In this insightful episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, David Espindola and Zena explore how small and medium-sized businesses can harness AI without losing their human touch. Their guest, Mike Montague, founder of Avenue9 and host of the Human-First AI Marketing podcast, brings decades of experience bridging technology, creativity, and storytelling.

Mike shares how AI can empower entrepreneurs rather than replace them—turning marketers into “Iron Man,” not “Terminators.” From building trust with customers to personalizing at scale, he explains how businesses can use AI to amplify human creativity, improve engagement, and maintain authenticity.

You’ll learn:
✨ Why “human-first” must come before “AI-powered”
💡 How to avoid “AI slop” and create marketing that truly connects
🤖 Simple, high-impact ways to start using AI tools today
⚖️ How to balance personalization with privacy and trust

If you’ve ever wondered how to make AI work for humans—not the other way around—this episode offers practical insights and inspiring perspectives from one of the most forward-thinking voices in marketing.

🎧 Tune in to hear how human and AI collaboration can redefine the future of marketing.

Opening to Conversations with Zena.

Music at the the end of each episode