Tag: chatgpt

Beyond the Prompt: Scaling Lore and Logic with Agentic AI:

I didn’t just launch a lifestyle brand; I built an Agentic GTM Framework. In Part 1 of the Apres Leisure build, I reveal how I moved from ‘Generative Noob’ to ‘Agentic Architect,’ scaling a 0-FTE brand from concept to launch in under 90 days. If you’re ready to move beyond ‘using AI’ and start running an AI workforce, the signal starts here.

How the principles of Finding Your True North fueled a 90-day, 0-FTE brand launch for Apres Leisure (P1).

I. The Call: Incorporating the Philosophy of Finding Your True North

Every successful venture starts with a clear signal. In my book, Finding Your True North, I explore the necessity of aligning internal purpose with external execution. While continuing to search for my great next career fit, I took on a challenging consulting project. Launching Apres Leisure was the ultimate “stress test” for these themes. I had to move from a self-described “Generative Noob” (using AI for ideas and copy, probably the average use case) to an Agentic GTM Architect (using AI for execution), ensuring that the brand’s “True North”—the transition into the Modern Myth—was never lost in the automation.

II. The Struggle: Addressing Laundry List of Challenges

Moving from speaking about and pitching connected technology to implementing it firsthand (read: front-to-back-of-house) requires some real strategist-to-operator-level commitment. In addition to time management, here are a few of the top hurdles faced in the process:

  • Education Rabbit hole – transitioning from generative to agentic via certifications, video tutorials, prompt education, social platform feedback, tons of trial-and-error.
  • Resources – versed in The Lean Startup methodology, I played a very key role in standing up and scaling a bootstrapped company, new category, etc. Finding free ways to grow vs. using the magic bullets is a job in itself. Vendor choices can be extensive.
  • Feedback – driving advisor and peer opinions, pressure-testing, doing the research to build out the strategy + LOTS of generative AI prompts.
  • Uniqueness – pressure-testing the category, building out the brand accordingly with comps and differentiating factors in mind.
  • Dedication – going from non-technical to self-taught “vibe coding” Agentic GTM technical skills isn’t for the faint of heart. If you hit a wall 1000 times, you have to make sure to get up 1,001. When the Make.com scenario failed for the 10th time, I leaned on the ‘Navigating the Fog’ chapter of Finding Your True North to recalibrate the logic.

III. The Solution: O-FTE with an Agentic Workforce

To maintain a 0-FTE overhead, I originally deployed seven agentic workflows tied to key roles, which evolved. These weren’t just prompts; they were digital employees executing the “True North” strategy:

  • To launch with 0 FTE, along with a few key exec roles, I architected multiple ancillary agentic roles within the “Apres Brain” to handle the heavy lifting of a traditional GTM team. Here are a few of them:
  • The Lore Master (Brand & Philosophy)
    • Function: Synthesizes the core principles from Finding Your True North into the brand’s narrative.
    • Output: Developed the “Apres Access” Legend Ledger loyalty framework and the “Modern Myth” identity of the LeisureVerse, catering to those who want to take that feeling from the special/sacred “Third Place” with them.
  • The GTM Strategist (Market & Finance)
    • Function: Conducts competitive analysis and financial modeling.
    • Output: Engineered a pricing strategy that secures a prescribed margin while maintaining “leisure-class” accessibility.
  • The Automation Architect (Logic & Handshakes)
    • Function: Bridges the gap between disparate SaaS tools.
    • Output: Built the Legend_Ledger_Entry scenario in Make.com to automate data flow between Shopify and the Ledger.
  • The Product Designer (Iterative Creation)
    • Function: Translates lore into physical aesthetics using generative design tools.
    • Output: Rapidly prototyped and synced 67 unique products initially for V1.
  • The Logistics Lead (Operations & Flow)
    • Function: Manages the complex logic of print-on-demand fulfillment and shipping tiers.
    • Output: Structured the Standard Signal Shipping hierarchy with automated free-shipping thresholds at $80+.
  • The Wordsmith (Conversion Copy)
    • Function: Generates high-fidelity product descriptions and marketing assets.
    • Output: Created the conversion-focused copy for the Apres Leisure Store and the automated communication triggers for new customers.
  • The Efficiency Auditor (Overhead Control)
    • Function: Monitors the “Team of One” tech stack to ensure 0-FTE sustainability.
    • Output: Optimized the modular API strategy to prevent “tool bloat” and ensure the business remains bootstrapped and profitable.

IV. The outcomes: Streamlining Ops & Results

By streamlining operations through this agentic stack and getting more refined in the approach, I saved easily $250k+ in traditional CAC and OpEx while increasing velocity to reach launch week in under 90 days. The product is a scalable, lore-driven brand with a community-first loyalty protocol that gives back in multiple ways.

workflow example built out at Make.com
A key part of agentic strategy is connecting APIs amongst services.

As for the results, stay tuned for Part 2.

Building the Future: I am currently seeking my next high-impact role as a Full-Time Employee and/or Growth Consultant. If you want to move your organization from “using AI” to “running an Agentic Workforce” with 0-to-1 velocity, let’s connect.

Join the Cycle

1. Equip Yourself: Become part of the Founding 100, explore the First Cycle of gear and lore at Apres Leisure, enter the LeisureVerse and act on the Signal for gear at The Shop.

