Not the Smartest Guys In The Room

You Saved Money… Until It Cost You More

In business, saving money can feel like a win. Until the bill shows up later.

In this episode of Not The Smartest Guys in the Room, Tom Langan and Dominick Domasky dig into the real cost of choosing cheap. A low price can quickly turn into legal trouble, fines, poor production, lost customers, or damage to a brand you spent years building.

Tom and Dom get into unlicensed music, drone regulations, AI and synthetic performers, production costs, storytelling, and the difference between saving money and simply cutting corners. Sometimes paying more upfront isn't about being fancy. It's about doing the job correctly and protecting what you've built.

Of course, this is Not The Smartest Guys in the Room, so the conversation doesn't stay in one lane for long. Hair, mukbang, parenting, everyday disasters, and a few stories that probably weren't on the original show rundown find their way into the conversation.

The bigger question is simple: What does cheap really cost you?

Dominick Domasky is an entrepreneur, author, publisher, and founder of Motivation Champs. Through Motivation Champs Media, he helps authors and entrepreneurs develop their stories, publish their books, and amplify their impact. He is also cofounder of Cre8tive Con and cohost of The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast, where business, media, entrepreneurship, and entertainment collide.

Tom Langan is an award-winning producer, director, writer, and entrepreneur with decades of experience in television, film, video production, and storytelling. He brings a producer's perspective to conversations about business, media, technology, creativity, and what actually happens behind the scenes.

Together, Tom and Dom bring decades of mistakes, wins, stories, business experience, and questionable observations to Not The Smartest Guys in the Room. The show takes on business, media, technology, culture, entrepreneurship, and everyday life without pretending the guys have all the answers.

The real cost of choosing cheap in business • Quality vs. price • Legal liabilities • Unlicensed music and drone use • AI and synthetic performers • Brand reputation • Production costs • Storytelling • Parenting • Business lessons • And whatever else Tom and Dom manage to get themselves into.

AI is moving too fast. AI needs to move faster. We need regulation. Regulation could hold America back.

So, which is it?

On this episode of Not The Smartest Guys in the Room, Tom Langan and Dominick Domasky dig into the conflicting messages surrounding artificial intelligence and the enormous amounts of money, power, infrastructure, and politics driving the AI race.

Tom and Dom explore the explosion of AI data centers, growing privacy concerns, changing public sentiment, and whether calls for regulation can coexist with the push to innovate faster. They also examine the motivations of major technology companies, the potential for AI to improve lives or be misused, and why the global competition around AI increasingly draws comparisons to past technological arms races.

As always, Not The Smartest Guys in the Room isn't about pretending to have all the answers. It is about asking better questions, challenging the messages being sold to us, and having conversations that business owners, creators, and everyday people should be having.

About the Hosts

Dominick Domasky is an entrepreneur, author, publisher, and founder of Motivation Champs. He has spent years helping entrepreneurs and authors develop their stories, build audiences, and amplify their impact. He is also cohost of The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast and cofounder of Cre8tive Con.

Tom Langan is an entrepreneur, producer, and storyteller whose career has centered on creating content that connects with audiences. Together, Tom and Dom bring business experience, curiosity, humor, and very different perspectives to conversations about the issues shaping business, media, technology, and everyday life.

Not The Smartest Guys in the Room streams live Wednesdays at 9:30 AM ET.

The Authenticity Problem: Corporate Lies, Online Scams & Promposals

Can customers tell when a business is not being authentic, and what happens when trust disappears?

In this episode of Not The Smartest Guys in the Room, Tom Langan and Dominick Domasky dig into honesty, transparency, and authenticity in business. From Wells Fargo’s fake account scandal and Walmart’s public perception to Amazon pricing, misleading marketing, and online scams, the conversation explores what happens when the story a company tells does not match what customers actually experience.

Tom and Dom also look at the other side of authenticity: how businesses can market themselves, sell their products, and build strong brands without pretending to be something they are not. Trust takes time to build, but one dishonest decision can change how customers see a company.

Because this is Not The Smartest Guys in the Room, the conversation eventually finds its way to high school promposals, rejection, resilience, staying young, Halloween costumes, online scammers, a scoop-the-poop PSA, and plenty of memories and laughs along the way.

Topics include: authenticity in business, brand trust, transparency, business ethics, misleading marketing, consumer awareness, online scams, customer relationships, brand integrity, rejection, resilience, and authentic storytelling.

