Between building the product and meeting customers, I attended 4 events in SF with Lee. We met with the CRO and CEO of G2, who hosted an event with top tech companies during Dreamforce. The vibe was optimistic.
“Focus on the consumer and tell emotional stories”
This line stood out to me last week.
On Wednesday, Nike replaced the CEO. Nike's new CEO (former president of Nike) said this in his message. I happened to be onstage with the Global VP of Nike Jordan discussing what makes an iconic brand on Tuesday along with Amani Martin leading parts of the brand at Barcelona.
We discussed various topics, but the important part of the conversation was the distinction between “Iconic brands” and “great brands.”
What I realized in the conversation is that Jordan is an iconic brand because it makes people “feel.” The feeling is special and represents being part of something. The reason for this is that the emotion is tied to a human, demonstrating being iconic, and people love it.
What about other brands? If you look at Tesla or Apple, a human's fingerprints infuse that brand. This is deeply tied to the culture. Many times, it can feel polarizing. Does a new or small business need to have a larger-than-life human?
My opinion is still no, but the brand must travel from humans to humans and infuse the brand. This is the secret or special hand-crafted pizza place or the secret VIP event at the conference that you need to know someone to get into.
While LVMH is not a small business example, it's about how a brand can transcend cultures. Virgil Abloh brought luxury to parts of the world that it was not for, and at the same time, respected the principles of the brand.
My takeaways for business leaders is:
My conclusion is that AI, which helps you be more human and connect with your thoughts and ideas, allows you to focus on your customer needs and develop products and services they really want, is a winner.
This week:
We will combine our AI products into one this week for our early-access users:
For early access
Finally Thoughts
If you want to be in the tech ecosystem, you must spend some time in the Bay. It's a must; it's like being in fashion and not going to Paris. Of course, tech is everywhere, but getting the critical mass in one place helps you understand why Silicon Valley is still an iconic brand.
In the Berkeley Deep Tech AI transformers session held by Zeta Alpha, these events were within 20 minutes of each other in the Bay area. A big takeaway was that AI companies have spent too much time building models instead of thinking about the systems of work.
Nov 2023: We got to see what was possible.
Sep 2024: We are using AI for some tasks.
2025 will redesign the workflow team and design to leverage AI.
The trend for me will be:
- Smaller Teams
- Bigger Impact
- Sharing Stories
P.S
I'll be speaking at AI fest on Friday. Free tickets to AI fest will be available, and early access to Tunde.ai will open up on Thursday.
Session Title: Work 2.0: AI’s Role in the Future of Employment
Session Description: In this panel session, industry experts will delve into the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the job market. Explore how AI reshapes roles, creates new opportunities, and redefines the skills needed for tomorrow’s workforce. Join us to gain insights into how organisations and individuals can adapt to this rapidly evolving landscape, ensuring they remain competitive and resilient in the face of AI-driven change.
