About Eduard Klein

AI Business Strategy, Research & Data Analysis

For CEOs, Founders & Boards

The Short Version

Eduard Klein is an AI business strategist and researcher, an AI data analysis specialist who advises CEOs and founders, along with their boards of directors, on the single question that will matter most in 2026: how will artificial intelligence (AI) impact your company's ability to attract new customers and close deals? More importantly, what should you do to prepare for that impact before your competitors do?

He has seen both sides. 30 years in software development. 30 years running businesses in four different countries, with direct experience operating sales, marketing and development projects up to 300 developers.

Out of that came a complete advisory practice covering every part of the company's revenue engine: from AI visibility and AI marketing strategy through to AI sales enablement and AI consulting. The work reaches further into AI content marketing and AI email marketing, then out to AI social media marketing and AI data analysis.

Each year, he works with a small number of leaders. These people hire him because they want someone who has both created and sold the technology being built today. They also want someone who has actually run the companies that bought it. He brings both.

The Long Version

A Tuesday Morning in February 2026

On a Tuesday morning, the CEO of a company I had known for nine years called me. The company's Q4 numbers were in and the organic traffic to their website was down 71% from last year. The traffic to their website had been softening three quarters prior to that. The VP of Marketing was running the same marketing campaign that had been successful since 2019. The CRO was blaming the marketing team for the decline in conversions. The company's board meeting was scheduled for eleven days later.

He opened with one sentence: "I think we have an AI problem and I don't know which department owns it."

This call is representative of the work that I do. The CEOs that contact me are not asking whether or not they should use AI. Instead, they are asking questions about which of their existing systems will become obsolete and which of their competitors have already implemented AI systems.

They also want to know where they should allocate their $5 million in capital to either protect or increase their company's revenue. They require someone with knowledge of AI and its applications within their industry, as well as an understanding of how AI will impact their company's profit and loss statement.

They do not wish for a presentation of 47 slides prepared over the course of eight weeks. Rather, they desire answers to these questions today.

That is what I do now. The rest of this page is why I am qualified to do it.

Why Founders, CEOs and CMOs Work With Me

Most AI advice on the market today is written with one of three audiences in mind.

There is advice for developers who wish to implement AI in their products, and for marketers who wish to use AI in their campaigns.

Then there is advice for analysts who wish to read about the latest AI trends.

The category that does not include the Founder, CMO or CEO of the company is all of the above.

A CEO will ask a different question altogether. The question that he will pose to himself and his team will be something like:

"Given the changes that are happening within the field of AI, how should I allocate my company's capital and resources over the next four to eight quarters?

What steps should I take to mitigate any risks that may emerge from these developments and what should I communicate to the members of my company's board of directors regarding these plans?"

To answer that question well, I would need to have four different types of knowledge simultaneously.

I would need to have a technical understanding of the technology itself.

I would need to have some experience in the field with that technology.

I would need to be familiar with the sales and revenue metrics of the company and I would need to have some research skills to be able to base my recommendations for the company on data rather than vendor talking points.

These four elements are not those of a career consultant or an academic.

I built my practice around these elements as a builder and an operator.

For the last four years, I have been living within the AI shift and I translate what I see into decisions that Founder, CMOs and CEOs can defend in front of their boards.

The Background That Shapes the Advice

I started my first business at 15. That was 35 years ago.

During my teenage years, while others were studying various subjects, I was running a computer service and programming business in southern Germany. I created a hotel reservation system and an inventory platform for a textile trading company. I sold software and even performed some graphic design work as I enjoyed creating something out of nothing.

After graduating from high school, I had completed the construction of the communication and data infrastructure for the B2B sales division of a major corporation in the industrial sector. At the age of 19, I was the individual who was responsible for the technology that hundreds of salespeople used each day to perform their jobs.

Enterprise software and B2B sales. After gaining experience in the IT industry, I transitioned into the sales of enterprise software products like Oracle and Microsoft. ERP systems and CRM platforms were also included in my sales portfolio. In these roles, I had to learn about the internal workings of companies and the decisions that they made regarding technology investments. This knowledge has been invaluable to me. When a CEO asks me what their AI adoption roadmap should look like, this education is worth more than any MBA.

University of Mannheim I enrolled in Business Informatics at one of Germany's top programs. I left the program before finishing. I had already a successful consulting business and had too many client projects and opportunities that would not wait for me to complete my studies. The same was true of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Dell and Larry Ellison. My most consequential education occurred within my chosen field of study.

Building complex systems. Over the next decade, the company would grow in scale and I would be the one building it. I would build the first mobile network infrastructure prototypes for Mannesmann.

I would build the complete IT and CRM architectures for a company's B2B sales organizations becoming one of the biggest tech consulting firms in my region. I would also build software for European Aerospace and banking systems. Online banking acquisition and delivery management was part of that work too.

