Smart Strategies for Building AI Maturity with Ryan Bearden

Tech Marketing Rewired

I am always looking for ways to improve. Send me a text and let me know your thoughts! - Kevin

"I'm having more fun now at work than I can ever remember." When Ryan Bearden shared this feedback from a client who had gone through his AI training program, I knew we were onto something special in this conversation.
The noise around AI implementation is deafening, but what's often missing is practical guidance on how to actually get your team using these tools effectively. Ryan cuts through the hype with refreshing clarity, drawing on his 25+ years of B2B marketing leadership at companies like AT&T to offer a pathway that works.
What makes Ryan's approach unique is his insistence on applying AI directly to your team's current workload. "Work on your work" is his mantra – no theoretical use cases, no abstract concepts. The transformation happens when people see AI improving their actual deliverables, often within days of starting training.
The "transformation journal" concept he introduces is brilliantly simple yet powerful: documenting exactly how AI impacts each task, from time saved to quality improvements. One client discovered they were saving three full days per month per person – but more importantly, they were redirecting that time to strategic work that had previously been impossible due to bandwidth constraints.
For executives feeling pressure to accelerate AI adoption, Ryan offers valuable perspective on setting realistic expectations while still driving meaningful change. "Start small, see what could be possible" provides a framework that builds confidence rather than creating resistance.
What struck me most was Ryan's observation about human connection in the AI implementation process. Creating space for teams to share their experiences – both successes and failures – accelerates learning in ways no structured curriculum can match. The serendipitous conversations that emerge when teams discuss their AI experiments often reveal the most valuable insights.
Whether you're just beginning your AI journey or looking to scale existing initiatives, this episode offers a roadmap for implementation that balances ambition with practicality. Subscribe now and join the conversation about how to make AI work for your marketing team without the overwhelm.

🎧 Tech Marketing Rewired is hosted by Kevin Kerner, founder of Mighty & True.

New episodes drop regularly with unfiltered conversations from the frontlines of B2B and tech marketing.

Catch the video version of the podcast on our YouTube channel.

👉 Subscribe, share, and connect with us at www.mightyandtrue.com

📩 Got a guest idea or question? Email us at [email protected]

🔗 Follow Kevin on LinkedIn for more insights and behind-the-scenes takes.

📰 Subscribe to Kevin's Substack at: Subscribe to Kevin's Substack at: https://kevinkerner.substack.com/
📰 Want more tech marketing insights? Subscribe to the Drag & Drop newsletter for fresh thinking, real talk, and tools that make your job easier.

www.mightyandtrue.com

Chapters

1. AI Implementation in B2B Marketing (00:00:00)

2. Current State of AI Adoption (00:03:14)

3. Starting Small with AI Pilots (00:07:19)

4. Communicating Effectively with AI (00:12:30)

5. Building Team Training Programs (00:19:27)

6. Implementing AI Without Overwhelm (00:27:08)

7. Executive Pressure and Realistic Expectations (00:35:43)

8. Measuring AI Success and Final Thoughts (00:40:18)