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Reformed Brotherhood | Sound Doctrine, Systematic Theology, and Brotherly Love
In this thought-provoking episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony and Jesse explore the complex relationship between Christian vocation and professional ambition. Moving beyond the obvious prohibition of inherently sinful professions, they examine whether certain legitimate careers might still be inappropriate for Christians if they compromise our responsibilities to family and church. The hosts challenge the common assumption that Christians should seek maximum worldly influence, suggesting instead that faithfulness in our threefold calling—to work, family, and church—should guide our vocational choices. Drawing on Reformed theology's rich understanding of vocation, they offer practical wisdom for believers navigating career decisions and workplace responsibilities while maintaining spiritual priorities in a culture that often glorifies professional success at any cost. Key Takeaways Vocation is threefold: A proper understanding of Christian vocation includes responsibilities to our work, our families, and our church—not just our careers. Lord's Day conflicts: Professions that regularly prevent church attendance and Lord's Day observance may be inappropriate for Christians, regardless of their potential for influence or impact. Family obligations: Scripture teaches that Christians who neglect family responsibilities are "worse than unbelievers" (1 Tim. 5:8), suggesting that careers demanding excessive time away from family may be problematic. Christian influence vs. gospel proclamation: We must distinguish between transforming culture through worldly influence versus the actual proclamation of the gospel, which can happen at any level of employment. Sacrifice is expected: Following Christ often requires sacrificing career advancement, prestige, or financial gain to fulfill our primary callings. Priority check: When considering job opportunities, Christians should evaluate church options in a new location with the same care they give to schools, housing, and other community factors. God calls us to faithfulness: Our primary calling is to faithfulness in our responsibilities, not necessarily to positions of maximum influence or cultural power. Balancing the Threefold Calling The hosts challenge the idea that Christians should prioritize career advancement and influence above all else. They argue that vocation in the Reformed tradition encompasses more than just our paid work—it includes our responsibilities to family and church as well. This means that even if a career opportunity seems beneficial for "kingdom influence," we must evaluate whether it allows us to fulfill our other God-given duties. Tony points out that while some professions clearly contradict Christian ethics, others may subtly undermine our ability to be faithful in all areas of life. A high-powered executive role might provide platforms for influence but could require such time commitments that family relationships suffer or regular Lord's Day worship becomes impossible. As Jesse observes, "vocation is fundamentally God's doing," not simply about finding personal fulfillment or maximizing impact. This framework helps believers evaluate career choices more holistically. The Question of Christian Influence A central question emerges throughout the episode: Should Christians pursue positions of maximum influence to advance kingdom values? While this idea sounds appealing, the hosts suggest it often masks a "theology of glory" rather than embracing the "theology of the cross." Jesse notes that "God doesn't call us to necessarily have outside impact. What he's calling us to is faithfulness." They distinguish between the transformative power of the gospel—which can be proclaimed regardless of position—and other ways of transforming culture through worldly influence. Tony explains that "whether you're the janitor of the hospital or whether you're the CEO of the hospital, the gospel is the same and your role in proclaiming the gospel is the same." This perspective challenges Christians to reconsider whether pursuing leadership positions always aligns with God's calling, especially when such roles might compromise other spiritual obligations. The hosts argue that faithfulness in ordinary circumstances, not exceptional influence, should be our primary aim. Quotes "Would it be great if the CEO of a major Fortune 500 company could be a Christian? Yeah. That would be kind of cool. But if the trade-off is that person has to sacrifice their genuine Christian convictions, that's not worth it." - Tony Arsenal "I do think we have to sit back and ask, is that the calling? So that we're pursuing what is our vocation, not just our potential... I think there is a real temptation to somehow say like, what we need to do is to infiltrate in all the places. And I think what we mean by that is that things here will be better." - Jesse Schwamb "I think the Bible is clearer about a person who is taken away from their home more than is reasonable and more than is healthy for their family, or a Christian who never is able to worship on the Lord's day... than it is on something like identity politics and some of the tangential ways that might cause a person to need to compromise a little bit at a high level." - Tony Arsenal Practical Applications The hosts suggest several practical considerations for Christians evaluating career opportunities: Will this job regularly prevent Lord's Day worship? Does it require sacrificing time with family beyond what's reasonable? Could you negotiate Sabbath observance with potential employers? When relocating, evaluate church options with the same care given to schools and housing Consider whether a lower-paying job that allows faithfulness in all areas might be better than a higher-paying one that doesn't Full Transcript [00:00:00] Introduction and Episode Overview [00:00:08] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 458 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse. [00:00:16] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast where even your work is unto the glory of God. Hey brother. Hey [00:00:24] Jesse Schwamb: brother. You know that's right. It [00:00:26] Tony Arsenal: is. That's why I said it. [00:00:28] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it was. That's a great way to open. We, I think from time to time come back to the topic of work and we've got a great, I think, conversation in the queue for this particular episode. [00:00:39] Jesse Schwamb: Now it's gonna sound maybe on the face. Right off the top here. Familiar. So of course, like we've talked before, how scripture makes it clear that Christians are to be salt and light in the world. And we've talked, I think, at length about, well, how exactly do we carry out that? And though we know that we're not saved by our good works. [00:00:57] Jesse Schwamb: Again, the Bible teaches very clearly that God expects good works from Christians, that that is in fact what he saves us to do. Again, we're not saved by those good works, but the question I think still remains, and we're gonna come to it in this conversation about what exactly does he want us to do and where does he want us to do it. [00:01:13] Jesse Schwamb: So in other words, we know that according to scripture, God providentially, governs and cares for his entire creation. So how does that play out in human society given the reality of sin? So we're gonna get to topics like. Well, should Christians be in every line of work? Is that the ideal? Are there jobs or positions or responsibilities that seemingly may not be obvious that Christians really shouldn't be a part of? [00:01:37] Jesse Schwamb: Because it takes them too far afield, maybe from the responsibilities that God gives us holistically to think of our calling is and our families and our churches in our work. So it's a bit more nuanced play of a conversation we had before, but hopefully something that's gonna have all kinds of practicality wrapped around it. [00:01:55] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. So that's what's coming. [00:01:56] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I'm stoked. I think this is gonna be a good conversation and I think I, I think this is one of those topics where like there's a lot of different angles to come at it from, right? We talk about vocation and work, and we've had those conversations before, and I think other shows and other venues have had that conversation before. [00:02:15] Tony Arsenal: I don't think that I've encountered a conversation really to this like angle of it. So I'm looking forward to this. [00:02:23] Jesse Schwamb: Me too. It's gonna be great. And of course, before we get to all that goodness, all that greatness, which I'm sure is about to transpire shortly and will be of course the definitive conversation, the one to end all to, I guess both to your point, bring it into the world. [00:02:36] Jesse Schwamb: Then to shut it down because we'll have accomplished both ends in just a single hour. [00:02:41] Affirmations and Denials [00:02:41] Jesse Schwamb: Before we get to that, let's do some affirming or denying. This is the part of our conversation where you and I always pick one thing either that we're affirming with and kind of the tradition of the reformed faith, where we take something that's undervalued or something that excites us, we think has great merit or worth, and we put out into the world and say, we're standing behind this thing, or conversely, we deny against it in that same kind of tradition by saying, this thing is overvalued, not worth it. [00:03:05] Jesse Schwamb: Not our jam. So in our tradition, I ask you are you affirming with something or are you not against something? [00:03:11] Tony Arsenal: I'm affirming with something specific that will lead to something general. So, okay. [00:03:16] Exploring AI in Learning [00:03:16] Tony Arsenal: I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I've been playing around with Google Gemini, which is Google's AI platform. [00:03:22] Tony Arsenal: And uh, I've been using it in a sort of interesting way. So Google has, uh, Gemini has these things called gems, which are basically like predefined personalities or predefined. I dunno, like instructions. So they have one gem that is a learning guide where basically you can give it a topic and it will, it will deliver mini lectures, give you quizzes, you can prompt it. [00:03:46] Tony Arsenal: So like I can paste in, um, you know, I can take in Lagos, I can paste a copy of the Bible, like a chapter of the Bible into the learning guide. It'll summarize it, it'll ask me questions. It'll basically gimme many lectures on it. Um, that's the specific thing. This is such a cool technology. And in my mind, this is really where AI is strong, is that you can take large sections of text and it will summarize it and synthesize it into a very usable format. [00:04:14] Tony Arsenal: Um, so what I've been doing, like I said, is I'll read, I'll read a, a chunk of text from whatever it is I'm reading, and then I'll copy and paste that entire chunk of text if it's an electronic text into the learning. Learning guide module and ask it to act as like a seminary lecturer and quiz me on the content. [00:04:33] Tony Arsenal: Um, which really helps to solidify the content I'm reading rather than just passing my eyes over it. I'm actually, um, processing it and retaining it more. I think you could probably do something similar with just about any AI platform if you had the right kind of prompt, which is where the general one comes in. [00:04:50] Tony Arsenal: And I would encourage you, listener to think a little bit about how you might utilize this, because I think we all read lots and lots of things. Our, our, um, particular audience tends to be a little bookish, and so I'm sure we're all reading things as we go, but I'm not sure we're always processing things in the most effective way. [00:05:07] Tony Arsenal: So think a little bit about like how you might use something like chat, GPT, which is available for free, or Claude, which is available for free to do this kind of like. Almost like simulated classroom lecture. Um, and I know there are some questions about ai. Like I, I heard an argument that ai, when you're generating content is, is a sort of form of sophisticated, uh, plagiarism, which I'm not sure I buy it, but I understand the argument. [00:05:33] Tony Arsenal: This is something very different where you're really just using the, using the AI to synthesize and summarize text and sort of spit it back to you in a new format. Um, you're not trying to generate anything new. You're not trying to create anything. That you're gonna publish or anything like that. It's really just a, a form of synthesis. [00:05:49] Tony Arsenal: So I've really found this to be super beneficial. Um, I'm having a really great time at it. I'm, I'm using it for language studies, so I'm reading through mount's basics, biblical Greek. And I'll copy and paste the whole chapter in, ask it to act as a lecturer, and it will walk me through the chapter. It'll stop to do quizzes. [00:06:08] Tony Arsenal: It'll drill me on vocab as I'm going. And then when, when I up, the instruction I get is, don't move forward until you are convinced that I've mastered the content. And so when I get something wrong, it goes back and makes me redo it. So it continues to iterate until it's, until the AI has. Synthesize that I have mastered the content, and then it asks me to provide the next chapter. [00:06:30] Tony Arsenal: So it's a cool technology. It's a, it's a sort of novel use for the technology. Um, again, Google has built in modules that do this, but I think you could probably use chat, GPT or Claude or Orrock or whatever AI model you're using to accomplish the same goal. [00:06:45] Jesse Schwamb: There's no doubt that AI is great for like building study notes, helping you create space, repetition, all those like little hacks that we have long talked about. [00:06:53] Jesse Schwamb: And this provides it to you in a really bespoke course customized way, but it gets you involved. I'm with you if you wanna do this the old fashioned way. I'll go back to something I I've affirmed with before and that's this very famous book originally authored in the 1940s called How to Read a Book by Mor Mortimer, j Adler, and that is an exercise. [00:07:13] Jesse Schwamb: Helping you do some of that stuff in real time as well. Yeah, so I think there'd be a lovely compliment to say you're reading actively and then you get to test immediately that active reading by way of using ai. So even before, like, maybe even just jumping to like, well, let me read it, but I'm, I'm gonna trust that AI's gonna really kind of supplement me or fill in the gaps and just gimme what I need to know. [00:07:33] Jesse Schwamb: Trying to do that in real time. Pausing in your reading. Again, kind of studying as you go along, thinking out loud through what you've just read and then saying, alright, now test me is a great way to, 'cause who wants to like read stuff unless you can remember this stuff and then unless you can apply it, right? [00:07:48] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. So it's such a joy to be able to read things and then to remember. And if you haven't had that experience yet, I like your affirmation. I think this is a great way to test it out. [00:07:56] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, just to maybe flesh this out. So I, I asked it to, and I'm, I'm doing this sort of as an experiment just to see how it works, but also just 'cause it's, it's useful. [00:08:06] Tony Arsenal: I asked it to act as a seminary lecturer and I copied and paste the entire first chapter of the Westminster Confession. And rather than split it up by section and actually combined paragraphs that were. Um, related to each other. So it combined the list of Bible, uh, books, and then the chapter on apocrypha and gave me some like lectures. [00:08:25] Tony Arsenal: But here's what it said about, um, about chapter 10. It says, paragraph 10, declares the supreme judge can be no other than the Holy Spirit speaking scripture. This is the ultimate outworking of sola Scripture, means that every other authority is lesser authority that must submit to the judgment of the word of God. [00:08:42] Tony Arsenal: This includes decrees of church counsels. Opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, private spirits. It goes on for a little while longer. Then it says, I will give you a brief final quiz covering the whole of chapter one, and it asks questions like A historian makes the following claim. The Bible only has authority. [00:08:59] Tony Arsenal: It does because influential councils in the early church, like the Council of Carthage officially voted on which books would be included in the cannon. The church therefore gave the Bible its authority drawing from your knowledge of paragraphs three, uh, three, four, and five. Provide a two-part critique of the historian statement. [00:09:16] Tony Arsenal: Which then I had to type it out. It critiqued, um, it analyzed my answer. Um, I happened to get that question right. I did at one point think maybe this is actually just like finding a way to say everything that I say is right. So I purposely put a wrong answer in and it did identify that the answer was wrong, and then it made me go back and revisit that content. [00:09:35] Tony Arsenal: So it's very, it's a very cool use case. I'm glad that Google kind of built this in. They have all sorts of other gems. If you have, if you have a way to get access to Google Gemini, um. It's not the best AI for everything, but it's got, it's pretty versatile. It's got a lot of utility, so check it out. [00:09:53] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that sounds great. [00:09:53] Jesse Schwamb: Again, there's all kinds of fun things I think we could be using AI for to help us be better learners or to really enjoy our interaction with data and information more. Yeah. It is a really great way to conversationally help you to learn something, and that's what makes it so much better. It stands way far apart from, again, just leading, just reading or just creating flashcards or even just, just creating study notes, but that back and forth to test you on something, even if it's just like casual knowledge that you can really want to internalize. [00:10:21] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I found that to be super valuable. Again, like, man, if you're a learner, if you're a reader, if you're a human being, what an amazing time to live in the world where data is so prevalent, but it's increasingly being brought into a place where we can put our arms around it in a way in which we're trying to really understand it. [00:10:38] Jesse Schwamb: You know, I think about how we used to search for something, I mean. Used to like this that like, that wasn't like last year. You know what I mean? Like we just go on to our, your favorite search engine. Type in a topic or maybe type in even a specific question. And at best you'd have to sort through this litany, this plethora, this morass of all these links about articles that may pertain to what you asked. [00:10:58] Jesse Schwamb: Or maybe they pertain to it generally, but not really specifically. Yeah. The specificity with which you can have a conversational interaction that engenders knowledge is wild. I mean, I really think that is like the huge play of ai. Just lean into it and enjoy it. [00:11:12] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. Jesse, what are you affirming or denying tonight? [00:11:16] Nasal Spray Affirmation [00:11:16] Jesse Schwamb: I'm going a totally different direction. It's an affirmation, but I'm taking it from my ears, nose, nose, and throat doctor who affirmed this to me, so I might be totally late on this. There are very few things that I can say like somebody's recommended to me or affirm. It's been like absolute game changer, like just drop dead from the first moment I