Full Transcript for Ep. 5 | Navigating AI Disruption in Business with Wes Towers

all need to do it. 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:44.879 What does it genuinely mean to my business and how how do I make the most of the opportunities that are presented before before me? 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:46.879 And I think that's what everyone needs to do. 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:53.759 Any career path really who sits behind a computer and does the does the work is vulnerable to um disruption. 00:04:53.920 --> 00:05:01.439 So yeah, a lot of fear, um, but invested a fair bit of time in figuring it out and and building better standard operating procedures that worked. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:09.920 So same outcomes that we're achieving and working towards for client, uh, but just improve the way in which we do it so we can deliver it a faster way, really. 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:18.560 Yeah, we have AI and anyone can go out there and potentially build a website with an AI tool, and the AI tool can build it, and that's fine. 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:22.800 But the AI tool doesn't have the 20 years of experience that you have. 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:26.639 The AI tool doesn't understand people like you understand people. 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:33.680 And those are the values that you will bring to the table that people cannot get by themselves. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:38.399 You know, no matter how much they ask AI, it cannot replace the humanity. 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:43.680 So you said you've completely rebuilt Uplift 360 from where it started. 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:48.879 What was the first uncomfortable pivot that you had to make in this reinvention? 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:53.360 Yeah, so the the reworking of the standard operating procedure. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:59.519 So all the team follow a fairly regimented process, so the outcome was always consistent. 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:03.600 It was something that I always wanted to set up in business. 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:13.439 I read the um the e-myth a long, long time ago when I started the business, and it speaks about systemizing things, so the outcome is predicted. 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:14.800 Yeah, it's brilliant, isn't it? 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:17.759 And the way it's uh presented in in story form. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:25.600 It took a fair bit of time and investment to to rework all of those standard operating procedures to get to the same outcomes. 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:29.120 But the the challenge also is that the tech is changing as well. 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:32.639 So we'll need to keep evolving those standard operating procedures. 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:37.360 Well, we had them consistent for a long time, um, the software stack and so on that we were using. 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:39.120 So things have adjusted a lot. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:44.560 And it and it takes time because the the team members were following these procedures for a long time. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:53.519 So they kind of knew it uh robotically, like they knew it every step of the journey, and then to rework

that, so everyone had to follow a new set of processes. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:07:02.560 It took a bit of time and investment, and I really leaned on the team as well because particularly the techie guys, the developers, they really understand this kind of stuff. 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:08.800 So I really opened it up to them to give some guidance on on what we should do and how we could improve things. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:26.560 Historically, it is it was always me leading the way, the way in which we do the work, but this time around, it felt like I only had a limited amount of knowledge, and I felt like I needed to draw upon my team in in new ways to to rebuild and think about okay, if we were starting from scratch, what what would it look like? 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:28.399 What would what would we do differently? 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:32.319 And it was a powerful process, and it worked out really well. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:36.079 We had our most profitable year ever, our just last financial year. 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:45.680 We report in at the end of June, so a few months ago now, was the most profitable financial year as a as a result really of rebuilding and reshaping the way in which we work. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:46.720 That's incredible. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:48.319 Congratulations about that. 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:49.839 Super happy for you. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:08:00.879 Tell me, I'm curious because you said, you know, you were so used to what how you did things and you were stirring the ship and you were the one who knew best. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:07.199 And now that's a little bit more so you gotta rely on your team members a little bit more. 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:09.199 How was that pivot for you? 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:10.800 How was that process for you? 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:13.839 I think it was a new level of leadership, really. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:19.519 So I guess when I started the business, I had pr pretty much no leadership skills as such. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:22.000 And so I knew how to do the do the work. 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:28.560 And so the way it kind of evolved was I ended up just modeling everything on how I would do things. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:31.519 And so I delegated aspects of what I was doing. 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:33.600 Um, so that's kind of how it took shape. 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:45.120 But this is different in that I'm relying, I've relied on uh the team who are experts in their field, oftentimes better than than me, in their one thing that they do for the business. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:52.320 So it would be naive of me just to think that I could set the new way forward when they know their piece better than me. 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:58.799 Now I needed to bring it all together and and make sure and understand it and bring it and make the decisions, the final decisions. 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:03.279 But um, when technology is evolving so fast, no one person knows everything. 