Adam Torres and Sheryl Anjanette discuss emotionally intelligent AI.
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Show Notes:
Can emotionally intelligent AI be created? In this episode, Adam Torres interviewed Sheryl Anjanette, Founder & CEO at Parsley360, Inc. Explore the concept of AI being emotionally intelligent.
About Sheryl Anjanette
Sheryl Anjanette is the Founder and CEO, Parsley360 and the author of The Imposter Lies Within.
PARSLEY is a pioneering, enterprise-level performance optimization system that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and behavioral analytics to accelerate the development and ongoing management and optimization of high-performing teams, individuals, and organizations. Through their innovative, holistic framework, PARSLEY provides an unprecedented, comprehensive performance solution that spans all levels of an organization.
PARSLEY addresses nuanced, systemic issues like wellness, trust, and inclusion with proprietary technology. Their game-changing approach enables customized interventions that drive systemic change from the ground up. Parsley takes a nuanced, empathetic view of organizational health for complete solutions. They optimize performance through positively impacting the entire corporate ecosystem.
Full Unedited Transcript
Hey, I’d like to welcome you to another episode of Mission Matters. My name is Adam Torres, and if you’d like to apply to be a guest on the show, just head on over to missionmatters. com and click on Be Our Guest to Apply. All right, so today’s guest is Cheryl and Jeanette, and she’s founder and CEO over at Parsley360.
Cheryl, welcome to the show. Thank you, Adam. So good to be here. All right, Cheryl. So we, we got a lot to talk about today. So we’ll get into, of course, parsley. We’ll also talk about emotionally intelligent AI and, and what that looks like. And I’ll see how you got a TEDx talk coming to lots of things to talk about today, Cheryl.
But to get us started, we’ll start this episode the way that we start them all with our mission matters minute. So Cheryl, at Mission Matters, our aim and our goal is to amplify stories for entrepreneurs, executives, and experts. That’s what we do. Cheryl, what mission matters to you? Well, you know, Adam, at PAR3, our mission is to be an indispensable ally for businesses to help them understand and nurture their greatest asset, which is their people.
Great. I love having mission based individuals on the line to show, you know, why they do what they. How they do it and really what we can all learn from that so that we can all grow together. So great to have you on today. And I guess just to, just to get us kicked off here when did you get interested in AI and this concept?
Like, like when did, when did it suck you in? Like it’s got everybody else’s attention. You know, I started to play with AI, I would say, just over a year ago, so it was the spring of 2023, and I was just using it like so many of us do for logical applications, you know, task related writing, you know, Some little social media types of posts, that sort of thing.
And I’m just kind of curious about it, but I think technology is a tool. And so I started to think about real world applications and I started to think about problems. The problems we’re trying to solve the big ones. And I thought, well, how can this help us accelerate the solutions to those problems? And that’s where I really started to dive in.
So then how did you, when did you think that you would, you’d make this into a company and something that you really were going to focus on, like as entrepreneurs out there, we, you know, we all have ideas, but when do you know when you were like, okay, I’m going to, I’m going to dedicate some significant time to this.
You know, I was on a walk with my dogs . Mm-Hmm. . I think those are the things. I love it. The walking works for me. Well, I get so much inspiration from a walk or a drive. It, one, it makes me wonder why I ever show up to the office. No, go ahead, . A hundred percent. You know, you let your mind wander. You’re not as focused on a task.
And, and I just started to think about this big problem that I, I would, I, I thought about my frustrations in solving this problem of. People being really happy at work and thriving at work and companies thriving, not just the people, but the company. So it’s, it’s all stakeholders, the company at large, the teams, the individuals.
And I thought to myself, you know, there’s a, there are a lot of frustrations because there are a lot of great solutions, but there’s sort of component. And we hit these walls and we can only move so far. And so often we find ourselves reeling backwards, which we saw so much with COVID 19 and I thought, you know, how do we solve this?
