POPULARITY
Categories
Ep. 376 This guest grew her Instagram from zero to over 418,000 followers in just a year—almost entirely on autopilot with AI-powered content repurposing. Kipp, Kieran, and guest Sabrina Romanov, of Blotato, dive into how solopreneurs and marketers can go from a simple app idea to launching viral lead magnets, driving traffic, and scaling their brand with AI, even if you don't have technical experience. Learn more on no-code “Vibe coding” tools to build micro apps, automation strategies for distributing your content across eight platforms, and the secret formula to creating content that actually gets noticed (and converts). Mentions Sabrina Romanov https://www.youtube.com/@sabrina_ramonov Blotato https://www.blotato.com/ Lovable https://lovable.dev/ Replit https://replit.com/ Zapier https://zapier.com/ Pegasystams https://www.pega.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We're creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you're facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we've put together a survey and we'd love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We're on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don't forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain' is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the showIt's National Checklist Day, which might as well be my personal holiday! In this episode, I'm sharing the tools that keep my solopreneur business organized, my brain calm (mostly), & my systems running smoothly.From my digital checklist in Asana, to client management made easy with 17hats, to two years of weekly newsletters powered by Flodesk, these are the essentials that help me simplify & scale. You'll also hear about my favorite podcast tools, a few can't-miss integrations, & why fewer tools that work together beat juggling twenty tabs any day.Resources & Links:Get 50% off your first year with 17hats and Flodesk using these links or code FAIRYTALE.Podcasters & Content Creators: check out Descript and BuzzsproutAdditional platforms mentioned: Google Workspace, Zapier and Canva Grab all my freebies at kristenlettini.com ICYMI Episode 132: Email Marketing Made Simple*** If you're a 17hats user, I've got a quick way to help you stress less. Take my free, 2-minute “How Many Hats?” Quiz to see how you're using 17hats today — and get a few simple tips to make it even more powerful. ✨ It's like a mini clarity check for your business — short, simple, and surprisingly therapeutic.
In today's episode of #Trending with host Jim Love, we delve into the crucial transition of OpenAI to a for-profit entity and its implications for the AI industry. We also explore a Zapier survey highlighting the struggles of integrating AI into legacy systems. Additionally, we spotlight a Toronto startup tackling AI perception of brands and discuss Elon Musk's controversial new venture, Wikipedia, aimed at rivalling Wikipedia. Tune in for these stories and more insights into the evolving tech landscape. 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Update 00:35 OpenAI's Shift to For-Profit 04:10 Challenges in AI Integration 07:28 Toronto Startup Tackles AI Brand Perception 10:00 Elon Musk's Wikipedia Rival 12:22 Conclusion and Call to Action
Hasan talks to Prince Harry about how he’s settling into life in America, the danger of repeating the same mistakes with A.I. that we made with social media, and what a guy has to do around here to get knighted. Let's cut through the noise together. Go to groundnews.com/hasan to subscribe and get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage Plan, which breaks down to just $5/month with my discount. Make your next fall gathering delicious and memorable with Whole Foods Market. Try Mill risk-free – and get $75 off with code HASAN at mill.com/hasan. Join the 3.4 million companies already automating with Zapier and transform how you work with Zapier and AI. Get started for free by visiting zapier.com/HASAN. Look for the blue box at retailers everywhere or shop jlab.com and use code HASAN for 15% off your order today. Co-Creator & Executive Producer: Hasan MinhajCo-Creator & Executive Producer: Prashanth VenkataramanujamExecutive Producer/Director: Tyler BabinExecutive Producer/Showrunner: Scott VroomanCinematographer: Austin MoralesProducer: Kayla FengWriter's assistant: Annie FickEditor: Hobson FeltusTalent Coordinator: Tanya SomanaderExecutive Assistant: Samuel Piland Thanks so much for listening to Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know. If you haven’t yet, now is a great time to subscribe to Lemonada Premium. Just hit the 'subscribe' button on Apple Podcasts, or, for all other podcast apps head to lemonadapremium.com to subscribe. That’s lemonadapremium.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Guest: Greg Nieuwenhuys – PE Operator & Founder, Generative AI Strategy Host: Alex Rawlings – CEO, Raw Selection
Ever wish your client workflow could run a little more smoothly — without you spending hours managing inquiries? In this behind-the-scenes episode, I'm sharing the exact automation that saves me hours every week as a Nashville family photographer.You'll get a step-by-step look at how I connect Dubsado, Zapier, and Trello to automatically organize new client leads — so nothing falls through the cracks and every client gets the same consistent experience.Whether you're a visual learner who loves Trello or a systems-curious creative ready to automate more of your business, this quick tutorial will walk you through the full process (and yes — I'm holding your hand the whole way through!) Want the FULL blog post of this podcast? Click HEREResources & Links Mentioned In This Episode▸ Watch the YouTube video version of this Podcast (so you can get a full visual of how I break everything down): https://youtu.be/iRSX8mf8HCA▸ Dubsado (30% off affiliate link):http://dubsado.com/?c=dollydelongeducation▸ Showit (affiliate link):https://showit.com/r/40ggld0m▸ The Contact Form That Wows Training (Free!):https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/create-a-contact-page-that-wows▸ The Ultimate Family Photographer's Workflow (Coming Soon) (or you can check out my shop here)Connect with Dolly DeLong Education
Send us a textThis Quick Tip breaks down Automation vs. Artificial Intelligence for private practices—what they are, where they overlap, and how to deploy each for maximum ROI. You'll learn how rule-based automation (think: EHR billing runs, appointment confirmations, Calendly/Acuity reminders, Zapier workflows, Keap/Infusionsoft logic trees) eliminates repetitive tasks, while AI (machine learning–driven tools like HIPAA-ready note-takers, smart chatbots, and content generators such as ChatGPT/Jasper/Scribe PT) adapts to data, drafts documentation, analyzes client trends, and improves over time. We cover real clinic use cases—scheduling, reminders, billing, compliance alerts, HR/licensure tracking—and a critical caution on data quality and HIPAA compliance when using AI for clinical or revenue-cycle decisions. Bottom line: Automate the predictable, add AI where nuance and analysis drive outcomes. If you want fewer no-shows, faster documentation, tighter cash flow, and better patient communication, this episode gives you a practical roadmap to implement both—safely, ethically, and profitably.Welcome to Private Practice Survival Guide Podcast hosted by Brandon Seigel! Brandon Seigel, President of Wellness Works Management Partners, is an internationally known private practice consultant with over fifteen years of executive leadership experience. Seigel's book "The Private Practice Survival Guide" takes private practice entrepreneurs on a journey to unlocking key strategies for surviving―and thriving―in today's business environment. Now Brandon Seigel goes beyond the book and brings the same great tips, tricks, and anecdotes to improve your private practice in this companion podcast. Get In Touch With MePodcast Website: https://www.privatepracticesurvivalguide.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonseigel/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonseigel/https://wellnessworksmedicalbilling.com/Private Practice Survival Guide Book
On this week's episode of Unlimited Capital, Richard McGirr goes solo to pull back the curtain on the powerful tech stack that drives his capital-raising firm. Drawing on his background in digital transformation for Fortune 100 companies, Richard breaks down how his team uses Salesforce as the operating system of their business, ActiveCampaign for marketing automation, and Zapier to tie it all together. He shares how dashboards, automations, and AI tools like Claude streamline everything from investor follow-ups to fund management—and how Notion keeps their content and client portals organized. This is a deep dive into how technology and thoughtful process design can scale any investment business. Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com with code BESTEVER Join the Best Ever Community The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It's free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria. Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at www.bestevercommunity.com Podcast production done by Outlier Audio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why you should listenRobin Alex shares the exact problem that led to creating GoHighLevel—and how solving your own biggest pain point can become an 8-figure business opportunityLearn why the most successful agencies focus on outcomes instead of showcasing their impressive tech stacks, and how to reposition your business accordinglyDiscover the emerging opportunities in AI, WhatsApp, and desk phone integration that are driving unexpected growth for consulting partners right nowI've watched too many consultants drown in their own tech stacks.They build these impressive automation workflows, connecting 15 different tools through Zapier, and then wonder why clients aren't lining up to work with them. The tech is brilliant. The business results? Not so much.In this episode, Robin Alex and I tackle the fundamental question facing every consultant right now: where do you actually sit when SaaS, AI, and no-code platforms are all converging at once?We explore the practical reality of white-labeling your IP (spoiler: it's an 80/20 split between turnkey solutions and custom work, not the 100% out-of-the-box dream you're imagining). Robin shares why natural language prompts are about to eliminate the multi-click workflows we've all gotten used to, and how to think about AI integration without getting paralyzed by the endless options.The biggest insight? Stop building tech museums. Your clients don't want to tour your impressive automation setup. They want their problem solved fast, and they want to know you can do it again for the next problem.If you're sensing the consulting model is shifting but can't quite see where to place your bet, this conversation will give you the clarity you need.About Robin AlexRobin Alex's journey from IT analyst to SaaS entrepreneur spans over two decades in technology. Starting as a system administrator and technical services director, Robin founded his first company, AbsoluteGaming.net, in 2003, followed by Innovate Fast in 2015. His hands-on experience managing technical operations and running multiple ventures gave him unique insights into the challenges agencies face when trying to scale.In 2018, Robin co-founded HighLevel after recognizing that agencies were trapped trading time for money with fragmented tech stacks. Drawing from his technical background and entrepreneurial experience, he built a solution that allows consultants to become SaaS company owners—helping thousands break through the 6-figure ceiling without the complexities of software development.Resources and LinksRobin's LinkedIn profilePaulhigginsmentoring.com/ghlTypingmindAcquired PodcastThe Twenty Minute VCPrevious episode: 642 - Stop Being a Platform Expert - Why Business Growth Advisors Win in the AI Era with Sarah McDevittCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoring
In this episode, Jeff sits down with Lindsay Roethlisberger, Director of Revenue Operations at Zapier, to explore how RevOps is evolving in a world increasingly shaped by AI. Lindsay shares her journey from Zapier's first marketing ops hire to leading a 12-person RevOps team spanning analytics, automation, and enablement.Together, they dig into:How Zapier uses AI across SMB, mid-market, and enterprise motionsThe difference between AI-driven workflows and agents - and where each fitsPractical use cases, from chat classification to renewal prep to sales coachingWhy RevOps leaders should think like product managers when adopting AIIf you want to see how AI is reshaping go-to-market infrastructure - and the lessons from one of the most automation-driven companies in SaaS - this episode is packed with practical takeaways.