The $2 billion program. The defining project: lead project management car entertainment systems development program. 300 engineers. 20,000 features, total $2 billion budget. I developed the project management software necessary to manage such an enormous effort while managing the project with more than 10 manager collegues. When a CEO asks if their company is ready for AI implementation, I can point to my experience managing a similar effort with a budget to match.

Management consulting and executive training. I spent 13 years as a management consultant for companies like Audi, BMW, Bayer, SAP, Deutsche Telekom, Volkswagen, Salesforce, Deutsche Bank, Allianz, Lufthansa, Porsche and Henkel. The consulting work was performed in five countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and China.

During my time as a consultant, I used the B2B sales methodology to consult with executives on management and leadership and also on digital transformation. Throughout my career, I have trained more than 20,000 executives across Europe.

Building the digital marketing machine. I started and ran my own digital marketing agency. SEO, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, link building, marketing automation, AI marketing analytics. I founded the Content Marketing Institute Germany in Berlin (content-marketing.com) and sold it to a third party.

I became a Master Trainer and Lecturer at the Digital Marketing Institute, leading over eight instructors and earning a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing.

I did not learn about the revenue side of the company from a textbook. I learned about it by building and running the systems that produce that revenue.

SaaS growth at scale. My next career move would be into a career in SaaS consulting for various technology companies using different AI content strategy approaches. AI link building and AI-driven content were also part of the mix for me. I've worked with companies like Expandi, Evaboot, Hublead and Visum to help them all scale from 0 to $8 million in annual recurring revenue.

My specific tasks included keyword strategy and competitive intelligence. Content architecture was also one of my tasks. Also, I was also responsible for technical SEO and conversion rate optimization for these companies.

During this time period, I also served as an advisor to several startups. I helped those companies develop their technology and business models so they could become successful companies.

The AI Era: From Operator to Strategist

2022. I founded RocketGrowth.AI and started working on AI research in the early days of GPT. I was more of a builder of the AI rather than an observer. I tested the AI constantly to learn from its mistakes and successes. I built systems within the AI and broke them. That is how I understood what AI automation actually delivered versus what it promised.

2024. I founded Avandex AI, an AI automation agency. I deployed AI agents and built AI sales prospecting systems. The work extended to AI SDR and AI BDR workflows plus AI cold calling infrastructure. It also covered AI sales outreach sequences and AI task automation across marketing and sales operations. I

I also built AI email marketing automation and AI social media marketing systems.

The AI-native CRM solutions and AI lead scoring frameworks came out of the same work. That is real AI workflow automation for real businesses, with revenue attached.

2025. The field shifted hard. Google's AI Overview caused traffic drops of 80 to 90 percent on client websites. The impact was immediate and severe. Most companies were unaware of the issue until their quarterly reports arrived. For three months, I researched the effects of 2025 on various websites. During that time, I also spent time as a musician and composer. During those three months, I collected data and ran experiments to understand what was happening.

The conclusion of this study is unambiguous: the rules of acquiring customers have changed.

The AI search optimization and generative engine optimization technologies are no longer optional for any organization.

AI visibility is now the primary battleground for acquiring customers.

LLMs are changing the way that customers discover products and services at the top of the sales funnel.

AI strategic visibility technology determines which customers will discover the organization's products and services and which customers will disappear from its radar.

Almost no one in the organization is making the connection between these technological changes and the strategic consequences that emerge from them at the CEO level.

2026. I have restructured my full practice around the work that matters most today: AI business strategy and AI data analysis. My advisory work with leaders who own the profit and loss statements of their organizations sits at the center of it.

What I Do Now

My work is with a small number of CEOs and founders. I also work with operating executives who recognize that AI is a strategic shift for the company as a whole.

Research and intelligence. I publish regularly updated AI Field Reports, data-driven analyses of how AI is reshaping specific business functions.

Strategic advisory. I help CEOs, CMOs and founders build an AI business strategy that connects to revenue rather than to buzzwords.

AI visibility audits: where does your brand appear, and where does it fail to appear? I check ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI.

AI consulting for AI adoption and AI implementation sequencing: what to do in the next quarter, and what to defer or kill.

AI marketing strategy across every function, from AI lead generation and AI personas for B2B marketing to AI content marketing and AI marketing automation.

Whether you are running a $5M company navigating AI for small business or leading a division rethinking corporate AI strategy, the question I answer is always the same: what should you actually do, and in what order?

Implementation support. If you're a leader who wants to execute your plans effectively, there are various options available to you. For instance, you can opt for Playbooks and Blueprints, both of which offer extended Blueprints that allow you to customize your solutions according to your specific needs.

Avandex AI also offers done-for-you services, including the deployment and operation of the systems you require, such as AI sales assistant systems and AI workflow automation. It will even operate complete AI marketing automation stacks.