Dominick Domasky is an author, publisher, entrepreneur, and storyteller. He is the founder of Motivation Champs Media and co-host of The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast, which regularly ranks #1 in Business News on Apple Podcasts. Through publishing, podcasting, speaking, and media, Dominick helps people share their stories, build authority, and amplify their message.

Tom Langan is an award-winning producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Talex Media. With decades of experience in television, video production, marketing, and storytelling, Tom helps businesses and organizations communicate their message through powerful visual content.

Not The Smartest Guys in the Room brings Tom and Dom together for conversations about business, marketing, media, creativity, technology, culture, and whatever else happens to enter the room.

For this Labor Day re-air, Not The Smartest Guys In The Room goes back to one of the biggest questions facing business and creators right now: Is the AI bubble about to burst?

AI is everywhere, billions of dollars are being invested, and seemingly every company wants a piece of the action. But are people already getting tired of the hype? Tom and the guys dig into AI fatigue, the economics behind the boom, what happens when technology starts sounding and looking the same, and why creativity, trust, human judgment, and original thought may become more valuable as AI continues to grow.

The conversation also wanders exactly where you would expect from Not The Smartest Guys, with branding, sports, nostalgia, cyclist safety, Pittsburgh Pirates memories, and plenty of laughs along the way.

Enjoy the Labor Day weekend and revisit a conversation that may be even more relevant now than when it first aired. 

What makes people stop scrolling, pay attention, and remember your brand? Entertainment.

In this episode of Not The Smartest Guys in the Room, Tom Langan and Dominick Domasky explore why entertainment, storytelling, and customer experience have become essential parts of building a business and creating content that connects. From social media and marketing to the experience you give your customers, people remember how you make them feel.

Tom and Dom break down how storytelling creates emotional connection, why familiar content and "reruns" still work, and what traditional television can teach today's creators about keeping an audience engaged. They also share personal stories, business lessons, county fair memories, cold-plunge opinions, Cookie Monster encounters, and a cactus with surprisingly good advice.

If you're an entrepreneur, creator, marketer, small-business owner, or storyteller looking to build a stronger brand, grow your audience, and create content people actually want to consume, this episode is for you.

Topics include: entertainment in business, customer experience, storytelling, content marketing, emotional connection, social media engagement, brand building, content strategy, audience growth, and creating memorable customer experiences.

00:00 Introduction and episode overview
02:14 Humor and personal stories about eating oats
04:26 Meeting Cookie Monster and the value of character authenticity
09:21 Why entertainment drives engagement
15:02 Storytelling and the impact of narrative
16:33 Customer experience as entertainment
22:23 Why you should share and reuse great content
25:43 The psychology of reruns and familiarity
36:07 Human experience and communal entertainment
38:13 The challenge of staying unique
39:46 Tom's take on cold plunges and health trends
50:42 Summer PSA and enjoying the season
51:38 Transitioning into fall
54:11 County fairs and community engagement
55:29 Food and cultural traditions
57:10 Childhood memories and food
59:12 The cactus, resilience, and motivation
01:00:13 Final thoughts

Dominick Domasky is an author, publisher, entrepreneur, and storyteller. He is the founder of Motivation Champs Media and co-host of The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast, which regularly ranks #1 in Business News on Apple Podcasts. Through publishing, podcasting, speaking, and media, Dominick helps people share their stories, build authority, and amplify their message.

Tom Langan is an award-winning producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Talex Media. With decades of experience in television, video production, marketing, and storytelling, Tom helps businesses and organizations communicate their message through powerful visual content.

Not The Smartest Guys in the Room brings Tom and Dom together for conversations about business, marketing, media, creativity, technology, culture, and whatever else happens to enter the room.

Creator Economy (Dream Life or Better Get a Plan B)

In this episode of Not The Smartest Guys in the Room, Dom and Tom dig into the reality of the creator economy and what it actually takes to build an audience, grow a platform, and make money from content. Success might look easy from the outside, but behind the views, followers, and viral moments are effort, timing, consistency, a little luck, and most importantly, knowing why you're creating in the first place.

They break down the huge gap between creators who earn a living and the millions fighting for attention, along with the challenges of building a business on platforms you don't control. The conversation also turns to starting over, personal growth, and the inspiring story of a woman heading to law school at 47.

And because this is Not The Smartest Guys in the Room, they somehow find their way into beer history, brewing laws, and the important question nobody was asking: Does the world really need pumpkin spice beer?

A conversation about creators, success, second acts, beer, and figuring out why you're doing any of it.

