Description:
In this episode, Matt sits down with father-daughter duo Steve and Suzy Kirch to explore how AI can transform small businesses. Drawing from Steve’s extensive experience in business coaching and Suzy’s technical expertise in AI, they break down the practical ways artificial intelligence can revolutionize business operations, especially for knowledge workers. The conversation highlights why businesses must adopt AI to stay competitive, emphasizing the rapid rise in AI tools and their diverse applications. Suzy shares her journey from mathematics to AI expert, focusing on making AI accessible for non-technical users.
Throughout the discussion, they address common misconceptions about AI, such as the fear of job displacement. Instead of replacing jobs, AI is portrayed as a tool to enhance efficiency, automate mundane tasks, and free up time for strategic thinking. The duo also explains generative AI, custom GPTs, and AI agents, offering concrete examples of how businesses can use these technologies for tasks like content creation, brainstorming, and workflow automation. The episode wraps up with actionable tips for getting started with AI and insights into Steve and Suzy’s comprehensive AI training program, designed to help businesses and employees maximize AI's potential.
Key Takeaways:
- AI is becoming essential for modern businesses, especially for knowledge workers. Companies that don’t embrace it risk falling behind.
- Generative AI can streamline tasks, making work faster, easier, and more efficient, allowing businesses to focus on strategic goals.
- Providing clear context in AI prompts greatly improves the accuracy and relevance of AI-generated outputs.
- AI offers fresh perspectives on problem-solving, generating novel ideas and approaches that humans might not consider.
- Comprehensive AI training can significantly boost productivity for both individual employees and entire organizations.
Free Masterclass Offer:
Steve and Suzy Kersh are offering a free 1-year access to their AI Transformation Masterclass exclusively for The Builders listeners. This training will help you implement AI in your business, guiding you through practical steps to boost efficiency and productivity. You can access the Masterclass via the special link below:
Special Masterclass Link for The Builders Listeners:
https://simpleacademy.ai/6825/the-builders-podcast
Additionally, they offer their AI Transformation Method™ Black Belt training for businesses looking to further empower their team and scale AI integration:
AI Transformation Method™ Black Belt Training:
https://simpleacademy.ai/6825/levenhagen
Steven Kirch, PhD
After more than 25 years as a high-tech leader and executive, Dr. Steven Kirch now focuses his passion for people, process, and organizations to help entrepreneurs and CEOs take their businesses to the next level. His Profit MindsTM Growth System is a unique blend of enhancing profit, accelerating productivity, and building scale – all with the goal of helping his clients expand their businesses and reap the rewards of their hard work that they expected when they started out. With his daughter as AI Guru, Profit Minds is offering guaranteed, game-changing results as every role deliverable can be produced faster and easier by leveraging AI. As a certified Rhythm Maker, he helps companies with the Catipult RazorTM Program, implementing the Rockefeller Habits, building world-class companies with AI-driven KPIs, allowing the leader to focus on what really matters to drive business improvements.
He serves on the Board of Directors for The Gratitude Network (www.gratitude-network.org) – a leadership development organization working with social entrepreneurs around the world to enable growth of these innovative companies that are changing the lives of children and youth everywhere.
Dr Kirch has a passion for music and sings with a world-class San Francisco-based a cappella chorus, the Fog City Singers. He has appeared on stage in local theater company productions and, when not busy with music, you can find him running, biking, or golfing. He has been married to his wife, Donna, for more than 40 years and they have two wonderfully intelligent and talented daughters who are making their own way in the world.
Suzanne Kirch
While working on her Master’s in Mathematics, Suzanne Kirch discovered her fascination with AI. She worked for a small AI start-up named Cognizer, first as an intern and then as an employee upon completion of her Masters. During this time, she became an inventor on six pending patents, serving as the primary inventor on two of them. Suzanne's fascination with AI stems partly from its unique combination of fields: applied mathematics, computer science theory, and linguistics, particularly in the realm of Natural Language Processing (NLP).
Now working with her father, Dr. Steven Kirch, at Profit Minds, Suzanne aims to bring a variety of new tools and capabilities to their work. Her focus areas include AI training and consulting, implementing the AI Transformation Method™ in conjunction with Simple Academy, where we enable every employee to produce every deliverable faster, better, cheaper, and easier using AI with a guaranteed ROI. In addition, Suzanne works in a consulting role: developing custom AI chatbots, conducting research, and problem-solving.
