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Why prompt engineers stay broke while system architects make money online (and the 4-layer method that changes everything) Episode Summary: Most AI entrepreneurs miss the ChatGPT secret that separates $0 from $5K+ monthly income. It's not a hidden feature—it's the mindset shift nobody teaches. In this episode, we expose what 30+ years of business experience reveals about why parents and digital nomads plateau with AI, and the counterintuitive workflow tweak that changes everything. Most people are obsessing over the perfect ChatGPT prompt. But the real money isn't in better prompts — it's in better architecture. In this episode, Ace breaks down the four-layer Logic Flow system that separates the side hustlers making pocket change from the entrepreneurs making life-changing income with AI. In This Episode You'll Discover: Why perfecting your ChatGPT prompt is actually keeping you broke The four-layer Logic Flow system that turns single AI outputs into automated income machines Why you can't scale a miracle — and what to build instead The uncomfortable ethical choice every AI entrepreneur eventually faces How to start building your first Logic Flow system today — even if you're still working a nine-to-five 00:00 - Prompt Obsession Trap 01:05 - From Prompts To Systems 01:35 - Linear Flow Problem 02:57 - Layer One Inputs 04:08 - Layer Two Instructions 05:40 - Layer Three Feedback 07:10 - Layer Four Output Stacking 09:23 - Pipeline Example Continued 10:24 - Ethics Of Automation 13:39 - Build Your Logic Flow 15:40 - Whiskered Wisdom 16:25 - Final Architecture Reminder Key Concepts Covered: The Logic Flow System — 4 Layers: Input Architecture — Structuring the raw material before the AI ever sees it. Feed it specific customer pain points, competitor analysis, key objections, desired transformations, and the one thing your customer will never admit they want. Instruction Hierarchy — Breaking compressed decisions apart into layered instructions. Define purpose, format, voice, success criteria, and failure prevention — separately and deliberately. Feedback Loop Architecture — Measuring every output against real performance data and feeding that back into your Input Architecture to systematically improve results over time. Output Stacking Architecture — Connecting AI outputs so each one feeds into the next, creating a content manufacturing pipeline that runs automatically through tools like Make, Zapier, or N8N. Quotable Moments: "A great ChatGPT prompt working inside a broken system is just expensive busywork." "You can't scale a miracle. You can't automate a miracle. You can't build a business on miracles — you can only build one on systems." "You're not just choosing a business model. You're choosing a version of yourself." "The architecture is neutral. What you build with it isn't." "The prompt is the conversation. The system is the business." Tools Mentioned: ChatGPT / GPT-4o (OpenAI) Make (formerly Integromat) Zapier N8N Gumroad Fiverr Upwork Hostinger (Episode Sponsor) Sponsor: Hostinger — Everything you need to launch your online business in one place: website, domain, and email. Their AI builds the first version of your site for you. Stop letting setup friction beat you. Visit: https://hostinger.com/darkhorse20 Use code: darkhorse20 for 20% off This Week's Action Step — Whiskered Wisdom: Open a blank document and map out your current ChatGPT workflow from idea to published output. Identify one decision you make repeatedly. That repeated decision is your first candidate for an Instruction Hierarchy layer. Write down exactly what information you need to make it well. That's your first piece of Input Architecture. One layer. One decision. One step toward a Logic Flow system that works while you're reading bedtime stories. Connect & Subscribe: Subscribe to the AI Escape Plan Newsletter — practical AI-powered strategies for parent entrepreneurs ready to break free from the nine-to-five grind. Visit: DarkHorseInsider.com Know someone who dreams of ditching the grind but still makes time for bedtime stories? Forward this episode to them! make money with ChatGPT, AI automation systems, ChatGPT business, Logic Flow system, AI workflow design, parent entrepreneur AI, automated income systems, AI side hustle, ChatGPT monetization, AI business architecture
The marketplace has evolved, and if you're still treating your launch promotions like a boring high school history lecture, your show-up rates and sales numbers are absolutely going to reflect that! In this episode, I'm breaking down the five absolute essentials you MUST bake into the messaging of your campaigns if you want them to actually convert. If you've been working yourself into the ground or geeking out over Zapier forms, it's time to change things. This is about stepping into your role as a true thought leader, creating a transformational live experience, and letting technology do what it does best: handling the backend noise so you can stay anchored in your zone of genius. Ready to stop thinking like a marketer and start operating like a true business owner? We're kicking off a powerful, brand-new experience THIS THURSDAY, June 11th, called The Business Breakthrough Experience. This is specifically designed to help you audit your strategy, find your unique human edge, and cause that next quantum leap in your results. You can register now at www.businessbydesign.net/bbe! Want to go even deeper? Come hang out with me for a free Breakthrough Coaching session! I'll be sharing the exact exercises and audits you can use to coach yourself, and I'll even be bringing people on live to work through their biggest bottlenecks in real time. It's totally free to join, just head over to www.jameswedmore.com/breakthrough to check the session times and register to grab your spot. Don't forget, you can get access to our special limited-time secret series, The Quantum Leap Effect, at www.businessbydesign.net/secret, and I'm so excited to hear how it's helping you make your next quantum leap! Snap a screenshot of the episode playing on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories and tag us, @jameswedmore and @jenniwedmore. We'd love to hear what resonated with you the most from this episode and especially what you want covered in future ones. In this episode you'll hear: The four mandatory ingredients that make up every successful promotional campaign, no matter what style of launch you choose Why giving people more information is actually the quickest way to overwhelm them, and how to use your content to subtract from their to-do list instead The trap that keeps brilliant entrepreneurs completely broke, and how to step outside the circle of "average intelligence" How to use strategic, self-tailored exercises to let your audience naturally arrive at their own breakthroughs The hidden psychology behind terrible show-up rates, and the deep question your marketing must answer if you want people to value your time How I personally use AI to analyze market data without ever letting it touch the divine intelligence of my actual training content For full show notes and links, visit: www.mindyourbusinesspodcast.com/blog/832
WP Sync – https://www.marketingsharks.com/wp-sync-kill-your-zapier-bill-from-kevin-fahey/WP Sync replaces your monthly Zapier bill with one WordPress plugin. One-Time Payment.Your Own Automation Platform · One Payment · No Monthly FeesConnect Everything.Automate Everything.Pay Once.Zapier, Make and Pabbly rent you automation by the month — forever — just to move your own data between your own tools. WP Sync is the automation platform that lives inside WordPress: connect 51 apps, build unlimited automations — fired instantly or scheduled for later — and own the whole thing for one payment.Everything It ConnectsOne Platform. 51 Connections. Endless Automations.Every app is an automation source, destination, or both — mix and match any of them. Start with the 26 autoresponders, add the pro connectors, or take everything. New connections are added all the time — and every one is included FREE, forever.AutorespondersBridge any one to any other — both directions
Make summer plans easier with one pair that does it all! Vessi Weekend Classic and Stormburst are lightweight, and built for all-day comfort. Grab 15% off your first pair here: https://vessi.com/wanshow Free shipping • 30‑day returns • 1‑year warranty Visit https://www.squarespace.com/WAN and use offer code WAN for 10% off Thanks to MSI for sponsoring this episode! Head over to https://lmg.gg/asWi8 to check out their MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 monitor! Go to http://zapier.com/wan to join the millions of businesses transforming how they work with Zapier and AI Get a Circuit Board skin for your device so dbrand can keep messing with Linus at https://dbrand.com/pcb Check out the Razer Blade series of laptops; perfect for work or pleasure: https://lmg.gg/wanrazerblade Game or work in comfort on a Razer Iskur V2: https://lmg.gg/wanrazeriskur Get a special deal on Private Internet Access VPN today at https://www.piavpn.com/LinusWan Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Running a business effectively takes well-documented processes. Everyone in the organization needs to know what they're supposed to do to run seamlessly and optimize productivity. Today, Kendra Perry talks about something critical – your company manual. Tune in to understand its value and discover a tool that will help you save time, increase productivity, and save your mental health. Resources Mentioned in this Episode:Zapier: https://zapier.com Trello: https://trello.com https://kendraperry.net/episode144Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://kendraperry.net/
I don't do brand partnerships lightly. So when I tell you I became an official GoHighLevel partner, I want you to know exactly why — because I was a skeptic first.In this episode I'm walking through the full story: why I went down the rabbit hole in the first place, what I was trying to solve for in my business before maternity leave, and what actually happened when I got inside the platform. Within three days I was handing over my credit card. Within weeks I had canceled MailerLite, ManyChat, Zapier, SignNow, and more — saving around $3,500 a year immediately.This isn't a sponsored read. It's a full breakdown of what we actually moved over, what it's actually doing for my business and my team, and why I think it's one of the most underrated tools in the online business space right now.Key Takeaways:What I was originally trying to solve for (intimacy at scale — automating client engagement without losing the personal touch)Why I was skeptical of all-in-one platforms and what changed my mind within 72 hoursEverything we migrated over: email marketing, funnels, sales pages, course portals, contracts, calendaring, automations, mastermind application process, affiliates, and moreHow having everything in one place has changed the mental load for me and my team — especially heading into maternity leaveWhy the GoHighLevel + Claude integration is the next frontier and what that's already starting to look likeLinks:GoHighLevel 30-day free trial — double the standard trial so you actually have time to see if it's a fit: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=taylorslangoScaling to multiple 6-figures? Apply for the CEO Mastermind here.Stabilizing your revenue before your scale? Get inside The Inner Circle here.Integrate AI systems & workflows into your business this weekend: Save $100 on Claude in a WeekendTry out the software I use to run my ENTIRE business: 30 day free trial for Go High Level