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:10.240 So it's it's um it's a been a lesson learned in in leadership and understanding how a team can work to a higher level. 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:19.759 The whole point of getting your teammates and the people to work for you is that they know that a specific area so much better than you could ever do it. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:21.600 We all have our strengths for sure. 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:23.039 I love that approach. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:34.159 So, for founders who might not speak the SEO language, can you touch upon what does the search everywhere optimization mean that you mentioned earlier? 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:39.120 A few years ago, everyone would go to Google or a search engine to find a business. 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:40.399 That's just what we all did. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:41.600 And and people still do that. 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:45.360 Obviously, Google are um still a major player in that space. 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.879 But these days as well, there's the large language model. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:51.519 So chat GPT is is the most popular. 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:55.360 Before they make a buy buying decision, they're typically doing some research. 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:56.879 Um, and I do it all the time. 00:09:57.039 --> 00:10:12.960 I have a conversation with my chat GPT if there's something that I'm looking to learn about or or I need to purchase something or you know to find out what the best options are to optimize so your brand has the potential to show up and be uh recognized in these platforms. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:22.320 So all these platforms, they're pulling all the very what they perceive to be the best information and surfacing the best information for the exact thing that someone's looking for. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:25.279 And they can do that from a broad range of places online. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:31.679 So it's a matter of publishing that information that's um super specific and niche. 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:40.879 For us, it's we're a niche business, so it becomes easier because you can be the expert in the field for a certain type of person and a certain type of need. 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:42.559 That's the way we're we're looking at it. 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:47.919 So search everywhere optimization, it's about showing up in all the right places where you possibly can. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:11:02.399 It's it's difficult to publish everywhere, but there's ways in which you can you can do it to a large degree by as long as you've got a core message worth sharing, it can be repurposed and uh syndicated far and wide through social media, for example. 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:16.879 So you might write a wonderful blog post, uh a pillar piece, or a really strong piece, but you using AI can quickly repurpose that into a series of uh social media posts and have it syndicated out to all the platforms really quickly. 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:18.159 That's the beauty of AI.

00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:24.480 So once you've got a core message, it's worth amplifying that message through the technology that we have at our fingertips now. 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:26.320 You mentioned Chat GPT, I love that. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:29.200 I use ChatGPT probably like 300 times a day. 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:31.200 I don't even know at this point. 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:36.799 But I also love perplexity, actually, especially if I'm doing research. 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:41.279 I feel like I love how the research component of that one is. 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:48.399 But for discoverability and visibility, what changes do you foresee for 2026 for people? 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:56.240 Understanding what they're all trying to achieve is to give the very best information for a very specific uh query. 00:11:56.480 --> 00:12:03.600 It's a matter of producing that very best information for the very specific things and publishing it wherever you can. 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:07.440 So obviously, your website is one area you can easily uh control. 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:15.120 Um, so that's the pillar, that's the priority for our clients to get the website right and to get the quality content in there. 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:18.480 It's it's kind of a two sides of the same coin. 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:20.960 There's the main sales pages of your website. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:26.240 So they're typically clear, concise, compelling, all driven around getting the call to action happening. 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:33.120 So whether that be people requesting a quote or buying something online or making a phone call, those sorts of things, the call to action. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:36.399 So the main pages are around that, so that marketing angle. 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:45.200 But behind the scenes, we'll have insights or blog or news or case studies somewhere where we can fuel lots of um specific information. 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:48.879 But all of that information helps inform all the all the platforms. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:50.639 So we're looking for the very best information. 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:51.919 So you've just got to be there. 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:57.440 But typically we're working with um local businesses who who want to be known in the region in which they serve. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:02.000 So talking about the locations in in in in which they work is really important too. 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:04.799 So some clients will send us their job sheets. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:17.840 So sending that, and we can quickly with the right prompts produce content around that and make it a case study, just finding ways that we can work in with the customer so we can help them uh to achieve the goals that they have. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:19.840 Yeah, that's very interesting. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:29.200 I'm wondering if there's like a better way for SEO, for example, you would rename every single image so that you know Google can find it.

