Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
When AI shows up in our feeds, it’s usually wrapped in hype, fear, or sales pitches, but rarely in honest stories about being human. In this episode, I sit down with Jackie Celske, a professional storyteller who cares about helping brands and businesses stay human in the age of AI and closing gender confidence gaps in AI adoption. She has rebuilt her life after burnout and now helps organizations use AI in ways that actually serve people instead of crushing them. We talk about why so many AI projects fail, how “boring” problems often hold the most transformative potential, what it means to separate who you are from what you do, and why creating safe spaces, especially for women, to experiment with AI matters more than any new feature.
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All platforms & past episodes: coffeeforthebrain.com/podcasts
Direct Link to This Episode: coffeechug.simplecast.com/episodes/221
Listen & Subscribe:
[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify] | [YouTube] | [Simplecast]
Episode Snapshot
Jackie’s journey from burnout and “doing all the things” to rebuilding life and work around what actually matters
Why 80% of AI projects fail—and what schools and organizations can do differently
The “Disney trash” lesson: stop chasing flashy AI and start with the boring, high-impact problems
Women, confidence, and creating safer spaces to learn and lead with AI
“...our value is in who we are, not in what we do”: using AI to rediscover identity, not erase it
Practical, non-tech-bro ways to play with AI in your daily life (email, trip planning, speaking practice, and more)
Episode Highlights
Jackie’s story of walking away from a job that broke her health and identity and rebuilding life and work from Nashville
Why 2023 felt like a turning point with ChatGPT and how it pulled her from digital marketing into AI adoption and strategy
What “AI adoption” actually means (beyond tools) and why communication, culture, and expectations matter more than features
The harsh reality: most AI projects fail, not because of the tech, but because of people, processes, and misaligned outcomes
The “Disney trash” example: how starting with boring, high-volume, repetitive tasks beats chasing sexy, impossible AI dreams
A compassionate look at why many women hesitate to jump into AI and how community, safety, and “permission to not know” change that
Everyday use cases Jackie loves: practicing presentations with AI video, drafting hard emails, energizing workouts, travel planning, and using voice tools in playful ways
The deeper theme: AI shows us how not-special our tasks are, but it also clarifies how irreplaceable our humanity is
Connect with Jackie Celske
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacquelinecelske
Website – The Prose Co.: theproseco.com
Instagram: instagram.com/theproseco
Facebook: facebook.com/theproseco
Quote
Being human is your superpower
Resources
Rand study 80% AI projects fail
Women are avoiding AI: HBR
Gender Divide
Support the Show
If this conversation helped you pause, reflect, or think differently about AI and learning, please share it with a colleague or friend. Leaving a review or tagging the show helps others discover these important conversations.
When AI shows up in our feeds, it’s usually wrapped in hype, fear, or sales pitches, but rarely in honest stories about being human. In this episode, I sit down with Jackie Celske, a professional storyteller who cares about helping brands and businesses stay human in the age of AI and closing gender confidence gaps in AI adoption. She has rebuilt her life after burnout and now helps organizations use AI in ways that actually serve people instead of crushing them. We talk about why so many AI projects fail, how “boring” problems often hold the most transformative potential, what it means to separate who you are from what you do, and why creating safe spaces, especially for women, to experiment with AI matters more than any new feature.
Access the Show
All platforms & past episodes: coffeeforthebrain.com/podcasts
Direct Link to This Episode: coffeechug.simplecast.com/episodes/221
Listen & Subscribe:
[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify] | [YouTube] | [Simplecast]
Episode Snapshot
Jackie’s journey from burnout and “doing all the things” to rebuilding life and work around what actually matters
Why 80% of AI projects fail—and what schools and organizations can do differently
The “Disney trash” lesson: stop chasing flashy AI and start with the boring, high-impact problems
Women, confidence, and creating safer spaces to learn and lead with AI
“...our value is in who we are, not in what we do”: using AI to rediscover identity, not erase it
Practical, non-tech-bro ways to play with AI in your daily life (email, trip planning, speaking practice, and more)
Episode Highlights
Jackie’s story of walking away from a job that broke her health and identity and rebuilding life and work from Nashville
Why 2023 felt like a turning point with ChatGPT and how it pulled her from digital marketing into AI adoption and strategy
What “AI adoption” actually means (beyond tools) and why communication, culture, and expectations matter more than features
The harsh reality: most AI projects fail, not because of the tech, but because of people, processes, and misaligned outcomes
The “Disney trash” example: how starting with boring, high-volume, repetitive tasks beats chasing sexy, impossible AI dreams
A compassionate look at why many women hesitate to jump into AI and how community, safety, and “permission to not know” change that
Everyday use cases Jackie loves: practicing presentations with AI video, drafting hard emails, energizing workouts, travel planning, and using voice tools in playful ways
The deeper theme: AI shows us how not-special our tasks are, but it also clarifies how irreplaceable our humanity is
Connect with Jackie Celske
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacquelinecelske
Website – The Prose Co.: theproseco.com
Instagram: instagram.com/theproseco
Facebook: facebook.com/theproseco
Quote
Being human is your superpower
Resources
Rand study 80% AI projects fail
Women are avoiding AI: HBR
Gender Divide
Support the Show
If this conversation helped you pause, reflect, or think differently about AI and learning, please share it with a colleague or friend. Leaving a review or tagging the show helps others discover these important conversations.
