:01:45,070 --> 00:01:48,250 Denise's recent leap into entrepreneurship 43 00:01:48,250 --> 00:01:50,320 and the work that she's doing with women in 44 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,200 tech. And then we wrap up with speaking tips 45 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:54,880 that Denise has for you. 46 00:01:55,330 --> 00:01:57,340 If you're new to the podcast, welcome at 47 00:01:57,340 --> 00:01:59,290 Speaking Your Brand. We work with women 48 00:01:59,290 --> 00:02:01,810 entrepreneurs, professionals and leaders to 49 00:02:01,810 --> 00:02:03,670 clarify their brand message and story, 50 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:05,980 create their signature talks, and develop 51 00:02:05,980 --> 00:02:07,690 their thought leadership platforms. 52 00:02:07,690 --> 00:02:09,220 If you would like to find out what your 53 00:02:09,220 --> 00:02:11,710 speaker archetype is so you can leverage 54 00:02:11,710 --> 00:02:13,990 your natural communication strengths and add 55 00:02:13,990 --> 00:02:16,420 to them to make you an even more dynamic 56 00:02:16,420 --> 00:02:18,940 speaker, you can take our free quiz as 57 00:02:18,940 --> 00:02:21,310 speaking your brand.com/quiz. 58 00:02:21,310 --> 00:02:23,080 It's ten multiple choice questions. 59 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,270 It only takes a few minutes to complete, and 60 00:02:25,270 --> 00:02:27,400 then you get your results right away with 61 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:29,260 recommendations of what you can do. 62 00:02:29,290 --> 00:02:31,270 You can again take that free quiz as 63 00:02:31,270 --> 00:02:33,910 speaking your brand.com/quiz. 64 00:02:33,910 --> 00:02:35,950 Now let's get on with the show. 65 00:02:36,640 --> 00:02:38,500 Welcome to the Speaking Your Brand podcast, 66 00:02:38,500 --> 00:02:39,250 Denise. 67 00:02:39,730 --> 00:02:41,530 Denise Musselwhite: Thanks. Thanks for having me, Carol. 68 00:02:41,530 --> 00:02:43,390 I'm so excited to be here. 69 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:46,900 Carol Cox: Likewise, as listeners know, I've been doing 70 00:02:46,900 --> 00:02:49,360 episodes related to artificial intelligence 71 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:53,260 to AI for the past year, plus maybe 15 or 16 72 00:02:53,260 --> 00:02:55,870 months. And, you know, probably like every 73 00:02:55,870 --> 00:02:58,720 couple of months. I have a topic related to 74 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:00,250 AI because I'm excited about it. 75 00:03:00,250 --> 00:03:02,380 It's potential how we can use it as a 76 00:03:02,380 --> 00:03:05,020 collaborative partner and all all the 77 00:03:05,020 --> 00:03:07,240 benefits that we can use as entrepreneurs 78 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,370 and as professionals and as speakers. 79 00:03:09,370 --> 00:03:11,410 And I know, Denise, when I did one back in 80 00:03:11,410 --> 00:03:13,390 January, you emailed me and said, oh, like, 81 00:03:13,390 --> 00:03:14,950 I love to talk about AI. 82 00:03:14,950 --> 00:03:16,060 I'm excited about it. 83 00:03:16,060 --> 00:03:17,950 And I said, yes, okay, let's do a podcast 84 00:03:17,950 --> 00:03:19,450 episode. So here you are. 85 00:03:19,450 --> 00:03:20,650 And I got to know you. 86 00:03:20,650 --> 00:03:23,440 Well. When you attended our recent three day 87 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,330 in-person client retreat that we held in 88 00:03:25,330 --> 00:03:27,970 Orlando, you also lived in the Orlando area. 89 00:03:27,970 --> 00:03:29,530 So that was so much fun. 90 00:03:29,530 --> 00:03:32,530 So let me ask you this, uh, first is what 91 00:03:32,530 --> 00:03:35,380 got you interested in technology, like when 92 00:03:35,380 --> 00:03:37,480 you were young, did you like, did you like 93 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:39,040 gadgets? You know, did you like early 94 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:40,210 computers? Like what? 95 00:03:40,210 --> 00:03:42,790 What kind of led you into this field? 96 00:03:42,790 --> 00:03:44,590 Denise Musselwhite: Oh, Carol, I love this question. 97 00:03:44,590 --> 00:03:47,860 For me, it's a bit of nature and nurture. 98 00:03:47,860 --> 00:03:50,410 My parents are immigrants to the United 99 00:03:50,410 --> 00:03:53,140 States from Puerto Rico and the Dominican 100 00:03:53,140 --> 00:03:55,210 Republic. They moved here when they were 101 00:03:55,210 --> 00:03:59,020 teens, and after my dad got back from the 102 00:03:59,020 --> 00:04:04,690 Vietnam War, he learned from his cousins and 103 00:04:04,690 --> 00:04:06,940 friends how to be a mechanic. 104 00:04:07,180 --> 00:04:09,970 And he opened his first repair shop when I 105 00:04:09,970 --> 00:04:12,370 was a baby, and he named it Denise Service 106 00:04:12,370 --> 00:04:14,140 Station. Can you imagine? 107 00:04:14,140 --> 00:04:16,960 That was located in the in Bronx, New York, 108 00:04:17,140 --> 00:04:20,920 um, around 1976 ish. 109 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,910 Okay, so I grew up in my dad's repair shop 110 00:04:24,910 --> 00:04:27,910 with a very handy dad in the family. 111 00:04:27,910 --> 00:04:32,020 My mom was his office manager and handled 112 00:04:32,020 --> 00:04:34,930 all of the paperwork and office management 113 00:04:34,930 --> 00:04:36,130 duties related to that. 114 00:04:36,130 --> 00:04:40,360 Well, before I went into fifth grade, my 115 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,600 parents decided to move our entire family to 116 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,810 Orlando, Florida because they were fearful 117 00:04:46,810 --> 00:04:48,880 of the middle school that I was going to 118 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:50,230 attend in the Bronx. 119 00:04:50,230 --> 00:04:53,170 The neighborhood had changed around us, so 120 00:04:53,170 --> 00:04:54,520 they sold everything. 121 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:58,420 I remember them, um, stopping at the bank in 122 00:04:58,420 --> 00:05:01,840 their brand new station wagon to pick up all 123 00:05:01,840 --> 00:05:04,150 of their life savings in a briefcase. 124 00:05:04,150 --> 00:05:06,910 I sat on that briefcase on our ride to 125 00:05:06,910 --> 00:05:09,670 Orlando, and the reason they picked Orlando 126 00:05:09,670 --> 00:05:12,520 is because family values are made. 127 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,040 Where? Mickey Mouse lives like. 128 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,580 Seriously. So I was about ten when this 129 00:05:18,580 --> 00:05:21,820 happened, and around the age of 11 or 12, he 130 00:05:21,820 --> 00:05:23,860 opened a new repair shop called High Tech 131 00:05:23,890 --> 00:05:26,680 Tune-up, located right here in Orlando. 132 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,320 And every day after school, I went there 133 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:30,940 because they couldn't afford to have like, 134 00:05:30,940 --> 00:05:33,790 child care after school, um, with my 135 00:05:33,790 --> 00:05:37,780 siblings. And my dad recruited me to be his 136 00:05:37,780 --> 00:05:42,520 right hand to translate the technical manual 137 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,770 that came with the computer diagnostic 138 00:05:44,770 --> 00:05:47,800 device, to interpret the codes that he 139 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,710 needed to repair these newfangled cars in 140 00:05:50,710 --> 00:05:51,940 the mid 80s. 141 00:05:52,330 --> 00:05:54,910 And then I would translate that to his 142 00:05:54,910 --> 00:05:59,410 mechanics. And that's where my passion and 143 00:05:59,410 --> 00:06:01,540 love for technology was born. 144 00:06:01,540 --> 00:06:03,130 Even though I was a really curious kid, I 145 00:06:03,130 --> 00:06:04,930 was like the kid who would stick things into 146 00:06:04,930 --> 00:06:07,210 the electrical socket to see them happen. 