The AI Playbook for Entrepreneurs with Randy Gómez

In this episode of the Teach Me Something Podcast, presented by Berkeley College and iHeart Podcasts, hosts Penny Dellas and DJ Prostyle sit down with Randy Gómez, an award-winning strategist, educator, and founder of Sparx Labs. Gomez shares her inspiring journey from immigrating to the United States from the Dominican Republic at a young age to becoming an entrepreneur by 13 and a leader in the rapidly growing world of artificial intelligence.

Today, Gómez helps business owners and organizations harness AI, automation, and emerging technology to scale smarter and operate more efficiently. As Director of Graduate Admissions (for the MBA in Management program and Corporate Learning Partnership programs for Berkeley College in New York City and President of the International Association of Women’s NYC Chapter, she is passionate about expanding access to technology and empowering entrepreneurs with the tools to succeed.

From early hustle to building AI-powered solutions for business, Gómez breaks down the playbook entrepreneurs need to navigate the future of work, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Her journey from immigrant to innovator

During the episode, Gómez reflects on the trajectory of her career, holding a critical position at Berkeley College, and owning multiple businesses including her role as the founder of Sparks Labs, an AI implementation firm. She notes that, “AI is the equalizer of our time because for many decades corporations had access to tools, applications, and marketing strategies that the average person did not have access to.”

She pointed out, “What's really powerful about this technology is that it gives you your time back, automating things that are tedious or time consuming, so that you're able to focus on activities that move the bottom line. So, for me, the technology is transformational. The landscape is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs, and you know it's only upward from here.”

Maintaining the importance of people

Gómez also noted that it’s important to remember, “People buy from people. You cannot automate the entire thing because humans purchase from humans, and so really taking inventory first before you start automating processes, understanding what your process is, and what has the biggest impact on your bottom line, and then dedicate the time to solving one problem at a time.”

She also emphasized the need for people to “interact with your brand, so they feel that you're they're talking to someone they know, not simply talking to a bot.”

The impact of Berkeley College

Looking back, Gómez speaks of her father’s encouragement to become a lifelong learner by continuing her education. She recalls her time as a student at Berkeley College and being hired as an Admissions Associate after graduating, “They saw me not for the person I was at the time, but for my potential and what I could be. And that’s what makes Berkeley so special and unique—everyone understands the impact they have on our students.”

She went on, “I believe that every single student that I met with has a flame within them, something that you need to just fan and it will spark their passion. You're essentially supporting them with deciding what they're going to do for the rest of their lives or that first step into their career.”

Words of wisdom

Gómez talks of the importance of mentorship and how she will always remember advice she ever received when a Berkeley College faculty member took her aside and assured her that “you are more powerful than you think.”

Randy Gómez proves those words to be true every day.

The views and/or opinions in this article are those of the individuals interviewed. The academic achievements and/or employment outcomes described in this article are specific to each individual and are not a guarantee of similar results for past or current students. For up-to-date and detailed information, please visit BerkeleyCollege.edu and view our catalogs at BerkeleyCollege.edu/publications.