"I can only recommend it for everyone, for personal use, for company use, for leadership teams, for individual teams, or even the entire company. I think it is the duty of us, of leaders, to make sure that our employees are state of technology, that they're advanced in AI usage, that they're not afraid of it." Benjamin Gehring, Founder at Nonplusultra

Nonplusultra is a multimillion-dollar innovative retail growth agency. With a strong company culture and determination to succeed, they saw AI as the next step in delivering the best support that grows their clients’ business.

To drive innovation at every level of the business, Nonplusultra aimed to stay ahead of the competition and fully integrate AI into their operations and daily work.

Finding the Right AI Expert

The search for an AI expert proved more difficult than expected. After some failed attempts with several coaches, they realized that a good match between the personality of the coach and their company values is essential. 

Nonplusultra turned to the Entrepreneurs' Organization, where they were introduced to Tim Cakir, an experienced AI Consultant and founder of AI Operator. 

Tim's reputation for an interactive, hands-on AI teaching style, his strong alignment with NPU’s core values, as well as his energy and passion, made him the perfect partner.

"I would recommend people to work with you because I think the way you manage the program, and the way you excited our team to push boundaries and move a little bit out of their comfort zones was exceptional." – Florian Hutterer, Founder at Nonplusultra

What started as a 12-week AI-First Mindset Training soon became a long-term partnership that redefined how Nonplusultra integrates AI across their company culture and workflows. 

With AI Operator, Nonplusultra have become AI-first thinkers, using AI on a daily basis to drive efficiency and growth. This change not only enhanced their business processes but also improved their employees' personal and professional lives.

Tim Cakir presenting at the NPU office in Munich, Germany

The Solution: AI-First Mindset Training by AI Operator

Nonplusultra’s team appreciated AI Operator's interactive and tailored approach. Instead of generic lessons, Tim demonstrated real-world applications of AI relevant to their roles.   

"I really liked the training program, and the time was running so quickly. Twelve weeks have been over like this, and we learned a lot. Tim is such an energetic person. He's so positive, and he delivers the content in a very funny way. Because it's always important, I think, that you laugh while you learn something, and he delivers both." – Ulrike Ziegler, Senior Talent Development Manager at Nonplusultra

Employees were encouraged to experiment, ask questions, and directly apply what they learned in their daily workflows.

AI Operator’s 12-week AI-First Mindset Training with Nonplusultra had three core objectives: 

• Shift the company mindset toward AI-powered work that improves productivity 

• Empower teams to build their own AI solutions and simplify their workflows

• Increase efficiency and grow faster through automation and AI integration

From the early weeks of foundational AI concepts to later interactive discussions and real-time problem-solving sessions, the training ensured that every participant understood and looked forward to fully leveraging AI's potential in their specific roles. 

The biggest moment? A legendary GPT Competition.

The GPT Competition: Bringing AI to Life

As the program progressed, Tim introduced an exciting challenge: The GPT Competition. This initiative encouraged teams to bring together everything they learned, create their own AI solutions, and compete live in a final showcase in Munich.

“ I think the big part for me was building custom GPTs, because I didn't really know it before and just prompted stuff into the standard ChatGPT. Building the custom GPT on your own needs was my favorite part, I would say.“ – Simon Demharter, Junior Data Analyst at Nonplusultra

Laughter, applause, and moments of surprise filled the room as each team presented their GPT innovations, with judges providing real-time feedback. Tim even flew all the way to Munich to judge the GPT competition, building on the team’s learnings and fostering a sense of togetherness and pride among the team.

Tim Cakir and Nonplusultra team members applaud the GPT competition participants

Top 3 AI Solutions Developed by the NPU Teams

🥇 Salesforce AI Assistant (1st Place)

• Impact — 15+ hours saved per user/month.

• How it works — Instantly fetches client data via SQL queries, eliminating manual reporting.

• Example use case — "How did X client perform last week?" -> AI delivers real-time data instantly.

🥈 Houston GPT — AI-Powered Internal Help Desk (2nd Place)

• Impact — HR and operational efficiency across multiple countries (Germany, UK, France, and more).

• How it works — Answers FAQs on company policies, road assistance, time-off requests, and more.

• Example use case — Company car broke down? Employees no longer need to wait for hours to find out how to fix it; they can just ask Houston and receive answers in seconds, without searching through documents or other endless messages.

🥉 Lead Qualification GPT (3rd Place)

• Impact — Faster, more accurate lead targeting, saving hours of research.

• How it works — Analyzes potential leads to determine their outreach suitability.

• Example use case — Sales teams instantly identify high-value prospects.

Nonplusultra & AI Operator: A Lasting AI-First Collaboration

The results of the AI-First Training speak for themselves:

📈85% of AI-trained employees at Nonplusultra use AI all the time now: 60% use AI daily, while 25% use it weekly.

🏆20% of AI-trained employees at Nonplusultra are AI champions.

🦾63% of AI-trained employees at Nonplusultra report increased confidence and comfort in using AI and AI-based workflows.

Nonplusultra’s team enjoyed learning about and using AI so much that they didn’t stop at leveraging it for work—some even integrated it into their daily lives:

🛠One employee used ChatGPT to plan a home renovation by asking it to help with choosing the right materials and equipment.
🥗 Another used AI to create a meal plan for a family member suffering from a serious illness, ensuring they met dietary requirements.

Beyond the 12-week AI-First Mindset Training, AI Operator and Nonplusultra continued to make the most out of their strong relationship. 

The success of the training led to: 

• Tailored AI workshops for marketing, recruitment, and retail growth, as well as a founder-based visionary thinking workshop for improved decision making and strategic thinking supported by AI.

• AI Operator becoming Nonplusultra’s fractional AI partner.

• Referrals to Google & Atlantic Access, boosting AI Operator’s reach and customer loyalty.

With AI now deeply embedded in their workflows, Nonplusultra saw real efficiency gains, happier employees, and a competitive edge. Employees actively continue to apply AI insights in their day-to-day work, leading to more productivity and smarter decision-making.

Becoming an AI-First Company

“I think we're just scratching the surface of what's possible. And I'm super happy that our team now has this AI-first mindset incorporated.” – Florian Hutterer, Founder at Nonplusultra

The journey of Nonplusultra and AI Operator showcases the power of AI when combined with the right training, attitude, and common values. 

As AI continues to evolve, so does this partnership, with AI Operator continuously supporting Nonplusultra in their success as leaders in retail growth innovation.

Ready to Future-Proof Your Team with AI?

AI Operator’s AI-First Mindset Training helps teams not only adopt AI, but own it. Join companies like Nonplusultra and experience the power of AI-first thinking!

🚀 Book a Consultation Call with AI Operator today