RSS 59: AI Scales What You've Already Got: Matt Symes on Rewiring How You Operate

About this episode

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross sits down with Matt Symes, founder of Symplicity, to unpack why AI transformation fails when companies focus on tools, data, or privacy before fixing broken workflows. Matt shares a practical, workflow-first approach to using AI for sales, marketing, leadership, and business growth while helping founders avoid scaling chaos faster.

Key Takeaways and Insights:

1. Why AI Won’t Fix a Broken Business

- Matt explains why the “data problem” is often a stall tactic, not the real blocker to AI ROI.

- Companies need to start with outcomes and workflows before buying AI tools or hiring AI leaders.

- AI scales what already exists so broken systems become faster, messier, and more expensive if left unaddressed.

2. Workflow-First AI Transformation

- The best first AI use case is a repetitive, time-consuming workflow that matters but does not create much strategic value.

- Matt shares how an AI-powered dossier workflow replaced 10–15 hours of weekly admin work with an automated research process.

- Leaders should identify the biggest business constraint—sales, marketing, delivery, or operations and use AI to improve that specific workflow.

3. Using AI to Improve Sales Conversion

- Ross and Matt break down how AI can reduce sales cycle time and touchpoints.

- Matt shares a real-world example of using open source intelligence and ChatGPT to prepare for a sales conversation, identify likely business problems, and close a deal in three touches.

- The key lesson: AI can improve trust, relevance, and conversion when integrated directly into the sales process.

4. Strategy Before Speed

- Matt emphasizes that every business must clearly define the problem it solves, who it solves it for, and the value of solving it.

- The V8 example shows why businesses can lose growth opportunities when they define themselves by product category instead of customer problem.

- Before making anything faster with AI, leaders must clarify their value proposition and target customer.

5. Why CEOs Should Lead AI Adoption

- Matt argues that hiring a “Head of AI” too early can be a mistake if the CEO is not actively leading the mindset and workflow transformation.

- AI should be treated as a teammate in value creation, not just another technology tool.

- Leaders should delegate workflow ownership while staying accountable for the overall AI transformation strategy.

6. Agentic AI Use Cases for Leaders

- Matt shares how he uses AI agents to monitor trusted sources, scan newsletters, and update keynote decks with timely research.

- He explains how AI can support CEO responsibilities like business performance tracking, leadership coaching, 360 reviews, and scenario planning.

- The conversation highlights why leaders should use AI to practice, prepare, and make better decisions, not just automate tasks.

7. Escaping the Founder’s Trap

- Matt defines the founder’s trap as building a business that cannot operate without the founder playing a critical role.

- He explains how founders can design businesses around their best life instead of becoming trapped by their own company.

- Symplicity and Levership help companies build strategic cadence, improve workflows, and scale with more structure.

Resources & Tools:

🔗 Symplicity

🔗Perplexity Computer 

🔗 NotebookLM

🔗 OpenClaw 

🔗 Claude Code 

🔗 Claude Cowork

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