Norm Farrar returns to reveal how sellers win in 2025: AI + AEO, authority building, influencer do's/don'ts, email that prints money, and why events & cigars power real networking. Join us for an engaging discussion as we welcome back Norm Farrar, the first-ever repeat guest on the AM/PM podcast under Kevin King. Norm shares his fascinating journey into the world of influencer marketing, shedding light on the hard work and strategic workflows that come with it. He opens up about the challenges he faced in tracking commissions and the newfound respect he gained for content creators. We also explore how Norm's innovative use of technology, like Zapier, helped streamline the process of creating engaging content, from scripting to filming, providing valuable insights for aspiring influencers and marketers alike. As the conversation unfolds, we dive into the cultural significance of cigar smoking as a communal activity. Norm shares personal experiences from cigar lounges, highlighting how they serve as unique environments for stress relief, networking, and building friendships across diverse backgrounds. We reflect on numerous occasions where cigars have facilitated connections at various events, including Amazon gatherings, fostering an inclusive "brotherhood" or "sisterhood" for all participants. Upcoming events, such as the one planned in Tampa, are mentioned as further opportunities to strengthen these connections. Additionally, the episode explores the evolving landscape of e-commerce and retail, emphasizing the importance of being an early adopter and maintaining a strong omni-channel presence. We discuss the opportunities beyond Amazon, including platforms like Walmart and TikTok shops, and the critical role of brand perception and packaging when transitioning to retail. Listen in as we highlight the enduring power of email marketing, debunking myths about its obsolescence and showcasing the strategic use of AI to enhance targeting and personalization. Whether you're an aspiring influencer, an e-commerce professional, or simply curious about the future of marketing, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice. In episode 469 of the AM/PM Podcast, Kevin and Norm discuss: 00:00 - Influencer Marketing and AI Workflow 08:35 - Product Promotion Success Story 12:16 - The Bonding Power of Cigars 16:46 - Amazon Networking Events and Bondings 21:10 - Networking Events and Industry Education 24:17 - Networking and Education in Amazon 30:19 - Utilizing Customer Questions for Marketing 32:22 - The Future of E-Commerce and Retail 40:35 - Maximizing Email Marketing Impact 41:42 - The Power of Email Newsletters 48:03 - Email Marketing and AI Optimization 50:46 - Generational Shift in Consumer Preferences 53:43 - Marketing Misfits Podcast
⬥GUEST⬥Walter Haydock, Founder, StackAware | On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/walter-haydock/⬥HOST⬥Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imsmartin/ | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com⬥EPISODE NOTES⬥No-Code Meets AI: Who's Really in Control?As AI gets embedded deeper into business workflows, a new player has entered the security conversation: no-code automation tools. In this episode of Redefining CyberSecurity, host Sean Martin speaks with Walter Haydock, founder of StackAware, about the emerging risks when AI, automation, and business users collide—often without traditional IT or security oversight.Haydock shares how organizations are increasingly using tools like Zapier and Microsoft Copilot Studio to connect systems, automate tasks, and boost productivity—all without writing a single line of code. While this democratization of development can accelerate innovation, it also introduces serious risks when systems are built and deployed without governance, testing, or visibility.The conversation surfaces critical blind spots. Business users may be automating sensitive workflows involving customer data, proprietary systems, or third-party APIs—without realizing the implications. AI prompts gone wrong can trigger mass emails, delete databases, or unintentionally expose confidential records. Recursion loops, poor authentication, and ambiguous access rights are all too easy to introduce when development moves this fast and loose.Haydock emphasizes that this isn't just a technology issue—it's an organizational one. Companies need to decide: who owns risk when anyone can build and deploy a business process? He encourages a layered approach, including lightweight approval processes, human-in-the-loop checkpoints for sensitive actions, and upfront evaluations of tools for legal compliance and data residency.Security teams, he notes, must resist the urge to block no-code outright. Instead, they should enable safer adoption through clear guidelines, tool allowlists, training, and risk scoring systems. Meanwhile, business leaders must engage early with compliance and risk stakeholders to ensure their productivity gains don't come at the expense of long-term exposure.For organizations embracing AI-powered automation, this episode offers a clear takeaway: treat no-code like production code—because that's exactly what it is.⬥ADDITIONAL INFORMATION⬥✨ More Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast:
JD Fiscus (nerding.io) shares how a late-night hack connecting MCP to n8n exploded to ~1M downloads, then demos practical MCP workflows: indexing YouTube channels for Q&A, and auto-building n8n flows from natural language. We dig into the Agentic Commerce Protocol, real security pitfalls (like destructive commands), and how to turn MCPs into products with OAuth and Stripe for authentication and metered billing. He closes with how he teaches this hands-on at the Vibe Coding Retreat.Timestamps1:00 Why build it: “MCP shouldn't be Claude-only”—bridging MCP into n8n early (Dec/Jan)2:09 Shipping under the pseudonym nerding.io; surprise seeing creators use it2:25 n8n later ships its own MCP server/client; they nod to nerding.io & Simon3:59 “N8n is useful, but so much more useful with MCP”5:12 What MCP means for software: every smart company is exposing an MCP; new login/usage patterns6:27 Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP): Stripe + OpenAI; agents checkout across the web8:02 Marketing to agents not humans? SEO shifts as agents comparison-shop9:10 Early “agent mode” attempts vs protocol-based purchases (less hacky)10:58 Likely adopters: platforms (Shopify) & big retailers; echoes of early MCP evolution14:11 Security realities: token passing evolved to OAuth; hallucination + destructive actions risk16:04 Personal mishap: agent ran supabase reset on a dev DB—imagine prod! Guardrails matter17:03 Designing MCP servers: don't just “wrap your API”; use resources/prompts for agentic UX19:04 Demo 1—Influencer MCP: index a YouTube channel, embed transcripts, ask questions in Claude20:54 Storage: embeddings into Postgres; per-channel tables24:46 Keeping it fresh: daily cron to ingest new videos25:18 Demo 2—Build n8n workflows from chat using N8N MCP (by Ramullet); live docs + API27:00 “Create a webhook → send leads to Sheets” built conversationally, with allow/deny prompts31:02 Zapier, Gumloop: agents that build automations via natural-language steps34:00 Next frontier: custom connectors (Claude/Cursor/OpenAI), OAuth auth flows for MCPs39:03 Turning MCPs into products: login with Twitter → Stripe subscription → metered billing41:12 Paid tool call demo: “paid echo” → Stripe usage event logged per user43:41 How to learn this fast: vibecodingretreat.com (small cohorts, hands-on builds)Tools & Technologies Mentioned (quick guide)MCP (Model Context Protocol) — Standard for connecting models to tools/data; supports tools, resources, prompts.n8n — Open-source automation platform; JD wrote an MCP node that went viral; also has native MCP server/client now.Claude / Cursor / OpenAI (custom connectors) — LLM IDEs/chats that can load MCPs; custom connectors enable OAuth + productized access.Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) — Early protocol (Stripe + OpenAI) for agent-initiated purchases with confirmations.Web MCP (W3C-oriented idea) — Emerging patterns for agent↔︎website interactions beyond human UI flows.OAuth — Secure, user-consented authentication for MCPs (vs passing raw tokens).Stripe (subscriptions + metered billing) — Attach billing/usage limits to MCP calls; track per-user consumption.YouTube API + Transcripts — Source data for the “Influencer MCP” indexing pipeline.Embeddings + Postgres — Store vectorized transcript chunks in Postgres for retrieval (JD self-hosts).Cron — Schedules daily ingestion of new content.Google Sheets — Target destination in demo for simple lead funnels.Zapier / Gumloop — Natural-language automation builders; early NLA/agent patterns.Git / CLI commands — Cautionary tale: agents running destructive commands (e.g., resets).Do Browser / Comet Browser — Agentic browsing tools referenced for web actions.Fellow.ai — AI meeting assistant with security-first design; generates precise summaries/action items.Subscribe at thisnewway.com to get the step-by-step playbooks, tools, and workflows.
