We've Lost the Plot
I swear I left an imprint on the couch.
I spent most of the past two weeks squarely planted on it -- mostly watching Knife Edge, a new Apple+ series that follows restaurants chasing Michelin stars.
You can learn a lot from that show. Not even about food. But what happens when you get so focused on outside awards and vanity metrics that you lose the plot.
Some of the restaurants on the show won the star (or three!) they so desperately wanted, but others didn't.
The restaurants that didn't win tended to have something in common:
⭐ They were more focused on getting the star than they were on their customers or the food they served them. They let the pressure of something arbitrary burn their love for cooking -- and it showed.
They forgot why they started their restaurants. (Fun fact: the ones who only opened restaurants to win a star? They never got one.)
As they sautéed shallots and basted fish with more butter than a Red Lobster cheddar biscuit, they forgot about the people actually eating their food.
Honestly? It reminded me of how easy it is to do the same thing in business.
You can get caught up in follower counts, revenue numbers, and how many clients you have...
And forget that you won't have any of that -- at least for long -- if you don't prioritize your customers and achieve the trifecta: create a product that's needed, wanted, and actually works.
For me, AI tools pull me away from all of this ^.
AI can be helpful.
But using it makes me second-guess myself.
Sure, I can train AI to "know my customer." I can feed it every pain point I've ever heard.
But there’s a difference between knowing your customer — and actually connecting with them.
Your customer also isn't a static, one-size-fits-all computer model.
They're a person.
With real feelings, experiences, hurts, and wants.
Getting too obsessed with AI's version of "what works" is a bit like cooking for the Michelin inspector instead of the people actually eating in your restaurant.
I've always chosen to cook for the people... which is why I think my 'restaurant' is always full.
In my new podcast episode I explore whether AI is killing my creativity and how I've seen it both help and hurt my business this past year.
I'm not completely against AI -- my friends freak out when I tell them about the ways we use it to shortcut tasks, maximize our reach on social, etc.
But there's also an AI line I won't cross anymore (ie, writing Sidebar emails like these, planning my podcast episodes, any original content, etc.).
Two things can be true at once: AI can be useful — and I still crave your original POV more than anything.
I'm curious what you think, Reader. Hit "reply" and let me know. I reply to everything you send me.
To hear more about how I use AI in my business and how I absolutely refuse to use it -- listen to my podcast, On Your Terms®️ on Apple, Spotify, or my website.
Talk soon!
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🎙️ NEW EPISODE
Is AI messing with your mojo?
We all love a time-saving tool… but what if AI is quietly chipping away at your creative edge — the very thing that makes your business yours?
In this week’s episode, I’m sharing the sneaky ways AI might be dulling your ideas, how that ripple effect can hit your content, offers, and growth — and where I draw the line when it comes to using it in my own biz.
🎧 LISTEN→ Is AI Quietly Killing My Creativity? [Apple, Spotify, my website]
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