While artificial intelligence continues to move rapidly from buzzword to business necessity, for many founders the biggest question remains: How do I actually use AI in a way that helps me reach customers and grow?
That question was front and center at REaKTOR Technology Innovation Center in Hampton, Virginia, where founders from across Hampton Roads gathered for a workshop entitled “Connecting with Customers Using AI: Practical Marketing for Founders.”
The workshop built on the momentum of REaKTOR’s earlier AI programming, shifting the focus from internal operations to outward-facing growth, storytelling, and customer engagement.
You can watch a replay of the workshop here: https://youtu.be/OKm41hBjO94
Earlier this year, REaKTOR hosted Turbocharging Your Business Operations with AI Employees, a workshop centered on internal alignment, SOPs, and operational efficiency.
This follow-up session explored a different dimension of AI adoption: marketing and customer connection.
For founders, marketing is often one of the most time-consuming and resource-intensive challenges.
Maintaining visibility, creating content, and engaging customers consistently can feel overwhelming, especially for small teams and solo entrepreneurs. This session shows founders how AI can act as a practical co-pilot, helping founders do more with less.
The session was led by Keenan Smith, founder of Metaclick, a product manager, technologist, and serial entrepreneur. Keenan brought a grounded, hands-on perspective shaped by his own experience building companies and navigating the realities founders face every day.
Rather than presenting abstract frameworks or high-level theory, Keenan structured the workshop around real workflows and tools he personally uses, making the session immediately relatable and actionable.
After a brief introduction, Keenan spent the bulk of the workshop walking attendees through three core areas:
-
Daily AI workflows that increase speed and productivity, from content ideation to execution
-
Using AI for storytelling and customer connection
-
Live demos and walkthroughs, showing how specific tools can be applied in real marketing scenarios
This approach resonated strongly with attendees, many of whom are already experimenting with AI but are looking for clearer direction and practical examples.
One of the most valuable parts of the workshop came in the final segment: an open Q&A and discussion period. Founders shared their own marketing challenges, asked specific questions about tools and use cases, and explored how AI could fit into their unique business models.
The conversation reinforced a recurring theme heard throughout REaKTOR’s AI programming: founders don’t need more hype. They need clarity, context, and confidence. Seeing AI tools applied in real time, and being able to ask targeted questions, helped demystify what AI can realistically do today.
A key takeaway from the session was the idea of AI as a creative and strategic partner, not a shortcut or substitute for human insight. Keenan emphasized that while AI can accelerate content creation, uncover patterns, and improve efficiency, meaningful marketing still starts with understanding customers’ needs, motivations, and stories.
By combining human judgment with AI-driven tools, founders can build marketing systems that are both scalable and authentic.
Workshops like this reflect REaKTOR’s broader mission: to provide entrepreneurs, researchers, and technologists with the resources and education needed to validate, commercialize, and grow transformative ideas.
By hosting hands-on, founder-focused sessions that prioritize real-world application, REaKTOR continues to serve as a convening space for innovation across Hampton Roads, bringing together people who are actively building, learning, and pushing their businesses forward.
As AI continues to evolve, so will the questions founders ask. REaKTOR remains committed to creating spaces where those questions can be explored openly, practically, and collaboratively.
More workshops and programming are on the horizon.
