Automation is Change Management

Michael Balarezo, Global VP, Enterprise Automation at Media.Monks
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Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Michael Balarezo explore the transformative realm of automation and AI. Leveraging his experience leading Media.Monk’s Automation and AI strategy, Michael offers a wealth of invaluable insights on navigating digital transformation. They discuss the synergy of AI and automation, highlighted by Media.Monks’ revolutionary software, Monks.Flow. Michael also emphasizes the importance of fostering an automation-first culture and making AI tools accessible across the workforce. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or industry professional, Michael's expertise offers practical advice for leveraging automation and AI to drive organizational transformation.

  • Episode Key Takeaways

    Episode Key Takeaways

    • Solve genuine problems: Transform existing processes by identifying authentic pain points. Dive deep to understand the intricacies, ensuring your solutions yield impactful outcomes.

    • Always put your customer first: Keep your customers front and center. Navigate through complexities while ensuring your solutions meet their practical needs, not just technical requirements.

    • The future of marketing lies in technology: Embrace the technological revolution in marketing. Explore the power of generative AI and other emerging technologies to streamline processes and personalize interactions, propelling your strategies into the future of innovation.

    • Flexibility is Key: Adapt and thrive in the ever-changing digital realm. Stay agile, iterate on your strategies, and embrace new data inputs to continuously improve and scale your efforts for success.

  • About Michael Balarezo

    About Michael Balarezo

    Michael is a futurist and a software developer who is passionate about building value-aligned solutions within ad-tech. Currently, he’s the Global VP of Enterprise Automation at Media.Monks where he leads the company’s Automation and AI strategy along with engineering efforts to accelerate both clients and Media.Monks into the next phase of their digital transformation journeys. When he isn’t working, you’ll find him mountain biking on the trail, tinkering with all sorts of gadgets in the garage, or exploring new destinations with his family.

  • Top Quotes

    Top Quotes

    "I've always said automation is change management. You need leadership buy-in to help influence the culture. It's a team effort. If you don't have other folks around you supporting that and also beating the same drum, it makes it very difficult to kind of adopt that sort of mentality, that mindset, that culture."

    “There is nothing more useless than automating a task that shouldn’t have been automated in the first place because it shouldn’t exist! If a task shouldn't exist, you shouldn't automate it. And the same can be said for processes that aren't fully articulated or thought out to understand what the purpose of that process is.” - Michael Balarezo