Andrew Brummer, Executive Coach and AI Architect, on Leading CEOs Through Trust and Change (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 979)
In this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes back Andrew Brummer, known as The Business Polygraph, for an update on his work as COO of Industry Technologies (Armada), founder and CEO of My Story Told, and founder of The Ardunan Village. Since his previous appearance on the show, Andrew has expanded his focus to helping CEOs and boards navigate AI, people, and culture challenges, all while building his own portfolio of ventures.
Andrew talks about the value of the chaos he went through after his previous company began winding down, including what it taught him about self-awareness, trust, and knowing which relationships and forums are actually worth his time. He describes his “business polygraph” approach, short, honest engagements that help CEOs see what they cannot see on their own, and shares how My Story Told uses AI to help executives turn their own stories into books. Andrew closes by previewing his forthcoming book, I Decided.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
- Andrew Brummer now has multiple roles: COO of Industry Technologies (Armada), founder and CEO of My Story Told, and founder of The Ardunan Village, a practice built around what he calls the business polygraph.
- His advisory engagements are intentionally short, often a day every other week for a few months, because his goal is to help a CEO see a blind spot rather than manage the business for them.
- His “business polygraph” work centers on honest, judgment-free conversations that help CEOs and founders confront the real issue standing in their way, whether that is a co-founder problem or a lack of faith in their own product.
- He coaches executives to treat AI as a thought partner rather than a search engine, and his company, My Story Told, uses AI to help clients turn their own stories into books.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:20 John Ray opens the show and welcomes back return guest Andrew Brummer
01:32 John Ray introduces Andrew Brummer, CEO of The Ardunan Village
01:57 The chaos of Andrew’s career pivot since his last appearance on the show
03:01 A look at how Andrew helps CEOs and boards navigate AI, people, and culture
04:15 Lessons from meeting thousands of executives over the past two years
06:20 How Andrew distilled his message and built credibility through his books
09:33 Why the chaos of his transition turned out to be valuable
13:02 A test for whether a group or forum is actually helping you grow
17:30 Helping leaders recognize chaos they cannot see in themselves
21:03 Why his clients are CEOs and boards, not other executives
25:22 Client success stories involving product strategy and a co-founder conflict
28:49 The “business polygraph” approach and how he engages with CEOs
30:06 His mission to plant seeds for trees he will never sit under
30:19 Contact information and a preview of his upcoming book, I Decided
Andrew Brummer, Interim Operator · AI Architect · Executive Coach, The Ardunan Village
Andrew lives by one principle: plant seeds that will grow trees he will never sit under. Over twenty-plus years and more than 100 clients, from pre-revenue through enterprise, on five continents, he has taken the seat rather than advised from beside it. His career runs through enterprise BPM and ITSM at OpenText, VP Americas at ICCM, six years leading Business Process and IT Service Management at Whitlock, and a decade in C-suite roles across technology, publishing, SaaS, and startups.
He has built board-level revenue and cash flow models, led three workforce reductions without breaking trust or culture, cut IP costs by ninety percent and held it for three years, and rebuilt an operating model from 42 to 114 people. He mentors founders through TiE Atlanta and Access Foundation, advises THG on go-to-market, and coaches executives through Ardunan.
The Ardunan Village
Ardunan is an executive advisory and interim operating practice. It puts an accountable operator inside the business, on a retainer, for a day a month, a day a week, or set days per week, never hourly, never a report handed over at the door. Alongside the operating work sits a set of instruments that measure what leaders usually argue about: owner dependency, leadership gap, AI readiness, board oversight and exit readiness. Each is scored, benchmarked, and written up as a document a board can act on.
Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio
Renasant Bank has humble roots, having started in 1904 as a $100,000 bank located in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown into one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, boasting over $26 billion in assets and more than 280 offices offering banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from the commitment of each banker to invest in the communities they serve, which in turn helps them better understand the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, their banking professionals understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
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Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio
Whether you’re a law firm, medical practice, or manufacturer, there’s one headline you don’t want to make: “Local Business Pays Thousands in Ransom After Cyberattack.” That’s where Beyond Computer Solutions comes in. They help organizations like yours stay out of the news and in business with managed IT and cybersecurity services designed for industries where compliance and reputation matter most.
Whether they serve as your complete IT department or simply support your internal team, they are well-versed in HIPAA, secure document access, written security policies, and other essential aspects that ensure your safety and well-being. Best of all, it starts with a complimentary security assessment.
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About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray
Approaching 1,000 episodes and having featured over 1,400 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!
The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their respective markets, communities, and professions. There is no discrimination based on company size, and there is never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates businesses by sharing positive stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. John and the team at North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, produce the show, which is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
The studio is located at 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
You can find the entire archive of shows by following this link. The show is accessible on all major podcast apps, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.
John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants, bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.
John is the author of the five-star-rated book The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices, praised by readers for its practical insights on raising confidence, value, and prices.
