Host: Carrie Tuttle
Guest: Ian Tell

What happens when a chemist-turned-sales leader meets the AI revolution?

In this episode, Carrie sits down with Ian Tell, Chief Revenue Officer at Bison and Bird, to demystify the real-world impact of AI on operations, sales, and leadership.

Ian breaks down how AI agents can take on specialist roles in your organization, from summarizing emails to analyzing complex schedules. Learn why the future isn’t one all-knowing AI, but a team of specialized agents working together, like staff would do. He shares how AI support helps him be more present in human-to-human interactions and speed up contract review.

Before you go implementing the next shiny new tech, he calls out the importance of understanding organizational needs and analyzing your activities, especially repeatable tasks, to see where AI can help.

Once you start implementing, Ian suggests treating AI like a new team member. Give it context, set expectations, and get specific. He emphasizes the importance of clarity in interactions with AI and human teams, the necessity of onboarding and training AI systems, and how AI tools can enhance leadership effectiveness. The more you communicate, the better the results—just like with people.

Leaders, take note: Even if you haven’t rolled out an official AI policy, odds are your team is experimenting on their own. Ian talks about governance, security, and onboarding to keep your data safe and your team empowered.

Ian’s Top AI Tools:

Copilot: For secure, private work environments.
ChatGPT: For creativity and brainstorming.
Claude: For detailed documentation and SOPs.

About Our Guest

Ian Tell is the Chief Revenue Officer at Bison and Bird, where he helps companies streamline operations, predict trends, and drive growth through cloud, AI, and tech-driven leadership. With a background in chemistry and over 25 years in sales and leadership, Ian brings a unique blend of technical know-how and people-first wisdom.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make AI work for your team—or what “data therapy” really means—this is the episode for you.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS:

“The more specialized the [AI] agent is, the better it's going to be able to perform a specific task.”
“Software isn’t the answer. It’s a gateway to better answers.”

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Small, specialized AI agents can drive big efficiency gains when they’re given clear roles and context.
AI can automate administrative tasks, freeing up time for high-value work.
Digital transformation begins with understanding your team’s roadblocks and goals
Leaders should establish governance around AI usage to protect sensitive information
Different AI tools serve different purposes
Ask AI questions about it’s capabilities and limits, so AI teaches you to use AI effectively
Effective leadership involves understanding team members' goals.
The best leaders are those who know themselves and empower their teams to do the same.
The fastest way to learn about AI is to start testing it and try to break it

LINKS FROM EPISODE:

Learn more about Bison and Bird @ Website: https://www.teambisonandbird.com/

Bison and Bird on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bison-bird/

Portal Mill https://www.portalmill.com/

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Data Therapy First, Then AI with Ian Tell