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Intro 0:00
[Un]churned as presented by UpdateAI.

Chenay Gladstone 0:07
Everyone will interpret everything, any sort of language any statement differently. It’s kind of the fun of linguistics. There’s like a social aspect to it a cognitive cognitive aspect to it, and with our group of people, and so we all have different perspectives, different backgrounds of life.

Intro 0:24
Welcome to [Un]churned a show about the leaders and innovators of companies who have forged incredible customer relationships, and stories you can use to advance your own career. Here’s your host, Josh Schachter.

Josh Schachter 0:37
Everybody, welcome to this episode of [Un]churned. I’m Josh Schachter, your host of [Un]churned and founder and CEO of UpdateAI. In this program, we speak to so many amazing people that are doing incredible things and customer success and customer experience and all those tangential functions. And it occurred to me recently, that while I’m learning from we are learning from from others that are out there in the industry, and who are incredibly talented, in my own company up today, I have some amazing talent as well. And one of those people who I’m most proud of who has actually been with updating AI the longest, it has had a profound impact on what we do. And I would like everybody to really kind of learn from in this episode and be introduced to is Chenay Gladstone Chenay has been with us update AI for a little over two years. She is our head of data analysis. She is the data analyst. She’ll explain what she does. But she wanted to give you your proper do showcase you in this episode. So thank you for being with us today. Hi,

Chenay Gladstone 1:42
thanks for having me.

Josh Schachter 1:42
My pleasure. Okay, I didn’t really give people a really good sense of what you do. Shinae, you’ve been with update AI for a little over two years. Tell us what do you do at update AI?

Chenay Gladstone 1:53
Yeah, I think we might need to revisit what my actual title is, because I don’t really think it encapsulates it either. But I lead the analysis of human language, data and analysis at update. So that means I look for language patterns and annotate data and train people annotating our data to help our data science team, build and improve our model. You analyze

Josh Schachter 2:17
data and language patterns. Okay. So for folks that have never used up the AI, they don’t know what it is, for folks that don’t know what it is, what exactly does that mean? Like? What’s the what’s the topic, if you will, of what you’re of the data that you’re annotating?

Chenay Gladstone 2:32
So we are looking for action items in meeting transcripts. So we’re looking for a combinations of words, phrases that people use commonly signal that something is an action item. So the most basic example I can give of this is when someone says I will for us, a large part of those cases will be action items. So looking for things like that. So just

Josh Schachter 2:56
to sit back one second, the one of the key value props of update AI is that we are there in your resume conversations behind the scenes detecting the action items that are overheard in the conversation, and the like the example you just gave. And so your work relates to helping us create that taxonomy of all the actions like what how have we created the logic around that and it’s not just Ctrl F keyword search of, you know, we look for the word email or send this is stuff that that you know, that you and or the rest of our data science team has spent a long time working on to get to the right level. So just wanted to set that context for everybody. Tell us a little bit more like tell us a little bit more about the like the like help build up that story Morgana for two years now with me. So like, what does that look like for you working as our our head of data annotation?

Chenay Gladstone 3:48
Like what does that look like on a daily basis? Or do you want me to start from two years ago, up until now

Josh Schachter 3:52
let’s go go quickly, two years up until now.

Chenay Gladstone 3:55
Yeah, two years up until now, we basically it was just a group of us. I remember on my first day sitting there like arguing debating over one sentence if it should or should not be an action item. And we didn’t really have any reasoning, really for backing up our arguments. So it was kind of just like what we felt like if someone said this to us in a meeting how we would interpret that. And it’s kind of developed now into having more reasoning behind why we think something is or is not an action item. And that started with us taking transcripts from companies who were willing to work with us in our super early stages, and analyzing those action items and those notes. And again, going through and finding patterns for what we decided where we’re not action items. So we found kind of little different categories like requests or offers things that we called self assign. So the speaker is assigning an action item to themselves. And we were able to break those down into the language patterns of those categories. And again, I’ll use that example with I will so that is like I saw pattern For us, and along with that, we found examples that in those patterns of language patterns that signal that something is not an action item. So in this case of I will someone says I will send the emails for us that is an action item. But if someone says I will be fine that like state of being after I will, that is not an action item.

