ÜBER DIESE EPISODE
AI is moving faster than most businesses can keep up with—but the biggest challenge isn’t always the technology. It’s knowing where to start, what actually matters, and how to implement AI without losing the human side of business.
Today, we’re joined by Heather McLean, U.S. Air Force veteran, CEO, and AI strategist. After 20 years leading logistics and IT operations in the Air Force and senior leadership experience at World Wide Technology, Heather founded McLean Forrester, a veteran and woman-owned technology consulting firm helping organizations turn AI from hype into practical business results.
In this episode, Heather shares what leaders really need to understand about AI adoption and why successful technology transformation depends just as much on people, leadership, trust, and processes as it does on technology.
We explore:
- Why so many businesses don’t know where to begin with AI
- How leaders can separate AI hype from genuine opportunity
- The biggest mistakes organizations make when adopting new technology
- Why AI strategy should start with the business problem—not the technology
- How companies can turn AI ideas into working solutions
- The human side of leading technology transformation
- What military leadership taught Heather about trust, discipline, and mission success
- Why high-performing organizations must prioritize their people
- How entrepreneurs can grow without sacrificing their values
- What business leaders should be doing now while competitors are adopting AI
Heather brings a unique perspective shaped by military leadership, enterprise technology, entrepreneurship, and real-world AI implementation. Her approach isn’t about selling the latest technology—it’s about helping leaders think clearly, make better decisions, and build solutions that actually move the needle.
If you’re a business leader, entrepreneur, or executive trying to understand where AI fits into your organization, this conversation offers a practical perspective without the jargon or hype.
Connect With Heather
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-mclean1/ 🌐 McLean Forrester: https://mcleanforrester.com/ ▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@McLeanForresterTechTea
