1459: Turning AI into ROI: How to Unlock Creativity and Scale Through Smart Automation with Innovation Strategist Pete Sena

Pete Sena, founder of Digital Surgeons and a tech strategist with experience at Lego, Microsoft, and Unilever, shares how service businesses can become AI-first and achieve SaaS-like margins. He emphasizes starting with existing business practices, leveraging AI to automate repetitive tasks, and using experimentation to understand AI’s capabilities. Sena introduces practical strategies to integrate AI without disrupting operations and highlights the mindset shift needed to see AI as a productivity and growth catalyst rather than a threat. In this episode of The Marketer of the Day Podcast, Pete shares practical strategies for applying AI in everyday business operations. He covers ways to automate research, streamline content creation, and prototype new ideas quickly. Pete emphasizes hands-on experimentation and iterative learning, showing listeners how even small teams can use AI to improve efficiency, increase quality, and free up time for strategic decision-making. His approach highlights clarity, alignment, and human oversight, helping businesses turn ideas into actionable workflows. Quotes: “AI can either replace you or unlock new levels of success—mindset matters.” “Start with what your business already does well, then layer AI to amplify it.” “Clear communication with AI is key—avoid ‘work slop.’' Resources: Connect with Pete on LinkedIn Follow Pete on Twitter Become more divergently creative