Shows
Early AdoptrHoliday Rewind: How to Get AI to Actually Do What You Want - Prompt Engineering That Doesn't Suck We're off for the holidays so this is a re-release of one of our most popular episodes. Kyle and Jess completely overhaul their most popular episode on prompt engineering, because GPT-5 isn't just faster than GPT-4 - it's fundamentally different. It follows instructions with "surgical precision," handles 800 pages of context at once, and will get confused if you give it contradictory prompts that older models would just ignore. Not to mention there's been a whole host of other updates to prompt engineering that deserve attention too.We dive deep into why role prompting (like "act as...
2025-12-2444 min
Women LeadNavigating the Future of Media and Advertising with Verena GründelIn this year-end wrap episode of Women Lead, Nadia Koski sits down with Verena Gründel, Host and Director of Brand & Communications, at DMEXCO, and one of Germany’s Top 100 Most Influential Women, for a timely and thought-provoking conversation on where media, marketing, and communication are heading next going into 2026.As the industry reflects on a year shaped by rapid innovation, awards season, and cultural shifts, Verena shares her perspective on the trends, tensions, and transformations that will define 2026. From standout purpose-driven campaigns and industry events to the real, practical role of AI beyond the hype, this con...
2025-12-1733 minEarly AdoptrYour IP in the AI Era: What Disney's Deal with Sora Means for Founders & SMBsLast week, Disney announced a billion-dollar deal with OpenAI to license 200+ characters into Sora. Everyone's treating this as Hollywood drama, but what Disney actually did is show every IP-based company, whether you're a global studio or a solo creator, the exact playbook for navigating AI. This week, we brought in our friend Rich Welsh to break it down from every angle at once. He's a Hollywood veteran, a startup founder, and now a VC investor. That combination means he's seen this industry from the creative side, the founder side, and the investment side, exactly the perspective...
2025-12-1756 minEarly AdoptrThe Vibe Coding Playbook: What to Use, What to Skip, and How to Dodge the PitfallsLast week, we broke down what vibe coding is. This week, we break down the only question anyone actually cares about: “Okay… so what tool do I use?”The vibe coding ecosystem has gone crazy in the last 12 months, and the amount of choice is overwhelming.But here’s the real ones know: The tool matters way less than your structure....And that’s what this episode is really about. In this episode, we take you through a practical roadmap for building real software with AI, without sinking your project.We walk throu...
2025-12-1059 minEarly AdoptrThe End of Coding As We Know It? A Deep Dive Into Vibe CodingEveryone keeps saying AI is transforming software development, but the real story is how vibe coding is quietly rewriting who gets to build in the first place. Over the past year, AI coding tools have gone from cute party tricks to fully agentic systems that can read your entire codebase, plan out multi-step tasks, and scaffold an entire app from a single prompt.But here’s the part that isn’t getting enough attention: vibe coding isn’t just about replacing developers. It’s changing what development is. And that shift is opening the door for founders...
2025-12-0357 minEarly AdoptrMaking Your Business "Agent-Legible": Practical Playbook for the AI-Commerce EraIn part two of our deep dive into agentic commerce, Jess brings back her colleague Nathalie Lethbridge to answer the question every SMB is asking: How do I prepare for a world where AI agents are the middlemen between customers and products?Last week, we explored the power struggle between Amazon's walled garden and OpenAI/Perplexity's open-web vision. This week, we get tactical. Nathalie walks through the practical framework for making your e-commerce site "agent-legible" - helping your products become visible and accessible to AI agents that will soon be shopping on behalf...
2025-11-2658 minEarly AdoptrWhy Amazon, Google, and OpenAI Are Fighting Over Your Next PurchaseThe agentic shopping wars are here. And nobody's paying attention yet.Amazon just sued Perplexity. Google just launched agentic shopping. OpenAI is rewriting how commerce works...all of it is aimed at the holiday season, and all of it means something fundamental about e-commerce is about to shift.But here's what's getting lost in the headlines: this isn't just about the tech. It's a legal story about who owns your customer relationship, amd a business model story about who controls the data. It's a fork in the road for SMBs between two very...
