B2B SaaS Product Growth Advisor @ TechSalestr | Product-Led Growth | Sales Enablement

Founder @ TechSales | Product Growth, Sales Enablement & AI-Powered Outbound Systems for B2B SaaS

We help SaaS companies build predictable, scalable revenue engines.
Our work combines growth strategy, RevOps, outbound automation, and AI workflows, built for teams that need results, not noise.

What we fix

- Not enough qualified leads
- Weak positioning or unclear ICP
- Low conversions across the funnel
- Pipeline chaos & manual processes
- Outbound that doesn’t get replies
- No automation, no AI, no systems

What we build

🚀 Product Growth Systems
ICP, positioning, messaging, activation funnels, PLG motions, and retention frameworks.

🎯 Sales Enablement & RevOps
HubSpot architecture, pipelines, automation, playbooks, follow-up engines, and reporting dashboards.

📩 AI-Powered Outbound Engines
Multichannel outbound (LinkedIn, email, and voice AI calls), deliverability setup, list building, sequencing, Apollo/Instantly/Heyreach optimization, and n8n/Make automation.

I’ve worked with 25+ SaaS companies, designed hundreds of GTM workflows, and founded Türkiye’s first B2B Tech Sales & Product Growth community.

My approach is shaped by engineering, a Business Innovation master’s at Porto Business School, and my Culinary Arts training at the Tourism School of Porto.

👉 Follow for insights on SaaS growth, outbound, and RevOps systems.
👉 DM me or book a slot: https://bit.ly/techsalestrcom
👉 Explore: www.techsalestr.com

Tunahan Tolga Yıldız

Joined Web Summit Lisbon today as Aziz’s guest and even though I could only stay for 5–6 hours, it was absolutely worth it. Met so many old friends, partners, and clients, and discovered plenty of new networking opportunities along the way.

Honestly, events like this deserve at least three full days to explore properly. For anyone who knows what they’re looking for, this place is truly a paradise. Hopefully next year, I’ll be here as a founder showcasing my own startup!

B2B SaaS Growth Consultant | LinkedIn Growth · HubSpot & Sales Enablement · Lead Generation | Trusted by 25+ Teams

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(EN below) Türkiye’de inanılmaz bir girişimci potansiyeli ve güçlü bir B2B yeteneği olduğuna inanıyorum. Bugüne kadar edindiğim tecrübe, doğru eğitim ve doğru rehberlikle çok daha fazla girişimci ve profesyonelin küresel pazarlara açılabileceğini gösterdi. Bu yüzden TechSales Akademi’yi kurdum. 

Amacım;
🔺 Girişimcilere yalnızca mentörlük değil, incubator ve accelerator programlarının eksik kaldığı alanlarda gerçek saha deneyimi sunmak,
🔺 B2B alanda çalışan profesyonelleri daha iyi ve güncel becerileriyle donatmak,
🔺 Öğrencilere ise erken yaşta global iş yapabilme farkındalığı kazandırmak.

Şu an Akademide başlatmayı planladığımız 3 eğitim bulunuyor. Detaylara buradan ulaşabilirsiniz. https://lnkd.in/dcEG_EGj

🎁 Sürpriz
Bu eğitimlerden 3 kişiye ücretsiz katılım hediye edeceğim. Katılmak için tek yapmanız gereken: +1 yazıp yorum bırakmak. Ayrıca yorum bırakan herkes seçtiği eğitimde %25 indirim kazanacak.
 
📆 Çekiliş sonuçlarını 2 hafta sonra paylaşacağım.

Bu yolculukta yalnızım ama biliyorum ki bu içerikler ne kadar çok B2B girişimci ve profesyonelinin karşısına çıkarsa o kadar fazla kişiye dokunabiliriz. Desteğiniz için şimdiden teşekkür ederim. 

--
I truly believe that Türkiye has incredible entrepreneurial potential and a strong B2B talent pool. My experience so far has shown me that with the right training and the right guidance, many more founders and professionals can expand into global markets. That’s why I created TechSales Academy.