Dominick Domasky is an author, publisher, storyteller, and founder of Motivation Champs Media, where he helps authors, entrepreneurs, and experts develop and share stories that elevate humanity. He is also co-host of The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast and has spent years helping people turn their experiences, expertise, and ideas into books, media, and meaningful content.

Tom Langan is an award-winning producer, storyteller, and founder of Talex Media. With decades of experience in television, video production, and media, Tom brings a creator's perspective to conversations about business, culture, technology, marketing, and the constantly changing media landscape.

AI Fatigue, the AI Bubble & Why Original Thinking Matters More Than Ever

Is the AI bubble about to burst, or are we simply entering the next stage of artificial intelligence?

In this episode of Not The Smartest Guys In The Room, Dominick Domasky and Tom Langan dig into the growing conversation around AI fatigue, the AI bubble, artificial intelligence hype, creativity, content creation, branding, and the future of AI in business.

As AI tools become part of nearly every industry, businesses and creators face a new challenge: determining where artificial intelligence actually creates value and where the hype has moved faster than the results. The conversation explores the economics behind AI companies, the sustainability of current AI business models, growing consumer fatigue, and why trust and human discernment still matter.

The guys also examine why original thought may become one of the greatest competitive advantages in the AI era. When everyone has access to similar AI tools, creativity, experience, judgment, personality, and the ability to connect ideas in new ways become increasingly valuable.

The discussion moves beyond AI into marketing and media, including Liberty Mutual's branding, creativity in advertising, nostalgia, the WNBA, cyclist safety, Pittsburgh Pirates memories, and the cultural changes happening around technology.

• Is AI fatigue becoming a real cultural and business trend?
• Could the AI bubble eventually burst?
• Is artificial intelligence overhyped?
• How AI is changing creative industries and content creation
• Why original thinking matters more in an AI-powered world
• The economics and sustainability of AI companies
• Human discernment versus automated content
• Innovation through recombining existing ideas
• The importance of trust when adopting new technology
• Why moderation may be the smartest way to use AI

00:00 Introduction to AI fatigue and current industry concerns
02:38 Liberty Mutual rebranding and marketing lessons
07:49 Is AI fatigue a real phenomenon?
09:22 The AI bubble and its economic implications
14:02 AI hype and the sustainability of the business model
18:43 Signs of AI fatigue and overexposure
20:10 Original thought as a competitive advantage
22:24 Innovation through recombination
25:07 The trust and time costs of AI tools
30:24 AI's impact on creative industries
33:07 Nostalgia, youth and school memories
42:12 Why moderation matters with AI
54:33 PSA for cyclists: safety and assault laws
56:56 WNBA discussion and getting back to basketball
1:00:32 Memory Lane: Pittsburgh Pirates season and nostalgia
1:02:14 AI fatigue, hype and what comes next

Not The Smartest Guys In The Room brings together business, media, marketing, technology, culture and the conversations shaping the world around us. Hosted by Dominick Domasky of Motivation Champs Media and Tom Langan of Talex Media.

Storytelling vs. AI: What Every Business Needs to Know

Why are some of the world's biggest companies hiring professional storytellers? In this episode of Not the Smartest Guys in the Room, Dominick Domasky, Tom Langan, and the panel explore one of the fastest-growing trends in business, marketing, and media.

They discuss why brands are bringing content creation in-house, how artificial intelligence is reshaping storytelling, and why authentic human stories remain one of the most valuable business assets. The conversation covers content strategy, AI-generated content, brand communication, marketing trends, and how businesses can create deeper emotional connections with customers.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, marketer, business leader, content creator, or communicator, this episode offers practical insights into the future of storytelling and why original voices still matter in an AI-driven world.

• Why major companies are hiring storytelling professionals
• The rise of in-house content creation teams
• How AI is changing marketing and media
• Why authentic storytelling builds trust and brand loyalty
• The future of business communication
• Human creativity versus artificial intelligence
• How storytelling creates stronger customer relationships
• Why originality is becoming a competitive advantage

🎙️ Not the Smartest Guys in the Room explores business, AI, marketing, media, technology, entrepreneurship, and current events with humor, curiosity, and practical insights.

Subscribe for new episodes every week.

Dominick Domasky is an author, publisher, speaker, storyteller, and founder of Motivation Champs, a full-service publishing and media company dedicated to developing stories that elevate humanity. He is the co-host of the #1 Apple Business News podcast, The Creative Entrepreneur, and helps entrepreneurs, authors, and organizations build authority through storytelling, publishing, podcasting, and media. Dom is the author of My Name Is Sharon, Go Ask Your Dad, The Journey of a Grunt, and How to Write a Book in 2020.

