COLLECTIVE. NOTTINGHAM

Your First AI Employee: Building a Team Member That Never Sleeps

FREE entry

1700 - 1930 21.01.2026

Dryden Enterprise Centre

Dryden St

Nottingham NG1 4FQ

Bringing COLLECTIVE. energy back to Nottingham for January 2026. Join Bertie Cordingley, NotLuck who says forget the hype about AI replacing everyone. The real opportunity is simpler: what if you could hire someone who works 24/7, never calls in sick, and handles the repetitive tasks your actual team shouldn't be wasting time on?

In this talk, Bertie Cordingley shares how he's built AI employees for his own business and his clients. From qualification bots that book meetings while you sleep, to systems that turn your scattered processes into living, breathing team members. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just practical ways to get started without needing a computer science degree.

Bertie will demo real workflows live, so you can see exactly how these systems work, not just hear about them in theory. You'll leave knowing:

  • Where AI employees actually make sense (and where they don't)

  • How to identify your first hire

  • What it really costs and what it saves

  • How to stop treating AI like a search engine and start treating it like staff

Supported by Nottingham Trent University.

Bertie Cordingley is the founder of NotLuck, a CRM and automation agency based in Nottingham. He describes himself as "inherently lazy," which is exactly why he's spent years building systems that do the boring stuff so humans can do the interesting stuff.

Before NotLuck, Bertie founded FillMyBelly, which became the UK's third-largest online takeaway platform before he sold it to Just Eat. These days he helps businesses implement what he calls "human-first automation": technology that makes teams more effective without making them redundant.

He also runs his own AI assistant, NotBertie, who handles enquiries, qualifies leads, and occasionally roasts him in client calls.

Unable to find form

Your First AI Employee: Building a Team Member That Never Sleeps

1700 - 1930

Wednesday 21.01.26

Dryden Enterprise Centre

Dryden Street

Nottingham NG1 4FQ

Tick to get updates and event news from COLLECTIVE by email. If you add your phone number, we’ll send occasional WhatsApp updates as well. You can unsubscribe from either at any time.

FREE Entry

UPCOMING EVENTS.

12 December

Festive COLLECTIVE.

Join us for a festive social as we tag team with Arc Space, Hockley Nottingham

13 January

Branding Revival

Join Andy Cogdon as he uncovers why brands are rediscovering character, confidence and distinctiveness, and why authentic identity matters more than ever.

28 January

A Human Approach to Business Support

A grounded, honest session exploring what meaningful business support looks like for creatives today, beyond funding pots and quick fixes. With Filomena Rodriguez

Join COLLECTIVE Today

Get updates on events, opportunities, and community news delivered to your inbox.

PREVIOUS EVENTS.

Connecting and amplifying the creative, digital, and tech community across the East Midlands.

COLLECTIVE. CIC
Registered in England and Wales • Company number: 16708599
Registered office: 4 Woodland Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, England, NG2 5AB
© CDI COLLECTIVE. CIC 2025. All rights reserved.

Community

© 2025 COLLECTIVE.. All Rights Reserved.

East Midlands Creative Community | Website by NotLuck