Iranian hackers hit LA transit. Chinese cyber operators target Middle East infrastructure. Dutch police take down a 17-million-device botnet. Researchers uncover a phishing risk in ChatGPT. Anthropic prepares its Mythos model for release. Chrome patches 22 critical bugs. Zapier fixes a dangerous vulnerability chain. ShinyHunters claims a Charter breach. A data broker who fueled scams against millions of seniors heads to prison. Maria Varmazis joins Dave Bittner for a look back at a decade of ransomware. A Google insider allegedly went from threat hunting to bet hunting. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today CyberWire hosts Maria Varmazis and Dave Bittner take a look at how ransomware has evolved over the past decade, from opportunistic attacks to today's sprawling criminal enterprises, and discuss the tactics, trends, and turning points that shaped the threat landscape. You can catch the full conversation on Sunday in the CyberWire Daily podcast feed. We hope you'll join us! Selected Reading Iranian hackers behind March's LA transport cyberattack, Gambit finds (The Jerusalem Post) Chinese Hackers Exploit Iran War to Target Maritime and Energy Firms (Infosecurity Magazine) Dutch cops wrest 17M devices from mystery botnet's clutches (The Register) ChatGPT blindly trusts browser content, turning the page into a payload (The Register) Anthropic confirms Claude Mythos-class models will roll out to the public (Bleeping Computer) Chrome 148 Update Patches 151 Vulnerabilities (SecurityWeek) Zapier fixes bug chain that researchers say risked widespread account takeover (CyberScoop) Charter Communications data breach affects 4.9 million accounts (Bleeping Computer) Man sent to prison for selling data of 7 millions elderly Americans (Bleeping Computer) US charges Google security engineer with Polymarket insider trading (Bleeping Computer) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry's most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpusClip: Start clipping at https://opus.pro/ich Airbnb: Find a co-host at https://airbnb.com/host Zapier: Get Started for FREE at https://Zapier.com/ICH FanDuel: Sign up now for your $25 bonus on FanDuel Predicts Subscribe To MeetKevin Here: @MeetKevin Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:02 - Michael Burry & Biggest Stock Wins (Circle, Tesla, Nvidia) 00:03:08 - The $40M Tesla Portfolio & Lessons From Losses 00:05:52 - Happier With Less Stress / Should You Pay Off Debt? 00:08:11 - Iran War, Pickaxe Mountain & the Market Rally 00:11:17 - Forward Growth Valuations & the Circular AI Flow 00:13:35 - The Most Frustrating Rally Ever / Advice for $40-200K Earners 00:16:11 - OpusClip Sponsor / How the Average Person Should Invest in 2026 00:17:29 - QQQ vs TQQQ: Why Leveraged ETFs Will Go to Zero 00:21:04 - The #1 Risk Nobody's Talking About: Credit & Data Center Overbuild 00:24:58 - The Labor Market & The Wealth Effect 00:27:27 - Dry Powder & Why Cash Reduces Selling Pressure 00:29:06 - Kevin's Portfolio & Kevin O'Leary's $5M FU Money Take 00:31:02 - Are 5% Treasuries Actually a Good Buy? 00:34:54 - The Hantavirus & Real Estate Risk 00:37:31 - Airbnb & Zapier Sponsorships 00:40:04 - Is It Harder to Build Wealth in 2026? 00:42:00 - AI Implementation as the Path to Wealth (Cardone Comparison) 00:46:04 - The Best Decade Ever to Buy Real Estate (2022-2032) 00:48:34 - Graham Pushes Back: Why He's Selling His Real Estate 00:55:55 - Habitability Lawsuits & California Tenant Risk 00:57:42 - Mansion Tax & Anti-Investor Legislation 00:59:09 - Who Should Buy vs Rent / Kevin's Portfolio Allocation 01:00:55 - FanDuel Sponsor / Kevin's Top Stock Holdings 01:03:16 - Kevin's Fitness & Mediterranean Diet Transformation 01:06:38 - How Much Do You Need to Retire? ($8-10M for a Family) 01:09:19 - Spending More When You Have Free Time 01:11:43 - Buy Now Pay Later & Deferred Recession Risk 01:12:33 - Ideal Lifestyle: When Your Salary Covers Everything 01:14:57 - Best Money You'll Ever Spend & The $12.9M Jet Story 01:20:42 - SEC Investigations & The Large Options Trader Letter 01:23:48 - Zero-Day Options Trading Explained 01:27:07 - Jack's Weekly Covered Call Strategy 01:32:00 - Career Advice: Grinding on the Right Thing 01:34:08 - Podcasting & Corporate-Owned YouTube Channels 01:38:29 - The $2.2M Offer to Buy 10% of Graham's Channel 01:41:00 - Toddler Podcast Idea & Niching Down Your Audience 01:43:49 - Family Life: Kids, Personalities & a Dad Win 01:47:13 - Trump Accounts & Tax Strategies 01:48:18 - Final Advice & Wrap-Up *
Automation doesn't have to start with AI, it starts with a process you're fed up with. Lindsey Mueller, co-owner of Sound Painting Solutions in Seattle, has been building Zapier workflows for over a decade, and her approach is refreshingly practical: find what wastes time or creates errors, then eliminate it. In this episode, Lindsey walks through her automation-first mindset, how she uses AI as a coding and brainstorming tool without handing over the wheel, and what she'd tell any trades business owner ready to start simplifying their operations
Have you ever gone to the grocery store without a list? You walk down every aisle, grab whatever looks good, spend way more than you planned — and somehow still get home without the one thing you actually needed.Running a one-person business without a real task capture system feels exactly the same.When everything falls on you, important work slips through the cracks. And without a plan, it's easy to spend your day on something that feels productive instead of something that actually moves the business. (Anyone who's let AI build them a thing they didn't need knows what I mean.)In this one, I'm walking through the three ways I capture tasks now — each one a little more automated than the last:Quick capture — making it stupid easy to get something out of your headSpeech-to-text to sort — why Todoist's Ramble feature replaced an entire Zapier flow for meAutomating task capture with AI agents — pulling tasks out of emails, call summaries, and notes without lifting a fingerIf you've ever said, "If it's important, I'll remember it" — I have bad news. Solopreneur productivity isn't about a better memory. It's about better solopreneur systems for capturing everything so you can actually plan your week.If you want help getting your tasks in order, I put together a free resource over at https://streamlined.fm/tasks.Show NotesFree Task Capture ResourceTodoist RambleWhisper Memos (00:00) - Intro (01:38) - Why "I'll remember it" fails solopreneurs (02:54) - Make quick capture as easy as possible (04:29) - Speech-to-text to sort (Todoist Ramble) (07:12) - Automate task capture with AI agents (10:33) - Why capturing everything matters (11:58) - Free resource and wrap-up ————Streamlined Solopreneur is the podcast for solopreneurs who want to automate their business and take time off worry-free. Each week, Joe Casabona shares practical systems, tools, and strategies to help you reclaim your time and run your business without sacrificing your the rest of your life, or your health. Start with the free Solopreneur Sweep — a step-by-step method for finding where your business is losing time: https://streamlined.fm/sweepIf this episode helped you, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts helps other solopreneurs find the show — it only takes a minute and means a lot.Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/
Wade Foster, CEO & Co-Founder of Zapier, reveals how a $5B company transformed overnight when GPT-4 launched. Learn his "Code Red" strategy, AI adoption secrets, and why the future of software belongs to AI agents. When GPT-4 launched, Wade Foster didn't wait. He called a code red. In this conversation, he shares exactly how Zapier went from 10% to 97% company-wide AI adoption in months, why he focuses on building "AI fluency" over quick wins, and what he believes every CEO needs to know about the AI-driven future. We cover: - The "Code Red" moment: Why and how Zapier decided to transform everything - From 10% to 97%: The real drivers behind achieving company-wide AI adoption - The AI Fluency Rubric: Building institutional AI capability vs. tactical AI use - The future of software: Why agents (not humans) will write and use software - The 3% that didn't adopt: Why some teams resist and how to bring them along - Advice for late-moving CEOs: What to do if you haven't started yet - Buzzwords Wade would ban from meetings - Why "context" and "agent" are overloaded terms in AI discussions TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro 02:08 - How calling Code Red transformed the company 03:02 - The immediate impact: From 10% to 50% AI adoption 05:09 - Building the AI Fluency Rubric and institutional change 07:18 - How Zapier achieved 97% adoption (and what about the 3%?) 09:08 - The difference between adoption vs. sustained usage 12:37 - Making employees retry AI tools even when first attempts failed 15:59 - Infrastructure for embedding AI into workflows 19:25 - The future of software: Agents as creators and users 31:58 - What will Zapier look like in 3 years? Agent-native platforms 34:04 - Setting up governance for AI agents to write code safely 39:17 - What beliefs about AI building today won't make sense by 2028? 42:02 - Buzzwords Wade wants to ban from AI conversations 43:18 - Final advice for CEOs who feel they're late to AI KEY INSIGHTS: - The quality gap between GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 was so vast it rewritten everything for Zapier - A company-wide hackathon forced everyone to play with AI (80%+ participation was key) - Building the muscle for AI adoption matters even when the initial output isn't directly used - Entrenched workflows and quality concerns are the biggest blockers to adoption - Support and encouragement to "try again in 3 months" is critical - The shift isn't just more software, it's that agents will write that software - Governance and guardrails for agents are the new infrastructure CEOs need to set up - AI maximalism paired with realistic change management is the winning approach PERFECT FOR: - Product leaders and GTM professionals navigating AI transformation - CEOs and C-suite executives feeling pressure to move faster on AI - Engineering leaders building AI-fluent organizations - SaaS founders and entrepreneurs building AI-native products - Anyone curious about how category-defining companies adapt Wade Foster brings the strategic clarity and operational rigor that made Zapier the automation standard. This episode cuts through the AI hype to the real work of transforming organizations. #WadeFoster #Zapier #AI #CEOAdvice #AIAdoption #ArtificialIntelligence #SoftwareDevelopment #ProductStrategy #Automation #AIAgents #Leadership #GPT4 #Technology #BusinessStrategy #GTM ABOUT WADE FOSTER: Wade is the Co-Founder and CEO of Zapier, the #1 automation platform connecting 7000+ apps. He's been building Zapier since 2011 and has grown it into a $5 billion company used by millions of businesses to automate daily workflows. Wade is deeply focused on AI's impact on software development and organizational productivity. DISCLAIMER: This conversation reflects Wade Foster's views and experiences. Viewers should consult their own experts before making strategic or business decisions.