2025-11-1958 minEarly AdoptrAI Can't Even Do 3% of Your Job - So Why Are Companies Laying Employees Off?The narrative is everywhere: AI is coming for your job. But here's what nobody's talking about. The data shows AI can't even complete 3% of professional tasks yet. So why are companies laying people off left and right? In this episode, Jess and Kyle untangle the messiest contradiction in tech: the gap between what AI companies claim their systems can do and what actually happens when they hit real work.This isn't a doomscroll episode about the end of work. We're looking at what's *actually* happening behind the headlines...the failed pilots, the rehiring...
2025-11-1255 minEarly AdoptrHow Conversational Commerce Will Change How We ShopYour entire e-commerce experience is about to change. OpenAI's "Buy with ChatGPT," introduced at the end of September, isn't just a shopping feature. It's the beginning of a complete overhaul of how digital commerce works.For the past 20 years, discovery, curation, and transaction have been fragmented across platforms, but now all of that is collapsing into one place.In this episode, Jess and Kyle break down what the two-tier internet actually is, why it won't replace human browsing (yes, you'll still shop for furniture), and why the old rules - "who can pay...
2025-11-0553 minEarly AdoptrAtlas Has Entered the Chat: What AI Browsers Mean for BusinessAI browsers are here, and they could completely reshape how we use the internet.OpenAI’s Atlas just launched, instantly putting Google on defense and kicking off Browser Wars 2.0. But this time, it’s not about speed or design—it’s about who controls your digital gateway and the data that powers it.In this episode, Jess and Kyle break down how Atlas works, what it means for privacy, the rise of agent-based browsing, and why your business can’t afford to ignore the shift toward AI-native interfaces.What makes an A...
2025-10-2955 minEarly AdoptrThe AI Backlash: How to Build During the Trough of DisillusionmentFrom LinkedIn posts about abandoned pilots to earnings calls where CEOs walking back their AI promises on earnings calls, are we witnessing the crash after the hype? Welcome to the Trough of Disillusionment – and it might be the best thing that's happened to AI.This isn't the death of artificial intelligence. It's the birth of something sustainable. While media headlines turn negative and executives panic, the real builders are taking advantage of the chaos. History doesn't repeat, but it rhymes: today's AI trough is creating the similar opportunity for businesses willing to play the long game as...
2025-10-2257 minEarly AdoptrAI Slop: How Low-Quality AI Content is Breaking the Internet (And Costing Businesses Millions)The internet is drowning in AI-generated garbage. From Meta's Vibes to Sora 2 to that clearly ChatGPT generated email from your colleague, businesses are losing an estimated $9 million per 1,000 employees annually to low-quality AI content cluttering their workflows.This isn't about AI being bad. It's about automation without oversight creating an exponential pollution problem that's actively degrading the internet, tanking workplace productivity, and threatening the future training data for AI models themselves. There's no doubt that AI can generate impressive content. The quality of text, images, and video from tools like Sora is legitimately good. So why...
2025-10-1559 minEarly AdoptrThe Complete AEO Toolkit (AEO Part 2: On-Site, Off-Site & Metrics)OpenAI just launched "Buy It in ChatGPT" - letting users complete purchases without ever visiting your website. If you're not cited by AI engines, you don't just lose traffic. You lose the entire sale.This is Part 2 of our Answer Engine Optimization series. Last week we covered why AEO matters. This week, we're getting tactical. We break down the exact three-pillar framework you need: on-site optimization, off-site citation building, and measurement strategies that actually work.The timing couldn't be more urgent. With OpenAI's September 29th announcement, conversational commerce is here. Etsy sellers can...
2025-10-0857 minEarly AdoptrGetting Your Business Into the AI Conversation (AEO Strategy Guide)60% of searches now end without a click. If you're still optimizing for Google rankings while your competitors are getting cited by ChatGPT, you're already behind.Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) - also known as GEO, GSO, AIO - is fundamentally changing how customers find businesses. Instead of ranking #1 on Google, you need to become the source that AI engines quote when someone asks a question. This isn't SEO 2.0. It's a complete shift in how search works.What You'll Learn:Why "getting cited" matters more than "ranking high"How LLMs actually decides which sources...