00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:33.440 And it's part of like your keywords and things like that, right? 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:40.000 So, what are some of the results that your clients have seen when they implement your system correctly? 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:44.879 A guy who called, he only invested a, I think it was a quite a small program we did. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:49.200 It might have been$3,000 that he invested for helping optimize his site. 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:51.919 So we only did a few little things to get it going. 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:58.639 And uh he he got a call from someone from a completely different city in Australia looking for his particular service. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:10.480 But it turned out after he he spoke to them, they said that they were having a conversation with their chat GPT asking, and they ended up asking who's the very best in Australia for this particular service offering. 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:13.440 And he can't he showed up as the very best. 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:14.799 So uh it worked. 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:22.720 So that was a hundred and forty thousand dollar contract that he won just simply by that one client who found him on Chat GPT. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:25.200 Just a small business, it's just a solo operator. 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:27.360 Wow, that is amazing. 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:32.480 If anyone wants to do it themselves, I've published a whole heap of prompts that people can copy and paste. 00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:33.360 It's on our website. 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:35.440 You haven't got to give your email or anything like that. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:36.000 It's on there. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:39.120 You can just get that and and start using it right away. 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:41.279 So things are changing so fast as well. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:46.240 So it's um we need to adjust the prompts as well as as things progress, no doubt. 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:48.000 But they're working really well right now. 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:55.600 Just the fact that you just mentioned that there can be very small tweaks that offer some big, big payoffs for your clients. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:15:00.559 Like, imagine like this person got the contract for you and for your clients. 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:05.679 This is not only niche, but also like location-based as well. 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:17.759 But they are still showing up for other people because of such a good job that you did at positioning them the right way that now they're still getting the contract, even though they're not even in the same city. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:22.480 You mentioned to me that you're candid about boundaries and burnout. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:28.159 How can ambitious people build authority without burning themselves out down to the ground? 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:33.759 It's hard to step away from your business sometimes when you're so passionate about what you do and try to achieve. 00:15:33.919 --> 00:16:02.559 So it's

really important, I've found, to have people in my corner, other business people who run different businesses to me, but just to have a sounding board so um to keep me level-headed and and to step away from the business directly, but to have conversations around what I could be doing better or or differently, or taking stock of what you're trying to achieve because it's so easy just to get stuck in the day-to-day that you don't realize there's a better way forward until someone sort of highlights it to you. 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:10.399 So that's been really helpful to make sure that I stay connected with a group of friends that that I feel are smarter than me in a whole lot of ways. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:15.279 Remember to step away from the business because when you're refreshed, you'll achieve so much more. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:24.799 Certainly early days I I spent a lot of time on the business and just trying to just hustle, just doing the hustle to get enough work to create a good enough income. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:28.559 But those days, I don't need I don't need to do that anymore. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:36.559 I've got systems, I've got team, um, I can rely upon the team, I can step back and guide the ship rather than try to do everything on my own. 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:38.000 It's been a real, real blessing. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:48.240 I understand what you're saying, that there's a point where you start the hustle, you start your business, you're getting it going, and you have to do most of the things yourself. 00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:57.440 But as soon as you start delegating things and letting things go, and like you mentioned earlier, you get your systems well organized and in place. 00:16:57.759 --> 00:17:05.599 There's a point where you have to let it go and let it see what it does and let people do their thing and not be in their way. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:12.880 So a lot of business over owners and creators themselves overthink their content and they never chip it. 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:18.079 Um and I know you were talking a lot about blogs and social media and all of that. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:27.680 So, what systems can be helpful for people to create consistently, even though they don't like really feel like it? 00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:31.200 Um, have you found anything that has helped your clients do that? 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:32.160 Yeah, definitely. 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:41.920 So it can be really difficult, but to come up with something fresh because business people typically they're so busy doing the work that it's hard to go and create the content. 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:47.200 But if you can create a way in which you can make it part of your daily habit, that's the ideal. 