Among the many roles I hold, serving as President of the Chagrin Valley Camera Club this year has been a real test of standards, judgment, and leadership. Photography clubs can easily drift into comfort. Friendly feedback. Polite praise. Vague critique. That is fine if the goal is social connection. It is not fine if the goal is growth. Leadership, in any domain, is about standards. What you tolerate. What you reward. What you are willing to put in front of...

Last week I spoke to a large group of successful retirees on a simple theme: AI Without Intimidation. The questions during and after the session told me something important. Once people get past the fear, hype, and jargon, they start seeing AI for what it really is: a thinking partner that can save time, sharpen judgment, and surface blind spots. One question stuck with me: “What are some of your favorite prompts that significantly impacted your life and business that...

Most professionals say they want to deliver deeper value for their clients. Fewer are willing to rethink how that value is created, articulated, and monetized. I wanted to see whether AI could do more than speed things up. I wanted to test whether it could help me think better, design smarter offers, and uncover real leverage. So, I put it to the test through a serious stress test, not for content, but for strategy. What emerged is my master prompt...

Have you ever been stuck inside an app on your phone and could not figure out where a setting lives, how a feature works, or what to tap next. Or stared at a gadget, a label, or a screen in a store, museum or online and thought, I know this matters, but I have no idea what I am looking at. That problem is effectively gone. ChatGPT’s audio input, voice mode, broadcast mode, and camera mode turn your phone into...

As the year comes to a close, attention naturally turns to reflection and intention. Calendars reset. Energy rises. Conversations shift toward goals, priorities, and the promise of a clean start. For many professionals, this moment feels important, even symbolic. It represents possibility. It also quietly repeats a familiar ritual that deserves a closer look. Eleven years ago, I wrote about New Year’s resolutions and paired it with a cartoon (you can see) that still makes me smile. A man sits...

Dear clients, friends, and family, I wanted to send a simple note to thank you, for your trust, and for taking the time to read my weekly insights. I hope they have been genuinely useful, not just for your business, but for the choices and conversations that shape your work and life. I don’t take your attention lightly, or the opportunity to support your goals and progress. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Wherever you’re spending the next few days, I...

ChatGPT quietly crossed a line this week.  They released their new image creation capability, and after a quick real world test, it is clear this is not a feature update. It is a capability shift. I put it through a simple test. No clever tricks. No complex prompting. Just practical use cases that matter to how we actually work. I uploaded a photo of myself and used this prompt: “Use my image to create a clickable YouTube thumbnail, 1920 by...

Eight weeks ago, I made a decision that changed everything. Intermittent fasting has transformed my life, and the story behind it reveals why this time was different and why AI became the catalyst. Like many professionals, I spent years trying to manage my weight. Diets. Calorie restriction. Trainers. Discipline. Five days a week of intense pickleball. I improved my fitness but never created real, lasting change. Hunger always came back. The weight always returned. The entire process felt like a...

You can use AI to think clearer, move faster, and deliver superior work. Most people treat AI like a gadget. Borrowed IQ is a different mindset. You add brainpower on demand, so your decisions, writing, research, and creativity all jump. It is now realistic to borrow 50 to 100 IQ points today, and most people do not realize it. What would you do with 50 to 100 extra IQ points, today. You lead, AI scales you. Borrowed IQ means AI...

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and before the holiday begins I want to pause and thank you. The trust you place in me and the work we do together is something I take seriously. Your commitment to growth, innovation, and better thinking makes my work both meaningful and energizing. I am grateful for the opportunity to help you strengthen your business, your content, and your impact in the world. Gratitude has always been a quiet force in strategic work. It sharpens focus....