An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Sales coaching and feedback — Using AI tools to review non-sensitive pitch recordings has helped our sales team reflect and improve. We’ve used this a lot and it’s saved a ton of time.
In today’s tech-driven world, artificial intelligence has become a key enabler of business success. But the question remains — how can businesses effectively harness AI to address their unique challenges while staying true to ethical principles? To explore this topic further, we are interviewing Freya Ward.
Freya Ward is the Global Sales Director at Headley Media, a specialist lead generation provider for B2B technology companies worldwide. With a career spanning both marketing and sales, Freya began as a marketing apprentice and progressed to Account Director within just five years, demonstrating her clear trajectory of ambition, adaptability and leadership, and has since built a varied career across agency and publisher environments, gaining deep expertise in B2B demand generation, client strategy and commercial growth. Most recently, Freya completed the Artificial Intelligence Programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, graduating with a first, further strengthening her ability to lead in an increasingly AI-powered business landscape.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path in AI?
My journey into AI has been shaped more by necessity and curiosity than by formal training. I started my career as a marketing apprentice before working in various marketing roles both in-house and agency-side, before switching to sales and growth, working my way up into a leadership role at Headley Media. As my role at Headley Media has evolved, I’ve found myself wearing multiple hats daily. The demand for speed, accuracy, and responsiveness has increased dramatically; however, the time and resources don’t always expand at the same rate!
This is where AI has been invaluable. I began using generative AI to handle time-consuming but critical tasks like first-draft creation, background research, data analysis, and summarizing transcripts from meetings for quicker follow-ups. Rather than increasing headcount or stretching teams thin, AI has enabled us to operate more efficiently without compromising quality. It’s now embedded into my day-to-day toolkit, almost like having a silent assistant to help me juggle strategic and operational work. So, while I don’t label myself as an “AI professional,” I’d say I’m a business leader who uses AI to lead smarter.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started working with artificial intelligence?
Since I started exploring AI more deeply, one of the most interesting and unexpected outcomes has been how much it’s broadened my network. Completing the Artificial Intelligence Programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford was a real turning point for me. When I announced my involvement in the course on LinkedIn, I was surprised by how many people reached out to ask how I was using it and how they could get started. These weren’t just surface-level chats either; many turned into one-to-one conversations, panel invites, and genuine knowledge sharing with people I’d never have connected with otherwise.
The most fascinating part was seeing the shift in mindset. AI used to feel intimidating or even threatening to some; there was a real “AI is coming for our jobs” narrative. But now, those same people are curious, open, and genuinely excited to explore how it could help their businesses. I always say, if you don’t know where to start, just ask the tool itself how to get started. If you feed it information on what you’re trying to do and continue to test and learn, it really can be that simple to get started.
You are a successful leader in the AI space. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Firstly, I’d say curiosity. I’ve always had a desire to learn and explore, even if I’m the most senior person in the room. I genuinely believe there are no stupid questions and there’s always something new to understand, especially in a space evolving as quickly as AI. That curiosity has helped me stay agile and open-minded, and it’s what drew me to the Artificial Intelligence Programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.
Secondly, adaptability. Things change fast, and AI is no exception. I’ve embraced new tools and ways of working without fear of “getting it wrong.” Whether I’m using it to test a new content workflow or helping someone else experiment with prompts, I’ve learned that being adaptable is essential. This quality has really helped me empower the wider business on the use of AI, where no idea is a stupid idea, and I encourage everyone to play around with the different tools available.
Lastly, realism. There’s so much hype around AI, but I’m always grounded in what’s realistic for my team, my role, and our business goals. AI isn’t going to solve every problem or replace entire departments, but it can make a significant impact when used in the right way, with the right expectations.
Let’s jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you share a specific example of how you or your organization used AI to solve a major business challenge? What was the problem, and how did AI help address it?
At Headley Media, we haven’t had just one big AI tool implementation with the hope of solving all our business challenges. Instead, we’ve introduced AI gradually and collaboratively. Across the business, our teams are using AI in different ways depending on their needs. For example, in sales, we’ve trialed using AI to give non-sensitive feedback on pitch recordings, helping team members reflect and improve.
In marketing, we use it for research, content ideation, and summarizing transcripts from videos or webinars to speed up delivery. AI has also helped reduce time spent on admin-heavy tasks, so people can focus on the work that really matters. It’s not about one tool solving everything; it’s about layering AI into our existing workflows to unlock efficiency and creativity.
What are some of the common misconceptions you’ve encountered about using AI in business? How do you address those misconceptions?
A big misconception is the idea that AI can work completely independently. I’ve seen this time and time again; people expect instant magic, but AI is only as good as what you feed into it. It needs quality inputs, clear instructions, and continuous feedback to deliver real value.
Another misconception is that one bad experience means the tool doesn’t work. In reality, if you put vague or weak prompts or data into any AI platform, you’ll get vague or weak results back. It’s no different from onboarding a new team member; you wouldn’t expect them to deliver amazing results without any training or context.
Bias is another area people overlook. Every time you input data, you’re introducing bias — sometimes that’s useful, sometimes it’s problematic. For example, if you’re training AI on your own CRM data, that’s helpful bias. But if you’re using it in other, more sensitive industries, such as a healthcare setting, and you’re only inputting data from one demographic, it could be dangerous. That’s why understanding your data and the context is so important.
