Don't Stop Us Now AI Edition – Details, episodes & analysis

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr Nici Sweaney, founder of AI Her Way, who brings a powerful perspective on why women urgently need to engage with artificial intelligence - not just for their own personal productivity, but for the future quality of AI itself.

Nici's journey into AI consulting and training began with a moment of clarity while rocking her toddler to sleep. As an academic, data scientist, and mother of four, she realised women,  especially those juggling multiple responsibilities, stand to benefit enormously from AI assistance. More importantly, she recognised a concerning gender gap in AI adoption that could have far-reaching consequences.

In our fascinating conversation, Nici shares:

• Why the current gender imbalance in who is using AI presents both a personal productivity loss AND a broader societal challenge
• How AI tools are actively learning from us and re-presenting our world back to us - making women's voices critical in these formative stages of the tech
• Practical strategies for moving beyond ‘tinkering’ with AI to integrating it throughout your work and personal life
• A revealing look inside Nici's own business, where AI ‘staff members work alongside humans in every function, and
• Nici’s vision for how AI could transform our future - from solving global challenges to enabling more entrepreneurial thinking.

We were particularly struck by Nici's perspective that women have a "moral obligation" to engage with AI. As she explains, these systems are currently being shaped predominantly by male users, and without diverse input they risk perpetuating bias for generations to come.

So whether you're AI-curious but hesitant, already experimenting with these tools, or looking to take your AI skills to the next level, this episode offers valuable insights on claiming your place in the AI revolution - not just for your benefit, but for all the women who follow.

Enjoy this episode with this forward thinking champion of women, Dr Nici Sweaney.

Useful Links

AI Her Way website

Nici on LinkedIn

Nici on Instagram

Special Offer for Listeners

Dr Nici has generously offered our listeners free 14 day trial access to her AI for Impact Hub, which includes comprehensive education on the five levels of AI integration, from basic prompting to agentic AI.

Access it here: https://aiherway.short.gy/DontStop

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This week we share a thought-provoking episode of Don't Stop Us Now AI Edition, where we tackle head-on some of the most challenging realities of the AI revolution.

Our guest, Isar Meitis, Founder of Multiplai AI, gives us a reality check, without the sugarcoating, explaining the potential disruption heading our way. As an entrepreneur, investor, podcaster and AI strategist who's deeply embedded in this space, Isar brings a refreshingly frank perspective about what's coming, perhaps sooner than many of us expect.

In this compelling conversation, Isar shares his predictions about the dramatic workforce changes we're likely to see in the next 2-3 years. While many experts talk about gradual transitions, Isar believes we're approaching a tipping point where AI's capabilities may create significant employment challenges across numerous industries.

We explore:

• Why AI's impact on jobs could be more sudden and widespread than most people realise
• How staggeringly capable autonomous Agents will become in the next few years
• How to think about creating a comprehensive and winning AI strategy for your organisation, and 
• Specific AI tools Isar loves and uses in his own business. 

Isar also shares practical strategies for listeners looking to remain relevant and valuable in an increasingly AI-enhanced workplace. 

This is an ‘edge of your seat’, fascinating and somewhat controversial conversation which, as you’ll discover, runs a little longer than our usual episodes. We think you’ll know why once you hear for yourself.  

Enjoy this unmissable episode with the knowledgeable and straight-talking Isar Meitis. 

Links mentioned:

• Isar Meitis LinkedIn
• Multiplai AI website 
• Isar’s AI Business Transformation Course (starts May 12 2025) **Listeners get a discount for this or future sessions of this course using the code: LEVERAGINGAI100
• Leveraging AI Podcast (on YouTube) 

* Don’t forget to share this episode with any friends, family or colleagues who may be interested in this reality check on what's coming with AI

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This week’s episode of Don't Stop Us Now AI edition is with a fascinating guest who has a box seat in understanding what’s going on with AI in businesses around the world. 

Helen Mayhew is a McKinsey & Company Partner and one of the leaders of its AI division, QuantumBlack. A Cambridge graduate, Helen has deep data analytics and AI expertise. Her day job is to guide leading organisations on their advanced analytics journeys and AI innovation and implementation. 

In this episode, Helen covers everything from the broad spectrum of initiatives and use cases different businesses are and will be trying, to detailing how radically different our roles are likely to be in future. 

Helpfully, she shares some of the key skills we’ll all need to remain valuable and she reveals her belief that almost every workday process and every person’s day will be reimagined and done differently thanks to AI.

