EP 268 Women, AI, and ‘Hold the Door’ Leadership with Chris McMartin

Host Susan Diaz is joined by Chris McMartin, National Lead for the Scotiabank Women Initiative (Business Banking), for a real-world conversation about how women are approaching AI. They talk about time poverty, fear of asking “dumb” questions, the shame myth of “AI is cheating”, and why the most powerful move right now is women holding the door open for each other - learning in community and sharing what works.

Episode summary

This episode is a candid, energetic conversation with Chris McMartin - aka “Hype Boss” online and a long-time hype woman for women entrepreneurs.

They explore what’s different about women’s AI adoption, and it’s not lack of interest. They discuss the reality of learning AI at 10pm on the couch after the “82-item checklist” of the day is finally done. And the catch-22 at play - AI can save time, but learning it takes time first - like baking cookies with kids turning a 20-minute task into a two-hour event.

From there, they unpack a deeper barrier: many women hesitate to ask questions because they don’t want to look silly. Chris argues women often use AI “just a little bit” because it doesn’t require admitting what they don’t know - meaning AI becomes a copywriting helper instead of a real growth lever.

They also confront the “AI is cheating” narrative. Chris shares her no-apologies stance: if AI improved your grammar overnight, that’s not shameful - it’s smart. And if you’re worried about being judged for questions, ask AI itself - because it won’t judge you.

The conversation closes with practical advice for women-led teams (especially 5-50 people): start by identifying the task everyone hates and use AI there first, and schedule learning time during business hours instead of relegating growth to late-night exhaustion. Along the way, Susan brings in a powerful metaphor: “hold the door” leadership - women who are already in the room have a responsibility to bring others in with them. (Metaphor inspired by Game of Thrones and Bozoma Saint John. 

Key takeaways

Women aren’t unwilling. They’re time-starved. Many women try to learn AI at the end of the day, when they’re exhausted - because that’s the only time left.

AI has a “cookie problem”. It has huge benefits later, but it costs time upfront to learn - just like baking with kids. That learning curve is real, and it’s a major adoption barrier.

Fear of questions limits adoption. Chris observes women often hesitate to ask “how do I use this better?” which keeps AI usage stuck at surface-level tasks like captions and posts.

“AI is cheating” is a myth that needs to die. Chris’s take: using AI to communicate more clearly isn’t unethical. It’s an upgrade. She also notes men rarely apologize for finding ways to do things better.

Ask AI how to use AI. If you feel silly asking humans, ask your LLM: “What questions should I answer so you can help me solve this?” That’s the difference between generic output and useful work.

Community is a women’s superpower. Women often collaborate with “competitors” with zero weirdness. That community-of-practice energy is exactly what AI learning needs.

For women-led teams: start with pain. Chris’s first practical move: ask your team what task they hate most, then use AI to reduce or remove that pain point to build buy-in.

Schedule learning like leadership. Don’t push AI learning to 10pm. Put it on the calendar during work hours. Your development is part of the job.

Grants can fund AI training and tech upgrades. Chris reminds listeners that many grants support technology advancement and hiring expertise - even for non-tech businesses - and AI can reduce the pain of grant writing.

Episode highlights

[00:03] Meet Chris McMartin + the Scotiabank Women Initiative.

[02:00] “10pm on the couch” and why time poverty shapes women’s learning.

[02:44] The cookie analogy: AI saves time later, but learning costs time now.

[05:00] Women using AI 1%: safe tasks without asking questions.

[06:46] Why this matters: many “at risk” roles are held by women.

[09:35] “AI is cheating” + the grammar glow-up story.

[11:42] “Ask AI questions - AI doesn’t judge you.”

[13:00] Relationship mindset: don’t be transactional with AI; ask better questions.

[16:21] “Hold the door” leadership and building rooms where women feel welcome.

[21:43] Two tactical tips: solve a pain point first + schedule learning time.

[33:48] Grants as a funding path for training and tech improvements.

[38:57] Say yes to conversations even if you “don’t know enough.”

[41:18] Where to find Chris + her podcast I Am Unbreakable.

If you’re a woman entrepreneur (or you lead women in your organization), take one action from this episode this week:

1. Ask your team what task they hate most.

2. Pick one painful workflow and test AI there first.

3. Put one hour of AI learning on the calendar during business hours.
   
   

And if you’re already “in the room” with AI?
Hold the door. Invite someone in.

 

Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to get a conversation started.

 

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Connect with Chris McMartin on LinkedIn.