147 00:06:07,210 --> 00:06:12,040 Right. Um, but he embraced it and the rest 148 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,300 is history. I helped my dad's mechanics 149 00:06:15,300 --> 00:06:17,790 translate that computer diagnostic device. 150 00:06:17,790 --> 00:06:21,270 Then I did that at law firms while I was in 151 00:06:21,270 --> 00:06:23,010 high school, backing up all of their 152 00:06:23,010 --> 00:06:25,200 computers when I was just 16. 153 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,270 And then I went to UCF and graduated with a 154 00:06:27,270 --> 00:06:30,900 degree in technology management and pursued 155 00:06:30,900 --> 00:06:33,300 a very, very successful career in technology 156 00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:35,790 management, which resulted in me being the 157 00:06:35,790 --> 00:06:39,150 chief information officer for um independent 158 00:06:39,150 --> 00:06:42,600 schools, and one of the few Latino women to 159 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:44,850 hold that role. There's less than 2% of 160 00:06:44,850 --> 00:06:47,370 women who are Latina who make it to the 161 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:48,840 C-suite in technology. 162 00:06:49,820 --> 00:06:52,220 Carol Cox: That's amazing, Denise, and congratulations. 163 00:06:52,220 --> 00:06:54,050 And I love hearing that story of you and I. 164 00:06:54,050 --> 00:06:55,520 And it does sound like it's a blend of 165 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:57,110 nature and nurture, like the right 166 00:06:57,110 --> 00:06:59,360 environment. But clearly you had a natural 167 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:01,610 inclination to want to stick things into 168 00:07:01,610 --> 00:07:04,040 electric sockets and figure out how they 169 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,310 worked. Oh, so let's talk a little bit about 170 00:07:07,310 --> 00:07:10,730 your experience as a CIO, as in the C-suite. 171 00:07:10,730 --> 00:07:13,460 And then I know you more recently you 172 00:07:13,460 --> 00:07:15,050 decided to become an entrepreneur. 173 00:07:15,050 --> 00:07:17,300 So we'll talk about that. But what was the 174 00:07:17,300 --> 00:07:18,470 like for you to be a woman? 175 00:07:18,470 --> 00:07:21,110 And as you said at a Latina woman in the in, 176 00:07:21,140 --> 00:07:22,730 you know, high up in the technology field, 177 00:07:22,730 --> 00:07:23,930 and I assume that you did speaking 178 00:07:23,930 --> 00:07:26,060 engagements along the way, you know, 179 00:07:26,060 --> 00:07:28,160 conferences and events that you would speak 180 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:29,570 at. And what was that like? 181 00:07:29,660 --> 00:07:34,400 Denise Musselwhite: You know, um, it was really invigorating for 182 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,670 me, like I said, because my dad normalized 183 00:07:37,670 --> 00:07:40,040 being in a male dominated space when I was 184 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,860 young, despite the cultural norms 185 00:07:42,860 --> 00:07:44,360 surrounding women. 186 00:07:44,630 --> 00:07:48,260 Um, in the Latino culture, I didn't feel 187 00:07:48,260 --> 00:07:52,040 like I didn't belong there until I felt like 188 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:53,150 I didn't belong there. 189 00:07:53,150 --> 00:07:55,550 So the higher up I got in technology 190 00:07:55,550 --> 00:07:58,070 leadership, the less I felt I belonged 191 00:07:58,070 --> 00:08:00,200 because it became increasingly male 192 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:04,730 dominated. Um, I felt like I had to turn 193 00:08:04,730 --> 00:08:08,900 myself inside out in order to really show 194 00:08:08,900 --> 00:08:11,870 up. Like what I thought I was supposed to 195 00:08:11,870 --> 00:08:14,570 do. I needed to show up like men do 196 00:08:14,570 --> 00:08:17,780 professionally, so I tried. 197 00:08:18,110 --> 00:08:21,230 I did do that, and I also probably 198 00:08:21,230 --> 00:08:23,930 overprepared for meetings, just like I know 199 00:08:23,930 --> 00:08:25,640 many of my clients and other women in 200 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,730 leadership do in order to overcome, 201 00:08:28,730 --> 00:08:31,580 overcompensate for this feeling of, um, 202 00:08:31,580 --> 00:08:33,020 lacking of confidence. 203 00:08:33,020 --> 00:08:35,000 Or I need to really show up more than 204 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:36,920 everybody else in order to get noticed. 205 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:40,400 So it was wonderful and also challenging at 206 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:44,000 the same time. And that's part of the reason 207 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,970 why I made a decision to make a pivot. 208 00:08:46,970 --> 00:08:50,750 When I reflected on how I was spending my 209 00:08:50,750 --> 00:08:54,680 time as a leader, I was seeing myself 210 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:57,650 presenting technology complex, technology 211 00:08:57,650 --> 00:09:03,050 complex, uh, um, concepts and strategies to 212 00:09:03,050 --> 00:09:07,250 help accelerate technology in the industry. 213 00:09:07,250 --> 00:09:09,170 Where I spent most of my time, when I 214 00:09:09,170 --> 00:09:11,360 thought about who I was presenting to, I was 215 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,940 looking at rooms full of men, right. 216 00:09:14,090 --> 00:09:15,650 That not that there's anything wrong with 217 00:09:15,650 --> 00:09:19,760 that. But when I really reflected on how I 218 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,310 wanted to make an impact, I decided to 219 00:09:22,310 --> 00:09:24,800 change my topics so that I could attract 220 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,590 more women. And those topics were more in 221 00:09:27,590 --> 00:09:29,750 alignment with what I found to be my deep 222 00:09:29,750 --> 00:09:32,300 purpose and what I wanted to make an impact 223 00:09:32,300 --> 00:09:35,450 on. And that's helping to create spaces 224 00:09:35,450 --> 00:09:38,870 where women feel more included in a male 225 00:09:38,870 --> 00:09:40,820 dominated industry like technology. 226 00:09:41,150 --> 00:09:43,190 And everything changed after that. 227 00:09:43,190 --> 00:09:46,160 I was now presenting in spaces where more 228 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:48,080 women were present because they were coming 229 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:52,280 for the content around how to succeed in a 230 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:53,660 male dominated industry. 231 00:09:55,340 --> 00:09:57,950 Carol Cox: Yes. And we're going to talk, I know in just 232 00:09:57,950 --> 00:10:01,160 a few moments about AI and the impact AI is 233 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,050 going to have, not only in the workplace, 234 00:10:03,050 --> 00:10:04,640 but really society wide. 235 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:08,060 And I am such a huge advocate of making sure 236 00:10:08,060 --> 00:10:10,760 that women's voices and women's experiences 237 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:12,980 and women's expertise and our insights are 238 00:10:12,980 --> 00:10:14,870 part of the conversations that are being 239 00:10:14,870 --> 00:10:17,450 had, because after all, we are 50% of the 240 00:10:17,450 --> 00:10:19,280 population and we're going to be impacted 241 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:21,110 just as much as everyone else. 242 00:10:21,110 --> 00:10:23,270 So as you mentioned, you recently made the 243 00:10:23,270 --> 00:10:24,980 transition to become an entrepreneur. 