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:53.119 So I mentioned before, some people just send their job sheets and we create content on their behalf, case studies. 00:17:53.279 --> 00:18:01.359 There's there's another guy, I had a really tough time understanding exactly what he did because it's quite specific and it's something that I hadn't experienced before. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.279 So, but he was having a tough time explaining it. 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:04.240 He's super busy. 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:11.359 So even finding the time to have a conversation around what he did so we could produce content and get him found and all of that was difficult. 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:19.519 But in the end, he ended up videoing the projects as he was doing them, and they were crude videos just with on his phone while he's in the truck. 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:32.319 I don't know if he should be doing it, but um, whilst he's in the truck, he was explaining what he was doing, why he was doing it, what the benefits were for the customer, where he was working, so the locations, and just showing me exactly what he did as he did it. 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:34.079 He found that easier to communicate. 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:36.720 He ended up using the videos on YouTube and so on. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:39.359 They're pretty rough and ready, but they serve his purpose. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:42.720 So they were the videos, but from the video, we could use the transcript. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:50.160 So just take the transcript and repurpose that into a blog posts, which were quite detailed and you know, case study style blog posts. 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:55.759 And from that, those blog posts can be repurposed quickly, really, really quickly with AI. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:19:08.000 So all of a sudden, from one piece of information which was relevant and valuable for him, the video, we've got a whole series of content pieces, and and he hasn't got to uh touch any of it really. 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:13.599 He um once he's done that first piece of the puzzle for him, the video, then we can we can take it from there. 00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:16.480 And it's just a powerful way to amplify a message. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:23.519 Um, you still need to be guiding that the initial thought and bringing something new to the to the table. 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:29.359 Otherwise, what some people do is just rely on the AI tool to do the writing and and content creation for them. 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:35.119 But it's pretty bland and generic because it's just the average sum total of what of what everyone else has already said. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:39.519 It's just pulling in information and collating it into a new pace and people publish that. 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:50.720 But it because it's not adding anything new to the online world, it's very rarely going to surface on search engines or large language models because that information is already out there. 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:52.000 You've got to bring something fresh. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:20:01.200 So the stories that uh are unique to your business, the case studies, the examples, anything that's genuinely yours, um, your own opinions. 00:20:01.279 -->

00:20:04.559 Uh, there might be things that you do as a business that others don't do. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:09.519 Those unique aspects are really the things that you need to highlight throughout your content marketing. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:15.680 Wow, I'm having such a hard time figuring out how to do content for myself. 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:26.880 And you just like blew my mind because you were like, he just took it in his truck and he was doing whatever he was doing and he was filming it or what, you know, whatever he was working on. 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:28.640 Um, because it's a construction, right? 00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:45.920 I'm curious for a person um who is like a team of one, let's say, like, what are some other simple little workflows that they might be able to like do for themselves to like help them out a little before they can hire somebody like you, of course. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:48.319 This collaborations are really powerful. 00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:51.680 So when you're because you're leveraging someone else's audience as well. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:59.200 So in this instance, um, I mean, it's you and I having a conversation and hopefully there's some useful uh guidance in there and uh ideas. 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:07.440 But the beautiful beauty of collaboration is that you've multiplied your reach, doubled effectively if there's two two people with an audience. 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:11.119 So it's you and I sharing uh reels and and content. 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:19.119 And so the with that's why a podcast, so it's just a really powerful way for my business to reach so many more people uh around the world. 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:21.119 We can share that on multiple platforms. 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:25.599 It's two of us sharing and and just getting exposure to different audiences as well. 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:27.039 So there's ways to do it. 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:31.680 So this is a a cost-effective way of getting messages out there. 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:36.319 Um, guesting on on podcasts, hosting as well is is obviously powerful. 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:38.319 Um, and reusing that. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:42.480 So, I mean, even the transcript of this video, there was another lady. 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:56.960 I I was on a podcast and she's writing books, she's taking guests from her podcast and using an AI platform, I believe, reworks the transcripts into a book, and each each guest is a is a chapter in the book. 00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:59.759 And so I'm assuming she um she finds. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:05.039 The uh speakers who have some uh similar content, similar ideas that somehow flow. 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:07.839 But she's writing books off the back of her podcast. 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:15.119 So once you've got a set of ideas, there's just so many avenues you can take that one piece of information and and re-rework it. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:19.680 So yeah, so she sent the chapter of the book that's