Matt Bowers — SEO and LLM consultant, formerly of Zapier and Zillow — joins Ross Hudgens for a deep dive into how AI is transforming programmatic SEO. They explore what's working and what's not for large-scale, AI-assisted content strategies — from full-AI “use-case” pages to hybrid human workflows. Matt breaks down examples of successful AI programmatic sites, the pitfalls of duplicate content, and the emerging “information gain” paradigm shaping rankings post-2024. They also discuss the limits of AI in UX-driven verticals, personalization opportunities, long-tail visibility in LLMs like ChatGPT, and how data-driven scaling can still give human SEOs a competitive edge. Plus: the rise and fall of Greg.app, the future of personalization, Zillow's “Project Boggle,” and practical tools like Builder.io, Strapi, and AirOps that power modern programmatic builds. Show Notes 0:08 – Matt returns for round two: programmatic SEO meets AI 1:00 – Are “pure AI” sites actually winning? What's working and what's not 2:06 – Inside a million-visit-per-month AI programmatic play 3:15 – Structuring AI content around real use cases, not blog posts 4:22 – Why old GPT-3.5 copy can still rank — and the “don't mess with success” mantra 5:03 – Dwell time as a differentiator: the “product as content” advantage 6:13 – How AI copy helps with indexing and duplicate-content differentiation 7:17 – Why Google probably isn't detecting AI directly and what it does instead 8:11 – The “high-DR arbitrage” era of AI content — and why it's fading 10:11 – Why most public AI case studies stay anonymous 11:16 – Case study: Greg.app — AI-generated plant care pages done right 12:03 – How prompt engineering + UX elevate AI content 13:13 – Prompting each paragraph individually vs. one giant prompt 15:21 – Two winning models: product-driven and UX-driven AI programmatic 16:15 – Why blog-style AI content still struggles and the “pizza” metaphor 20:05 – Greg.app's traffic drop: lessons from a 75% decline 22:21 – AI's scalability advantage — and its ROI trade-offs 25:24 – Zillow's data advantage: proprietary enrichment and GIS precision 26:16 – When AI enables pages that “shouldn't exist” by human economics 27:21 – Scaling what can't be scaled: the real AI unlock 28:16 – Competing in local long-tail SERPs with AI vs. humans 28:31 – Traits of losing players: low information gain, weak differentiation 29:20 – Why “information gain” may be the new ranking factor 30:06 – Proprietary data as the ultimate SEO differentiator 31:00 – How real estate UX converged — and why speed and personalization win 33:00 – When non-AI programmatic still wins: data-only, high-usability pages 35:07 – Where AI doesn't belong: when usability is more important than copy 35:37 – Personalization and the future of AI-driven recommendations 37:07 – The Perplexity vision: a world run by AI agents and voice search 39:06 – What AI agents mean for SEO and monetization 40:38 – Long-tail demand from LLMs and how Zapier used programmatic pages 42:29 – How LLMs discover your use cases and why it matters 43:20 – Using internal data to fuel new programmatic ideas Project Boggle 46:09 – Generating new landing pages from user search inputs 47:52 – Internal search data as a goldmine for programmatic expansion 48:30 – Tools of the trade: AirOps, Builder.io, Strapi, and hybrid stacks 49:43 – Why programmatic SEO still needs human PMs and engineers 50:08 – Where to find Matt online Show Links Matt Bowers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpbow/ Matt's Website: https://mattb.rs/ Greg.app AI plant care example: https://greg.app/plant-care/monstera Strapi CMS: https://strapi.io/ AirOps: https://www.airops.com/ Builder.io: https://www.builder.io/ Subscribe today for weekly tips: https://bit.ly/3dBM61f Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/content-and-conversation-seo-tips-from-siege-media/id1289467174 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kiaFGXO5UcT2qXVRuXjsM Listen on Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS9jT3NjUkdLeA Follow Siege on Twitter: http://twitter.com/siegemedia Follow Ross on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rosshudgens Directed by Cara Brown: https://twitter.com/cararbrown Email Ross: ross@siegemedia.com #seo | #contentmarketing
⬥GUEST⬥Walter Haydock, Founder, StackAware | On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/walter-haydock/⬥HOST⬥Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imsmartin/ | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com⬥EPISODE NOTES⬥No-Code Meets AI: Who's Really in Control?As AI gets embedded deeper into business workflows, a new player has entered the security conversation: no-code automation tools. In this episode of Redefining CyberSecurity, host Sean Martin speaks with Walter Haydock, founder of StackAware, about the emerging risks when AI, automation, and business users collide—often without traditional IT or security oversight.Haydock shares how organizations are increasingly using tools like Zapier and Microsoft Copilot Studio to connect systems, automate tasks, and boost productivity—all without writing a single line of code. While this democratization of development can accelerate innovation, it also introduces serious risks when systems are built and deployed without governance, testing, or visibility.The conversation surfaces critical blind spots. Business users may be automating sensitive workflows involving customer data, proprietary systems, or third-party APIs—without realizing the implications. AI prompts gone wrong can trigger mass emails, delete databases, or unintentionally expose confidential records. Recursion loops, poor authentication, and ambiguous access rights are all too easy to introduce when development moves this fast and loose.Haydock emphasizes that this isn't just a technology issue—it's an organizational one. Companies need to decide: who owns risk when anyone can build and deploy a business process? He encourages a layered approach, including lightweight approval processes, human-in-the-loop checkpoints for sensitive actions, and upfront evaluations of tools for legal compliance and data residency.Security teams, he notes, must resist the urge to block no-code outright. Instead, they should enable safer adoption through clear guidelines, tool allowlists, training, and risk scoring systems. Meanwhile, business leaders must engage early with compliance and risk stakeholders to ensure their productivity gains don't come at the expense of long-term exposure.For organizations embracing AI-powered automation, this episode offers a clear takeaway: treat no-code like production code—because that's exactly what it is.⬥ADDITIONAL INFORMATION⬥✨ More Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast:
In this episode of Generation AI, hosts Ardis Kadiu and Petar Djordjevic take you inside OpenAI's third annual Dev Day in San Francisco, breaking down the major announcements that are reshaping how we interact with AI. With ChatGPT now reaching 800 million weekly active users, OpenAI is positioning itself as the operating system of the future. Ardis and Petar, who attended the event in person, discuss three major announcement categories: Apps (native applications running directly in ChatGPT with deep integration), Agent Kit (a visual agent builder with built-in evaluation systems), and new models including GPT-5 Pro, Sora 2 video generation, and cheaper image options. They explore what these changes mean for developers, product builders, and higher education professionals, while sharing their first-hand observations from being in the room with 1,500 developers and AI industry leaders. This episode is essential listening for anyone trying to understand where AI platforms are headed and how to prepare for a future where ChatGPT becomes the hub for all your digital work.Dev Day Experience: San Francisco and the AI Ecosystem (00:00:36)First-time experience attending OpenAI Dev Day in San Francisco with 1,500 attendeesThe unique culture of San Francisco's tech scene and AI billboards everywhereMeeting AI influencers, builders from major companies like Netflix, Facebook, MicrosoftComparing Element451's AI work against world-class builders and feeling competitiveThe optimism and grind culture among new builders and startup foundersThe Three Big Announcement Categories (00:06:32)OpenAI's strategic shift: positioning ChatGPT as an operating systemThree main categories: Apps, Agents, and new ModelsChatGPT reaching 800 million weekly active users (not monthly - weekly)Processing billions of tokens daily across the platformApps in ChatGPT: The Third Try at an App Ecosystem (00:10:05)Native applications running directly in ChatGPT with deep integrationEvolution from plugins (first attempt) to custom GPTs (second attempt) to Apps SDK (third attempt)Launch partners: Canva, Booking.com, Expedia, Figma, Spotify, Khan Academy, Instacart, Uber, TripAdvisorApps can share context with ChatGPT and return custom UI componentsDemo showing Coursera courses, Canva slide creation, and Zillow apartment search all within ChatGPTApps SDK will be available to all developers by end of yearThe Distribution Flywheel and Vendor Lock-in (00:14:53)800 million users creates massive distribution leverage for app makersThe more users work inside ChatGPT, the more context gets centralizedThis strengthens personalization but also increases switching costsChatGPT becoming your memory and general assistantDiscussion of potential for ads and payment systems within ChatGPTUsers becoming more sticky to ChatGPT than to individual app websitesAgent Kit: Visual Agent Builder with Native Evals (00:18:38)Visual agent builder for orchestrating multi-agent workflowsChat Kit for embedding chat interfaces into applicationsNative evaluation system built directly into the platformLive demo: building a full agent for Dev Day conference in 8 minutes on stagePre-built guardrails for PII data and harmful contentConnections to file search, web search, and external systems via MCP protocolSimilar to tools like Zapier, Make.com, and n8n but with embeddable chat widgetsHow OpenAI Uses AI Internally (00:23:44)OpenAI shared three internal use cases at a breakout sessionGo-to-market agent: researches customers before meetings, preps demos, closes the loop after meetingsSupport agent: handles customer inquiries at scale (not outsourced, built in-house)When ChatGPT image generation launched, they got 10 million new users in a dayBuilt-in evals allow systems to improve themselves over time using thumbs up/down feedbackEvals and Prompt Optimization: The Game Changer (00:25:23)Evals explained: non-deterministic outputs require grading systemsEvolution from human graders to LLM gradersOpenAI introducing prompt optimization using the GEPA algorithm (Genetic Pareto)System uses all your data and feedback to automatically improve promptsConnection to DSPY library and the movement toward automated prompt engineeringNot locking users into OpenAI models - can use any model and send traces to the systemComparison with LangSmith and other tracing toolsNew Models: GPT-5 Pro, Sora 2, and Image Mini (00:33:20)GPT-5 Pro now available via API (12x more expensive than standard ChatGPT)Takes minimum 15 minutes per task due to deep reasoning capabilitiesSora 2 and Sora 2 Pro for video generation now in APISora app showing amazing video generation capabilitiesDemo with UK animation studio showing year-long process compressed to minutesGPT Image 1 Mini: 80% cheaper for cost-sensitive, high-frequency tasksEnables personalized images at scale for hundreds of thousands of usersTwo-tier Sora workflow: use smaller model to nail the prompt, then Pro for high fidelityReal-Time Voice Models and Device Strategy (00:40:38)GPT Real-Time Mini Voice: 70% cheaper with improved qualityDiscussion about voice quality expectations and production use casesSpeculation about OpenAI's strategy to get models small enough for on-device deploymentThe importance of voice as a natural interface for future applicationsConcerns about whether cheaper models sacrifice too much qualityCommunity Reactions and the Agent Debate (00:43:26)Mixed reactions to Agent Kit announcementsTwo camps: those excited about workflow builders vs. those disappointed it's "old paradigm"Debate about what defines an "agent" - no consensus in the industryComparison with Claude Code's different approach: treating LLM as autonomous humanDiscussion of workflow builders vs. true autonomous agentsWhat This Means for Startups and Builders (00:47:40)Advice: still build in code, don't rely entirely on Agent Kit for productionAgent Kit good for proof of concept and quick distributionWill take at least a year for App Store to catch fire with normal usersOpportunity to be early in the ChatGPT App ecosystemImportance of building expertise with OpenAI's tooling and platformThe Everything App and Multi-Platform Future (00:50:30)ChatGPT positioning as the "Everything App" and operating system of the futureGoogle announces Gemini Enterprise with similar agent builder capabilitiesQ4 2025 prediction: proliferation of agent builders across platformsElement451's approach: building agents that build agents using conversational interfaceEvolution from visual workflow canvas to AI-driven job creationProactive AI that evaluates context and takes actions without predefined stepsFinal Thoughts: The OpenAI Ecosystem (00:54:13)OpenAI as one of the most advanced AI labs with 4 million developers on platformChatGPT as dominant chat assistant with massive ecosystem impactKey takeaways from being there in person and seeing the builder communityHow these announcements will shape the future of work and higher education - - - -Connect With Our Co-Hosts:Ardis Kadiuhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ardis/https://twitter.com/ardisDr. JC Bonillahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jcbonilla/https://twitter.com/jbonillxAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Generation AI is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#290 AI Workflows | In this episode, Dave is joined by Dan Guenet, GTM Engineer at Compound Growth Marketing, and Eoin Clancy, Head of Growth at AirOps. Both guests are at the forefront of building AI workflows that make marketing more efficient and scalable, from content creation to sales enablement.Dave, Dan, and Eoin cover:How to use Clay, Zapier, and AirOps to build repeatable GTM systems that scale without burning bandwidthThe frameworks behind automating webinar production, sales transcript analysis, and content refreshes with AIWhy marketers need to bridge the gap between AI hype and real execution, and where to start with building practical workflowsTogether, they break down the exact tools, prompts, and processes they're using to turn AI from theory into impact across B2B marketing teams.Timestamps(00:00) - – Intro (02:08) - – The gap between AI hype and real execution (06:08) - – Dan's background and how GTM Engineering came to life (09:08) - – Building repeatable webinar systems with Clay (13:08) - – How to scale content and events without burning bandwidth (18:08) - – Eoin's content creation workflow using AirOps (23:08) - – Turning sales transcripts into actionable GTM insights (33:43) - – Using Zapier Agents to automate product marketing tasks (41:43) - – Refreshing SEO content with AI for better performance (49:43) - – Where AI fits in your team and how to start small Send guest pitches and ideas to hi@exitfive.comJoin the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterCheck out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.It's the only way you can truly “own” your audience.But when it comes to building the emails - if you've ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever. That's why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping' the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on Exit Five.***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more
When most business owners hear the word tech, they instantly want to hide under their desk.Because for so many, tech = stress. Funnels, automations, integrations, CRMs… it all sounds like another language.And instead of helping you sell more, it usually feels like it's stopping you from doing the things that actually make you money.But what if your systems weren't something you were scared of – what if they were the secret to scaling with ease?Because when your tech and systems work seamlessly in the background, it's not just about saving time – it's about building trust, creating consistency, and making it easier for people to buy from you.And today's guest on the How I Do Content Podcast knows exactly how to make that happen.Sophie Carr is a Tech Integrator who helps coaches and online business owners simplify their systems, launch faster, and scale smarter.She specialises in course platforms and funnels – cutting through the tech overwhelm so her clients can focus on what they do best.In today's episode, Sophie's sharing what every business owner needs to know about creating seamless systems that support more sales – from choosing the right tools to avoiding common tech traps, and how to make your backend just as magical as your marketing.Plus, she shares about her experience inside Micro Messaging so far – and how shifting her messaging helped her go from feeling invisible online to creating content that finally connects and converts.So if your tech's been giving you major “ugh” energy lately – this is definitely the episode is for you. CONNECT WITH SOPHIE CARRFollow Sophie on Instagram @sophiecarr.coGrab Sophie's Recommended Tech Tools Guide https://sophiecarr.com/toolsoptin Find out more about at https://sophiecarr.com/ SIGN UP FOR MICRO MESSAGINGMicro Messaging helped Sophie refine her content, show up with more confidence, and make people finally get the magic of what she does.And that's exactly what we would do together over the next 6-months. Because when your messaging actually reflects the magic of what you do, everything else in your business (your content, your systems, your offers) clicks into place and starts working with you, not against you.So if you want to join Sophie and the other magical wizards inside Micro Messaging for the next 6-months this is the time to do it. Find out more and sign up at https://thesocialbolt.com.au/micro-messaging/ TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODEbusiness systems setup, seamless client experience, backend systems for coaches, automation tools for small business, tech stack for online business, Kajabi vs MailerLite, Dubsado alternatives, Notion for business management, Tally Forms setup, Zapier automations, workflow automation for service providers, choosing the right tech tools, avoid shiny object syndrome, how to audit your tech stack, save time with automations, email marketing platforms for service providers, lead nurture sequence setup, client onboarding systems, how to improve client experience, streamline business operations, online business systems, backend setup for launches, how to scale with systems, systemising your business, tech for solopreneurs,Background Music is Copyright Free. You're free to use this music in your videos.Track: Harry Potter Theme SongMusic promoted by Chayatori RecordsVideo Link: https://youtu.be/WY8-lVlLhWE
Tu le sais : l'automatisation, c'est l'un des leviers les plus puissants pour gagner du temps et te libérer des tâches répétitives.Mais soyons honnêtes… très peu de gens passent à l'action. Pourquoi ? Parce que 3 grands mythes continuent de freiner la majorité des entrepreneurs/professionnels, même les plus productifs.