2. Read the Playbook: To understand the methodology behind the Forge, grab your copy of Finding Your True North on Amazon and make sure to leave a review if you find it helpful. It is the guide for any leader looking to find their signal in the noise of this complex generative age.

The Silicon Slopes Tech Conference Didn’t Give Me Answers — It Gave Me Direction

Mark Cuban and Chris Klomp sparring on drug transparency issues

I didn’t leave last week’s Silicon Slopes with a tidy list of takeaways. I left with tension. And that mattered more.

Because when you’re building anything meaningful — a company, a career, a body of work — creation has a real cost. If there’s no friction, nothing new emerges. That idea threaded through nearly every conversation, keynote, and side hallway exchange I had over the week.

This wasn’t a conference about hype. It was about reckoning.

Tension Is the Point

One of the most grounding moments came during a deep‑breathing and reflection session led by Eric Espinosa of DeepLife. The prompt was simple and uncomfortable: What have you been carrying that’s holding you back — and are you ready to let it go?

I gave myself 48 hours after the conference to sit with that question. No productivity theater. No pretending I could out‑optimize it.

Just honesty.

Super hard in practice but that set the tone for everything else.

The Resume Is Dead. Values Aren’t.

We talked a lot about resumes — not as documents, but as signals.

Not titles. Not credentials.

Values. Behavior. Decision patterns.

The people who stood out weren’t optimizing for the next role. They were acting like the CEO of their own career — clear on what they stand for, how they work, and what kind of problems they’re willing to own. Author and LinkedIn editor Lorraine Lee spoke to this movement.

That framing is transformative. Especially now.

AI Isn’t Taking Jobs — It’s Exposing Them

There was no sugarcoating the AI conversation.

We’re in a 3–10× acceleration cycle for software change. Horizontally, there’s almost no defensibility anymore. Vertically — chips, semiconductors, infrastructure — everything is being reconstituted. The stock market collectively plummeted this week as a result of AI investments among FAANG companies and software was put on notice – if AI isn’t driving it forward.

A few things landed hard:

  • Salesforce was one of many stocks to slide this week but Salesforce Ventures’ Rob Keith detailed that its Agentforce augmentation service is already producing over $1 trillion and there’s more happened behind the scenes on the AI front.
  • Founders are becoming more technical again — not because they want to, but because learning velocity is the product.
  • Individual contributors who can think, build, and iterate are outpacing managers of process.
  • Product management as a standalone role is shrinking.
  • Customer success is becoming AI‑native.
  • CRM key functions are quickly being reinvented
  • Workforces will be half human, half agents — sooner than most companies are ready for. Right now you can build an agent-workforce to fill roles across the typical role spectrum for a cost fraction.
  • Humanoid robots in 5 years will be 95% there physically emulating movements.

“This year feels like the GPT‑3 moment — but for everything” (Ethan Choi, Khosla Ventures).

That’s not doom. It’s a filter.

Tools Are Table Stakes. Judgment Is the Edge.

Yes, we saw the tools:

  • Image‑to‑video workflows outperforming text‑to‑video.
  • Voice cloning and speech‑to‑speech becoming trivial.
  • AI music generation that’s already “good enough” King Willonius gave us a live demo on how he made music videos that have churned up massive virality.
  • Agent‑based coding environments changing how software is built.

But tools don’t win markets. Judgment does.

Domain understanding. Taste. Context. Ethics. Soft skills.

That’s the real defensibility now.

Soft Skills Are the Hard Advantage

Here’s the quiet truth that kept resurfacing: the more technical the world becomes, the more human the winners are.

  • Teaching your team how to talk about their work matters.
  • Storytelling isn’t fluff — it’s trust‑building.
  • Transparency plus aligned self‑interest is credibility.
  • Sales isn’t manipulation. It’s clarity.

You don’t get to opt out of selling — your ideas, your vision, or yourself.

And authenticity isn’t aesthetic. It’s operational.

Doing Well by Doing Good Isn’t Optional Anymore

Some of the most powerful conversations centered on healthcare, transparency, and human suffering. Mark Cuban of Costplusdrugs.com battled Chris Klomp, Director of Medicare on this principle and stage.

65% of people live with a chronic condition.

Healthcare remains the #1 cause of bankruptcy.

Pricing opacity is morally offensive and brought on by big insurance.

And yet — we now have the tools to fix parts of this system in days, not decades.

Not because it’s profitable.

Because it’s necessary.

Help human suffering. Help one another. Do well by doing good.

That wasn’t a slogan. It was a challenge.

So Where I Landed

Silicon Slopes didn’t make me more certain.

It made me more clear.

Clear that:

  • Speed matters, but direction matters more.
  • Specialists will struggle. Integrators will thrive.
  • Learning velocity beats pedigree.
  • Building things — and selling them — is still the path.
  • The future belongs to people who can learn, connect, and serve. There were so many great vendors and individuals represented who were trying to live that Silicon Slopes motto. Highlighting one in Keep the Adventure Alive for those battling arthritis.

And clear that the work ahead isn’t about chasing trends.

It’s about choosing problems worth solving — and having the courage to stay with the tension long enough for something real to emerge.

If any of this resonates — if you’re building, re‑building, or re‑thinking where you’re headed — I’m always open to thoughtful conversations. Not pitches. Not noise.

Just real work, done with intention.