that's mine, and it it read really well. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:26.400 It was a more polished, refined version of what I had said on the podcast, restructured in a way that serves as a as a book. 00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:33.440 Because I've had so many powerful women in my podcast so far, I was thinking that I would love to write a book about them. 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:40.400 And I never even thought about the fact that I have interviews with this women. 00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:45.519 So if there is a through line, I could potentially do it that way. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:49.279 That is so, or the lady that you went on the podcast at is doing that. 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:54.960 That is such a cool idea because you guys give such valuable advice to us. 00:22:55.200 --> 00:23:01.680 I feel like I was telling a friend, I'm like, look, I'm getting like free business advice, free therapy. 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:07.279 Well, technically not free, uh, because you know, like we put work into it. 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:12.319 Being a host is a lot of work, but I feel like it's so fulfilling to me. 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:22.720 I love getting to know people like you and just understanding what makes you tick and you know what you're doing and how incredible some people are. 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:24.880 Like it is just so cool to me. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:33.039 So if I could use that and also repurpose it into a bigger thing like a book, that sounds incredible. 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:39.519 Like, I don't know if like I'm I might need to borrow this idea from this person because this is such a cool idea. 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:46.319 The other advantage of that is say, for example, you're featuring six, six um podcast guests. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:55.599 Well, if they're somewhat of an author or a contributor to the book, well, they're they're likely to want to sell it or gift it, give it to people in their world as well. 00:23:55.759 --> 00:24:01.920 So imagine six people with a book that they can say they've their their information is in and they're sharing it to all their people. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:07.119 Just imagine the multiplication of six six people, six uh guests. 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:08.319 Could be really powerful. 00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:11.759 I didn't even think about that aspect of it, but you're right. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:16.880 You mentioned that you believe AI should amplify trust, not replace it. 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:23.359 What does that look like in practice from like a business owner, founder, creator perspective? 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:37.359 Yeah, so that I mean there's it feels as though there's a massive erosion of trust these days because people realize AI can mass produce content at scale, and it seems to be, it reads pretty well, and the videos look so realistic now. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:41.680 And imagine, you know, in six months' time how realistic those videos are going to be. 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:45.119 So there's there's a a lack of trust in the information that we see. 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:49.440 We can't we can't necessarily believe what our own eyes are showing us anymore. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:52.240 So trust is, I think, the new currency. 00:24:52.400 --> 00:25:04.640 So anything you can do to build trust and authority and and uh recognition in the industry in in which you serve, in which you work, and the people that you serve, they're they're going to be powerful. 00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:07.759 So the things that you can't easily manipulate. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:15.039 So reviews, for example, on third-party platforms such as Google, those sorts of things are going to be really, really powerful. 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:28.559 They already are, but I think it's going to just be even more so because people can't necessarily believe what they read on your website, um, but they they'll believe the reviews or the third-party endorsements on the social media, wherever it is. 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:38.240 How if it's finally time for us to move into the Web3 world because of that, a contract cannot be altered. 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:41.119 And if it is, you wouldn't know it's in the code. 00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:43.839 Like nobody can make stuff up there. 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:53.759 Takes your likeness uh from a video, and especially, you know, as creators or business owners putting themselves out there for their business, whatever. 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:55.359 Anyone can take your likeness. 00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:56.880 Like, we're here in this podcast. 00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:58.480 I'm gonna upload it to YouTube. 00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:05.119 Anyone can pretend to be you or me and create videos with our voices, with our face, everything. 00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:13.519 But in the web 3, it's gonna be a lot harder in the blockchain to make that because you just can fake it like that. 00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:15.359 Like if it's not original. 00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:19.440 So I'm wondering if that might be a direction that things might go. 00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:21.599 Um Yeah, you're probably right. 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:26.559 I hadn't really looked at that, considered that, but you I think you're you're spot on with all of that. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:29.920 It is interesting with plagiarism and so on at the moment. 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:44.240 I mean, a small legal battle at the moment because someone's I've got a tra my company named Trademarked, and there's someone stepping in my territory, you know, they've got they've got a logo very similar to mine and the name very similar to mine, and colours and everything. 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:47.440 Like it's um, I don't know if they even knew. 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:52.319 Oh I think they probably knew that they were replicating a lot of what what I've done. 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:54.640 But the resemblance is is uncanny. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:27:03.279 So I mean, I don't usually pursue things