Check the self-paced AI Business Transformation course - https://multiplai.ai/self-paced-online-course/Are we witnessing an AI boom… or teetering on the edge of a bubble?The week's AI headlines were nothing short of seismic - from OpenAI's Dev Day domination and Anthropic's big-league partnerships, to eyebrow-raising corporate debt moves that scream dot-com déjà vu.In this weekend update, host Isar Meitis pulls no punches breaking down what's hype, what's real, and what it all means for business leaders navigating the AI revolution. From Dev Day's tool-heavy drops to strategic plays that could define (or destroy) entire industries, this is your one-stop download of the must-know stories in AI.Recommendation: If you want to outpace competitors in an AI-powered future, listen to this full breakdown. Understand the tools, spot the red flags, and make better strategic bets.In this session, you'll discover:The real implications of OpenAI's Dev Day announcements and why their new “apps” might replace the browserWhy Anthropic's IBM + Deloitte partnerships matter more than press releases suggestWhether OpenAI's partnership with AMD is genius strategy or dangerous bubble-fuelThe growing chorus of experts warning: AI may be overhyped and the subtle signs of an investment bubbleWhat business leaders are really thinking: 79% of CEOs are confident, but also bracing for AI's organizational whiplashWhy workforce transformation is about upskilling, not just automation and what KPMG's CEO Outlook survey just confirmedWho's likely to win the AI agent wars and what this means for tools like Zapier, Make, and N8NWhy the workforce shrinkage from retiring boomers could change the narrative around job loss and AIThe productivity paradox: why businesses see huge ROI from AI, but the job market isn't catching up… yet
เคยไหมครับที่เราต้องทำงานซ้ำๆ เดิมๆ ทุกวัน… ส่งอีเมลลูกค้าใหม่, บันทึกข้อมูลลง Excel, แจ้งเตือนทีมใน Slack พอมีออเดอร์ใหม่เข้ามา งานเหล่านี้อาจจะดูเล็กน้อย แต่พอมันรวมกัน มันคือเวลาและพลังงานมหาศาลที่หายไป และนั่นคือเหตุผลที่เครื่องมืออย่าง Zapier, Make.com, หรือ n8n กลายเป็นเหมือนผู้ช่วยคนสำคัญของธุรกิจทั่วโลก พวกมันคือฮีโร่เงียบที่คอยเชื่อมต่อแอปพลิเคชันต่างๆ เข้าด้วยกัน ทำงานอัตโนมัติตามคำสั่งของเราเป๊ะๆ เหมือนจับรถไฟขบวนหนึ่งไปวางบนรางที่กำหนดไว้ มันวิ่งตรงเวลา ไม่เคยออกนอกเส้นทาง… จนกระทั่งวันนี้ เมื่อไม่กี่วันที่ผ่านมา OpenAI บริษัทที่อยู่เบื้องหลัง ChatGPT ที่เขย่าโลกไปแล้ว ได้โยนระเบิดลูกใหม่ลงมากลางวงการ… ระเบิดลูกนั้นมีชื่อว่า “Agent Builder” เลือกฟังกันได้เลยนะครับ อย่าลืมกด Follow ติดตาม PodCast ช่อง Geek Forever's Podcast ของผมกันด้วยนะครับ #OpenAI #AgentBuilder #AI #Automation #Zapier #n8n #Make #เทคโนโลยี #ปัญญาประดิษฐ์ #เอไอ #ระบบอัตโนมัติ #Workflow #ธุรกิจ #อนาคต #ChatGPT #AIagent #Tech #geekstory #geekforeverpodcast
Send Rita a text with your thoughts!The fastest way to see what's missing in your marketing, and what to do next: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1187247Stop wasting hours hunting for cruise content: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1166776Let's talk about some business fundamentals that keep coming up for travel advisors and agency owners. Whether you're brand new or you've been in the industry for years, these seven reminders cover everything from E&O insurance and legal agreements to charging fees with confidence and protecting yourself through clear client communication. I'm also getting real about what your services are actually worth, why you need to know your numbers, and some serious etiquette issues around copying content that shouldn't still be happening. These are the things that will help you run a stronger, more protected business while standing firm in your value as a professional.Join Host Agency Reviews for HAR*Wired: https://hostagencyreviews.com/page/tech-weekQuestions this episode answers:Do I need my own E&O insurance as a travel advisor or is my host agency's policy enough?How should travel advisors communicate their process and boundaries to clients?Should new travel advisors charge professional fees fees?What is the value of travel advisor services for clients booking trips?What numbers do travel advisors need to know to run their business?Should travel tech companies charge for Zapier integrations with their CRM?What is Zapier and how can travel advisors use it to save time?Is it okay to copy social media content from other travel advisors?What are the ethics rules for using photos and graphics in travel advisor marketing?When should travel advisors call clients instead of just sending emails?Why do clients need to understand my workflow as a travel advisor?How much should I charge for travel planning fees as a new advisor?Enjoy (and take action)!---------------------------------------------------------------Check out EVERYTHING I offer to support your travel business journey: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/everything/Say HI on Social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaperez19/Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/takethehelmvbsFB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/529490048073622 Direct EMAIL:rita@steeryourmarketing.com
Want Nate's 5 AI Ad Creation Workflows? Get it here: https://clickhubspot.com/tnk Ep. 369 This guest grew his YouTube channel by hundreds of thousands subscribers in just one year by sharing advanced AI automation workflows. Kipp, Kieran, and Nate Herk, Co-Founder and CGO at TrueHorizon AI, dive into how you can use cutting-edge AI agents to automate creative marketing tasks, boost productivity, and reshape your business. Learn more about building smart AI workflows that turn images into ads and videos, how to set up and prompt agents in n8n without coding, and where to start automating your most valuable business processes for maximum ROI. Mentions Nate Herk https://www.linkedin.com/in/nateherkelman TrueHorizon AI https://www.truehorizon.ai/ n8n https://n8n.io/ Zapier https://zapier.com/ Nano Banana https://nanobanana.ai/ Telegram https://telegram.org/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We're creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you're facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we've put together a survey and we'd love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We're on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don't forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain' is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
SUMMARY: In this episode, Aaron and Terryn bring back the popular “Cool Tools” segment, spotlighting Zapier—the automation platform that connects apps and streamlines workflows. They dive into the never-ending debate of how to pronounce it, share real-world use cases, and highlight how businesses of all sizes can leverage it to reduce manual tasks, centralize data, and increase efficiency. From simple time-saving zaps to complex multi-step automations, they explore the benefits, pitfalls, and when it might be time to upgrade beyond Zapier. Whether you're new to automation or already experimenting with integrations, this episode will help you see what's possible. Minute by Minute: 00:00 - Introduction 02:01 - Introducing “Cool Tools” and why they matter 03:32 - The great Zapier vs. Zapier debate 04:54 - What Zapier actually does and why it's powerful 06:39 - Stripe and CRM: a practical example of automation 07:41 - Zapier as a translator between disconnected systems 09:12 - From simple zaps to complex workflows 10:20 - Centralizing customer data across platforms 13:00 - When Zapier becomes costly and how to evaluate 21:00 - Tips, troubleshooting, and words of wisdom for Zapier users
Send us a textIn this episode we interview Vikram Maram, who leads product and growth at SMARTe, a sales intelligence platform. What you'll learn in this episode:How to turn feature lists into outcome statements customers remember.A simple rule to eliminate fluffy copy your competitors could reuse.Ways to cut website word count while sharpening your message.How to mine Slack communities for real buyer questions at scale.Questions that reveal evaluation criteria buyers actually use.A practical path to align teams around one clear narrative.How to build a multi-step AI content workflow with n8n, Zapier, or Make.Why long guardrail prompts beat one-shot prompting for consistency.A drafting loop that posts straight to Webflow for faster publishing.
Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies
Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you really implementing AI in your agency the right way? Adding a random tool just to say you “use AI” isn't the game changer many agency owners hope it will be. In fact, chasing shiny AI solutions can waste time, drain resources, and create tools your team never actually uses. Many agency leaders, especially those aiming to build a sellable business, assume any form of AI integration will automatically boost their agency's value. But today's featured guest strongly disagrees. He's seen firsthand how agencies fall into the trap of building solutions first and searching for problems later, a costly mistake that does more harm than good. Instead, he's here to share how to approach AI adoption strategically, in ways that actually stick and drive real results. Ken McLoud is the CEO of Laconic Technologies, a business that aims to help agencies figure out how to make AI actually useful. His specialty is finding high-leverage spots in your agency where AI can unlock growth without bloating your headcount. Ken helps owners avoid wasted tools and instead roll out AI that gives their teams real superpowers. In this episode we'll discuss: How agency owners are forcing AI integration the wrong way. When to use custom code. A case study of real world wins and misses. The future of AI in agencies. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. Stop Forcing AI Where It Doesn't Belong Ken specializes in helping agency owners start to think strategically about AI. One of the first things he warns about is the “solution in search of a problem” trap. Too many agency owners decide, “We need to be using AI somewhere,” and then jam it into the wrong part of the business. That usually leads to tools that sound cool but don't move the needle, or worse, meet resistance from the very team that's supposed to use them. Instead, Ken suggests starting with the business itself. Are you demand-constrained (needing more leads) or supply-constrained (too much work, not enough capacity)? His litmus test is simple: if a fairy godmother doubled your clients overnight, would you cheer or panic? That answer tells you where the bottleneck really is, and that's the exact spot where AI should be applied. Case Study: Smarter Finance Insights with AskQuick.ai Ken worked to build AskQuick.ai with Nate Jenson, a fractional CFO who worked with tons of agencies. Nate had deep financial expertise but needed a way to scale his brain. Together, they built AskQuick.ai, a chatbot trained on Nate's own textbook of agency finance. The result was a tool that taps into a client's QuickBooks data to deliver specific insights, like spotting which clients are actually losing money. After a rebrand, he is now marketing the product as a simple, agency-friendly tool rather than a complex back-end. No-Code Tools vs. Custom Code: Where's the Breaking Point? Every agency owner has been tempted by tools like N8N, Zapier, or Make.com. According to Ken, these tools are perfect for simple workflows and stuff you could explain in one or two sentences. These tools are often pitched as something anyone with a computer and no experience ca n use, but once your automation starts piling up with dozens of nodes, things break constantly, and you spend more time fixing than benefiting. That's when it's smarter to build custom code. Ken compares it to driving stick shift: more control, less frustration, and often a way faster solution. AI As a Superpower Not a Replacement For Ken, the real promise of AI isn't replacing people, but rather upgrading them. He calls it “giving your team superpowers.” By offloading the repetitive, low-value work to AI, you free up your people to focus on strategy, creativity, and client impact. Instead of fearing AI, most teams welcome it. Nobody loves repetitive tasks, and when you use AI to clear that away, your staff gets to spend more time on what actually lights them up. Real-World Wins (and Misses) If you're wondering how some agencies are using AI right, Ken has seen quite a few examples. For instance, an Australian medical agency built a custom chatbot trained on years of proprietary medical content. The tool now helps their writers quickly draft accurate, technical marketing content; something that would have taken hours of research before. Huge win. On the other hand, this agency built a classic example of a solution in search of a problem. Basically, the owner wanted an elaborate folder system to organize AI chats. It sounded clever, but the writers never actually needed it. Why? Because new AI queries were faster than digging through folders. A perfect example of chasing a solution before identifying a real problem. The Future of AI in Agencies in Plain English Looking ahead, Ken sees AI becoming a tool to replace code and processes. Many things we used to hardwire with messy “if-this-then-that” logic can now be handled with prompts. That means non-technical agency owners can adjust systems in plain English instead of hiring a developer every time they need a change. These tools can make all the difference for agencies that get hundreds of deals come through every day and need a quick way to sort through the ones that can be most profitable from those that likely won't. In these cases speed is everything and AI can deliver in a way that human response cannot. However, Ken is also clear that not every problem should be handed to AI. High-value, low-risk areas, like grading prospects or filtering opportunities, are perfect testing grounds. Mission-critical, high-risk functions will probably still need human oversight for a while. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.
Check out my newsletter at https://TKOPOD.com and join my new community at https://TKOwners.com━I sat down with Romain Torres, founder of ArcAds, to talk about how people are building real businesses with AI-generated influencers and ads. We broke down how these “fake” influencers are making millions, why older audiences convert better, and how creators are cloning themselves to post more content without recording. Romain shared the exact process to make $10K–$15K a month selling AI ad services to brands, plus how he'd automate the whole thing using Zapier, Make, and ChatGPT. You can find Romain on LinkedIn and X by searching Romain Torres, founder of ArcAds.If you want to try ArcAds yourself and start creating AI-generated videos, you can use my affiliate link here: https://arcads.ai/?via=chris-koernerEnjoy! ---Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-ytAsk me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-askLearn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjkLearn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cofFollow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-xFree weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nlShare this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-allScrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os---
In Episode 99, I do something a little different: I take you behind the scenes as I use ChatGPT in voice mode to design a real automation from start to finish. The goal? Build an internal chatbot for product and engineering that's trained on CX call transcripts stored in Gong, so teams can ask targeted questions (“What's frustrating customers in Module X?”) and get instant, concise answers with deep links back to the exact call moments.You'll hear how I frame the problem, push the model to avoid hallucinations, and pick a stack that balances speed, privacy, and scale: Gong → Airtable as the searchable store → a Zapier-hosted chatbot for querying. We also cover transcript hygiene (auto-removing small talk and personal details), vendor privacy considerations, and a simple habit hack: having AI remind you later to actually implement the ideas you generated while walking the dog.I'll link the step-by-step PDF I asked ChatGPT to generate in the show notes so you can follow along and adapt it to your environment.If this sparks ideas for your own digital CX programs, follow/subscribe and drop a review—it really helps more practitioners find the show.Support the show+++++++++++++++++Like/Subscribe/Review:If you are getting value from the show, please follow/subscribe so that you don't miss an episode and consider leaving us a review. Website:For more information about the show or to get in touch, visit DigitalCustomerSuccess.com. Buy Alex a Cup of Coffee:This show runs exclusively on caffeine - and lots of it. If you like what we're, consider supporting our habit by buying us a cup of coffee: https://bmc.link/dcspThank you for all of your support!The Digital Customer Success Podcast is hosted by Alex Turkovic
Jacob Bank, Relay.app founder and CEO, says the days of building up a huge marketing department might just be over. The Relay.app platform helps teams design and deploy custom AI agents, without losing impact. Bank explains why the old model of hiring is on the way out, why he offers step-by-step guides to users on how to effectively build agents, and how marketers can rethink scale, autonomy, and leverage in this new age. For Further Reading: After selling his last startup to Google, this founder now wants to automate mundane tasks with RelayBacked by a16z, Relay races to market with Zapier in its crosshairsThe Mom TestTractionJeff SuJacob's Favorite AI Agents! Listen on your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1715735755
OpenAI is dropping a visual agent builder
The AI Breakdown: Daily Artificial Intelligence News and Discussions
Bonus Episode! OpenAI's 2025 DevDay just redefined the agent landscape — and maybe wiped out a slew of startups in the process? In this instant reaction bonus episode, NLW breaks down the biggest announcements, including the new Agent Kit, Apps SDK, and API updates, and asks whether OpenAI's latest moves spell the end for companies like Lindy, Zapier, and n8n. Plus, early reactions from the developer community, what these tools really mean for agent adoption, and why the shift from innovation to integration could mark the next phase of AI.Brought to you by:Is your enterprise ready for the future of agentic AI?Visit AGNTCY.orgVisit Outshift Internet of AgentsTry Notion AI today with Notion 3.0 https://ntn.so/nlwKPMG – Discover how AI is transforming possibility into reality. Tune into the new KPMG 'You Can with AI' podcast and unlock insights that will inform smarter decisions inside your enterprise. Listen now and start shaping your future with every episode. https://www.kpmg.us/AIpodcastsBlitzy.com - Go to https://blitzy.com/ to build enterprise software in days, not months Insightwise - AI for the entire consulting lifecycle https://www.insightwise.ai/Robots & Pencils - Cloud-native AI solutions that power results https://robotsandpencils.com/Vanta - Simplify compliance - https://vanta.com/nlwThe Agent Readiness Audit from Superintelligent - Go to https://besuper.ai/ to request your company's agent readiness score.The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI. Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614Interested in sponsoring the show? nlw@aidailybrief.ai
Chaque jour, tu perds du temps à exécuter encore et encore les mêmes tâches récurrentes. ⏳Copier-coller des infos d'un logiciel à l'autre, répondre aux mêmes courriels, classer manuellement tes fichiers, factures ou pièces jointes…Et si tu pouvais t'en débarrasser une bonne fois pour toutes? La solution : L'AUTOMATISATION.
