Liftoff with Keith: Conversations with Super Founders and Growth Experts sharing useful insights

AI is changing how companies hire, manage employees, and get work done. But are businesses prepared for the HR, compliance, and workplace challenges that come with it?
In this episode of Liftoff with Keith, Keith sits down with Sara Skowronski of EOS HR and AI Consulting to explore how small businesses can adopt AI while protecting their people, data, and organization.
With 25+ years of HR and employment law experience and expertise in AI consulting, Sara shares a practical perspective on where AI and HR intersect, from hiring and employee policies to training and productivity.
They discuss:
Why every company needs an AI policy
The HR risks of employees using personal AI tools
How AI can affect hiring and recruitment
Why humans must remain involved in AI-assisted hiring decisions
How AI can dramatically reduce repetitive HR work
Why AI training needs to be specific to each role
The difference between AI literacy and simply knowing how to use ChatGPT
Who should own AI implementation inside a company
How small businesses can increase productivity without immediately increasing headcount
Sara's AI Clarity Roadmap
How Sara uses a personal AI chief of staff to stay focused
Why clear expectations remain one of the most important parts of managing employees
If you're a founder, HR leader, or business owner trying to understand how AI will change your workforce, this conversation offers a practical starting point.
Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/
Connect with Sara:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saraskowronski
Website: https://eoshr.com/
Speaker Kit: https://go.eoshr.com/speaker-kit
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#AI #HR #ArtificialIntelligence #HumanResources #FutureOfWork

Due to some video connection challenges the host wasn't on the video feed for the first few minutes of the programs
What if your battery didn’t need to be replaced every few years?
In this episode of Liftoff with Keith, Keith speaks with Raouf, co-founder and CEO of CTRL ENERGY, a Paris-based energy startup building a different approach to battery technology.
CTRL ENERGY is developing ZERO, a repairable, modular and scalable portable battery, alongside LEPO, a stationary energy storage system designed for a much longer operating life. Raouf explains how his previous experience in the energy sector led to the company's focus on repairability, reuse and battery recycling.
The conversation covers:
Why CTRL ENERGY chose to bootstrap a hardware deep tech company
How ZERO is designed to be repairable, modular and scalable
Using 3D printing and automated microfactories for localized manufacturing
Why CTRL ENERGY is building a community around product development
The company's Kickstarter strategy and early customer traction
How ZERO and LEPO serve different markets and business models
Battery recycling and the afterlife of battery cells
The role of AI and automation in manufacturing
The challenges of getting deep tech hardware funded in Europe
Why founders should build a working prototype as early as possible
Why building a community can give hardware startups an advantage
Raouf also shares his perspective on why hardware is becoming easier to build and why there is still significant room for innovation outside the current AI boom.
Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/
Connect with Raouf:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raoufremidan/
Website: https://ctrl.energy/
Learn more about CTRL ENERGY and ZERO:https://go.nomorezero.com/
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What if safety isn't just a compliance requirement, but one of the most important foundations of leadership, culture, and business performance?
In this episode of Liftoff with Keith, we sit down with Brian L. Fielkow, recognized business leader, board director, advisor, former CEO of Jetco Delivery, and author of Making Safety Happen, to explore how leaders can build organizations that remain strong when the pressure is high.
Brian shares lessons from decades of operating and advising businesses where safety, risk, and performance are closely connected. We discuss why safety should be treated as a core value rather than simply a department, how leadership shapes employee behavior, and what it takes to create a culture where people feel comfortable speaking up when something isn't right.
From managing operational risks to building trust, accountability, and psychological safety, this conversation offers practical insights for founders, CEOs, and business leaders who want to build companies that are both safe and productive.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why safety is a business responsibility, not just the job of a safety department
The difference between a compliance culture and a genuine safety culture
How leadership influences employee behavior and organizational performance
Why psychological safety encourages employees to speak up and report risks
Building accountability and learning from near misses
How companies can balance growth, productivity, and risk management
Identifying hidden risks during periods of rapid growth
The importance of clear, practical, and understandable processes
Hiring for both technical competence and attitude
Why humility and the ability to course-correct matter in leadership
How leaders reveal their culture when things go wrong
Why maintaining culture requires continuous investment
Brian also shares examples from his experience at Jetco Delivery, including how listening to frontline employees can uncover risks and lead to meaningful improvements.
Whether you're a founder scaling a business, a CEO managing operational challenges, or a leader working to build a stronger company culture, this conversation offers valuable perspectives on leadership, safety, and sustainable performance.
About Brian L. Fielkow
Brian L. Fielkow is a recognized business leader, board director, and advisor known for his work in safety, risk, and organizational performance. He previously served as CEO of Jetco Delivery and is the author of Making Safety Happen.
Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/
Connect with Brian:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfielkow
Book: https://www.amazon.in/Making-Safety-Happen-Productive-Profitable-ebook/dp/B0GX2ZXGFY
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Harvey Liu, CEO of LeveX, joins Keith to discuss his journey from computer science and network engineering to venture capital, Web3 investing, and building a next-generation crypto trading platform.
Harvey shares how LeveX grew from an early-stage product into a platform with hundreds of thousands of registered users, why he believes crypto is becoming increasingly connected with traditional finance, and how institutional adoption is changing the market.
In this episode, Harvey also discusses:
Building LeveX around traders and their feedback
The evolution of Bitcoin, Web3 and crypto markets
Tokenized stocks and real-world assets
Why technical founders need strong communication and sales skills
Organic growth versus paid customer acquisition
Choosing strategic investors over purely financial capital
Differences between the U.S. and Chinese venture capital ecosystems
How AI can help startups operate with leaner teams
Why Harvey would consider a decentralized model if starting LeveX today
The future of DeFi, prediction markets and crypto trading
Harvey brings a unique perspective shaped by technology, venture capital, finance and years of experience across global markets.
Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/Connect with Harvey:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harveylevex/
Website: https://levex.com/en
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Physical AI is everywhere in the conversation, but getting it to work reliably in the real world is a very different challenge.
In this episode of Liftoff with Keith Newman, Keith sits down with Mike Link, COO of Kami Vision, to explore what it takes to move computer vision and physical AI from promising demos to real-world products operating across millions of devices.
Mike shares how Kami Vision evolved from home security into AI-powered applications for elder care, including fall detection and remote monitoring, while continuing to expand into enterprise security and robotics.
The conversation covers:
What makes scaling physical AI different from traditional software
Moving from hardware to software and eventually an AI-native model
Using computer vision to transform elder care
The challenges of enterprise AI deployment
Privacy, trust and adoption in real-world environments
Why partner-led distribution can accelerate growth
How AI agents are changing internal business operations
Why founders should get real customers using their product before trying to scale
A practical conversation about the gap between building AI that works in a demo and building AI that works in the real world.
Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/
Connect with John:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbrenard/
Website: https://www.southviewtimber.com/
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