ACG Inside Hour – The AI Advantage: Boost Your Productivity – May 20, 2025

ACG Inside Hour – The AI Advantage: A Force Multiplier

Date: May 20, 2025

Time: 11:00 am (set-up); 11:30 am (lunch); Noon (speaker); 1:00 pm (conclusion)

Location: Procopio - 12544 High Bluff Dr Ste 400, San Diego, CA 92130

Program Description:

AI is no longer just a shiny toy—it’s a force multiplier for growth, profitability, and enterprise value. While many professionals are experimenting with AI for fun or curiosity, the real opportunity lies in embedding AI into workflows that directly impact your bottom line. This session will focus on practical, high-impact ways service providers can harness AI to boost personal productivity and unlock scalable business value. Whether you’re a solo consultant or running a large team, this conversation is relevant to every business.

Key Takeaways:

1. From Toy to Tool: Understand how to move beyond novelty and integrate AI into your daily workflows to save time, improve decision-making, and increase efficiency.
2. Business Impact that Shows Up on the P&L: Explore real-world use cases where AI drives measurable financial outcomes—from increasing revenue to cutting costs—across client work, operations, and marketing.
3. Enterprise Value Amplifier: Learn how strategic AI adoption enhances your firm’s scalability, differentiation, and long-term enterprise value in a rapidly evolving market.

Panelists:

Riley Stricklin, Cadre, Founder

Chad Lohrli, Cadre, Founder

Ben Shapiro, Cadre, Founder

Grayson Lafrenz, Cadre, Founder

BIOS/PHOTOS:

Riley Stricklin, Cadre, Founder

Riley is the Founder of Cadre AI, a strategic AI partner helping companies harness artificial intelligence to drive revenue, improve margins, and boost productivity. Before Cadre, Riley spent a decade as Co-Founder and CEO of a consumer brand, scaling it to a mid-eight-figure un rate with distribution in Apple Stores, Best Buy, and multi-channel e-commerce, culminating in a successful exit to a Family Office in 2023.

A firm believer that AI is the most transformative technology available to business leaders today, Riley understands the complexities of integrating new tools while running a company. With AI evolving rapidly and executives balancing competing priorities, he launched Cadre AI to bridge the gap and help businesses understand, strategize, and implement AI solutions tailored to their unique needs.

Chad Lohrli, Cadre, Founder

Chad is a founder at Cadre AI and head of solutions where he helps bring impactful AI solutions to businesses that help grow revenue, increase enterprise value, and lead to more fulfilled teams. Chad also runs the largest technical AI organization in San Diego, SDx and previously held roles at NASA JPL and various early stage AI startups. He has been actively building in AI/ML space since 2016.

Ben Shapiro, Cadre, Founder

Ben leads the strategy team at Cadre where he is focused on collaborating with clients to identify high-value, quick wins and larger, longer term opportunities within AI, automation, or software optimization. Before joining Cadre, he served as Director of AI at a private equity firm, started SHPR a product strategy & design studio, and was part of the founding team at Endera Motors an electric school & shuttle bus OEM.

Grayson Lafrenz, Cadre, Founder

Grayson Lafrenz is the Founder of Cadre AI, a strategic AI partner dedicated to helping companies leverage artificial intelligence to drive revenue, improve margins, and significantly enhance team productivity. Prior to founding Cadre AI, Grayson established Power Digital, one of the world's largest and most respected technology-enabled growth marketing firms. Power Digital specializes in accelerating revenue growth for both leading and challenger brands through consultative strategy and integrated marketing solutions.

Grayson founded Power Digital as a bootstrapped startup in 2012 and served as Founder and CEO through its initial strategic investment by Periscope Equity in January 2019. Under Grayson’s leadership, Power Digital became a key platform company for Periscope Equity. Over a subsequent three-year period, he successfully led the acquisition and integration of four companies, driving a remarkable 600% increase in EBITDA. In March 2022, Grayson navigated a second successful sale of the company to Court Square Capital Partners. Following this transaction, Grayson remained CEO for an additional year before transitioning to the role of Chairman of the Board, a position he continues to hold today.

Grayson is deeply committed to being a team-first leader. Over the course of his 20-year entrepreneurial career, he has earned numerous recognitions both personally and for the outstanding teams he has helped build. His honors include two-time CEO of the Year by the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), a three-time recipient of the Inc. 5000 Award, and recognition from the San Diego Union-Tribune as the #1 Place to Work and recipient of their Leadership Award. Additionally, Grayson's organizations have been highlighted by Entrepreneur Magazine as among the "Most Innovative Companies to Work For," and he has been named one of San Diego Business Journal’s "Most Admired CEOs." Under his leadership, companies have also received multiple awards and accolades from Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, and various other respected industry publications.

Grayson is an active member of the San Diego Chapters of YPO (Young Presidents Organization) and EO (Entrepreneurs Organization), as well as an active member on several boards. Grayson is based out of San Diego, CA his hometown.

REGISTRATION OPEN NOW

• ACG Members: $30
• Non-Members & Guests: $45

AGENDA

• 11:00 am – 11:30 am: Set-up
• 11:30 am – Noon am: Lunch
• Noon-12:45 pm – Presentation
• 12:45-1:00 pm – Q&A
• 1:00 pm – Conclusion

Questions?

Contact ptemian@acg.org.

Please Note: Your registration for this event acts as an audio/video release and includes your permission for ACG San Diego to use your image and comments captured on audio, video, or photographic formats while attending the event for marketing and promotional purposes. For further information, please contact: ptemian@acg.org.