In this Casual Friday episode of Business Brain, Dave Hamilton opens with a heartfelt parenting story sparked by National Tooth Fairy Day, tying it into a broader business lesson. He shares how his daughter realized the truth about Santa, and he used it as an opportunity to empower her with belief by choice—not enforcement. Dave and Shannon explore how this same dynamic applies in business: leaders initially carry the energy and vision, but over time, it’s crucial to pass that belief to team members and allow them to choose to buy into the mission. Shannon emphasizes how belief and purpose in work must eventually come from within the team, not just from the founder’s enthusiasm.

The conversation then shifts into a discussion of AI agents and operators. While both hosts are avid users of ChatGPT and consider it incredibly valuable, they express skepticism around AI agents, noting that most current implementations feel unfinished or unreliable for business-critical tasks. Dave mentions his positive experience using GitHub Copilot for coding, while Shannon describes ChatGPT as a daily-use tool that saves thousands of dollars. Both are eager to hear from listeners who have had success with AI agents and encourage feedback, hoping to one day integrate them meaningfully into their workflows.

The episode also includes sponsor spots for Bitdefender and Constant Contact, with Dave highlighting Bitdefender’s scam protection for small businesses and Constant Contact’s all-in-one marketing automation features. The hosts wrap up the show with appreciation for their audience and a reminder to keep living the “charmed life.”

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In this episode of Business Brain, Dave and Shannon kick off with a humorous and enthusiastic celebration of National Bacon Lovers Day, sharing stories about smoked bacon, pig candy, and even a mug full of bacon. The conversation then shifts to a meaningful discussion about the importance of gaining buy-in from your family when pursuing entrepreneurship. They stress that support from spouses, kids, and even extended family members is crucial for long-term success and mental stability as an entrepreneur. Shannon shares that he often encourages clients to include their spouse in business discussions to ensure alignment and eliminate negative pushback.

They expand the conversation by emphasizing how buy-in isn’t just important at home—it’s also critical within your team. Specifically, Dave highlights how the families of employees can influence retention, so building a workplace that employees proudly talk about at home makes a significant impact. The hosts then pivot to a fun yet practical idea about hiring socially aware team members (like a sports expert) to help connect with clients and customers through shared interests like sports. They end the episode with favorite interview questions that help identify personality and passion, encouraging listeners to send in their own to enter a MacBook giveaway, all while reinforcing the show’s theme of living a “charmed life.”

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In this episode of Business Brain, Dave and Shannon share the launch of their new AI-powered tool built using Delphi.ai, which allows listeners to search through over 11 years and 674 episodes of Business Brain content. The tool, which can be accessed at businessbrain.show/brain, offers personalized insights by indexing approximately 4 million words of past episodes. They emphasize that it only pulls from their show’s advice and interviews, making it a focused and reliable resource.

They also discuss the latest updates in ChatGPT-5, noting improved context handling, multimodal capabilities (like integrating text, audio, and video), and enhanced reasoning. Shannon shares a real-world example of using GPT-5 to troubleshoot an AC issue in his son’s car, demonstrating how AI can offer guided problem-solving by progressively asking for more input. They also talk about developments in LLM access restrictions (e.g., Cloudflare’s paywall for crawling), and Shannon’s use of agents and tools like Comet from Perplexity.

The episode closes with thoughts on the evolving AI landscape, the growing number of paid tools, and how each platform competes and leapfrogs each other with new releases. The hosts encourage listeners to try out their new “brain” tool, share feedback, and connect via social media or email to discuss how they’re using AI in their own businesses.

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In this episode of Business Brain, Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean open with lighthearted banter about left-handedness before Shannon shares a major milestone: his $5 Reseller Mastermind has reached over 1,000 members. He explains how the community started almost by accident through X (Twitter) subscriptions, evolved to a Kajabi-based platform for better management, and now allows members to connect, share resources, and learn. The move off social platforms gave Shannon ownership of his audience and reduced his personal workload as members help each other.

The conversation then shifts to Dave’s new business maxim: “Burned bridges kill future deals,” an extension of the classic “time kills all deals.” They discuss the importance of handling business disputes diplomatically to preserve relationships, even when wronged. Shannon offers real-world examples from product sourcing, noting that measured, respectful responses often turn problems into leverage for better future terms. Both stress that vendors, employees, and industry contacts move between companies, so preserving goodwill keeps opportunities open.

The episode wraps with sponsor messages from Shopify and Eversite, reinforcing the importance of reliable tools and systems for entrepreneurs, and a call for listener feedback on the “burned bridges” concept.

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In episode 673 of Business Brain, recorded on International Beer Day 2025, Dave and Shannon attempt a live experiment: building a “Business Brain” AI using Delphi. Inspired by Chris Koerner’s “ChrisGPT”, they explore connecting their decade-long podcast archive to Delphi, aiming to let listeners query their advice, strategies, and philosophies directly. Although the onboarding process reveals some friction—Delphi treats them as a single person and requires identity verification—they begin the setup and plan to continue refining it offline.

