What if the reason your AI investment hasn't paid off has nothing to do with the tools you picked?
In this episode of Business Builder's Playbook, host David Bush sits down with Abigail Merrill, AI consultant, speaker, and founder of Business Growth Partners, who has been working in generative AI since before ChatGPT existed. Abigail breaks down why most businesses are drowning in tools and seeing zero return, and walks through her AI for ROI framework: a three-phase, pilot-based system for turning AI chaos into compounding competitive advantage. The conversation covers shiny object syndrome, agentic AI hype, the real reason 95% of pilots fail, and why the most valuable skill in a world full of AI is still human authenticity.
Here's what you'll learn by watching or listening to this full episode:
* How to identify the highest-ROI AI use cases for your specific business across sales, marketing, and operations
* Why starting with the business problem before looking at tools is what separates companies that flourish from those that stay stuck in overwhelm
* How to run a true AI pilot — including why 95% of pilots fail and what the ones that work all have in common
* How to use Abigail's AI for ROI framework: the three-phase Align, Integrate, and Scale system she uses with clients from solopreneurs to mid-size companies
* Why top-down leadership is non-negotiable for AI adoption, and what to do when your leadership is resistant or checked out
* How to become an AI champion from any position in your organization, and why it might be the smartest career move you make right now
* Why agentic AI is largely still hype, and what the realistic timeline actually looks like
* How building safety and governance into your AI strategy from the start makes every pilot that follows faster and lower risk
Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.BusinessBuildersPlaybook.com/Abigail-Merrill