How do we solve this? And then I just, in my mind, it was just like, well, we need continuous monitoring. We need continuous improvement and humans are very limited. I wonder. How we could use AI to extend our own limitations. And so now, where do you, now, so now you have this walk, you have this idea. Now, now, how did, what happens next?
Well, next, I really just started to dive more into AI. What is it? How does it work? Who’s playing in this game? Field with hype and what’s real, because there’s a lot of hype out there. Oh yeah. And you know, not only what can it actually do right now, but what’s the potential, where is this actually going?
What do we know? And what do we not know? And so I just started to listen in to others. And there were, you know, it’s difficult, Adam, because so many people call them themselves AI experts and it’s, you know, there are a lot of dimensions to that. So I won’t dive into it, but I had to kind of sift through and really just hear others ideas, others awareness, others experiences.
So more than anything, I was a really good listener, a really good observer. I just spent my time. Trying to filter through, talk to people and network to people that knew more than I did. That’s interesting because I feel like did, did you have a technology background before this, by the way? I’m just curious.
No, I’m not a technologist. I was always in marketing. Performance improvement, but you know, a lot of the positions I held at the very senior level were marketing and communications, but I’ve been at the helm of some pretty big, you know, systems, engineering, developing apps, that sort of thing, the way somebody at a senior marketing level would be so.
I’ve worked closely with technology and I understand sort of that in between gap between marketing and how we’re using the technology and those behind the scenes that are, you know, really making things happen. There’s, there’s this, there’s an overlap that we need to pay attention to almost like I call it the middleware we need to pay attention to.
So I’ve stepped into that enough that I’m better than most. In the marketing field, but not as good as others at asking better questions. Were you, were you always an entrepreneur too? Like, I mean, growing up, was that always something that you were kind of like had the bug or. Well, my father was an entrepreneur and I was marinated.
Somebody gave you the influence. I got it. My dad was too. My father was an entrepreneur. My father was fearless. My father, by example, taught me. So much of what I just do naturally, but I have worked for others. So I’ve been an entrepreneur for decades, but I’ve also worked at every level, all the way up to the C suite for large, you know, billion dollar organizations, which means.
Have the experience on the inside and the outside, which is kind of cool. So when you when you came up with this idea and you’re and you’re going to launch this business I mean as all entrepreneurs find out pretty quickly you know, of course the the C’s part and everybody’s excited. Everybody helps out.
I’m just It’s usually not like that. I’m just curious. How did how did everybody receive this? They’re like, okay share you’re going to start an AI company I think it’s amazing by the way. I’m just curious how you, what your experience was. And I asked this question because you know, there’s other entrepreneurs out there right now that are launching, that’ll be listening to this, that are launching businesses that are, you know, going through, you know, their initial stages, and I’m just wondering what yours was like, like, how’d your support system react?
Well, my closest support system, which is my husband. And my son who’s an adult were incredibly supportive. They’re just, they’ve always got my back. That’s amazing. And so they were just like, wow, this is really interesting. They know how my life works. And so they were just right. We’re going to be hearing a whole lot about AI in the near future, son or dad, you know, mom’s going to do it, which is amazing.
That’s amazing. I love it. Yeah, and of course my dog. He’s all in. So I am. Yeah, I think that I haven’t been really that noisy to the rest of the world, even to my own family. I did a little bit with some of my family, but they just kind of looked at me blankly. Like what? Didn’t ask a lot of questions, but I think I just decided it’s better to do it, show it, and then talk about it, than to just talk about it, and I hesitate quite a bit because I want to make sure, you know, as I said, there’s so much hype out there, and I especially see this amongst it.
Not all marketers, but many who just, you know, use something a little bit and then want to teach it and want to come out as the expert. And I think it’s really, it’s a long road to get to a level of expertise. I don’t consider myself an expert. I just consider myself to be. Correct. You know, to have the courage and the idea and to get people that really are, do have this expertise around me.