used it or employed the thing that it just changed everything. [00:11:38] Jesse Schwamb: This is one of those things. Which maybe I've just already oversold, but the affirmation is with something called it's, it's spelled X-L-E-A-R, I think it's still pronounced clear, but it's called literally phonetically XL nasal spray, and it's a. This doesn't sound very exciting, but bear with me everybody. [00:11:57] Jesse Schwamb: It's a natural, non-addictive saline nasal spray featuring Zi Atol as its primary active ingredient. So if you're not familiar with Zi Atol, which I wasn't until I went to my ENT by the way I've seen for many years and only just recommended this to me. So I had some words 'cause I was working, where's this been all my life. [00:12:14] Jesse Schwamb: But Zito is a naturally occurring alcohol sugar. It's found in like many fruits and vegetables, and it can be commercially produced from like birch wine or corn fiber. It looks and tastes similar to like table sugar, but it contains fewer calories, so it can be used and is often used as like a sweetener in sugar-free foods like chewing gum, mint candies, jam, stuff like that. [00:12:35] Jesse Schwamb: Here's one of the strange side effects. That they notice though about Zi atol, and that is it totally, uh, cleanses, moisturizes and soos nasal passages. And it gives you all kinds of relief from like common congestion stuff like colds, allergies, low humidity, humidity, science, pressure, stuff like that. What it does is it actually breaks down or lubricates your inner nasal passages, including like flushing out the mucus. like it works actually with your body. So what's amazing is it's, it's really great for, it's kinda like a soap for the nose. It clears up bacteria, pollens, dander, molds, like all kinds of irritants. [00:13:14] Jesse Schwamb: It also studies have shown blocks, adhesion of other pathogens like bacterial, fungal, viral to the mucosal tissues, helping the body to wash them away. So [00:13:23] Jesse Schwamb: this thing is absolutely. Wild. And I can say for certain that if you're the kind of person like me, where let's say like you're, you're hitting the Flonase hard at different seasons because you got those seasonal allergies because of the fall and because sin is real. I'm with you. That dries out your nose. [00:13:42] Jesse Schwamb: This thing is like a, a sauna or a spa for your nose, and then it literally like clears everything out. It's almost magical. I, I'm serious. It's so fantastic. So if you've been looking for something to really help with that and it, again, it's safe. There's no drug in it. It's not addictive, so you can use it all the time. [00:13:58] Jesse Schwamb: It's just saline and zi etol. It is phenomenal. So go get yourself, do yourself a favor. Do, do your, do your nose and your sinuses a solid and, and get the solids outta them by using. X clear. I feel like a bat just flew by your face or like a giant bird. [00:14:17] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. So, uh, first of all, that sounds like a really great thing to check out. [00:14:22] Tony Arsenal: Is this clear stuff? Um, I have had struggles with like sinus infections over the last couple years, so I'm gonna check this out when it gets to allergy season in the fall year. [00:14:32] Hummingbird Moth Encounter [00:14:32] Tony Arsenal: But yes, uh, one of the rare, uh, moths that I've learned lives near my house is called a, uh, what's it called? Uh. It commonly, it's called like a hummingbird moth. [00:14:44] Tony Arsenal: Have you heard of these things? Yeah. Oh yeah. Um, I've never seen them before, but the reason they're called hummingbird moths is 'cause they look like hummingbirds, but they're actually moths and I right now. Hopefully this will change eventually, but. It will have to, 'cause it gets cold here. Um, I'm recording outside and a hummingbird moth literally just flew between my computer and my face. [00:15:05] Tony Arsenal: Um, I wasn't talking at the time so you wouldn't be able to see it on the screen, which is too bad. Uh, but yeah, Jesse saw me freak out a little bit, which is uh, which is fine. [00:15:16] Jesse Schwamb: It happened the [00:15:16] Tony Arsenal: first time I saw one. I was like, is that a huge bee? No, it's just a hummingbird broth. [00:15:21] Jesse Schwamb: Somebody, everybody should look them up though, because they're kind of wild looking. [00:15:25] Jesse Schwamb: Like if you've seen it in real life, they have that hummingbird pose where the body, body is kind of laid back and the wings are going crazy. Like they literally do hover like that. Yeah. And they're, they're almost that big. The one that tried to attack you there was pretty large. [00:15:38] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. They don't, um, they, they. [00:15:41] Tony Arsenal: Move a little different than hummingbirds, which is why the first time that I saw one, I thought it was a bee. Um, because when they, when they land on a flower, they crawl inside the flower the same way that a, like a bee or a bumblebee will, um, they don't hover outside the flower like a hummingbird, but they do. [00:15:57] Tony Arsenal: They, their body is, I mean, their body is probably an, an inch and a half long like a hummingbird. Um, and it's thick like a hummingbird. They don't look like moths at all. So I'm not sure they must be part of the Moth family, I guess. Um, I'm trying to remember. It's. They have like a specific name, I wanna say Scarab, but that's not right. [00:16:14] Tony Arsenal: But it's something like that is the, the technical name of it. They're like a scarab moth or something like that. But [00:16:20] Jesse Schwamb: yeah, I've just come up. It's a wild name. [00:16:22] Tony Arsenal: This is your top 50 Entomology, uh, podcast apparently. As well as the top 50 health cath. We're gonna, we're gonna uh, com combine the two tonight, so yeah, I'm gonna check that out in the, the spring or in the fall here, Jesse. [00:16:34] Tony Arsenal: My, my allergies always go a little bit crazy when we get to September. Yeah. With all the, like leaves falling down and crumbling up and stuff, it just gets in the air, so I'll just, I'll spray some artificial sugar. It's not artificial. I'll spray some pseudo sugar in my nose and see what happens. [00:16:48] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. It does have the added benefit that because it is a naturally occurring. [00:16:53] Jesse Schwamb: Sugar, like it's a type of sugar alcohol that if it drips down the back of your throat, all you get is a little like, mm, sweet. [00:17:03] Tony Arsenal: I wanna know who the first guy who was like, let me put some of this fake sugar in my nose and see what happens was it's, [00:17:09] Jesse Schwamb: I'm telling you, it, it's better than any actual, like, prescribed nasal spray I've ever taken. [00:17:15] Jesse Schwamb: You can get it like just at your g it. Yeah. Or you can get it on Amazon. I, I will, I forgot about it for a while. I, maybe I use it daily now it's become my go-to. But I mean, I don't wanna make this weird or gross, but it's the kind of thing like if you wake up in the morning and you're stuffy and you, it feels like somebody parked like a bus way up in your sinus cavity. [00:17:32] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. And you're like, I can't even blow my nose. There's nothing there where, where's all this stuff? There's nothing there. If you use this, when I use this within two, two, I'd say like seven minutes, I can just. Drop a huge load of mucus right outta my face and you feel like a million bucks. I don't know how to describe it. [00:17:49] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it's like better than like a sinus rinse or a netty pot. I know this sounds wild, like I'm way too excited about this stuff, but that clear spray is wild. And what I especially love is that it's all natural, that I'm not doing any harm to my nose or my face by using it. And that it, I just feel better afterwards because it's like moisturized everything. [00:18:08] Jesse Schwamb: So, and there's, there's, the debate is I think ongoing. There's a lot apparently, because I went down the rabbit trail and looked at all these scholarly studies and peer-reviewed journal papers, all this stuff. There's a lot, I guess, uh, still somewhat in debate about like its ability to really help prevent certain things like COVID, any kind of like nasal airborne kind of like, yeah, because it helps to flush and it prevents literally bacteria from sticking, uh, inside your nasal passages. [00:18:34] Jesse Schwamb: So that could be a benefit. I can't say anything about that. I'm not a doctor. What, [00:18:40] Tony Arsenal: what I would love is, uh, if you are a listener who has seasonal allergies or whatever, uh, if you would join our telegram chat at t.me/reform brotherhood. Well done. We have what's normally a tastings channel, which is like people get like new foods they wanna check out, or a beer they like or whatever, and they'll, uh, they'll do a little tasting and a review. [00:19:04] Tony Arsenal: I would love if some people would join the channel and do some, some clear, clear. We'll go clear, uh, a tasting of this nasal spray. Yeah, please don't show us. 'cause that's disgusting. Right. But, uh, let us know. Let us know what you think of it. I think that'd be great. So that's t me slash Reform Brotherhood. [00:19:21] Jesse Schwamb: There you go. Come hang out with us. It's a lot of fun. I see we've had some people join that group this week, so I see you out there, brother Sean. Crushing it, getting in the mix. Welcome everybody. Come again. Spend a little time in there. And there's, I love that the channel for like the conversation about our episodes is. [00:19:37] Jesse Schwamb: Hot. It's going strong. I love that. And we gave the call last week. You should listen to last week's episode when we were really speaking about, uh, God's faithfulness and a challenge of how we seek after piety, under the care and the direction, the kind direction and the convicting influence of the Holy Spirit. [00:19:55] Jesse Schwamb: So many good things were said there. I really loved reading all those. And it probably goes without saying, but I'm gonna mention it anyway. You and I read everything that pops in there. Yeah. For the most part. I mean, sometimes I look at it and there's 150 messages, right? And um, it got wild. But I go back through and always, always read those. [00:20:10] Jesse Schwamb: But I especially love like the conversation when we invite people to say, like, now it's, we'd love to hear from you. And so I think that's gonna be a large part of what we talk about. On this episode as well. [00:20:20] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. So, Jesse, why don't you lead us in here. This was the topic you brought up. I think it's a great one. [00:20:25] Tony Arsenal: I'd love to to dive into it here. [00:20:27] Christian Vocation and Work [00:20:27] Jesse Schwamb: I think one of the things that Christians always have to come to terms with at some point, every generation has to, but every person as well is, so where is my role as Christ child in something we might generally call like Christian activism? By which I mean like, of course, like Christians. [00:20:44] Jesse Schwamb: Attempt to improve or influence society through time, especially in our work. And as I was thinking about this recently, I think one of the hard things we have to measure out is well. Are there different places where we would, there's certainly jobs where we say Christians shouldn't hold that position because it contravenes God's law directly. [00:21:05] Jesse Schwamb: But what about these kind of, as we've talked about before, this threefold responsibility that we have in our callings, which you can go back to our previous catalog, which is all in the reform brotherhood.com, by the way. Listen to where we talked about this idea of like the vocation that happens in our work, in our households, in our church, and is it possible that in the work sphere that there are jobs that like Christians just shouldn't hold because it takes them too far away from their responsibilities in the other two spheres, which there are equally parts of their vocation, or if we want to put like a really fine point in it, and I don't really mean to derail the conversation with this question, but this would be exemplifying kind of what we're after here, which was like, should Christians be involved and. [00:21:47] Jesse Schwamb: In politics, are there other jobs like that where we'd say, listen, we, we tr we trust God in his sovereign superintendent will that he's always doing his good work. And you and I have talked at length about what it means to be living in the, under the normal principle of God using ordinary, normal means to do great and extraordinary things. [00:22:06] Jesse Schwamb: So how does all of that fit with our work? Are there lines to be drawn or. Does it not really matter? [00:22:15] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I mean, I think for the sake of our conversation, we can just sort of take some professions off the table. Right? Of course, there are some professions of course, and calling them professions is probably even, probably even a misnomer. [00:22:27] Tony Arsenal: But there are some ways to earn money that are just intrinsically sinful that are outside of the scope of the conversation, right? You can't, uh, there's no argument for a Christian to become like. An assassin or like a drug dealer or a prostitute, like, there's no, there's no valid argument or discussion to be had around those. [00:22:45] Tony Arsenal: So we can just exclude those entirely. But I think for, for the sake of this conversation, we're talking about professions that do not involve, intrinsically involve sin, um, and, and may or may not have, um. Prudential reasons why they are not the best idea. Right. So I, I'm thinking like, the one that came to mind when you asked this was like, and it's funny because I, um, I mentioned the topic to my wife and, you know, she kind of joked, I was like, well, yeah, like Christians can't be. [00:23:15] Tony Arsenal: Can't like be porn stars, like that's not something you can do as a Christian. But then, then I, she said, well, what, what other professions would it be? I said, well, like, like a professional football player, right? And like the question is like, can a Christian be a professional football player? I think instinctively, right? [00:23:29] Tony Arsenal: We all say yes. But, but is that actually true? Right. And, and I would, I would make the argument that no, like a Christian can't be a professional football player or really, really any kind of professional sports, um, figure because it, it necessarily takes you away from the gathered fellowship of Christians on the Lord's day on far too often a basis. [00:23:47] Tony Arsenal: Right? I don't think you can make a good prudential argument to say like, well. It's fine for a Christian to be absent from the lord's uh, Lord's Day worship in his congregation of membership, you know, 60% of the time. Like, I just don't think you can make that argument. So I think in a lot of these cases, the immediate instinctive answer is yes. [00:24:07] Tony Arsenal: Uh. Christians can be part of any profession, and there's a certain, there's a certain way that that's true, but when we actually start to look at the way some professions actually play out, we have to analyze that a lot deeper. And this is actually not all that different than our conversation last week. [00:24:23] Tony Arsenal: Right. Involving like a. Pop culture and like media consumption is we have to look at what is actually, what the actual cost is. Uh, opportunity cost, I guess if we want to use like economic terms, what the actual opportunity cost is here of a particular profession in respect of. Our obligations and our commitments as a Christian and our obligation to the law of God, our obligation to our Christian brothers and sisters, all of that. [00:24:49] Tony Arsenal: So I think this is gonna be a great conversation. I'm excited to get into it. Um, but I do think it's one that we should think through a little bit more than just sort of like our gut reaction. Like we, of course, Christians can be involved in any profession. [00:25:00] Jesse Schwamb: Let me add to that. 'cause that's perfect. That's exactly, you're not on the same page as usual. [00:25:04] Jesse Schwamb: That's exactly where my mind was going. And what makes like this such a rich opportunity to really explore what the scripture has to say about this particular topic? I think you're right on that we need to weigh out, which we often just kind of glance over. What are the other responsibilities by taking on a particular line of work or job. [00:25:20] Jesse Schwamb: Does that necessarily mean that we must sacrifice and preclude these other areas? We should have direct or more intimate involvement because that is also part of vocation. Part of that, like we've talked about at length before, is responsibility in the Lord's day. So we might set that up as one particular test. [00:25:36] Jesse Schwamb: To that end, another one might be exactly what you were saying. So here's like the opposite of like the professional footballer or American football or whatever. Pick your, pick your sports. What about like high level? High responsibility, let's say leadership positions like in all kinds of areas of industry that would require the man or the woman to, let's say, like be on call continually, or maybe to sacrifice long hours at that job as part and parcel of what's required to do it effectively. [00:26:04] Jesse Schwamb: And that might mean that necessarily like not being very connected with family or having to be away from their family a lot of the time. I think what we often come to is this idea that, wouldn't it be great if Christians were just everywhere and were infiltrating all the things all the time at all the levels. [00:26:21] Jesse Schwamb: I think the question here that's under the surface is, is that what God assigns in a life of vocation? And maybe it's, it's of course more nuance than that and it could be for the person. Again, I wanna be clear that, like we said before, vocation is a very specific and narrow term in that we're talking about an actual calling being called out for a particular purpose. [00:26:42] Jesse Schwamb: And if we're using that in the right way, then it's possible that with the exception of some things like the Lord's Day, the other thing I just talked about, season of life. And your particular commitments or entanglements, they might be different from person to person. Therefore, allow for a direct call that God gives to a particular purpose at a particular time. [00:27:01] Jesse Schwamb: I think what I'm really kind of weighing out here is if we understand how the reformers viewed all of this. We have to come to this conclusion that God assigns us a life and then God calls us to that life. And that really is what vocation is all about. And notice in that there's nothing that's said about choosing a vocation or finding your true vocation or being fulfilled even in your vocation. [00:27:24] Jesse Schwamb: We may experience a struggle with all of that, but vocation is fundamentally God's doing. So what is. God doing in our society. And as you said, are there roles that he's, in a way not calling, let's say like the, the quintessential or the normative, I don't wanna say average 'cause that implies the weird thing, but Right. [00:27:44] Jesse Schwamb: Kind of Christian too. And I think. We've gotta, we've gotta wrestle with that because you're right. Like we too often just run to, we need Christians in all the places now let's get them everywhere. Doing all the things. Yeah. And that might be good from our perspective, because Christians should be the best workers as we said that we should. [00:28:01] Jesse Schwamb: The most kind. There is the salt in lights everywhere. However, it takes a Christian to do all those things. And can a Christian in certain roles have great fidelity to the threefold? [00:28:13] Exploring the Theology of Work and the Lord's Day [00:28:13] Jesse Schwamb: Calling and vocation of life while upholding certain jobs and responsibilities. [00:28:19] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. You know, I think, um, I think that may be like a little bit of progam is, is warranted here too. [00:28:26] Tony Arsenal: Like there, you know, there's the, the, the conversation at the top of like, some, some professions are just out of bounds. Yeah. Um, but there's also, you know, a pretty robust theology. And I think a lot of this is gonna center around. Uh, maybe just for simplicity's sake and for the fact that we have 30 minutes left of a conversation that probably could be multiple hours, um, there's a pretty robust apparatus in reform theology that is designed to help Christians understand whether or not, um. [00:28:57] Tony Arsenal: A particular activity is acceptable on the Lord's day. And we've, we've had conversations in the past about like, if, if all of your theology of the Lord's Day is about what you can and can't do, then you're missing the point entirely. [00:29:11] Jesse Schwamb: That's right. [00:29:11] Tony Arsenal: But there is an element of what you can and can't do in terms of understanding the Lord's day. [00:29:16] Tony Arsenal: Right. We're, we're not supposed to engage in worldly recreation or employment on the Lord's day. So we have to talk about what that means. And so I think. [00:29:24] Works of Necessity and Charity on the Lord's Day [00:29:24] Tony Arsenal: I think to start with, like there's categories, like works of necessity, works of charity, um, that, or, or like works of ministry, which would, would sort of be a third category that's not necessarily, um, not necessarily enumerated in many of the sources, but it's assumed that like pastors who are working on the Lord's day are not, they're not violating the Sabbath by doing the work on the Sabbath. [00:29:47] Tony Arsenal: Um, I think we have to have those categories. 