My goals are to:

🔺 Provide entrepreneurs not only with mentorship, but also with real, practical field experience in areas where incubator and accelerator programs fall short,
🔺 Equip professionals working in B2B with stronger and more up-to-date skills,
🔺 Help students gain early awareness of how to build and operate in global business environments.

We are starting with 3 programs, and you can find all the details here.

🎁 Giveaway
 I will offer 3 free seats for these programs. To participate, simply comment +1 below. Everyone who comments will also receive 25% off for the program of their choice.

📆 I will announce the giveaway results in 2 weeks.

I may be building this journey alone, but I know that the more B2B founders and professionals this post reaches, the more people we can help. Thank you in advance for your support.

TechSales Akademi Yayında! 🎉

Uzun zamandır hayalini kurduğum TechSales Akademi artık yayında. B2B dünyasında, teknoloji ve ürün tarafı hariç Türkçe kaynak ve eğitimlerin ne kadar sınırlı olduğunu gördükçe böyle bir platform oluşturma isteğim daha da güçlendi. 

Bugün bunu gerçeğe dönüştürmenin mutluluğunu yaşıyorum. Aralık ayında iki eğitimle başlıyoruz:

🔺 Cold Outreach Eğitimi benim tarafımdan,
🔺 Startup People Systems Eğitimi hrscale kurucusu Elif Cakir tarafından.

Danışmanlık bütçesi ayıramayan girişimciler için bu eğitimlerin gerçekten hızlandırıcı bir etki yaratacağını düşünüyorum. Amacımız, erişilebilir ve uygulanabilir bilgilerle işlerinizi katbekat büyütmenize yardımcı olmak.

👉 Eğitimleri ve detayları yorumlaraki akademi sayfamızda bulabilirsiniz.

 Yeni dönemde birlikte daha güçlü bir B2B ekosistemi yaratmak dileğiyle! 🚀

(EN below) TechSales olarak dün aynı şirket için kurduğumuz e-mail outbound performansını paylaşmıştım.

Bugün de hikayenin LinkedIn + HeyReach.io kısmını eklemek istedim, çünkü iki kanal birlikte çalışınca çıkan sonuç çok daha farklı bir seviyeye geliyor.

Bu şirkette outbound’u iki omuzda yürütüyoruz:
Instantly ile e-mail
Heyreach ile LinkedIn

LinkedIn tarafında hedefimiz, rastgele kişilere rastgele “mesaj atmak” değil; doğru ICP, doğru tempo ve düzenli optimizasyonla akışkan bir fırsat motoru yaratmaktı.

Son 11 ayın sonuçları:
40.614 bağlantı isteği
%40,5 kabul oranı
12.905 mesaj gönderimi
%21,1 cevap oranı
300+ nitelikli fırsat

Bu süreç bana bir şeyi çok net öğretti: E-mail + LinkedIn birlikte doğru kurgulandığında outbound, tamamen öngörülebilir bir büyüme sistemine dönüşüyor.

Süreci, kullanılan çerçeveyi veya nasıl kurduğumuzu konuşmak istersen, DM’den yazabilirsin.

Bu arada, yarın HeyReach.io + Instantly.ai ile ilgili küçük bir duyuru yapacağım. Sadece şöyle diyeyim: Bu rakamların önümüzdeki dönemde nasıl katlanabileceğine dair ilk sinyaller geliyor. 
-----
Yesterday I shared the email outbound performance we built for the same company.

Today I wanted to add the LinkedIn + Heyreach side, because when both channels run together, the outcome hits a completely different level.

We run outbound on two pillars:
Email with Instantly
LinkedIn with Heyreach

And on LinkedIn, the goal was never “sending messages.”

It was building a fluid, self-feeding opportunity engine through the right ICP, consistent pacing, and weekly optimization.