So I do have a rock solid, unbelievable co founder and chief technology officer who’s been in this field since the early nineties and and he is really the genius. He’s the, how I’m kind of the, why the, what the, why, if that makes sense. What, when did you come about or like, how did this idea of emotionally intelligent AI begin to make its way into your psyche?
Like how’d this become intriguing to you? Cause it’s super interesting. I’ve had lots of conversations about AI, but this is the first that I can recall where I was talking specifically about the concept of emotionally intelligent AI, like, like how that come up to you. Well, it came up through a couple of channels.
I had been on Clubhouse. I maybe a year ago. I was just getting off at the time. I think we all were at that point, right? Clubhouse is taking over the world. I remember. Yes. Yes. And I was very interested in sound and the voice. I’m also a hypnotherapist and have studied cognitive behavioral neuroscience and stress, anxiety, and emotional regulation.
And I have all these. Various skill sets around helping people in that realm. And so I was very interested in the voice in sound and listening to people on, on clubhouse and knowing how, how powerful that can be. I also, just as I was getting off, I think somebody pointed everybody towards a brand new app that was helping people a little bit with their, you know, Emotional regulation and what have you.
And this wasn’t so much the sound. In fact, I stopped jumping to it when I tried this down and it sounded very robotic, but it was responding very empathically in a listening mode to people and people’s response was, wow, this is really helpful and it’s in my hand and I can access this anytime, anywhere.
Coaching is expensive and therapists are hard to get to. And even if I have one, I maybe get to them once a week or once a month or, you know, sporadically. So it’s not easily accessible. And so this all was going around in my mind, but I also thought, you know, to do this right, it needs to feel very human like.
To be, we need to humanize AI, which can sound a little scary. Some people even call it creepy, but you know, this idea that we respond more to somebody that sounds good. That sounds human versus somebody like a robotic voice. Is, is very, very powerful. And so I just started to put it all together with the vision.
I thought, you know, I’m not going to worry so much about what I can do right now. Let’s put together what would be the absolute. Perfect scenario that could help the most people and help the most businesses because when I really believe when we help businesses thrive we help individuals thrive and we Help individuals thrive.
We help businesses thrive so It’s the two. And so when did this I know you have a TEDx coming up where you’ll be, you’ll be talking about this, like, like how did, how did that come about? Like I’m just curious because you know, that it’s a big topic. I think it’s definitely relevant and I’m excited for you to have a TEDx talk coming up.
Like, how’d all that come about? I think it came about, I had put my submission into TEDxSanDiego and I think they just were curious because the idea was, how do you offer empathy at scale? You know, this idea of empathy. We, you know, when people feel seen, heard, and understood, they’re more productive, engaged, and, and they just do better in life, in work, in love.
So. This idea that empathy is something we all need, but being a human and giving empathy is not always easy because it’s a skill set we, we need to listen well without distraction. That’s not easy when we’re busy. And we obviously are. Very distracted. We need to refrain from imposing our own experiences on someone else’s.
Well, that’s also very difficult, even when you’re highly trained. You know, it’s very easy to say, Oh, me too. Oh, I had this experience too. And people don’t realize that the person on the other side, when you start talking about you, and you’re no longer listening to them and understanding them Pulls the wind out of their sails.
So we don’t realize that. So I started to, they started to say, okay, empathy at scale. It’s best if it’s done from a human being, it seems, but how many people really have access that makes sense. And if it’s a skill, if AI can actually learn this and, and practice this, help people by showing them empathy and teaching them empathy.
If that’s possible a how is it possible and be What would be the implication? And so they were as interested in what that solution was, you know, as I have been. When you were preparing for the TED Talk was there, I know these are, these take a lot of time, a lot of effort. And I know it’s still coming up in August.
So you got a little bit of time for everybody listening. We’re recording this in April, but up to this point, point, has there been anything that surprised you as you were kind of going through your process of research and otherwise, and just trying to, you know, obviously coming up with your materials or anything that, that surprised you.