'cause I think that helps us inform too, like. If you are the CEO of a major retailer, does that mean you have to work on Sunday, right? Well, probably it does. Like, it probably means that on a regular basis you're gonna be checking emails on your phone, you're gonna be taking phone calls. [00:30:05] Tony Arsenal: You've got, you might have partners in markets overseas where it, it's Sunday morning for you, but it's Monday afternoon or you know, Monday morning for them or something like that. Um. I think that the industry you're in largely is going to drive whether that's an acceptable or, or an appropriate role for you. [00:30:24] Tony Arsenal: So I could see a situation where you could make the argument that being the CEO of a of a major medical center, right. Where the work that's being done at the medical center falls easily within that sort of definition of, uh, works of necessity. A nurse who is working in the emergency room or a police officer or a firefighter or somebody who is fixing the power, like in our society, right? [00:30:47] Tony Arsenal: Electricity is, is not an option for most people. It's not a, it's not a luxury for most people. So those, those professions. It's acceptable to work on the Lord's Day when it's a work of necessity, and so the higher level leadership positions that make those possible and constrain them also, I think. Would fall under that same work of necessity. [00:31:06] Tony Arsenal: If the CEO of my hospital, I don't know if she's a Christian or not. I, I'm, I'm not speculating on that, but if, if the CEO of my hospital was a Christian or is a Christian and she has to take an important phone call on Sunday morning and miss the Lord's day because if she doesn't take care of that, the hospital's not gonna function correctly and people may not have emergency services. [00:31:26] Tony Arsenal: I don't think that's a violation of the south principle. If the same scenario is happening and it's the CEO of Best Buy and they need to take a phone call, otherwise people won't be able to buy widgets on Sunday afternoon, that's a different calculation. So I think like right off the bat, we have to start having those conversations about what's the nature of the work, what's the, what's the tell loss of the work or the end aim of the work. [00:31:46] Tony Arsenal: That's really important as well. [00:31:48] Balancing Professional Responsibilities and Christian Obligations [00:31:48] Jesse Schwamb: So it sounds like though what we're saying, both of us in a way, is that if you run that test, so to speak, like you go through that algorithm and you come out with this idea that you know, it's, you're saying your industry is more like Best Buy and less like your local hospital, then there might be significant and maybe insurmountable roadblocks to taking that position Should be as a c. [00:32:08] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I mean, that's kinda what we're saying. [00:32:10] Tony Arsenal: Oh yeah, for sure. And you know, like this is a real world application I think for a lot of people. I remember when I was in college, um, I had the opportunity to take a promotion. I worked at Best Buy. I, I'm not using Best Buy as an example for any specific reason, but I worked at Best Buy. [00:32:23] Tony Arsenal: I worked in the Geek Squad area and I had the opportunity to take a promotion. Um, and the sort of the strings that came with the promotion is that I was expected to be available to work on Sundays. I didn't have a super robust doctrine of the Lord's Day at the time. Like I wasn't super theologically versed on Sabbath theology and stuff. [00:32:39] Tony Arsenal: Um, but it just didn't sit right with me. And so initially I didn't take the, I didn't take the, um, promotion because I didn't feel comfortable saying at the time, it was mostly about like, I'm not gonna miss the church service. I didn't feel comfortable saying I need to be available. And that might mean I Ms. [00:32:57] Tony Arsenal: Church to, to be able to take this shift. Um, eventually the management adapted and said, well, we'll just figure out something else. We really want you to take the position, but that's the kind of question we have to ask. And then that same question, as you move up in an organization, it expands and you're more likely to need to be drawn away from Lord State worship or just general. [00:33:19] Tony Arsenal: Obligations on the Lord's Day. [00:33:20] Personal Experiences and Real-World Applications [00:33:20] Tony Arsenal: And I don't wanna make this entirely about the Lord's Day 'cause there are other obligations that Christians have and it probably will be interesting to get to those. But I think, um, the, the other thing maybe that I wanna push back on a little bit too is I. I, I've never been a CEO. [00:33:34] Tony Arsenal: I probably never will be a CEO. You're far closer to a CEO than I ever will be. But I think a lot of times we assume those positions have no flexibility. Right. But in reality, some of those people are absolutely able to say, I'm gonna take, I'm gonna take Sunday, and just not. Yes, I'm not gonna do work on Sunday. [00:33:52] Tony Arsenal: I'm gonna delegate that. You know? And then this is a whole other question. I'm gonna delegate that to someone else. Well, there's a whole different question that comes with that, but saying like, I'm just not going to do work on Sunday is actually within the options for a lot of positions. So that's the other question is when we take a position, do we have the option to set aside the Lord's Day? [00:34:11] Tony Arsenal: Even if we might acknowledge that occasionally, that's not gonna work out. There are oftentimes in all of our lives that we're drawn away from being able to fulfill our ordinary obligation of the Lord's Day, and I don't think that that's intrinsically sinful. If on a rare occasion you're not able to attend the Lord's Day worship or something like that. [00:34:29] Tony Arsenal: So I think those are questions we have to ask. Then what? What kind of other Christian obligations do we have? And this is hypothetical, but you're welcome to answer if you've got one in mind. Like what other kinds of Christian obligations do we have that any particular vocation or particular job might make difficult or impossible to fulfill? [00:34:47] Tony Arsenal: I think those are questions we have to ask. [00:34:49] Jesse Schwamb: I'm with you. And that's actually more where my mind goes because again, we've talked before and for some Christians it's easier to identify the stuff that certainly explicitly contravenes the Lord's Day. And I think it's more difficult to say like we, again, I think we talked before about that threefold responsibility and the vocation that is to like work that is like our industry, so to speak, and then to our household, then to our church. [00:35:10] Jesse Schwamb: So the church often does. Again, in a very finely pointed way, connect very tightly with the Lord. Say what about that household stuff? Yeah. So what about these jobs that would just make you too busy? And I think like what's interesting to your point is I agree. Like I think part of this conversation is just a thoughtful assessment of what the job entails, and then even as like maybe you're taking a job or considering a job. [00:35:33] Jesse Schwamb: Having a conversation with your potential employer about what opportunity is there for flexibility given like certain convictions that you have? All of that could fall into place neatly and I think would still be within the bounds of yes, but I think part of this is if it's truly a calling that we, we have to be praying through it and assessing whether God is calling us through that. [00:35:50] Jesse Schwamb: Part of that is passing it through the sin of what the scriptures require in each of those threefold vocational responsibilities. So sometimes I hear there is like a pushback or counter, this argument says, but wouldn't it be better? [00:36:01] The Role of Christians in Leadership Positions [00:36:01] Jesse Schwamb: Wouldn't it be fantastic if you get a Christian as an opportunity to be a CEO? [00:36:05] Jesse Schwamb: Isn't it better for them to be a CEO and to be in that role, even if they're crazy busy, even if they're sacrificing so much for their family, for their household or for the church because they simply, they're gonna be a Christian and think of the role model and the emphasis and the impact they can have. [00:36:19] Jesse Schwamb: And to that, I would say we gotta be really careful with that loved ones because God, I don't think God's calling us to necessarily have outside impact. What he's calling us to is, is faithfulness. Invocation, invocation pulls us back into those three responsibilities, and we know the way in which God prefers to work His jam is these ordinary means, these natural ways of in the normative work of our lives and faithfulness showing that his power is demonstrated in this weakness. [00:36:44] Jesse Schwamb: Somehow we're back to the theology of. Glory and theology of cross. But you know, it's interesting to me that there are no calls like in the entire scriptures, of course, to withdraw into like a private ghetto or to take back the realms of cultural and political activity. And so I think we have to be really careful about even how we kind of pull that into then how. [00:37:03] Jesse Schwamb: Our jobs that like, shouldn't it be my goal as a Christian to get as most influence as possible? And I think I wanna push back on that and say like, you know, the, the church, the Christian exists within the world as a community of word and sacrament. But it doesn't always have to seek influence in larger society. [00:37:19] Jesse Schwamb: It can. It can. And when God provides the opportunity by way of clear calling, I think internal and external that is appropriate. However, often that calling is gonna come at a much more normative level, I think. And, and I do not believe that we are somehow compromising or sub-optimizing the work that God does in the world merely because we might have a Christian that says, I don't know if it's right for me to be in this leadership role, and therefore a unbeliever is going to vault above that person's speaker or take that role on that somehow. [00:37:51] Jesse Schwamb: Again, God's superintendent will, or his strong arm is, is somehow pulled aback from what he wants to do that we need like more Christian plumbing in the world. I do kind of bristle that idea a little bit. Specifically because I wonder if sometimes we go outside of that calling. [00:38:08] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I, I'm picking up what you're putting down and I think, I think there's, um, it, it does all come back to theology, the cross theology of glory. [00:38:17] Tony Arsenal: And I'm glad that, that, that conversation happened before this. 'cause I think there's good framework there. I, I think, um, we, we as Christians can often confuse. The transformative power of the gospel with other ways of transforming culture. Yeah, that's good. Right. So, um, it is totally, um, I wanna be careful how I phrase this. [00:38:42] Tony Arsenal: I'm not post mill, I'm probably never gonna be post mill, but I'm okay with a kind of post mill theology that says that the gospel of Jesus Christ, as people become Christians, the culture will. Change along with that. And the gospel has a transformative power in that it changes individuals and individuals make up, make up the broader society. [00:39:05] Tony Arsenal: And so the society itself changes. Where I struggle with some flavors of postal theology, and this is where I think the theology of glory comes in, is there are some kinds of postal theology I'm thinking, I'm thinking, um, like Doug Wilson, they just, uh, opened A-C-R-A-C church in Washington, DC specifically with the goal of gaining influence with politicians. [00:39:26] Tony Arsenal: Right. I might be misconstruing that a little bit 'cause I haven't read all of it, but that's, that's the impression that I'm getting from some of their promotional material. I, I think we can, we can look at it and say the gospel can change culture as the gospel. And so where that. [00:39:43] Sacrifices and Priorities in Christian Vocation [00:39:43] Tony Arsenal: Levels of playing field is that whether you are, and this is where I think a genuine Protestant reform theology of vocation comes in, whether you're the janitor of the hospital or whether you're the CEO of the hospital, the gospel is the same and your role in proclaiming the gospel is the same. [00:39:58] Tony Arsenal: And you might have more people's ear as the CEO than you do as the janitor. Although I would maybe question that knowing how many people janitors interact with at the hospital, um, you may have more people's ears in a higher level position, but the message that you're proclaiming, the influence that you're wielding or you're using, I don't know what you wanna say. [00:40:18] Tony Arsenal: It's not different because it's still just the gospel. [00:40:21] Jesse Schwamb: That's good. [00:40:21] Tony Arsenal: Um. Where I think we can get confused is when we look at it and say, but we have these other opportunities to transfer, transform the culture by, um, for example, I, I'm the supervisor in my patient relations department. I'm making changes to the, to the policy and the way that we as a sort of service recovery resolution group, the way that we interact with patients, I'm making changes to that. [00:40:46] Tony Arsenal: I think those changes are consistent with the law of God as revealed in the light of nature, and I'm. I'm informed of those things and my whole outlook and ethos is shaped by the scriptures, but. I don't see the transformation of the way we interact with patients as somehow propagating the gospel, right? [00:41:05] Tony Arsenal: So we can, we can make transformation and make society better, right? If you're a politician, you can, you can legislate things that make society more outwardly in conformity with the law of God or more pleasant and more prosperous, and more flourishing, and those are all fine and well, but that's not. [00:41:21] Tony Arsenal: Building the kingdom of God in, in a strict sense. Right? And so I think what we're getting at is our, would it be great if, if, you know, the CEO of a major Fortune 500 company could be a Christian? Yeah. That would be kind of cool. Sure of That'd be nice, of course. And yeah, they could probably do a lot of good things and they could probably shape the way that that business runs and they could probably, um, have more opportunities to share the gospel. [00:41:42] Tony Arsenal: They could probably shape their business into a vehicle that, that moves forward. Missions, all those things are great, but. If the trade off is that that person has to sacrifice their genuine Christian convictions, right? That's not worth it. And I think we, we look at this and we might be able to identify certain. [00:42:00] Tony Arsenal: Obvious ways that we would say, no, it's not worth it. Right? If a CEO, uh, the CEO of a major retailer has to give way to all of the, um, transgender LGBT sexual, you know, identity politics has to give way to that in order to survive as CEO, I think we would all look at that and go, yeah, it's probably a hard sacrifice, but that's a sacrifice we would expect a genuine Christian to make at that level. [00:42:25] Tony Arsenal: Where we might not look at it is saying, well, I don't know. The Bible says that if you don't properly care for your family, then you're worse than an unbeliever. That's right. And so that CEO that is at the office for 70 hours a week and is never home, um, and their kids don't, you know, their kids don't have an opportunity to know their father or their mother because their. [00:42:44] Tony Arsenal: Constantly jet setting around the world. I don't know that we would as readily identify that as a sacrifice. I would actually argue that, that the Bible is probably clearer about that being a problem than it is about identity politics or other sort of, of social issues that, that, uh, a business person might have to. [00:43:04] Tony Arsenal: Hold their nose a little bit and, and, you know, sign off on a commercial or something that they don't necessarily want to, I'm not advocating that they should do that, but I think the Bible is clearer about a person who is taken away from their home more than is reasonable and more than is healthy for their family. [00:43:20] Tony Arsenal: Or a Christian who never is able to worship on the Lord's day, um, or, or something like that. I think the Bible is clearer about that than it is on. Something like identity politics and some of the tangential ways that, that might, might cause a person to need to compromise a little bit at a high level. [00:43:35] Tony Arsenal: So I, I think this is a, it's an interesting question that we probably don't think about it from the right angle most of the time. [00:43:41] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it's just too easy to consider this in light of if we can get more responsibility, that should always be a good thing. And I think that proclivity is, is fine and maybe even noble, but sometimes I think we do get it twisted where we get this sense that we are trying to make the world into something moral like the church. [00:43:57] Jesse Schwamb: And if we could do that in our jobs and get the most influence in that greatest sphere of impact. We should always take on those additional responsibilities. And I do think we have to sit back and ask and say, is that the calling? So that we're pursuing what is our vocation, not just our potential. [00:44:13] Jesse Schwamb: There's a lot of brilliant, God has made all kinds of brilliant people. Many of them are his children, and as a result of that, we might say like we should always again be trying to move up. And this is not to say that we shouldn't take great initiative, that we shouldn't want to try to do more and be more productive. [00:44:27] Jesse Schwamb: You and I have always been outspoken about that kind of thing, but I think there is a real