Here are the results from the last 12 months:
40,614 connection requests
40.5% acceptance rate
12,905 messages sent
21.1% reply rate
300+ qualified opportunities

This entire process taught me one thing very clearly: When email + LinkedIn are aligned properly, outbound becomes a predictable, measurable growth system.

If you want to talk about the framework or the process behind it, feel free to DM me.

By the way, tomorrow I’ll share a small update about Heyreach + Instantly. Let’s just say it’s a first hint of how these numbers might multiply in the coming months.

This short video wasn't filmed. It was engineered. 🤖

We are approaching 2026, and the definition of "being present" in business is changing fundamentally.

I created this video using Google Gemini to craft the strategy and script, and HeyGen to bring it to life visually. But this is more than just a tech demo; it’s a glimpse into my operational roadmap for the next two years.

As we look toward 2026, my focus shifts from simply "using AI" to integrating AI into the DNA of my business strategy.

Here is how I plan to level up:
1. Scalable Presence 🌐 
Time is finite, but digital presence doesn't have to be. Tools like HeyGen allow me to deliver personalized updates, insights, and communications at scale without being tied to a camera for hours.

2. AI as a Strategic Thought Partner 🧠 
I’m moving beyond using Gemini for basic tasks. The goal is to utilize LLMs for high-level scenario planning, market analysis, and pressure-testing innovative strategies before execution.

3. Hyper-Personalization 🎯 
The future isn't about mass content; it's about relevant content. By integrating these tools, I aim to create tailored experiences for clients and partners that resonate on a deeper level.

The tools are here. The question is: How will you reshape your workflow for 2026?

I’m curious to hear your thoughts on AI integration in the comments! 👇

I just earned my HeyReach.io Expert Badge.

I’ve been using Heyreach since the very first AppSumo campaign and it’s incredible to see how far the product has come. 

Over the years, I’ve introduced it to many of the companies I work with and the evolution, especially the growing integrations, has been impressive. It’s rare to see such a strong product come out of our region and it makes me genuinely happy.

A big thank you to everyone on the team for building something this solid.Ilija, Mirjana and Bojana and a very special thanks to Ebru who has always been there whenever I needed support!

If you are exploring ways to improve your outreach setup or want to use Heyreach in the best possible way, feel free to message me. 

I’m happy to share what I’ve learned and help you get the most out of it.

The dream is REAL! Thrilled to launch TechSales Academy 🚀 to solve the major gap in actionable Turkish B2B sales/growth/strategy training.

Starting strong with:
Cold Outreach (by me)
Startup People Systems (by Elif Cakir founder of hrscale)

Full course descriptions, pricing details, and instructor bios are all inside the link below!

View newsletter: What I Learned This Week

This moment is deeply personal and incredibly exciting for me. Today, I am overjoyed to finally share the launch of the TechSales Academy, a project I

Open article: The Vision Realized: Introducing the TechSales Academy  by Tunahan Tolga Yıldız • 2 min read

The Vision Realized: Introducing the TechSales Academy

Weekdays I’m building in tech. Weekends I’m learning in the kitchen. Turns out both worlds push me in the same direction: growth.

For the last month and a half, I’ve been doing something a bit different from my usual tech/growth routine: culinary school. Cooking has been a passio

Open article: 1.5 Months in Culinary School, And Why It Changed Me More Than I Expected by Tunahan Tolga Yıldız • 3 min read

1.5 Months in Culinary School, And Why It Changed Me More Than I Expected

HeyReach.io just went MULTICHANNEL

The Instantly integration is officially live, and you can now send leads both ways:

 → Instantly.ai → HeyReach.io
 → HeyReach → Instantly

This unlocks some killer flows:
⚡ Add leads from HeyReach directly into Instantly Campaigns
 ⚡ Add leads into Instantly Lead Lists
 ⚡ Trigger Instantly follow-ups when a LinkedIn step fails (no accept, no reply, etc.)