Josh Schachter 5:21
So, so it’s very nuanced. It’s nuanced here, sometimes the differentiation and the rules. Yeah, so sometimes it’s not always that simple. What’s an action and what’s not an action? Even within the team? You know, I’ve been in exercises with you and Sergei, our head of data science, we’ve been exercises together, and we don’t all agree on what an action item is. So how in the world is a machine supposed to get it? Right? You know? And of course, not gonna be 100% Always, but can you tell? Tell everybody a little bit about how we’ve approached that problem? Yeah. So

Chenay Gladstone 5:49
everyone will interpret everything, any sort of language, any statement differently. It’s kind of the fun of linguistics. There’s like a social aspect to it a cognitive, cognitive aspect to it. And with our group of people, you know, we have you Josh, as our CEO, we have Sergey, on our data science team, who’s from Ukraine, who have me as a female, probably maybe the youngest on the team. And so we all have different perspectives, different backgrounds of life, and how like something that you Josh, that when you say something to us, it holds a little more weight than maybe someone else on the team would say, because like you in our hierarchy, or like our boss, you are, you have more weight than what everyone else

Josh Schachter 6:31
should know, you’re gonna get a lot of a lot of listeners right now shaking their head saying no, no, that’s, that’s a that’s an incorrect bias that the team should not be weighed just because of my title. But okay, carry on.

Chenay Gladstone 6:40
I mean, it just, it is what it is. Like, if you use I, how we’ve been calling it like not strong language, someone is likely still to follow through with a task that you request, as opposed to maybe someone else on the team. So that kind of affects how we interpret things. Cool.

Josh Schachter 6:57
What’s the goal for the end user, so Data Science and Artificial Intelligence are incredibly powerful, but without action behind them, there’s really no point. So in the detection of the action items that we are facilitating that you and the team have created this taxonomy and detection around what’s the end value for our

Chenay Gladstone 7:17
users, we basically want to help our users not miss anything important in their meetings, with the increase of virtual meetings. And I guess, the ease that comes with booking them and hosting them and being a part of them, people have back to back meetings all day. And we want to help alleviate some of the pressure that comes with taking notes and remembering everything that comes from these meetings and sending recaps themselves and following up with customers and whatever else may come in their roles. And by detecting these action items, we want to help them remember what they need to follow up on what other people in their meetings need to follow up on and basically serve as a backup for whatever notes that they decide to take in their meeting.

Josh Schachter 8:01
Cool. I think you said it very well. That was one of the most acute pains when we spoke to people when we were first starting to get update going is helped me manage my task overwhelming my back to back meetings. And so that for us is the starting point.

Intro 8:15
Is the drag of taking notes after back to back customer meetings slowing you down. Or even worse, did you miss something your customer asked for three meetings ago. Update AI the latest investment from zoom Ventures is here to help featuring the world’s most advanced artificial intelligence to detect action items. Update AI joins your zoom meetings and in real time delivers your follow ups and next steps from customer calls. Save hours of busy work, stay more present in your conversations and make sure your team is always on track. Sign up for your trial of update AI.

Josh Schachter 8:53
Hey, guys, it’s Josh. If you’re like me, you buy the doggie poop bags on amazon.com that have the most ratings and reviews. So please give our podcast a rating or review. It’ll help others discover us go ahead right now. I’ll be here when you get back. want to turn now a little bit more to you. Today. What were you doing before update AI and tell folks out there how it came about for you to work at update.

Unknown Speaker 9:18
Before update AI I was in grad school and I was also teaching high school ESL and then I transitioned into doing marketing for a rehabilitation center. I was a copywriter and editor there for a few months but due to budgeting problems and the impact of COVID the whole marketing team was laid off. And so I was basically just out looking for a job and a friend of mine from a time studying abroad in Germany posted about I guess her father’s cousin who had an opening at UpdateAI for what was called a content specialist. And so I applied because I was Looking for a job and you know, content content marketing kind of sounded similar. I didn’t honestly really know what to expect at the time. And I spoke to you, Josh, and then I was declined with the offer because someone else

Josh Schachter 10:15
had more experience had more experience.

Chenay Gladstone 10:17
And so yes, I did not get the job. But then you followed up with me a week or so later.

Josh Schachter 10:23
I did. I did, because I was very impressed with our conversation. By the way, a couple of things that you just like that I want expand on what you just said. So first of all, should they speak fluent German? That was your your study abroad, which I think is incredibly impressive. Yes. It’s my cousin’s daughter that shout out to Kara who made the introduction for us. And, you know, it was it was, it was still pretty random, though. But I do remember thinking to myself, like, I could tell that you that you were very smart. And I could tell that you were somebody who would be loyal to the company, who could just was open to to kind of taking on anything and excelling in it. And listen, that’s what we’ve gotten. So glad that it’s worked out. You mentioned your degree in passing. Tell us more about your, your your master’s degree.