2025-10-0358 minEarly AdoptrAI Hallucinations: Why AI Lies With Complete Confidence (And How to Minimise the Risk)In this episode, Kyle and Jess tackle the elephant in the room that's sabotaging AI implementations everywhere: AI hallucinations. If you've ever wondered why ChatGPT confidently tells you complete nonsense, or why that "perfect" AI-generated content turned into a business nightmare, this episode breaks down exactly what's happening under the hood and gives you tips and strategies to help minimise the risk of hallucinations.We also cover YouTube's new AI creator tools, a new movie studio lawsuits, how people are actually using ChatGPT, Italy's groundbreaking AI legislation, and Meta's spectacular demo failure where they accidentally crashed...
2025-09-241h 00Early AdoptrYour Business Data is Messier Than You Think (And Why That Kills AI)In this episode, Kyle and Jess continue their deep dive with data veteran Eric Callahan, exposing the truth about how most businesses actually handle their data. It's messier than you think, and that's exactly why your AI initiatives keep failing.Eric talks us through his "duct tape analogy" - a brutally honest take on why most companies are digital Frankensteins, we get real about technical debt, data hygiene nightmares, and why throwing AI at bad data is like putting premium gas in a broken engine.We also discuss how Spotify turned simple data...
2025-09-1755 minEarly AdoptrThe 5-Minute Data Fix That Prevents AI DisastersIn this episode of Early Adoptr, Kyle and Jess bust the biggest AI myth of all: “We don’t have enough data.” The truth? You’re already swimming in it. From emails to spreadsheets to customer conversations, every business has more than enough information to start building AI-powered insights.To prove it, they bring in data veteran Eric, who’s spent 15+ years cleaning up messy data for startups and enterprises alike. Eric shares why even Fortune 500s are struggling with data quality, how to avoid AI hype traps, and why the “hot dog story” from his kid’s PTA is t...
2025-09-101h 07Early AdoptrBusiness Data for AI: How to Turn Customer Emails and Invoices Into Competitive AdvantageIn this episode, Kyle and Jess tackle the biggest myth in AI adoption: "I don't have enough data." The reality? Every business owner is sitting on a goldmine of untapped information - they just don't know how to see it or use it. From email threads to customer support tickets to that "Bible spreadsheet" you've been updating for three years, your business is generating incredible amounts of data every single day.We break down the three types of data your business already has, explain how to actually extract it from your systems without needing a computer...
2025-09-0357 minEarly AdoptrHow to Get AI to Actually Do What You Want - Prompt Engineering That Doesn't Suck: Electric BoogalooIn this episode, Kyle and Jess are completely overhaul their most popular episode on prompt engineering, because GPT-5 isn't just faster than GPT-4 - it's fundamentally different. It follows instructions with "surgical precision," handles 800 pages of context at once, and will get confused if you give it contradictory prompts that older models would just ignore. Not to mention there's been a whole host of other updates to prompt engineering that deserve attention too.We dive deep into why role prompting (like "act as a marketing expert") is largely ineffective according to new research, introduce the game-changing 4...
2025-08-2759 min
Early AdoptrYour Laptop Can Run AI Now? Testing Small Language Models So You Don't Have ToIn this episode, Kyle and Jess get hands-on with Small Language Models (SLMs) - showing you exactly how to set up your own private AI that runs entirely on your laptop. If last week was the "why," this week is all about the "how," complete with real business use cases and a step-by-step quick win you can try today.We dive deep into LM Studio, walk through analyzing business documents without sending data to the cloud, and show you how to create content that actually sounds like you wrote it. Plus, we cover ChatGPT's inevitable move...
2025-08-2057 minEarly AdoptrSmall Language Models 101: Why Bigger Isn't Always Better in AIIn this episode, Kyle and Jess explore the world of Small Language Models (SLMs) - the focused, cost-effective AI alternatives that might be perfect for your small business. While everyone's talking about expensive enterprise AI solutions, we dive into why smaller, specialized models could be the smarter choice for most business owners.We break down what Small Language Models actually are (hint: think specialist vs. generalist), explore real-world use cases from customer support chatbots to internal knowledge bases, and give you practical tools you can try today. Plus, we cover Switzerland's groundbreaking open-source AI initiative and why...