In your opinion, what is the most significant way AI can make a positive impact on businesses today?
While efficiency is a huge benefit that everyone’s talking about, what really excites me is how AI can enhance onboarding and training. In a remote or hybrid work environment, creating a strong company culture and helping new hires settle in quickly can be a real challenge. We’re testing AI tools to help support this by personalizing onboarding content, offering internal knowledge support, and helping new team members feel more connected from day one.
Imagine an AI assistant that not only helps new starters understand company policies but also reflects the unique tone, values, and culture of the business. That’s powerful. We’ve been exploring ways to use AI like this internally, to build consistency and retain that human touch, even when teams are spread out.
Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Ways AI Can Solve Complex Business Problems”? These can be strategies, insights, or tools that companies can use to make the most of AI in addressing their challenges.
Sure! Here are five ways we’re seeing real value from AI within our business:
- Data analysis — AI is helping to process and visualize data faster than we ever could manually, making it easier to identify patterns or trends. This is particularly helpful for client campaigns as we often handle large volumes of data, which were previously being analyzed more manually.
- Draft creation — Whether it’s copy, strategy outlines, or internal documents, AI is helping my team get to the first draft much faster. For example, our Content Marketing Manager uses AI to analyze video transcripts from marketing videos, asking for key themes to repurpose the video into other forms of content, such as emails and articles/
- Research and summarization — I’ve found that AI can quickly summarize transcripts or articles, helping me to digest complex information in a fraction of the time. I’m encouraging the wider team to do the same and share their insights internally for collaborative knowledge sharing.
- Sales coaching and feedback — Using AI tools to review non-sensitive pitch recordings has helped our sales team reflect and improve. We’ve used this a lot and it’s saved a ton of time.
- Content personalization — We’re starting to explore ways to personalize marketing and outreach content for specific personas using AI. Again, this is something that would have previously taken a lot of time to analyze.
How can smaller businesses or startups, with limited budgets, begin to integrate AI into their operations effectively?
Start small and focused. You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Pick a single use case, like writing ad copy or summarizing meeting notes, and trial a free or low-cost tool to see how it fits into your workflow. There are directories like ‘Artificial Intelligence 4U’ and ‘There’s an AI for That’ where you can search by task or industry and thousands of tools, many often free or very low cost, come up.
However, it is also important to consider security. Make sure you’re aware of whether the tool is open-source and where your data is going — especially if it involves client or sensitive information. AI can be incredibly powerful, even for small teams, as long as it’s used responsibly.
What advice would you give to business leaders who are hesitant to adopt AI because of fear, misconceptions, or lack of understanding?
My biggest piece of advice? Talk to people! Reach out to your peers, join webinars, find communities on Slack or LinkedIn. You really don’t have to figure this out alone, and you’re not expected to have all the answers.
I also recommend being upfront with your team about what you’re learning. Take your leadership hat off for a moment, let yourself be curious and share your learnings. When you do decide to try a tool, make sure you’re looping in HR or legal if there’s any sensitive data involved. And remember, even small steps, like exploring use cases or watching a demo, can build your confidence and clarity.
In your opinion, how will AI continue to shape the business world over the next 5–10 years? Are there any trends or emerging innovations you’re particularly excited about?
I think we’ll see AI tools become more persona-based, meaning they’ll be tailored to specific roles or functions. It won’t be a one-size-fits-all experience which is something I’m really excited about. We’re also starting to see the hype settle down, and AI becoming more embedded in “business as usual” activities.
I think a big part of what’s coming next is also legislation. Businesses will need to take more responsibility for how they use AI, whether it’s in content creation, data analysis, or decision-making. Transparency will become a big part of that. I expect we’ll start seeing AI-labelled content, much like how advertorials had to be clearly marked in the media, and I think sustainability and cybersecurity will become even more critical as AI continues to scale.
How do you think the use of AI to solve business problems influences relationships with customers, employees, and the broader community?
This is an area I feel really passionate about — the people side of AI! AI has the potential to make relationships better, but only when it’s used thoughtfully. In customer experience, AI can help answer FAQs, speed up response times, and personalize interactions. But if it’s used to replace all human touchpoints, that’s where trust can break down. People still want to feel heard and understood, especially when there’s a problem.
Internally, AI can take admin off people’s plates, so they can focus on what they do best — whether that’s creativity, strategy, or customer relationships. And on a broader level, transparency around how you’re using AI matters. Customers and employees will respect honesty far more than perfection or even deception.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people through AI, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I’d start a movement focused on protecting and empowering junior roles. There’s a real risk that businesses will lean too heavily on AI and eliminate entry-level positions, which are so critical for learning and career development. These roles help people build real-world experience, intuition, and skills that can’t be replicated by a tool.
Instead of replacing those roles, I’d love to see businesses use AI to enhance their skills. For example, let’s automate the boring stuff and give junior team members more time for creativity, mentorship, and real growth. I’d also push for leadership-level training in AI, so that decision-makers understand how to implement it responsibly. If we get this balance right, I truly believe we can use AI to lift people up, not leave them behind.
How can our readers further follow you online?
I’d love to connect with your readers on LinkedIn — my DMs are always open!
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
Freya Ward Of Headley Media On How Artificial Intelligence Can Solve Business Problems was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.