Rob Lawrence interviews Eleni Lialiamou, founder of Kimolian Academy, on how small business owners can leverage AI and technology to boost their organisation's efficiency, whilst gaining a better understanding of their customers, towards driving growth.

Eleni shares practical tips on using AI tools for customer insights, building effective communities, and simplifying business operations. Their conversation highlights the importance of combining human intuition with technology, embracing change, and continuously refining customer personas to stay competitive in today’s evolving business landscape.

Eleni also shares how 'finding your community' can help you to understand and leverage technologies, such as AI, rather than re-inventing the wheel or having to learn how to use AI from scratch; to grow your business further.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Introduction & Podcast Overview (00:00:02) Rob introduces Eleni and this episode, emphasising simplicity, community, and leveraging AI for business efficiency.

Eleni’s Background (00:02:17) Eleni shares her journey in tech, product management, and founding Kimolian and Kimolian Academy, for women in tech.

The Importance of Tools & Community (00:04:35) Discussion on how tools, processes, and community support are crucial for business productivity and growth.

Navigating Tech Overwhelm & Finding Your Pack (00:06:23) Advice on avoiding overwhelm, focusing on community, and selecting the right tools without distraction.

Practical Community Engagement (00:10:08) How to authentically find and engage with communities that support business growth and tech adoption.

Keeping It Simple & Consistent Tool Use (00:11:04) The value of simplicity, consistency, and integrating a stable set of tools into daily business operations.

AI as Leverage, Not Replacement (00:13:36) AI is positioned as a tool for amplifying productivity and creativity, not replacing human effort.

Choosing the Right Tools for the Job (00:14:53) Overview of practical AI tools for business tasks, including document search, meeting capture, and ideation.

AI for Pattern Recognition & Customer Understanding (00:18:59) How AI helps spot patterns in conversations and data, aiding in customer understanding and sales.

Bias in AI & Human Judgment (00:20:47) Discussion on AI bias, the importance of human oversight, and using AI as a sparring partner.

Combining Tools for Synthesis & Insights (00:23:38) Benefits of integrating multiple tools (e.g., Miro, Dovetail) for clustering, sentiment analysis, and deeper insights.

Chatbots & Customer Interaction (00:27:57) Rise of AI-driven chatbots, their ease of implementation, and opportunities for customer engagement and support.

AI-Driven Workflow Automation (00:31:03) The shift toward AI-first business processes, orchestrating workflows, and the paradigm change in tool integration.

Gaining a Competitive Edge with AI (00:34:04) How early AI adoption can optimise workflows, enhance customer interaction, and provide a business advantage.

Using AI to Research & Define Customer Personas (00:35:21) Leveraging AI to capture customer insights, create personas, and continuously refine understanding for better marketing.

Human-Centric Use of AI & Critical Thinking (00:38:46) Emphasising the irreplaceable role of human critical thinking and domain expertise alongside AI tools.

The Future of AI in Business & Avatars (00:39:41) Speculation on AI’s evolving capabilities, including video analysis and realistic avatars for content delivery.

Final Thoughts: Mindset, Community, and Openness (00:41:04) Encouragement to stay open-minded, find the right community, and use AI tools mindfully and productively.

Top Tip for Growing Businesses (00:43:11) Advice to systematize, seek efficiencies, and design growth with the right tools and community support.

Where to Connect with Eleni (00:45:38) Information on connecting with Eleni through Start, Build, and Grow, and her academy for women in tech.

Episode Wrap-Up & Summary (00:46:32) Rob summarises key takeaways: simplicity, community, leveraging AI, and finding the right support for business growth.

About Eleni

Eleni Lialiamou is a seasoned Product Leader with over 20 years of experience turning ideas into impactful digital products across industries. She has held roles in Finland, California, Greece, and the UK, including leading the product team at a Silicon Valley startup, where she developed SaaS platforms that transformed scientific research discovery. Under her product leadership, the company grew from 30 to 600 employees and was later acquired by Wiley, where she joined the Executive Team.

Since 2023, as the founder of Kimolian, she helps companies to leverage AI capabilities to drive innovation and efficiency. On a parallel social mission, Eleni founded Kimolian Academy to bridge the gender gap in product management and entrepreneurship, empowering women through hands-on training, AI-driven tools, and a global community.

With multiple patents, an authored book on Service Management, a Master’s in Telecommunications and Computer Science, and an Executive MBA, Eleni’s expertise spans technical, business, and strategic domains. A thought leader in product and innovation, she regularly speaks on the topic of “AI as the Great Equalizer,” exploring how AI can democratise innovation, unlock potential, and drive transformative change.

To learn more head on over to:

www.kimolianacademy.com

www.startbuildgrow.co.uk