A small business owner just published a detailed breakdown of how she replaced an $800-per-month design retainer with AI image tools, ran a full four-week test, and came out the other side with more content, better consistency, and a $20 monthly subscription instead of a $9,600 annual one.

In this episode, we go through exactly what she did, what tools she used, and how you can run the same experiment in your own business starting this week.

New research from the US Chamber of Commerce and LinkedIn found something that most people in the AI conversation are not talking about.

Nearly three-quarters of small business owners believe that audiences today do not just take information at face value. They gut-check it with people they trust.

We break down what that means for how you position your business in an AI-saturated world, and why doubling down on genuine human connection is the highest-leverage move you can make right now.

New research from the US Chamber of Commerce and LinkedIn found something that most people in the AI conversation are not talking about.

Nearly three-quarters of small business owners believe that audiences today do not just take information at face value.

If this episode resonated with you, I want to hear about it. Email me at [email protected].

New data shows that nearly nine in ten companies have adopted AI in some form.

But only six percent report seeing significant benefits.

That gap is not a technology failure. It is a strategy failure.

In this episode, we break down exactly why most businesses get nothing meaningful from AI, what the six percent are doing differently, and the three strategic moves that separate real results from expensive experimentation.

Questions or feedback? Email Mark at [email protected]

Forget the theory.

This episode is about real small business owners who are using AI right now and what it is actually doing for them.

We dig into a story published this week out of New York City featuring a Korean barbecue restaurant, a Chinatown nonprofit, and a recruiter, all using AI in practical, effective ways.

If you have ever wondered what getting started with AI really looks like, this episode is your answer.

AI-powered dynamic pricing, once reserved for Amazon and major hotel chains, is now accessible to small businesses of every kind.

Topics covered include why static cost-plus pricing leaves money on the table, how AI pricing tools like PriceLabs and Prisync work for service businesses, how to use ChatGPT or Claude to model price sensitivity before making changes, and why charging more during peak demand is not just acceptable but smart.

Questions or feedback? Email Mark at [email protected]

Anthropic's Claude AI just received major upgrades, including Claude Cowork, a new product connecting Claude to Google Drive, Gmail, DocuSign, and more. In this episode, Mark breaks down what Claude is, what changed, and three practical ways small business owners can start using it today.

Topics covered:

• What Claude is and how it compares to ChatGPT
• The new Claude Cowork features and what they mean for business owners
• Three ways to use Claude right now: document analysis, writing, and planning
• Why Claude is becoming more than just a writing tool

Action step: Create a free account at claude.ai and run one real business document through it this week.

Contact: [email protected]

91% of customers prefer a human over a chatbot when they need help.

More than half assume your business is using AI to save money, not to serve them better.

So how do you use AI without destroying customer trust?

If this episode made you think about your business differently, I'd love to hear about it. Reach out at [email protected]. And I'll see you tomorrow!

Today's episode covers the newly reintroduced Small Business AI Training Act of 2026, which directs the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration to develop free AI training resources and toolkits for small business owners.

We also break down the latest data showing 94% of small businesses project growth in 2026, and 87% of AI users report a positive business impact.

Have a question or want to share your AI experiment? Email us at [email protected].

Yesterday was one of the biggest news days in AI history.

The U.S. government just banned Anthropic's Claude from federal use after a standoff over military AI, OpenAI just closed the largest private funding round ever at $110 billion, and the AI landscape is shifting in real time.

Connect with Mark: Questions or feedback? Email: [email protected]