Fireside Chat - "What the AI Performance Loop Gets Backward"
Join Michael Falato (CEO, GTM Full Throttle) and Eric Pilkington (Group CEO, UST Evolve) for a candid conversation - "What the AI Performance Loop Gets Backward"
The prevailing wisdom says: build operational excellence, then scale AI, then watch performance follow. Eric Pilkington argues the sequence is backwards — that operational maturity and AI adoption are usually the byproduct of financial strength, not the cause of it.
In this live conversation with Michael Falato, Eric breaks down what the data (and the mid-market's stalled AI adoption) actually shows, and what it means for how you prioritize your own AI investments. Bring your questions — there'll be time for live Q&A.
What we'll cover:
Why the popular "AI + operational excellence = performance" story may have cause and effect reversed — and what that means for your own AI roadmap
The historical track record of business transformations (spoiler: most don't stick) and what it tells us about betting the farm on a new operating model
Why the case studies everyone points to (Lighthouse sites, enterprise AI leaders) come from a tiny, exceptional slice of companies — not the norm
Why mid-market companies are falling behind on both operational maturity and AI adoption, and what that reveals about resources vs. capability
A practical alternative: how to build "workflow-level" readiness instead of trying to overhaul your whole operating model before proving value
How to match your AI ambitions to the resources you actually have, instead of chasing a playbook built for much larger, better-funded companies
https://luma.com/n5dygnw5
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3177549948