legally, but in this instance it's just so dramatic that I that I've uh I've had to hire a lawyer to check it out for me and so on. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:07.519 So but these things are going to increase in you know the way in which things are done these days. 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:08.559 So it's interesting. 00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:25.039 I I just need to obviously I'll I'll pursue this one legally, but for the most part, when things people step on my toes or or what have you, I've just got to lift my game and and and work to a higher level to make sure I uh I remain visible and and trusted and and the authority in the in the field that I work in. 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:33.759 I also think that, you know, maybe like a first of all, I'm sorry that that's happening to you because it's not fun to go through things like that at all. 00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:46.000 But also I was thinking about back to when we were talking about trust and everything, how the best way I feel that people could trust you is if they actually know you. 00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:58.079 So I don't know if we're gonna see also a lot of more uh like you were mentioning with your client, for example, you know, how he was recording himself doing this and doing that and whatever. 00:27:58.240 --> 00:28:03.359 Like it's very authentic to him because it's literally his day-to-day what he's showing. 00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:11.279 I wonder how much more important authenticity is going to become for this trust purpose as well. 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:21.759 Because that way, if somebody sees a random video with your face and they're spewing some stuff that it's obviously not something that you would ever say. 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:24.880 I feel like your audience would be like, that's not you. 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:31.920 If you show up as yourself fully with people, um, the good, the bad, the ugly, uh, everything. 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:37.759 Like if you just show up authentically yourself, it's a lot harder to like manipulate that. 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:43.759 I feel like authenticity is really important because we can all present like a polished version of ourselves. 00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:47.039 But deep down everyone knows that every human is flawed. 00:28:47.119 --> 00:29:04.000 So even when you make a mistake, potentially, if something's not delivered on time or um something wasn't quite right, to own the the mistake and and to remedy it, obviously, for the for the customer or whoever it is, but to own those failures, I think that puts you at a a stronger position in the in the long run. 00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:06.079 It's a it's like the long-term game. 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:17.440 People will start to um recognize you you have a level of integrity and they'll want to work with you despite the um minor hiccup that you might have had, the um the integrity will will stand the test of time. 00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:19.759 Let me pivot a little bit to the brands. 00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:30.240 Like, how do you help brands keep their voice human, talking about authenticity and you know, integrity, um, while using AI behind the scenes? 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:32.559 Like, how how do you help them with that? 00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:46.240 We call it the brand voice operating system, so OS, and um, it's just a bit techy, but uh it's really like a style guide to make sure that the content that we're producing on their behalf is really exactly how they would say it. 00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:53.440 So getting those foundations in in place for every customer because we're producing the content on their behalf, it needs to sound exactly like them. 00:29:53.599 --> 00:29:55.200 So it's worth putting that effort in. 00:29:55.359 --> 00:30:00.480 Sometimes people skip that step and just rely on the tools to do all the content for them. 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:08.079 So that's the that's the brand voice, it's the way in which you might say something, but the message obviously is the is the core thing. 00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:14.960 So you've got to find a way to make sure the message is uniquely the customer, and that's why the video is powerful. 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:27.759 It's his message, wasn't very polished, but with that in combination with the brand voice, the the content that was produced was a perfect match for who he was, and it was authentically his, just in a more refined way. 00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:40.400 It you know, it helps to structure the ideas into a logical sequence so other people can understand it because the videos were just him talking, talking and a little bit uh sporadic, I suppose, and not in a logical sequence necessarily. 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:50.000 So the AI tool tools help you to refine it into some in into a structure that makes sense for other people to engage with. 00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:55.119 Tell me a little bit more about the brand voice OS that you mentioned. 00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:59.920 Yeah, it's really like a style guide and a brand style guide for the content writing. 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:05.920 So bigger companies always had their uh style guides for everything that they produced and content writing. 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:18.480 And copywriters would use these documents, and I've seen some massive ones for bigger organizations, multiple pages outlining precisely what language to use, how to structure sentences, the the tone. 00:31:18.720 --> 00:31:20.880 It was always a bit of a headache for a copywriter. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:27.680 So they would take these documents on board and it was so elaborate, they'd read it all, understand it, get busy on the writing. 00:31:27.839 --> 00:31:33.039 Because it was so prescriptive, it was hard to remember exactly what was in there because there's just so much. 00:31:33.200 --> 00:31:37.839 And so they'd slowly deviate back towards their own prep preferred styles. 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:42.559 But now you can write some content and then run it through