Suzanne's superpower lies in her ability to take complex technical concepts and explain them to people who are not particularly technically minded. At Profit Minds, she leverages this special ability to enhance her training and consulting services, helping others better understand and implement AI solutions. Despite her extensive knowledge of AI theory, she strives to ensure that her explanations are understandable by everyone, believing that AI should be for all.
In her spare time, she loves crocheting, watching TV and movies, listening to music, reading/listening to audiobooks, and playing games with family and friends. Some of her current favorite games are cribbage, backgammon, Villainous, Dungeons and Dragons, and Commander format of Magic the Gathering. She always wants more time to travel, both to see new places and revisit her favorites, like Budapest, Hungary.
THE MEAT OF IT!
- Introduction
- Steve’s Background and Business Coaching Journey
- From PhD in Physics to business coaching at Intel and how his career evolved.
- The Covey 7 Habits Influence
- How becoming a facilitator for Covey’s 7 Habits shaped Steve's leadership and coaching approach.
- Scaling Up and Business Growth Tools
- Introduction to key business scaling methodologies such as Scaling Up, Traction, and World-Class Speed.
- Suzy’s AI Journey
- From studying math and physics to becoming an AI expert through her work at a startup.
- From Research to Real-World Application
- Transitioning from a focus on AI limitations to embracing its capabilities for practical business use.
- Why Small Businesses Must Adopt AI
- AI’s rapid adoption in knowledge work and Microsoft’s study on its growing usage.
- The importance of not being left behind in the AI revolution.
- Subtopic: AI’s Versatility Across Roles
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- How AI applies differently to marketing, research, and other business functions.
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- Using AI as a Thought Partner and Custom GPTs
- Suzy’s insights on building custom GPTs and using AI as a brainstorming tool.
- Practical Steps to Start with AI
- Actionable advice on how to start using AI for specific tasks and problem-solving.
- AI Hallucinations and the Need for Human Oversight
- Examples of AI errors (“hallucinations”) and the critical role of human supervision.
- The importance of verifying AI outputs to ensure accuracy.
- The 8×8 Matrix: Streamlining Business Deliverables with AI
- Steve and Suzy explain the 8×8 matrix as a framework for mapping out tasks and leveraging AI for efficiency gains.
- Training Employees with AI Tools
- How structured AI training can boost individual and team productivity, creating a scalable, AI-powered workforce.
- The Future of AI: Agents and Digital Twins
- Exploring AI agents and the concept of digital twins to replicate expertise and streamline operations.
- Potential for AI to transform workflows and business processes.
- Conclusion and Free Masterclass Offer
- Details on their free AI masterclass and how to begin building an AI-driven strategy for your business.
- How to connect with Steve and Suzy for further coaching and training.
Click to See Episode Chapters and Timestamp
| Timestamp | Summary |
| 0:01 | The Importance of AI Adoption for Knowledge Workers |
| 3:21 | Father-Daughter Duo Ventures into AI and Consulting |
| 6:26 | From Intel Engineer to Productivity Coach and AI Enthusiast |
| 10:08 | Bridging AI Knowledge Gaps for Non-Tech Business Owners |
| 19:04 | Leveraging AI as a Thought Partner for Business Efficiency |
| 23:46 | The Importance of Verifying AI-Generated Information |
| 31:30 | Leveraging AI to Enhance Productivity and Efficiency in Business |
| 37:59 | Harnessing AI for Efficiency and Problem-Solving in Business |
| 44:18 | Exploring AI Agents and Their Role in Generative AI |
| 49:59 | Integrating AI as a Tireless Intern in Workflows |
| 56:12 | Leveraging AI for Business Efficiency and Knowledge Sharing |
| 1:02:37 | Exploring AI, Digital Twins, and Masterclass Opportunities |
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- Episode 183: Nick Barrett – The Birth & Development of CordBrick: A Physical Product’s Journey
- Episode 182: Umar Rana – Experimentation to Building a Successful Tech Business Focused on eCommerce