A few real use cases are already running:

1️⃣ No connection accept? → After X days → Add to Instantly → email sequence
2️⃣ No reply on InMail? → Send to Instantly follow-up list
3️⃣ Accepted on LinkedIn but no response? → Push to Instantly → “Warm, No Reply” campaign

Setup is simple:
Generate your Instantly API key
Paste it inside HeyReach → Integrations → Instantly
Start sending leads in either direction 
Multichannel, automated, clean.

This changes the outbound flow completely. 

If you want the exact workflows I’m testing right now, just DM me!

HeyReach and Instantly Integration

My 2025 in Numbers: The "Professional" Wrapped 📊

They say numbers don't lie. Looking back at 2025, the data tells a story of building, launching, and connecting.

The Highlights:
🔺 Over 165k+ impressions across the feed.
🔺 Launched Visanom (my "top track" of the year!).
🔺 Grew a community of 14,000+ amazing professionals.

Shared 50 posts and kept the conversation going with my newsletter family.
But beyond the stats (like that 42% of you tuning in from Istanbul!), it’s the conversations and support that mattered most.

Thanks for being part of my 2025. Ready to turn up the volume for 2026?

https://lnkd.in/dMteH3_2

#LinkedInWrapped #2025Review #Entrepreneurship #YearInReview

(EN below) Bir yıl önce TechSales olarak Türkiye'deki dijital iş yapan en büyük firmalarından birisi için email outbound sistemlerimizi Instantly.ai ile sıfırdan kurarken, işlerin gerçekten çalışıp çalışmayacağından emin değildim.

Her şeyin başında; domain ayarlama, hesapları ısındırma, ICP’yi doğru seçme, mesaj ve sequence tasarlama gibi küçük adımlar vardı. Deliverability için click tracking’i bile özellikle kapalı tuttum.

Bugün rakamlar kendiliğinden konuşuyor:
144.000 gönderim
%80,61 open rate
%1,53 reply rate
89 fırsat
$271.000 pipeline

Dönüp bakınca şunu öğrendim: Doğru yapı, sabırlı iterasyon ve doğru ürünlerin desteğiyle outbound tamamen ölçülebilir bir makineye dönüşüyor.

Deneyimlerimi veya süreçte öğrendiklerimi konuşmak istersen, DM’den ulaşabilirsin.
-----
One year ago, as TechSales, when building our outbound email systems from scratch with Instantly.ai for one of Turkey’s largest digital companies, I wasn’t sure if it would really work.

At the start, everything was about small steps: domain setup, warming up accounts, choosing the right ICP, designing the right message and sequences. I even kept click tracking off intentionally for the sake of deliverability.

Today, the numbers speak for themselves:
144,000 sends
80.61% open rate
1.53% reply rate
89 opportunities
$271,000 pipeline
Looking back, here’s what I learned: With the right structure, persistent iteration, and the right products, outbound becomes a fully measurable engine.

If you want to discuss the process or what I learned, feel free to DM me.

Yesterday I joined the n8n Starter Session & Masterclass at Impact Hub Lisbon, led by Aemal Sayer and the Avanai team.

Super insightful, very hands-on, and honestly one of the most practical automation workshops I’ve attended lately.

During the session we:
 ⚙️ Built 2–3 example workflows from scratch
 🤖 Explored how to integrate AI-powered agents inside real automations
 🔗 Connected multiple apps & data sources
 ⚡ Saw how fast you can ship automation ideas with n8n

For me, the standout part was seeing how AI and automation can accelerate B2B outbound processes, especially lead enrichment, qualification, and follow-up workflows. I’m planning to integrate n8n much more into our outbound architecture moving forward.

The free 1-month n8n license for attendees was a great bonus too. 

Big thanks to Aemal and the entire team; Lisbon’s automation & AI community keeps getting stronger.

If you’re exploring n8n or want to build automations for your company (especially around outbound, lead management, or internal ops), feel free to reach out. Happy to brainstorm and even design a workflow together.