Everyone claims they're "good with AI" on their CV. Almost no one can prove it. As AI tools proliferate across every function, talent leaders face a critical gap: we need people who don't just use AI, but wield it strategically—and we have no reliable way to identify them. Enter Zapier. The automation platform that helped democratise no-code workflows has developing and refining a practical framework for assessing AI fluency in hiring. Everyone's been talking about it. But now we've got Soeren Winter to unpack it and tell us what it means for Talent Acquisition teams. • Redefining "AI Fluency" for Hiring • The Portfolio Approach to Assessment Distinguishing candidates who've memorized one interface from those who understand underlying AI principles and can adapt across platforms, models, and use cases • Critical Evaluation as Core Competency • Integration & Workflow Design • The Ethics & Safety Screen • Cross-Functional Translation • Learning Velocity Indicators • Practical Assessment Design • Building Internal AI Fluency Benchmarks AI fluency is now a baseline expectation, not a differentiator—but most hiring processes haven't caught up. Organizations still screening for "AI experience" on LinkedIn are filling roles with candidates who can't deliver. Meanwhile, teams using rigorous, practical assessment frameworks are building workforces that genuinely multiply productivity. The cost of getting this wrong isn't just a bad hire; it's the opportunity cost of teams waiting months for someone to actually become useful. We're on Friday 22nd May at 2pm BST. Register by clicking on the green button (save your spot) and follow the channel here (recommended). Ep383 is supported by our friends at Greenhouse AI is reshaping hiring across the UK, Ireland and Germany. But is trust keeping up? Greenhouse surveyed over 2,200 jobseekers, recruiters and hiring managers to uncover where AI is building confidence in hiring, where it's eroding it, and what the most trusted employers are doing differently. Download the full report
Today I want to walk through how to put together a simple AI system for a small business using three tools. Claude, Make, and a form builder like Typeform or Tally. By the end of this you'll know how to set things up so new customer inquiries get answered automatically, leads who go quiet get followed up with, and a two-minute voice memo turns into a week of social media posts.Before any of that makes sense I should probably explain what these tools actually are.Claude is an AI assistant. Same general category as ChatGPT, made by a different company called Anthropic. You can use it free at claude dot ai. People who use AI for real work tend to prefer it because it writes in a more natural voice and handles bigger documents better.Make is an automation platform. The way to think about it is that it connects apps to each other so they can pass information back and forth without you copying and pasting. You build little flows where one thing triggers another. If you've heard of Zapier, it's the same idea. Make is usually cheaper and gives you more room to do interesting stuff.Typeform and Tally are form builders. Drag and drop, no coding, you put a form together in maybe ten minutes and paste a link to it on your website.Reach out >>> https://wilwaldon.com
beehiiv is the newsletter platform I've used for over a year and a half because their data shows you exactly what's working. Get 30% off three months at beehiiv.com/chris━Check out my newsletter at https://TKOPOD.com and join my community at https://TKOwners.com━In this solo episode I'm breaking down one of my favorite business ideas right now: API arbitrage and the great unbundling. I talk about how huge companies were built by unbundling parts of Craigslist, and why the same thing is happening today with tools like Apify, Clay, Zapier, OpenAI, and Claude. I share the story of Nico, who went from working in his family's restaurant to building a software business doing $3,500/month in recurring revenue with almost no technical background. Then I walk through a bunch of simple business ideas anyone can build by wrapping existing tools in a cleaner, easier product. If you want to implement AI into small and medium sized businesses, check out https://www.playmakersai.com/Enjoy!---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---
FREE DOWNLOAD: How to Set Up the Hermes Agent → https://value.8figureagency.co/hermes Ready to become an AI-native agency? Book a call at 8figureagency.coGuest: Ben Fisher, founder of Skinny and Bald. Hampton member. Been coding since fifth grade. Has been CEO twice, CTO three times. Describes himself as 60% product, 40% engineer.The pull: Ben is one of the sharpest guys in the Hampton AI channel. This is his second time on the pod. Jordan came with real questions about funnels, databases, and skills — Ben answered live, then pulled up his actual meeting-processing skill on screen share.What we coveredThe build vs. buy question. Jordan's giveaway funnel pulls comments → emails → form fills → booked calls across LinkedIn and X, six campaigns a week. His partner said use GoHighLevel. Ben's framing: build custom with Claude when you control the maintenance, use a tool when it solves 80%+ without workarounds. Texting is the exception — Twilio's regulatory rabbit hole can eat days even with Claude Code.Databases and custom funnels. Jordan wants the funnel experience to mirror what the user clicked — landing page copy, follow-up sequence, everything. Ben's example: he still uses Kit.com for his newsletter, but layered custom API logic on top. He didn't rebuild Kit. He enriched it.The thing that separates real builders from vibe coders. “What distinguishes really effective builders really comes down to workflow.” Same models. Same Claude. Different results because of how people work. Ben's non-negotiable: test-driven development. Plan first. Write the tests. Then build. Otherwise Claude tells you it shipped something that doesn't exist.The “your friend Ben is absolutely correct” story. Hampton buddy building a chief of staff agent in Slack and WhatsApp. Asked Claude if it was secure. Claude said yes. Ben listed four gaps. Buddy pasted Ben's message into Claude. Claude wrote back: “Your friend Ben is absolutely correct. We don't do this, this, this, and this.” Lesson: you cannot ask the AI to verify the AI.Claude Skills, real talk. Skills are mostly plain English text files the AI reads. They get highly personal fast — Ben said his public repo of skills is becoming less useful to others because the nuances are his. Best move for most people: use someone else's skill as a reference, have Claude analyze how it works, then build your own flavor.Ben's content-from-meetings workflow (live demo). Fireflies records every call → transcripts get stored as markdown files in a local folder → a Claude skill called process meeting notes runs on demand, pulls the last 3 days, formats each meeting in EOS Level 10 format (clear accountability, agreements, action items), and routes to-dos to the right project repo. Why local files instead of remote Fireflies calls? Speed. His second brain reads disk faster than it makes API calls across nine months of transcripts.Writing in your voice with AI. Ben studied journalism and advertising. He uses Claude as a sparring partner first, last-mile editor second. Reference for anyone serious about this: every.to publishes their full editorial AI process, including how to build an anti-AI style guide. Ben also actively removes em-dashes from his AI output now because they've become the tell.Markdown files as the convention. .md is what the AI world runs on. Pound signs for headers, asterisks for bold. Doesn't really matter if you use .txt or .docx — but markdown gives the AI hierarchy it can parse.Tools and references mentionedFireflies, Claude Code, N8N, Zapier, Kit.com, GoHighLevel, Twilio, Obsidian, every.to, Superpowers (Claude skill harness), Hampton, EOS Level 10 format, Ruben's “How AI” Substack.Where to find Benskinnyandbald.com — consulting offersdearben.ai — Ben's AI podcast where execs submit questions and he answers live with screen share, plus his newsletterReady to build an AI-native agency that runs on systems, not scrambling?8 Figure Agency helps seven-figure agency owners install the agents, automations, and AI workflows that turn your team into a 10x operation. Done-for-you implementation starting at $2K/month.Book your call: 8figureagency.covalue.8figureagency.cohermesThis playbook shows you the exact stack. Install instructions, the 30-day roadmap, the five daily prompts that turn your agent into a second brain, and eight use cases pulled straight from agencies doing it right now.8figureagency.coAI Solutions for Marketing Agencies | 8figure agencyOptimize your marketing agency with our AI solutions. Join 1,000+ agencies and scale your revenue today!every.toEveryEvery — The only subscription you need to stay at the edge of AI. Ideas, apps, and training from practitioners who build with AI daily.http://every.to/skinnyandbald.comBen FisherI help companies figure out where AI fits — and then build it.
L'automatisation peut sembler intimidante. Quand on entend parler de Zapier, Make, agents IA, no-code, workflows… on peut vite avoir l'impression que c'est réservé aux gens très techno.Mais en réalité, automatiser son travail, ce n'est pas nécessairement compliqué.Et surtout, ce n'est pas une question de devenir programmeur.C'est plutôt de savoir de repérer les tâches répétitives qui grugent ton temps, ton énergie et ton attention… puis de créer des systèmes simples pour que tes outils travaillent davantage pour toi.Dans cet épisode, je reçois Stéphanie Beaubien, aussi connue sous le nom de La Frondeuse.Stéphanie est travailleuse autonome depuis 2012. Elle s'est lancée dans la techno non pas parce qu'elle venait du monde du développement, mais parce qu'elle en avait besoin pour mieux gérer son entreprise.Aujourd'hui, elle dirige l'Agence La Fronde, une agence québécoise spécialisée en IA, automatisation et outils no-code pour les entrepreneurs.Dans cet épisode, tu vas découvrir :✅ C'est quoi concrètement l'automatisation, expliquée simplement✅ Comment des outils comme Make, Airtable ou Zapier peuvent t'aider à gagner du temps✅ Pourquoi ce n'est pas réservé aux programmeurs ou aux experts techno✅ Comment identifier les premières tâches à automatiser dans ton travail✅ Des exemples concrets d'automatisations utilesOn parle aussi de courriels, d'agents IA et de la place des nouveaux outils comme Claude, Codex et les assistants agentiques.Si tu sens que tu perds encore trop de temps dans des tâches répétitives, cet épisode va t'aider à voir beaucoup plus clair.LIENS ET RESSOURCES MENTIONNÉS
#278: Is AI making it possible for the average person to live a fully optimized life? Chris and Anish swap notes on how custom AI tools are replacing years of spreadsheets, and reshaping the way we work, learn, create, and relate to each other. They dig into why Chris has abandoned OpenClaw, the architecture mistakes almost everyone is making, and what happens when the subsidies on all these tools eventually go away. Anish Acharya is a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, where he leads consumer and AI-native investing. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/ai-tools-spreadsheets-anish-acharya/ Partner Deals Bilt Rewards: Earn the most valuable points when you pay rent Green Chef: 50% off your first month + 20% off for two months with code 50ALLTHEHACKS NetSuite: Free KPI checklist to upgrade your business performance Mercury: Manage, move, and grow your money Fora: Become a Fora Advisor today For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned AI tools and platforms Claude OpenAI Codex ChatGPT Gemini Perplexity Computer Cursor OpenClaw Tools Chris is using in his stack CardPointers 1Password Zapier Apple Health Notion Dropbox Travel and points tools Google Flights Seats.aero Roame ATH Podcast #265: I Built an AI Assistant That Works While I Sleep #275: The Custom Everything Era with Kevin Rose Newsletter Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@chrishutchins.com Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (02:08) How Chris Replaced His Award-Flight Spreadsheets With an Agent (04:20) Why Your AI Setup Should Be Platform-Agnostic (07:13) Why Sub-Agents Don't Actually Make Sense (13:29) Skills, Connectors, Projects, and Channels Explained (17:29) Anish on the Two Big Breakthroughs: Coding Agents and Personal Agents (18:29) Zero Marginal Cost of Doing Work (21:01) Will Knowledge Get Less Democratized in the AI Era? (22:17) The Four Layers of Personal AI: Knowledge, Data, Trust, and Connection (24:35) The Black Pill: Do Most People Have Enough Agency for This? (26:29) How Chris Connected His Own CardTool App to Claude (32:07) The Family Video Montage Built From iMessages and Photos (33:51) Reverse-Prompting and Breaking Tasks Into Discrete Steps (36:35) Is AI Making Us More Connected, or Less? (41:45) The Coming Flood of Bill Disputes, Appeals, and Speeding Tickets (44:52) Gemini, OpenAI Apps, and Claude Connectors Compared (47:03) The Hidden Power of Zapier's MCP Server (50:20) Managing Logins and Sensitive Data Without Losing Sleep (53:20) What's Still Not Possible With AI Today (56:56) The Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect Applied to AI (01:00:11) The Subsidies Behind Your $20 ChatGPT Plan (01:04:59) Evaluating the Actual Cost of AI Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor's Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this exciting episode, we catch up with the insightful Eric Mystery, who returns to share his journey into AI transformation at Zapier. Eric, a longtime expert in customer education and deeply entrenched in AI's evolution, now combines these passions to bridge the gap between AI aspiration and real-world implementation for Zapier customers and internal teams.We dive deep into why mastering AI and digital tools is less about specific platforms and more about cultural adaptation and a "maker mindset." Eric emphasizes that the ability to quickly switch tools, adapt, and learn new technologies is the number one skill set in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape. He shares practical advice for navigating restricted environments, building personal solutions, and leveraging AI to supercharge customer education, moving from simply consuming content to actively creating and iterating. If you're pondering the future of customer experience and education through an AI lens, this episode offers invaluable perspectives. 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
Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! Host Drew McLellan is joined by agency owner and automation enthusiast Caitlin Studdy for a deep dive into the world of AI-driven automations—an essential, but often underutilized, tool for agencies looking to boost efficiency, profitability, and team satisfaction. In this episode, Caitlin Studdy recounts her journey from agency founder to automation "nerd," sharing how necessity and a passion for problem-solving led her to streamline countless repetitive tasks using tools like Zapier, ChatGPT, and more. Whether she's automating social posts, onboarding clients, or implementing AI-powered hiring bots, Caitlin Studdy reveals how each automation not only saves time, but also reclaims valuable brain space for higher-level creative and strategic work. The conversation is packed with actionable insights—from identifying automation opportunities in everyday agency operations to building simple "grilled cheese" workflows that anyone can try. Drew McLellan and Caitlin Studdy also explore the evolving landscape of AI technology, discussing how new capabilities are opening doors previously closed to small and mid-sized agencies. If you're ready to tackle inefficiency head-on, empower your team to work smarter (not harder), and get inspired by real-world examples of automation in action, this episode is a must-listen. By the end, you'll view your agency's processes with a fresh perspective—and be eager to experiment with automations that can transform your business for good. A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn How to identify which repetitive tasks in your agency are prime candidates for automation The step-by-step process for building your first agency automations using beginner-friendly tools like Zapier Why starting with simple two-step automations leads to better long-term success than complex workflows How AI integration has expanded automation possibilities beyond basic task scheduling to intelligent decision-making The communication strategies needed to get team buy-in when implementing automated systems Which types of agency tasks should remain human-driven versus automated for optimal results How to build automated hiring systems that score candidates and send follow-up questionnaires The surprising ways agency automations improve client service and reduce dropped balls Real examples from 500+ automations including client meeting prep, social media management, and billing workflows
Let me start off by saying that we should have made a "5309" reference, a miss on our part.AMD has a very good financial report, let the Josh take wash over you.Steam controller launches, sells out, and you probably don't have one.32GB was the minimum. Then it wasn't. Microsoft, so trustworthy.Also plain text never hurt anyway.And so much more!Thanks to our sponsor this week: Zapier!Bring the power an AI to any workflow - don't just talk about it: ACT! Check out Zapier and their orchestration platform.Timestamps:0:00 Intro1:19 Patreon3:09 Food with Josh5:11 Josh presents AMD financials12:19 Steam Controller news and Machine rumor14:46 Microsoft wants you to forget not to worry18:16 DDR6 development starts19:06 PCI Express 8.023:54 be quiet! Dark Rock 6 coolers announced26:09 We apologize for being wrong about GALAX29:10 Lisuan 7G100 is a GPU launching this month31:50 Jeremy discovers the cheap turntable market35:10 Ad 37:03 (In)Security Corner52:02 Gaming Quick Hits1:03:16 Josh put his racing corner segment here1:13:14 Picks of the week1:24:02 Outro ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Growing Your Firm | Strategies for Accountants, CPA's, Bookkeepers , and Tax Professionals
In this episode of Growing Your Firm, host David Cristello sits down with Isaac Perdomo, founder of Opzer, to discuss the practical application of AI and low-code/no-code tools in modern accounting practices. Isaac shares real-world case studies of firms drastically reducing manual workloads and increasing their capacity for high-value advisory services. In this episode, we explore: - The "Window of Opportunity": Why the next 12–24 months are critical for firms to adopt AI before the market settles. - Beyond the Hype: Moving from generic ChatGPT use to building bespoke internal tools with Claude, Replit, and Lovable. - The 15-Minute Close: How a case study firm reduced bookkeeping time from 2 hours to 15 minutes per client using automated workflows. - Quality Assurance (QA) with AI: Using LLMs as an additional layer of review for financial statements and deliverables. - Vibe Coding & Custom Apps: Why the era of the "30-app tech stack" is evolving into firms building their own specialized internal software. - Sentiment Analysis: How to use meeting transcripts from tools like Granola or Fireflies to detect client dissatisfaction before they churn. Key Tools Discussed: - Automation Engines: Make.com, n8n, and Zapier. - AI Models: Claude and ChatGPT. - Prototyping: Lovable and Replit. - Meeting Intelligence: Granola, Fireflies, and Fathom. Featured Guest: Isaac Perdomo
#877 What if you could turn a $999 audit into a recurring monthly ROI of 310% — for your client, and a growing pipeline of upsell projects for you? In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Corey Ganim picks up right where he left off, walking through the final phases of his AI Tools Assessment process live on screen. He reveals the "four day quick win plan" he includes in every client report — bite-sized action steps that get results in seconds, not hours — and spotlights tools like SaneBox and DashThis that consistently deliver jaw-dropping time savings for pennies a day. Corey also breaks down his full upsell menu: from process optimization and automation builds, to custom knowledge systems and AI skill development, with real client examples showing how a $1,500 Zapier setup or a custom GPT can save dozens of hours a month. He closes with his best advice for anyone looking to start this service: specialize in one upsell offer first, master it, then expand — and always lead with the ROI guarantee to land clients even before you have testimonials. Grab the free audit template at audittemplate.ai and check out Corey's podcast, Build with AI, on YouTube or any podcast platform! What we discuss with Corey: + The "four day quick win plan" + SaneBox saves hours on email for $7/month + DashThis eliminates 8 hrs/month of manual reporting + 40-60% of clients want help implementing + Process optimization before automation (AOA framework) + Automation builds via Zapier/Make.com + Custom GPTs as knowledge systems + Building AI "skills" for niche workflows + Full implementation packages from $5K–$10K + Specialize in one upsell offer before expanding Thank you, Corey! Check out Part 1 of this episode. Check out Return My Time at ReturnMyTime.com. Listen to The Build With AI Podcast. Watch the video podcast of this episode! To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to MillionaireUniversity.com/training. To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sign up for Practi, a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing.Here are the top 5 takeaways from this episode:* Trademark practice is his core focus. Jim transitioned from family law to IP/trademark law over several years, and today ~95% of his practice is trademark-related such as prosecution, office actions, TTAB work, etc.* YouTube has been a major business driver. He started his channel in 2016 with no strategy, and it grew to ~170,000 subscribers, which was largely fueled by COVID-era viewers. His key advice: be personable, not just informational. Show your personality and life, not just a wall of law books.* He built a membership/subscription model on top of his legal work. Starting from COVID-era courses, he created a monthly membership (~$95/month) offering coaching calls, courses, discounted trademark fees, and value-adds like privacy policy setup. He emphasizes over-delivering to retain members.* Automation and the right tech stack are central to running a lean firm. He uses Clio (case management), Wrike (project management), Dialpad (AI-powered phone/transcription), Paxton AI (legal research), and Zapier to tie it all together. His philosophy: reduce manual tasks so the firm runs itself.* Lawyers should register their own trademarks and build a brand. As states loosen naming restrictions, lawyers can create real brands. Jim holds three registered trademarks for his own business and strongly advocates protecting your brand name before someone else does.__________________________Want your question to be answered on a future show? Fill out this short survey.Check out Hawthorn Law.Sign up for Paxton, my all-in-one AI legal assistant, helping me with legal research, analysis, drafting, and enhancing existing legal work product.Get Connected with SixFifty, a business and employment legal document automation tool.Sign up for Gavel, an automation platform for law firms.Visit Law Subscribed to subscribe to the weekly newsletter to listen from your web browser.Prefer monthly updates? Sign up for the Law Subscribed Monthly Digest on LinkedIn.Check out Mathew Kerbis' law firm Subscription Attorney LLC.Want to use the subscription model for your law firm? Click here to sign up for a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lawsubscribed.com/subscribe
What if you could guarantee five-star reviews—without being on-site, glued to your phone, or buried in repetitive tasks? In this episode, AirDNA's Jamie Lane sits down with Sean McGregor, Founder of NoCodeSTR.com to unpack how automation, no-code tools, and AI are transforming what's possible in short-term rental operations.Sean McGregor helps short-term rental hosts and property managers “Automate the Annoying” parts of their business using NoCode tools, automation, and AI — so they can run leaner, deliver better guest experiences, and get their time back. He's the founder of NoCodeSTR.com (has hosted over 5,000 groups on Airbnb, and has maintained a 4.98★ rating since 2018. He even offers a 5★ Guarantee — meaning he doesn't take a commission if a guest leaves anything less than a 5-star review. All while running his business remotely from 40+ countries with his family).Sean shares how he went from manually managing a growing STR portfolio to building fully automated systems that deliver consistent, high-quality guest experiences—even while traveling internationally. By focusing relentlessly on guest satisfaction and eliminating friction through proactive communication, he created a system so reliable that he offered a bold guarantee: no five-star review, no commission.The conversation dives deep into the evolving tech stack—from tools like Airtable and Zapier to AI-powered messaging and custom-built workflows—and what it means for hosts and property managers today. Whether you're managing one listing or scaling to hundreds, this episode explores how to think about automation strategically, balance tech with hospitality, and unlock new levels of efficiency without sacrificing the human touch.You don't want to miss this episode!Key Takeaways for STR Hosts & ManagersAutomate proactively, not reactively: Anticipate guest needs (like check-in details or local recommendations) before they ask to prevent issues from turning into negative reviews.Use “second-day check-ins” to protect reviews: A simple automated message during the stay can surface problems early—giving you a chance to fix them before checkout.Centralize your data to unlock automation: Tools like Airtable can act as the brain of your operation, connecting bookings, messaging, maintenance, and guest insights.Start small, then layer complexity: Even a basic automation (like sending booking data to a spreadsheet) can spark momentum and lead to more advanced systems over time.Balance AI with human touch: Automate repetitive tasks, but stay personally available for high-touch moments—hospitality still matters.Sign up for AirDNA for FREE
In this episode, co-hosts discuss WooCommerce automation with expert James Collins, emphasizing how tools like Zapier streamline tasks, reduce errors, and enhance efficiency through practical automation examples and AI advancements.
