In this episode, Adam Haney sits down with Scott Downes, CEO of Supernal AI, to explore his unconventional and inspiring path from childhood coding to leading a company that’s redefining how small businesses adopt AI. Scott shares candid lessons from nearly three decades in technology—starting in desktop publishing, navigating the rise and fall of dot-com startups, building global teams, and eventually transitioning from CTO to CEO. This conversation dives deep into: The mindset shifts required to evolve from a technical leader to a business leader Why empathy, not engineering, is the most powerful ingredient in scaling AI How his experiences with VC-backed and PE-backed companies shaped his philosophy What Supernal is doing to help SMBs “hire their first AI employee” Resilience, burnout, and why knowing yourself might be the most important leadership tool Whether you’re a rising technical leader or a founder navigating your next chapter, this episode is packed with insights on growth, self-awareness, and building lean, purpose-driven companies in the age of AI.

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