Chenay Gladstone 11:08
My master’s is in linguistics and Applied Linguistics. Okay, what does that mean? Linguistics is the scientific study of language. And Applied Linguistics is solving language related real life problems?

Josh Schachter 11:20
Perfect. I mean, and that’s obviously that appealed to us as well, to me, as well as a hiring manager of having that background. That’s why it’s been perfect for you to through your master’s in linguistics to help us come up with a linguistics, taxonomy and pattern for action of detection and more and the stuff that we’re working on for the next gen behind the scenes. What motivates you should a

Chenay Gladstone 11:39
fear anxiety,

Josh Schachter 11:42
two of my favorites, two of my favorites, we say more.

Chenay Gladstone 11:46
I am not a people pleaser. I’ll make that very clear. I have no problem not pleasing people. But I don’t like not pleasing people who are important to me. So if I feel like I’m letting someone down who’s important to me, or that I’m not meeting expectations, I get a lot of anxiety. And so to manage that anxiety, I just tried to perform as well as I feel I’m expected to perform. Yeah, personally and professionally.

Josh Schachter 12:12
So you’re more of a more of a stick than a carrot person as far as your motivation? Well, we’ll work on that or work on the motivation by fear. And, you know, what, what would motivate you outside of fear? What’s your What are your What are your dreams, your visions? Is it a? Is it a yacht in the Caribbean? Is it just self actualization? Let’s Let’s spin that a little bit?

Chenay Gladstone 12:35
Um, well, I mean, I guess happiness. However, one wants to define that. I mean, I guess the ideal life is being happy and financially stable, which I think at least in our society, somewhat goes hand in hand.

Josh Schachter 12:48
Fair enough. Fair enough. And what are you most happy proud of accomplishing in the two years that you’ve worked with us?

Chenay Gladstone 12:55
I’m glad that we finally got our product out the door. Okay, I said two years ago, I remember sitting in that first meeting, and it seems like we are having a very like nonsensical, circular conversation. And somehow we were able to channel that into getting something useful for other people in the world.

Josh Schachter 13:16
Yeah, yeah. It’s been a road. For sure. It’s been a journey. It’s been a gravel road, we’re there. We’re all very excited about that. And what’s the biggest thing that you’ve learned, and perhaps the biggest way that you’ve grown over the past few years,

Chenay Gladstone 13:29
I’ve learned a lot about the different different things that go into creating a company and running a startup. In these past two years, I’ve gone back to school to get an MBA and have that formal knowledge of things. But being with update and seeing all the things that you Josh, I’ve had to juggle and sitting in on a couple of investor meetings, and then kind of just helping out with different teams here and there with whatever’s needed. I’ve been able to see the different sides to running a business. And that’s been interesting, but also enlightening. And that’s

Josh Schachter 14:00
why you’re motivated by fear and anxiety is watching watching me on a day to day basis, I get it all comes full circle. What do you want to be doing in five years? Should a and I watch it? Like there’s no brown nosing here not update AI stuff? Who know five years is a long time in startup years. So like, what do you want it? What’s your what’s your dream, five years from now,

Chenay Gladstone 14:22
in five years, if the stars aligned and everything in my life is perfect. I would be a professional indoor volleyball player. I’ve been playing for like 13 years, coached it dabbled in beach, all that. But I know that’s a little unrealistic. So more realistically, if update is around in five years, I’d hope I’d still be part of a company because I really do actually like working at update and working with people I work with. But if it’s not, I’d still like to be involved with linguistics in some way, shape, or form. So maybe I’d go back to content editing, maybe I would go back to teaching maybe I would I don’t know get my PhD and do some real surgeon something related to language. I’m not sure. But I guess those are my options. Cool. Cool.

Unknown Speaker 15:05
Chenay, thank you so much for being in this extension of our interviews of really incredible people. And looking introspectively on our own team, it was important for us to start out with you as our guest. And I really appreciate your time today. Hey, guys, it’s Josh. Don’t hang up. If you enjoyed this episode, you know, even if you didn’t, I’d love for you to give us a rating in iTunes or Spotify. And after you do email me, Josh at update that AI with the name of your favorite charity, and my company update AI will make a donation on your behalf. I’d love to connect with each of our listeners. Send me a LinkedIn request and I’ll accept it immediately. Just go to www.blog.update.ai/linkedin and it’ll redirect my profile. Thanks