Humans + AI + Humans = Results: TMC's Erik MacPherson on the Over a Pint Podcast

The Over A Pint Marketing Podcast is exactly what it sounds like: seasoned marketers swapping real, in-the-trenches stories over a drink, hosted by veteran marketer Pat McGovern. That's our kind of room, so when Pat invited our founder, Erik MacPherson, onto the show, we didn't have to think twice.

On Episode 195, Erik and Pat dig into what it actually takes to grow a B2B agency right now. The short version: the fundamentals of B2B marketing haven't changed, but the job has. Winning today means solving business problems instead of filling a posting calendar, and treating AI as a way to do more intentional human work rather than less.

Move up the value stack

Erik's background is in sales, and he points to it as the reason TMC approaches marketing differently. The question he keeps coming back to isn't "what do we post this week." It's "what business problem are we solving."

That distinction separates an agency that executes tasks from a partner that diagnoses problems. In B2B, the people who own the marketing budget are often sales leaders, and they respond to marketing that speaks their language: pipeline, revenue, and the cost of a stalled deal. Marketing that starts from a business problem earns a seat at that table. Marketing that starts from a content calendar rarely does.

Working on the business, not just in it

For the first time in fourteen years, Erik says he understands the difference between working on the business and working in it more than ever. Most of his time now goes to clarity, alignment, and building the environment his team needs to do their best work. He describes his role as working for his team rather than the other way around.

It ties back to how he defines TMC's purpose: make the life you want possible. That's the standard he's building toward, and AI is part of what makes it reachable by clearing the low-value work that used to fill the day.

Humans + AI + Humans = Results

Erik has a shirt that reads "Humans + AI = results," and he wears it proudly to trade shows and just about anywhere else he can. His point stretches the equation further: humans on both sides. AI in the middle, human judgment feeding in, and human relationships coming out.

AI, in his framing, is a thinking partner. He uses it daily to get clarity and work through problems, and he's candid that he moved through an early "are we done here" fear before landing on real optimism. The unlock he describes is fluency, and fluency starts personally before it goes professional. He built a budget tracker for his wife's physical therapy business in minutes. A team member helped their 80-year-old father start using AI. Those small, personal wins are what make the work use cases click.

He's honest about the path not being smooth. There's an early opening moment, then a stretch that feels like a struggle, then growth that compounds once you push through it. Curiosity of what’s possible is what carries you across.

The human half is where the results show up. Erik isn't going to more trade shows; he's being more intentional at the ones he attends. AI clears the busywork so the human moments carry more weight. That's the equation working: AI makes the human moments sharper, and in B2B the human moment is still where deals are won.

Listen and go deeper

Hear the full conversation on Over a Pint, Episode 195. 

Frequently asked questions

What is Over a Pint Episode 195 about? The episode features TMC founder Erik MacPherson on growing a B2B agency in the AI era, covering marketing and sales alignment, building AI fluency, and leading a team through change.

What does "Humans + AI + Humans = Results" mean? It is the idea that AI produces its best outcomes when human judgment feeds it and human relationships carry the result. The human step still has to happen. AI makes it easier to do well at scale.

How should a B2B team start building AI fluency? Start with personal, low-stakes use cases to build comfort, then transfer that comfort to work problems. Expect an early learning curve before the value compounds.