Parallel Entrepreneur with Mark Cleveland

In this special Innovation Series episode of Parallel Entrepreneur, hosts Mark Cleveland and Johnny Anderson sit down with Shauna Sprague, an AI strategist, architect, and TEDx speaker with 20+ years of experience helping Fortune 500 organizations navigate technology transformation.

Shauna is known for helping leaders move beyond the AI hype and into confident execution—building clear roadmaps, designing intelligent workflows and agents, and scaling automation responsibly. She’s led AI initiatives across 49 business units and brings hands-on experience with tools like AWS, Power BI, Zapier, n8n, and LangChain.

In this episode:
 • Why most people aren’t afraid of AI — they’re just overwhelmed by it
 • How to move from curiosity to confident AI execution (without getting lost in buzzwords)
• The “automate the mundane” mindset that gives teams time back for meaningful work
• A parent-friendly AI hack: photo → sports schedule → fully automated calendar
• The first practical tools to start with, even if you don’t have a big budget or deep technical expertise
• When to use workflows, automation, RPA, and when it’s time for AI agents
• Why working at the top of your skill set is becoming the new competitive advantage
• How to scale AI responsibly—and why human-centered, inclusive AI matters

Shauna brings clarity, humility, and a deep sense of purpose to a topic that feels overwhelming for a lot of teams. If your organization has been circling AI wondering where to start, this conversation will help you take the next step—with confidence.

Chapters (add/adjust timestamps after final edit):
 00:00:00 Introducing Shauna Sprague: AI Strategy Without the Hype
 00:01:30 Why AI Feels Overwhelming (and Why That’s Normal)
 00:04:10 Turning Curiosity Into Confident Execution
 00:06:40 Automate the Mundane: Getting Time Back
 00:09:20 The Parent Hack: Photo → Schedule → Automated Calendar
 00:12:10 Where Organizations Should Start With AI (Simple, Practical Tools)
 00:15:40 Workflows vs. RPA vs. AI Agents: What’s the Difference?
 00:19:10 Building a Clear AI Roadmap Leaders Can Actually Use
 00:23:00 Intelligent Workflows & Agents That Scale
 00:28:10 Responsible Automation: Guardrails, Risk, and Trust
 00:33:30 Working at the Top of Your Skill Set
 00:38:20 Human-Centered, Inclusive AI (and Why It’s Non-Negotiable)
 00:43:10 What to Do This Week: First Steps for Teams
 00:47:30 Final Reflections: The Future of Work & Real Impact

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Shauna Sprague is an AI strategist, architect, and TEDx speaker with 20+ years in technology innovation. She has led AI and automation initiatives across 49 business units, built intelligent workflows and agents, and developed AI personas that streamline operations and increase efficiency. She’s also a board member, STEM advocate, and champion for inclusive innovation.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunasprague/

ABOUT THE HOSTS
Mark A. Cleveland — Managing Director at Kensington Park Capital, entrepreneur, M&A advisor, and host of the Parallel Entrepreneur Network.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/macleveland/

Johnny Anderson — Nashville tech leader, GNTC board member, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the EC, and host of The Impodsters™.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyonbrand/

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