Tried LinkedIn Sales Navigator Smart Links for the First Time This Week: Surprisingly Useful for Outbound

If you're in B2B sales, you’re always sharing links: tools, docs, videos, resources…

This week I finally tested Smart Links, and honestly, this should’ve been part of my workflow a long time ago.

What Smart Links actually do:
🔺 Combine multiple content types (PDFs, decks, videos, URLs) into one single, clean link
🔺 Show analytics: who opened it, what they viewed, how long they spent, and which pages they checked
🔺 Help streamline multi-step sales processes by replacing messy, scattered links
🔺 Make follow-ups far more targeted and data-driven

How I used it this week:
-I bundled my most-used outbound tools (HubSpot, Instantly.ai, Apollo, HeyReach.io, etc.) into one Smart Link
-Added it to the end of my outbound messages as a clean, all-in-one resource

Replaced multiple separate URLs with one compact intro package

The analytics were surprisingly detailed, especially seeing who returned to the link later.

Why it matters:
Sending content is easy.

Knowing who actually engaged with it is where the insight (and advantage) lies.

If you're using Sales Navigator and haven’t tried Smart Links yet, check your plan and create one.

You’ll probably never send scattered attachments again!

“AI can automate your outbound, but it still can’t replace your empathy.”

Automation made outbound easy, at least technically.

Finding emails, setting up sequences, and sending thousands of messages a day take minutes now.

But here’s the catch:
Identifying your real ICP, truly understanding your personas, and crafting a message that hits differently that still requires a human.

I keep seeing founders doing everything “right.”
They build systems, connect CRMs, automate follow-ups...

Yet they wonder, “Why is nobody replying?” 
Because AI still can’t think like you.
It doesn’t feel like your intent, your tone, or your story.

It’s not about sending 1,000 more messages, it’s about writing the one message that sounds human.

So maybe it’s time to stop hiding behind automation and start writing like you again; scripts with soul, emails with rhythm, and messages that sound like they came from a real person, not a machine.

This week, I’m rewriting our outbound scripts from scratch to be more human and less robot.

Curious how to make your outbound sound more human? Let’s exchange ideas. I’d love to hear what’s working for you lately!

The math behind a $100k Pipeline 📉

Most people think, "I'll just send 50 emails a day." 

The math says, "To close $100k, you need X leads, Y meetings, and Z domains to ensure deliverability."

We built a Reverse Engineering Calculator to show you the actual infrastructure needed to hit your number.

Don't launch your next campaign without checking this first.

Link in the comment 👇

We all know the "Social Selling Index" (SSI). It tells you if you are a good corporate robot. 🤖 But it doesn't measure the most important thing in 2025: Your Vibe.

I got tired of boring metrics. So, we built The TechSales Oracle.

It analyzes your habits, your "red flags," and your SSI score to reveal your true professional destiny.

Stop relying on boring charts. Find out if you are a "Ghost," a "Hustler," or a "Legend."

👇 Get your Personal Card here (Free): [techsalestr.com/linkedin]

Drop your "Aura Score" in the comments. Let’s see who has the highest vibe in the network. 🏆

The Social Selling Index (SSI) tells you if you are a "good robot." We built an AI to tell you if you have a "vibe. Did you know that every time you s

Open article: LinkedIn is Secretly Scoring You. But What’s Your "Aura" Points? 🔮 by Tunahan Tolga Yıldız • 2 min read

LinkedIn is Secretly Scoring You. But What’s Your "Aura" Points? 🔮

Leaders Drive AI ROI & Adoption | Future-Proof Your Career & Organization – AWARE™ ➠ ACHIEVE™ ➠ ARISE™ (see About) | Training ➠ Upskilling ➠ AI Leadership | Executive Coach | Ex-Deloitte

Leaders: Find your First 1 Million Dollars in AI ROI.