244 00:10:24,980 --> 00:10:26,810 You founded Tech and Thrive. 245 00:10:26,810 --> 00:10:29,810 So what what has that been transition been 246 00:10:29,810 --> 00:10:31,760 like? And can you tell us a little bit about 247 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,250 Tech and Thrive, who it's for and how you 248 00:10:34,250 --> 00:10:35,750 help the women in there? 249 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,420 Denise Musselwhite: So it's been an adventure for sure. 250 00:10:38,420 --> 00:10:42,140 So I pivoted away from my 25 plus year role 251 00:10:42,140 --> 00:10:45,740 as a chief information officer to, um, 252 00:10:45,740 --> 00:10:47,570 figure out what I wanted to do when I grew 253 00:10:47,570 --> 00:10:52,190 up, like so many people do, and decided that 254 00:10:52,190 --> 00:10:54,890 my heart was in starting something that 255 00:10:54,890 --> 00:10:57,050 would step into the gap for executive 256 00:10:57,050 --> 00:10:58,760 coaching and leadership development for 257 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,460 technology professionals, women, and other 258 00:11:01,460 --> 00:11:04,070 underrepresented represented professionals 259 00:11:04,070 --> 00:11:06,320 who would appreciate having a trusted 260 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,050 advisor like me alongside them in their 261 00:11:09,050 --> 00:11:11,390 journey. So Tech and Thrive provides 262 00:11:11,390 --> 00:11:13,400 leadership development to technology 263 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,460 professionals and technology teams. 264 00:11:16,460 --> 00:11:19,370 I just got back from a wonderful full day 265 00:11:19,370 --> 00:11:23,210 retreat in Georgia, um, leading 266 00:11:23,210 --> 00:11:26,360 conversations with 100 technology 267 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,480 professionals on a technology team, and 268 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,160 that's the kind of work that I'm doing now. 269 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:33,500 And I also have lots of one on one clients 270 00:11:33,500 --> 00:11:37,280 that I serve to help them lean more into 271 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,940 their leadership, um, and to sharpen their 272 00:11:40,940 --> 00:11:41,720 skills, their. 273 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:44,770 Carol Cox: Well, let's dig into I. 274 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,040 Denise, I always love talking to a fellow 275 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:49,270 tech enthusiast. 276 00:11:49,270 --> 00:11:51,610 You know, I even though my master's degree 277 00:11:51,610 --> 00:11:54,340 is in history and like my career trajectory 278 00:11:54,340 --> 00:11:56,620 was to be a professor, I made a very like 279 00:11:56,620 --> 00:11:59,920 180 degree turn into software development. 280 00:11:59,920 --> 00:12:02,470 This was back in the early 2000, founded two 281 00:12:02,470 --> 00:12:04,420 technology companies. So I definitely have 282 00:12:04,420 --> 00:12:06,310 maybe this natural inclination towards 283 00:12:06,310 --> 00:12:07,750 technology as well. 284 00:12:07,750 --> 00:12:11,020 So when ChatGPT launched at the end of 2022, 285 00:12:11,020 --> 00:12:13,420 I had my hands all over that right from the 286 00:12:13,420 --> 00:12:15,040 beginning. I've been excited about the 287 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,290 possibilities and the potential, as well as 288 00:12:17,290 --> 00:12:19,390 recognizing some of the potential downsides. 289 00:12:19,390 --> 00:12:22,120 But Denise, what excites you about AI? 290 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:24,160 What are you seeing as the possibilities? 291 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:27,490 Denise Musselwhite: Oh my gosh. Um, so like you, I'm an early 292 00:12:27,490 --> 00:12:30,070 adopter. I was all in as soon as, uh, 293 00:12:30,070 --> 00:12:32,320 generative AI became available to the 294 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:36,850 masses. And I've been fully involved with 295 00:12:36,850 --> 00:12:40,150 exploring how it can support me as a CEO and 296 00:12:40,150 --> 00:12:42,340 also how it can support my clients in the 297 00:12:42,340 --> 00:12:43,480 work that they do. 298 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,900 Um, for me, I spend a lot of time playing in 299 00:12:46,900 --> 00:12:51,010 the tools that are available and, um, even 300 00:12:51,010 --> 00:12:54,400 built my own GPT to support myself and to 301 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:56,170 support my clients. One of them is called 302 00:12:56,170 --> 00:12:59,230 the Kindness Beacon, which is a GPT that 303 00:12:59,230 --> 00:13:02,920 provides affirmations and support when 304 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:05,380 individuals are feeling overwhelmed because 305 00:13:05,380 --> 00:13:09,130 so much of a C-suite member's life is in 306 00:13:09,130 --> 00:13:10,870 overwhelm, because so many things are coming 307 00:13:10,870 --> 00:13:13,240 at us, so much so I built the Kindness 308 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:14,650 Beacon just for fun. 309 00:13:14,650 --> 00:13:17,740 And it's really a cool tool, um, which we 310 00:13:17,740 --> 00:13:18,880 can link in your show notes. 311 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:23,110 And I've also built myself a GPT that I use 312 00:13:23,110 --> 00:13:25,150 that is my business advisor. 313 00:13:25,390 --> 00:13:28,690 Since I'm a small business and I need to 314 00:13:29,020 --> 00:13:32,080 have someone to bounce ideas off of, um, 315 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,540 it's me and myself and I, as a CEO to the 316 00:13:34,540 --> 00:13:38,020 startup, um, I built a GPT to provide me 317 00:13:38,020 --> 00:13:41,050 with business advice, and it does a pretty 318 00:13:41,050 --> 00:13:42,880 good job to do that. 319 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:44,710 I had to be really good at engineering 320 00:13:44,710 --> 00:13:47,620 prompts, so I've taken some free courses on 321 00:13:47,620 --> 00:13:49,840 that to get really good at engineering 322 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,170 prompts and using it to accelerate 323 00:13:53,170 --> 00:13:54,730 productivity for myself. 324 00:13:55,460 --> 00:13:58,850 When I think about my clients, because 325 00:13:58,850 --> 00:14:01,340 they're technology professionals, they feel 326 00:14:01,340 --> 00:14:04,280 a unique double bind here where they have to 327 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:09,350 provide, um, the boundaries around AI to 328 00:14:09,350 --> 00:14:12,170 their organizations, and they also have to 329 00:14:12,170 --> 00:14:14,720 empower their teams and themselves to use 330 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:16,340 it. Right? 331 00:14:16,340 --> 00:14:20,750 So that's a difficult place because not only 332 00:14:20,750 --> 00:14:23,270 are they creating the guardrails for how to 333 00:14:23,270 --> 00:14:27,770 protect their organizations, um, assets, 334 00:14:27,770 --> 00:14:31,160 intellectual property, etc., they also have 335 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:32,960 to dive straight in to figure out how to use 336 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:34,700 it at the same time. So they're. 337 00:14:35,300 --> 00:14:37,310 I'd like to say building the plane while 338 00:14:37,310 --> 00:14:39,710 they fly it. They have not even figured out 339 00:14:39,710 --> 00:14:41,600 I and they have to create policies and 340 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:42,800 procedures around it. 341 00:14:43,370 --> 00:14:45,470 So I'm proud to say that I'm the board chair 342 00:14:45,470 --> 00:14:47,390 of an organization that is doing an amazing 343 00:14:47,390 --> 00:14:49,820 job at this, the Association of Technology 344 00:14:49,820 --> 00:14:51,620 Leaders in Independent Schools. 