I am just wondering. . . how many AI platforms do you typically have open at one time? As we speak, I have 5 running at once. (Not including the automated tasks that are scheduled) Here's what we are working on: Chatgpt is finalizing details on a trifold brochure, Claude working on a report, Artlist is working on a video, and n8n is working on a batch of 40 SEO-optimized articles for me, and Loveable is pumping out a new lead magnet. What a bizarre world we live in, and it's such a unique time for all of us. What are some operational workflows you use AI for?

Tell me about your experience with secret shopping your competitors. Have you ever done it? Are you opposed to it? Do you consider it a normal part of competitive research, or does it cross a line for you? I was first introduced to the concept in 2008 while working for someone else. I hated it the first time. It made me feel a little icky, to be honest. But going through the exercise also showed me how valuable the information could be. Simply experiencing a competitor's pre-sale process highlighted areas where we were stronger, areas where they were stronger, and places where we could improve our own customer experience. About two years after we opened our first remodeling company, we discovered that one of our competitors had secret shopped us using a particularly creative approach. At first, I was a little offended. Then I thought about it differently. If a competitor was curious enough about our sales process to study it, I decided to take that as a compliment. Today, because of the work I do, I regularly talk with and interview other marketing agencies. I am always upfront about who I am and why I am talking with them. Even then, I am sometimes surprised by how much companies are willing to share about their processes, pricing, positioning, and approach. Which brings me back to the question: What do you think about secret shopping competitors? Smart competitive research? Something you would never do? Or does it depend on how it is done?

One of the very first employees I hired (when I was coming up in my career) was a woman who was 4 months pregnant. She didn’t have to tell me she was pregnant. In fact, she shouldn’t have. But my boss and mentor gave me full autonomy with filling the position and said I don’t care who you hire - you’re responsible for them. I knew that hiring someone who was absolutely - without a doubt - taking several months off after just getting established in their position was not operationally or fiscally a safe move. But she was the right hire. The right person at the right time. Who knew what was going to happen if and when she returned from medical leave? I didn’t. She didn’t. So we gambled on each other. She promised to give it her all and come back after medical leave. I promised to give her a real opportunity. She was hands down the best employee I’ve ever had. She worked with us for several years before relocating out of state to be near family. Today I received a handwritten note thanking me for taking that gamble. 😳🥰 Her daughter is 21 now and in college. You never know whose life you are affecting - and how. Sometimes you think you know. Sometimes we are lucky enough to learn the full story and appreciate just how much impact you made. Feeling grateful, thankful, and blessed ❤️

It's always interesting to me the speed with which each brand moves. I have 3 clients right now. . . . One has been working with me on a re-brand of their website for 10 months. He's thrilled. I'm chomping at the bit. A website in "staging" is doing NOTHING for his company. But he doesn't want to launch it until its PERFECT. Another client wanted his website launched within 4 weeks. Done. He's already getting leads. A third client has been vacillating on updating their website for 2 years so I built a proto-type. We are running ads to it right now to see if their old site performs better than their new site (turns out the answer is YES) so now its time to complete the rebrand across the entire site. Three different companies, different locations, and different services. They all chose a different path. Neither is right. None are wrong. But there is a cost attached to the speed at which we make decisions. Sometimes moving slowly protects you from making an expensive mistake. Sometimes moving slowly is the expensive mistake. As business owners, I think one of the harder things to learn is knowing the difference. Which are you naturally more inclined to do? Launch it and improve it — or keep working until you know it's right?

What is ONE thing you are going to take action on in the next 24 hours?!