Podcast Summary: Becker Business with Scott Becker

Episode: Building AI First Growth Strategies with Brett Jansen of brettjansen.ai

Date: February 17, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Becker Business features Brett Jansen, founder of brettjansen.ai and Health Tech House, for an in-depth conversation on “AI First” growth strategies. Host Scott Becker and Brett discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming business operations, from the misconceptions leaders hold to the hands-on implementation of AI for measurable business outcomes. Brett shares actionable advice, real-world examples, and details about an upcoming AI cohort aimed at helping business leaders of all experience levels leverage AI to accelerate growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brett Jansen’s Background & Entry into AI Consulting

• Experience: 20+ years in healthcare technology; roles in sales, marketing, and executive leadership, including at Optum (UnitedHealth).
• Transition to AI: Early adopter of generative AI, became a “super user” of ChatGPT, Claude, and similar models.
• Business Growth: Leveraged AI to scale her own consulting business solo, delivering outputs that clients assumed required a whole team.
  Quote:

  “I was being able to provide services and deliverables to my, my clients using AI and they all thought I had a team behind me and it, it was really just me.” (01:35)

2. Misconceptions About AI in Business Operations

• Misconception: Treating AI as just another tool to “bolt onto” the tech stack, similar to how CRMs were adopted in the past.
• Reality: AI should be seen as core infrastructure—a fundamental shift in how work is done, not an optional add-on.
• Customization Needed: One-size-fits-all strategies for enterprise AI are failing; different teams and functions require tailored tools and approaches.
• Mental Shift: Organizations must move from thinking of AI as “headcount replacement” to an amplifier of existing talent and a catalyst for operating smarter and leaner.
  Quote:

  “AI doesn't work that way. You should really rethink your perspective that it's, it's infrastructure, it's going to reshape how decisions are made, how information flows, how your teams execute.” (02:44)

3. Building Company-Wide AI Strategy vs. Siloed Use

• Current State: Many employees use AI tools individually, but company-wide adoption remains disparate.
• Strategic Approach: Brett recommends department-specific assessments to identify bottlenecks and then layering relevant AI tools where they’ll drive the most value.
• Example: A 10,000-employee company where the CTO wanted a universal solution (Copilot + ChatGPT), but Brett tailored recommendations to each department’s unique challenges.
• Evolving Tech: AI model capabilities are changing rapidly—even monthly updates can dramatically alter tool usefulness.
• Targeting Value: Focus AI on low-value, high-effort tasks to speed up decision-making and reduce organizational drag.
  Quote:

  “We’ll start to strategically assign. This is going to be a great opportunity to layer this specific AI tool... That’s where AI is really going to start to set businesses apart.” (05:34)

4. High-Impact, Low-Barrier AI Use Cases for Leaders

• Sales Intelligence: Interview top-performing sales reps, extract and document best practices using AI, and convert them into playbooks and enablement materials.
• Board & Executive Meeting Preparation: Use AI to quickly synthesize input and create succinct, high-quality pitch decks and board materials, reducing weeks of work into days.
• Tangible ROI: Drastically cuts down on repetitive or time-consuming tasks with high-quality outputs.
  Quote:

  “We’re condensing, you know, 80 hours worth of work into about 48 hours or about two days. So that's, that's to me like a wow for my clients.” (09:25)

5. The AI Cohort: AI-Powered Go-to-Market Bootcamp

• Program Structure: Six-week cohort focused on using AI in all aspects of go-to-market strategy (product, sales, marketing, ops, finance).
• Audience: Useful for startups and established companies; designed to be accessible for beginners but deep enough for immediate impact.
• Learning by Doing: Participants build their own AI-powered processes with Brett’s guidance, not just watching demos.
• Deliverables: Custom sales playbooks, refined persona matrices, working automations, pitch decks.
• Investment: $2,500 per seat, designed to be accessible for smaller companies and startups.
  Cohort Start: March 23rd
  Quote:

  “They're building alongside of me. So at the end of the six weeks they're investor ready. They are ready to blow their numbers out of the water.” (11:23)