Shannon also shares his experience upgrading to ChatGPT Teams to connect it with his Google Drive. This enables deeper data analysis and collaboration, though he highlights the challenge of separating personal from business accounts. He finds the value worth the cost, particularly with agent access and document indexing. Later in the episode, he discusses experimenting with Grok’s animation tools to bring old photos to life—sharing a humorous example from decades ago—and reflects on how far technology has come in his lifetime.

The hosts also offer practical AI advice, like how measured, emotion-free negotiation can preserve leverage, and Shannon shares a clever tip for bands to maintain venue relationships even when they’re unavailable. Sponsor shout-outs include Mint Mobile and Eversite, both services the hosts personally use, reinforcing the show’s authentic, business-focused recommendations.

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In this episode of Business Brain, Dave and Shannon dive into practical AI tools that help business owners and individuals navigate modern tasks with less stress. A listener shares a clever tip for customizing ChatGPT responses by asking for links with every reply. Shannon introduces Gamma.app, a new AI platform he used to turn a pricing strategy post into a slick visual presentation—perfect for sales decks, proposals, and even one-page websites. The duo discusses how Gamma streamlines the process of turning rough content into polished, editable assets.

Dave then shares a real-world use case: reviewing a wedding venue contract using ChatGPT. Not only did the AI flag one-sided clauses, but it also helped Dave draft a more balanced alternative and even write a respectful, persuasive email to propose changes. The conversation emphasizes using AI not just for analysis, but for thoughtful, collaborative communication that protects your interests without burning bridges. They wrap up the show with a call for listeners to send in their own AI discoveries—because every tool that sharpens your business brain helps you keep living that charmed life.

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Today on Business Brain, Shannon kicks things off with a brisket victory, reminding us that even after years of doing something, there’s always a new layer to learn—an insight that mirrors business growth. Dave shares a health update, revealing he was battling Lyme disease but managed to travel and speak at a conference while choosing not to drink alcohol. This sparks a conversation on how business functions often revolve around alcohol, and how having a few easy, non-confrontational reasons ready can help you gracefully opt out without judgment or awkwardness. The duo dives into how our relationship with alcohol evolves over time and how staying clear-headed can unlock unexpected advantages during networking events.

They also riff on how communication styles differ dramatically between in-person conversations and written messages. Shannon argues that written communication requires a more expressive approach—adding exclamation points, emojis, or personalized phrasing—to compensate for the lack of tone and body language. They discuss the importance of crafting automated messages with personality and branding (even down to using the same emoji in every newsletter). Dave highlights how ChatGPT helps him trim wordy emails, and they close out by urging listeners to reflect on how their employees communicate, and whether tools like templates or auto-responders help or hurt clarity.

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In this episode of Business Brain, Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean dive into the new agent abilities being rolled out by ChatGPT. These agents go beyond basic chatting, allowing users to automate tasks like managing emails, calendars, messages, reservations, and even moderating communities across platforms like Slack and Discord. They discuss the potential of these features, which are being gradually released to paid ChatGPT users, and how they might streamline daily business operations. Shannon shares how he’s particularly excited about applying these tools to his community and content workflows, while Dave explores how agent mode will work through desktop apps for broader system integration.

The hosts also reflect on their long-term use of ChatGPT as a business consultant and even for personal matters like health concerns, emphasizing its value as an objective tool not influenced by human bias. They contrast this to how traditional professionals like doctors rely on personal experience, which can sometimes cloud judgment. Both hosts touch on the broader vision of using AI to preserve their insights and experiences for future generations, envisioning a digital legacy that family members could someday interact with.

The conversation wraps with thoughtful commentary on the implications of legacy, mortality, and generational knowledge transfer. Shannon and Dave muse about how human progress is shaped by generational resets, yet there is enduring value in archiving stories and lessons. They close by inviting listeners to share how they’re using agents in their own businesses and promoting a giveaway for Business Brain reviewers.

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In this episode of Business Brain, Shannon Jean shares a powerful metaphor that guides his work and life: the campfire. For him, success is about creating meaningful experiences and connections with loved ones—gathering around a campfire at his river house, watching his family enjoy the space he built through years of hard work. It’s a symbol of why he grinds day in and day out. He encourages listeners to find their own metaphor or “noble cause” that drives them beyond the daily hustle—to build a life that pulls them forward with purpose.

Dave Hamilton reflects on his recent health scare—diagnosed with Lyme disease—and how it forced him to slow down, reprioritize, and only focus on the most important work. That experience helped him realize how much of his time had been consumed by nonessential tasks, and that some things don’t fall apart when you step back. He shares how delegating or even automating B-level tasks (with the help of new tools like ChatGPT agents) could help entrepreneurs focus more on their A-level priorities and live their version of a charmed life.

Together, they challenge listeners to define their own “charmed life” and identify the signs they’re already living it. Whether it’s a campfire, a podcast studio, or something entirely different, the point is to use that vision to create purpose and joy in your entrepreneurial journey.

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