I’ve led
• $6B+ ERP change leadership as a management consultant
• Clients served include Walmart, Seagate, 3M, Dupont, Daimler, Labcorp, Grupo Modelo & More
• Senior leaders coached in clarity, presence & strategic judgment
• Enterprise-wide implementation of future use-cases and workflows

As your Fractional Chief AI Officer for SMBs, I help:
→ Assess your AI “now” , 30-180 Day ROI Roadmap with proposed POC
→ Drive adoption of current GenAI (Copilot/ChatGPT) tools 
→ Prioritize and implement your use cases using agents & Automation
→ Increase your Revenue Per Employee, Capital Efficiency & Enterprise Valuation 
→ Build an AI first company: change management, champions & community

AWARE™ - Adopt AI, Accelerate ROI
Foundations | Teams | Pro
From readiness to measurable ROI in 30–180 days.

SMBs using AI see an average 41% increase in revenue - entrepreneur.com 

CAIOs can be budgeted as CAPEX (with AI tools) and not affect Effect EBITDA

Book a working session 
https://calendly.com/meanderingsapien/thereisnospoon

Cheers - Raja

Raja Sampathi

The greatest ROI from AI transformation isn’t the tools - 
It’s you.

This is your chance to build legacy.
The kind people talk about for decades.

You’re leading in a moment where we’re shaping a technology that can think (or damn close). 

That’s going to ask you to step out of your comfort zone and do something that hasn’t been done before.

In doing that, you’re not just boosting efficiency.
You’re creating a cultural and economic shift for your organization.

If you’ve seen 𝑆𝑒𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑖𝑡, they thought they were fixing a broken horse.
But it wasn’t the horse that changed.
It was them. In a way, both did. 

AI is the same.
You don’t just implement it.
You evolve with it.

Cheers - Raja Sampathi
Executive Coach | AI Leadership | AI Adoption

Fractional Chief AI Officer | Creator of AWARE™ Driving AI ROI, Adoption & Revenue Per Employee | Ex-Deloitte

Become the Hunter, not the Hunted 

In 2026, AI prompting and fluency are table stakes.

The benefits are impossible to ignore:
→ 91% of SMBs using AI say it boosts revenue (Salesforce)
→ Smaller firms see higher returns than large enterprises (Wharton)
→ 85% of small business owners report higher efficiency and productivity (Goldman)

Join this statistic, not the one AI obsolescence 

If you’re new to AI and want a real productivity boost - 
enroll your team in 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐄™ 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 workshop:

✔️ Future-proof your career with an AI-ready mindset
✔️ Lead AI conversations with clarity and confidence
✔️ Learn 3-5 AI workflows that save hours every week

Pilot price: $3,000 - expires after the next 3 clients.

Helping your team become AI Fluent is a holiday gift they’ll never forget. 

DM me 'AWARE' for full details.

Cheers - Raja Sampathi
AI Leadership | AI Adoption

PS: Do you think AI is still a passing fad ala Blockchain ?

Your million-dollar AI ROI is one lunch away.

Take your top performer to lunch.

Hit record. Ask:
What do you actually do?
What do you do exceptionally well?
What’s frustrating or slow?
Where can this be improved?

Upload that audio to ChatGPT.
Ask for 5 high-impact use cases you can act on this week.

That’s it. Those are use cases.
The best ones are already inside your business.

If you want this done across your whole team
That's exactly what 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐄™ 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 delivers.

→ Master the tools you already have to get real work done faster
→ Drive ROI beyond productivity - innovation + new revenue
→ Overcome resistance and lead org-wide change with confidence

Pilot price: $4,500 - expires after the next 3 clients.

In 2026, you’ll define your competition, not be defined by them.

DM me 'AWARE' for full details.

Cheers - Raja Sampathi
AI Leadership | AI Adoption

𝐏𝐒: You are that AI Enthusiast Employee & Future Champion, you should be inviting your boss for for this lunch 

𝐏𝐏𝐒: I’m having lunch with this guy next week. He's an AI Champion,  what should I ask him?