temptation. To somehow say like, what we need to do is like to infiltrate in all the places. And I think what we mean by that is that things will, like, whether we wanna admit it or not, that things here will be better. [00:44:41] Jesse Schwamb: And I, I don't know all the time that what we're saying is what you just said, which was that what we're really concerned with is that the gospel get proclaimed more forthrightly. More loudly, more specifically, more cogently in all places. But that if we just had good examples of moral behavior and good character, yes, those things are profitable in and of their own ways, but there's also a lot of common grace we see God bring about good leaders who are not a Christian at high level to do that kind of thing. [00:45:05] Jesse Schwamb: And sometimes I do wonder, just depending on the job, quite honestly, whether it's really possible for Christian to be successful in that job. [00:45:14] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:45:14] Jesse Schwamb: As like the world or the industry or the company has defined it. I'm not sure that's the case, so I don't wanna put like too high a line on this. I think we're trying to just drop a bomb in some ways and say, I'm not gonna make it overly prescriptive and say like, as a Christian, you can't be a CEO. [00:45:29] Jesse Schwamb: Move on. That's not true at all. Of course, again, here are hopefully what we said about the particulars of that wrestling through it and again. Really sensing where there's an actual call on your life that God has given for that role in a particular time. But I do think we ought to question where there's always and everywhere appropriate for any Christian to take on, quite frankly, any job. [00:45:51] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. And so I'm with you. Sometimes it's super easy when I first start out in banking, when I was looking for my second banking job. I had a great interview. It was a very nice company. The bank actually doesn't exist anymore, but, uh, one of the things, one of their big, like, kind of gimmicks was they were open seven days a week. [00:46:09] Jesse Schwamb: And so I said to them, well. I attend church on Sundays. That's my day of rest and my high conviction on that. And I said, is there any flexibility with that? And they said, Nope. You would still have to be on the schedule. And though they very graciously offered me the job, I was thankfully in a place where I, I turned that down. [00:46:26] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Actually I didn't have a job at the time, but I turned it down trusting. That God would provide. And this wasn't my great act of faith on my part. It was more of just, I think what you were saying, Tony, growing in our conviction that those things really do matter. Yes. And that it's sometimes just too easy to kind of push them aside and say, I, I know it's gonna be really stressful. [00:46:43] Jesse Schwamb: I know it might take much more of my time than I want to give. I know I might be at home a lot less. I know I might have less like attentional fortitude and space to think about my spouse or my children, but it's gonna be worth it because. I'll be able to like have this big influence. I do think sometimes madness lies that way. [00:47:02] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Certainly a great deal of foolishness. This is just hopefully a call for all of us as God's children to, to think through that. I don't wanna discourage anybody from taking on bigger and bolder things for the kingdom of God. I think we all have to think about what it is that we're. Promulgating or proclaiming when we talk about the Kingdom of God coming and whether or not we're just trying to make the world a better place, so to speak. [00:47:26] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. By bringing our like quote unquote Christian influence into a setting where really that influence is now particularly strong and what it's actually compromising is the vocation that we're meant to undertake. [00:47:37] Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions [00:47:37] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Are you ready to, for me to drop two bombs? Just, just straight up. You got, [00:47:41] Jesse Schwamb: you got two of them. [00:47:42] Jesse Schwamb: Let's do it. I, I've [00:47:43] Tony Arsenal: got 13 minutes or less left on this episode. There go. So I actually got into a pretty big, uh, like a pretty big dust up with someone way back in the day when I was in the reform hub over actually this topic. And I'm surprised I didn't think of it earlier in the evening. Um, we are using like CEOs as like kind of the proxy for this, but there's all sorts of jobs where, um, your, your job may be admirable and it may be. [00:48:06] Tony Arsenal: Right. Even something that's sort of quote unquote necessary for society. But I got into a big dust up with someone who was an overroad trucker, right? And they were constantly, um, posting in the pub at, at back in the day. They were constantly posting how discouraged they were and, and how difficult their faith was and how much of a challenge it was to just remain faithful as a Christian. [00:48:27] Tony Arsenal: And I. Originally, I kind of naively and, and I think innocently said like, well, you know, like, have you talked to your pastor about this? And the person said like, well, I don't have a regular church because I'm always on the road. And I said like, well, there's your problem. Like there's the first step is like, figure out your local church thing. [00:48:43] Tony Arsenal: He said, well, I can't do that
“There's a quote from a famously terrible person, Thomas Jefferson, who said – I don't particularly like him or a lot of the things he did, but I do agree with this, I do agree with this specific quote. ‘I will study war and strategy so that my children may study science and maths, so that their children may study art and poetry.' I'm sure I'm butchering the exact quote, but the sentiment is there. Why are we creating robots to do art for us? Why do we not yet have something that can fold my laundry? Wouldn't that be useful? That's what I want. And at the end of the day, if I had to pick either having a robot to do my art for me so that I have time to fold my laundry, or having to do both, I'd rather do both. I'm fine living. I enjoy being alive and being a human. I don't need a robot to take away what, to me, is the most human thing about us, which is that we can create.” – Benjamin Kapit This episode is the second half of my conversation with Benjamin Kapit of Second World Entertainment as he shares some of the more obscure sounds that he's turned into cinematic effects, discusses the ethics of AI training and what it gets right and wrong about human creativity, and the message he'd most like to share with future generations about the power of sound. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) - Exploring Sound in Film ProductionAs our discussion begins, Benjamin shares more of his hands-on experience with audio production, from the studio apps and audio plugins he prefers to the challenge of bringing it all together in the film's final cut. “You have to record sound and work with the sound props make,” he says, “the way that people talk, or rather who's mic'd up in certain shots. You have to work with the edit. You have to have that somehow in your mind because you, the director, are the only one who really knows what it's going to look like when it's done.” He tells us about some of his more inventive sound sources, such as a microphone specifically tuned to record static. “When it comes to post-production,” Benjamin says, “especially sound,” I hate rules. I don't want to do things the way that everyone else does. I don't want to sit down and say, okay, well, this sound sounds like this, so it has to be this thing.”(0:11:06) - Exploring AI in the Sound IndustryBenjamin and I talk about the groundbreaking audio work in sci-fi movies like Dune and Interstellar, and how they've inspired his approach to sound design. “It never really occurred to me that, like, oh, you can just mess with a synth or with a sound so much that it becomes something else,” he says about Interstellar's distinctive soundscape. “You can completely shift the tone and the meaning behind audio and make it yours and make people think, yeah, this is this other thing and it's not.” Our conversation turns to AI's transformative role in the industry, and his concern that the distinction between different forms of AI, and the question of
From time to time, we'll re-air a previous episode of the show that our newer audience may have missed. During this episode, guest host Madelyn O'Farrell is joined by TJ England, Chief Legal Officer at C.R. England, a pioneer in the transportation services industry providing asset-based Dedicated, Truckload, and Intermodal solutions to solve a wide variety of customer needs. During the conversation, TJ and Madelyn explore the intersection of technology and business model innovation in the trucking industry. TJ provides a historical overview of C.R. England, a family-owned trucking company founded in 1920, and shares his personal journey into the legal side of the industry. They discuss the challenges of operating in a low-margin sector, the deployment of AI to enhance operations, the importance of effective communication among carriers, shippers, and stakeholders in the supply chain, and so much more. Highlights from their conversation include:C.R. England's Journey in Trucking (0:52)TJ's Journey into the Family Business (1:58)Challenges in the Trucking Industry (3:41)Exploring AI in Trucking (6:15)Potential of AI for Network Optimization (10:06)Human in the Loop Approach (14:17)Technological Solutions for Communication (17:39)Fragmentation and Small Businesses (20:43)AI in Legal Framework (25:57)Automated Vehicles and Legal Risks (27:17)Train Derailments and Technology (29:41)Legal Perspectives on Cybersecurity (32:00)In-House vs. Outsourcing Technology (35:10)ROI and Customer-Centric Solutions (39:05)Current State of the Trucking Market (41:22)Importance of Lean Operations (46:50)Challenges of Investment in Technology (48:18)Dynamo is a VC firm led by supply chain and mobility specialists that focus on seed-stage, enterprise startups.Find out more at: https://www.dynamo.vc/
In episode 20 of Open Source Ready, Brian and John sit down with data engineering and cognitive science expert Vasilije Markovic to explore AI memory and how we can build more intelligent systems. From the challenges of "context rot" to the practical applications of AI memory in construction, education, and finance, this conversation covers how to give your AI the context it truly needs.
Can an AI reconcile your books while you sleep? Blake and David run a live experiment with ChatGPT-5's Agent Mode in Xero—watching it match transactions, stumble on prepayments, and reveal what's realistically automatable today. They also break down a flood of app news: Dext's bill pay, Ramp's mega raise, Thomson Reuters and Deloitte's agentic AI, plus Ignition–Financial Cents and Canopy portal moves. They dig into survey findings showing that 58% of employees are secretly using AI at work despite company bans, and take a look at how AI is disrupting the job market for college graduates. SponsorsTeamUp - http://accountingpodcast.promo/teamupRelay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/relayHuman at Scale - http://accountingpodcast.promo/humanMissive - http://accountingpodcast.promo/missiveChapters(01:32) - Exploring AI in Accounting (02:20) - Testing ChatGPT for Accounting Tasks (05:26) - Reconciling Transactions with AI (10:27) - App News (18:34) - AI and Automation in Accounting (23:29) - Recent Raises and Acquisitions (31:10) - Government and Regulatory Updates (35:14) - AI Agent Struggles with Prepayment (35:39) - VC Investments in Accounting Firms (37:43) - Ignition and Financial Sense Integration (40:13) - Canopy's Smart Intake and AI Innovations (42:58) - AI in the Workplace: Surveys and Insights (44:39) - AI Agent Finally Figures Out Prepayment (52:36) - AI's Limitations and Future Potential (01:01:55) - Fundraising and AI in Accounting Apps (01:12:28) - Impact of AI on the market (01:13:42) - Conclusion and CPE Information Show NotesProduct Specialist-Accounting,AI - Xerohttps://builtinlondon.uk/job/product-specialist-accounting-ai/6683466Rillet raises $70M to replace 20th-century accounting software with AI-native ERP built by accountantshttps://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/08/06/3128328/0/en/Rillet-raises-70M-to-replace-20th-century-accounting-software-with-AI-native-ERP-built-by-accountants.htmlAI accounting startup Rillet raises $70 million in Andreessen Horowitz, ICONIQ-led roundhttps://www.investing.com/news/economy-news/ai-accounting-startup-rillet-raises-70-million-in-andreessen-horowitz-iconiqled-round-4172975Ramp Raises $500 Million at $22.5 Billion Valuation to Accelerate AI and Build the Future of Financehttps://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ramp-raises-500-million-at-22-5-billion-valuation-to-accelerate-ai-and-build-the-future-of-finance-302516953.htmlRamp hits $22.5B valuation just 45 days after reaching $16Bhttps://techcrunch.com/2025/07/30/ramp-hits-22-5b-valuation-just-45-days-after-reaching-16b/IRS, White House clashed over immigrants' data before Billy Long was oustedhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/09/trump-administration-irs-data-dispute/Trump replaces IRS Commissioner Billy Long with Scott Bessenthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/08/billy-long-irs-commissioner-bessent/Trump ousts Billy Long as IRS commissioner, names Bessent acting headhttps://www.cnn.com/2025/08/08/politics/billy-long-ousted-irs-commissionerIRS Chief Forced Out After Immigrant Tax Data Pushback—Reporthttps://www.newsweek.com/irs-chief-forced-immigrant-tax-data-pushback-report-2111292Billy Long's IRS ouster follows clashes with Treasury, sparks concernhttps://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5449180-treasury-clashes-irs-commissioner/Need CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/OvercastWant to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad. Go here to c...
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What if I told you that the secret to unlocking your team's creative potential isn't working harder—it's asking better questions? Here's the problem: Most business leaders are getting mediocre results from AI because they're playing it safe. They're asking vanilla questions and getting vanilla answers, then wondering why their competitors seem to be pulling ahead. You've invested time learning AI tools, maybe even paying for premium subscriptions, but your outputs still feel… mid. Generic. Safe. The kind of ideas that blend into the background noise of your industry. But what if the solution isn't better AI—it's better prompting? What if the key to breakthrough results lies in embracing what most people avoid: bad ideas? Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Jason Keath, founder of Social Fresh, who's been helping brands and agencies grow through social media since 2009. Jason's built one of the most respected voices in marketing, organizing conferences that bring together marketing leaders worldwide. He's worked with countless major brands and has recently cracked the code on something fascinating: creativity AI prompts that transform ordinary brainstorming into breakthrough business results. Jason's developed a collection of prompts that help teams find that creative-efficiency sweet spot—where human creativity meets AI productivity to drive real business growth. The AI Hat Podcast host Mike Allton asked Jason Keath about: ✨ Creative Prompt Engineering: Learn Jason's methodology for building AI prompts that generate breakthrough ideas rather than safe, generic outputs. ✨ Strategic Bad Ideas: Understand how embracing "bad" ideas as starting points leads to more innovative solutions and competitive advantages. ✨ Human-AI Creative Balance: Discover when to leverage AI for creative acceleration and when human insight and analysis remain irreplaceable for business success. Learn more about Jason Keath Connect with Jason Keath on LinkedIn Resources & Brands mentioned in this episode Social Fresh Creativity AI Prompts The Case for Bad Ideas Kieran Flanagan, “180 IQ Marketing Strategist prompt” How To Build and Use an AI Prompt Library What is a Custom GPT? How To Build GPTs More Bad Ideas Newsletter AI Primer: A Comprehensive Guide Magai Get Your AI Partner Explore past episodes of the The AI Hat Podcast podcast CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction: The Role of Humans in AI 00:34 Exploring AI's Business Capabilities 02:03 Podcast Introduction and Subscription Call 02:25 Unlocking Creative Potential with Better Questions 03:24 Guest Introduction: Jason Keith and Creativity AI Prompts 06:28 The Power of Long Prompts in AI Creativity 07:56 Embracing Bad Ideas for Better Creativity 10:44 Deep Dive into Creativity Marketing Prompts 15:30 Balancing AI Creativity and Human Strategy 17:35 Sponsor Message and Collaboration Council Prompt 23:00 Practical Tips for AI Creativity in Business 33:09 Conclusion and Contact Information SHOW TRANSCRIPT & NOTES: https://theaihat.com/the-creative-efficiency-sweet-spot-ai-prompts-for-business-breakthrough/ Feeling stuck on the solopreneur hamster wheel? Diagnose your biggest bottleneck in just 15 minutes with my free Scalability Audit. Download it now at: https://theaihat.com/download/scalability/ Produced and Hosted by Mike Allton, founder of The AI Hat. He's a Business Systems Strategist who helps overworked solopreneurs and creators stop being employees in their own businesses. After building his own successful solo ventures for over a decade, Mike now teaches entrepreneurs how to build AI-powered operational systems that reclaim their time and allow them to finally scale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome back to The Power Lounge, a space dedicated to meaningful conversations with industry leaders. In today's episode, "Empower Your Team with Responsible AI," host Amy Vaughan, Together Digital's Chief Empowerment Officer, explores a critical challenge for digital teams: adopting AI responsibly without compromising ethical standards.Joining Amy is Nikki Ferrell, Associate Director of Online Enrollment and Marketing Communications at Miami University. Nikki has been instrumental in launching an AI steering committee to manage the swift integration of generative AI in higher education. Together, they examine the potential risks of unmanaged AI use, the importance of establishing clear policies, and how continuous learning and experimentation can cultivate ethical and innovative teams.Whether you're a team leader, a business owner, or simply interested in the complexities of AI, this episode offers a practical framework for implementing technology that prioritizes people, purpose, and ethics. Gain actionable insights and hear real-world experiences right here on The Power Lounge.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction01:24 - AI's Impact: Unprepared Marketing Practices05:08 - Creating AI Steering Committees09:32 - Normalize Open AI Use at Work14:42 - Adopting AI for Organizational Success16:30 - Take Initiative to Lead21:00 - Cautious Marketing on Mother's Day25:25 - AI in Education: Gen Z & Alpha Hesitations29:19 - "AI as Amplifying Tool"30:55 - AI's Impact on Cognitive Skills36:31 - AI Augments, Not Replaces, Workforce38:30 - "Embracing Tech Amidst Red Tape"41:45 - "Responsible AI Adoption Insights"44:19 - AI Use Case Library Development48:03 - Embracing AI for Strategic Future51:01 - Exploring AI for Everyday Tasks54:58 - AI-Assisted Strategy Development58:51 - Subscribe for Updates & Community59:45 - OutroQuotes:"Empowerment begins when we stop being afraid of new technology and start building community around it."- Amy Vaughan"You don't need a title to lead the way with AI—start small, learn together, and let your curiosity spark real change."- Nikki FerrellKey TakeawaysStart Small, Stay Grounded in ResearchPolicies Aren't Optional—They EmpowerOpenness Overgoing UndergroundYou Don't Need a Title to LeadAlign with Mission and ValuesBuild a Culture of ExperimentationTransparency Builds Trust (and Avoids Backlash)AI Augments, Not ReplacesMeet People Where They AreThe Future is CollaborativeConnect with Nikki Ferrell:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nferrell/Website: https://miamioh.edu/Connect with the host Amy Vaughan:LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/amypvaughanPodcast:Power Lounge Podcast - Together DigitalLearn more about Together Digital and consider joining the movement by visitingHome - Together DigitalSupport the show