345 00:14:51,650 --> 00:14:55,100 They have just published a resource, in 346 00:14:55,100 --> 00:14:57,410 collaboration with three other associations 347 00:14:57,410 --> 00:14:59,990 that serve that industry, that informs 348 00:14:59,990 --> 00:15:03,260 boards on how to navigate AI. 349 00:15:03,260 --> 00:15:07,670 And that's where some of the work is 350 00:15:07,670 --> 00:15:10,670 happening right now, is trying to define how 351 00:15:10,670 --> 00:15:13,310 organizations and individuals should use AI 352 00:15:13,310 --> 00:15:15,410 in responsible and ethical ways within their 353 00:15:15,410 --> 00:15:17,720 organizations. So that's where most of the 354 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:19,520 conversations are for me. 355 00:15:19,970 --> 00:15:24,380 I asked AI to tell me what I should be 356 00:15:24,380 --> 00:15:28,130 thinking about before we get on here, and it 357 00:15:28,130 --> 00:15:30,680 told me that I should be thinking about how 358 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,470 I use it to analyze data. 359 00:15:33,950 --> 00:15:36,620 Lots of information quickly. 360 00:15:36,950 --> 00:15:38,030 It asked me. 361 00:15:38,060 --> 00:15:40,340 It told me that I how I might use it as a 362 00:15:40,340 --> 00:15:43,790 productivity tool, and it also challenged me 363 00:15:43,790 --> 00:15:46,250 to come up with ways to use it to support my 364 00:15:46,250 --> 00:15:47,330 coaching clients. 365 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,450 So that's what I thinks I should be doing. 366 00:15:50,930 --> 00:15:53,510 Carol Cox: Okay, well, you know, funnily enough, when I 367 00:15:53,510 --> 00:15:55,970 sent you an email, you know, leading up to 368 00:15:55,970 --> 00:15:57,740 our our recording here, I said, you know, I 369 00:15:57,740 --> 00:15:59,030 know we want to talk about AI. 370 00:15:59,030 --> 00:16:00,080 Is there anything in particular? 371 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:02,060 So you mentioned a few things, including 372 00:16:02,060 --> 00:16:04,310 this AI double bind and some other things. 373 00:16:04,310 --> 00:16:07,160 So I basically took your kind of like two 374 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:08,900 sentences about what to talk about. 375 00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:10,760 And I asked ChatGPT I said, okay, here's 376 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:12,710 what, here's what we want to talk about. 377 00:16:12,710 --> 00:16:14,930 And for my podcast, what are some like 378 00:16:14,930 --> 00:16:16,610 questions or what are some conversation 379 00:16:16,610 --> 00:16:18,470 points. And it gave me a whole long list. 380 00:16:18,470 --> 00:16:19,700 And then I kind of sent that to you. 381 00:16:19,700 --> 00:16:21,830 And then we figured, you know, we pulled a 382 00:16:21,830 --> 00:16:23,690 few of them there. So this is where, you 383 00:16:23,690 --> 00:16:26,420 know, we're using AI not as a replacement, 384 00:16:26,420 --> 00:16:28,220 like we're still here, obviously, having 385 00:16:28,220 --> 00:16:30,740 this conversation. We're still choosing what 386 00:16:30,740 --> 00:16:33,350 questions make sense for this podcast and 387 00:16:33,350 --> 00:16:34,400 for the listeners. 388 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:36,650 What questions make sense for our areas of 389 00:16:36,650 --> 00:16:38,150 expertise and the insights that we can 390 00:16:38,150 --> 00:16:39,800 share? But we're using AI. 391 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,050 We're using ChatGPT as that collaborative 392 00:16:42,050 --> 00:16:44,540 partner to kind of give us a starting point 393 00:16:44,540 --> 00:16:46,550 instead of having just a blank document in 394 00:16:46,550 --> 00:16:47,330 front of us. 395 00:16:47,330 --> 00:16:51,560 Denise Musselwhite: Yeah. So yes, it is a strategic partner to 396 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:52,850 the work that we do. 397 00:16:52,850 --> 00:16:54,920 Figuring out how to harness it without 398 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:57,620 hurting our organizations is a real 399 00:16:57,620 --> 00:16:59,570 challenge, because it's the Wild West right 400 00:16:59,570 --> 00:17:00,680 now, right? 401 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:02,210 It's just arrived. 402 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:04,880 Ai has been in existence for decades, right? 403 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,490 But generative AI has disrupted us, just 404 00:17:07,490 --> 00:17:09,440 like the internet disrupted us in the early 405 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:12,350 90s. Just like the iPhone disrupted us, just 406 00:17:12,350 --> 00:17:14,870 like the pandemic disrupted us. 407 00:17:15,260 --> 00:17:17,270 Um, this is another disruption. 408 00:17:18,050 --> 00:17:23,000 I think AI shines a light on how important 409 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,030 it is for us to hone in to those emotional 410 00:17:26,030 --> 00:17:29,210 intelligence and interpersonal skills that 411 00:17:29,210 --> 00:17:32,690 are so important that cannot be replicated 412 00:17:32,690 --> 00:17:33,950 with technology. 413 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:38,300 So my number one takeaway as I kind of watch 414 00:17:38,300 --> 00:17:41,870 it is how are we empowering our teams to 415 00:17:41,870 --> 00:17:45,860 make themselves irreplaceable by. 416 00:17:47,660 --> 00:17:50,750 Increasing their emotional intelligence, 417 00:17:50,750 --> 00:17:54,140 their human centric leadership, and 418 00:17:54,140 --> 00:17:57,380 leveraging AI to increase productivity. 419 00:17:57,380 --> 00:18:01,550 But. Not replace human connection. 420 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:05,670 Carol Cox: Yes, and that is so well said, Denise. 421 00:18:05,670 --> 00:18:08,220 I absolutely love that, because, you know, 422 00:18:08,220 --> 00:18:11,460 the thing that humans are great at is being 423 00:18:11,460 --> 00:18:14,010 human. And that's the thing that I can't do. 424 00:18:14,010 --> 00:18:15,930 It can mimic it like, you know, it can it 425 00:18:15,930 --> 00:18:18,150 can write great. It actually can be very 426 00:18:18,150 --> 00:18:20,310 empathetic when when you as a, as a 427 00:18:20,310 --> 00:18:21,480 therapist or as a coach. 428 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:23,760 But we know it's mimicking humans because 429 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,340 it's been trained on human writing and human 430 00:18:26,340 --> 00:18:28,770 data and all everything that we've given it. 431 00:18:28,770 --> 00:18:31,080 And so I agree, like, you know, sharing like 432 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,630 storytelling, you know, as humans we have 433 00:18:33,630 --> 00:18:35,190 embodied experiences. 434 00:18:35,190 --> 00:18:37,020 So how, you know, sharing those stories with 435 00:18:37,020 --> 00:18:39,240 each other and and helping each other out in 436 00:18:39,270 --> 00:18:41,100 that way and then doing that, you know, 437 00:18:41,100 --> 00:18:43,440 strategic, high level thinking that's going 438 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:45,360 to move our organizations forward or that's 439 00:18:45,360 --> 00:18:46,980 going to move society forward. 