saas.unbound is a podcast for and about founders who are working on scaling inspiring products that people love, brought to you by https://saas.group/, a serial acquirer of B2B SaaS companies. In episode #16 of season 6, Anna Nadeina talks with Leo Goldfarb, co-founder of Albato — a 100% bootstrapped automation and integration platform with 200,000 users and 80 people — after years at Microsoft, IBM, HP, and Booking.com. This episode gets into what it actually takes to build an AI-first product when you're competing with Zapier and nobody on your team has formal AI experience.In this episode: → Why Albato deliberately pivoted away from competing with Zapier head-on — and what they built instead → The AI copilot that kept crashing, and the API redesign they had to do before it could work → How to spot an AI skeptic on your team before they slow everything down → Why 95% of enterprise AI investments fail — and the metric mistake behind it → The case for decentralizing AI across every team, not siloing it in an innovation lab → What "pump your tires before tuning your car" means for founders bringing AI into legacy productsThis one's for founders and operators navigating the gap between AI hype and what it actually takes to ship something that works.----------- Episode's Chapters -----------0:05 — Introduction: Meet Leo from Albato1:35 — From Corporate Life to Co-Founding a Startup6:30 — What Albato Does & 7 Years Bootstrapped10:44 — The B2B Pivot: Albato Embedded18:53 — Building AI Without Dedicated AI Engineers27:38 — Mistake #1: The AI Skeptic on Your Team35:54 — How to Actually Measure AI ROI42:27 — Biggest Win & Biggest Failure at Albato49:07 — Founder Hack: Trust Your Team, Let Go54:10 — Fix Your Foundation Before Adding AILeo Goldfarb - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-goldfarb-7b743449/ Albato - albato.com Subscribe to our channel to be the first to see the interviews that we publish - https://www.youtube.com/@saas-groupStay up to date:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaaS_groupLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/14790796
Send us Fan MailB2B influencer marketing is entering a new era—and Fiona Turko is right at the center of it. Now leading Creator Partnerships at Gamma after her standout work at Zapier, Fiona joins us to break down how B2B is borrowing from the B2C playbook, why now is the inflection point, and what brands are getting right (and wrong).We also dig into Zapier's Outpost event, what she's building at Gamma, and the creators and companies pushing the space forward. Plus, we cover the latest headlines—from platform accountability and AI creator tools to major brand launches and shifting monetisation strategies.If you're thinking about the future of influencer marketing beyond B2C, this one's worth your time.
(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. ➤ Free points 101 course (includes hotel upgrade email template)https://geobreezetravel.com/freecourse ➤ Free credit card consultations https://airtable.com/apparEqFGYkas0LHl/shrYFpUr2zutt5515 ➤ Seats.Aero: https://geobreezetravel.com/seatsaero ➤ Request a free personalized award search tutorial: https://go.geobreezetravel.com/ast-form If you are interested in supporting this show when you apply for your next card, check out https://geobreezetravel.com/cards and if you're not sure what card is right for you, I offer free credit card consultations athttps://geobreezetravel.com/consultations!Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:46 Feedly News Setup01:37 Zapier and AI Digest02:57 Top Stories This Week03:06 Avoid Basic Economy03:51 Flying Blue Status Match05:32 Bilt and Rakuten Changes06:59 Points Sales and Rules08:11 Hilton Math Example09:12 Reddit and FlyerTalk Tips09:30 Married Segment Sweet Spots11:26 ConclusionYou can find Julia at: ➤ Free course: https://julia-s-school-9209.thinkific.com/courses/your-first-points-redemption➤ Website: https://geobreezetravel.com/➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel/➤ Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards➤ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravelOpinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. The content of this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.
Join host Kyle Forrest and Brandon Sammut of Zapier as they discuss how AI transformation goes beyond just tech to shift leadership, culture, and the operating model.
OpenAI rolls out GPT-5.4-Cyber McGraw Hill breach due to Salesforce misconfig Signed adware operation disables antivirus Get the show notes here: https://cisoseries.com/cybersecurity-news-openais-gpt-5-4-cyber-mcgraw-hill-blames-salesforce-for-breach-signed-adware-disables-antivirus/ Huge thanks to our sponsor, Conveyor At some point, every fast-growing SaaS team hits the same wall. The trust center is live. The SOC 2 is published. And somehow the security questionnaires just keep piling up. That's when teams realize a static trust center isn't the finish line. Conveyor is what comes next. AI that completes questionnaires automatically. A trust center customers can actually self-serve. And a knowledge base that updates itself with AI. Companies like Atlassian and Zapier are already there. See what's possible at conveyor.com.
In this episode, Andrew Warner, founder of Mixergy, host of over 2,500 founder interviews, and creator of The Next New Thing, reveals why the most exciting business opportunity in AI right now isn't building another chatbot or SaaS tool. It's building for AI agents as customers. Andrew shares how one founder went from $3K to $70K/month by simply pivoting his social media tool to serve AI agents instead of humans, why Jason Fried at Basecamp is now adding agent-first features, and what this means for every entrepreneur and operator watching the AI wave. Andrew breaks down his own AI tech stack (Claude Code, VS Code, Atlas Browser, OpenClaw), why he keeps a separate laptop just for AI agent work, and the brutal honesty about how much time we're all spending "playing" with AI vs. actually building revenue-generating products. He and Liam go deep on the "SaaSpocalypse" debate, whether intelligence becoming a utility makes audience and distribution the only real moats, and why the agent-to-agent economy, where software sells to other software, might be the biggest shift since mobile. Key Topics Covered How Andrew built a $30M/year email newsletter business in his 20s and what he learned about monetization The origin story of Zapier: Andrew was their first paying customer before they even had a product Why AI's "shiny object syndrome" is the biggest trap for builders right now Andrew's daily AI tech stack: Claude Code, VS Code, Atlas Browser, Claude Desktop, and WhisperFlow How Postiz went from $3K to $70K/month by becoming the social media tool for AI agents The agent-to-agent economy: why your next best customer might not be human Is SaaS dead? Andrew's nuanced take after 2,500+ founder interviews Why audience and platform stickiness are the only real moats when intelligence becomes a utility Liam's Claude automation workflows: auto-generating guest research, marketing assets in 5 minutes Vibe video editing and the future of AI-powered content production Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction and welcome 00:28 - Andrew's background: building a $30M email newsletter empire 02:00 - Selling the business in his mid-20s and traveling the world 06:19 - Starting Mixergy and doing 2,500+ founder interviews 09:39 - The founders Andrew admires most: Wade Foster and Zapier's origin story 12:07 - How solving problems for free changes your career 12:51 - AI's shiny object syndrome: building for fun vs. solving real problems 14:36 - Andrew's mission: helping AI builders find real revenue 17:45 - Andrew's AI tech stack: VS Code, Claude Code, Atlas Browser, WhisperFlow 22:32 - The ideal future of work with AI agents 24:31 - What's most impressive and most underwhelming about AI right now 25:20 - Building a social listening tool with AI 27:08 - The SaaSpocalypse debate: can you vibe-code your own tools? 36:12 - Postiz: from $3K to $70K/month by selling to AI agents 38:17 - The agent-to-agent marketplace future 40:06 - Liam's Claude automation: auto-generating guest research briefs 43:19 - Real-time AI workflows with WhisperFlow and Claude 48:02 - Why investing time in AI compounds exponentially 50:05 - Creating marketing assets in 5 minutes with Claude 51:27 - Vibe video editing: the next frontier for content creators 53:42 - Thought experiment: what's defensible when intelligence is a utility? 55:39 - The bread maker analogy: why SaaS won't actually die 58:01 - What makes software defensible: switching costs and stickiness 01:00:47 - Postiz deep-dive: the agentic social media scheduling tool 01:03:26 - Agent-first businesses: newsletters, chat apps, and tools built for agents 01:08:51 - Where to find Andrew and closing thoughts Andrew's Socials: LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwarner/ Website — https://thenextnewthing.ai Partner Links Book Enterprise Training — https://www.upscaile.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter — https://www.theaireport.ai/subscribe Get free AI resources: https://community.theaireport.ai/checkout/the-ai-report-welcome-gift?coupon_code=WRTH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Claude Mythos Preview's cyber capabilities Anodot hack leaves breached companies facing extortion wolfSSL library flaw enables forged certificate use Get the show notes here: https://cisoseries.com/cybersecurity-news-claude-mythos-previews-capabilities-anodot-breached-companies-face-extortion-wolfssl-flaw-enables-forged-certificates/ Huge thanks to our sponsor, Conveyor Three tools to manage customer security reviews is two too many. Most teams start with a trust center, bolt on a questionnaire tool, and end up with a knowledge base nobody trusts and a Slack channel full of sales pings anyway. Conveyor replaces all of it. Trust center, questionnaire automation, self-serve for sales, AI-managed knowledge library, one platform. Companies like Atlassian and Zapier already made the switch. See why at conveyor.com.