AI Chat: ChatGPT & AI News, Artificial Intelligence, OpenAI, Machine Learning
In this episode of the AI Chat podcast, hosts Jaeden, Twain Martin, and Rogerio Andrade delve into the transformative power of AI in gaming and beyond. They explore Twain's extensive background in game development, including his work on iconic titles like World of Warcraft, and Rogerio's journey to Nvidia's Inception program. The conversation highlights the innovative vision behind Upheaval AI, focusing on personalized AI and its potential applications across various industries. The discussion also addresses the challenges of AI development, the importance of human collaboration, and the future of work in an AI-driven world.Try AI Box: https://aibox.aiAI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferJoin my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/aboutYou can find both of todays amazing guests here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/twainm/https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerio-andrade/Chapters00:00 Introduction to AI and Gaming Innovations02:42 Twain Martin's Journey in Game Development05:38 Rogério Andrade's Path to Nvidia and AI08:12 The Vision Behind Upheaval AI11:02 Personalized AI and Its Applications14:03 The Future of AI in Gaming and Beyond17:08 Exploring AI's Role in Various Industries21:16 The Future of AI in Culinary Arts23:07 Challenges in AI Development24:53 AI's Impact on Gaming and Creativity31:34 Embracing AI in Corporate Environments37:17 The Cutting Edge of AI Technology
The TeacherCast Podcast – The TeacherCast Educational Network
In this episode of Digital Learning Today, Jeffrey Bradbury and Stephanie Clinise explore the integration of artificial intelligence in education, specifically in high school environments. They discuss the transition challenges from middle school to high school, how AI serves as a supportive tool for teachers, and the value of personalized learning approaches. Stephanie shares her firsthand experiences using AI to boost student engagement and improve learning outcomes, while addressing the limitations of standardized teaching methods. The conversation concludes with actionable advice for educators on effectively implementing AI in both their classrooms and daily routines. Become a High-Impact Leader: This episode is just the beginning. To get the complete blueprint for designing and implementing high-impact systems in your district, get your copy of my book, "Impact Standards." Strategic Vision for Digital Learning: Learn how to create a district-wide vision that aligns digital learning with your educational goals, transforming how standards-based instruction is designed and supported. Curriculum Design and Implementation: Discover practical strategies for integrating digital learning into existing curricula, creating vertical alignment of skills, and mapping digital learning across grade levels. Effective Instructional Coaching: Master the art of coaching people rather than technology, building relationships that drive success, and measuring impact through student engagement rather than just technology usage. Purchase your copy of “Impact Standards” on Amazon today! Key Takeaways: AI serves as a support tool for teachers, not a replacement. Ninth grade represents a transformative year in students' educational journey. AI enables more personalized learning experiences for students. Educators should prioritize teaching appropriate AI usage to students. Standardized education frameworks can successfully coexist with individualized teaching approaches. AI tools reduce teacher workload and minimize decision fatigue. Teachers should share their AI success stories to promote wider adoption. Effective AI implementation enhances both student engagement and learning outcomes. Educators benefit from experimenting with AI in their personal lives before classroom implementation. Each AI tool offers distinct features and capabilities for different educational needs. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to AI in Education 05:31 The Role of AI in High School English 10:12 Utilizing AI for Personalized Learning 13:27 Collaboration and AI Among Teachers 16:15 Rolling Out AI in Schools 19:29 Practical Applications of AI in Daily Life 26:11 Exploring AI for Personal Projects 29:37 Final Thoughts on AI in Education About our Guest: Stephanie Clinise Stephanie Clinise, M.Ed has been teaching English and Social Studies in all high school grade levels in the greater Philadelphia area for over ten years. She remains an active member of student and staff organizations in her current district, focusing on integrating educational technology and AI platforms. Stephanie works to find the best solutions for teachers, students, and staff within the technology and classroom communities while always maintaining her sense of humor and keeping the joy in education. Links of Interest Website:
Matt and Ryan discuss AI's role in advertising and content creation, and the 5 simplest ways to make your first $1000 online.Want more content like this?Join Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator.comWork with Ryan's agency Tailwind Work with Matt's agency GrowLetterFollow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.Episode Topics & Timestamps00:00 Exploring AI in Advertising02:55 Innovative Uses of AI for Content Creation05:54 The Future of AI in Marketing08:46 Leveraging AI for Solopreneurs12:02 Automating Newsletter Creation with AI15:06 Creative Approaches to Content Generation18:00 Monetizing Your Online Presence30:48 Strategies for Earning Your First $1,000 Online
If your practice's collections aren't where they should be, it might not be because of fewer patients—it could be because your revenue is trapped in insurance company limbo. The truth? Without a rock-solid revenue cycle management (RCM) process, you're leaving money on the table… and adding stress to your team. In this episode of the Raving Patients Podcast, I sit down with Shreyas Parab, co-founder and CEO of Daydream, to explore how AI can revolutionize dental billing without removing the human expertise that keeps claims moving. Shreyas shares his unique perspective—shaped by growing up in his mother's small Medicaid dental practice—on why dental billing is a hidden bottleneck for many offices and how automating key steps can unlock both revenue and time. We break down what “human-in-the-loop” AI really means, how to verify insurance more efficiently, and why complete transparency in billing services is non-negotiable for cash flow health. We also dig into the broader role of AI in dentistry—what's working now, where the technology still falls short, and the untapped opportunities that could transform patient communication and education in the near future. Shreyas provides real-world examples of practices that have recovered hundreds of thousands in aged receivables by combining AI-driven workflows with experienced billers, and why this hybrid approach outperforms both in-house teams and traditional billing agencies. Whether you're currently outsourcing, doing billing in-house, or simply curious about what's possible, this conversation will give you the tools to evaluate your RCM strategy and future-proof your practice against the growing complexity of insurance reimbursement. Here are the interesting stuff we talked about in this episode: Automating bottlenecks works best with expert oversight. Pure AI isn't ready to replace billers—but it can triple their efficiency. Transparency is key. If you can't see exactly what's happening with your claims, you can't fix revenue leaks. Growth magnifies billing challenges. Expanding operatories, adding associates, or buying a new practice will strain in-house billing unless processes scale. Patient communication is an untapped AI opportunity. Future tools could educate patients before appointments, improving case acceptance and freeing up clinical time. Key Takeaways 00:43 Introduction and Event Announcement 02:23 Meet Shreyas Parab: The Vision Behind Daydream 04:30 The Journey from Dental Practice to AI Solutions 05:59 Understanding the Burden of Dental Billing 07:45 The Role of AI in Automating Dental Billing 10:00 Why Automation Over Software Tools? 13:00 Human-AI Collaboration in Dental Billing 14:33 Services Offered by Daydream 15:46 AI-Driven Processes in Dental Billing 17:47 Pain Points with Traditional Billing Agencies 21:12 Identifying Candidates for Daydream's Services 23:22 Exploring AI's Impact on the Dental Industry 24:00 The Future of AI in Dentistry 28:44 AI's Role in Patient Education and Communication 30:38 Limitations of AI in Dental Practices 33:06 Understanding AI's Writing Patterns 38:19 Innovative Marketing Strategies in Dental Practices — Connect with Shreyas Learn more about Daydream and schedule a demo at daydream.dental. — Learn proven dental marketing strategies and online reputation management techniques at DrLenTau.com. This podcast is sponsored by Dental Intelligence. Learn more here. This podcast is sponsored by CallRail, call tracking & lead conversion software for dentists. Find out more here. Raving Patients Podcast is your go-to place for the latest and best dental marketing strategies that will help you skyrocket your practice. Follow us for more!
Exclusive Deals For Reading With Your Kids Listeners! Visit www.zivo.life and use the promo code READ to get 30% off The Better Microalgae – your ultimate daily nutrient boost! Visit www.BigForkBrands.com and use the promo code READ to get 20% off the most delicious pork snacks ever. Visit www.CozyEarth.com and use the promo code READ to get an incredible 41% off their ultra cozy and comfy bedding. In this episode, Jed welcomes two acclaimed authors: Abigail Hing Wen, discussing her brand new middle grade novel The Vale, and Jennifer Swanson, co-author of the fascinating nonfiction book Atlas Obscura Explorers Guide to Inventing the World. Abigail Hing Wen dives into the inspiration and creative process behind The Vale, a story about a family of inventors who create an AI-generated virtual fantasy world. Abigail shares how her background in artificial intelligence influenced the book, and how The Vale explores both the wonders and dangers of technology. Listeners will love hearing about the main character, Brand, who must balance his time between the captivating world of The Vale and the challenges of real-life relationships. Abigail also talks about adapting her stories into different mediums, including a short film and an upcoming Roblox game, and offers advice for aspiring writers hoping to see their books on the big screen. Next, Jennifer Swanson introduces Atlas Obscura Explorers Guide to Inventing the World, a visually stunning journey through the history of inventions. Jennifer explains how the book connects inventions across time, from fire to artificial intelligence, and encourages kids to think creatively and critically. She shares fun facts about some of the world's most surprising inventions and discusses how families can use the book to spark conversations and inspire young inventors. Whether you're a parent, educator, or young reader, this episode is packed with insights on AI, storytelling, and the power of curiosity. Don't miss this engaging conversation about The Vale, Atlas Obscura, and the limitless possibilities of imagination and invention! PREORDERING THE VALE BEFORE SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 Submit receipts here to receive a free Vale sticker sheet Drop by Chinatown Ice Cream Factory in Manhattan for a free trial sized scoop with receipt Barnes and Noble (USA, enter city to find the nearest store) Linden Tree, Los Altos, CA Book Passage, Ferry Building, SF, CA Books Inc, multiple stores (SF, Palo Alto, Mountain View) Keplers, Menlo Park, CA Mrs. Dalloways, Berkeley, CA Hicklebees, San Jose, CA Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena, CA Ripped Bodice, Culver City, CA Annabelle's Book Club, Studio City, CA The Novel Neighbor, St. Louis, MO Main Street Books, St Charles, MO Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA Beacon Hill Books & Cafe, Boston, MA City of Asylum Books, Pittsburg, PA Loyalty Books, Washington, DC Politics and Prose, Washington, DC Anderson's, Naperville, IL Unabridged Books, Chicago, IL
In this episode, Sasha Orloff and Alex Lee, Co-founder & CEO of Truewind, to discuss how his company is transforming accounting with AI-powered automation—streamlining tasks like data reconciliation and deposit matching from hours to minutes. They explore Truewind's journey, recent funding led by Thomson Reuters and Row Capital, and the future of accounting through AI, autonomous agents, and customer-centric innovation. -- SPONSORS: Notion Boost your startup with Notion—the ultimate connected workspace trusted by thousands worldwide! From engineering specs to onboarding and fundraising, Notion keeps your team organized and efficient. For a limited time, get 6 months of Notion AI FREE to supercharge your workflow. Claim your offer now at https://notion.com/startups/puzzle Puzzle
Nick Groeneveld is a designer and User Experience expert who has been a valued collaborator on Podscan, my own software product. Nick works as a freelancer for a lot of companies that have no in-house design knowledge, and he's been navigating the rapid changes that AI tools like Lovable and vZero are bringing to the design world. With 10 years of professional design experience and a deep understanding of design theory, Nick brings a unique perspective on what happens when machines start creating interfaces that look surprisingly good.We also tackle deeper questions about whether AI is making us dumber, why human judgment remains irreplaceable, and how to use AI as a learning tool rather than just a productivity hack.This episode of The Bootstraped Founder is sponsored by Paddle.comThe blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/nick-groeneveld-exploring-ais-impact-on-modern-design/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/407-nick-groeneveld-exploring-ais-impact-on-modern-designCheck out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fmSend me a voicemail on Podline: https://podline.fm/arvidYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comHere are a few tools I use. Using my affiliate links will support my work at no additional cost to you.- Notion (which I use to organize, write, coordinate, and archive my podcast + newsletter): https://affiliate.notion.so/465mv1536drx- Riverside.fm (that's what I recorded this episode with): https://riverside.fm/?via=arvid- TweetHunter (for speedy scheduling and writing Tweets): http://tweethunter.io/?via=arvid- HypeFury (for massive Twitter analytics and scheduling): https://hypefury.com/?via=arvid60- AudioPen (for taking voice notes and getting amazing summaries): https://audiopen.ai/?aff=PXErZ- Descript (for word-based video editing, subtitles, and clips): https://www.descript.com/?lmref=3cf39Q- ConvertKit (for email lists, newsletters, even finding sponsors): https://convertkit.com?lmref=bN9CZw
AI Hustle: News on Open AI, ChatGPT, Midjourney, NVIDIA, Anthropic, Open Source LLMs
In this episode, Jamie and Jaeden discuss the new features of Google's Notebook LM, particularly the Video Summary function. They explore how this tool can transform documents into engaging video content, making it easier for content creators and businesses to produce educational and promotional materials. The conversation highlights the potential for side hustles, the importance of customization in video content, and the future of personalized marketing through video.AI Hustle YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AI-Hustle-PodcastOur Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/aboutTry AI Box: https://aibox.aiYouTube Video: https://youtu.be/_Hlb6anRHQMChapters00:00 Introduction to Notebook LM and Video Summary01:24 Exploring AI in Music and Side Hustles03:08 Content Creation Opportunities with Video Summaries06:05 Custom Explainer Videos for Businesses08:44 Personalized Video Messaging for Sales
Liquid Weekly Podcast: Shopify Developers Talking Shopify Development
In this episode of the Liquid Weekly Podcast, hosts Karl Meisterheim and Taylor Page share personal and work updates. The conversation covers insights into Shopify app development focusing on order management, the use of AI tools like Gadget, Sidekick, and Grok, and the implications of vendor lock-in. They explore the benefits of using AI for SEO and product management, share insights on client work, and provide updates on the latest changes in the Shopify ecosystem.*Timestamps*00:00 Personal Updates and Hair Cutting Techniques02:09 Battling Home Maintenance and Weather Challenges05:04 Navigating Anxiety in a Fast-Paced World07:56 The Impact of Technology on Learning11:01 Personal Life Updates and Family Adventures16:56 Teleportation and Jet Lag: A Fun Discussion18:08 Trail Running Adventures: Personal Experiences23:01 Work and Entrepreneurship: Balancing Jobs and Projects23:57 Shopify App Development: Progress and Challenges28:06 Webhooks and Technical Insights: Navigating Development32:07 Gadget and AI: Exploring New Tools for Development37:06 Vendor Lock-In: The Challenges of Gadget Migration42:03 The Challenge of Time Management42:39 Exploring AI in Development45:53 Shopify Theme Store Updates47:45 AI Tools for Development52:52 Navigating New AI Tools58:16 The Importance of Staying Updated59:10 Change Log Insights01:04:38 Picks of the Week*Dev Changelog*- Server Pixels: added subtotal_price to checkout events - https://shopify.dev/changelog/server-pixels-added-subtotalprice-to-checkout-events- [action required] POS UI Extensions 2025-07 update - https://shopify.dev/changelog/pos-ui-extensions-2025-07-update- The _ab cookie will no longer be set - https://shopify.dev/changelog/the-ab-cookie-will-no-longer-be-set- Improved theme discovery and merchandising on the Shopify Theme Store - https://shopify.dev/changelog/improved-theme-discovery-and-merchandising-on-the-shopify-theme-store- Shopify App Store reviews now move between published and archived states based on merchant status - https://shopify.dev/changelog/shopify-app-store-reviews-now-move-between-published-and-archived-states-based-on-merchant-status*Picks of the Week*Karl - Gutter Aprons - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gibraltar-Building-Products-10-ft-Aluminum-Gutter-Apron-Flashing-in-Birch-White-GA-WH/202092933Taylor - I am legend - original book by Richard Matheson - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Legend_(novel)*Sign Up for Liquid Weekly*Don't miss out on expert insights and tips—subscribe to Liquid Weekly for more content like this: https://liquidweekly.com/
