SphereCast
SphereCast is a podcast all about technology — technology advice, technology inspiration, and how real entrepreneurs have used technology to build their businesses from the ground up. If you’re wondering how technology can support your business goals, rest assured. Our guests have been there and done that.
SphereCast
Resilient Leadership, AI in Regulated Industries, and Ethical Innovation – Erika Kiely
In this powerful episode of SphereCast, Adin Heric (Head of Marketing at Sphere) and Mario Schwarts (Director of Data & AI Practice at Sphere) sit down with Erika Kiely — a transformational tech leader, AI advocate, and founder of ProTechtive Strategies. From growing up in politically unstable Peru to driving AI transformation in insurance and launching her own purpose-led venture, Erika’s story is a masterclass in resilience and intentional leadership.
The conversation spans AI in enterprise project management, ethical innovation, and building technology with a human lens. Erika breaks down real-world use cases from her time at American Fidelity, how she personally leveraged AI tools like ChatGPT and low-code platforms to launch her business, and why she believes AI should expand human capacity — not replace it.
We also dive into global perspectives: Erika and her daughter travel the world with a mission to give back and grow. She shares how emerging tech, especially AI, can help bridge inequality and accelerate global development — and what legacy she hopes to leave behind.
Whether you're a CTO, AI strategist, insurance innovator, or purpose-driven founder, this episode unpacks practical lessons on using AI at scale, building with ethics in mind, and leading through disruption.
Topics covered:
- Resilience in leadership: Erika’s journey from Peru to tech leadership
- Why she founded ProTechtive Strategies and its mission
- The role of AI in enterprise project management (insurance & regulated industries)
- Using AI tools (ChatGPT, automation, site builders) to launch and scale a business
- Ethical innovation and Erika’s vision for a national AI program
- AI as a force multiplier, not a replacement for people
- Global development, tech inclusion, and Erika’s legacy
Listen to this episode if you:
- Want to understand how AI can be used responsibly in highly regulated industries
- Are building or scaling a tech-enabled business with ethical foundations
- Care about global impact, inclusion, and leaving a legacy through innovation
Special Guest:
Erika Kiely — Founder of ProTechtive Strategies, Former Enterprise Tech Leader at American Fidelity
Hosts:
Adin Heric — Head of Marketing at Sphere
Mario Schwarts — Director of Data & AI Practice at Sphere