How do you scale in the age of AI without losing what makes your company work?
If there is one person who can answer that question, it’s Marili ’t Hooft-Bolle. As the CEO of Trengo, she knows what it takes to scale, lead, and stay human in a fast-changing world.
In episode 116, Marili is your guide through today’s AI “Land of Confusion.”
Key Takeaways from Episode 116
Scaling in the age of AI requires a fresh lens. Marili’s perspective offers a playbook for founders who want to build with purpose while adapting to change.
- Growth is not about adding more people. It is about putting in the right amount of structure so that teams stay effective.
- AI is a land of confusion, but leaders can use it to reimagine customer value instead of just building the next version of what they know.
- Leadership means complementing your team’s skills, not duplicating them. That is where diversity becomes both natural and powerful.
Listen to the full episode to hear Marili’s take wherever you listen to podcasts. Then scroll down for practical tips and my reflections.
Navigating AI and Leadership as Trengo CEO with Marili 't Hooft-Bolle | Ep. 116 – Women Disrupting Tech
- Key Takeaways from Episode 116
- Magic Moments In The Episode
- Practical Tips for Entrepreneurs
- The Quote From the Episode
- Amplify the Voices of Women Disrupting Tech
- What I Learned From the Episode (Notes to Self)
- A Question for You 🤔
- Closing
- Coming Up On Women Disrupting Tech
- Events that Women Disrupting Tech Must-Attend
- Diverse Leaders in Tech Events
- About Marili ’t Hooft-Bolle
- About Trengo
Magic Moments In The Episode
What struck me most in our conversation, were the sharp, memorable moments that reveal how Marili thinks as a leader. These moments highlight why she is a role model worth listening to:
- “It is about adding enough structure but not too much.” This is her blueprint for scaling without losing agility.
- “The longer you torture data, it will confess to anything.” A reminder that LLMs and spreadsheets alone cannot guide you through AI’s land of confusion.
- “You can like someone very much and still fire them.” For Marili, separating personal feelings from evaluating performance is essential. It echoes Kirsten Heukels’ insight that empathy can be a double-edged sword.
Want the full context? Listen to the episode and hear how these lessons came alive in our conversation on Spotify, and follow us for more magical episodes.
And don’t forget to leave your magic moment of the episode in the comments.
Practical Tips for Entrepreneurs
This episode contains some serious leadership lessons for all founders. Because scaling in the age of AI is not about working harder. It is about working smarter and leading with clarity. Marili’s lessons translate into these practical moves.
Balance agility with balance.
Hyper-agile does not mean 24/7 hustle. Use AI as an external brain to learn faster, but protect rest and creativity to keep your team energized.
Build for real value.
In the GenAI space, do not just improve what exists. Reimagine what your customer truly needs.
Match the amount of structure to the context.
Remote teams need more structure because spontaneous knowledge sharing is limited. Co-located teams can run lighter. Watch for slowing pace or lost information as signals to add process.
For more examples, listen to the episode on Apple Podcast, and hear how Marili applies these lessons at Trengo.
And if you know someone who should hear these tips, share the episode with them.
The Quote From the Episode
“If we celebrate women only on one day, it implies that the other days are not women’s days.”
Marili ‘t Hooft-Bolle, CEO of Trengo.
Amplify the Voices of Women Disrupting Tech
Want to make inclusion in tech the new normal by 2032? Here’s how you can help:
Amplify the voices of Women Disrupting Tech by following the podcast on your favorite platform. Every follow brings these stories to more people.
Give the show a rating or review on Spotify or Apple. It only takes a moment, but it tells others this podcast is worth listening to. And helps the voices of my guests carry further.
Share the stories that move you.
Send this episode to a friend, a colleague, or someone who needs to hear it. Every share helps to build a more inclusive tech future and supports my guests in getting the stage they deserve.
So when you know someone who should hear it, pass it on when you’re done.
What I Learned From the Episode (Notes to Self)
After every recording, I sit down to document what I took away from it. My conversation with Marili is rich, bold and full of learnings for every founder. Here are three things I wrote down to take with me:
- Marili sees AI as a new set of rules to play with. That competitive, playful lens made me rethink how I look at disruption.
- Bias cannot be erased overnight, but prompts and boundaries can help us avoid the worst effects. It is a second-best option, and one we should use.
- From spotting when a team member is ready for the next step to separating liking someone from evaluating their performance, reflection is key. Even if that means you have to let go of people you like.
These reminders keep me curious about how I grow as a host and as a guide for founders.
Know someone who would benefit from these notes, too? Share the episode with them using the buttons below.
A Question for You 🤔
What do you believe is the hardest part of scaling in the age of AI?
- Adding the right structure
- Staying agile and balanced
- Leading with self-awareness
- Something else entirely?
Let me know in the comments or message me directly. I’d love to hear your take.
Closing
Her reflection on International Women’s Day is a reminder that the real change comes from what we do every day, not from celebrating women once a year.
In the same way, scaling, leading, and navigating AI are not about quick fixes. They are about balance, awareness, and building teams that complement each other.
When you’re ready to discover how to scale with structure, lead with self-awareness, and navigate AI with confidence, listen to Navigating AI and Leadership as Trengo CEO with Marili ’t Hooft-Bolle | Ep. 116 on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
And on YouTube, you can also find the Genesis song Land of Confusion that inspired part of our conversation and the copy on this blog. Even though it’s from the mid-1980s, it is still surprisingly relevant.
Coming Up On Women Disrupting Tech
When you liked this episode, you’ll love my conversation with Kuhu Singh. Her journey led her from burnout to building an AI companion that bridges the gap between AI and therapy.
Besides the inspiring story, Kuhu shares so many wonderful lessons from her own journey. Like this one of finding a co-founder:
So stay tuned for this and much more on Women Disrupting Tech.
And, as always, Keep Being Awesome!
Events that Women Disrupting Tech Must-Attend
You’d think that there are no events in the summer. Well, I’ve found some cool ones. Below is one event you definitely want to check out. For a full overview of all events, including links to buy tickets, please check the events page.
Founders Beach Series | Edition 3: Tech & Soul
Date: 11 September 2025
Location: Mango’s Beach Bar, Zandvoort
Time: 15:00 – 22:00 hours
Tickets: On Luma
Diverse Leaders in Tech Events
If you like being in the know about what is happening in the DEI space, Diverse Leaders in Tech is the place to be.
Every last Thursday of the month, they have monthly in-person meetups for tech people, HR leaders and supporters of diversity to exchange insights, tackle challenges, and take action. It’s a vibrant, safe space where diversity is celebrated.
You can find their events on the website. Joining your first event is free.
About Marili ’t Hooft-Bolle
Marili ’t Hooft-Bolle knows what it takes to grow companies in fast-moving markets. She has scaled WeTransfer, worked at McKinsey, and now leads Trengo as CEO. What sets her apart is the mix of structure and curiosity she brings to leadership. With two decades in tech, she shows how to guide teams through change, embrace AI, and keep people at the center of growth.
You can connect with Marili on LinkedIn. Alternatively, you can call my AI voice assistant on +3197010251866 to discover how Trengo can help your company.
About Trengo
Trengo is an AI-empowered customer engagement platform that brings all communication channels—like WhatsApp, email, chat, and social—into one shared inbox. More than reducing noise, Trengo automates up to 80% of repetitive conversations with AI agents and workflow. Founded in the Netherlands, the team is driven by a vision to replace overwhelm with delight—so support teams can focus on high-value moments instead of routine tasks.
You can learn more about Trengo by visiting their website and following the company on LinkedIn.
Women Disrupting Tech | The Podcast 