2025-08-1358 minEarly AdoptrChatGPT Agent Review: We Tested OpenAI's New AI Assistant So You Don't Have To (The Good, the Bad and the Frustratingly Slow)In this episode, Kyle and Jess dive deep into OpenAI's much-hyped ChatGPT Agent feature - and spoiler alert: the reality doesn't quite match the marketing. After Kyle spent a week testing everything from flight booking to DMV appointments, we deliver our take on what works, what doesn't, and why you probably shouldn't connect your email just yet.We also cover some critical AI news that affects every business owner: YouTube's controversial AI-powered age detection system and Microsoft's internal list of jobs they believe AI will transform. Plus, two concerning privacy stories from OpenAI that validate everything...
2025-08-0659 minEarly AdoptrMinimum Viable AI Policy: The Framework Every Business Needs in 2025In this episode, it's the final part of our three-part series with Sean Bhardwaj from Breakthrough Growth Partners. If you missed parts one and two, we highly recommend going back to listen - they set the foundation for today's practical framework.This week, we're diving into the solution: how to actually create an AI policy framework that protects your business while enabling confident AI adoption. Sean introduces his "Minimum Viable AI Policy" (MV(AI)P) - a simple, one-page document that answers four critical questions every business needs to address before implementing AI tools.
2025-07-3057 minEarly AdoptrThe Ultimate Guide to AI Pitfalls And the Framework to Avoid Them (with Sean Bhardwaj)In this episode, it's part two of a three-part series with Sean Bhardwaj from Breakthrough Growth Partners. If you missed part one, we highly recommend going back to listen - it sets the foundation for today's discussion.This week, we're tackling the uncomfortable truth about AI adoption: why most AI initiatives fail (it's usually not because of the technology itself!). Sean breaks down the five major pitfalls that consistently trip up businesses, no matter how big or small your business is, and provides practical guidance on how to avoid these costly mistakes.We al...
2025-07-231h 01Early AdoptrBuilding AI Guardrails That Actually Work (with Sean Bhardwaj)Jess and Kyle are joined by their first guest, Sean Bhardwaj from Breakthrough Growth Partners! This is part one of a two-part series that dives deep into AI transformation and policy fundamentals, and honestly, it's the conversation every business owner needs to hear right now. Spoiler alert: your team is already using AI tools whether you know it or not, and it's time to get strategic about it.Sean brings some serious wisdom about why AI isn't just another productivity hack - it's a foundational shift that requires intentional leadership. He shares why we're not actually late t...
2025-07-161h 11Early AdoptrWelcome to Early AdoptrMeet the hosts of Early Adoptr, Jess and Kyle. We're here to make AI your unfair advantage. Get in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpodResources: https://linktr.ee/early_adoptr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2025-07-1100 min
Early AdoptrEarly Adoptr - Meet Jess and KyleAn introduction to the faces on screen and the minds behind Early Adoptr, the practical podcast guide to all things AI. Perfect for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals ready to leverage artificial intelligence, Early Adoptr transforms AI into your unfair advantage.
2025-07-1100 minEarly AdoptrThe Elephant in the Room: AI Ethics Every Business Owner Must Know in 2025Welcome to the episode where Jess and Kyle finally tackle the elephant in the room! This is a long, but very important one. While they've been showing you all the amazing ways AI can supercharge your business, this week they're diving deep into the ethical implications that every entrepreneur needs to understand. Spoiler alert: AI ethics isn't just about doing the right thing (though that's important!) – it's about protecting your business, managing risks, and staying competitive in an increasingly complex landscape.From carbon footprints to bias, job displacement to deepfakes, this episode covers the good, the ba...
