Transform in the Age of AI - Kristina McMillan - Shift & Thrive - Go-to-Market Deep Dive - Ep # 083
In this Go-to-Market Spotlight episode of Shift & Thrive, Natalie Nathanson sits down with Kristina McMillan, a seasoned go-to-market strategist and venture advisor, to unpack how AI is reshaping the way companies grow. Drawing from her experience and hands-on work with early and growth-stage startups, Kristina shares real-world examples of AI-enabled go-to-market transformation. Together, they explore why strong foundations matter more than ever, how AI can unlock productivity without sacrificing humanity, and what leaders must do to evolve their teams, structures, and strategies in today’s noisy, buyer-driven market.
Takeaways:
- Revisit your go-to-market fundamentals before scaling with AI. Strong ICPs, clear positioning, and disciplined execution are what allow AI to amplify results instead of accelerating confusion.
- Use AI to remove friction, not replace human judgment. Free up time through automation so your team can focus on personalization, strategic thinking, and building real buyer trust.
- Break down go-to-market silos and orchestrate across roles. The most effective strategies connect executives, marketing, sales, and product around shared thought leadership and coordinated execution.
- Start small, prove what works, then scale. Nail a “unit of one” go-to-market motion before rolling it out broadly, especially when experimenting with AI-driven tactics.
- Invest in people alongside AI adoption. Clearly communicate how roles will evolve so your team feels empowered, as productivity and expectations change.
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinamcmillan/
- Website: https://www.scalevp.com/
Ways to Tune In:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2D1YbT2QhKxIwbREpU7EMb
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/id1740828813
- Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fa60b654-1955-4055-93df-fdd40c2a5c8f/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change
- iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-shift-thrive-ceo-insights-166792501
- Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/shift-and-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/PC:1001086797
This show is sponsored by Magnetude Consulting, bringing you the thinking-Power of a Growth Consultancy and the Getting-It-Done Power of a full-service B2B Marketing Agency.
Learn more at: https://www.magnetudeconsulting.com
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