Laura Lasher on Mentoring in the Age of AI

In this episode of Rick’s Room, host Rick Grant sits down with Laura Lasher, founder of Worthy Performance Group and CEO of Redefining Business Intelligence (RBI), to explore how advanced AI tools and human expertise can work together to drive business success—and how mentorship plays a vital role in leadership growth.

Laura explains how RBI uses AI-powered data analysis and human insight to uncover how companies are perceived online, from social media to customer reviews, giving leaders a clear, outside perspective on their brand. She also shares how Worthy Performance Group provides mentorship, accountability, and coaching—especially for women executives—helping them move into the C-suite and achieve their goals.

The conversation covers:

• How AI can reveal strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in a business
• Why mentorship and the right environment are key to retaining and growing talent
• How leaders can “work on” their business, not just “in” it
• Practical advice for women aiming for executive leadership

Whether you’re a business owner looking to leverage AI for strategy or a professional ready to take the next step in your career, this episode offers actionable insights on growth, leadership, and creating opportunities that last.

Show Highlights:

Rick Grant: Welcome back to Rick’s Room. Think of this show as what happens at the end of a busy conference—you’ve been running around all day, and finally get the chance to sit down with someone you’ve been meaning to talk to.

Today, I’m joined by Laura Lasher. Many know her as the former President of Mortgage for Arbor Bank. Now, she’s the founder of Worthy Performance Group and CEO of Redefining Business Intelligence (RBI), an outsourced data science and AI company. Laura, thanks for joining me.

Laura Lasher: Thanks, Rick. It’s great to be here.

Rick: Worthy is all about coaching and mentoring, especially helping female executives transition to the C-suite. RBI focuses on AI. How do those connect?

Laura: AI is everywhere, and it’s evolving quickly. There’s a lot of fear around it replacing jobs, and many people only scratch the surface of what it can do. At RBI, we developed the RBI Playbook to look at companies from the outside—how consumers see them through social media, online reviews, and their websites. That external perspective matters because people research before doing business, even with referrals.

We gather this intelligence using data science, then our team of experienced professionals analyzes it before delivering reports to clients. The combination of AI and human insight is powerful. We were ahead of the curve, and now it’s exciting to see the market catching up.

Rick: Full disclosure—I’ve been involved in RBI and have told some of its stories. You’ve also made it more personal by hosting one-on-one, event-based conversations with businesses.

Laura: Yes. The goal is to dig deeper into a company’s strengths, weaknesses, and origin story—especially for small businesses and women entrepreneurs. Many business owners get stuck working in the business instead of on the business.

Rick: You’re also great at connecting people—bringing in experts like Scotty Schang on AI, Pam Finn with Women’s Entrepreneur Day, and others. How does Worthy tie into all this?

Laura: Reports and data are great, but without accountability and guidance, change doesn’t happen. Worthy Performance Group provides that mentorship and “sherpa” support—keeping leaders on track and helping them apply what they’ve learned.

Rick: If you were talking to a women’s organization about reaching the C-suite, what advice would you give?

Laura: Envision your future self and identify mentors who can help you get there. Evaluate your environment—are you surrounded by the right people with the right values? Ask questions, learn from those with experience, and position yourself in circles that lift others up.

Rick: Mentoring is critical, but many companies don’t know how to implement it.

Laura: Exactly. Some leaders think senior executives will stay forever, but if they’re not growing, they’ll leave. People who want to be challenged need opportunities. Companies can create mentorship programs internally or bring in outside coaches. Either way, it’s about mixing resources to grow your people. AI will never replace every position—people are still essential.

Rick: Well said. Laura, thanks for joining me. Let’s have you back soon.

Laura: Absolutely, Rick. Thank you for what you do.