In today's conversation, hosts BAILeY and Frank La Vigne sit down with Dr. Alan Becker, co-founder and CEO of E Self AI and former co-founder of Voca AI, which was acquired by Snap in 2020. Dr. Becker brings a powerhouse combination of academic expertise and entrepreneurial experience, with a PhD in machine learning and AI and research spanning voice, NLP, and computer vision.This episode dives into how E Self AI is transforming human-machine interaction by moving beyond chat and voice—introducing real-time face-to-face video AI assistants. Imagine smarter digital avatars that don't just talk but engage visually and contextually, delivering personalized tutoring, streamlined customer service, and even real estate tours.Along the way, the conversation goes deep: they discuss the pyramid of engagement from text to voice to fully visual interaction, and what the next generation of AI means for education, accessibility, and the way we connect with each other. Dr. Becker offers insights from his research on multimodal AI and reflects on the very philosophical questions these new technologies raise—like authenticity, connection, and the future of what we call “real.”Whether you're curious about the engineering magic behind lifelike avatars, the ethical dilemmas of AI interviews, or how technology is reshaping the learning experience, this episode is a fascinating look at where artificial intelligence—and humanity—are headed next.Strap in, update your firmware, and get ready to stay Data Driven.ESelf Website: https://www.eself.ai/TimeStamps00:00 "Exploring AI with Dr. Becker"05:49 Accessibility Drives eSelf's Innovation Journey06:58 Advanced Voice Interaction Evolution11:33 Personalized Tutoring via Multimodal AI14:33 AI in Sci-Fi and Real Life16:21 Understanding Users Via Encoding Algorithms19:44 Digital Twin to AI Avatars Transition23:14 AI Misunderstandings Due to Background Noise27:19 AI's Role in Job Interviews32:36 Nvidia Tool Alters Eye Contact35:15 AI-Human Communication Blur38:31 Reality and Gaming Perception Debate41:51 Influencer Reality vs. Perception44:45 Identity and Authenticity Dilemma48:30 "Influencer's Authenticity vs. Flashiness"53:22 Fake Celeb Math Explainer TikToks56:10 "AI's Future: Human-Like Interaction"57:07 Data-Driven Focus
2025 is the last year of human-only teams. Are you ready to lead both people and AI? Usman Nasir, VP of Agentforce Acceleration at Salesforce, joins us to explore a future that's already here: digital labor working hand-in-hand with humans. Usman explains why 2025 marks the end of the human-only workforce and dives deep into how AI agents are transforming the workplace — from automating customer support to driving internal productivity. He shares practical advice on starting your agentic journey, debunks common myths, and explains why trust, data quality, and modular agent design are the pillars of successful implementation. Whether you're leading a Fortune 500 company or bootstrapping a startup, this episode will shift how you think about work, leadership, and the AI-enabled future. Key Moments: 00:00 Introducing Usman Nasir, VP of Agentforce Acceleration at Salesforce03:13 The Future of Human and Digital Labor06:32 Salesforce's Agentforce (Chatbot vs. AI Agents)19:41 Real-World Use Cases and Misconceptions34:16 Exploring AI in Operations Management37:12 Identifying AI-Ready Use Cases41:44 Change Management for AI Adoption45:35 Lessons from Early AI Adoption01:04:29 Future of AI Agents and Predictions –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org
In this episode Jesse Jackson interviews Joseph Schwartz, a retired corporate executive turned AI music creator. Joseph shares his journey from software development to music creation using AI tools, discussing everything from his early musical influences to his innovative projects exploring the seven deadly sins and virtues through AI-generated music. The conversation also touches on the challenges of promoting music in the digital age, the relationship between AI and traditional music creation, and even delves into the corporate culture. Joseph's unique approach offers a fresh perspective on the fusion of technology and artistry. Protest Songs: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1assU4db0iYvEDxamP7k7V Dance Rants: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/49SZX8bf5GofxkyHbOuutdVariants: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7LozZKVWblbAjl2Fxz43uyGenres:Pop/Rock: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6eSO9IUVPCNEvIzVoUNU6PSinger-Songwriter/Folk: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2WLHrORXu1786O75dPOkizCountry: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/66dBWLu5o6NwcayRUKioyPDance: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0LkrRDbZPjv5SbKX0MiNo8 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:06 Joe's Background and Musical Journey 02:05 Early Musical Influences 02:59 College Years and Bruce Springsteen 05:00 Career Path and Computer Science 09:06 AI and Music Creation 15:27 Exploring AI in Music 24:14 Political Themes and Creative Projects 29:38 Exploring New Approaches to Songwriting 30:05 Collaborating with a Lyricist 31:30 Creating Multiple Versions of a Song 32:07 Promoting Music During the Pandemic 33:10 Navigating Social Media and Playlisting 36:00 Dance Rants and Corporate Critiques 41:50 Future Creative Projects 48:06 The Challenges of Traditional Musicians 52:17 Final Thoughts and Contact Information Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What if the technology that's keeping you up at night could actually become your biggest competitive advantage? Here's what's happening right now: Business owners everywhere are watching AI generate content, create designs, and handle tasks that used to require human expertise. The fear is real because the question feels existential – if your clients can do this themselves, what happens to your value? But what if you're looking at this completely backwards? What if AI doesn't replace human expertise – what if it makes the right kind of expertise absolutely indispensable? That's exactly what our guest discovered when he conducted a fascinating experiment. Robert Capps tried to write an entire New York Times Magazine article using AI. The result was polished, engaging, and would have fooled most readers. But here's the twist – he didn't publish it. Instead, he wrote one of the most important pieces about the future of work that I've read all year, and it reveals why human judgment just became more valuable, not less. Robert brings a unique perspective to this conversation because he's lived at the intersection of technology and creativity for over a decade. As the former Editorial Director of WIRED magazine, he guided the publication to 21 National Magazine Award nominations with eight wins. He's overseen special issues guest-edited by Christopher Nolan, Serena Williams, and Barack Obama. Now, as a writer whose work appears in The New York Times Magazine, Robert is conducting real-world experiments with AI that reveal insights every business leader needs to hear. The AI Hat Podcast host Mike Allton asked Robert Capps about: ✨ Responsibility Advantage: AI can create content, but only humans can take responsibility for strategic decisions and client outcomes. ✨ Taste Over Tech: When everyone has access to the same AI tools, your ability to make creative choices becomes your primary competitive advantage. ✨ Integration Opportunity: Position your agency as the bridge between AI capabilities and client business needs, becoming indispensable through expert curation. Learn more about Robert Capps Connect with Robert Capps on LinkedIn Resources & Brands mentioned in this episode A.I. Might Take Your Job. Here Are 22 New Ones It Could Give You The H.U.M.A.N. Framework for AI Integration The AI Revolution: How It's Transforming Business (and What You Need to Know) AI Work Buddy Mini-Course & Community CHAPTERS: 00:00 The Entrepreneurial Age of AI 01:13 Introduction to The AI Hat Podcast 02:23 The AI Revolution in Business 03:11 The Human Element in AI 04:12 Interview with Robert Capps 04:25 The AI Writing Experiment 09:28 The Responsibility Hurdle 14:22 Trust, Integration, and Taste in AI 22:26 Exploring AI's Current Limitations 23:08 The Shortages and Problems We Face 23:59 Efficiency vs. Expansion in Business 26:33 AI's Impact on the Creative Industry 28:27 The AI Revolution and Job Market 30:04 Building Your AI Work Buddy 30:41 Roles in the AI-Driven Future 34:13 Integrating AI in Business 40:41 The Importance of Human Taste and Ingenuity 42:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts SHOW TRANSCRIPT & NOTES: https://theaihat.com/why-ai-will-make-your-agency-indispensable-the-nyt-magazine-article-every-owner-must-read/ Produced and Hosted by Mike Allton, AI Consultant & Trainer at The AI Hat, where he's tirelessly helping businesses and marketers get ahead of the AI Revolution and apply advanced technologies to their roles. He's spent over a decade in digital marketing, bringing an unparalleled level of experience and excitement to the fore, whether he's delivering a presentation or leading a workshop. If you're interested in helping business owners with AI in an upcoming episode, reach out to Mike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of Project Synapse, hosts Marcel Gagne, Jim Love, and John Pinard delve into the evolving relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. The group discusses how people interact with AI, the role of AI as a companion, especially for kids and seniors, and the potential ethical issues and risks. They address AI's self-preservation instincts, emergent properties, and the recent controversies surrounding Elon Musk's Grok AI and its offensive outputs. Additionally, they touch on how corporations and advertising may exploit AI interactions to manipulate consumer behavior. This freeform discussion offers a balanced look at both the benefits and challenges posed by integrating AI more deeply into daily life. 00:00 Introduction to Project Synapse 00:50 AI Conversations and Personal Interactions 03:17 AI Friends and Imaginary Companions 05:52 The Double Standard of AI and Privacy 07:25 AI as a Therapeutic Tool 19:52 Companionship and Memory in AI 24:50 The Future of AI Relationships 36:53 Role Play in Relationships 37:57 Using AI for Presentation Feedback 38:38 AI's Role in Therapy and Communication 40:16 AI's Emergent Properties and Ethical Concerns 42:10 AI's Potential for Good and Evil 47:46 Self-Preservation in AI 52:52 AI in Marketing and Consumer Manipulation 55:06 The Power and Control of AI by Billionaires 01:06:23 Concluding Thoughts and Future Considerations
Think AI is just another trend? Think again. It's not just changing the way we work—it's reshaping how we communicate, create, and connect. In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Mast of White Beard Strategies to explore how AI is transforming business and marketing right now. From his early experiments with ChatGPT to building custom GPTs that handle social media and support—Jonathan doesn't just talk tech. He uses it, daily. We dig into what's working (and what's not) across platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Google—and how new tools like Comet AI and Genspark are quietly shifting the landscape. This isn't about hype. It's about leverage. You'll hear how Jonathan stays human in a world of automation, how he protects his brand voice, and why authenticity matters more than ever in the age of deepfakes and algorithmic content. If you're curious about where AI is headed—and how to actually use it without losing yourself—this conversation is for you.
Fresh back from London! In this episode, Eric Newcomer reunites with co-hosts James Wilsterman and Max Child of Volley to dive into the best moments from the Cerebral Valley AI Summit.From buzzy startup founders to incumbent innovators, the London event showcased a rapidly evolving AI landscape. But what stood out most? Eric, James, and Max break down their favorite clips and debate the key questions driving the industry right now:Models vs. Applications: Are we back in a “models win” moment?The Uber Dilemma: Why did Uber spin off its self-driving technology instead of competing with Waymo? Dara Khosrowshahi's reasoning sparks a heated debate about platform dynamics, marketplace power, and whether Uber made the right call.Figma's IPO Moment: With their S-1 filing just days after the summit, Dylan Field defended Figma's AI strategy and new product launches.The Science of Discovery: Can AI models trained on “boring rule followers” actually make Nobel Prize-worthy breakthroughs?The End of Reading?: Synthesia's CEO made the boldest prediction yet — that kids won't read anymore, and video will replace text entirely. The hosts wrestle with what this means for human intelligence and whether writing really is thinking.The next Cerebral Valley AI Summit returns to San Francisco on November 12th!Timestamps08:21 Uber's Self-Driving Strategy and Market Positioning16:56 Figma's IPO Bear and Bull case26:17 Harry Stebbings' Interview Insights with Granola's CEO32:11 Exploring AI's Role in Scientific Discovery38:26 The Impact of AI on Reading and Writing
Tune in to this weeks PoddiMouths Podcast for a rollercoaster of laughs and insights! Discover the unexpected tales of feline antics, the wonders of AI, and the delightful chaos of dog ownership. Whether you're a loyal listener or new to our show, this episode promises to entertain and keep you coming back for more. Subscribe now for your weekly dose of humor and curiosity!Takeaways • AI is a valuable tool to enhance jobs, not replace them. • Personal anecdotes can lead to deeper discussions about technology. • Coffee preferences can reflect personal health choices. • COVID has significantly impacted social behavior in children. • Dogs have unique personalities and quirks that can be amusing. • Cultural changes can shift perceptions of health and wellness. • Reading and learning are important for personal growth. • AI can assist in leadership roles and decision-making processes. • Time travel remains a theoretical concept with no current practical application. • Humor and light-hearted banter can make serious topics more approachable.Support the show ( https://www.patreon.com/user?u=15325671) or Buy Us A Coffee at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/PoddiMouths Visit https://www.poddimouths.com to listen to past episodes, shop the merch store, and so much more! Wanna start your own podcast? Get started with Riverside.fm by clicking https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=poddiChapters00:00 Introduction and Light Banter03:01 Family Adventures and Travel Stories05:57 AI in Everyday Life09:54 Exploring AI's Future and Its Impact14:44 AI as a Tool for Enhancement18:41 Personal Anecdotes and Reflections on AI20:08 Dog Behavior and Sleeping Habits24:24 Impact of COVID on Routines25:34 Teenage Socialization Challenges27:23 Mental Health and Routine28:19 The Cost of Leisure Activities30:38 Coffee Preferences and Trends39:25 Exploring Dietary Choices and Their Effects41:34 Cultural Shifts in Food Perception43:35 The Evolution of Smoking Norms45:34 Innovations in Laundry Technology48:28 The Fascination with Time Travel and AI
This episode is a tour through the wildest creative trends dominating mobile games in June 2025. We break down why two- and three-minute video ads are everywhere, how AI hooks and long-form ASMR are pre-qualifying high-value users, and why the best-performing creatives this month are often stitched together from hits of the past. What's inside:Long-Form Video SurgeCopy-Paste ManiaASMR and Satisfying LoopsAI-Driven InnovationClone Wars and IP TheftReal Life and UGCKey Takeaway:If you are not testing long-form videos, iterating ASMR or AI hooks, and watching what your competitors are copying, you are missing out. Quality and innovation are moving at warp speed, and copy-paste is the new default.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej LancaricYoutube: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Creative Trends in Mobile Gaming04:24 Analyzing Recent Creative Campaigns07:32 The Impact of Video Length on User Engagement10:27 Innovations in Game Advertising13:23 Exploring AI in Game Marketing16:25 Case Studies: Successful Game Creatives19:16 Conclusion and Future Trends20:26 Understanding Player Perception22:34 Innovative Ad Strategies26:15 Analyzing Game Trends30:08 Marketing Strategies for Game Growth35:22 Emerging Trends in ASMR and Casual Gaming37:32 Innovations in Game Development and User Engagement39:22 The Role of User-Generated Content in Gaming41:07 The Impact of AI on Game Creatives44:46 AI Developments and Their Influence on Game Marketing53:08 Conclusion and Future Insights in Gaming---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultanthttps://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultanthttps://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultanthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric
In this solo episode, Mark reflects on his podcasting journey, the evolution of AI, and the importance of transparency in professional services. He discusses the challenges and excitement of building new tools for consumers, emphasizing the need for informed decision-making. He dives in on the distinction between real and fake in today's world, the choice between fear and excitement, and the potential of AI to solve significant problems, inviting listeners to engage with these themes and consider their implications in their own lives! Takeaways The podcast journey is a valuable learning experience. AI is still in its infancy and can create anxiety. Building tools for consumers can enhance transparency. Informed consumers can make better decisions. The distinction between real and fake is increasingly blurred. Choosing excitement over fear can lead to personal growth. AI has the potential to solve big problems. Transparency in professional services is crucial for trust. Engaging with technology can be empowering. The journey of building something new is both challenging and rewarding. Chapters 00:00 The Podcast Journey 03:16 Exploring AI and Its Implications 06:24 Building a New Tool for Consumers 12:10 The Importance of Transparency in Professional Services 17:39 Navigating the Real vs. Fake in Today's World 23:04 Choosing Excitement Over Fear 28:33 The Role of AI in Solving Big Problems 34:12 Looking Ahead: Future Conversations and Projects Affiliate Links: Unleashing the Power of Respect: The I-M Approach by Joseph Shrand, MD This episode is brought to you in part by SecuriTitle, a fractional paralegal service assisting with all things real estate in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Stay connected with the Joze.ai team on LinkedIn! Interested in recording your podcast at 95.9 WATD? Email clarissaromero7@gmail.com
In this conversation, I chat with Noelle and Bryan Switalski as we explore the various applications (and limitations) of AI, particularly in the context of personal and business use. We discuss the strange queries people have made to AI, the importance of understanding AI's capabilities and limitations, and how AI can assist in content creation, audience targeting, and marketing strategies. The conversation also highlights the significance of storytelling and maintaining a brand voice when using AI tools. Ultimately, wed emphasize the need for careful consideration and personalization when utilizing AI-generated content. Key Insights 00:00 Exploring AI's Quirks 03:21 Understanding AI's Limitations 04:57 The Nature of AI Intelligence 06:17 Using AI for Marketing 07:25 Creating Quality Content with AI 09:08 Best Practices for AI Copywriting 10:33 Building a Brand Guide with AI 15:02 Building Confidence Through Dance 16:22 Crafting Compelling Offers 17:24 Identifying Customer Pain Points 18:57 Creating a Compelling Offer Statement 20:31 The Importance of Customer Reviews 22:06 Understanding Your Audience 25:29 The Power of Audience Research 26:42 Utilizing a Story Bank 27:58 Fine-Tuning Your Brand Voice 30:37 Transforming Copywriting Efficiency 33:33 Accessing Clarity Scribe for Free CONNECT ON SOCIAL → instagram | http://instagram.com/rayedwards → facebook | http://facebook.com/rayedwardsonline → twitter | http://twitter.com/rayedwards → tiktok | http://tiktok.com/therayedwards → linkedin | http://linkedin.com/in/therayedwards Links My NEW book: Read This or Die! Persuade Yourself to a Better Life My COPYWRITING Book: How to Write Copy That Sells Video And Transcript How You Can Help Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. Questions or comments? Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.