Tom Langan is the founder of Talex Media, a mission-driven media production company focused on humanizing the world of business through better communication. A veteran entrepreneur, producer, and business strategist, Tom brings decades of experience in leadership, media, marketing, and business development. As co-host of Not the Smartest Guys in the Room, he combines practical insight, curiosity, and humor to break down the latest trends in AI, business, technology, media, and current events, helping audiences think critically and communicate more effectively.

Trust Me, I Read It Online! Social Media, AI & Finding the Truth

In this episode of Not The Smartest Guys in the Room, Tom Langan and Dominick Domasky are joined by Jason Barajas, Dr. Tachi, and Julie Lokun for a timely conversation about how people consume news in the digital age and why critical thinking has never been more important. From TikTok becoming a primary news source for younger generations to the growing influence of artificial intelligence on journalism and content creation, the discussion explores how technology is reshaping the way information is created, distributed, and trusted.

The conversation examines the evolution of news from radio and television to social media platforms, the difference between reporting facts and sharing opinions, and why verifying sources is essential in an era of misinformation. Tom, Dom, and Jason also discuss media bias, healthy skepticism, AI's strengths and limitations, and practical ways to become a smarter consumer of information without falling into echo chambers.

Whether you're interested in artificial intelligence, digital media, journalism, social media trends, or simply want to sharpen your critical thinking skills, this episode offers historical perspective, thoughtful debate, and practical insights for navigating today's fast-changing information landscape.

Memorable Quotes
• "We all get our news from different sources."
• "Always check your stories for veracity."
• "Sam Altman gets a double thumbs down from me."

Topics Covered
• Digital news consumption and changing media habits
• TikTok as a growing news platform
• Media bias and separating facts from opinions
• Source verification and fact checking
• The history and evolution of journalism
• Artificial intelligence and the future of content creation
• Misinformation and healthy skepticism
• Storytelling, character, and building trust

The Real Cost of Growth: Relationships, AI, and the Future of Business

Is bigger always better? In this episode of Not The Smartest Guys in the Room, Tom and Dom dive into the hidden costs of chasing growth at all costs. From Iron Man race preparation and the science of carb loading to the rise of monopolies, the AI boom, and the importance of building genuine relationships, this conversation challenges many of today's biggest business assumptions.

The guys explore why profitability, community, and longevity often matter more than rapid expansion, how corporate consolidation is reshaping consumer choice, and why many people are pushing back against an economy driven solely by shareholder value. They also take a lighter turn by celebrating classic American traditions like backyard cookouts and hot dogs while discussing how culture influences the way we connect with one another.

The conversation also tackles today's AI revolution, separating hype from reality. Tom and Dom explain why AI is an incredible tool when used wisely, but warn against becoming overly dependent on technology at the expense of creativity, critical thinking, and human judgment. Whether you're an entrepreneur, business owner, or simply fascinated by where business and society are headed, this episode delivers practical insights with the humor and authentic conversations that make Not The Smartest Guys in the Room unique.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Iron Man training, carb loading, and endurance preparation
• Why relationships outperform mergers in the long run
• The dangers of monopolies and corporate consolidation
• Why growth isn't the only measure of business success
• The cultural importance of American cookouts and hot dogs
• The AI bubble and what businesses should realistically expect
• The risks of over relying on artificial intelligence
• Why patience and moderation create sustainable success
• How cultural differences shape communication and business relationships

About the Hosts

Dominick Domasky is an author, publisher, speaker, founder of Motivation Champs, and co-host of the #1 Apple Business News podcast, The Creative Entrepreneur Podcast. He helps authors, entrepreneurs, and organizations develop stories that elevate humanity while building authority through publishing, media, and speaking.

Tom Langan is a veteran media executive, entrepreneur, and founder of Talex Media. His decades of experience in television, digital media, and business strategy bring practical insight, humor, and real-world perspective to every episode.

About Not The Smartest Guys in the Room

Not The Smartest Guys in the Room is a weekly conversation-driven podcast where Dominick Domasky and Tom Langan tackle business, media, technology, entrepreneurship, current events, culture, and the ideas shaping today's world. With thoughtful discussions, practical takeaways, and plenty of laughs, every episode encourages listeners to think differently while never taking themselves too seriously.