There are 2 kinds of leaders who will read this Wharton study on AI ROI

One will Consider action, other will do something about it 
This is not (just) a software installation, it is a cultural transformation 

And at the heart of it all, are people, and leadership
Never been easier to go fast , try and succeed with - 
deliberate use cases

But the risks of not doing so is - obsolescence, that will be fast too 

Time is not just enough to be on right side of History
Tis time to Write History 

𝐆𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 to write history 

The full report is here - https://lnkd.in/gv5t9QrZ

AI can automate about 57% of current US work hours - McKinsey 
That should excite you. And scare you.

This is not a job loss story.
It’s a workflow redesign story.
And most leaders are playing defense.

Here’s the excitement:
→ If you redesign workflows (not just tasks), you can unlock serious value
→ AI fluency demand is up 7x in two years
→ By 2030, the US could unlock $𝟐.𝟗𝐓 𝐢𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞, if leaders prepare people and redesign work

Here’s the fear:
→ Digital and information work gets hit first
→ “Wait and see” becomes “too late” fast
→ Most skills still matter, but how you use them changes

3 Things you need to take away for 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 
→ AI Fluency is next key communication skill
→ AI Adoption needs to leadership led, Delegating to IT = 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒 

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 
→ Work becomes a partnership: people, agents, robots - all powered by AI.

The winners will not be the most technical.
They’ll be the fastest to redesign work around humans plus machines.

What is your plan?

Cheers - Raja Sampathi
AI Adoption | AI Leadership

𝐏𝐒: Have a 4th Takeaway for us? 
(see report in the comments)

Today is the forced closing of the company you led for 15 years.

It wasn’t a competitor that took you out.
It was a machine that made you extinct.

You ignored it. Called it a fad.
Then you panic-bought a few Copilot licenses and sent a memo:

“We’re an AI-first company.”

Nothing changed.
Because you delegated it like a software rollout.

Meanwhile, the world changed anyway.

Your AI-fluent employees brought you real proposals.
Clear use cases. Cycle-time cuts. A plan.
You sent them to IT.

They left.
And your best operators followed them out the door.

Two quarters later you missed forecast. Twice.
RFPs started asking for AI policy, turnaround time, and proof of adoption.
Your answers sounded like hope.

Your best products got commoditized.

Your competitor shipped, tested, and iterated before you finished breakfast.
Their cost of output dropped. Yours stayed human.

Then the final meeting.

Investors lost faith.
Not because you were lazy.
Because you were late.

Tomorrow you’re golfing with your buddies after a “retirement” you didn’t choose.
No war stories. Just resignation.

A machine took you out.
It wasn’t even a fair fight.

I don’t want this to be real for any CEO in 2026.

So let this stay fiction.

Tomorrow, I’ll show you what to do.

You’ve Spent Millions on AI
And the only ones seeing ROI are Nvidia and Oracle.

While your dollars cool chips in a West Texas data farm,
your board is asking:
Where’s the AI ROI?

All fingers point to you.
Not because it’s your fault.
But because it’s your responsibility.

AI adoption is not a tech problem.
It’s a change management problem.
More accurately, it’s a leadership problem.

I’ve led multi-million-dollar platform deployments as a management consultant.
AI is different.

It learns. It evolves.
And it scares people. Quietly.

So your biggest risk is not the model.
It’s the humans avoiding it.

Adoption does not happen with licenses and memos.
It happens when you (leaders) learn in public and make new behavior normal.

Want to lead the change, not ready yet ? 
There is a playbook you can grab from my Featured section 

Ready now to define the future? 
Send a DM, let’s explore how a 30 day audit can help your company. 

End 2025 as a future ready leader

Cheers - Raja Sampathi
AI Leadership | AI Adoption

𝐏𝐒: Are you in the camp that thinks AI cannot/does not think?

ChatGPT helped keep your gluten-allergy kid safe on your Rome vacation.
(could have saved his life)
Six months later, it not only saved your company, but is making it Thrive. 