440 00:18:46,980 --> 00:18:49,830 And using AI, you know, to help us solve big 441 00:18:49,830 --> 00:18:51,720 problems. That's some of the things that I'm 442 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:54,390 excited about. So, Denise, you mentioned 443 00:18:54,390 --> 00:18:55,980 about, you know, making sure that 444 00:18:55,980 --> 00:18:58,380 organizations and their team members, you 445 00:18:58,380 --> 00:19:01,620 know, kind of, you know, have are, you know, 446 00:19:01,620 --> 00:19:03,150 getting the guidance that they need. 447 00:19:03,150 --> 00:19:04,980 So, you know, and I know that you're doing 448 00:19:04,980 --> 00:19:06,090 work with organizations. 449 00:19:06,090 --> 00:19:08,160 So how do you see professional training and 450 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,520 education evolving to prepare us for a world 451 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:13,230 where increasingly, AI is going to be doing 452 00:19:13,230 --> 00:19:16,170 a lot of the tasks and responsibilities that 453 00:19:16,170 --> 00:19:18,300 we've done and some of the tasks that we may 454 00:19:18,300 --> 00:19:20,640 have enjoyed doing, and some tasks where 455 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:23,700 maybe we're glad, right, to have the AI do 456 00:19:23,700 --> 00:19:24,840 it for us instead. 457 00:19:25,230 --> 00:19:29,070 Denise Musselwhite: You know, I think that it's a great tool for 458 00:19:29,070 --> 00:19:31,800 accelerating progress. 459 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:37,230 And I could see how, um, rather than people 460 00:19:37,260 --> 00:19:39,630 being fearful of it replacing jobs. 461 00:19:39,630 --> 00:19:43,710 But how might we create more with the talent 462 00:19:43,710 --> 00:19:47,160 we have, because they have accelerated their 463 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,590 possibilities for productivity in ways that 464 00:19:49,590 --> 00:19:51,270 weren't possible before. 465 00:19:51,660 --> 00:19:54,450 Right. So how could we create more of 466 00:19:54,450 --> 00:19:58,080 whatever that, um, strategic offering that 467 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,110 we, we share as an organization? 468 00:20:01,860 --> 00:20:05,550 Because I enhances what we do rather than 469 00:20:05,550 --> 00:20:10,050 thinking about it as sacrificing and cutting 470 00:20:10,050 --> 00:20:15,000 employees, how could we make employees more 471 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,000 productive so that we can accelerate change? 472 00:20:18,630 --> 00:20:21,270 Right? How can we produce faster? 473 00:20:21,270 --> 00:20:24,900 How can we stand up leadership and 474 00:20:24,900 --> 00:20:28,230 development courses faster to serve the 475 00:20:28,230 --> 00:20:31,020 niche that we need within our organizations? 476 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:34,740 Um, providing more opportunities for people 477 00:20:34,740 --> 00:20:36,540 to connect more personally with what they 478 00:20:36,540 --> 00:20:38,310 need from professional development. 479 00:20:38,460 --> 00:20:41,850 What's interesting to me is so much of what 480 00:20:41,850 --> 00:20:45,930 I talked about when I was a CIO in education 481 00:20:45,930 --> 00:20:50,190 tech was about personalized instruction for 482 00:20:50,190 --> 00:20:52,200 students and the employees of the 483 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,410 organization. Ai provides us with this 484 00:20:55,410 --> 00:20:59,880 really unique opportunity to get that right, 485 00:21:00,180 --> 00:21:05,640 because it is really great and at taking in 486 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:08,430 all this data about the people in your 487 00:21:08,430 --> 00:21:13,620 organization and refining it and producing 488 00:21:13,620 --> 00:21:17,730 outlines, courses that speak directly to 489 00:21:17,730 --> 00:21:19,950 what that person needs in a way that a human 490 00:21:19,950 --> 00:21:21,210 can't do that quickly. 491 00:21:22,360 --> 00:21:24,520 So I just see opportunity. 492 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:26,740 Even though there is a lot of ethical 493 00:21:26,740 --> 00:21:28,870 concerns that I still have. 494 00:21:29,530 --> 00:21:32,200 Um, with regard to the medium, I don't think 495 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:36,850 that it scares me away from digging in and 496 00:21:36,850 --> 00:21:39,160 encouraging organizations to do the same. 497 00:21:39,730 --> 00:21:42,250 Carol Cox: Yes, I'm completely with you there, Denise. 498 00:21:42,250 --> 00:21:44,260 Like, this is, you know, these are these are 499 00:21:44,260 --> 00:21:46,390 very powerful tools, very useful tools. 500 00:21:46,390 --> 00:21:48,730 And they're going to be here in one form or 501 00:21:48,730 --> 00:21:51,220 another. So we should get comfortable using 502 00:21:51,220 --> 00:21:53,050 them and seeing their benefits, but also 503 00:21:53,050 --> 00:21:55,180 making sure the conversations are happening 504 00:21:55,180 --> 00:21:57,940 about ethical use, making sure that 505 00:21:57,940 --> 00:21:59,320 companies have guidelines. 506 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,630 As far as you know, what data can be used, 507 00:22:01,630 --> 00:22:03,520 what's proprietary, how employees should be 508 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:04,930 using it, and so on. 509 00:22:04,930 --> 00:22:07,330 And, you know, it reminds me of there's a 510 00:22:07,330 --> 00:22:09,220 Wharton Business School professor named 511 00:22:09,220 --> 00:22:12,010 Ethan Mollick who is very into AI, and he's 512 00:22:12,010 --> 00:22:13,510 been he's been in it for a while, and he 513 00:22:13,510 --> 00:22:16,630 writes these great LinkedIn and newsletters 514 00:22:16,630 --> 00:22:18,820 about AI. And so recently he had these four 515 00:22:18,820 --> 00:22:20,470 questions for organizations to ask 516 00:22:20,470 --> 00:22:21,910 themselves. And I think not only for 517 00:22:21,910 --> 00:22:23,560 organizations, but, you know, entrepreneurs, 518 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:25,570 even even entrepreneurs, small entrepreneurs 519 00:22:25,570 --> 00:22:27,280 like us. So I'm just going to read the four 520 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:29,170 questions for the audience so they can just 521 00:22:29,170 --> 00:22:30,940 kind of put this in their mind and start 522 00:22:30,940 --> 00:22:31,960 thinking about these things. 523 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,080 Is thinking about AI with AI, what useful 524 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:37,810 thing do you do that will no longer be 525 00:22:37,810 --> 00:22:39,880 valuable for you to do it? 526 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:41,620 Because the AI can just do it faster, 527 00:22:41,620 --> 00:22:43,420 better, easier? So what's that thing that 528 00:22:43,420 --> 00:22:45,040 you that's just no longer going to be 529 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:46,390 something that you should be doing? 530 00:22:46,390 --> 00:22:49,600 Question number two on the flip side, what's 531 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:53,170 impossible thing can you now do because of 532 00:22:53,170 --> 00:22:54,970 AI? So something that seemed impossible 533 00:22:54,970 --> 00:22:57,100 before, but now you or your organization or 534 00:22:57,100 --> 00:22:58,180 your team can do it. 535 00:22:58,180 --> 00:23:01,960 Number three, what can your organization do? 536 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,750 Or you know, you as as an entrepreneur to 537 00:23:04,750 --> 00:23:08,230 move to a wider market or to democratize 538 00:23:08,230 --> 00:23:09,820 your services, right. 