Podcast creator who meets people behind AI

IAN Smith is the founder of Baseline, which works with artificial intelligence to reshape businesses, government and society itself. He lives in Henley with three children, is a supporter of the Henley Hawks and is a coach at AFC Henley.

Describe your business

Baseline is a documentary-style podcast and media platform. I speak with technologists, founders, professors and policymakers and have conversations about the human experience behind the machines. AI is bigger than the internet.

How many people does it employ?

Just me, with the help of AI tools. I handle everything from building trust with guests to lighting the shot, scripting the conversation and publishing the final piece.

What did you do before you started this business?

I have worked in technology for more than two decades, from internet banking and algorithmic trading to founding and scaling startups. I founded Butterfly Software in a stable on the Stubbings Estate, which IBM later acquired. Since then, I have helped tech companies grow and advised governments on AI.

When did you start your business?

Late last year. It began as a personal quest to understand AI but the show grew fast and now reaches thousands globally every day.

What was your objective?

To ask sharper questions. To highlight the people actually doing the work, not just the ones giving the keynotes, bringing hidden stories to the surface, inviting the audience to see the human forces shaping our future.

Do you have a mentor or role model?

My kids. They remind me what actually matters. I also draw inspiration from people like behavioural economist Rory Sutherland and YouTube creator MrBeast. Also, every guest teaches me something new.

How is your business doing?

We are approaching one million views. More importantly, the depth of engagement is growing. I have travelled across Europe, the US and China for interviews.

Do you compare on a regular basis?

I watch metrics constantly but I try to measure impact. When someone rewatches a clip or shares a line that stuck with them, that is when it starts to mean something.

How do you market your business?

Online marketing today is driven by algorithms and attention. Bold visuals and short videos bring people in, but the value is in the substance.

What’s the best thing about running your own business?

Freedom and the challenge of confronting your limits.

What’s the most challenging aspect?

Keeping the standard high and always improving. We average 100,000 viewers a month and I take their time seriously. Every episode should leave them changed, even slightly.

Where is your business headed?

I want Baseline to become the journal of record for the rise of AI. I am exploring live events and deeper editorial formats next.

Do you have a five-year plan?

Baseline is a 20-year commitment. We need long-term thinking and deep relationships, especially in a short-term world. That is what I am building.

How do you have a work-life balance?

I am a single dad of three. Balance is routine. My kids know what I do and they are part of the reason I do it. That keeps me grounded.

Do you set any goals for your business at the start of a new financial year?

Not really. I focus on what needs to exist now. Each piece of content is a new challenge. I love cycling and there is a quote I live by: “Focus on the race, not the medal. Chase the process and the podium will follow.”

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned since you started your business?

You are not your opinions. Let them evolve. Stay open. I read a lot of Carl Jung. Values-based thinking shapes how I approach business, family and the future.

What advice would you offer to anybody starting a business?

Do not follow the noise. Follow your energy. Passion and authenticity will sustain you long enough to get lucky.

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made?

Spending too much time analysing past mistakes.

How organised are you?

Probably too organised for most but structure gives me calm.

What are you most looking forward to?

A long summer with my kids. Watching them play in the garden while the ground warms beneath them. That is joy to me.

Are you planning for retirement?

I never plan to retire. Retaining purpose and community is essential to longevity. Life is the chance to learn and apply.

What’s the secret of your success?

I keep showing up, even when I do not feel like it. Over time, that is where the luck is.

What three qualities do you think are most important to running a profitable business?

Curiosity. Resilience. Clarity. Ask better questions. Keep learning. Stick around. Know what matters and do not optimise for short-term wins. Play the long game.

How do you dress for work?

Simple. I wear the same thing most days. Though I did win the unofficial award for best-dressed coach at AFC Henley U9s. A proud moment in a competitive league.

What can’t you be without every day?

Coffee and ChatGPT. I might trademark that pairing.

Do you continue to study?

Always. Podcasts, books, transcripts.

What do you read?

History, science fiction, memoirs and philosophy.

What change would you most like to see in 2025?

More courage — in leaders, in builders — in how we use AI. We can still shape the future if we act with intention.

Interview by Will Hamilton, intermediary and global marketing consultant, Hamilton Associates