Your First AI Employee: Build an AI Chief of Staff with Claude AI

Business leaders are losing valuable time on emails, proposals, follow-ups, admin, and daily decisions that do not always need their direct involvement. This CBC Dubai webinar explores how AI agents can now act as practical operational partners, helping founders and executives reclaim time and focus on higher-value work. In this session, Sheila Randall, MBA, Founder and Principal Consultant of FixTheFriction.ai and Great Ideas Within, demonstrates how business owners can begin building their first AI Chief of Staff using Claude AI and agentic AI workflows. This is not a technology pitch. It is a practical conversation about how AI can support real business operations, reduce friction, and help leaders work more effectively. In this webinar, we cover: • What an AI Chief of Staff is • The difference between generative AI and agentic AI • How Claude AI workspace tools can support executives and business owners • How AI can assist with inbox management, calendar prioritization, proposal writing, CRM workflows, business operations, decision support, and team productivity • Why founder time is often the biggest business bottleneck • How to think about building an AI employee like onboarding a real team member • Creating an AI second brain using files, workflows, connectors, and business context • AI skills, plugins, connectors, artifacts, and automation workflows • Privacy, governance, permissions, and responsible adoption • How companies can start small, test safely, and scale AI adoption over time Key takeaway: AI is not about replacing people. It is about removing repetitive friction so people can focus on judgment, relationships, strategy, and growth. About the Speaker Sheila Randall, MBA, is a senior AI strategy advisor and operator with more than 25 years of experience helping leadership teams translate technology decisions into measurable business performance. She is the Founder and Principal Consultant of FixTheFriction.ai and Great Ideas Within, a Claude Certified Architect, and an advisor to CEOs, executives, growth-stage companies, and teams navigating digital transformation, automation, CRM, and AI adoption. Moderator Diana Szyszka Pompei Executive Director Canadian Business Council of Dubai and the Northern Emirates CBC Dubai supports Canada–UAE business connections, innovation, entrepreneurship, and knowledge exchange across the Canadian business community in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Learn more about CBC Dubai: www.cbc-dubai.com Speaker links: www.fixthefriction.ai www.sheilarandall.com www.greatideaswithin.com Subscribe to CBC Dubai for more conversations on business, innovation, leadership, entrepreneurship, and the Canada–UAE relationship. People First. Business Will Come. 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Welcome by Diana Szyszka Pompei 02:00 Meet Sheila Randall 04:00 Why Founder Time Becomes the Bottleneck 08:00 Generative AI vs Agentic AI 12:00 What an AI Chief of Staff Can Do 17:00 Claude AI Workspace Overview 23:00 Building Your AI Employee Like a New Hire 29:00 Live Demo: Meet Layla, the AI Chief of Staff 36:00 Automating Emails, Proposals, and Daily Tasks 43:00 Creating an AI Second Brain 48:00 Privacy, Governance, and Permissions 53:00 How Small Businesses Can Start 57:00 Key Takeaways and Next Steps 59:00 Closing Remarks