539 00:23:09,820 --> 00:23:11,440 So we think about like the Thought Leader 540 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:13,420 Academy and the speaking coaching that we 541 00:23:13,420 --> 00:23:15,700 do. Like obviously we're very like we like 542 00:23:15,700 --> 00:23:17,830 small groups. We're like very hands on. 543 00:23:17,830 --> 00:23:19,990 But there's a way to democratize our 544 00:23:19,990 --> 00:23:22,210 frameworks that our way of putting together 545 00:23:22,210 --> 00:23:24,130 presentations. So how can we use AI to do 546 00:23:24,130 --> 00:23:26,200 that? And then the fourth question is kind 547 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,060 of the flip of democratizing it. 548 00:23:28,060 --> 00:23:31,450 What can you move to that's upmarket or 549 00:23:31,450 --> 00:23:32,530 personalized, right. 550 00:23:32,530 --> 00:23:34,690 To have that deep personalization, that 551 00:23:34,690 --> 00:23:39,100 adaptive technology to really help users and 552 00:23:39,100 --> 00:23:41,800 learners where they're getting stuck or or 553 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:44,050 their learning style that's best for them, 554 00:23:44,050 --> 00:23:45,310 like you were talking about with learning 555 00:23:45,310 --> 00:23:46,510 and development organizations. 556 00:23:46,510 --> 00:23:48,850 Imagine that as a team member, I want to 557 00:23:48,850 --> 00:23:50,920 learn something new, but my learning style 558 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:52,540 is different than someone else's, and maybe 559 00:23:52,540 --> 00:23:53,860 I'm starting from a different place. 560 00:23:53,860 --> 00:23:55,900 Like I have more knowledge than someone else 561 00:23:55,900 --> 00:23:57,160 on that particular topic, and I don't 562 00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:58,600 necessarily need to start way back at the 563 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,610 beginning, but I can start further along. 564 00:24:00,610 --> 00:24:02,500 But the AI is going to already be able to 565 00:24:02,500 --> 00:24:03,550 pick up on that. 566 00:24:03,820 --> 00:24:06,190 Denise Musselwhite: Yeah, I love those questions. 567 00:24:06,190 --> 00:24:09,490 Those are great questions for your listeners 568 00:24:09,490 --> 00:24:10,600 to ponder. 569 00:24:10,870 --> 00:24:15,430 Um, I often in the technology team 570 00:24:15,430 --> 00:24:18,310 development work that I do start with 571 00:24:18,310 --> 00:24:21,310 questions, discussion prompts about how I 572 00:24:21,340 --> 00:24:24,880 can shape the future of their team 573 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,910 collaborations. How could they utilize it in 574 00:24:27,910 --> 00:24:31,570 practical ways to create time when time is 575 00:24:31,570 --> 00:24:32,620 at a premium? 576 00:24:33,100 --> 00:24:36,220 Um, some of the ways that I've heard have 577 00:24:36,220 --> 00:24:40,120 been really useful and practical are there's 578 00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:41,860 this stereotype that technology 579 00:24:41,860 --> 00:24:46,540 professionals prefer, um, to interact with 580 00:24:46,540 --> 00:24:49,270 computers, um, versus human beings. 581 00:24:49,270 --> 00:24:52,000 This, um, is not entirely true. 582 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,880 There are talented and fantastic 583 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:56,620 professionals who really appreciate 584 00:24:56,620 --> 00:24:58,690 interpersonal communication, but if you are 585 00:24:58,690 --> 00:25:01,720 one of those people, you can use AI to help 586 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:04,810 you draft, um, emails. 587 00:25:04,810 --> 00:25:08,770 If you struggle with that kind of of medium, 588 00:25:08,770 --> 00:25:10,840 coming up with what an email should say when 589 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,000 you have to launch a new feature or product, 590 00:25:13,420 --> 00:25:18,190 right. Um, there's also ways to utilize AI 591 00:25:18,220 --> 00:25:24,460 to diagnose, um, system optimization in ways 592 00:25:24,460 --> 00:25:26,920 that humans can't process that amount of 593 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,520 data. Um, protecting us from a cybersecurity 594 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,820 perspective, AI can accelerate the way that 595 00:25:33,820 --> 00:25:37,540 we do that, um, so that we can protect our 596 00:25:37,540 --> 00:25:40,030 systems faster and better. 597 00:25:40,270 --> 00:25:43,540 So there are so many outcomes of having 598 00:25:43,540 --> 00:25:45,640 these discussions with tech teams. 599 00:25:46,060 --> 00:25:49,930 Um, and I wonder how other organizations are 600 00:25:49,930 --> 00:25:52,000 leaning into these conversations using those 601 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,750 prompts that you shared to really get in the 602 00:25:55,750 --> 00:25:59,350 weeds with how it can, um, accelerate and 603 00:25:59,350 --> 00:26:00,880 enhance the work that we do. 604 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,900 The other thing that I always share with 605 00:26:04,900 --> 00:26:06,010 people is like. 606 00:26:06,630 --> 00:26:10,200 Don't let your fear keep you from learning 607 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:11,700 something new. 608 00:26:12,030 --> 00:26:15,750 There's so much out there that is free. 609 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,660 It is. There's no excuse to not taking a 610 00:26:19,660 --> 00:26:21,970 course or spending 45 minutes learning how 611 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:23,260 AI works. 612 00:26:24,570 --> 00:26:27,150 Because it really your future depends on it. 613 00:26:28,650 --> 00:26:29,790 Carol Cox: Yes, yes. 614 00:26:29,790 --> 00:26:31,620 As you know, the Saints have been going out 615 00:26:31,620 --> 00:26:33,510 around for a while now that says, you know, 616 00:26:33,510 --> 00:26:36,330 I won't replace humans, but humans with AI 617 00:26:36,330 --> 00:26:38,400 will replace humans without AI. 618 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,890 Denise Musselwhite: This is I, you know, as sad as it sounds, 619 00:26:42,890 --> 00:26:45,770 it's true. And it's it's no different than 620 00:26:45,770 --> 00:26:47,630 when the internet came and disrupted 621 00:26:47,630 --> 00:26:50,240 everything. It's just the new version, 622 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:52,820 right? It's the new version. 623 00:26:52,820 --> 00:26:56,510 The 2024 version of Google. 624 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,480 Carol Cox: Yes. Or having a website as a business. 625 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:00,980 Denise Musselwhite: Yeah, yeah. 626 00:27:01,010 --> 00:27:04,310 Yeah. So there are so many resources out 627 00:27:04,310 --> 00:27:06,650 there that I am going to share with you, to 628 00:27:06,650 --> 00:27:10,430 share with with your your listeners and your 629 00:27:10,430 --> 00:27:12,680 viewers in the show notes. 630 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:15,290 I have a couple of terrific resources that I 631 00:27:15,290 --> 00:27:18,350 share that make AI more accessible. 632 00:27:18,350 --> 00:27:21,830 One of them is free courses that are 633 00:27:21,830 --> 00:27:24,680 available to anyone who wants to learn more, 634 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:28,100 and then a directory of all of the AI tools 635 00:27:28,100 --> 00:27:31,100 that exist, so that you can figure out which 636 00:27:31,100 --> 00:27:33,680 tool is best for what you want to do. 637 00:27:34,250 --> 00:27:35,300 Carol Cox: Oh, fantastic. All right. 638 00:27:35,300 --> 00:27:36,320 Thank you so much, Denise. 