🧜‍♀️AI Collective-HR | AI ideation, research, and validation

## Using AI to Think Like a Successful Entrepreneur

An AI-powered ideation, research, and validation workshop

Building ideas is easy. Proving they matter is hard.

This hands-on workshop is designed to help you use AI as a thinking partner to move faster from vague ideas to clearer, validated directions. Instead of guessing or relying on gut instinct alone, you will learn practical ways to use AI to challenge assumptions, explore markets, and pressure-test ideas before you invest too much time or energy.
This session focuses on how founders, builders, and teams can use AI to think more clearly, ask better questions, and make more informed decisions. No hype. No pitch decks. Just practical frameworks you can apply right away.

🔍 What you’ll learn

• How to use AI to generate and refine early-stage ideas
• Turning assumptions into research questions instead of guesses
• Exploring customer and market perspectives with AI support
• Simple validation techniques you can use immediately
• How to move from intuition-driven thinking to evidence-informed decisions

This is not about memorizing prompts or chasing tools. It is about learning how to think better with AI in the loop.

🧠 Your facilitators
Andrew Stafford is a Fractional Chief AI Officer and Director of Technology and Global Alliances at The AI Collective. He works with executive teams to establish clear ownership of AI decisions, focus on real ROI, and avoid unnecessary risk, tool sprawl, and hype-driven strategy.

Ted Patterson is a Product and GTM Engineer at Reelist and a founding leader of The AI Collective Hampton Roads. With nearly 20 years of experience across product, research, design, and systems, he focuses on turning complex ideas into testable hypotheses, clear narratives, and practical next steps.

Together, Andrew and Ted will guide you through an end-to-end ideation, research, and validation flow that blends strategic thinking with hands-on experimentation.

👥 Who should attend?

• Founders and early-stage startup teams
• Product managers, designers, and engineers
• No-code and automation builders
• Researchers and analysts
• Students and career switchers exploring entrepreneurship
• Anyone curious about using AI to think more clearly about ideas and markets

No prior AI experience required.

⚡ Why this matters
AI is changing how ideas are formed, tested, and funded. The real advantage is not knowing more tools. It is knowing how to ask better questions, challenge assumptions earlier, and validate faster.
This session is about building that muscle.

ℹ️ FAQs
Is there free parking?
Yes. There is plenty of free parking available on the ECPI University campus.

Is this event free?
Yes. Space is limited, so please RSVP and cancel if your plans change.

Will food or drinks be provided?
Light snacks and drinks will be available.

🤝 Organizers & partners
​
Organizers
The AI Collective Hampton Roads

​Platinum partners
TechArk
Regent University
ECPI University

​Silver partners
TEKsystems
Assembly

​Space partner
757 Collab
The Hive by Virginia Beach
NSU Innovation Center

🌍 ​Our parent org
The AI Collective is a global non-profit community uniting 150,000+ pioneers – founders, researchers, operators, and investors – exploring the frontier of AI in major tech hubs worldwide. Through events, workshops, and community-led research, we empower the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI’s future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing.

All attendees and organizers at events affiliated with The AI Collective agree to our privacy policy and are subject to our code of conduct. Additionally, by registering for this event, you agree to The AI Collective Hampton Roads chapter photo & video policy.