How I Think

I am a generalist with deep roots in computer science and information processing. I have thirty years of experience in building systems for dozens of different industries. While my experience is rooted in the field of computer science and information processing, my thinking extends beyond those fields.

I am a interested student of physics and astrophysics. I also have an interest in neuroscience and biology. Each of these areas relates to the study of the functioning of the systems of the universe.

Complex systems exhibit certain patterns in their behavior. These patterns can be seen in the study of markets and technology adoption. These patterns are also present in other systems. By recognizing these patterns in various fields, people can better price in changes to those markets and systems before they happen.

The role of a AI business analyst at the Founder/CEO level is to see the signal in the noise.

The CEO must be able to identify patterns within the data that may not be apparent to others.

These patterns will then allow the CEO to make decisions for the company that can be presented to the company's board of directors on Monday.

That is the work. That is the value.

Thirty years building the tech. Twenty-five years running the business. Both sides of the table. Always.

What I Still Cannot Answer

After spending four years researching this topic, I am still unsure of what will happen to B2B SaaS companies over the next eighteen months.

While I have developed a hypothesis regarding the future of these companies, I have not yet published my findings regarding this topic.

I am writing about that work next.

Companies I've Advised & Worked With

Thirty years of work leaves a trail. I've kept the receipts.

Mobility & Industry

	Audi	Premium automaker
	BMW Group	Premium automaker
	Volkswagen	Global automaker
	Daimler	Mobility group
	Porsche	Sports car manufacturer
	Kia	Automaker
	Hyundai	Automaker
	VW Financial Services	Automotive finance
	Michelin	Tires & mobility
	Lufthansa Group	Aviation
	Lufthansa Technik	Aviation MRO
	Schaltbau	Rail & industrial electronics
	Schindler	Elevators & escalators
	Carl Zeiss	Optics & optoelectronics

Finance & Insurance

	Allianz	Insurance & asset management
	HUK-COBURG	Insurance
	AXA	Insurance (AXA ART)
	Deutsche Bank	Banking
	PostFinance	Swiss retail banking
	Ernst & Young	Audit & consulting

Health & Life Sciences

	Bayer	Life sciences & pharma
	ratiopharm	Pharmaceuticals
	HEXAL	Generics pharmaceuticals
	MERZ	Consumer healthcare

