I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Rene Esteban shows the steps CEOs and leaders to successfully integrate AI into long lasting businesses in the book “The Focused AI Captain.”

The Synopsis

Master the Art of Leading AI Transformations for Lasting Business Success

Only 5% of enterprise AI initiatives succeed.

Are you ready to be among the elite few who truly transform their organizations? In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses face a common enemy—AI initiatives that fail to deliver real impact. Millions are spent on pilots that never scale. But the true obstacle isn’t the technology itself; it’s how organizations are structured, aligned, and led. In The Focused AI Captain, René Esteban, CEO of FocusFirst, reveals why most AI transformations stall—and what leaders must do differently to succeed. Grounded in real-world enterprise experience, this book provides a clear, practical roadmap to turn AI ambition into measurable business results. In this book, you will learn how to:

• Master the 10-20-70 Rule to allocate resources effectively and maximize AI ROI
• Apply the 3D Framework to Diagnose challenges, set Direction, and Deliver results
• Bridge the Trust Gap and turn employee skepticism into active AI adoption
• Move beyond pilots and confidently lead AI initiatives at scale

This book is written for CEOs, executives, and decision-makers who refuse to let their organizations fall behind in the AI revolution. Whether you’re leading large-scale transformation or preparing your organization for the next wave of AI adoption, you’ll gain practical frameworks, leadership insights, and execution tools you can apply immediately.

Get your copy now and start leading your organization to AI-driven success.

The Review

The straightforward, almost conversational tone the author took on from the first chapter of this book onward was a breath of fresh air in the nonfiction business genre. The exploration of AI not from a technical or critical point of view, but instead from a business and human perspective was a great direction to not only make the book stand out but the message as well. The research and knowledge the author took on and imparted to the reader was so insightful, and gave the readers a fresh new perspective on the topic.

The exploration of AI in business is a great direction to follow, and the author’s ability to highlight their experience in technology integration helped cement the knowledge that was being passed on. The failure of any technology, especially from a business perspective, is usually not the tech itself, but the lack of human integration with the tech. Training people and helping people to understand how the tech works often allows human resistance to change and fears of being replaced to become prominent, and keeps any company from growing in the right direction. This added an emotional and societal insight that is needed for both the technology and business as a whole to grow.

The Verdict

Memorable, honest, and compelling, author Rene Esteban’s “The Focused AI Captain” is a must-read nonfiction book that will stay with readers and give leadership a fresh new direction to help in the integration of this technology. The fast pacing of the book and the ability for readers to be able to return to this book time and time again for reference make this an essential read for business leaders looking to better understand how AI can be used in the coming years. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

“Inspiring and focused. René Esteban shows how big goals are actually achieved in corporations.”

– Brian Tracy

New York Times Bestselling Author of “Goals”

René Esteban brings unwavering passion to making big goals tangible and inspiring people to achieve them.

As Founder and CEO of FocusFirst, Keynote Speaker, and Senior Advisor to top executives, he has made it his mission to accelerate transformations in organizations. He firmly believes that complex change succeeds best through clear focus on a single goal, excellent communication, and active involvement of all stakeholders.

René began his career at Merck, where in his mid-20s he led the global build-out of the e-commerce division, today a billion-dollar business. This experience taught him that successful transformations depend not only on the right strategies, but critically on early and open communication with key stakeholders. His insights led to the development of the award-winning PEAK Method, with which FocusFirst has already guided more than 250 transformations.

René is a passionate entrepreneur with several companies alongside FocusFirst.

He cherishes inspiring moments of exchange over Italian wine and loves traveling the world with his family – especially to Italy.