This event is brought to you by Wildfire in partnership with Elevate Rapid City. 

 THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT! 

Please reach out to events@elevaterapidcity.com if you have any questions. 

 Be sure to sign up for Networking on Tap following this event!

Early-stage founders are under constant pressure to execute fast with limited time, money, and team resources. This 1.5-hour session gives a clear, practical path to using AI as a force multiplier; cutting costs, increasing output, and automating repeatable work from day one.

You’ll learn why AI is now the most cost-efficient way to operate, how high-performing teams create a culture of automating everything possible, and the core question every founder should ask: “If I had to automate 40% of my job, what would I automate first?”

The workshop includes a live, practical build: using AI to design and generate a functional website through an automated workflow. Founders will leave with a mental model for evaluating what to automate, a real example of end-to-end workflow automation, and insights into how Wildfire Labs uses AI to operate with extreme efficiency.

What You’ll Learn

• Why AI has become the most cost-efficient operational strategy for early startups
• How to build a culture centered on automating everything possible
• The “40% rule” for identifying high-impact automation opportunities
• A hands-on example: using AI tools to build a new website through workflow automation
• A behind-the-scenes look at how Wildfire Labs automates its own operations with AI

 About the Speaker:

 Todd Gagne

Todd has a long history around startups and the software industry, starting with three startups in the 1990’s that went from trashcan fire to successful exit. From there, Todd joined Concur in 1998 and grew with the company from $10m in the first year to over $1.7b in revenue when he left in 2016. Todd was a senior leader and managed global products, engineering teams, North America marketing, and sales teams over his 19 year career. Since 2016, Todd has been playing the roles of cheerleader, mentor, consultant and investor in regional software startups and has been committed to building out a technology ecosystem in our region.

Todd is based in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota with his wife and two kids. He loves to be outdoors, hiking, biking, camping, fishing, boating and he's always happy to share his favorite mountain biking trails.

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