the brand voice operating system. 00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:47.119 So it's a really large um prompt, effectively, and it will tidy up everything. 00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:52.799 So it just makes sure everything's on point and the style is consistent each and every time. 00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:57.920 Because we all have our own preferred way of writing and communicating and so on. 00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:01.920 And so that's not necessarily in line with the client, the customer. 00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:09.039 Basically, it's just an uh a massive prompt um to make sure everything's kept um in that consistent format. 00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:09.920 That's great. 00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:20.400 And then that's is that just internal for you, or are do you sell that to people for people to be able to like go to your website and use the brand voice OS for themselves? 00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:23.359 Most of the time we're just creating it for internal use. 00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:26.720 So there's been some clients who have purchased that as a service. 00:32:26.880 --> 00:32:30.160 So they'll get the document and they'll use it internally. 00:32:30.240 --> 00:32:31.680 It depends on the nature of the business. 00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:41.200 So some clients they'll have a marketing department, they might have a team of people, or they might just be a marketing person with within an organization, or at least someone responsible for marketing. 00:32:41.440 --> 00:32:43.599 They might have multiple tasks on their plate. 00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:47.759 So giving them the tools so they can use them ongoingly. 00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:48.960 And it's really helpful. 00:32:49.119 --> 00:32:52.319 Sometimes uh we'll do it, depends on the nature of the business. 00:32:52.400 --> 00:33:00.400 Sometimes we'll do the blog content writing, and then we'll give them what they need, the prompts, so they can repurpose it really quickly into social posts, for example. 00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:07.200 Yeah, so there's been some instances where we've sold that as a service standalone, and people have run with that themselves. 00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:09.680 But for the most part, we're just using it internally. 00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:10.880 Oh, I see. 00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:18.880 Um, I think because you and I have a little bit similar background in that sense, um, I have one for myself, for sure. 00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:26.640 Even trained my chat GPT on really funny, really, to some people, but I'm like, I don't think it's funny. 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:41.839 Like, I think the more it knows about me and how I want to write and the things I would say, then the easier it will be for it to sound exactly like me almost, so that then I only have to change some wording here and there, and it's just a lot less on my plate. 00:33:42.079 --> 00:33:53.440 Mine knows my astrology, mine knows my uh Myers Briggs, mine knows like all of these like big things that you know are for me. 00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:58.720 Um, and then of course it knows like what I want the brand to be like, all of that. 00:33:58.799 --> 00:34:02.640 So in combination with all of that, it like helps me write things. 00:34:02.799 --> 00:34:08.880 Um, you spoke about intentionality and reinvention and boundaries and all of that. 00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:12.800 What is a legacy that you're building towards for you? 00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:15.679 Like what do you see your legacy being? 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:17.119 It's an interesting question. 00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:20.480 I suppose I've evolved over over the years. 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:31.360 Uh, I guess being a a dad, my outside of business, my my biggest legacy is if I can leave um my children with a a a good solid foundation uh to work from. 00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:37.440 Uh my eldest son is working with me now one day a week, which is I see that as a legacy um move. 00:34:37.519 --> 00:34:40.320 It's it's almost like a mentoring opportunity. 00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:45.440 It gives me an opportunity to see my son because he's uh nearly 20 now. 00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:48.880 So it's good to have that connection ongoing and to help guide him. 00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:57.440 I I just made so many mistakes in business in general, and I I realize he wants to start his own business as well eventually, uh, in a creative endeavor as well. 00:34:57.519 --> 00:35:03.599 So uh to have him on board and uh hopefully mentor him so he he doesn't have to make all the same mistakes I did. 00:35:03.760 --> 00:35:04.880 He'll make his own as well. 00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:09.760 But um, if I can guide him, that's that's real legacy for me to set my my kids up in that way. 00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:13.039 So exciting that your kid is working with you. 00:35:13.280 --> 00:35:14.880 I love supportive parent. 00:35:15.119 --> 00:35:18.400 Last question before we move on to the rapid fire ones. 00:35:18.639 --> 00:35:28.559 Um, for ambitious listeners who, you know, are stuck doubting themselves, what is one neck brave step that you think they can take? 00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:32.880 I think uh just to always remember that momentum beats perfection. 