About the TED talk. I think it’s really the. Balance of wanting to connect to an audience and make sure that when they walk away, that it’s touched them and that they remember something that it really is an idea that, that not only it’s worth spreading, but now, you know, I think Ted is changing the name to ideas that change the world or something along those lines, that it has an impact because we can talk and talk and talk and understand something, but how much do we really walk away with And so it was really from, it’s really for me this balance of making sure that it’s relatable and it’s understandable, but it gives people something that helps them move forward, that improves their lives.
So this has been the challenge and the challenge is always also making it tight. Making it shorter, not, not necessarily too long. I think people have shorter attention spans and you know, what’s that old saying? If I had more time, I’d write you a shorter letter. It’s, it’s, it’s difficult. It’s challenging, I would say, to get that just right.
So I am still working on it. But what I love about TEDx, especially, well, They’re independently organized. So TEDxSanDiego, I should say, is they really do give you so much support. I mean, they’re just right there with you. And so, you know, we have our individual coach and they really have the expertise.
So that’s, that’s amazing. That is amazing. That’s great to hear. And looking at I mean, looking at the at the overall topic and emotionally intelligent AI, why do you think, like, what do you think? The let’s let’s dream for a moment. Okay. We’re all entrepreneurs, a lot of entrepreneurs listening.
What’s the upside of this? Like, like assuming that it can be gotten right at some point. What’s the upside? Well, the upside, there’s so many upsides. One is it democratizes. Access to coaching, it democratizes access to somebody having, you know, help at their fingertips, whether it’s three in the morning or wherever they live in the world that they have a device, they have somebody that’s empathetic, that’s emotionally intelligent, that can help them, you know, You know, not just as a companion, feel less lonely, help them feel understood and seen, but can coach them through, give them like some baby steps.
What’s next? How can I do this? You know have, I say someone because it really is an AI. So what is that algorithms and neural networks? I always say computational genius without a heart, but it can be still heartfelt because it has the right words and the compassion, the compassionate words. To help somebody with that, and then it can be there to help people reach their goals, set their goals, reach their goals, just kind of helping them if they stop, start to slip back, because we all do, to, you know, to stop the backwards slide and, and, and then again, move forward.
It’s amazing what it can do at the individual level, at the team level, helping our teams understand each other better to work more in sync, you know, create that synergy at the organizational level, helping the organization to understand how to better support their people, how it really impacts, you know, understand what the business case is for this, and how it really does.
Impact productivity and burnout and attrition, all the things, innovation. There’s so much upside. I agree. I agree. And I’m hopeful. I’m hopeful. Like, I, I think there’s so many amazing applications and obviously there’s two sides to the argument and I’m hopeful that, you know, as humans, we’re going to get it right.
But that being said Cheryl, we’re about out of time for this episode. If somebody wants to learn more or connect and learn more about Parsley, how do they do that? Sure. Well, we are, we can be found on the web at www. parsley360. com or info at parsley360. com. Those are probably the easiest ways. I’m Cheryl and Jeanette.
You can find me on LinkedIn, Cheryl with an S. And Anjanet, A N J A N E T T E. Would love to connect also on LinkedIn and we’d love to hear from you. We would love to hear your questions, your ideas. And we are, you know going to be rolling out fairly soon here. So look for us. Amazing. And we’ll put, we’ll put the links to the for the audience.
We’ll put the links and the show notes to, to the web, to the website. So you just have to click on the link to head right on over. And speaking of the audience, if this is your first time with mission matters, this is a daily show each and every day. We’re bringing you new episodes, new entrepreneurs, new ideas.
If you haven’t hit that subscribe button yet, hit that subscribe button because we have many more entrepreneurs booked for you coming up on the way, and we don’t want you to miss a thing, Cheryl, this has been so much fun and thank you for educating me a little bit more on on what it means to be to have emotionally intelligent AI, and I look forward to seeing this Ted talk.
So thanks again, Cheryl. Thank you Adam. Bye bye.