639 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:37,880 Well, let me ask you this, since obviously, 640 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:40,280 you know, you're a big advocate of of more 641 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:41,960 women in technology, especially in the 642 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:43,460 leadership level. I have been a strong 643 00:27:43,460 --> 00:27:45,770 advocate for that for years as well. 644 00:27:45,770 --> 00:27:48,320 What do you see is is a way to encourage 645 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:51,380 more women to pursue careers in technology, 646 00:27:51,380 --> 00:27:54,110 you know, including in AI and what have you. 647 00:27:54,110 --> 00:27:57,140 What has the role of mentorship played for 648 00:27:57,140 --> 00:27:59,540 you in your career, and how do you see that 649 00:27:59,540 --> 00:28:00,890 being an impact? 650 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,440 Denise Musselwhite: Well, I mean, I wouldn't be sitting here with 651 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:08,570 you, um, as a CEO of Tech and Thrive without 652 00:28:09,050 --> 00:28:11,630 mentorship, sponsorship, and supporters 653 00:28:11,630 --> 00:28:14,420 along the way, I could not have done it 654 00:28:14,420 --> 00:28:16,340 alone. So. 655 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,730 For when I talk to women who want to either 656 00:28:19,730 --> 00:28:24,680 break into technology or who want to, um, 657 00:28:25,250 --> 00:28:27,800 grow in their own technology practice as 658 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,770 leaders, um, because they all have their 659 00:28:30,770 --> 00:28:33,710 eyes set on a higher role or more money, 660 00:28:33,710 --> 00:28:37,190 whatever it is for them, there is no 661 00:28:37,190 --> 00:28:40,790 replacement for ambition and intrinsic 662 00:28:40,790 --> 00:28:42,860 motivation. Right. 663 00:28:42,860 --> 00:28:45,680 So those are the two things that are 664 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:48,770 absolutely essential to you making your way 665 00:28:48,770 --> 00:28:50,390 in any profession. 666 00:28:50,510 --> 00:28:53,180 And there's no shortcut to that. 667 00:28:53,390 --> 00:28:59,180 So my first piece of advice is to find a 668 00:28:59,180 --> 00:29:00,710 mentor or sponsor. 669 00:29:01,340 --> 00:29:05,810 Within your realm of influence, whatever 670 00:29:05,810 --> 00:29:08,300 that may be, and ask them to support you. 671 00:29:08,630 --> 00:29:10,970 Right. And that nobody's going to come 672 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,130 knocking on your door to say, hey, I want to 673 00:29:13,130 --> 00:29:15,680 support you. I see something in you. 674 00:29:16,130 --> 00:29:18,140 Um, this is something that you have to do 675 00:29:18,140 --> 00:29:19,970 for yourself. So step out of your comfort 676 00:29:19,970 --> 00:29:21,980 zone and find those people in your network 677 00:29:21,980 --> 00:29:24,320 who can be a sponsor and supporter. 678 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,260 I am one of those people who is ready at the 679 00:29:27,260 --> 00:29:30,740 ready to be a connector for technology 680 00:29:30,740 --> 00:29:33,800 professionals. So if you don't have this 681 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:35,810 person in your world, I invite you to reach 682 00:29:35,810 --> 00:29:37,250 out to me on LinkedIn. 683 00:29:37,250 --> 00:29:38,750 I will connect you. 684 00:29:38,750 --> 00:29:40,280 I will plug you in. 685 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:43,310 If you have the ambition and the intrinsic 686 00:29:43,310 --> 00:29:48,350 motivation to lean in to your potential, I 687 00:29:48,350 --> 00:29:50,090 am all for it. I'm here for you. 688 00:29:51,230 --> 00:29:53,390 Carol Cox: Oh, that is such a kind offer, Denise. 689 00:29:53,420 --> 00:29:55,070 Thank you so much. And yes, our listeners, 690 00:29:55,070 --> 00:29:56,270 make sure to connect with Denise on 691 00:29:56,270 --> 00:29:57,920 LinkedIn. Links in the show notes whether 692 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:00,290 you need her to connect you to a mentor or 693 00:30:00,290 --> 00:30:01,790 you just want to follow her because she puts 694 00:30:01,790 --> 00:30:04,370 out great content on LinkedIn as well. 695 00:30:04,370 --> 00:30:06,440 And, Denise, I know you're also involved in 696 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:08,540 a Women in Technology organization. 697 00:30:08,540 --> 00:30:09,950 Can you tell us about that? 698 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:15,260 Denise Musselwhite: Yes. So I am the board secretary for a new 699 00:30:15,260 --> 00:30:18,650 venture called the Women in Tech and 700 00:30:18,650 --> 00:30:21,680 Entrepreneurship, which launched in Florida 701 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:24,800 in May of 2023. 702 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:26,840 So it's not even a year old. 703 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:28,880 Our chapter in Florida isn't even a year old 704 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,850 yet, or our chapter in Orlando isn't even a 705 00:30:31,850 --> 00:30:35,750 year old yet. And the organization is poised 706 00:30:35,750 --> 00:30:41,390 for great success because our, um, CEO is 707 00:30:41,390 --> 00:30:46,280 dedicated to providing free access to 708 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,730 connection, support and professional 709 00:30:49,730 --> 00:30:54,320 learning to any woman in technology or 710 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:59,450 entrepreneurs adjacent to technology who are 711 00:30:59,450 --> 00:31:04,130 wanting to build community without, um, 712 00:31:04,130 --> 00:31:08,210 drama. And right. 713 00:31:08,210 --> 00:31:09,260 That's an important. 714 00:31:09,260 --> 00:31:13,280 Yeah. So an inclusive, warm, inviting where 715 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:15,770 you can show up authentically to connect 716 00:31:15,770 --> 00:31:18,590 with other individuals who are passionate 717 00:31:18,590 --> 00:31:21,830 about technology and entrepreneurship in a 718 00:31:21,830 --> 00:31:25,370 non-competitive space that is fully free. 719 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:29,390 This has been a remarkable innovation for 720 00:31:29,390 --> 00:31:33,560 me, having been in a male dominated industry 721 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:36,380 for the bulk of my career, to have a place 722 00:31:36,380 --> 00:31:39,140 to connect with other like minded 723 00:31:39,140 --> 00:31:42,080 professionals, not just women, but also 724 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:45,260 their allies, to move the needle so that 725 00:31:45,260 --> 00:31:47,870 this place feels more inclusive. 726 00:31:47,990 --> 00:31:48,140 Mhm. 727 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:49,700 Carol Cox: Oh that's wonderful. Well I'll make sure to 728 00:31:49,700 --> 00:31:51,200 include a link to that as well in the show 729 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:53,240 notes. So listeners can can find that. 730 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,130 And Denise, since this is a public speaking 731 00:31:55,130 --> 00:31:57,410 podcast, I can't let you go without having 732 00:31:57,410 --> 00:32:00,470 you share some insights and lessons you have 733 00:32:00,470 --> 00:32:02,870 for the listeners who are also speakers. 734 00:32:02,870 --> 00:32:04,340 Like as I mentioned at the beginning, you 735 00:32:04,340 --> 00:32:06,800 did recently attend our three day in-person 736 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:09,170 client retreat, and it was so fun to see you 737 00:32:09,170 --> 00:32:11,330 develop as a speaker during the three days 738 00:32:11,330 --> 00:32:13,670 that we were there. So what kind of speaking 739 00:32:13,700 --> 00:32:15,320 tips do you do you have to share with our 740 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:16,040 listeners. 