How to Build a Profitable AI-Ready Business in 2026 with Marc Pickren

OPEN Tech Talks: AI worth Talking| Artificial Intelligence |Tools & Tips

Episode 171 of Open Tech Talks brings a powerful conversation with Marc Pickren, the turnaround CEO behind multiple successful SaaS revivals and now the driving force at Springbot. Host Kashif Manzoor explores how today’s businesses can stay resilient, profitable, and human-centered amid the rapid evolution of AI and automation.

Marc has spent the last decade reviving software companies between $5 million and $50 million in revenue, mastering the art of building “unkillable companies.” In 2025, he decided to take the leap from corporate turnarounds to entrepreneurship, rolling up multiple firms into the Springbot ecosystem. The result: a capital-efficient, profitable SaaS company thriving amid uncertainty.

Their conversation goes deep into how AI is reshaping sales and marketing, not through hype but through measurable, real-world practices. Marc explains why most marketing dashboards lie, why pop-ups destroy conversion trust, and how AI-powered automation can help teams focus on what truly matters: genuine human conversations that drive revenue. He also shares how his team uses demo-video workflows to replace the traditional “demo call,” reducing friction and turning qualified interest into business faster.

Kashif brings a personal perspective to the discussion, connecting Marc’s approach with his own journey advising AI-first startups and building AI Tech Circle’s Generative AI Maturity Framework. He recalls how curiosity, something Marc calls “the new survival skill”, became the foundation for building his own AI-driven playbooks and newsletters that reach global professionals every weekend.

Episode # 171

Today’s Guest: Marc Pickren, CEO, Springbot

Marc Pickren, CEO and entrepreneur at Springbot.com, has achieved a 3X founder exit, has raised $50M in capital, was nominated for CEO of the Year in Austin, and was named Top CEO for Women in 2019.

• Website: MarcPickren

What Listeners Will Learn:

• Design AI-enabled growth systems that prioritize efficiency and profit over vanity metrics
• Replace outdated funnels with conversation-centric sales frameworks
• Integrate AI automation and intelligent business agents without losing the human touch
• Identify go-to-market data priorities and build accurate ideal-customer profiles
• Avoid subscription clutter and AI-wrapper product fatigue while keeping focus on tangible outcomes
• Foster curiosity and adaptability as the most critical leadership mindset in 2025
• Pivot continuously and let customers shape your product, not vanity feature roadmaps

Resources:

• MarcPickren