Helen also shares some incredible research predictions about the future in case you were in any doubt about AI’s coming impact on us all. For example, between 30-40% of all tasks done at work today won’t need to exist in the future. Yes you read that right, 30 to 40% of what we humans do today will be replaced by AI according to this research! 

Helen is really good at explaining things very clearly and bringing a variety of AI use cases to life. She also shares some of her favourite AI learning resources which you can see in the links below. 

This is an unmissable episode, so learn what’s coming your way with the ever curious and super smart Helen Mayhew. 

Useful Links

Helen Mayhew LinkedIn

QuantumBlack website

Mckinsey website

Chat GPT 

Gemini

Stable Diffusion 

Microsoft AI Learning Hub

Fast AI / AI for Everyone course

DeepLearning founder and Coursera co founder: Andrew Ng courses 

Practical AI podcast

Lex Fridman podcast

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This week’s episode features one of the most unassuming and humble entrepreneurs we’ve met.

Adina Jacobs is the Co-Founder of an international technology accessories company called STM Goods that basically created a whole new category of product when it launched it 23 years ago. (Think really functional and yet not boring laptop backpacks and bags, ipad and tablet covers, chargers, and a whole host of other accessories.)

Adina’s success as a young entrepreneur is testament to the power of building win-win relationships; whether it’s with manufacturers or retail clients. It was thanks to great relationships with Apple resellers that led to her products landing coveted space in Apple’s own destination retail stores when they launched. 

And not only does Adina work with Apple but STM are also key suppliers of Microsoft accessories as well, plus many other brands. 

Adina is also Co-Founder of Mentor Walks in Australia, a not-for-profit expanding all around the country with its ‘walk and talk’ model. We had her Co-Founder, Bobbi Mahlab, on the show some months back.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• How a creative use for a padded postal envelope 23 years ago was the genesis of a new product category, and an internationally successful business
• How Adina thinks, and goes about, building win win relationships 
• How STM has succeeded getting things successfully manufactured in China and elsewhere in the past two decades; and 
• How to set yourself up for success with your Co-Founder. 

So sit back, relax and enjoy this episode with the humble and high achieving Adina Jacobs. 

Useful Links

Adina on LinkedIn

STM website

MentorWalks website



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This week we look at the realities of being a startup founder. Becoming an entrepreneur and a founder is increasingly popular, even with school students where a recent survey showing that 40% of them now want to be entrepreneurs when they complete their studies. 

But it’s not all fame, fortune and delightful autonomy if you intend to build a business that will scale and survive. And we figured, who better to hear what being a founder is really like than one of Australia’s most successful female entrepreneurs, Cyan Ta’eed, the Co-Founder of the hugely successful digital marketplace, Envato (valued at over a billion dollars). 

Cyan is also the founder of the ethical chocolate company Hey Tiger and go milkshake, an app for Instagram influencers. 

In this episode she shares with us just how hard she and her co-founders worked to get Envato off the ground. It didn’t mean that they couldn’t choose where they’d work those long hours as you will hear in this fascinating insight into this Founders reality. 

Enjoy this mini episode. 

Useful Links

Cyan Ta’eed’s full interview

Cyan’s personal Instagram

Hey Tiger Instagram

Hey Tiger website – order your chocolate here (delivery to Australia, NZ & US for now)

Milkshake Instagram

Envato Instagram

Envato website

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We have a very special episode this week because we’re sharing the vulnerable story of how one of our guests was subsequently fired from a high profile role in the US and how she navigated her way through the dark times that followed.  

That guest is Heidi Hackemer and what she shares in this episode is so generous and valuable for all of us to hear; after all nothing is permanent and plans fall over on a regular basis. 

Heidi is a leading creative who had her own brand agency in New York and also headed up the Creative Studio at the philanthropic Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) in California. 

Not long after our first conversation with Heidi in July 2018 things went wrong, very wrong. Heidi was fired from CZI and not only that, when she got back to New York, she had to close her brand strategy agency, W&W too. We learnt about this because Heidi wrote an extremely brave and vulnerable article on Medium (link below) describing what had happened and how low she was feeling.

Admiring her generous honesty, we reached out to her just as COVID was taking hold everywhere round the world last year. Heidi agreed to speak with us.

After our conversation, we made a decision not to publish the interview last year, as it just felt too raw. With Heidi’s permission, we’ve all agreed that now is the right time to share the story she has been so generous in sharing with us. She’s well and truly bounced back from the lows she describes and is now the Executive Creative Director for North America at the booming global company, Oatly. 