Energy & Utilities

E.ON

Energy utility

Tech, Software & SaaS

	1&1	Internet & hosting
	2Checkout (now Verifone)	Payments & ecommerce platform for digital goods.
	AdvertiseMint	Facebook & Instagram ads agency publishing practitioner guides.
	AeroLeads	Lead-generation software with a blog focused on prospecting tactics.
	Appointlet	Appointment scheduling SaaS; blog on sales & meetings workflows.
	Badger Maps	Field-sales route planning; blog on outside-sales productivity.
	BearingPoint	Management & tech consulting
	Billdu	Invoicing & small-business software with operator-focused content.
	Bookafy	Online appointment scheduling SaaS.
	Boostability	White-label SEO agency publishing SMB SEO advice.
	BrandBucket	Brandable domain-name marketplace; blog on naming & branding.
	Brandveda	Digital marketing training institute (India).
	BrightLocal	Local SEO & review management platform.
	Callbox	B2B lead-generation & appointment-setting agency.
	Capgemini	IT consulting
	Capturly	Heatmaps & session recordings for CRO.
	CIENCE	Managed B2B outbound & research services.
	ClicData	Business-intelligence & dashboards platform.
	ClickDo Business	UK SEO agency publishing business-marketing guides.
	Cloudways	Managed cloud hosting for WordPress & ecommerce.
	Codeless	Content-production agency for SaaS & B2B.
	Cognism	B2B sales-intelligence & prospecting platform.
	Compete Themes	WordPress themes vendor; blog on blogging & WP.
	ContactOut	B2B email-finder & prospecting tool.
	ContactOut Blog	B2B contact-finding tool; blog on recruiting & sales outreach.
	Convince & Convert	Jay Baer's digital strategy consultancy & publication.
	Corefactors	RevOps CRM suite; blog on sales & revenue ops.
	CrankWheel	Instant-demo screen-sharing for inside sales.
	Crowdfire	Social-media management & content-curation app.
	Curatti	Content-marketing & digital-strategy editorial site.
	Customerly	Live-chat, help-desk & marketing automation for SaaS.
	Determ	Media-monitoring & social-listening platform.
	Deutsche Telekom	Telecommunications
	Elastic Email	Transactional & marketing-email API platform.
	EmailOctopus	Email-marketing platform built on simple pricing.
	Emplifi	Unified CX platform for social, commerce and care.
	Encharge	Marketing-automation built for SaaS lifecycle flows.
	Engage for Success	UK movement & research on workplace employee engagement.
	Envato Elements	Creative-assets subscription (templates, graphics, audio).
	Evaboot	LinkedIn Sales Nav data export (SaaS)
	Expandi	LinkedIn outreach automation (SaaS)
	FinancesOnline	B2B software reviews & category research.
	G2 Learn Hub	Software-reviews giant's long-form marketing education hub.
	Gaurav Tiwari	Blogger-network site publishing blogging & tech guides.
	Growth Hackers	Community & media on growth marketing.
	Guidebook	Event & mobile-app platform for corporate events.
	Hello Bar	Conversion-optimization popups & bars.
	Hublead	LinkedIn ↔ HubSpot sync (SaaS)
	Hunter.io	Email-finder & outreach platform.
	HypeAuditor	Influencer analytics & fraud detection.
	InvoiceBerry	Online invoicing for small businesses & freelancers.
	involve.me	No-code funnel & interactive-content builder.
	KyLeads	Lead-generation popups & quizzes.
	LeadSquared	Sales-execution CRM for high-velocity B2C teams.
	LiveAgent	Help-desk & live-chat suite.
	Luxafor	Busy-light & productivity hardware brand.
	Masterful Marketing	Consulting blog for small-business marketing leaders.
	Mention (Agorapulse)	Social & web media-monitoring platform.
	Moneyzine	Personal-finance reference site.
	Novocall	Call-tracking & callback SaaS for inbound sales.
	Omniconvert	CRO & customer-retention platform for ecommerce.
	Outbrain	Native-advertising & content-recommendation platform.
	Pics.io	Digital asset management for Google Drive / S3.
	Pipeliner Sales POP!	Sales & leadership media from Pipeliner CRM.
	Pixpa	Portfolio & online-store builder for creators.
	Plecto	Real-time performance dashboards & gamification for sales.
	Poptin	Popup & onsite-messaging builder for conversions.
	POWR	No-code website plugins & popups for small business.
	Premio	WordPress-plugin studio for conversion & social.
	Pressidium	Managed WordPress hosting for agencies & businesses.
	PushFar	Career-mentoring & networking platform.
	Quaderno	Tax-compliance automation for digital businesses.
	Quintly (Facelift)	Social-media analytics & competitive benchmarking.
	Ranktracker	All-in-one SEO rank-tracking & analysis suite.
	Recruiter.com	Recruitment platform & industry publication.
	Refrens	Invoicing, CRM & business-management suite for SMBs.
	Roketto	B2B inbound marketing agency & blog.
	Salesforce	CRM platform
	SAP	Enterprise software
	Scribe	Step-by-step how-to documentation (auto-captured SOPs).
	Secomapp	Shopify-app maker; blog on ecommerce growth.
	Sendcloud	Shipping & delivery platform for online retailers.
	Sendible	Social-media management for agencies & brands.
	SendPulse	Multi-channel marketing: email, SMS, chatbots, web push.
	Serpstat	All-in-one SEO platform — keywords, links, rank tracking.
	simpleshow	Explainer-video production & software.
	SocialBee	Social-media scheduling & content-category tool.
	Spiralytics	Performance-marketing & analytics agency.
	StartupNation	US entrepreneur-focused media & community.
	T-Systems	IT services
	TechWyse	Digital-marketing agency (Toronto) with a big content library.
	The European Business Review	International business-strategy magazine.
	TheNextScoop	Digital-marketing & tech editorial.
	TIMIFY	Enterprise appointment-scheduling platform.
	Trustmary	Review collection & video-testimonials platform.
	Turtl	Interactive-document (sales & marketing content) platform.
	Userpilot	Product-growth platform (in-app onboarding & engagement). Context varies.
	Vault	Career-advice publisher & company-rankings site.
	Visum	AI-assisted visa platform (SaaS)
	Western Digital	Data storage
	Zonka Feedback	CX & survey platform for customer-experience teams.

Logistics, Retail & Consumer

	Deutsche Post DHL	Logistics & mail
	UPS	Logistics & delivery
	Metro AG	Wholesale
	Media Markt	Consumer electronics retail
	Coca-Cola	Beverages
	Mars	Consumer goods (food & petcare)
	Henkel	Consumer goods
	Dr. Oetker	Food manufacturer
	Nespresso	Coffee systems

Hospitality & Travel

Park Hyatt Zurich

Luxury hotel (Hyatt)

Media, Marketing & Services

	Mediengruppe RTL	TV & streaming
	Condé Nast	Media publishing
	Burda	Media & publishing
	Serviceplan	Marketing & advertising
	Kienbaum	HR & management consulting
	Kelly Services	Staffing & workforce
	Integrata	IT & leadership training
	Miller Heiman	Sales training & methodology

Education
Trained over 20,000+ executives across Europe · Master Trainer, Digital Marketing Institute · Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing · Certified Digital Marketing Professional · Led a team of 8+ instructors

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Or write me directly: eduard@eduardklein.com.