Innovation, AI, and Why Target Runs Are Now Part of My Job Description

Dreamforce2U was an opportunity to present the ideas and vision of Dreamforce 2025 alongside Salesforce AEs to those in our local market who were unable to attend. It was a unique and incredible opportunity to move beyond presentations and theory and see the future in action.

I walked out of the Dreamforce2U event genuinely energized, something that only happens when you fill a room with brilliant people and give them the space to speak honestly about what’s happening inside their organizations. Thank you for your candor and creativity, you didn’t just share what’s happening; you helped spark the future of what’s possible.

As for Target, well, that was a whole different kind of working session. During lunch, I realized I’d met so many new people that I was going to need name tags immediately or I’d be calling everyone “you” the rest of the day. I found myself powerwalking through Target like a contestant on Supermarket Sweep: Office Supply Edition, snagging name tags like they were a Thanksgiving doorbuster deal of the season!

Was it graceful? Absolutely not. Did I look like I was training for an Olympic relay in the stationery aisle? Without a doubt. But honestly, that moment perfectly captures how our team operates: we see a need, we find a solution, and we execute. Even if that solution involves wind sprints through Target fueled by fear of embarrassment and pure determination.

This has come up repeatedly throughout my travels in 2025, at every event without fail, and it was no different here. So, what are my thoughts on AI?

Here’s what I shared at Dreamforce2U:

AI, when implemented intentionally and supported by good processes, has the power to create meaningful efficiency across every vertical. It doesn’t replace the work people do; it empowers it. Answers come quicker, repetitive tasks become a thing of the past, and teams are free to focus on what really matters for their business’ success.

Organizations are already reaping the benefits of its execution:

• 7,000 cases automatically routed and resolved through an AI-enabled service model since September.
• 95% automated resolution. One agent. That’s what real AI value looks like.
• Teams “meeting users where they work” through AI-powered interactions in tools like Slack, surfacing insights, answering questions, automating tasks, and integrating systems without forcing people into yet another interface.
• Organizations rethinking their data strategy, understanding that AI is only as good as the data behind it. Clean data in → powerful outcomes result.

One theme that came up repeatedly, and is becoming more important as AI adoption accelerates, is the timeless trio: People, Process, Technology.

• People: Your teams must understand how AI supports their work, not replaces it, and why AI matters. Adoption is human first.
• Process: Automating a broken process only expedites bad outcomes. Strong, intentional processes create the structure and foundation to truly cultivate AI.
• Technology: The tools (AI, platforms, integrations) should serve the people and the process, not the other way around.

Organizations that maintain these three pillars will innovate faster, adapt easier, and see real ROI from AI initiatives. The ones that fall short on any of the three . . . won’t.

Advancements in AI are being seen monthly and at times weekly. The companies who win won’t be the ones who bolt on new features; they’ll be the ones who build AI intentionally, with governance, clarity, and real use cases that solve real problems.

During the event we talked about how operational excellence still matters in an AI-powered world. One of our customers recently completed a major compliance review and told us:

“Without the processes we built and the systems we put in place, we would not have been prepared.”

Whether you’re in financial services, consumer goods, technology, nonprofit, or any other industry, this resonates universally.

AI is only as good as the process behind it.

Every leader I talk to is facing the same pressures:

• Do more.
• Do it faster.
• Do it with fewer resources.
• And lean on AI to fill the gap.

Last week’s Dreamforce2U event showed us what’s possible when you approach AI with purpose, clarity, and a willingness to experiment in service of the people whose time, talent, and insight deserve more meaningful work.

If you don’t know where to start, how to scale, or how to bring these ideas to life inside your organization, just give us a call and we’ll show you what’s possible and how to get there.

And if you ever need name tags for your next event … well, you know who to call for that too. I know exactly where they are!