Adobe patches months-old Reader zero-day Critical Marimo flaw now under active exploitation Hackers claim control over Venice anti-flood pumps Get the show notes here: https://cisoseries.com/cybersecurity-news-adobe-patches-zero-day-marimo-flaw-exploited-venice-flood-threat/ Huge thanks to our sponsor, Conveyor Still manually filling out security questionnaires even though you have a trust center? A starter trust center is table stakes and the best security teams have moved way past that. Conveyor gives you an agentic trust center, AI questionnaire automation, and a self-serve layer so sales can move deals forward without pinging you every five minutes. Companies like Atlassian and Zapier made the switch. See why at conveyor.com.
Now Steam will rate your system for the expected FPS on a title, nice?! Raptor Lake (13th / 14th Gen) still a big part of the Intel strategy, Ryzen 9950X3D pricing, and hackers are probably in your router right now. Also fiber optic cables can be microphones. Your older Kindle is trash plus so much more on this show! Take a listen, you will probably not be disappointed often. Welcome back to our sponsor Zapier! It's how you bring the power of AI to your work—not just talk about it.Timestamps:0:00 Intro0:57 Patreon4:10 Food with Josh7:20 The 900 dollar Ryzen processor10:37 Raptor Lake still big part of Intel's plan12:41 Intel also focused on foundry16:20 Steam will estimate your game FPS before purchase?17:20 Memory prices high? Just compress your VRAM21:49 Every PC component is getting more expensive25:46 Apple Silicon Macs get some eGPU support27:29 Apple is gaining a surprising amount of marketshare30:32 Amazon stops supporting Kindles from before 201334:34 Artemis II astronauts having Outlook issues37:25 Podcast sponsor - Zapier39:02 (In)Security Corner49:45 Gaming Quick Hits1:05:11 Picks of the Week1:13:45 Outro ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Mixergy - Startup Stories with 1000+ entrepreneurs and businesses
Zapier just announced a new way for founders to integrate all their favorite apps with their favorite AI model. Wade Foster, their co-founder, came on to show what we can build with it. Wade Foster is the co-founder and CEO of Zapier, the automation platform that connects thousands of business apps and workflows. In this interview, he shares how he is using Zapier's SDK and coding agents to automate parts of his own CEO role, from customer outreach and meeting prep to hiring review and daily planning. Sponsored byZapier More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint
Send us feedback/questions via TextLet an AI agent loose on your computer and you may learn a lesson the hard way: “automation” isn't the same thing as “safe.” We dig into OpenClaw and the sudden shift from AI that only chats to AI that can act, locally, with access to your files, your scripts, and whatever permissions you hand over. If that sounds like Zapier with a rocket booster, you're not wrong and that's exactly why we talk guardrails, sandboxing, approvals, and why you should never treat a beta tool like it's magic.Sponsors:PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear youBasedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History?Video Version (unedited)Mentioned In This EpisodeSchool of Podcastinghttps://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/joinPodpagehttp://www.trypodpage.comHome Gadget Geekshttp://www.theaverageguy.tvPodcast Hot SeatOpenclaw.aiMichael Girdley "The Rise and Fall" GuyThis week's awesome support is Max Trescot from Aviation News Talk. If you're a pilot (or know one), go over to aviationnewstalk.com Leave Your QuestionGo to askthepodcastcoach.com/voicemail and leave your message to be answered on the next show.Support the showBE AWESOME!Thanks for listening to the show. Help the show continue to exist and get a shout-out on the show by becoming an awesome supporter by going to askthepodcastcoach.com/awesome want a one time donation? Buy Dave a Coffee.
Zapier is doing hundreds of millions in ARR, has 800 employees, and has more AI agents than people. That ratio isn't an accident. Wade Foster, CEO and co-founder of Zapier, built one of the most capital-efficient software companies in history on less than $1 million in venture funding. When GPT-4 launched in March 2023, he called a company-wide "code red" (a term he'd never used before) and stopped the entire company for a week-long hackathon. What happened next reshaped how Zapier hires, operates, prices its product, and thinks about the future of software. In this episode of Founded & Funded, Karan Mehandru sits down with Wade to unpack: Why ChatGPT didn't trigger urgency at Zapier, but GPT-4 did — and the specific signal Wade used to make that call How Zapier went from 10% AI tool adoption to 90%+ across the company in a single week The pricing overhaul that simplified Zapier's model around task-based usage and why agents made seat-based pricing structurally broken Why Zapier's head of HR became the Chief People and AI Transformation Officer, and what that reveals about who actually leads change inside organizations The "build first, run always" framework Wade uses for deploying AI agents safely inside enterprise workflows For founders and operators navigating their own AI transformation, this is a practical, unfiltered look at what it actually takes from a CEO who's in the middle of it. Full Transcript: https://www.madrona.com/zapier-has-more-ai-agents-than-employees-heres-how-that-happened Chapters: (00:00) – Introduction (01:44) – Zapier Today: Hundreds of Millions ARR, 800 Employees, More Agents Than People (06:16) – Why ChatGPT Didn't Trigger Urgency — But GPT-4 Six Months Later Did (07:12) – Code Red: Stopping the Entire Company for a Week-Long AI Hackathon (08:00) – How Zapier Moved AI Adoption From 10% to 90% of Employees in One Week (10:11) – Managing the Psychology of Change When Numbers Still Look "Okay" (13:11) – Why Companies in the Middle Ground Face the Hardest AI Transformation Problem (15:01) – From Bottoms-Up Adoption to Systematic ROI: The Two-Phase AI Rollout (17:00) – Why Zapier's Head of HR Became the Chief AI Transformation Officer (19:54) – Refactoring the Legacy Monolith: Writing Code for Agents Instead of Humans (21:25) – Zapier's Pricing Overhaul: Why Task-Based Usage Beats Seat Pricing (23:26) – Why Agents Will Choose What Software to Buy — and What That Does to SaaS (28:03) – The Build-First, Run-Always Framework for Enterprise Agent Governance (29:40) – Wade's AI Hiring War Council: A Multi-Agent System He Built That Morning (34:14) – The Leadership Profile That Thrives When the Job Is Rebuilding, Not Scaling (40:08) – If You're Starting a Company Today, Distribution Is the Bottleneck (42:10) – Why AI Deals Are Hard to Renew and the Rise of the Field Delivery Engineer
This week, Marques, Andrew, and David have a ton to get through. First, it's all about Apple with the WWDC announcement, a potential Siri app, and ads coming to Apple Maps. Then it turns to the Flighty app, the state of Microsoft vs Apple laptops, and encryption in Instagram DMs. It's a lot! Of course, we wrap it all up with Trivia. Links: New stickers! Reddit - Person watching Waveform in planetarium Verge - Apple testing Standalone Siri app New Samsung A-series phones Verge - Ads in Apple Maps Flighty - Intelligent Airports update MKBHD - Windows vs Apple laptops Verge - OpenAI discontinues Sora Instagram - Ending E2EE Verge - Router ban Decoder interview This episode brought to you by: Monarch: https://www.monarch.com (code: wave) Zapier: https://www.zapier.com/wave Socials: Waveform Threads: https://www.threads.net/@waveformpodcast Waveform Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waveformpodcast/?hl=en Waveform TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@waveformpodcast Hosts: Marques: https://www.threads.net/@mkbhd Andrew: https://www.threads.net/@andrew_manganelli David: https://www.threads.net/@davidimel Adam: https://www.threads.net/@parmesanpapi17 Ellis: https://twitter.com/EllisRovin Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/mkbhd Intro/Outro music by 20syl: https://bit.ly/2S53xlC Waveform is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Get Kieran's 11-skill AI content team: https://clickhubspot.com/fkbm Ep. 410 The aftermath of the webinar is more important than the presentation itself. Barbara Jovanovic, Co-Founder of Startup Cookie, dives into the secrets behind building a zero-employee marketing agency powered by AI, as outlined by Barbara. Learn more on automating content creation from webinars and podcasts, building custom AI agents for personalized marketing workflows, and maximizing team collaboration with streamlined tech stacks and distribution strategies. Mentions Barbara Jovanovic https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-startup-cookie/ Zapier https://zapier.com/ Claude https://claude.ai/ HeyReach https://www.heyreach.io/ Instantly https://instantly.ai/ 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.
What if building a business that supports your life actually isn't about hustle…but about resilience, systems, and intention?In this episode of The Aspiring Solopreneur, Carly and Joe sit down with Mike Lynch, creator, RV-lifer, automation strategist, and founder of Flywheel Factory, for a refreshingly honest conversation about what solopreneurship really looks like behind the scenes.Mike shares the truth most people won't say out loud: it's harder than you think, it takes longer than you expect, and the path rarely looks the way you planned. But it's also where creativity, freedom, and momentum can finally meet.You'll hear how Mike and his family design RV travel around work (not the other way around), how he uses AI and automation to protect his creative energy instead of replacing it, and why building a “flywheel mindset” matters more than just staying busy.This is a grounded, practical, and motivating episode for solopreneurs who want to build smarter systems, reclaim their time, and design a business that truly supports their life.Episode FAQsHow can solopreneurs use AI and automation without losing their personal voice?Solopreneurs can use tools like Custom GPTs, content workflows, and automation platforms (like Make or Zapier) to streamline their work while still sounding like themselves. The key is starting with your own ideas and experiences first, then using AI to refine, organize, and scale your content, not replace your thinking. What's the best way for overwhelmed solopreneurs to get started with automation?The best place to start is identifying one repetitive, frustrating task in your business and breaking it into smaller steps. From there, tools like Custom GPTs or simple automations can help eliminate bottlenecks. How can solopreneurs design a business that supports their lifestyle instead of causing burnout?It starts with defining non-negotiables (family time, flexibility, travel, health) and then building systems around those priorities.
