Roberto Martinez

Roberto Martinez is a leading voice in digital transformation, combining entrepreneurial experience with deep expertise in AI-driven marketing. As founder of Braven Agency and SMRTS, he empowers small businesses with innovative, scalable solutions designed for real-world impact. Since 2017, Roberto has run more than 500 workshops for entrepreneurs and has helped thousands of businesses embrace digital growth. His work as Google’s Digital Coach for California and his leadership in launching LA Optimized during the pandemic reflect his mission to bridge the digital divide and make technology accessible to all. In 2024, he further expanded his influence by launching Braven Creative Studios AI, offering advanced AI training to global organizations like Google, Amazon, and USC. Known for blending technology with human expertise, Roberto brings a refreshing, practical perspective to how small businesses can leverage AI to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.

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How can small business owners leverage AI to grow in today’s competitive digital landscape?

In this powerful episode of Talking with the Experts, indie podcast host Rose Davidson interviews Roberto Martinez, the founder of Braven Agency and SMRTS. Roberto is no stranger to innovation – since 2017, he has delivered over 500 entrepreneurial workshops and led groundbreaking programs such as LA Optimized. His expertise as Google’s Digital Coach for California and his work with global giants like Google, Amazon, and USC position him as a leader in bridging the digital divide.

At the heart of this episode is Smrts, Braven’s proprietary AI software designed specifically for small businesses. Unlike generic platforms, Smrts uses AI-driven reports paired with expert human insights to give entrepreneurs actionable, affordable strategies they can implement right away. This integrated human-and-AI approach ensures efficiency, quality, and scalability.

Roberto shares his lived experience in guiding thousands of business owners through digital transformation. He explains why embracing AI is no longer optional, how integrated workflows create growth opportunities, and why small businesses can no longer ignore technology if they want to stay relevant.

Listeners will walk away with a clear understanding of how to use AI as a growth tool, not a replacement, and how affordable solutions like Smrts are changing the game.

If you’ve been asking how AI can help your business evolve without overwhelming you, this episode will give you the answers.

🎯 Key Takeaways

1. Why adapting to AI is critical for small business survival.
2. How integrated human-and-AI workflows lead to smarter growth.
3. Affordable strategies SMB owners can implement right now.

Features Shown

• Roberto introduced SMRTS, an AI business intelligence solution that provides assessments and reports to help business owners identify pain points and growth opportunities
• The platform creates customized problem statements based on business owner responses and generates actionable insights through AI analysis with human review
• SMRTS integrates with various partner organizations including banks, telephone companies, and healthcare providers to deliver tailored business assessments
• The solution focuses on identifying repetitive tasks that can be automated and streamlined using AI tools to reduce operational time and costs

Buying Signals

• Roberto mentioned they are currently working with multiple banks and large corporations as backend partners for the SMRTS platform
• Rose expressed interest in discussing Google tech solutions with Roberto after the interview, indicating potential follow-up opportunities
• The conversation revealed Roberto’s extensive network through his roles with Google, Amazon, TikTok, and government consulting, suggesting access to enterprise-level opportunities
• Roberto indicated they are offering free assessments through SMRTS.co as part of their market entry strategy

Objections Raised

• Rose acknowledged that many people are terrified of AI adoption, though she personally doesn’t understand this fear
• Roberto addressed AI job displacement concerns by explaining that the real threat comes from competitors who adopt AI faster rather than the technology itself
• Both speakers agreed that human connection and authenticity remain essential even with AI implementation
• Roberto mentioned there is legitimate workforce disruption happening in white-collar industries with companies like Salesforce and Cisco reducing staff due to AI capabilities

Follow-Up Actions

• Roberto directed interested parties to visit SMRTS.co for free business assessments
• Rose provided multiple contact methods for Roberto including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and bravenagency.com
• Roberto mentioned upcoming product launches at two major national conferences where they will be rolling out the rebranded SMRTS solution

Other discussed items

• Roberto shared his background transitioning from Google’s Digital Coach program where he gained early insights into AI and machine learning technologies starting in 2018-2019
• Both speakers discussed practical AI applications they currently use, with Rose mentioning GPT for podcast show notes and logo design, and Roberto describing video creation tools and multilingual avatars
• Roberto explained how AI has existed in various forms for years through streaming services, banking fraud prevention, and chatbots before the recent ChatGPT revolution
• The conversation covered creative AI applications including music generation, with Roberto’s team creating agency songs in multiple languages and styles
• Roberto described an innovative use case where introverted employees use AI avatars to communicate their ideas in meetings, allowing them to contribute while feeling more comfortable
• Both speakers emphasized the importance of using AI as a competitive advantage while maintaining human oversight and adding personal authenticity to AI-generated content

• Martinez’s background includes running over 500 marketing and entrepreneurial workshops since 2017, leading Braven Agency digital marketing company and SMRTS business intelligence AI company and serving as Google’s Digital Coach for California.
• Early exposure to AI concepts came through Google in 2018-2019, when Martinez learned about machine learning and large language models, initially focused on image recognition for repetitive tasks like medical imaging analysis.
• Post-pandemic focus shifted to helping businesses get online by marrying search and AI technologies, with humans reviewing AI work to provide maximum impact for growth, revenue, and operational excellence.
• Fear of AI should focus on competitors adopting solutions faster rather than the technology itself, as other business owners using AI more effectively will gain competitive advantages.
• Workforce disruption is occurring in white collar industries with companies like Salesforce and Cisco shrinking workforces, but the key differentiator will be adding authentic human value to AI-generated content.
• AI has existed in various forms for years through CRMs, streaming services like YouTube that learn preferences, banking fraud prevention systems, and chatbots before recent advances like ChatGPT.
• Affordable AI solutions start with identifying specific pain points and opportunities, then creating problem statements that can be addressed using tools like Gemini and ChatGPT.
• Operational workflow analysis following Henry Ford’s assembly line approach helps identify repetitive tasks where AI can streamline processes, reducing 10-hour tasks to 5 hours in areas like branding and social media.
• Creative AI tools like Canva for design and VO3 within Gemini for video creation allow users to generate multilingual avatars and content, with applications in HR training and onboarding.
• SMRTS was developed to scale business consulting by creating an AI agent that identifies entrepreneur pain points through assessments, with human review adding value to generate actionable reports.
• SMRTS delivers measurable results including an average 15% increase in sales or leads and 60-100% improvement in digital connectivity for business owners.
• Current SMRTS partnerships include banks, telephone companies, and healthcare providers who integrate their business assessments into the AI prompts for customized solutions.
• Meeting efficiency can be improved using AI-supported “parking lot notes” in Google Drive, allowing participants to contribute ideas without derailing discussions while ensuring introverts feel heard.
• Innovative avatar solutions help reserved employees communicate ideas through third-person digital representations, enabling introverts to participate more actively in company discussions.

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