"Empathy is the cornerstone of building meaningful relationships with customers, ultimately leading to their delight"
Welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview with Ariel Maislos, the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Coho AI. In this captivating conversation, Maislos shares valuable insights into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on businesses and customer experiences.
Coho AI, under Maislos’ visionary leadership, is revolutionizing how companies leverage customer data through deep learning ML models, enabling personalized experiences and better outcomes.
With nearly two decades of entrepreneurial experience and successful exits worth billions of dollars, Maislos brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. He emphasizes
Coho AI’s unique ability to simplify complex technology, making it accessible and affordable for revenue teams. Shortening time-to-value and delighting customers are key focuses for Coho AI. Join us as we explore the mind of Ariel Maislos and the transformative power of AI in business.
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Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Ariel Maislos: I’m Ariel Maislos, the cofounder and Executive Chairman at Coho AI. At Coho AI we are helping companies take advantage of the tremendous amount of data they have from all their customer interactions by analyzing it with AI and helping them build better outcomes for their customers.
This is done using deep learning ML models that understand customer behaviors , as well as automations that allow for personalized customer experiences. I’ve been an entrepreneur for close to twenty years and managed to build companies that have so far exited for over a billion dollars creating thousands of jobs.
If you were in an elevator with Warren Buffett, how would you describe your company, your services or products? What makes your company different from others? What is your company’s biggest strength?
Ariel Maislos: If I were in an elevator with Warren Buffett, I’d tell him that we are creating a customer intelligence layer that transforms data into revenue for his businesses using AI.
Our strength lies in our ability to simplify complex technology, making it accessible to revenue teams without the need for months of engineering or large teams.
Although it typically takes companies years and millions of dollars to accomplish this, Coho AI presents a game-changing alternative. With us, they can unlock the same value more affordably and efficiently.
What advice do you wish you had received when you started your business journey and what do you intend on improving in the next quarter?
Ariel Maislos: We have a relentless focus on making AI accessible and significantly shortening time-to-value. It’s the primary focus for Coho AI in this quarter and the next.
And the advice I wish I had received earlier is about the importance of shortening the time from zero to delight for the customer. It’s a universal truth that no one has the patience to wait, and the faster value is provided, the more customers are delighted. And this is exactly what we aim to improve.
Here is a two-fold question: What is the book that influenced you the most and how? Please share some life lessons you learned. Now what book have you gifted the most and why?
Ariel Maislos: The book that has most influenced me is The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, discussing chance and the impact of the highly improbable on reality.
It helped me realize that as an entrepreneur, I am not always in control, but if I am aware then I can take advantage of random events and shape my fate.
I have built startups that have grown to massive success like Anobit that was eventually sold to Apple.
Taking advantage of a leap of intuition after a random meeting has led to a groundbreaking technology that changes the world and is impacting billions of people. The Black Swan is also the book I have most frequently gifted. Chance favors the prepared mind.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as THE real challenge right now?
Ariel Maislos: The world is dramatically changing right now, particularly under the influence of AI.
AI can help improve productivity at work, mitigate tedious and repetitive tasks, and empower us to understand and accomplish more every day.
At Coho AI, our focus is on using this transformative technology to consistently delight customers, which we believe is key to any business’s success.
Consequently, our primary challenge—and opportunity—is to help businesses thrive in this challenging economic climate by leveraging AI to exceed customer expectations and turn delight into a differentiator.
In your experience, what tends to be the most underestimated part of running a company? Can you share an example?
Ariel Maislos: The most challenging part of running a company, especially a startup transitioning from zero to one, is the critical importance of bringing the right talent on board.
It’s essential to have team members who can anticipate challenges, innovate, and help shape a better future. The path ahead is fraught with obstacles, requiring great resilience and creativity.
There have been instances where I made hiring mistakes, bringing in individuals who didn’t align with our vision or requirements. These errors had a significant impact on company performance. The time it takes to realize the mistake, and the additional time needed to rectify it, can be costly.
Today, I place a strong emphasis on the hiring process, ensuring we bring in talent that aligns with our vision and can navigate the complexities of our industry effectively.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Ariel Maislos: If I could choose any business superpower, it would be heightened empathy. This ability goes beyond merely understanding the needs of our customers.
It’s about deeply connecting with them, anticipating their needs even before they articulate them, and genuinely comprehending their experiences.
Empathy is the cornerstone of building meaningful relationships with customers, ultimately leading to their delight. And in my perspective, such profound connection and resulting delight is at the heart of any successful startup.
Jerome Knyszewski, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Ariel Maislos for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Ariel Maislos or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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