Why the Future of Work Runs on Liquid Talent

Jeanniey Walden: Move over Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, because the new morning show girls are here. I am so excited to have this conversation with my good friend Ashley Miles. She is the CEO of Franklyn West, but more important than that, she is an expert on AI, the future of work, and commerce media. Ashley, thank you so much for being on Liftoff.

Ashley Miles: Thank you. I love your show. It is such an honor to be on.

Jeanniey Walden: We could do the weather, we could do the news, or we could talk about the future.

Ashley Miles: Let’s dive into business.

Jeanniey Walden: Let’s do it. You have spoken so much about what you think the future of work will look like. You say if you are going to be good at something, you need to be the operator’s operator. Talk a little about what that means, because I love that phrase.

Ashley Miles: The operator’s operator is sitting shotgun with senior leaders who are tasked with the hardest decisions in business right now. There is so much transformation happening, so we have a distinct opportunity, and we are honored to ride shotgun with senior leaders at big Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and mid-sized startups, helping them solve new problems faster.

Jeanniey Walden: It is so smart, and you really need that right now. Let’s talk about AI for a minute. AI is changing everything, from the executive room to the operating floor to entry-level roles, and you have to have trust inside the business. A lot of times when I work with companies, if they do not have trusted experience supporting them, they do not know how to move things forward.

Ashley Miles: I think there is a huge empowerment opportunity for human beings through AI. We have the unique pleasure of being inside these organizations at this time of digital transformation, and we are finding a few things. One, the companies getting it right are transforming with care. They understand the why behind bringing AI into their company, and how it will accelerate their larger vision. It is a tops-down view of what AI means for their specific company, which looks different from every other company. It is not a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach. Two, these companies are putting governance and guardrails in place as they bring in the vision and the technology partners, and they are vetting those partners. There are a lot of options, and a lot of bad actors on the Lumascape, so make sure you are bringing in the best of the best.

Jeanniey Walden: So you do not think I should just scroll Instagram and Facebook to find my next new media partner?

Ashley Miles: Exactly. There are a lot of them, and some look really good. And then three, empower your people. Put your people in the driver’s seat of future innovation, with AI as a tool that helps them execute faster and better. It is all about upskilling our people, giving them the confidence, and communicating the vision so they understand why this change is happening and what their role is in that evolution.

Jeanniey Walden: You have been on Liftoff before, and we have talked a lot about what you call liquid talent, which I now call liquid talent, and its rise. A year or two ago it was early for people to appreciate how powerful it is. For everyone watching and listening, tell everybody what liquid talent is and why it is so relevant right now.

Ashley Miles: As my dear friend Rishad Tobaccowala says, the way we organize our music playlists on Spotify is now the way in-house leaders can organize skills and teams with this growing liquid workforce. By 2027, more than half of the workforce will be fractional. This is not people floating without expertise. This is the best of the best, people who are proven, who have done the job a million times. Jeanniey Walden is one of our top marketing liquid experts. We can personalize talent and solutions to meet a company right where they are in that moment in time, without breaking the bank.

Jeanniey Walden: It is fantastic. I love everything about you, Ashley, and I love all of the insight and inspiration you bring to the table. Thank you so much for being on Liftoff.

Ashley Miles: Thank you, Jeanniey. You are my inspiration.