Automate Everything – Business Brain 635

In this episode of Business Brain, hosts Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean celebrate National Hot Tub Day by discussing how hot tubs help them decompress and unplug. They transition into AI and automation, sharing practical Gmail tips—like using built-in templates for quick replies and the “+” email trick for tracking sign-ups and spam. They discuss the benefits of small automations, Read more…

Everyone is a Customer – Business Brain 634

Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean open episode 634 of the Business Brain podcast by sharing personal updates and diving into a frustrating customer service story from Shannon. He explains his negative experience with Bluehost, a company he used for domain management. After being hacked and receiving poor support with constant upselling, he moved his sites elsewhere but left domains with Read more…

FridAI – GPT vs. Perplexity, Zoom AI and Bluesky – Business Brain 633

Business Brain episode 633 celebrates Twitter Day and discusses Blue Sky, a decentralized social network originally started as a project within Twitter by Jack Dorsey and now run by Jay Graber. The show then moves to AI topics, emphasizing that people won’t be replaced by AI but by people who use AI. They discuss how AI has enhanced their workflow, Read more…

Your Customers are Expecting to be Disappointed – Business Brain 632

In this episode of Business Brain, Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean reflect on the unpredictable yet inspiring nature of South by Southwest and dive into two key business lessons: first, that customers today often expect to be disappointed — creating a powerful opportunity for businesses to stand out by exceeding expectations with clear communication, fast responses, and proactive service; and Read more…

FridAI – NotebookLM – Business Brain 631

Business Brain Podcast Episode 631 explores AI applications in business and content creation. Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean discuss a listener’s idea to create a custom AI by uploading user manuals of all owned devices into ChatGPT, effectively turning it into a personal tech support assistant. They extend this concept to businesses, suggesting that customer service departments upload historical support Read more…

Discounting Our Own Experiences – Business Brain 630

The episode of Business Brain features Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean discussing productivity, mindset, and business strategies. They open with lighthearted Hitchcock-related jokes and discuss the unpredictable nature of the South by Southwest conference. The main discussion revolves around productivity methods, particularly the concept of a “reverse to-do list” or “to-did list,” where one focuses on what has been accomplished Read more…

FridAI + Listerner Mail – Business Brain 629

Business Brain Podcast Episode 629 discusses the role of AI in learning, business, and social media strategy. The hosts, Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean, address an email from a listener who limits their child’s AI use to encourage independent problem-solving. They compare this to past educational resistance to calculators and emphasize the importance of using AI as an assistant rather Read more…

Sold But Not Paid – Business Brain 628

In this episode of Business Brain, hosts Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean dive into the challenges of balancing work and life, particularly in sales and leadership roles. They also discuss the risks of stepping away from a business while still retaining liability. Key Takeaways: The Dilemma of Instant Email Replies in Sales Dave shares a real-life scenario where he responded Read more…

FridAI and Over-Automating – Business Brain 627

In this episode of Business Brain, Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean reflect on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, acknowledging the emotional rollercoaster that comes with running a business. They discuss the importance of resilience and how even seasoned entrepreneurs still experience moments of doubt, only to bounce back with new energy and perspective. The main topic of the episode Read more…

Quitting After the First Failure – Business Brain 626

In this episode of Business Brain, Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean discuss Levi Strauss and the origins of blue jeans, highlighting how the company pivoted from selling dry goods to revolutionizing durable workwear. They then shift to listener engagement, sharing an updated review from a long-time fan and announcing a MacBook giveaway for those who submit or update their podcast Read more…

FridAI + New vs. Better – Business Brain 625

This episode of Business Brain explores strategies for innovation, marketing, and leveraging AI to optimize your business. Hosts Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean discuss how businesses can stay top-of-mind with partners by regularly reaching out with valuable updates. They introduce a new system for vetting podcast sponsors, ensuring that hosts are enthusiastic about the advertisers they promote. A key theme Read more…

10 Years of Business Brain – Episode 624

The episode celebrates the 10th anniversary of Business Brain and reflects on the challenges and lessons learned from a decade of podcasting. Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean emphasize the importance of consistency, particularly in the face of life’s obstacles, and how having a co-host or accountability partner helps maintain momentum. They discuss how measuring success in podcasting can be challenging Read more…