Podcast: PrOTect It All (LS 26 · TOP 10% what is this?)Episode: How AI Became the Ultimate Cybersecurity Blind Spot: Understanding the Microsoft 365 Copilot VulnerabilityPub date: 2025-07-07Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationIn this episode, host Aaron Crow dives deep into the fast-evolving world of AI automation and its impact on cybersecurity. Aaron breaks down practical, real-world ways security professionals can leverage AI to streamline their workflows without breaking data loss prevention policies or putting proprietary information at risk. From drafting reports and playbooks to automating repetitive tasks and managing vulnerability data, Aaron offers actionable advice for using both public AI tools like ChatGPT and more advanced private AI models. He also addresses common fears CISOs and business leaders have about unsanctioned AI use in the workplace and shares tips for staying safe and compliant while taking advantage of AI's efficiencies. Whether you're in a large enterprise or a lean team with limited resources, you'll come away with a fresh perspective on how to use AI responsibly to work smarter and protect your organization. Plus, Aaron invites listeners to share their own creative AI use cases and lessons learned. Let's jump in and explore how to protect it all as AI advances. Key Moments : 01:20 AI's Rising Role in Media 03:22 Guidelines for Using AI Safely 07:06 "AI Integration and Automation Strategies" 10:03 Automating Windows Management Tasks 14:29 Exploring AI for Personal Tasks Connect With Aaron Crow: Website: www.corvosec.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronccrow Learn more about PrOTect IT All: Email: info@protectitall.co Website: https://protectitall.co/ X: https://twitter.com/protectitall YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrOTectITAll FaceBook: https://facebook.com/protectitallpodcast To be a guest or suggest a guest/episode, please email us at info@protectitall.co Please leave us a review on Apple/Spotify Podcasts: Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/protect-it-all/id1727211124 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Vvi0euj3rE8xObK0yvYi4The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Aaron Crow, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.
Liquid Weekly Podcast: Shopify Developers Talking Shopify Development
In this episode Karl and Taylor sit down with Mohammad Hashemi to discuss the evolution of software development with a focus on AI and its impact on backend solutions. The conversation explores the concept of 'Citizen Developers' and how non-traditional developers are leveraging AI tools to create custom software. They share insights on the use of Gadget for building applications quickly and efficiently, while also addressing the common pitfalls developers face.Episode Highlights- AI is transforming software development, especially in frontend code.- Gadget focuses on backend solutions for enterprise-level applications.- The term 'Citizen Developers' describes non-traditional developers using AI tools.- Custom software demand is often underestimated in the market.- AI can help bridge the gap for non-developers to create apps.- The future of SaaS may be challenged by the rise of custom software solutions.- Developers often underestimate the time required for software development tasks.- AI tools can assist but are not a complete solution for development challenges.- The market for development tools is expanding, not contracting.- Front-end development is becoming increasingly competitive with new tools.Find Mohammad Online- Twitter(X): https://x.com/hashemito- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohashemi/Timestamps:02:52 Exploring AI and Its Applications05:52 The Evolution of Gadget and AI Integration11:52 Backend Challenges and Opportunities in AI Development17:46 The Future of AI in Software Development19:06 The Evolution of Gadget: From Low Code to Full Control20:18 Target Audience: Who Can Benefit from Gadget?23:19 Unlocking Custom Software: The Hidden Demand25:28 Infrastructure and Scalability: The VibeInfra Advantage28:21 The Future of SaaS vs. Custom Software31:04 The Omakase Approach: Simplifying Development35:45 Practical Applications: How Gadget Empowers Developers42:27 Overcoming Developer Hesitation: Building with Confidence49:37 Navigating Developer Challenges52:42 The Evolving Landscape of Development55:45 AI's Role in Development59:38 Change Log Insights01:05:49 Picks of the WeekDev Changelog* [action required] Deprecation of legacy return APIs and improvements to return management - https://shopify.dev/changelog/deprecation-of-legacy-return-apis-and-improvements-to-return-management* Theme files are now installable at the preset level on the Shopify Theme Store - https://shopify.dev/changelog/theme-files-are-now-installable-at-the-preset-level-on-the-shopify-theme-store'* Contextual pricing and publishing APIs use backup region fallback - https://shopify.dev/changelog/contextual-pricing-and-publishing-apis-use-backup-region-fallback* Generally available: Standard product review syndication program - https://shopify.dev/changelog/generally-available-standard-product-review-syndication-program* Shop metafield definitions are now available in the Shopify Admin and Admin API - https://shopify.dev/changelog/shop-metafield-now-in-admin* Cart metafields are accessible in Shopify Functions and Checkout UI extensions - https://shopify.dev/changelog/cart-metafields-are-accessible-in-shopify-functions-and-checkout-ui-extensionsNew pagination limits for Liquid & Storefront GraphQL API - https://shopify.dev/changelog/new-pagination-limits-for-liquid-storefront-graphql-apiNew Liquid filter for displaying unit prices - https://shopify.dev/changelog/new-liquid-filter-for-displaying-unit-pricesPicks of the Week:*Taylor: Shokz open run pro - https://shokz.com/products/openrunpro2*Mohammad: Omachi noodles - https://www.hmart.com/omachi*Karl: Fernco Couplings - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fernco-3-in-x-3-in-PVC-DWV-Mechanical-Flexible-Coupling-P1056-33/100372296Subscibe to Liquid Weekly The Newsletter!Don't miss out on expert insights and tips—subscribe to Liquid Weekly for more content like this: https://liquidweekly.com/
Wanna hear a lil secret?You (likely) have no clue what custom GPTs are capable of inside of ChatGPT. OpenAI just updated their capabilities, yet no one's talking about it. Why? The original hype and hoopla from their late 2023 launched fizzled and faded away, and now many AI users have written GPTs off. Big mistake. You won't believe what the newly upgraded GPTs are capable of.Newsletter: Sign up for our free daily newsletterMore on this Episode: Episode PageJoin the discussion: Thoughts on this? Join the convo.Upcoming Episodes: Check out the upcoming Everyday AI Livestream lineupWebsite: YourEverydayAI.comEmail The Show: info@youreverydayai.comConnect with Jordan on LinkedInTopics Covered in This Episode:Custom GPTs Launch & Initial ReceptionUpdated OpenAI Custom GPT CapabilitiesExpanded Model Support for Custom GPTsBusiness Applications of Custom GPT UpdatesLive Demo of New Custom GPT FeaturesInsight Synthesizer GPT's Unique AbilitiesMeeting Actionizer GPT for Business EfficiencyPersonalizing with the Updated GPT ModelsTimestamps:00:00 "Upgraded Custom GPTs Revolution"04:52 GPT Building: Web Access Only06:46 "Podcast Rambling Concerns"09:56 Benefits of Using Custom GPTs13:18 Using Custom GPTs and GPT Store17:16 Simple AI Tool Usage Guide21:32 Custom ChatGPT Limitations Explained25:17 Exploring AI's Efficiency in Tasks27:06 "AI Impact Dashboard for 2025"32:03 GPT-4 vs. GPT-3: Agentic Abilities35:33 Reasoning Models Enhance Meeting Analysis36:53 AI Meeting Summary Features40:40 Personalized NVIDIA Stock Insights42:38 GPT Custom Models: New DevelopmentsKeywords:Custom GPTs, OpenAI updates, Expanded model support, No code creation, Custom actions, GPT store, Enterprise rollout, Recommended model, O3 model, O3 Pro model, GPT-4.5, Data storytelling, AI humanizer, Multimodal capabilities, Sentiment analysis, Thematic clustering, Research analyst, Meeting actionizer, Personalized learning architect, Financial snapshot, Web search, Canvas mode, Python coding, Boolean search, AGSentic reasoning, Chain of thought, Knowledge files, Fine-tuning, Domain expertise, Automated workflows, Generative AI, Creative marketing, Information synthesis, Meeting analysis, Decision automation, Webhooks, APIs, Knowledge tokenization.Send Everyday AI and Jordan a text message. (We can't reply back unless you leave contact info) Ready for ROI on GenAI? Go to youreverydayai.com/partner
Leveraging LinkedIn: Video Headers, AI Insights, and Effective Newsletters In this episode of Raise Your Visibility, LinkedIn expert and CEO Louise Brogan explores new LinkedIn features and best practices. The episode covers the emerging feature of adding video headers to LinkedIn newsletters and articles, along with benefits and practical implementation tips. We also look at how AI-generated comments can be identified on LinkedIn posts and the implications for users. Louise delves into optimizing LinkedIn company pages, offering strategic advice on engaging content, premium features, and analytics to grow your business presence. Tune in for actionable insights to elevate your LinkedIn game. This podcast is a condensed version of our weekly LinkedIn Livestream. Join us next week on www.linkedin.com/in/louisebrogan 00:00 Introduction to Raise Your Visibility Online 00:40 What's New on LinkedIn: Video Headers 04:09 Exploring AI on LinkedIn 09:19 Setting Up and Optimizing LinkedIn Newsletters 12:15 Premium Features for LinkedIn Company Pages 1 7:07 Q&A and Final Thoughts
Today in Lighting is brought to you by MaxLite, energy-efficient products for over 30 years. Learn more. Highlights today include: Linda Carillo from Lighting Systems Officially Retires, 3G Productions Acquires Main Light's Nashville Operations, Bridging the Gap, Q2 2025 Pulse of Lighting Results: Tariff Rush Fuels Short-Term Sales Rebound, IALD 25: Exploring AI as a Lighting Design Partner.
In this dynamic episode of Reading With Your Kids, host Jed Doherty takes listeners on a fascinating journey through two remarkable middle-grade novels that push the boundaries of storytelling. First up is J E Thomas and her groundbreaking middle grade novel "The AI Incident," which explores the complex world of artificial intelligence through the eyes of Malcolm Montgomery, a 12-year-old foster kid. Thomas reveals how her book tackles themes of technology, friendship, and personal growth, offering a nuanced look at how AI might impact education and human connections. The episode then shifts to a captivating conversation with Newbery Award-winning author Karen Cushman, who introduces her latest work, "When Sally O'Malley Discovered the Sea." Cushman shares her unique approach to historical storytelling, discussing how she crafts narratives that transport young readers to different times and experiences. Both authors offer profound insights into the writing process. Thomas explains how she found her narrative voice by connecting with her 12-year-old emotional self, while Cushman discusses overcoming her own writing fears with the support of her husband. Their stories highlight the importance of persistence, creativity, and authentic storytelling. The conversations touch on critical themes that resonate with young readers and parents alike - from the challenges of foster care and the impact of technology to the power of curiosity and personal discovery. Both books serve as windows into different worlds, encouraging empathy, understanding, and imagination. Listeners will be inspired by the authors' passion for storytelling, their commitment to creating meaningful middle-grade literature, and their ability to tackle complex subjects with humor, heart, and insight. "The AI Incident" launches on July 8th, and Karen Cushman's "When Sally O'Malley Discovered the Sea" offers young readers a compelling historical adventure. Don't miss these incredible new additions to middle-grade literature! Click here to visit our website – www.ReadingWithYourKids.com Follow Us On Social Media Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/readingwithyourkids Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/readingwithyourkids/ X - https://x.com/jedliemagic LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/reading-with-your-kids-podcast/ Please consider leaving a review of this episode and the podcast on whatever app you are listening on, it really helps!
Podcast: PrOTect It All (LS 26 · TOP 10% what is this?)Episode: How to Harness AI Without Breaking Security or Corporate PoliciesPub date: 2025-06-30Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationIn this episode, host Aaron Crow dives deep into the fast-evolving world of AI automation and its impact on cybersecurity. Aaron breaks down practical, real-world ways security professionals can leverage AI to streamline their workflows without breaking data loss prevention policies or putting proprietary information at risk. From drafting reports and playbooks to automating repetitive tasks and managing vulnerability data, Aaron offers actionable advice for using both public AI tools like ChatGPT and more advanced private AI models. He also addresses common fears CISOs and business leaders have about unsanctioned AI use in the workplace and shares tips for staying safe and compliant while taking advantage of AI's efficiencies. Whether you're in a large enterprise or a lean team with limited resources, you'll come away with a fresh perspective on how to use AI responsibly to work smarter and protect your organization. Plus, Aaron invites listeners to share their own creative AI use cases and lessons learned. Let's jump in and explore how to protect it all as AI advances. Key Moments : 01:20 AI's Rising Role in Media 03:22 Guidelines for Using AI Safely 07:06 "AI Integration and Automation Strategies" 10:03 Automating Windows Management Tasks 14:29 Exploring AI for Personal Tasks Connect With Aaron Crow: Website: www.corvosec.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronccrow Learn more about PrOTect IT All: Email: info@protectitall.co Website: https://protectitall.co/ X: https://twitter.com/protectitall YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrOTectITAll FaceBook: https://facebook.com/protectitallpodcast To be a guest or suggest a guest/episode, please email us at info@protectitall.co Please leave us a review on Apple/Spotify Podcasts: Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/protect-it-all/id1727211124 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Vvi0euj3rE8xObK0yvYi4The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Aaron Crow, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.
