This CEO Rebuilt His Company With AI. Here's What Happened.

This episode was brought to you by Rayon: https://rayon.design/r/offbounds_1 Retail design teams use Rayon to create store layouts, documentation, standards, and presentations in one collaborative platform. By combining design tools and AI in a single workspace, Rayon helps teams move faster from concept to execution while maintaining consistency across locations. If you're looking to design better retail spaces and streamline your workflow, visit rayon.design and sign up for free today What happens when a footwear founder decides not to wait for consultants, software vendors, or his technology team to figure out AI? Watch our first conversation here:    • 51. Fashion Disruption: The Larroudé Bluep...   In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with Ricardo Larroudé, Founder and CEO of Larroudé, to discuss how he personally began building AI systems inside his company and the impact it had on growth, operations, and decision-making. Since his last appearance on the show, Larroudé has doubled in size, scaled production from 300 to 2,000 pairs of shoes per day, grown to 700 employees, and expanded across both the United States and Brazil. Ricardo shares how he connected data across Shopify, Klaviyo, factory systems, and internal operations, why he believes every CEO should be hands-on with AI, and what happens when leaders stop treating technology as someone else's responsibility. The conversation explores process elimination, data infrastructure, AI agents, direct-to-consumer growth, software vendors, and the skills leaders will need to thrive in the next decade. Topics discussed: • Building AI systems without a technical background • Scaling Larroudé from startup to 700 employees • How AI improved website conversion and operations • Why CEOs should stop outsourcing technology decisions • The future of AI agents in commerce • Process innovation vs. process elimination • Data, integrations, and company-wide operating systems • The impact of tariffs on global retail brands • What hiring looks like in the age of AI Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of retail, commerce, technology, and consumer brands. 🌐 Visit OFFBounds: https://offbounds.tv 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive executive insights 🎙️ Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts 00:00 Introduction and Ricardos's Business Evolution 02:04 Ricardo's Business Growth and Vertical Integration 03:24 Handling Growth Pains and Demand Surge 04:38 Impact of Tariffs and Market Expansion in Brazil 08:01 Company Size and Complexity Today 09:10 Ricardo's Perspective on AI and Technology 12:36 Building AI Systems for Business Operations 15:47 Using AI to Optimize Website and Marketing 18:04 AI for Data Analysis and Security 22:08 Creating a Company-Wide AI Culture 25:41 Developing AI Agents and Automation 28:19 Data Structuring and Integration with AI 33:08 Time Savings and Skill Development with AI 34:17 Hiring for AI and Growth Mindset 35:09 The Excitement and Democratization of AI 36:38 AI as a Competitive Advantage 40:35 Security, Compliance, and Ethical AI Use 42:25 Preparing for AI-Driven Customer Interactions 44:41 The Future of Retail and AI Integration 45:49 Building Customer Relationships in the AI Era 47:23 Advice for CEOs on Embracing AI 48:50 Final Thoughts and Ricardo's Vision for the Future #AI #Retail #Commerce #Leadership #ArtificialIntelligence #DTC #Entrepreneurship #BusinessStrategy #CEO #RetailTechnology #AgenticAI #Ecommerce #Larroude #DigitalTransformation #OFFBounds