Blake and David examine the growing threat of AI-generated fake receipts, with 32% of accountants unable to recognize fraudulent documents and 30% reporting an increase in fraud since last year. They also discuss the concerning decline in entry-level auditor positions (down 43% since January) as firms adopt AI automation, while nearly half of accounts payable professionals now fear layoffs and also explore the concept of "work slop"—low-quality AI-generated work costing businesses nearly $200 per employee monthly—and debate whether firms should require clients to use standardized technology stacks, with only 37% currently doing so. SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cas Rippling - http://accountingpodcast.promo/ripplingBill.com - http://accountingpodcast.promo/bill.comBluebook - http://accountingpodcast.promo/bluebookChapters(01:43) - Headline Story: Tech Stack Adoption in Accounting Firms (03:05) - Survey Insights: Tech Stack Usage in Firms (07:15) - AI's Impact on Entry-Level Jobs (13:55) - The Rise of 'Work Slop' and Its Costs (20:44) - AI and Automation in Accounting (25:08) - Human-in-the-Loop Automation with Zapier (28:22) - AI in Tax Research and IT Blockers (30:51) - Competitive Moats and Custom Bots (32:26) - Exciting Changes in CPE Standards (34:59) - Drake Software's Cloud-Based Tax Solution (43:06) - State Department Embezzlement Scandal (44:59) - Trump's Tariff Announcements (50:28) - H-1B Visa Fee Increase (56:20) - Conclusion and CPE Information Show Notes32% of accountants can't recognize AI-generated fake receipts https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/32-admit-they-cannot-recognize-ai-generated-fake-receiptsEntry-level auditor job postings fell 43%, per Randstad https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/entry-level-auditor-job-postings-fell-43-per-randstadAI-Generated "Workslop" Is Destroying Productivity https://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-generated-workslop-is-destroying-productivity97% say CPA firms not using tech efficiently says survey https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/97-say-cpa-firms-not-using-tech-efficiently-says-surveyCPA.com & BILL Growth Survey: How Firms Plan to Stay Ahead https://www.bill.com/blog/cpa-and-bill-growth-technology-surveyAP Pros Face Growing Layoff Concerns and See Automation as a Career Lifeline https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/09/11/ap-pros-face-growing-layoff-concerns-and-see-automation-as-a-career-lifeline-2/168818/Get more control over your workflows with Human in the Loop! https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/38838619533069-Get-more-control-over-your-workflows-with-Human-in-the-Loop54% use AI in tax research, but search engines remain prominent https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/54-use-ai-in-tax-research-but-search-engines-remain-prominentDrake Software Introduces Drake Tax Online https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/09/24/drake-software-introduces-drake-tax-online/169572/Drake Software Launches Drake Tax Online: Powerful, Flexible Tax Software in the Cloud https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/drake-software-launches-drake-tax-online-powerful-flexible-tax-software-in-the-cloud-302566087.htmlNASBA, AICPA release proposed revisions to CPE standards https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2025/sep/nasba-aicpa-release-proposed-revisions-to-cpe-standardsNASBA, AICPA Release Exposure Draft of Proposed Revisions to CPE Standardshttps://nasba.org/blog/2025/09/15/revisions-to-cpe-standards-2025/ H-1B FAQhttps://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/h-1b-faq 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:
Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies
Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you still thinking of AI as just “ChatGPT with a better prompt”? Or maybe you've played around with Zapier automations and thought, yeah, that's good enough. Today's featured guest knows that the agencies pulling ahead right now are building full-on AI agent networks that replace routine tasks, streamline data pipelines, and give their teams superpowers. She's re-engineering her agency around AI and will talk about where she finds top-tier talent and why you don't need to code to lead your agency into the future. Jennifer Bagley is the CEO and founder of CI Web Group, a fully virtual digital marketing agency registered in 22 U.S. states with clients across the United States and Canada. A former corporate operator turned entrepreneur, Jennifer started in real estate and mortgage brokerage before leaning into the marketing work she built to support those businesses. Today she runs a modern, tech-forward agency that's rebuilt its stack around AI, centralized data, and agentic networks, all while carrying the scars and lessons of scaling, pivoting, and re-founding a business from the ground up. In this episode, we'll discuss: Feeling trapped by the business. Hiring, firing, and the people reset AI, reskilling, and the end of “middle” roles What does this talent cost? Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. From Corporate Ladder to Accidental Agency Founder Jennifer came from an operations background, a self-proclaimed black belt in Six Sigma and certified project manager. Having built that corporate background, she had made a promise to herself (“by 30 I'll be an entrepreneur”), and started to build the side hustle that became the main event. She started in real estate and mortgage brokering where she had to learn marketing the hard way; not because she wanted to be a marketer, but because the survival of her businesses depended on it. Initially, Jennifer didn't set out to build a scalable agency; she built a team to support her broker network. When the market collapsed in 2008, the same team that did marketing for agents suddenly had a market outside real estate. That “we'll just help this painter or HVAC company” phase is where the web group was born: small, service-focused, and useful to people in her network. That accidental turn became a business by solving real, pressing problems for paying clients, then leaned into that. Trading Time for Freedom: The Hard Pivot For the first five years, Jennifer describes the business as a “lifestyle” operation, profitable maybe, but trapping her time. She was trading billable hours for income and was reaching her limit when she hired a coach that forced a reckoning: if entrepreneurship isn't buying you time, money, and freedom, what's the point? So she made the brutal choice of cutting consulting contracts and burning the bridge to the “safety” of hourly work, and effectively gave herself a mulligan. This is the classic founder pivot: you have to choose between growth that keeps you doing the work and growth that scales the business without you. Jennifer's reset wasn't pretty, for a while she lost everything and she and her son lived in an office for a while, but it bought her the permission to build something salable, not just sustainable. Agency owners who feel trapped in delivery need to remember that sometimes you have to give up short-term revenue to create long-term value. Feeling Trapped by the Agency and Becoming a CEO Those first five years, Jennifer continued to run a business that started as a supply chain consulting and eventually turned into a sales supply chain consulting. This change meant the business was now a good lead generator for the agency but it also meant Jennifer was essentially selling her image and her time. Until she ran out of time. Once she felt trapped by the business, Jennifer actually hired a business coach that helped her change the model from “selling Jennifer with marketing on the side” to an actual sustainable business. She had to go back to the basics and remember she, like every entrepreneur, started the business with the idea of having more time, money, and freedom. It took losing everything, but Jennifer knew she didn't want a lifestyle business, she wanted a sellable business. The antidote was delegation plus systems. If you want growth and a future exit, you need to own those CEO responsibilities and be comfortable with letting go of the day-to-day. Hiring, Firing, and Resetting the Team Jennifer's talent strategy has evolved with each stage of growth. Her early hires were the classic “friends, family, fools” bootstrap crew; later she invested in developers, content teams, project managers, and over time, more strategic hires like CFOs, chief of staff, BI teams, and AI engineers. Each five-year arc brought a new set of needs and a new level of sophistication in hiring. Now, she divides her time between promoting her agency's work in podcasts and content and thinking of ways to navigate her business in these volatile and exciting times. Her most recent addition to the team was a technology and transformation team that is revisiting all of the agency's processes, investments, and infrastructure. As a result, she has downsized her team from over 300 W2 employees and refocus the team. The takeaway for agency owners: be honest about whether your people are builders or maintainers, and hire accordingly. The workforce you need for growth is not the same as the workforce you need for stable operations. Building AI Agent Networks with Centralized Data Jennifer's agency shifted from WordPress to Webflow and built agentic networks: hundreds of AI agents that crawl competitors, do strategy homework, and automate tasks that humans used to do. More importantly, they rebuilt infrastructure into a hub-and-spoke model with a centralized min.io data layer and ETL pipelines feeding analytics and BI. Two big lessons here. One: invest in your tech stack deliberately so you're not a Frankenstein of five different platforms that don't talk to each other. Two: design your data architecture so your people (and your AI agents) have a single source of truth. That's how you get from fire-fighting in six dashboards to proactive, predictive signals that tell you when a client engagement needs attention. AI, Reskilling, and Shrinking Middle Roles Jennifer draws a hard line: the agency now tends to hire either very seasoned client-facing leaders or AI engineers; the middle is shrinking. With agentic networks giving junior staff “superpowers,” the agency can afford fewer mid-level “lever pullers.” At this level there's no room for slow execution or elementary work. That's a cultural and ethical challenge, both for hiring and for workforce development. For agency owners, this raises practical HR questions: do you reskill your people, or replace them? Jennifer suggests building agent-driven systems that augment humans, and being brutally honest about who can grow into that future. It's also a call to action for how we prepare the next generation: schools won't teach this; companies will need to. Playing with AI Platforms: Why Leaders Need to Just Know Enough to Be Dangerous Jennifer started like a lot of agency owners dipping into AI, playing around on tools like n8n, Make.com, Relevance, and Longchain. Her dev team laughed, calling her an “elementary school kid on a tricycle,” but here's the point: she didn't need to master the tech. She needed to know enough to point her team in the right direction. Instead of obsessing over code, she framed the problem differently: “Here's what I don't want a human doing anymore. Can you make that happen?” That mindset shift is key for agency owners. You don't need to be a full-stack AI engineer to lead an agency into the future; you just need to clearly define outcomes and invest in people who can deliver them. Find Real AI Talent in Unlikely Places This is where most agencies get stuck. You're not going to find your next AI architect on Upwork. Jennifer leaned on her network, starting with her cousin Chris, a hardcore developer who initially thought AI platforms were “rookie business.” Once Chris realized the power of agentic networks to scale his expertise, he became the backbone of CI Web Group's transformation. Now, she hunts talent in unconventional places: hackathons, LinkedIn, and especially YouTube. Forget the flashy “10x growth hack” videos — she looks for nerds with four views, geeking out about orchestrators and ETL pipelines. Those are the builders who care about solving real problems, not just building hype. Her tip: if you find one, reach out immediately. They don't want sales, they just want to build. Designing AI Agents Like an Agency Org Chart Jennifer compares AI agents to a company org chart. You don't hire one person to do everything, that's a recipe for burnout. Same thing with AI. Each agent should tightly focus on a single task, with checks, auditors, and orchestrators overseeing the system. The payoff was massive efficiency gains. Instead of six different platforms that don't talk, her agency built a centralized hub with min.io, ClickHouse, and AI layers on top. That's how you go from patchwork automation to true predictive intelligence. The Real Cost of AI Talent If you're wondering how much this all costs, the answer is… a lot. On the high end, seasoned AI engineers can run you a quarter million in salary. On the low end, Jennifer tests new hires on project-based sprints, maybe $6K for a 10-hour challenge. The point isn't to cut costs; it's to prove quickly who can deliver and who can't. Her recruiting process is brutal but effective: give candidates a project, a tight deadline, and see how they perform. If they stall, they're out. If they screen-share fast and solve problems live, they're in. No fluff, no endless interviews. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.