What started as vacation planning became a business turning point.

You got curious about this AI thing and opened ChatGPT to plan Rome for your family: 

Your son has a gluten allergy, so it mapped safe places to eat in pasta paradise.
It even helped you find non-touristy fashion stores for your daughter, and it didn’t break the bank.

You came back knowing this was the future.

You bought ChatGPT Pro for your small business.
Not as a tool. As a new way of working.

You showed your team how you used it. In public. 

Then you hired a trainer who automated the mundane stuff
and gave every team member 8 hours back every week.

Those hours became innovation.

--> Sales cut cycle time in half.
--> Marketing output doubled with the same headcount.
--> Product tested ideas before building, and launched into demand.

Old customers paid more. New customers waitlisted.

You needed more capacity, so you used AI agents without adding overhead.
Revenue per employee doubled. Your ROI looked like a hockey stick.

The best part?
What used to be 12-hour grind days became nights with dinner and your family.

You weren’t just on the right side of history.
You wrote history.

Cheers - Raja Sampathi
AI Leadership | AI Adoption

AI will give you answers. It won’t carry the consequences.
That part is still your job.

AI does not care about your people, your culture, or your business outcomes. 
It will respond with confidence either way - 𝑇𝑎𝑙𝑘 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑎 𝑌𝑒𝑠 𝑀𝑎𝑛

Your tool to stay ahead - Strategic Empathy 

It is just not being nice
→ It is signal detection
→ It is reading fear, resistance, politics, and fatigue
→ Then making decisions people can actually follow

In the age of AI, your edge is not speed. The machine wins speed. 

Your edge is clarity under pressure. 
It is staying steady when the room is anxious. 

𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Do you have a plan to stay ahead, or do you just have tools?

Cheers - Raja Sampathi
AI Leadership | AI Adoption

2026 is the year of AI ROI - We are looking at a floor ROI of 600% on our trainings, you need to plan now in the last month of 2025 to get there

I knew immediately after meeting Shana Burg that I want to work with on AI enablement , she gets It! 

Book your workshops now to use your 2025 budgets and we will deliver it post vacation , we've priced it right at $3-4.5K  for instant/ speedy approval

Founder & Principal | Shana Burg Digital | AI Literacy & Training l Inclusive Education

To be AI successful in 2026 , you need to sow the seeds in 2025.

The majority of companies say they want to begin the transition to become “AI-first” in the next few years. But what does this actually mean?

AI-first companies don’t bolt AI onto old systems.

They redesign how work happens—processes, tools, and team habits—based on what AI can do today and what’s coming next.

As my colleague Raja Sampathi shared with me:

“A 100-person team with an average loaded cost of $100K only needs a 10% productivity lift to unlock $1M in value annually.”

We met at an Austin AI Alliance event, ran out of time, and ended up continuing the conversation on Zoom a few days later.

We’re both obsessed with one question:

How do we help leaders make the leap to deeply integrate AI?

Done well, the payoff includes:

⭐️ Better work–life balance

⭐️ Higher revenue per employee

⭐️ Stronger enterprise valuation

Raja and I are collaborating. This is for you if:

✔️ You’re already using Copilot, but need help identifying use cases and streamlining workflows across teams

✔️ You want to boost productivity without adding more meetings or more tools

✔️ You’re considering an organization-wide AI transformation and want a practical starting point

Raja has 19+ years in management consulting and executive coaching, helping senior leaders navigate transformation across industries.

I’m an educator, corporate trainer, and certified AI trainer who loves working with beginners and AI-curious teams.

If you want your teams ready for an AI-first future, book a call with us and let’s map out your first wins.

Want to find out more? Set up a call here: https://lnkd.in/g7TNJRCx

Hot Take - You don't ask Michelangelo what kind of chisel he used to sculpt David  
Your systems matter more than your GenAI tool to get you the ROI you are seeking

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