741 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:18,380 Denise Musselwhite: Are speaking tips. 742 00:32:18,380 --> 00:32:21,740 You know, I, I think that because the most, 743 00:32:21,740 --> 00:32:24,020 most of the world really is scared of 744 00:32:24,020 --> 00:32:26,210 speaking, you know, this is a fear that many 745 00:32:26,210 --> 00:32:27,380 people have. 746 00:32:27,770 --> 00:32:31,040 Um, you're not alone in this feeling that 747 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:33,080 it's scary to stand in front of people and 748 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:37,670 speak. I encourage you to put yourself out 749 00:32:37,670 --> 00:32:40,370 there in safe places with people who you 750 00:32:40,370 --> 00:32:43,100 trust, like I did at the Speaking Your Brand 751 00:32:43,100 --> 00:32:47,030 retreat, because those places where you have 752 00:32:47,030 --> 00:32:49,550 supporters and encouragers are the place for 753 00:32:49,550 --> 00:32:50,600 you to practice. 754 00:32:51,290 --> 00:32:55,940 And there's no fear of failure when you're 755 00:32:55,940 --> 00:32:58,760 doing it because you simply want to grow. 756 00:32:59,150 --> 00:33:06,140 So choose a place where you can test, put 757 00:33:06,140 --> 00:33:08,450 yourself out there for presentation at a 758 00:33:08,450 --> 00:33:12,260 small conference, or at an organization that 759 00:33:12,260 --> 00:33:13,670 you care about deeply. 760 00:33:13,670 --> 00:33:16,320 And. Do it. 761 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:17,610 Just do it. 762 00:33:17,910 --> 00:33:22,020 And if you are still scared, then seek Carol 763 00:33:22,020 --> 00:33:23,730 out for support. 764 00:33:23,730 --> 00:33:27,510 Her podcast is a great, great resource. 765 00:33:27,510 --> 00:33:31,440 And you know, being scared is part of the 766 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:33,000 process of growth. 767 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:35,790 So what I'd like to tell people who ask me 768 00:33:35,790 --> 00:33:37,410 about this, because I speak a lot, is what 769 00:33:37,410 --> 00:33:39,570 do you do about being nervous before you go 770 00:33:39,570 --> 00:33:43,620 up? I learned how to turn those nerves and 771 00:33:43,620 --> 00:33:45,930 that adrenaline into excitement. 772 00:33:46,260 --> 00:33:49,830 So I retrained the feeling and I retrained 773 00:33:49,830 --> 00:33:51,990 my brain. When I have those butterflies, 774 00:33:51,990 --> 00:33:54,600 which every single person that I know does, 775 00:33:55,050 --> 00:33:58,230 they are because I'm excited to share and to 776 00:33:58,230 --> 00:33:59,670 meet everyone that's there. 777 00:33:59,820 --> 00:34:03,000 And when I reframe it, it's easier. 778 00:34:03,570 --> 00:34:06,240 It's still a challenge because you have to 779 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:08,220 prepare, but. 780 00:34:08,850 --> 00:34:10,050 That feeling. 781 00:34:10,050 --> 00:34:12,780 Those butterflies are me being excited to 782 00:34:12,780 --> 00:34:16,320 share what I think, and I know is really 783 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:18,060 important for the audience to hear, because 784 00:34:18,060 --> 00:34:19,440 it's going to move the needle for them. 785 00:34:20,310 --> 00:34:22,950 Carol Cox: Yes, I love the reframe, and I completely 786 00:34:22,950 --> 00:34:24,270 agree with you that, you know, we get 787 00:34:24,270 --> 00:34:26,490 nervous. It's a physiological reaction our 788 00:34:26,490 --> 00:34:28,260 bodies have for good reason, because our 789 00:34:28,260 --> 00:34:30,690 bodies and our brain wants to protect 790 00:34:30,690 --> 00:34:32,730 ourselves. But reframing it into like number 791 00:34:32,730 --> 00:34:35,370 one, this is normal to the feel, the the 792 00:34:35,370 --> 00:34:36,930 butterflies and the nerves. 793 00:34:36,930 --> 00:34:38,940 So number two, I always say like work with 794 00:34:38,940 --> 00:34:41,220 it, work with the energy, move your body 795 00:34:41,220 --> 00:34:43,620 around instead of trying to fight against 796 00:34:43,620 --> 00:34:46,260 it. And then I always say, once you get 797 00:34:46,260 --> 00:34:48,090 started, like once you're into the first few 798 00:34:48,090 --> 00:34:49,950 minutes, generally those nerves are going to 799 00:34:49,950 --> 00:34:51,270 dissipate and then you're just going to be 800 00:34:51,270 --> 00:34:52,140 in your flow. 801 00:34:52,650 --> 00:34:57,300 Denise Musselwhite: Yeah, I yes, yes, yes to all of that. 802 00:34:57,810 --> 00:35:00,270 Carol Cox: Denise. Let the listeners know the best place 803 00:35:00,270 --> 00:35:01,710 for them to connect with you. 804 00:35:01,980 --> 00:35:04,770 Denise Musselwhite: The best place to connect with me is on 805 00:35:04,770 --> 00:35:06,810 LinkedIn so you can find me there. 806 00:35:06,810 --> 00:35:08,880 And then I also, of course, have a website. 807 00:35:08,970 --> 00:35:12,330 The shortcut for that website is Tech Thrive 808 00:35:12,330 --> 00:35:13,770 dot me. 809 00:35:14,010 --> 00:35:17,580 Tech thrive dot me because I don't want to 810 00:35:17,580 --> 00:35:20,070 force your listeners to try to remember my 811 00:35:20,070 --> 00:35:23,370 complicated name, Denise musselwhite.com. 812 00:35:23,370 --> 00:35:25,620 So I created a shortcut for it. 813 00:35:25,620 --> 00:35:27,840 So tech Thrive me is my website, and 814 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:30,570 everybody can find me at Denise Musselwhite 815 00:35:30,570 --> 00:35:32,040 on LinkedIn. 816 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:36,150 I am looking forward to hearing from your 817 00:35:36,150 --> 00:35:38,820 audience, and I hope that you'll DM me 818 00:35:38,820 --> 00:35:40,830 something that I don't know that everybody 819 00:35:40,830 --> 00:35:43,200 recognizes about being a CEO. 820 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:46,680 Is that a lot of this work of 821 00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:48,990 entrepreneurship at the start, you do it 822 00:35:48,990 --> 00:35:52,050 alone. So shoot me a DM, tell me how you're 823 00:35:52,050 --> 00:35:55,530 doing. Um, it's a lonely place to be alone 824 00:35:55,530 --> 00:35:56,880 in a business growing. 825 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:00,150 And I love hearing from people who listen to 826 00:36:00,150 --> 00:36:04,770 the podcast with insights and, um, additions 827 00:36:04,770 --> 00:36:06,750 or, you know, any kind of insights that they 828 00:36:06,750 --> 00:36:07,380 might have. 829 00:36:07,770 --> 00:36:08,790 Carol Cox: Oh, fantastic. All right. 830 00:36:08,790 --> 00:36:10,680 So make sure to reach out to Denise, send 831 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:12,540 her a message. Thank you so much for coming 832 00:36:12,540 --> 00:36:13,620 on the podcast. 833 00:36:13,770 --> 00:36:15,570 Denise Musselwhite: Thank you for having me, Carol. 834 00:36:15,570 --> 00:36:17,550 I'm a huge fan, you know that. 835 00:36:17,550 --> 00:36:20,370 And I my answer is always yes whenever you 836 00:36:20,370 --> 00:36:20,850 ask. 837 00:36:21,150 --> 00:36:22,920 Carol Cox: Okay, well well okay. 838 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:24,630 So keep that in mind for next time. 839 00:36:24,750 --> 00:36:27,210 Thank you. Thanks again to Denise for coming 840 00:36:27,210 --> 00:36:29,460 on the podcast. Don't forget to take our 841 00:36:29,460 --> 00:36:32,010 free speaker archetype quiz so you can find 842 00:36:32,010 --> 00:36:34,350 out which one you are, and leverage your 843 00:36:34,350 --> 00:36:36,600 natural communication strengths and add to 844 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:38,970 them. You can get that free quiz as speaking 845 00:36:38,970 --> 00:36:41,100 your Brand.com slash quiz. 846 00:36:41,100 --> 00:36:43,440 Until next time, thanks for listening.