
Blake Barnes
AI Strategy for Leaders Who Need Results, Not Another Dusty Deck
Studied at Texas A&M University - College Station
Hiring Manager at Credera
Successful clients at


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Blake's Offerings
Custom hourly · $180/hr
Get help with AI Agents, AI Automation, and
Blake also coaches for Build with AI, Career Coaching, Life Coaching, and Management Consulting. View all.
Blake’s AI Services Qualifications
Experience level: Director
Blake has helped clients get into these companies:
For the last decade I've helped Fortune 100 companies and growing businesses navigate change: Digital transformations, technology rollouts, operating model shifts, the whole playbook. AI is the most significant of these by an order of magnitude, and most organizations are getting it wrong by treating it as an IT project instead of a people and process one. I now lead AI accelerators and adoption strategies for enterprise clients, and I've seen what separates teams that actually integrate AI from teams that buy licenses nobody uses. I bring a consultant's structured approach to readiness, roadmap, and rollout, paired with hands-on AI fluency from building production systems myself. Because I build alongside coaching, I can speak to both the strategy and the operational realities most plans miss If you want to move your team or organization from "we should probably use AI" to measurable adoption and real ROI, let's chat.
Blake can help with:
AI Agents
AI Automation
AI-Driven Marketing
AI Insights Dashboard
AI Product Innovation
AI Readiness Assessment
AI Roadmap Development
AI Strategy
AI Tools & Integration
Fractional AI Strategist
Team AI Upskilling
Blake also coaches for Build with AI, Career Coaching, Life Coaching, and Management Consulting. View all.
About Blake
What I love most about coaching is understanding who someone really is, because who you are is the foundation for where you're going. Not just your resume, but your values, your faith, your wiring, and what makes you come alive. I believe the best career decisions don't happen in a vacuum. They flow from deeply understanding oneself and building a professional life that strengthens your whole life, not just your LinkedIn profile or what brings in money. I come from both sides of the table: Industry operations at Southwest Airlines and enterprise consulting at Credera, so I understand what it actually takes to grow a career. For the past four-plus years, I've coached over 25 young professionals through transitions, promotions, and the harder questions about direction and purpose. I'm direct and honest, but I lead with empathy. I listen more than I talk. No one's story is the same and cookie-cutter advice doesn't really help. If you're early in your career and looking for a coach who cares about the whole picture and not just your next title, I would love to learn more about you.
Why do I coach?
Robert. Anthony. Sheryl. Riley. Grant. Amanda. I could go on, but these are the people who were in my corner, cared, and guided the path for me. They didn't just give me advice. They took the time to know me, believe in me, and challenge me to think bigger about what I was capable of. That's why I coach. I've seen firsthand what happens when someone has the right person at the right time, and I want to be that for others. I believe everyone has a unique combination of gifts, and most people just need someone to help them see it clearly and take the first step with confidence. Watching someone go from stuck and unsure to clear and energized about their path is the most fulfilling work I do. It's not a side project for me. It's something I care deeply about.
Work Experience

Senior Manager
Credera
January 2024 - Present
Hiring Manager

Manager
Credera
July 2021 - January 2024
Interviewer

Senior Consultant
Credera
January 2020 - July 2021
Interviewer

Senior Analyst, Wealth Operations Analyst, Performance Analyst
Southwest Airlines
January 2018 - January 2020
Interviewer

Business & Technology Analyst
Southwest Airlines
September 2017 - January 2018

Business & Technology Analyst
Southwest Airlines
July 2016 - September 2017

Data Analyst Intern
Southwest Airlines
May 2015 - August 2015

Analyst/Associate
Morgan Stanley
2011 - 2013
Blake was also given offers to work at

The University of Texas at Austin

PNC

Morgan Stanley
Education

Istituto Lorenzo de' Medici
Italian Studies and Culture
2013 - 2014
Florence, Italy

Texas A&M University - College Station
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Finance, Finance
2012 - 2016
Studied Finance at Texas A&M, recipient of multiple student leader scholarships, highly involved leader on campus. Activities and societies: Maroon Coats (highly selective student ambassador program to A&M's biggest donors) Aggie Muster Committee (Took part in facilitating a multi-thousand person celebration of life event for Aggies who passed away) Fish Aides (Freshman student government leadership organization) BCA (Men's social organization)
9 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Blake has helped clients get into these companies: