What if the secret to scaling your business isn't working harder —
but learning to harness the most transformative technology of our
generation before your competitors do? In this episode of The Grown
Up Business Podcast, Paul Avins is joined by Piers Linney — former
Dragon from BBC's Dragons' Den, serial entrepreneur, investor, and
technology visionary. Recorded live at the Scale-Up Summit, this
special Q&A session follows Piers' keynote presentation on AI
and wealth creation. Together, Paul and Piers unpack the practical
applications of AI in business today, why most founders are still
just scratching the surface, and how to position yourself and your
company ahead of the exponential curve that's already leaving the
harbour. Piers shares his insights on everything from nuclear
fusion and the death of the internet as we know it, to how AI
agents will revolutionise sales, marketing, recruitment, and
customer service. He reveals why the businesses that embrace AI now
will capture blue ocean opportunities — while those that wait will
struggle to ever catch up. This conversation goes deep into the
strategic, operational, and even philosophical implications of AI —
including the risks, the regulation challenges, and why the human
experience will become more valuable than ever. This episode is
essential listening for founders and CEOs who want to understand
not just what AI can do — but how to implement it strategically,
protect against cyber threats, and build businesses that scale
faster, serve better, and stay ahead of disruption. Key Takeaways
Why you won't lose your business to AI — but you will lose it to
someone who uses AI better than you The difference between using AI
as a tool and being empowered by it through context and training
How to implement AI strategically: start with low-complexity,
high-ROI workflows first Why AI agents will replace the internet as
we know it — and what that means for sales and marketing The
exponential curve: why being a week late to AI adoption could mean
never catching up How to use AI in recruitment, customer service,
operations, and decision-making right now Why cyber security and
internal policies around AI are non-negotiable The future of work:
why hairdressers and plumbers may earn more than hedge fund
managers How M&A strategies and business valuations will shift
as AI becomes an operating system for acquisition targets Why the
human experience will become the ultimate premium — and how to
protect it in your business About the Guest Piers Linney is a
serial entrepreneur, investor, and former Dragon on BBC's Dragons'
Den. He has built, scaled, and exited multiple businesses across
technology, cloud infrastructure, and AI. Piers is now co-founder
of an AI consulting and implementation firm that helps businesses
adopt AI agents, build intelligent operating systems, and scale
faster through technology. He specialises in helping CEOs and
founders understand not just what AI can do — but how to deploy it
strategically for competitive advantage and long-term wealth
creation. Next Steps Apply it now Identify one repetitive or
mundane workflow in your business and ask: how could AI automate or
augment this process? Watch the full keynote Access Piers Linney's
complete Scale-Up Summit presentation on AI and wealth creation —
link available below this episode for a limited time. Scale with
Paul If this episode resonated, Paul's work focuses on helping
founders step out of the day-to-day and scale with structure and
confidence. Book a call with Paul:
https://www.paulavins.com/book-a-call Subscribe to the Scale-Up
Newsletter: https://www.paulavins.com/newsletter-opt-in About Paul
Avins Paul Avins is a scale-up business coach and founder of the
Grown-Up Business framework. He works with founders and CEOs to
help them move from operator to scale-up leader — building
businesses that grow sustainably, scale beyond the founder, and
create real enterprise value. Paul's work focuses on disciplined
leadership, high-performing teams, and systems that replace chaos
with clarity. Level Up. Team Up. Scale Up. Fire Up.
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