Manage episode 517536813 series 2701247
Devin Johnson is a tech entrepreneur and AI innovator who has built multiple high‑growth SaaS companies by combining an obsessive focus on relationships with cutting‑edge automation. His entrepreneurial journey began at 16, when a series of family hardships — a father involved in drugs, a sister battling brain cancer and the death of a close friend — pushed him to start flipping sneakers to support his household . The success of that side hustle gave him early exposure to marketing and sales . By age 19 he had become a devout Christian and found a mentor in Cody Harvey; together they would later found and build the digital marketing agency Kennected .
In 2018 Johnson and Harvey sketched an idea on a napkin: software to automate LinkedIn outreach. Frustrated by the hours he spent prospecting, Johnson “founded Kennected out of pure frustration” . As CEO he grew the Indianapolis‑based SaaS company to more than 15,000 users and over 100 employees , generating more than $15 million in annual sales . Under his leadership Kennected landed on the Inc. 5000 list at No. 583 with 832 % three‑year revenue growth , a testament to his ability to turn vision into execution. Employees describe him as an inspirational, empathetic leader who values relationships over profit and fosters a culture of hard work and positivity . He has been willing to “take massive action” since high school, travelling across the U.S. to conferences simply to network with potential clients .
After stepping away from Kennected, Johnson co‑founded SalesAI, a next‑generation sales enablement platform. SalesAI uses autonomous AI agents to qualify leads and provide real‑time voice‑ and text‑based sales conversations, reducing average response times from an hour to seconds . The platform integrates directly into a customer’s CRM to manage outreach via voice, SMS and email, and is scaling revenue more than 20 % month‑over‑month . Johnson is a four‑time Inc. 500 founder with two successful exits and has been named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year . He is a frequent speaker at AI and SaaS conferences, sharing frameworks on speed‑to‑lead and how to build AI‑first companies . Through appearances on podcasts such as Dropping Bombs, Sharkpreneur, and The Mind of George Show, he encourages entrepreneurs to harness AI while doubling down on human connection.
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devin-johnson-salesai/
130 episodes