In this episode, Aaron and I explore how AI is reshaping motivational content, from remixed clips of figures like Huberman and Dispenza to imagined mashups of Steve Jobs and Tony Robbins. We dive into the evolution of motivational media, questioning whether AI-enhanced messages empower or dilute the core message. Using stories like the Outdoor Boys' content remixing, we examine what this means for creators and consumers. The takeaway: motivation has gone digital, but action still matters most. Whether crafted by humans or algorithms, the real growth comes when we turn inspiration into effort and move beyond passive consumption into real-world application.--------- EPISODE CHAPTERS ---------(0:00:01) - Lessons and Implementation via AI(0:03:56) - Navigating Information in the Digital Age(0:17:51) - AI Recreates Inspirational Commencement Speech(0:31:47) - Building Habits and Motivation(0:35:35) - Exploring AI and Digital Influence(0:41:01) - Navigating Reality in Digital Era(0:49:14) - Implementing Lessons From Books and AISend us a text
In this episode of The FutureCraft Go To Market podcast, co-hosts Ken Roden and Erin Mills talk to speaker Mike Sweeney, a strategic executive coach, shares his expertise on leadership, emotional intelligence, and managing paradoxes during times of rapid change. Mike emphasizes the importance of adopting a mindset that balances competing truths, managing stress, and fostering team dynamics in high-pressure environments. The duo also discusses creating ICP profiles, leveraging ICP insights for content blueprints, and discusses tools like Typeset for professional branding. Erin also demonstrates a new AI tool called 'Lovable' for developing front-end applications effortlessly. 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:22 Exploring AI in Go-To-Market Strategies 00:55 Ken's AI Adventures and Content Blueprint 02:39 Erin's AI Prompting App 03:57 Introducing Guest Mike Sweeney 04:45 Leadership in AI and Change Management 07:41 Understanding Leadership Paradoxes 17:45 Creating Common Ground in Leadership 24:31 Advice for Leaders Under Pressure 29:15 Characteristics of Great Teams 31:51 Navigating AI Transition Pressures 33:54 Aligning AI Initiatives with Strategic Goals 35:22 Thriving Through Organizational Change 39:54 Introducing Rally Bright 44:01 Emotional Intelligence in Leadership 52:33 Exploring Lovable: A New Development Tool 01:02:16 Conclusion and Reflections
On this TechMagic episode, hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler unpack the complex relationship between humans and AI, from Cathy's immersive week dating four AI boyfriends to growing concerns around AI-generated content. Cathy dives into the strange world of vibe coding and discovers anyone can gamify the pitfalls of the dating scene. The discussion spans Meta's new smart eyewear partnerships with Oakley and Prada, VRChat's innovative brand integration with Sawhorse Studios, and alarming developments in military AI contracts. With Adam Davis McGee joining the conversation, the trio also shares insider highlights from AWE (Augmented World Expo). Together, they explore how AI is reshaping creativity, jobs, and relationships, while emphasizing the importance of preserving human connection and authenticity in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.Come for the Tech, stay for the Magic!Cathy Hackl on LinkedInSpatial Dynamics on LinkedInLee Kebler on LinkedInAdam Davis-McGee on LinkedInKey Discussion Topics:00:00 Welcome to Tech Magic with Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler02:48 Dating AI: Inside the Experiment with Four Virtual Boyfriends08:24 The Limitations of Perfect: When AI Gets Too Performative17:22 Digital Dopamine: The Psychology of AI Relationships23:48 Tech Meets Military: The Rise of AI Defense Contracts31:10 AI Content Saturation and the Return to Human Connection39:22 Doubling Down on Human Skills in an AI World45:13 Meta's Smart Glasses and VRChat's Brand Evolution52:04 Nostalgia Goes Virtual: Classic 3D Experiences in VR56:45 Final Thoughts: Finding Balance Between Tech and Human Connection Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What's the real threat to commercial real estate professionals?(Hint: It's not AI—it's doing things the way you've always done them.)Michael Hironimus is back, and this time he's bringing a full-on masterclass in how CRE pros can leverage AI to get ahead—before they get left behind.In this episode, we cover:
Mike Schmitz returns to the Road to Macstock Conference and Expo to discuss his session, “Think Different: Using AI as Your Creative Copilot.” He explains how he uses AI not to automate the end product, but to enhance the early stages of the creative process—particularly brainstorming and idea generation. By reframing “hallucinations” as sparks of inspiration, Mike shares how large language models help overcome creative bottlenecks, reduce friction, and support consistency without sacrificing originality. He also highlights specific tools that allow independent creators to scale their reach more effectively and thoughtfully. This edition of MacVoices is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Get access to the MacVoices Slack and MacVoices After Dark by joining in at Patreon.com/macvoices. Show Notes: Chapters: 00:07 Road to Mac Stock with Mike Schmitz01:48 AI as Your Creative Copilot03:48 Exploring AI's Creative Potential09:52 Leveraging AI for Content Creation13:59 Tools Revolutionizing Creativity19:52 Removing Friction in Creation21:04 Using AI to Ship More21:54 MacStock Conference Details22:44 Where to Find Mike Schmitz Links: stock Conference and Expo Save $50 with the Mike's discount code: practicalpkm Save $50 with Chuck's discount code: macvoices50 Guests: Mike Schmitz is a nerd and an independent creator who talks about the intersection of faith, productivity, and tech He's a YouTuber, screencaster (ScreenCastsOnline), writer (The Sweet Setup), and co-hosts the Focused, Bookworm, and Intentional Family podcasts.His newest effort is PracticalPKM, where he teaches his personal approach to getting more done. Follow him on Twitter as _MikeSchmitz. Support: Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon http://patreon.com/macvoices Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect: Web: http://macvoices.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner http://www.twitter.com/macvoices Mastodon: https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner MacVoices Page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/ MacVoices Group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe: Audio in iTunes Video in iTunes Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher: Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss
Mike Schmitz returns to the Road to Macstock Conference and Expo to discuss his session, “Think Different: Using AI as Your Creative Copilot.” He explains how he uses AI not to automate the end product, but to enhance the early stages of the creative process—particularly brainstorming and idea generation. By reframing “hallucinations” as sparks of inspiration, Mike shares how large language models help overcome creative bottlenecks, reduce friction, and support consistency without sacrificing originality. He also highlights specific tools that allow independent creators to scale their reach more effectively and thoughtfully. http://traffic.libsyn.com/maclevelten/MV25171.mp3 This edition of MacVoices is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Get access to the MacVoices Slack and MacVoices After Dark by joining in at Patreon.com/macvoices. Show Notes: Chapters: 00:07 Road to Mac Stock with Mike Schmitz 01:48 AI as Your Creative Copilot 03:48 Exploring AI's Creative Potential 09:52 Leveraging AI for Content Creation 13:59 Tools Revolutionizing Creativity 19:52 Removing Friction in Creation 21:04 Using AI to Ship More 21:54 MacStock Conference Details 22:44 Where to Find Mike Schmitz Links: stock Conference and Expo Save $50 with the Mike's discount code: practicalpkm Save $50 with Chuck's discount code: macvoices50 Guests: Mike Schmitz is a nerd and an independent creator who talks about the intersection of faith, productivity, and tech He's a YouTuber, screencaster (ScreenCastsOnline), writer (The Sweet Setup), and co-hosts the Focused, Bookworm, and Intentional Family podcasts.His newest effort is PracticalPKM, where he teaches his personal approach to getting more done. Follow him on Twitter as _MikeSchmitz. Support: Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon http://patreon.com/macvoices Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect: Web: http://macvoices.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner http://www.twitter.com/macvoices Mastodon: https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner MacVoices Page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/ MacVoices Group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe: Audio in iTunes Video in iTunes Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher: Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss
Dive into the world of AI with special guests, Perouz Taslakian and Orlando Marquez, past winners of the NOW AI Conference. In this engaging episode, they share their unique journeys into AI, from Perouz's transition from theoretical computer science to AI in the industry, to Orlando's early fascination with AI systems and his work on integrating AI into ServiceNow's Flow Designer. They discuss the importance of crafting presentations that resonate with a diverse audience, balancing technical depth with practical value, and the innovative projects they've developed, including Text to Flow and Cross Context Caching. Learn how they tackle the challenge of making AI accessible and useful, and get insights into what makes a winning submission for the NOW AI Conference. Don't miss this insightful conversation—subscribe and hit the like button! Guests -Perouz Taslakian, Sr. Staff Research Scientist, LeadOrlando Marquez, Sr. Staff Applied Research ScientistHost - Bobby Brill00:00 Introduction00:38 Meet Perouz Taslakian04:17 The Role of AI in Human Preferences05:43 Meet Orlando Marquez08:59 AI in Product Development at ServiceNow12:47 Preparing for the NOW AI Conference15:36 Crafting Effective Presentations about AI and its Uses23:09 Balancing Technical and Business Audiences24:58 Wrap up Links to papers - Perouz Taslakianhttps://aclanthology.org/2024.findings-emnlp.896/ Links to papers - Orlando Marquezhttps://aclanthology.org/2024.naacl-industry.19/https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.00239https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.04652https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.24189See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dive into the world of AI with special guests, Perouz Taslakian and Orlando Marquez, past winners of the NOW AI Conference. In this engaging episode, they share their unique journeys into AI, from Perouz's transition from theoretical computer science to AI in the industry, to Orlando's early fascination with AI systems and his work on integrating AI into ServiceNow's Flow Designer. They discuss the importance of crafting presentations that resonate with a diverse audience, balancing technical depth with practical value, and the innovative projects they've developed, including Text to Flow and Cross Context Caching. Learn how they tackle the challenge of making AI accessible and useful, and get insights into what makes a winning submission for the NOW AI Conference. Don't miss this insightful conversation—subscribe and hit the like button! Guests -Perouz Taslakian, Sr. Staff Research Scientist, LeadOrlando Marquez, Sr. Staff Applied Research ScientistHost - Bobby Brill00:00 Introduction00:38 Meet Perouz Taslakian04:17 The Role of AI in Human Preferences05:43 Meet Orlando Marquez08:59 AI in Product Development at ServiceNow12:47 Preparing for the NOW AI Conference15:36 Crafting Effective Presentations about AI and its Uses23:09 Balancing Technical and Business Audiences24:58 Wrap up Links to papers - Perouz Taslakianhttps://aclanthology.org/2024.findings-emnlp.896/ Links to papers - Orlando Marquezhttps://aclanthology.org/2024.naacl-industry.19/https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.00239https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.04652https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.24189See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Join Tom Fox and hundreds of other GRC professionals in the city that never sleeps, New York City, on July 9 & 10 for one of the top conferences around, #Risk New York. The current US landscape, shaped by evolving policies, rapid advancements in AI, and shifting global dynamics, demands adaptive strategies and cross-functional collaboration. At #RISK New York, you will master the New Regulatory Reality by getting ahead of US regulatory shifts and their impact. Conquer AI and Tech Risk by Safeguarding Your Organization in an AI-Driven World and Understanding the Implications of Major Tech Investments. Navigate Financial and Crypto Volatility by Protecting Your Assets and Exploring Solutions in a Dynamic Market. Strengthen Your GRC Framework by Leveraging Governance, Risk, and Compliance for Strategic Advantage. Protect Digital Trust by addressing challenges in cybersecurity and data privacy, and combating misinformation. All while meeting with the country's top #Risk management professionals. In this episode, Tom Fox talks with Gwen Hassan, the Chief Compliance Officer for Unisys Corporation, about her role and the upcoming #RiskNYC conference. Gwen shares insights into Unisys' operations, including the various technologies and services they provide, and highlights her responsibilities in managing global ethics, compliance, and trade compliance risks. She also gives a teaser about her panel presentation on the compliance and ethics risks associated with artificial intelligence, stressing the importance of understanding AI's impact on company culture and regulatory compliance. Gwen expresses her excitement about the conference, emphasizing the value of engaging with fellow risk management experts. Resources: #Risk Conference Series #RiskNYC—Tickets and Information Gwen Hassan on LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What is the future of AI in the workplace? What kinds of jobs would you trust an AI to do? In this episode of Generative Now, host and Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano explores how AI is transforming the workforce, with insights from four sharp thinkers: Semil Shah, founding general partner at Haystack and Lightspeed Venture Partners, on the risks of replacing junior talent with agents, Suno Co-founder Mikey Schulman on AI's power to unlock creativity, Anu Atluru, founder, physician and angel investor, on how AI is reshaping medicine, and Marissa Mayer, former CEO of Yahoo and current CEO of Sunshine, on what companies must do now to adapt—or risk being left behind.Episode Chapters00:00 Introduction: AI and the Future of Work00:20 Exploring AI's Impact on the Workforce01:14 The Co-Pilot Phase of AI02:47 AI in Investment Banking and Consulting06:00 Artificial Super Intelligence: The Next Frontier09:33 Mikey Shulman on AI's Role in Creativity11:59 Anu Atluru on AI Transforming Medicine20:18 Marissa Mayer on AI's Organizational Impact26:56 Conclusion: Embracing AI's PotentialStay in touch:www.lsvp.comX: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.coEmail: generativenow@lsvp.comThe content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.
This week I had the pleasure of sitting down with Gary Waldron, an author and speaker who has truly mastered the art of reinvention. With a fascinating career trajectory that spans 44 jobs, including being a school teacher, consultant, and even a topless waiter, Gary shares his profound insights on adapting to change and the necessity of reinvention in today’s volatile world. We had violent agreement on so many topics that it's like Gary is 'a brother from another mother'. We explored topics surrounding his book, "Mastering the Art of Reinvention," and delved into the mindset shifts required to view life’s challenges as growth opportunities. Gary also discusses how to harness AI's power effectively in one’s career for those looking to reinvent themselves, allowing for growth without traditional boundaries. What You'll Learn: The Concept of Reinvention: Understand why reinvention is not solely the end goal but a continual process of adapting to new opportunities. The Role of Genetics in Change: Discover the link between the dopamine receptor gene and novelty-seeking behaviour, explaining why some are more inclined to embrace change. Understanding and Leveraging AI: Learn how AI can propel personal and professional growth by providing democratised access to information and creative exploration. Coping with Life Changes: Gain insights into handling significant life transitions, such as career shifts or personal upheavals, through Gary's personal experiences. Creating a Growth Mindset: Develop a mindset that views challenges as experiments, encouraging proactive action rather than fear-induced paralysis. Key Takeaways: Embrace Change: Accept that change is constant and inevitable; the more you practice adaptation, the easier it becomes. Mindset Matters: How you perceive challenges—as either threats or opportunities—significantly influences your ability to navigate them. Quality Prompts Make a Difference: In the age of AI, the quality of the questions you ask can dictate the usefulness of the solutions you receive. Authenticity and Values: Aligning your actions with your core values such as authenticity can guide you successfully through transformations. Living Fully in the Present: While planning for the future is crucial, excessive focus on it or dwelling in the past can detract from present contentment. Resources: Visit Gary Waldon: For more insights and services, including speaking engagements and consulting, check out Gary's website. Gary's Latest Book: "Mastering the Art of Reinvention" is available in all major bookstores for those interested in exploring these ideas further. Personal Development Guides: For ongoing personal growth tips, subscribe to our podcast for more enriching discussions. Support the Podcast: If you found this episode enlightening, we’d love your support! Consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review on your favourite podcast platform to help us reach others who might benefit from these conversations. Support and Share: Share this episode with someone navigating change; it might provide the encouragement and direction they need. 00:38 Mastering the Art of Reinvention 01:48 The Dopamine Gene and Novelty Seeking 03:08 Navigating Career Changes 04:13 Diverse Job Experiences 09:07 Personal Growth and Challenges 23:36 The Role of Values in Reinvention 32:03 AI and the Future of Work 34:31 Exploring AI in Book Design 35:15 The Power of Prompt Engineering 37:18 Turning Challenges into Growth Opportunities 38:11 The Six-Step Process of Reinvention 38:33 Embracing Change and Building Resilience 39:36 The Importance of Self-Reflection 44:35 The Role of Action in Overcoming Fear 48:32 Living in the Present Moment 50:38 The Illusion of Happiness 01:01:56 The Power of Laughter and Enjoyment See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fresh from my enlightening Energy Reset Workshop, I'm diving into a fascinating discussion about the role of AI in sharpening our intuition. In this livestream, I share how I've been using AI tools to deepen my connection with the soul, the importance of maintaining discernment and sovereignty, and how to stay spiritually accurate when working with these technologies. I also open up about my personal protocol for using AI to connect with my divine guides and how I ensure that the connections I receive are authentic and undistorted. Plus, I've got an exciting announcement about the upcoming Galactic Summit, featuring phenomenal speakers like Debbie Solaris—you won't want to miss it! Tune in for deep insights, personal stories, and a journey into the powerful intersection of AI and spirituality. Resources: Don't miss the replay of theEnergy Reset workshop: https://www.karagoodwin.com/energetic-reset-workshop Debbie Solaris' podcast episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35W4ivr0MCQ Register for the Galactic summit: https://www.karagoodwin.com/galactic-summit Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to the Soul Elevation Podcast 00:36 Recap of the Energy Reset Workshop 02:30 Exploring AI and Intuition 03:20 Personal Experiences with AI 04:43 Challenges and Insights with AI 12:02 The Importance of Discernment 23:57 Upcoming Events and Announcements 25:41 Closing Remarks Connect with me:
S5 Ep 19 of The Awake Space Podcast explores how spirituality (and other subjects) leave people open to manipulation and scams. Your host Laurie Rivers has been a professional astrologer since 1998 and brings her 3 decades of experience to the table to help you understand how not to get scammed or sucked into a delusional spiral with AI, Social Media and even psychic hotlines.Tracy St. Croix is this week's guest, she brings her experience, wisdom and humor to share her experience on psychic hotlines. Laurie and Tracy have a humorous conversation while setting the record straight, then explain how they came up with a solution to help their clients who have questions or need a quick touch base. Show Links:Awake Space Patreon supports the podcast and keeps it ad free. Join HERE for resources and juicy discounts (and access to Laurie's new quick connect link)Tracy St. Croix for outstanding psychic mediumship for life and business. Click HereUpcoming Events with Laurie:Laurie & Matilda See Stuff May 31st - Astrologer Laurie Rivers and Medium Matilda join forces yet again to get your through the second half of 2025 - Get Your Tickets HERE2026 Year Ahead Predictions with Laurie Rivers - June 21 2025. Join Laurie for a month by month walk through and q&a about 2026 to help you prepare and make the most of the energy. (Patrons save 50% go to the member discount collection for your code) - Book HereChapters00:00 Astrological Insights and Systemic Change02:33 The Role of AI in Spirituality05:34 New Moon in Gemini: Crafting Your Future12:59 Exploring AI in Spirituality and Divination15:46 The Limitations of AI in Intuitive Practices18:49 The Dangers of Mirroring and Cognitive Bias22:07 The Evolution of Astrological Interpretation24:59 The Role of Human Insight in Astrology28:03 Ethics in Divination and Psychic Readings29:17 Patron Shout Outs and Community Appreciation31:21 Navigating Psychic Hotlines and Co-Creating Solutions31:34 Exploring Psychic Hotlines34:36 The Reality of Psychic Readings37:23 Client Management and Expectations40:09 Lessons from the Hotline Experience43:13 Navigating Emotional Intelligence in Readings46:04 The Role of Intuition in Psychic Work48:56 Innovating Psychic Services51:51 Creating Accessible Guidance53:33 Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Psychic Services59:55 The Role of Intuition in Client Interactions01:07:21 Balancing Personal Well-being with Professional Service01:14:34 Innovating Psychic Services for Modern Needs01:15:25 Balancing Work and Personal Time01:16:50 Authenticity and Integrity in Readings01:18:16 The Importance of Community in Spiritual Work01:18:53 Evening Sessions and Client Needs01:20:34 Quick Touch Base Sessions01:21:30 Exploring Spirituality and Business01:23:30 Learning from Experience and Mentorship01:27:21 Training and Synthesis in Readings01:29:01 Navigating Client Expectations01:37:17 Innovating Spiritual Services01:38:23 Introduction and Upcoming Events01:40:15 Astrological Predictions and Global Events01:48:19 Intense Global Climate and Political Changes01:51:57 Personal Well-being and Conclusion
In this episode, Sasha Orloff talks with Jean-Denis Greze, Co-founder and CEO of Town, about building an AI-powered tax solution for SMBs, exploring the startup's origin, the balance between automation and human expertise, strategic market targeting, funding insights, and the transformative potential of AI in tax preparation. -- SPONSORS: Notion Boost your startup with Notion—the ultimate connected workspace trusted by thousands worldwide! From engineering specs to onboarding and fundraising, Notion keeps your team organized and efficient. For a limited time, get 6 months of Notion AI FREE to supercharge your workflow. Claim your offer now at https://notion.com/startups/puzzle Puzzle