Ever wondered where your hard-earned money actually goes when you run a creative business? Peek behind the curtain as Michelle shares on every tool, subscription, and sneaky expense that keeps her agency thriving. From splurges she'll never give up, to those subscriptions haunting her credit card, you'll get the unfiltered downlow on what's essential, what's a money pit, and how a little spring cleaning can amp up your profits. ------------------------ In today's episode, we cover the following: Hosting files: GSuite and Google Storage Client and team communications and project-tracking: Basecamp Onboarding managing tool: Dubsado Design tools we can't live without: Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, Artboard Studio, Midjourney Marketing tools: Audible, Claude, Cricut, Gusto, Later, Loom, QuickBooks, Spotify, Squarespace, Zapier, Heartbeat Podcast software: Libsyn, Zencastr ---------------------- RESOURCES: Episode 146: My Brand Design Process, Step by Step Episode 195: Optimizing Your Business with Cody Garner-Howe ----------------------- Stop managing software and start hosting your people. This episode is sponsored by Heartbeat. Create an authentic community today and start your free trial at App.Heartbeat.Chat/KMA. Once you're ready to upgrade your plan, use code KMA30 for 30% off. P.S. Want to be a community member before creating your own? Join the Kiss My Aesthetic community there today at App.Heartbeat.Chat/kissmyaesthetic/invitation?code=2FEB4G. ----------------------- WORK WITH MKW CREATIVE CO. Connect on social with Michelle at: Kiss My Aesthetic Facebook Group Instagram Tik Tok ----------------------- -- COFFEE -- Did you know that the fuel of the POD and the KMA Team runs on coffee? ;) If you love the content shared in the KMA podcast, you're welcome to invite us to a cup of coffee any time - Buy Me a Coffee! -- ZENCASTR -- This episode is brought to you by Zencastr. Create high-quality video and audio content. Get your first two weeks free at https://zencastr.com/?via=kma . -- AUDIBLE -- This episode of the Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast is brought to you by Audible. Get your first month free at www.audible.com/kma. This episode was edited by Berta Wired Theme music by: Eliza Rosevera and Nathan Menard
Tom Nassr, co-founder and CEO of X-Ray, walks us through building a Zapier Agent from scratch in under 10 minutes. He demonstrates a practical use case: creating an AI agent that scans Gmail for specific emails and delivers a weekly summary to Slack. You'll learn the key difference between Zapier Agents and traditional Zaps, when to use each, and how to think about deterministic vs. non-deterministic automation.Check Tom's youtube channel: https://youtube.com/@xrayautomation Resources Mentioned: • Zapier: https://zapier.com/• X-Ray Website: https://xray.tech/ • X-Ray Search Tool (free): https://search.xray.tech/
Why 87 Million Americans Are Ditching Traditional Employment (And How You Can Too) Summary Discover why millions of Americans are quitting their traditional 9-to-5 jobs and transitioning into lucrative side hustles in 2026. In this episode, Tracy Brinkmann dives into the top 8 side hustles open to digital entrepreneurs and online entrepreneurs, highlighting opportunities to make money online with six-figure income potentials. From AI automation services and experience-based consulting to digital products for beginners and specialized tutoring, learn proven marketing strategies and tips for entrepreneurs to build passive income and replace your day job. Tracy breaks down startup costs, realistic earnings, and practical email marketing tips to help you grow your email list and boost sales. Whether you're looking for side hustles for busy parents or innovative digital marketing tactics, this episode equips you with actionable advice and digital product ideas. Subscribe to the AI Escape Plan Newsletter for weekly insights and start your journey toward online entrepreneurship and financial freedom today. Key Timestamps 00:00 Opening - The 2 AM bank account reality check 00:45 Episode Overview 01:50 The Foundation Shift 02:45 Carter Osborne Case Study 04:05 Side Hustle #1: AI Automation Services - $200/hour with zero coding experience 05:15 Side Hustle #2: Experience-Based Consulting - Package your expertise 06:00 Side Hustle #3: Digital Products - Create once sell forever 07:25 Side Hustle #4: Specialized Tutoring - Steven Menking's $1,000/hour strategy 08:20 Side Hustle #5: User-Generated Content - Kelly Rocklein's 6-figure UGC business 09:05 Side Hustle #6: Skilled Trades - AI-proof income up to $300/hour 10:35 Side Hustle #7: Content Creation & Podcasting - Anonymous income with AI tools 11:15 Side Hustle #8: Remote Healthcare Support - 70% growth opportunity 12:25 The Reality Check - Why most side hustles fail and what 2026 changes 13:30 The Bigger Picture - Death of industrial employment model 15:05 Whiskered Wisdom - Your specific action step for this week Key Insights & Strategies Shared The Economic Reality 95% of workers say income hasn't kept up with cost of living Global gig economy hit $674 billion in 2026 87 million Americans will be freelancing by 2027 (nearly half the workforce) One in four adults already runs a side business The Carter Osborne Blueprint Started tutoring as side hustle in 2017 Quit PR director job by 2024 to earn $220K working 10 hours/week Most income from digital products, not direct tutoring $37 Google Doc made $800 in first week The 8 High-Earning Opportunities 1. AI Automation Services $60-200/hour rates on Upwork/Fiverr Projects range $2,000-15,000 Startup cost: $117/month (ChatGPT Plus + HighLevel) Example: Austin wellness studio paid $400/month for 10-minute ChatGPT bot 2. Experience-Based Consulting $75-150/hour for specialized knowledge Focus on specificity (customer retention specialist vs. business consultant) Mid-to-late career professionals excel with battle-tested solutions 3. Digital Products 90% profit margins after fees E-learning market racing toward $370 billion by 2026 Earnings: $1,000-50,000 monthly depending on niche Sell transformation, not just information 4. Specialized Tutoring Market hit $10.4 billion in 2024, growing 14.5% annually Steven Menking: up to $1,000/hour private tutoring Platforms: iTalki ($30-60/hour), Preply, Wyzant Focus on specialization, not competing on price 5. User-Generated Content Kelly Rocklein: six-figure business while keeping corporate job $200-500 per video through Billo, Insense, #paid Social media management: $50/hour once ROI proven No massive following required 6. Skilled Trades AI-proof income streams Marisa Risden: $4,500/month via TaskRabbit/Thumbtack Independent contractors: up to $300/hour specialized work Recession-resistant demand 7. Content Creation & Podcasting Ginni Saraswati-Cook: $50K monthly, doubled yearly 2026 twist: Anonymous channels using AI tools ElevenLabs (voice), Runway (editing), ChatGPT (scripts) Top podcasters: $30K-100K through multiple streams 8. Remote Healthcare Support 70% year-over-year growth Medical coders: nearly $40/hour average Lower barrier to entry than expected Certification requires organization skills, not medical degree Resources Mentioned AI Automation Platforms ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) HighLevel ($97/month) Zapier (workflow automation) Make.com (no-code automation) Upwork & Fiverr (freelance marketplaces) Digital Product Platforms Teachable (course creation) Thinkific (online courses) Etsy (template marketplace) Shopify (e-commerce store) Gumroad (digital downloads) Tutoring Platforms iTalki (language learning) Preply (conversational practice) Wyzant (academic subjects) UGC & Social Media Billo (UGC platform) Insense (brand collaborations) #paid (influencer marketing) Skilled Trades TaskRabbit (home services) Thumbtack (local services) Content Creation Tools ElevenLabs (AI voice generation) Runway (video editing) ChatGPT (script writing) Action Steps to Take This Week's Specific Action Pick ONE of the eight side hustles and spend 30 minutes researching the first step: AI Automation: Sign up for ChatGPT Plus Consulting: Write down 3 specific problems you've solved in your current job Digital Products: Identify one thing you know that others struggle with Tutoring: Research rates in your expertise area on iTalki or Wyzant UGC: Create sample content and research brand collaboration platforms Skilled Trades: List your practical skills and research local demand Content Creation: Experiment with AI tools for anonymous content Healthcare Support: Research certification requirements in your area Financial Preparation Research quarterly estimated tax requirements for 1099 income Consider forming an LLC if scaling toward full-time Don't let tax considerations stop you from starting Mindset Shifts Required Security comes from diversification, not dependence Focus on solving real problems, not chasing trends Start with proof of concept before major investments Call To Action Ready to stop trading hours for dollars and start building income streams that work around your family schedule? Subscribe to the AI Escape Plan Newsletter - specifically designed for parents ready to break free from the 9-to-5 grind. Each issue delivers practical, AI-powered strategies to start, grow, and streamline side hustles, all designed to protect your family time while boosting your income. Your roadmap to more money, more freedom, and more of what truly matters. Visit: DarkHorseInsider.com Key Quotes "The side hustle economy isn't a backup plan anymore - it's become the foundation of American work." "People pay for solutions to their problems, and you don't need thousands of subscribers to make money." "There are no prerequisites to starting a successful side hustle." "The side hustle economy is no longer coming. It's here. And it's waiting for you to claim your piece of it."
