Shows
Weeks Ahead AI#21 - How AI Can Skyrocket Growth In Your Business w/ Tim HicksHow does AI actually help a construction contractor? In this episode of Weeks Ahead AI, Tim Hicks (T.W. Hicks, Inc.) breaks down how AI unlocked faster estimating, better communication, and scalable growth for a service based construction business.In This EpisodeWhat “industrial flooring” really is and why specs are more complex than most people realizeThe first AI win that changed everything: estimating speed (hours to minutes)How AI helped a 60–80 person contractor support 50%+ growth without hiring a bullpenThe “foundation first” approach to AI adoption in a real businessHow Slack, Otter AI, Monday.com, and daily repo...
2026-03-0446 min
Weeks Ahead AI#20 - How to Build Leaner Businesses Using AI with Jake GannonIn this episode of Weeks Ahead AI, we sit down with entrepreneur Jake Gannon to talk about how AI is changing what it means to start and scale a small business. From building companies with 60+ employees to launching a profitable venture solo using AI tools, Jake breaks down how founders can move faster, operate leaner, and eliminate unnecessary friction.If you're a small business owner wondering where to start with AI or how to scale without bloating your payroll, this conversation is for you.🔑 In This EpisodeWhy founders must start with obj...
2026-02-1834 min
Weeks Ahead AI#19 - Is it Time to Break Up With ChatGPT?Are you a business owner frustrated with AI giving you made-up answers? You're not alone. In this episode of Weeks Ahead AI, we dive deep into why ChatGPT and other AI tools sometimes fail small business owners, and what you can do about it. Whether you run a construction company, HVAC business, plumbing operation, or any business, understanding the limitations of AI tools is crucial before you stake important business decisions on their output.In This Episode:Why AI models prioritize giving an answer over giving the right answer—and the real-world consequences fo...
2026-02-0421 min
Weeks Ahead AI#18 - Build Your 2026 Business Budget in 1 Hour With Claude AIMany businesses avoid budgeting because it feels complex, time-consuming, or intimidating.In this episode of Weeks Ahead AI, the team walks through how business owners can use AI to build a complete annual budget using historical financials, without starting from a blank spreadsheet.Throughout the episode, the team highlights why Claude performed best for this specific task, particularly when it comes to financial analysis, spreadsheet structure, and handling assumptions, while still acknowledging that different AI models excel at different jobs.In This EpisodeWhy many businesses still avoid...
2026-01-2134 min
Weeks Ahead AI#17 - How to Build A Presentation in Seconds Using Gamma AICreating presentations used to take hours. Now you can talk for a few minutes, grab a transcript, and use Gamma to instantly build a clean, organized slide deck. In this episode of Weeks Ahead AI, Brad and Mitch walk through a real example in real time, showing how Gamma restructures messy conversations into a polished ten page presentation that can be exported to Google Slides, PowerPoint, Canva, or PDF.They also explain practical tricks like using dashes to control slide grouping, how Gamma reorganizes content for clarity, and why this is one of the best low risk...
2025-12-0515 min
Weeks Ahead AI#16 - The AI Tool Turning Months of Work to MinutesMost blue collar small businesses already sit on a gold mine of data from sensors, machines, and equipment, but barely use it. In this episode of Weeks Ahead AI, Brad, Terry, and Mitch bring back Josh Knutson, founder of Lium AI, to explain how AI can turn messy physical data into clear decisions for manufacturers, plants, and operators who live in the real world, not in spreadsheets.In This EpisodeHow a former therapist became a tech founder solving real world problemsWhat it means to “ask your instruments” and talk to plant data in plain EnglishReal use...
2025-11-1932 min
Weeks Ahead AI#15 - Stop Wasting Money, Use AI First with Josh KnutsonFormer psychotherapist turned tech founder Josh Knutson explains why every business should “use AI first.” He shares how tools like Claude and Lovable can replace $150K software builds, how to learn faster than ever, and how his new company Lium AI is transforming how humans interact with massive real-world data. From discovering a black hole in seconds to reshaping how we explore the physical world, this episode will change the way you think about time, money, and what’s possible with AI.
2025-11-1229 min
Weeks Ahead AI#14 - How to Make Blog Posts that Don't Suck Using AIBlog posts in 2025? Mitch reveals how he built a custom AI tool for Benchmark that automatically writes SEO-optimized, human-sounding blog posts complete with backlinks, metadata, and real-world data from his business. The guys debate whether blogs still matter, how long it really takes to see results, and what small business owners can learn from automating this process. They break down the two-day build that now produces full blogs in minutes and share how anyone can apply the same principles to their own business workflows. To see a live demo of the tool, check out our YouTube!
2025-11-0521 min
Weeks Ahead AI#13 - How IT Experts Are Using AI with Brian Davis & Joe CravenBrian Davis and Joe Craven from On-Site PC Services show how AI is transforming the IT world, from rewriting emails and auditing policies to improving visibility in AI search. They share how businesses can train AI agents to handle repetitive work, generate marketing content, and uncover compliance gaps before they become costly mistakes. Real stories, real tools, and what every business should be doing right now to stay ahead. Connect with our guests!Brian DavisJoe CravenOn-Site PC Services
2025-10-2955 min
Weeks Ahead AI#12 - AI Cleared for Takeoff with Scott OshmanOshman Aviation president Scott Oshman went from not using AI at all just a few months ago to making it an essential part of his business. He shares how tools like ChatGPT now save him up to 70% of his time on underwriting, contracts, and market analysis, and how adopting AI has become his competitive edge. It’s not too late to start, but the clock’s ticking. www.oshmanaviation.comCheck out Scott's Appearance on Business Growth MasterClass
2025-10-2236 min
Weeks Ahead AI#11 - Prompt Smarter with Relay HubEver wonder when a simple prompt isn’t enough? In this episode, Mitch shows how building AI agents can take your results from random to repeatable. He walks through a real example using Relay Hub, the product we’re building to help businesses create custom agents that deliver consistent, reliable answers every time. We break down the difference between prompts and agents, and show how even small teams can start automating real work without any coding. To see the product demo from this episode, check us out on YouTube!To stay up to date on Relay...