6. Experimental vs. Embedded AI; Talent vs. Tools

• Executive Buy-In: True AI ROI requires leaders to move beyond curiosity—executive commitment is crucial.
• Mindset Gap: Older leaders risk obsolescence if they resist AI; younger employees are adopting rapidly.
• Documenting Workflows: Use AI to standardize and optimize processes, facilitating easy delegation and scaling.
• AI Talent is Key: Skilled internal super-users of AI are more valuable than simply adding “AI-enabled” hires without deep know-how.
• Healthcare Example: Predicts some roles (e.g., medical assistants) will be replaced by AI by 2026; urges current employees to become “AI super users.”
  Quote:

  “If you find some very core people in your organization that are dangerous with AI... they’re going to start to poke holes in where bottlenecks can be fixed with AI.” (17:26)

7. The Critical Mindset Shift: “AI First”

• Outcome of Cohort: Participants should leave with a fundamentally different approach to problem-solving—always looking for the AI solution first.
• End Goal: AI-enabled processes that can be expanded department by department, making organizations faster, smarter, and more competitive.
• Startup Focus: Aspires to lower the failure rate of startups by empowering them with AI-driven market and competitor intelligence.
  Quote:

  “I want people to think AI first.” (20:02)

8. Brett Jansen’s Track Record & Perspective

• Career Record: Over $125 million in closed contract value; 60+ startups advised; $250 million in raised funding in two years.
• AI as Force Multiplier: Describes how personal productivity—and subsequently her business’s growth—soared once she became an “AI super user.”
• Message to Listeners: AI is a superpower for individuals and teams, but adopting it requires intentional effort and openness.
  Quote:

  “AI can become your superpower, your team superpower, your organization superpower. But you just have to go into it with the right mindset.” (22:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On AI as Infrastructure, Not an Add-On:

  “AI doesn't work that way... It's going to reshape how decisions are made, how information flows, how your teams execute.” — Brett Jansen (02:44)

• On Department-Specific AI Adoption:

  “What sales is going to get out of Claude is going to be very different from what product is going to get out of ChatGPT.” — Brett Jansen (03:24)

• On Time Savings with AI:

  “We’re condensing, you know, 80 hours worth of work into about 48 hours or about two days.” — Brett Jansen (09:25)

• On Urgency for Leaders to Embrace AI:

  “That type of mentality is going to leave you unemployed by the end of this year... the younger generation... we are embracing it so fast and it’s changing so fast that if you don’t start digging your heels in... you’re going to be left without a role.” — Brett Jansen (16:32)

• On the Power of AI Super Users:

  “I would much rather have... a VP who is dangerous with Claude then pay thousands and thousands of dollars to hire a team of SDRs that are AI enabled that don’t know how our sales process works.” — Brett Jansen (17:48)

• On the Mindset Shift Needed:

  “I want people to think AI first. But the more important One is I want people to walk away with a very strong value add AI enabled workflow...” — Brett Jansen (20:02)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:35 — Brett Jansen on starting her AI consulting business and scaling solo.
• 02:44 — AI as infrastructure vs. a bolt-on tool (misconceptions).
• 05:34 — Department-specific AI adoption and strategic planning.
• 09:25 — Example: Using AI to dramatically reduce time on board/PE decks.
• 11:23 — Overview of the upcoming AI cohort: design, goals, audience.
• 16:32 — The necessity of executive buy-in and mindset shift.
• 17:48 — The importance of upskilling current team members to be “AI super users.”
• 20:02 — Desired outcome from Brett’s cohort—instilling an “AI first” mindset.
• 22:40 — Brett on AI transforming her career and business.

Episode Tone and Style

• Candid, actionable, and forward-looking
• Encourages experimentation but insists on strategic commitment
• Blend of technical insights and motivational perspective

Conclusion

This episode is packed with practical strategies and perspectives for business leaders wanting to move beyond AI “dabbling” into real, sustainable impact. Brett Jansen’s advice: Rethink how you work from the ground up, empower your teams (especially your “AI super users”), and be proactive in embedding AI into the infrastructure of your business—because the organizations that do will have an undeniable edge.

For more details on Brett Jansen’s AI cohort or to connect, watch for Becker’s reposts and reach out directly to Brett via brettjansen.ai.