Mixergy - Startup Stories with 1000+ entrepreneurs and businesses
In private conversations, I’m hearing a lot of founders describe how they’re starting to sell to AI agents, like OpenClaw's. Zapier has more traction doing that than anyone else I met. So, in my monthly podcast with Zapier's founder, Wade Foster, I asked him to show me how they’re doing it. Wade Foster is the co-founder and CEO of Zapier, the automation platform used by hundreds of thousands of businesses to connect over 8,000 apps. Since launching in 2011, Zapier has grown into a remote-first company with more than 800 employees and hundreds of millions in revenue. Today, Wade is leading Zapier's evolution into AI-powered automation, MCP integrations, and tools built for an agent-driven future. Sponsored byZapier More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint
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 AI is either the end of agencies… or the biggest opportunity we've had since the internet. Most agree it's the second one. Agencies that are winning right now are combining SEO, GEO, AEO, and LLM optimization so they show up everywhere decisions are being made. They're using AI to increase leverage, not replace thinking. And they're restructuring their teams around strategy, insight, and proprietary data instead of repetitive task work. Today's featured guest will discuss why SEO isn't dead (it just grew up), the biggest mistake agencies are making with AI, how to 10x output without adding headcount, and why your unique data is the unfair advantage that separates you from every other agency prompting ChatGPT and hoping for magic. Terry Zelen is the founder of Zelen Communications, a 35-year-old agency that pivoted aggressively into AI over the last three years. He's helping clients win visibility across both search engines and large language models (LLMs) and even building AI tools internally to reduce hallucinations and improve accuracy. Terry has a degree in marine biology, so marketing wasn't the master plan. After college, he tried breaking into the creative world with zero portfolio and got laughed out of the room; until one person gave him a shot. He worked for free, proved himself, connected with a freelance rep, and slowly worked his way up through the agency ranks. He eventually transitioned from freelancer to agency owner by acquiring his own accounts and building relationships locally in Tampa. Fast forward three decades and now he's helping clients navigate AI, LLM visibility, and what modern SEO really looks like. In this episode, we'll discuss: Why SEO is more complicated now, but agencies willing to adapt can still win How LLM visibility will win you business AI: The greatest leverage small businesses have ever had Building an AI consensus engine Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. SEO Is Not Dead. It's Just Way More Complicated There's a lot of noise right now around "SEO is dead" or "zero-click internet." But that's an oversimplification. SEO isn't going away. It's evolving. Today, it's not just SEO. It's: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) Local SEO EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust) Search intent In other words, visibility is the game. Not just ranking in Google, but showing up in LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. Terry points out that while snippets and AI-generated summaries are increasing, people still want to verify sources. They're not buying a couch because an LLM told them it's the best. They'll still visit sites, compare options, and validate credibility. Backlinks, structured content, schema, quality. It all still matters. What's different is that now you're playing the game with Google and the LLMs. How LLM Visibility Actually Wins Business This isn't theoretical. Terry shared a story of a client who builds modular classroom buildings. A school district searched for "best mobile building producer in Florida" and the client showed up in a snippet. That visibility led directly to a new contract. So you're no longer optimizing just for rankings. You're optimizing to be the referenced authority when AI generates an answer. That means you better have structured content, clear positioning, backlinks, authority signals, and presence on surfaces LLMs scrape (including platforms like Reddit, though that's evolving). The agencies that understand this shift can bolt on new services like AI SEO or GEO and, in some cases, significantly increase revenue. But there's a catch. This space is evolving fast. What works today might not work next quarter. That's why Terry avoids gray-hat tactics and focuses on fundamentals. AI Is the Greatest Leverage Small Agencies Have Ever Had Terry believes this might be the most exciting time ever for small agencies because AI has eliminated barriers that used to require massive budgets. When a small restaurant client wanted a red snapper on a black background for their website, stock photography didn't cut it and real shoot would've required a diver, photographer, cooperative fish and a significant budget. Instead, they used Midjourney to create the image. Then they animated it so the fins and gills subtly moved. The client was blown away. For a small restaurant, this level of visual production used to be impossible. Now it's affordable and scalable. That's the opportunity. Agencies can deliver higher-quality creative, faster, and at lower cost if they know how to use the tools. A Very Real Fear for Future Marketers Terry regularly speaks to marketing students who are worried AI will take their jobs. What he tells them is that AI won't take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI will. The key is not blind reliance. It's intelligent leverage. AI is excellent at: Research Proposal drafting Competitive analysis First drafts of content Summarizing data What used to take weeks can now take hours. That frees your team from repetitive, dreaded tasks and allows them to focus on strategy, creativity, and client impact. But there's a danger in over-reliance. Too many agencies are slapping "AI" on everything without adding original thinking or proprietary data. Your edge isn't that you use AI. Your edge is your data. Every agency has unique client data, performance metrics, positioning, and experience. When you combine that with AI, that's where real leverage happens. Building a Consensus Engine to Reduce AI Hallucinations One of the more advanced things Terry is experimenting with is what he calls a "consensus engine." The problem with LLMs is that they're probabilistic, not deterministic. Ask the same question twice and you'll get two slightly different answers. They also hallucinate. To combat this, Terry built a workflow using N8N (a Zapier-like automation tool) that runs content through multiple LLMs. One writes it. Another critiques it. The final output must pass both systems before it's considered valid. If they disagree, it's sent back through with adjusted parameters. He's also exploring how different LLMs perform best in different roles: Perplexity for real-time research ChatGPT for writing Claude for programming Instead of treating AI as one tool, he's assembling a stack of specialized tools. That mindset shift, thinking like a systems architect instead of a prompt typist, is what separates surface-level AI use from strategic advantage. 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.
In this episode, Carlos Gonzalez de Villaumbrosia interviews Chris Geoghegan, VP of Product at Zapier. As the company's first-ever Product Manager, Chris has spent nearly a decade scaling Zapier into a $5 billion automation giant that serves over 3.4 million businesses and 69% of the Fortune 1000.Zapier is not just building AI tools; they are powering their entire company with them. Chris reveals that his team currently runs over 800 active AI agents internally to manage everything from calendar prep to engineering triage. He breaks down the Code Red moment that shifted their strategy and how they are defining the future of Agentic Workflows.What you'll learn:Agentic vs. Deterministic: Why standard workflows follow a set path, while agents can reason, access knowledge, and change course to solve problems.The Orchestration Layer: How to hire and onboard AI agents using Context Engineering and Model Context Protocols (MCPs).Adoption vs. Transformation: Why adoption is just doing old tasks faster, while transformation unlocks business models that were previously impossible.Building a Moat: How Zapier uses its vast data on user intent to stay ahead of commodity LLM features.Key takeaways:Treat Agents Like Employees: You can't just deploy an agent; you must onboard it with specific context and tools to be effective.Lead by Building: Transformation fails if leaders don't use the tools. Zapier's execs do show-and-tell sessions to prove they are hands-on.AI Governance is Key: To move up-market to the enterprise, you must solve for Observability (who sent what data) and Access Control.Credits:Host: Carlos Gonzalez de VillaumbrosiaGuest: Chris Geoghegan Social Links: Follow our Podcast on Tik Tok here Follow Product School on LinkedIn here Join Product School's free events here Find out more about Product School here
AI agents differ from chatbots by pursuing autonomous goals through the ReACT loop rather than responding to turn-based prompts. While coding agents are currently the most reliable due to verifiable feedback loops, the market is expanding into desktop and browser automation via tools like Claude co-work and open claw. Links Notes and resources at ocdevel.com/mlg/mla-28 Try a walking desk - stay healthy & sharp while you learn & code Generate a podcast - use my voice to listen to any AI generated content you want Fundamental Definitions Agent vs. Chatbot: Chatbots are turn-based and human-driven. Agents receive objectives and dynamically direct their own processes. The ReACT Loop: Every modern agent uses the cycle: Thought -> Action -> Observation. This interleaved reasoning and tool usage allows agents to update plans and handle exceptions. Performance: Models using agentic loops with self-correction outperform stronger zero-shot models. GPT-3.5 with an agent loop scored 95.1% on HumanEval, while zero-shot GPT-4 scored 67.0%. The Agentic Spectrum Chat: No tools or autonomy. Chat + Tools: Human-driven web search or code execution. Workflows: LLMs used in predefined code paths. The human designs the flow, the AI adds intelligence at specific nodes. Agents: LLMs dynamically choose their own path and tools based on observations. Tool Categories and Market Players Developer Frameworks: Use LangGraph for complex, stateful graphs or CrewAI for role-based multi-agent delegation. OpenAI Agents SDK provides minimalist primitives (Handoffs, Sessions), while the Claude Agent SDK focuses on local computer interaction. Workflow Automation: n8n and Zapier provide low-code interfaces. These are stable for repeatable business tasks but limited by fixed paths and a lack of persistent memory between runs. Coding Agents: Claude Code, Cursor, and GitHub Copilot are the most advanced agents. They succeed because code provides an unambiguous feedback loop (pass/fail) for the ReACT cycle. Desktop and Browser Agents: Claude Cowork( (released Jan 2026) operates in isolated VMs to produce documents. ChatGPT Atlas is a Chromium-based browser with integrated agent capabilities for web tasks. Autonomous Agents: open claw is an open-source, local system with broad permissions across messaging, file systems, and hardware. While powerful, it carries high security risks, including 512 identified vulnerabilities and potential data exfiltration. Infrastructure and Standards MCP (Model Context Protocol): A universal standard for connecting agents to tools. It has 10,000+ servers and is used by Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google. Future Outlook: By 2028, multi-agent coordination will be the default architecture. Gartner predicts 38% of organizations will utilize AI agents as formal team members, and the developer role will transition primarily to objective specification and output evaluation.
In Episode 103 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez sits down with Kaitlyn Study, entrepreneur and owner of South Street and Co., to explore what it really means to move from experimenting with AI to fully operationalizing it inside your business. Over the past year, Kaitlyn has automated "250 plus tasks across her business," transforming repetitive processes into structured, strategic systems. As Erik frames it, this conversation is about "automating and operationalizing AI in your business, not the nuts and bolts of which buttons to click, but why this matters strategically and how it becomes a real competitive advantage." Kaitlyn's journey began with a simple realization: "How can I clone myself without using math and science?" After experiencing team turnover and the strain of repetitive operational work, she turned to tools like Zapier, N8N, and AI platforms to eliminate friction and create clarity. The result wasn't just time savings, it was precision. As Kaitlyn explains, "If the automation doesn't work, I know that I did something wrong and didn't correctly portray what I was trying to get out of it." That level of accountability changed how her agency manages hiring, time tracking, sales follow-ups, and capacity planning. Listeners will gain practical, cross-industry insights, including: · Why "auditing your time" is the first step toward meaningful automation · How to identify "friction" points that signal automation opportunities · Why "you have to test it and test it and test it" when integrating AI into workflows · How freeing "brain space" allows leaders to focus on higher-level strategic thinking · Why the goal "is not to replace people" but to "have you do better, higher level work that you're really great at" For direct-to-consumer brands, agencies, and growth-focused executives, this episode offers a roadmap for scaling operations without sacrificing creativity or culture. Automation, when applied thoughtfully, becomes evolution, not revolution. As Kaitlyn emphasizes, "The goal is not to replace people. It's to have you do better, higher level work that you're really great at, and to have the nuanced, repetitive tasks taken care of." If you're serious about turning AI from a tool into a competitive advantage, this episode is a must-listen.
Get our 5 AI workflows + 15 prompts to automate social trends research: https://clickhubspot.com/egs Ep. 400 Can you automate the most painful, time-consuming parts of marketing with AI—without sacrificing creativity or results? Kipp and Mike Futia (Founder of SCALE AI) dive into Mike's real-world blueprint for AI-powered social trendspotting and creative production for brands. Learn more on building custom AI tools (no coding experience required), the line between automation and human creative input, and which AI workflows actually move marketing metrics instead of making more work. Mentions Mike Futia https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-futia-108709126/ Apify https://apify.com/ Claude https://claude.ai/ n8n https://n8n.io/ Zapier https://zapier.com/ Make.com https://www.make.com/ Weavy https://www.weavy.ai/ Nano Banana https://nanobananaimg.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.