Embrace the AI Revolution: Creating Genuine Connections for Lasting Business Growth

In a recent episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, host Josh Elledge engages in a compelling conversation with Grady Teske, the founder and CEO of Rising Tides. They explore the intricacies of entrepreneurship, business scaling, and the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing. This blog post will break down the key insights from the episode, offering actionable advice and thorough explanations to help entrepreneurs navigate the evolving landscape of business growth.

Grady shares his extensive background as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and his experience in launching over 240 businesses. With nearly a decade of experience in building multinational subsidiaries, particularly with Asian-based manufacturers, Grady's expertise lies in creating robust systems that drive business growth. Rising Tides focuses on helping companies identify their core functions and products while fostering meaningful conversations with their audiences. Grady notes that the current marketing landscape is oversaturated with content, particularly on major social media platforms. Instead, businesses should focus on direct outreach, leveraging email and other communication channels to build relationships.

Josh and Grady discuss the significance of relationships in business, noting that lazy marketing tactics often lead to missed opportunities. Successful leaders invest time in building relationships, which ultimately leads to less effort in generating business. AI can enhance outreach efforts by analyzing human behavior and identifying where potential clients are most active, allowing businesses to tailor their conversations and engage with prospects in a more personalized manner. As the episode wraps up, Josh and Grady reflect on the importance of building relationships and creating value in business. They discuss the evolving landscape of marketing and the role of AI in facilitating meaningful conversations, providing valuable takeaways for entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses effectively.

About Grady Teske:

Grady Teske is the founder and CEO of Rising Tides, a marketing agency focused on building automated growth and revenue engines for SaaS founders. With over a decade of experience as a fractional executive and over 230 startup collaborations, Grady has developed systems that drive consistent growth through marketing automation and elite content teams. He specializes in helping businesses reduce reliance on sales, create strategic launches, and take control of their revenue by developing killer offers and refining their brand identity.

About Rising Tides:

Rising Tides is a marketing agency that specializes in building automated go-to-market engines to reliably scale user acquisition and revenue. Their expert team aligns your ideal customer with a seamless AI-managed user journey, using no-code integrations. Rising Tides’ content team crafts compelling visual, copy, and video creatives that clearly communicate the value of your product. Through their paid acquisition services, they help scale quickly to meet your objectives. Additionally, they support businesses by training in-house teams to manage and maintain their acquisition engines. Rising Tides offers a comprehensive go-to-market team on a flexible, budget-friendly monthly subscription, with no long-term commitments and satisfaction guaranteed. You own the technology, giving you full control.

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Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Want to learn more? Check out Rising Tides website at

2140 - Leveraging AI and Relationships for Business Growth with Rising Tide's Grady Teske

The Thoughtful Entrepreneur

2140 - Leveraging AI and Relationships for Business Growth with Rising Tide's Grady Teske