00:35:33.039 --> 00:35:38.320 So just to get started and start moving towards that ambitious goal that you have. 00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:44.800 I think sometimes we just delay, we don't get started because we don't think we've got it quite right yet or we're not quite ready. 00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:46.800 It's never going to be the perfect time. 00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:53.920 There's always going to be something that some reason that can you can say to yourself, no, this is not this is not for me now. 00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:55.760 That that'll that'll never change. 00:35:55.920 --> 00:36:00.800 You just have to get started and and and start working towards that end goal. 00:36:00.960 --> 00:36:03.440 Learn on the way and adjust correct course. 00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:12.239 The the road to success isn't linear,

it's kind of like it's it's a crazy uh roller coaster ride sometimes, but I think just get started and and uh work from there. 00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:16.400 I think I needed to hear that from you today, too. 00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:28.239 Because I'm always um trying to make everything as nice and as perfect and as aesthetic as I know how, of course, because I'm still learning. 00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:31.360 Okay, so now some just fun rapid fire questions. 00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:37.679 Like, um what is the one AI tool you'll keep if everything else just vanished? 00:36:37.840 --> 00:36:38.559 Right now, at least. 00:36:38.800 --> 00:36:43.039 Or ChatGPT is the is the one that I think I'll stick with forever. 00:36:43.199 --> 00:36:43.599 I love it. 00:36:44.000 --> 00:36:46.239 One business hill you will die on. 00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:48.079 Uh integrity, I suppose. 00:36:48.239 --> 00:36:56.800 Yeah, that's uh gotta stick with the integrity, even though it costs, it feels like it costs you sometimes, but for the long term, it's it's something that's worth continuing with. 00:36:57.119 --> 00:36:58.320 Awesome, yeah, I agree. 00:36:58.480 --> 00:37:03.280 Um most overrated marketing advice that you've heard, right, to this point. 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:08.400 I suppose I always find the Google Ads to be overrated. 00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:15.039 Seems so expensive and oftentimes doesn't produce the outcome it easily gets on other platforms. 00:37:15.360 --> 00:37:20.639 What is the biggest ick in business, your biggest ick in business? 00:37:21.039 --> 00:37:32.719 There's networking groups where you feel compelled to give referrals to other members, but they're not referrals because the people deserve them, they're because you've joined the club and and you feel compelled to do so. 00:37:32.880 --> 00:37:39.280 I think um, yeah, I I would avoid I've been in those groups before, uh, and I think I'd avoid that. 00:37:39.360 --> 00:37:41.199 It just gives me an icky feeling. 00:37:41.440 --> 00:37:48.320 I feel like you're reading my mind right now because I so many of the things you've said have been so helpful for me. 00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:54.719 And one of the things that I was looking into was joining one of those like business things down here in Miami. 00:37:54.880 --> 00:37:59.920 Um, so yeah, if they're icky, maybe I need to stir clear of those. 00:38:00.719 --> 00:38:03.519 It depends on the on who's in the group, I think, as well. 00:38:03.679 --> 00:38:09.119 So if you can genuinely refer people to the other people in the in the group, then that's fine. 00:38:09.199 --> 00:38:14.320 But if you're giving it the referrals just because you you kind of have to, then that that's not a good idea. 00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:15.519 Right, yes. 00:38:15.679 --> 00:38:17.440 No, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. 00:38:17.599 --> 00:38:24.000 I guess I will have to just go to one of the meetings and see and like fill it out with my thought to see. 00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:24.480 Okay. 00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:28.800 Uh, one thing every ambitious human should try at least once. 00:38:29.119 --> 00:38:34.880 Probably the thing I think the thing you fear the most is probably the most useful thing in your life. 00:38:34.960 --> 00:38:36.880 It feels like that for me in my life. 00:38:37.039 --> 00:38:46.239 The things that I've feared the most, like public speaking, for example, doing those things, um, figuring out how to do that is is always worthwhile. 00:38:46.400 --> 00:38:48.559 Those things you fear are holding us back. 00:38:48.800 --> 00:38:50.639 Wow, my brain is like going. 00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:54.000 I'm gonna go write stuff after this interview. 00:38:54.320 --> 00:38:58.239 Um okay, so your ambition level today, how is it? 00:38:58.480 --> 00:39:02.800 Calm, caffeinated, or in building your empire type of mode? 00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:04.400 How are you feeling right now? 00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:13.119 Today I'm um super caffeinated because I started at 3:45, their first um podcast, so which is cool. 00:39:13.199 --> 00:39:19.920 I love doing podcasts, but uh to get through to to this point in time, I've had more coffee than I probably should have. 00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:21.679 So, but I'm fueled up, ready to go. 00:39:21.840 --> 00:39:22.800 Oh my goodness. 00:39:22.960 --> 00:39:23.440 All right. 00:39:23.599 --> 00:39:29.760 Well, uh, hopefully you get to rest a little bit uh after you take care of whatever business you have to take care of. 00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:32.400 Thank you so, so much for coming, Wes. 00:39:32.480 --> 00:39:36.000 It was amazing having you and such amazing advice. 00:39:36.239 --> 00:39:39.679 So I hope everybody enjoys the interview. 00:39:39.840 --> 00:39:40.719 I know they will. 00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:42.000 I know I did. 00:39:42.320 --> 00:39:45.599 Um any last words for everybody? 00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:46.639 That's been brilliant. 00:39:46.960 --> 00:39:47.440 Thanks so much. 00:39:47.519 --> 00:39:48.880 I think the interview's gone really well. 00:39:48.960 --> 00:39:52.320 I've done a lot of these now, and this is one of my my favorite ones so far. 00:39:52.400 --> 00:39:55.280 So uh well done on what you're doing with the podcast. 00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:56.800 Thank you so much.