In this episode Heidi shares: 

• How, after being fired, she initially couldn’t stop worrying about money
• Her advice for others who lose their jobs
• Heidi’s generous sharing of all the things she did to pull herself out of depression and bounce back, 
• And the inspiring reason she shared her extraordinary piece on Medium

Even if you are securely employed right now, we really recommend you listen to this unique conversation. And if you know someone who’s lost their job make sure they listen to this too! They’ll thank you later. 

Enjoy this episode with the generous, and very thoughtful, Heidi Hackemer.

Useful Links

Heidi on LinkedIn

Medium article that prompted this second interview

Heidi on Twitter

Heidi on Instagram

Oatly website

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This week’s future-proofing mini episode is all about making the most of meetings you attend at work. And seriously, this is one of the most important tools you have to develop your visibility and your reputation. 

How many times have you sat through a meeting trying to jump in and contribute, or worse, left a meeting realising you hadn’t said anything at all?

As you’ll hear in today’s show, more than one senior executive uses the ‘15 minute Rule’ to hold themselves, and sometimes their direct reports, to account. In other words, have you contributed something or asked a question within the first 15 minutes of any meeting you attend? 

Hear some terrific advice from corporate highflyer and Honeywell’s President & CEO of Honeywell Connected Enterprise, Que Dallara who’s a strong believer in making sure you’re visible if you’re at the table.  

So do not miss this episode if you sometimes leave a meeting wishing you’d made a particular point or had had the courage to ask that question that had been on your mind. 

Useful Links

Link to Que’s Full Interview

Que’s LinkedIn 

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Can you believe it? Almost three years ago we started this podcast and now we’re excited to be releasing this, our 100th episode! 

A particular thank you to you if you’ve taken the time to review, subscribe or recommend our show as it really makes all our work that much more worthwhile. And we always love to hear from you, whether it’s guest or show ideas, or any feedback. Just email us here. 

This week’s 100th episode features a woman who has a pretty incredible story. Her name is Mouna Aouri and she’s a Tunisian who started out as a bridge engineer, including working for 7 years in Japan. (And Japan is NOT an easy place for women to work!)  

After running a successful business in her home country of Tunisia, Mouna now works in Singapore with Beacon Fund which is investing in female entrepreneurs in South East Asia. Not only that, she launched and runs her own online community supporting women entrepreneurs called ‘Woomentum’. 

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• Why Mouna left Tunisia to build bridges in Japan
• How her successful business and life was turned upside down by the Arab Spring uprising
• How, after losing her identity as a new Mum in a new country, she picked herself up and turned her experience into a business supporting other women; and 
• The common mistakes female entrepreneurs make and how to overcome them.

Mouna is very open and vulnerable about the difficult time she encountered trying to reinvent herself and her career in a new country and as a new Mum, and her story of how she bounced back is really inspiring. 

So why not grab yourself a yummy slice of ‘100th episode cake’ 😂 and enjoy this episode! 

Useful Links

Woomentum - community supporting female entrepreneurs

Beacon Fund - funding female entrepreneurs

Link to the Research Mouna mentioned - The Path to Success: How Women-owned Business Transform in the Era of Digitalization

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This week’s mini episode is about keeping things in perspective and not taking things personally at work. We hear great advice from one of our wisest guests, Julia Paige, Uber’s global head of Social Impact. 

We both have in our time, and the wasted hours of angst trying to second-guess the motivations of others or their perceptions of us, were truly a waste of time.

How often have you been rattled by something someone has said to you at work, then spent hours ruminating and worrying about how you're perceived by others? Spare yourself the pain and check out this mini episode to help you realise if it's work ...it's not personal!

Useful Links

Link to Julia’s full interview

Julia on LinkedIn

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A recent Microsoft trends in work report showed that 40 billion more emails were sent in February 2021 than the previous February, due to the increase in remote working. No wonder so many of us are feeling burnt out and that our work/life boundaries are all askew! 

We’re happy to say our latest ‘How To’ episode is jam-packed with tips on how to appropriately say “No” at work, whether you’re an employee or work for yourself. 

We’re not saying it’s always right or easy to say “No” but what we do observe in our leadership work around the world is that some people say “Yes” way more than they need to and can be taken advantage of. 

If you think this might be you, then don’t miss this episode where you’ll learn:

• The reasons why we often find it hard to say “No”
• Great responses you can try when asked out of the blue to do something for someone
• A useful framework one professional speaker and author uses to work out what to say “No” to; and 
• An intuitive way to figure out what your true priorities are. 

So before you reply to any more emails, enjoy this episode! 

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