Hasan sits down with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to talk about her scraps - both physical and political - and the time she literally crawled through barbed wire to watch a Bollywood movie (such a Bollywood move). Let's cut through the noise together. Go to groundnews.com/hasan to subscribe and get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage Plan, which breaks down to just $5/month with my discount. Use ZipRecruiter, and save time hiring! Go to ziprecruiter.com/HASAN right now to try it FOR FREE. Go to shopbeam.com/HASAN and use code HASAN at checkout for up to 40% off. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code HASAN at www.oneskin.co #oneskinpod. Join the 3.4 million companies already automating with Zapier and transform how you work with Zapier and AI. Get started for free by visiting zapier.com/HASAN. Co-Creator & Executive Producer: Hasan MinhajCo-Creator & Executive Producer: Prashanth VenkataramanujamExecutive Producer/Director: Tyler BabinExecutive Producer/Showrunner: Scott VroomanCinematographer: Austin MoralesProducer: Kayla FengAssociate Producer: Annie FickEditor: N/V MooreEditor: Will FeinsteinTalent Coordinator: Tanya Somanader Thanks so much for listening to Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know. If you haven’t yet, now is a great time to subscribe to Lemonada Premium. Just hit the 'subscribe' button on Apple Podcasts, or, for all other podcast apps head to lemonadapremium.com to subscribe. That’s lemonadapremium.com.Executive Assistant: Samuel PilandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Jason Ackerman, founder of Wealth Rabbit, shares his journey from early startup challenges to scaling a thriving food innovation company. He opens up about the lessons he learned in leadership, resilience, and adapting to industry disruptions. Jason explains how Wealth Rabbit is transforming meal delivery through innovation and efficiency. He also highlights the importance of building strong teams and staying customer-focused in a competitive market. Listeners will walk away with inspiration, strategies, and actionable insights for growing their own ventures. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? According to Jason Ackerman, the hardest part of growing a small business is scaling while staying focused. He highlights the struggle of balancing growth with stability and managing limited cash flow. Finding and keeping the right team members who share the vision is another major challenge. He also stresses the need to adapt quickly to disruptions in fast-changing industries. Overall, sustaining growth without losing direction is the toughest hurdle for entrepreneurs. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Jason Ackerman has mentioned that one of the books that helped him the most is “The Manual” by Epictetus. Even though it isn't a traditional business book, he considers it powerful because its lessons on discipline, perspective, and resilience apply directly to entrepreneurship and leadership. The timeless wisdom in it helped him stay grounded while navigating the uncertainty and challenges of building and scaling a business. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Jason Ackerman recommends several great resources for entrepreneurs looking to grow a small business. His own show, Best Hour of Their Day, dives into leadership, fitness business, and growth strategies. He has also appeared on Two-Brain Radio and the Grow Your Nutrition Business Podcast, where he shares lessons on scaling, coaching, and avoiding common mistakes. For finance and compliance insights, his appearance on The Bandit Room (“A Lot of Letters with CPA Jason Ackerman”) is also valuable. Together, these podcasts offer practical advice on leadership, scaling, and financial management for small business owners. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Jason Ackerman often stresses the importance of tools that streamline growth, and one he'd recommend is a CRM system to manage customer relationships effectively. A CRM helps track leads, follow-ups, and client interactions, preventing missed opportunities. Alongside this, he highlights the value of consistent content and marketing, supported by scheduling tools like Buffer or Hootsuite. Automation platforms such as Zapier can further save time by handling repetitive tasks. Together, these resources free business owners to focus on strategy, scaling, and customer satisfaction. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Jason Ackerman's advice to his younger self on day one of starting a business would be to focus on the long game and not chase perfection right away. He often emphasizes that mistakes are part of the process, and instead of fearing them, new entrepreneurs should learn quickly and adapt. He would remind himself to surround his journey with the right people—mentors, partners, and team members who share the vision and values. He also stresses the importance of patience, since success rarely comes overnight, and consistency matters more than quick wins. Most importantly, he'd tell himself to stay true to his mission and not get distracted by comparisons or trends that don't align with the bigger picture. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey. Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Success in business isn't about speed, it's about consistency and resilience – Jason Ackerman Stay true to your mission, and the noise of distraction fades away – Jason Ackerman Every mistake is the tuition you pay for the lessons of entrepreneurship – Jason Ackerman
Today, we're joined by Phil Lakin, Head of Enterprise Innovation at Zapier. In this episode, we discuss: How Phil built No-Code Ops into a thriving community and SaaS product - and what led to its acquisition by Zapier Why Phil ended up leading the initiative on Zapier's first solution-based product, and the decision process behind making it Lead Router How Zapier is driving AI transformation across both their org and others with hands-on bootcamps, agent workflows, and a 97% AI literacy rate among employees Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-lakin/ Zapier: https://zapier.com/ NoCodeOps: https://www.nocodeops.com/ Chapters 00:00: Intro 01:30: How Phil built the No-Code Ops community and why Zapier acquired it 05:45: Building Lead Router and how it shaped Zapier's roadmap 10:20: Building with Zapier Primitives 15:10: How Zapier achieved 97% AI literacy 20:25: AI agents and workflow automation 26:40: Tactics for bringing employees on board with new AI tools 32:55: What other companies can learn from Zapier's AI transformation 39:15: Where Phil sees AI, no-code, and automation heading next. 44:00: Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Phil Lakin.
Marty sits down with Luke Thomas, founder of Formable and former product manager at Zapier, to discuss how AI is creating "unbounded leverage" for startups, why existing businesses struggle to adapt due to structural constraints, and how Bitcoin treasuries can rewire founders' thinking about capital allocation in the digital transformation era. Formable: https://formable.app/ STACK SATS hat: https://tftcmerch.io/ Our newsletter: https://www.tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/ TFTC Elite (Ad-free & Discord): https://www.tftc.io/#/portal/signup/ Discord: https://discord.gg/VJ2dABShBz Opportunity Cost Extension: https://www.opportunitycost.app/ Shoutout to our sponsors: Bitkey https://bit.ly/TFTCBitkey20 Unchained https://unchained.com/tftc/ Obscura https://obscura.net/ SLNT https://slnt.com/tftc Join the TFTC Movement: Main YT Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/TFTC21/videos Clips YT Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUQcW3jxfQfEUS8kqR5pJtQ Website https://tftc.io/ Newsletter tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/ Twitter https://twitter.com/tftc21 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tftc.io/ Nostr https://primal.net/tftc Follow Marty Bent: Twitter https://twitter.com/martybent Nostr https://primal.net/martybent Newsletter https://tftc.io/martys-bent/ Podcast https://www.tftc.io/tag/podcasts/
In this episode, Nataraj welcomes Matt Martin, CEO of Clockwise, to explore the science of smart scheduling. Discover how Clockwise uses AI to optimize calendars, reduce meeting overload, and create more focused work time. Matt shares insights on balancing collaboration with individual productivity, the impact of remote work on meeting culture, and the future of AI-powered time management. Learn actionable strategies to transform your workday and boost your team's efficiency. Why care? Because reclaiming your time is the first step to achieving your goals.### What you'll learn- Implement AI-driven tools to analyze and optimize your schedule for peak productivity.- Balance maker and manager schedules to accommodate different work styles within your team.- Identify and eliminate unnecessary meetings to free up valuable time for focused work.- Leverage asynchronous communication methods to reduce the reliance on synchronous meetings.- Understand the impact of remote work on meeting culture and adapt your strategies accordingly.- Measure the ROI of productivity tools to ensure they are contributing to your bottom line.- Explore the potential of AI agents to automate scheduling and optimize workflows.- Discover the importance of memory and context in AI assistants for the workplace.### About the Guest and Host:Guest Name: Matt Martin, CEO of Clockwise, helping individuals and teams create smarter schedules with AI.Connect with Guest:→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/voxmatt/→ Website: https://www.getclockwise.com/Nataraj: Host of the Startup Project podcast, Senior PM at Azure & Investor.→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natarajsindam/→ Twitter: https://x.com/natarajsindam→ Substack: https://startupproject.substack.com/### In this episode, we cover(00:01) Introduction to Matt Martin and Clockwise(00:58) What is Clockwise and how customers use it(02:19) Optimizing meetings in organizations(02:56) Maker Schedule versus Manager Schedule(05:38) Trends in non-scheduled meetings(07:33) The shift in adopting new SaaS products(08:43) Impact of zero interest rate environment on SaaS buying(11:32) AI agents and their promises(12:49) Measuring efficiency gains with AI tools(14:14) Outcome-based pricing models(17:46) How Clockwise leverages AI in its product(20:51) MCP vs APIs(22:26) The trend of half-baked tools(24:54) Rethinking fundamental apps with AI(26:56) Adding AI features on current products(29:03) Power of products like Zapier and Enneken with AI(33:08) Categories of AI companies that are likely to succeed(36:49) AI assistant for your workplace(39:26) User interface(46:01) How to discover Matt and ClockwiseDon't forget to subscribe and leave us a review/comment on YouTube Apple Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.#Clockwise #AIScheduling #CalendarOptimization #ProductivityTips #TimeManagement #MeetingStrategy #RemoteWork #HybridWork #AITools #SaaS #Entrepreneurship #StartupProject #NatarajSindam #Podcast #TechInnovation #WorkflowAutomation #ArtificialIntelligence #ProductivityHacks #MattMartin
Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeWhat does it mean to truly be an “AI-native” company? And how are product roles evolving when PMs are expected to both execute faster and make sharper strategic decisions?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Adam Fishman—host of the Startup Dad podcast and longtime product leader and advisor —to unpack the key themes from Reforge's recent AI Product Summit in San Francisco. Adam shares insights from conversations with leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, Shopify, Zapier, and LinkedIn on how organizations are tackling AI adoption, redefining PM expectations, and navigating cultural change.The discussion ranges from Zapier's live prototyping interviews for new hires, to LinkedIn's shift from “product managers” to “product builders,” to the tension PMs face between increased executional leverage and the need for sharper strategic taste.Whether you're a PM figuring out how to stay relevant, a product leader navigating culture change, or just curious how AI is transforming product organizations, this episode is packed with lessons you can apply today.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox
In this episode, we dive into a lively showdown between two powerful strategies for nurturing relationships: email marketing vs. online communities. You'll hear us engage in a playful showdown, where we throw down our best arguments for why our preferred method is the ultimate way to nurture relationships. As we explore the virtues of each approach, you'll learn about the power of automation and the certainty of email marketing, and the real-time engagement and community-building magic that comes from private online spaces. So, whether you're team email or team community, or just curious about how to nurture your connections, this episode is packed with fun banter and valuable takeaways!