2025-07-091h 10Early AdoptrAI Agents in Action: Real Examples, Real Frameworks, Real Fun-gents (?)In this episode, Jess and Kyle dive deep into real-world AI agent use cases, moving beyond theory to show you how you can create an AI agent today. They share their framework for identifying which tasks should become agents (versus simple automations), walk through actual examples they've built, and introduce the concept of "fun-gents" - low-stakes AI projects perfect for beginners. Plus, they cover Anthropic's major legal victory and why one startup's controversial "cheating" AI is getting roasted online.Chapter Timestamps[00:00] Introduction and Background[02:40] Where Do I Even Begin: AI Agents: The Sequel[08:17...
2025-07-0257 minEarly AdoptrAI Agents vs Agentic AI: Why Everyone's Getting It WrongIn this episode of Early Adoptr, Jess returns from the scorching Cannes Lions with insights on how AI is transforming advertising and business. She and Kyle break down the critical difference between AI agents and agentic AI - two terms everyone's using interchangeably but shouldn't be. From real-world examples at Cannes to building personal assistant workflows, they explore the ladder of AI autonomy and why understanding these distinctions matters for your business decisions.Chapters:00:00 Intro & Insights from Cannes Lions12:46 Where Do I Even Begin: WTF are Agents?36:30 AI Agents & Limitations42:32 AI News...
2025-06-2556 minEarly AdoptrStop Googling, Start Deep Researching: Deep Research Tools 101In this episode, Jess and Kyle deep dive into deep research - the game-changing tools that can turn you into an expert on any topic before your morning coffee. We'll help you discover how to get PhD-level insights without the PhD-level time investment. Plus, we share our first user user case, break down this week's biggest AI news including OpenAI's data retention drama, Meta's big AI investment, and Disney's copyright battle with Midjourney, and why it all matters for your business. Chapters: 00:00 Did Jenson Really Say That? 03:55...
2025-06-1853 minEarly AdoptrBeyond Basic AI: How Custom GPTs Can Help Your BusinessIn this episode, Jess and Kyle talk AI at SXSW London, and we do a deep dive in Custom GPTs, aka specialized AI assistants that can revolutionize how small businesses operate. We talk about how Mary Meeker’s AI report and Meta’s AI ad creation will affect small businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as the cautionary tale of Builder.ai. [00:00] Intro[00:50] Welcome to Episode 4: What we've been up to this week[07:16] Where Do I Even Begin: GPTs[10:03] Custom GPTs: Revolutionizing AI Applications[22:56] Custom GPTs - Real...
2025-06-1151 minEarly AdoptrHow to Get AI to Actually Do What You Want: Prompt Engineering That Doesn't SuckIn this episode of Early Adopter, hosts Jess and Kyle dive deep into the game-changing world of AI prompt engineering - and trust us, this isn't just another tech tutorial! They share their hard-won insights on how to actually talk to AI tools in ways that get you amazing results (spoiler: most people are doing it completely wrong). From the universal truths of prompting to avoiding the pitfalls, the duo walks you through practical frameworks like RACE and CARE that you can use immediately. Plus, they dish on the latest Anthropic announcements, talk hardware, and their favorite AI fails...
2025-06-0351 minEarly AdoptrWhere Do I Even Begin? Your First Steps with AI Tools for Business SuccessIn this episode of Early Adopter, Jess and Kyle launch their new beginner-focused series "Where Do I Even Begin?" They break down what Large Language Models (LLMs) are, explain the core AI tools available today, and provide a comprehensive comparison of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, DeepSeek, and Grok. The hosts also dive deep into Google's massive I/O 2025 announcements that could revolutionize small business operations, share listener poll results about most-hated work tasks, and discuss a cautionary tale about AI-generated content gone wrong at the Chicago Sun-Times.• LLMs are pattern-based text generators trained on massive amounts of in...
2025-05-2852 minEarly AdoptrHello, World!In the inaugural episode of Early Adoptr, hosts Jess and Kyle introduce their mission to make AI practical and accessible for small business owners and entrepreneurs. They share their backgrounds, discuss the rapid evolution of AI technology, and emphasize the importance of community engagement. The episode covers various topics, including the role of AI in small businesses, listener feedback on desired content, real-world use cases, and the implications of recent AI news. The hosts also explore image generation tools and best practices for using AI effectively, while cautioning against...
2025-05-2145 min