2025-10-1526 min
Weeks Ahead AI#10 - How AI Makes Better Leaders with Mason DeckerEagle Surveying president Mason Decker shows exactly how a service-based business can implement AI without any advanced tech expertise. He shares how he uses Plaud + ChatGPT to map his day, auto-build meeting action items, and manage daily to-dos, plus how he’s rolled out ChatGPT Enterprise, and built AI-assisted quoting tools. Practical, no-code examples any business owner can start using this week. If you are a business owner looking to use AI to make you a more effective leader, this episode is for you!Mason DeckerEagle SurveyingWispr Flow...
2025-10-0847 min
Weeks Ahead AI#9 - How We Are Solving AI's Biggest Shortcomings We introduce Relay Hub, a new AI platform we’ve been building to solve real business problems. Instead of working in silos, it lets teams share chats, align around company goals, and keep knowledge consistent across every department. We cover the problems it solves, key features like multi-model validation and secure data rooms, and how it can cut out wasted meetings and emails. To learn more or sign up for updates, visit weeksahead.ai.
2025-10-0138 min
Weeks Ahead AI#8 - How AI Transformed Our BusinessWhat used to take days of manual work now takes a couple of hours. In this episode, Brad, Mitch, and Terry are joined by Rebecca, a property manager who has been using the AI financial review agent firsthand. She shares how it has transformed her workflow by saving time, reducing errors, and making financial analysis far less overwhelming.We walk through a real-world demo (using a “Dunder Mifflin” example), break down the cost savings, and explain the tech behind why this agent outperforms off-the-shelf AI tools. Rebecca explains that AI doesn't replace humans, but those who don't know...
2025-09-2435 min
Weeks Ahead AI#7 - The Evolution of AI with Dr. Gurpreet DhillonDr. Gurpreet Dhillon, the G. Brint Ryan Endowed Chair of AI & Cybersecurity at UNT, joins us to share decades of insight on the evolution of artificial intelligence. We cover where AI has been, where it’s going, and how small business owners can use it responsibly to gain a real advantage. His advice: don’t just make an AI strategy, build an AI habit. Learn more from Dr. Dhillon!Website LinkedInTed Talk
2025-09-1758 min
Weeks Ahead AI#6 - How Your Competitors Are Beating You With AIMany businesses are already gaining an advantage with AI, but it’s not too late to catch up. From smarter marketing and faster customer responses to streamlined quoting, invoicing, and reporting, AI is helping companies work more efficiently and grow faster. In this episode, we share real examples of how competitors are using AI and practical ideas you can apply to stay competitive and even pull ahead.
2025-09-1032 min
Weeks Ahead AI#5 - Better Prompts, Better ResultsIn this episode of Weeks Ahead AI, we dive into the art of prompting and why it’s the key to unlocking real results with AI. We walk through examples of how we’ve used better prompts to review legal contracts, get medical insights, uncover personal blind spots, role-play tough conversations, and create stronger marketing content. We’ve learned that AI isn’t Google. The more context and authority we give it, the sharper and more actionable the answers become.
2025-09-0317 min
Weeks Ahead AI#4 - Plaud: The AI Tool We Can’t Live WithoutIn this episode of Weeks Ahead AI, we dive deep into one of our favorite everyday AI tools: The Plaud Note. We share real-life use cases ranging from sales calls and project documentation to construction punch lists, journaling, and even doctor visits. You’ll hear how Plaud simplifies process mapping, captures critical business knowledge, and integrates seamlessly with tools like ChatGPT, Zapier, and Lucidcharts. If you’ve been wondering how AI can save time and cut costs in your daily operations, this conversation lays out practical examples you can use today. We recorded the episo...
2025-08-2725 min
Weeks Ahead AI#3 - Automating Your Business with Jeff PetersenIn this episode of Weeks Ahead AI, Brad and Mitch sit down with Jeff Petersen, Senior Digital Marketing Manager and founder of GoodHelp, to talk about how small businesses can use AI and automation to save time and scale. Jeff shares real examples of automating repetitive tasks, explains the difference between traditional automations and “agentic” AI, and breaks down the tools he uses, like Zapier, Make, and N8n, to build smarter systems. From chatbots and research automation to social media content creation, this conversation highlights practical ways entrepreneurs can get hours back each week. If you’ve ever wonder...
2025-08-2054 min
Weeks Ahead AI#2 - Which AI Model is Right for Me?In this episode of Weeks Ahead AI, we dive into six of today’s leading AI models: ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, Gemini, Meta, and Microsoft Copilot and share our unfiltered experiences with each. From favorite features to frustrating limitations, we compare how different models handle context, creativity, accuracy, and speed. We also reveal tips for switching platforms without “starting over” and why having multiple AI subscriptions can be a business superpower. Whether you’re a die-hard ChatGPT user or curious about alternatives, this episode will help you choose the right AI tools to keep your business weeks ahead.
2025-08-1315 min
Weeks Ahead AI#1 - Welcome to the Future (Kind Of)Welcome to the first episode of Weeks Ahead AI, where we explore how business owners and operators can use AI to work smarter, save time, and stay ahead of the curve. We share the story behind the podcast, what “weeks ahead” really means, and what you can expect from future episodes. If you’ve ever felt curious (or overwhelmed) by AI, this show is for you.
2025-08-0618 min