Value Added Partner Stories

We speak to Mary Kemp, co-founder of AI Potential

Tell us your Story?

If you had told me three years ago that I’d be building an AI company, I would have laughed. My partner and I had found our rhythm in corporate America – we understood the game, knew how to help businesses grow, and had built something sustainable together. Then generative AI burst onto the scene, and suddenly the ground beneath every industry began to shift. We spent countless late-night conversations weighing our options. Should we adapt our existing business? Play it safe? The comfortable path would have been to add AI as just another service offering. Instead, we found ourselves asking a different question: What if we could help people navigate this transformation rather than simply survive it? That question changed everything.

What has been your biggest business challenge to date?

Walking away from years of expertise and relationships wasn’t easy. There were moments of doubt – plenty of them. But as we began working with leaders who felt overwhelmed by AI’s possibilities, something clicked. We weren’t just building a business; we were becoming guides for people standing at their own crossroads. Today, AI Potential exists because we believe technology should amplify human potential, not replace it. When I watch a team member discover they can automate hours of mundane work and redirect that energy toward creative problem-solving, or when a leader realizes AI can help them think more strategically rather than just work faster – those moments remind me why we made this leap. The technology fascinates me, but the transformations in people inspire me. Every client who goes from AI anxiety to AI confidence reinforces that we made the right choice. We’re not just in the AI business; we’re in the business of helping people write their next chapter with courage and clarity.

What has been your greatest or proudest business achievement to date?

Standing on that stage, holding the Dynamic Business Award for Woman in Tech, I felt like I was living someone else’s story. Just a few years earlier, I wouldn’t have even recognised myself in that description. “Tech founder”? “Woman in Tech”? These weren’t labels I ever imagined wearing, especially not at this point in my journey. Yet there I was, representing not just my own unlikely path, but the collective courage of everyone who had believed in AI Potential from the beginning.

What type of clients do you currently work with and who are you looking to meet?

We work with organisations that occupy a fascinating sweet spot: they’re mature enough to have weathered challenges and built robust foundations, yet nimble enough to seize opportunities when they see them clearly. These are businesses that have earned their stripes through decades of serving clients, navigating regulations, and building trust within their communities. Many of our partners operate in sectors where getting it wrong isn’t just expensive—it’s reputationally damaging. In finance, a poorly implemented AI tool could compromise client data. In legal practices, it could affect case outcomes. In education, it could impact student experiences. In manufacturing, it could disrupt carefully orchestrated supply chains. These leaders understand that AI adoption isn’t about being first to market; it’s about being right for their organisation.

Tell us a story/fact about yourself that people might not know?

Something people might not know about me is that I’m a volunteer racing marshall. It’s a world away from boardrooms and AI workshops, but I love it. Standing trackside, you’re part of a team keeping drivers and spectators safe, and you need to stay calm and focused even when things get unpredictable. For me, it’s a mix of adrenaline and community – being outdoors, working alongside people who share the same passion, and knowing your role really matters. In some ways, it’s not so different from business: you have to make quick decisions, trust your team, and be ready for anything.

How do you define Success?

For me, success is about people finding their courage. It’s seeing leaders move from fear to confidence, and teams realising they can use AI to focus on the work that matters most. Success is when people feel empowered, not overwhelmed, and know they have what it takes to thrive in a changing world.