In this podcast episode, host Michelle Frechette interviews Adam Preiser and Andre Gagnon, co-founders of SureCart, a managed e-commerce platform for WordPress. They discuss SureCart's user-friendly features, flexible pricing, robust subscription management, and seamless integrations. The conversation highlights how SureCart simplifies online selling for merchants and agencies, offers transparent pricing, and supports both digital and physical products. Listeners ask questions about selling digital goods, reporting, and payment options. The episode concludes with community engagement details and upcoming events, showcasing SureCart's commitment to merchant success and innovation.Top Takeaways:Accessibility and Customizability Are Core Priorities: SureCart places a strong emphasis on accessibility, including keyboard navigation, screen readers, and focus management. Every new feature undergoes extensive accessibility testing. At the same time, the platform is highly customizable, allowing users to modify templates for products, carts, checkouts, and even customer areas. This is particularly valuable for agencies building stores for clients with specific design requirements.Flexibility and Seamless Integration Simplify E-Commerce: SureCart supports multiple pricing options—including one-time payments, subscriptions, and installment plans—and integrates seamlessly with page builders like Elementor and Bricks. It eliminates the need for multiple third-party plugins, offering built-in shipping, taxes, upsells, affiliates, and abandoned cart recovery. Merchants can manage both digital products (like photography) and services, including instant checkout pages for streamlined selling.Advanced Reporting and Subscription Management: The platform provides detailed reporting dashboards with KPIs and subscription analytics, making it easy to track sales, refunds, churn, and growth. Subscription management is automated, including failed payment recovery and options to retain customers through discounts or pauses. Integrations with tools like Zapier allow merchants to trigger automated actions and workflows, enhancing customer retention and operational efficiency.Transparent Pricing, Scalable Plans, and Upcoming Features: SureCart offers a simple pricing model: free plan with a 1.9% transaction fee, or paid annual plans ($179/year for a single store) with all features included and no transaction fees. Plans scale from one store to unlimited stores, ideal for agencies. Upcoming features include starter templates, product reviews, automated fees and discounts, custom report builders, and integration with Razor Pay for international payments. The team maintains a customer-focused, approachable philosophy, prioritizing feedback and ongoing improvements.Mentioned In The Show:SureCartWP CrafterCartFlowsElementorBricks BuilderOtto KitZapier
**Record a question for Amantha’s next Ask Me Anything here: https://www.speakpipe.com/howiwork ** What do you do when procrastination takes over? How can AI actually change your workflows? And what are the best systems to manage tasks? In this AMA episode, I answer listener questions on procrastination, the Right to Disconnect laws, process bottlenecks, and how I use AI tools in my everyday work. These are the challenges so many of us wrestle with - and I share my practical strategies, missteps, and experiments. In this episode, I share: How I break down overwhelming tasks (including writing my fifth book) and strategies I use to beat procrastination. Why the Right to Disconnect laws may not fit modern, flexible workplaces - and what managers need to rethink. Where to start when fixing a bottleneck in your processes, and how AI can help. My system for keeping notes, tasks, and reminders organised. The GPTs, prompt libraries, and tools I rely on daily - from proposal writing to creating Instagram reels. Amantha recommends: Notion: My digital command centre for projects, tasks, and notes Granola: My go-to meeting notes app that combines live transcripts with my human notes to capture every detail Tella: A simple tool I use for recording and sharing video proposals to add a personal touch Zapier & n8n: Automation powerhouses that streamline repetitive tasks and free up hours every week Jeff Su: A productivity YouTuber whose Notion course transformed how I set up and run my system Have a question you want me to answer in the next AMA episode? Reach out via email (amantha@inventium.com.au) or socials – I’d love to hear from you! My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin Imber See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After a short hiatus, Alex is back—and he's bringing some big energy and even bigger ideas to the Digital Customer Success podcast. In this solo episode, he shares a deeply personal and practical reflection on how we can create magical, human moments in our digital programs—at scale.Inspired by Will Guidara's book Unreasonable Hospitality, Alex explores what it means to go beyond the expected, whether that's sending a baby gift, a surprise mouse (the tech kind), or a handwritten note. The kicker? You can use AI and automation to help you spot those moments—without losing the human touch.You'll learn:Why emotional connection matters more than ever in CXHow to train your systems (and your team) to spot moments of magicReal-world examples you can replicateTools like Gong, Zapier, and Handwrytten in actionIf you're looking for a way to stand out in a sea of digital sameness, this episode's for you. Subscribe and stick around—we're just getting started.Support the show+++++++++++++++++Like/Subscribe/Review:If you are getting value from the show, please follow/subscribe so that you don't miss an episode and consider leaving us a review. Website:For more information about the show or to get in touch, visit DigitalCustomerSuccess.com. Buy Alex a Cup of Coffee:This show runs exclusively on caffeine - and lots of it. If you like what we're, consider supporting our habit by buying us a cup of coffee: https://bmc.link/dcspThank you for all of your support!The Digital Customer Success Podcast is hosted by Alex Turkovic
Send us a textYou're using ChatGPT all wrong.Until now, using ChatGPT meant endless copying and pasting between your apps. A newly released feature, MCP connectors, shatters those limitations, transforming ChatGPT into a super agent that can connect to nearly any application, service, or website. This allows it to access information, talk to your apps, and take action anywhere, fundamentally changing how you work.In this episode, we'll show you exactly how to set it up, even if you're not a technical person. You'll discover:
SaaStr 821: Swapping Stories - Building AI-First Companies: Insights from Zapier's CEO and Co-Founder Wade Foster Join us for an in-depth conversation with Wade Foster, co-founder and CEO of Zapier, on the SaaStr AI Swapping Stories Podcast! Wade shares how Zapier is leading the way in AI-powered automation, the evolution from simple workflows to agentic systems, and why AI fluency is now a must-have for every new hire. In this episode, we discuss: The journey of Zapier from integration tool to AI orchestration platform Real-world examples of agentic workflows and automation at scale How Zapier's culture embraces “don't be a robot, build a robot” The impact of AI on sales, customer success, and internal operations Tips for companies looking to hire and upskill for an AI-first future The latest trends in AI tools, including voice-to-text and workflow automation Whether you're a founder, operator, or just curious about the future of work, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration. And see you at Zapconnect next week (sign up here - it's free.) -----------------------------------------------------------------------  Fin is the #1 AI Agent for resolving complex queries like refunds, transaction disputes, and technical troubleshooting—all with speed and reliability. See how Fin can deliver the highest resolution rates and highest-quality customer experience at fin.ai/saastr. --------------------- If you're serious about B2B and AI, you need to be in London this December 2nd and 3rd. SaaStr AI London is bringing together more than 2,000 leaders and founders for two days of practical advice on scaling into the new year. We'll have speakers flying in from OpenAI, Wiz, Clay, Intercom, and all your favorite SaaS companies, including yours truly with Harry Stebbings for a live 20VC podcast. It'll be fun, and it's all in the heart of London. Don't miss out: get your tickets with my exclusive discount by going to podcast.saastrlondon.com --------------------- Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026. With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year. But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait. Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.
OpenAI has launched a beta version of Developer Mode for ChatGPT, which allows developers to utilize full read and write support for model context protocol tools. This new feature promises to enhance automation capabilities, enabling developers to create connectors for various applications, such as updating JIRA tickets or triggering workflows in services like Zapier. However, the introduction of this feature raises significant security concerns, particularly regarding the potential for prompt injections and the risk of malicious users exploiting these capabilities to access sensitive information. As the industry rapidly adopts this model context protocol, the need for secure configurations becomes increasingly urgent to prevent data breaches.In addition to Developer Mode, OpenAI has released GPT-5 Codecs, a large-language model optimized for coding tasks. This new model has reportedly led to a tenfold increase in usage among developers within a month, largely due to its integration with GitHub for dynamic code reviews. The Codex model has been trained on real-world coding tasks, making it a powerful tool for software engineers. Developers are already recognizing its potential to identify complex bugs that other tools may miss, which could lead to higher quality code and faster delivery cycles.Microsoft is also making strides in the AI space by introducing free co-pilot chat features in its Office applications for all Microsoft 365 Business users. This update includes a co-pilot chat sidebar in key applications like Word, Excel, and Outlook, allowing users to draft documents and analyze spreadsheets without needing an additional co-pilot license. While the premium version offers enhanced capabilities, the free features change the baseline for AI accessibility, putting powerful tools in the hands of every employee and raising concerns about shadow IT.On the cybersecurity front, the U.S. government has redirected crucial funding originally allocated to combat threats from Huawei towards tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations. This shift has left national security at risk, as projects aimed at enhancing U.S. cybersecurity and infrastructure suffer from a lack of follow-through. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense is set to implement its Cybersecurity Maturity Model certification requirements, which will be mandatory for defense contractors. As scammers increasingly target small businesses with fake reviews, the need for effective cybersecurity measures and compliance becomes more pressing for service providers.Four things to know today 00:00 AI Becomes Default: OpenAI Expands Workflows, Microsoft Democratizes Copilot, and Licensing Chaos Grows07:19 Huawei Money Gone, CMMC Is Here, and Your Reviews Are Under Attack10:04 Devicie, Zensai, and Apple Redefine Value: Automation, Adoption, and Repair Access12:57 Twice the Reach, No More Cash: Broadband Program's Success Meets a Dead EndThis is the Business of Tech. Supported by: https://scalepad.com/dave/Webinar: https://bit.ly/msprmail All our Sponsors: https://businessof.tech/sponsors/ Do you want the show on your podcast app or the written versions of the stories? Subscribe to the Business of Tech: https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe/Looking for a link from the stories? The entire script of the show, with links to articles, are posted in each story on https://www.businessof.tech/ Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mspradio/ Want to be a guest on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights? Send Dave Sobel a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech Want our stuff? Cool Merch? Wear “Why Do We Care?” - Visit https://mspradio.myspreadshop.com Follow us on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079/YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftechBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
236: In this episode, we sat down with Callan Faulkner to talk about how she transitioned from land investor to AI architect—building a $4M business in under 18 months.(Show Notes: REtipster.com/236)Callan walks us through real examples of how land investors can use AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Zapier, and even AI agents to streamline SOPs, write legal docs, score sales calls, and train "digital employees" that save hundreds of hours.We also discuss the upcoming Automate to Accelerate training and how REtipster listeners can connect with me directly if they join through our link.
Industrial Talk is talking to Jeremy Toeman, Founder of Augie Studio about "Powerful and nimble AI video editing solutions". Scott Mackenzie interviews Jeremy Toeman, founder of Augie , an AI-powered video editing platform. Augie simplifies video editing by creating transcripts, analyzing content, and suggesting clips for social media. Toeman explains the platform's evolution, including its integration with AI technologies like ChatGPT and synthetic voices. He emphasizes the importance of human interaction in refining clips and the potential for Augie's API to automate video editing across various platforms. Toeman also discusses the broader implications of AI in content creation, balancing automation with human creativity and the potential impact on jobs. Action Items [ ] Check out the Augie website at Augie.studio and try out the free video clipping feature. [ ] Reach out to Jeremy Toeman on LinkedIn. [ ] Subscribe to Jeremy's podcast "Founder at 50" to hear more entrepreneurial stories. Outline Introduction and Overview of Industrial Talk Podcast Scott Mackenzie introduces the Industrial Talk Podcast, emphasizing its focus on industry professionals and innovations. Scott MacKenzie expresses his passion for marketing and efficiency, highlighting the importance of storytelling and marketing for industrial professionals. Scott MacKenzie introduces Jeremy Toeman, founder and head of Augie, an AI platform for creating and editing videos. Scott MacKenzie encourages industrial professionals to visit industrialtalk.com for opportunities to amplify their messages and gain greater visibility. Jeremy Toeman's Background and Career Journey Jeremy Toeman provides a detailed overview of his career, starting with his work at Mediabolic and Sling Media, where he helped build streaming media platforms. Jeremy Toeman discusses his experience as a consultant and his own startup, Digit, which developed the Next Guide app for iPad. Jeremy Toeman shares his time at CBS Interactive, Etsy, and Warner Media, where he led the innovation team. Jeremy Toeman explains his transition to starting Augie in January 2022, following his departure from Warner Media in October 2021. Development and Purpose of Augie Scott MacKenzie and Jeremy Toeman discuss the name "Augie," which was derived from "Aug X Labs" and later simplified to "Auggie." Jeremy Toeman explains that Augie is designed as a video editor for busy business professionals, aiming to simplify video editing for non-professionals. Jeremy Toeman shares his experience of struggling with video editing tools like Premiere Pro and the inspiration behind creating Augie. Scott MacKenzie and Jeremy Toeman discuss the integration of AI in Augie, which helps in creating transcripts, analyzing content, and suggesting clips. AI Integration and Features of Augie Jeremy Toeman explains how Augie uses AI to create transcripts with speaker voice detection and analyze content to suggest clips. Scott MacKenzie and Jeremy Toeman discuss the importance of human interaction in refining the suggested clips and the role of AI in enhancing the editing process. Jeremy Toeman highlights the paradox of choice and the decision to limit the number of suggested clips to three for better user experience. Scott MacKenzie and Jeremy Toeman discuss the potential for integrating Augie with other platforms like Zapier and the importance of...