The secret my Greek grandfather taught me (now it applies to AI)


I spent this weekend watching The Bear season four, and it reminded me of something my grandfather would never have imagined when he arrived from Greece in the 1920s.

Picture this: A young Greek immigrant with nothing but determination, deciding to open a restaurant in America.

Did he know anything about running one?

Not a clue.

But what else would a Greek do?

What made our family restaurant different wasn't just the food.

It was the philosophy.

Every morning we baked fresh bread, made pies from scratch, and crafted everything by hand.

Salad dressing, chocolate sauce, even mayonnaise all made with love.

My grandfather had a saying: "Anyone can heat up food, but only an artist creates an experience."

From Kitchen to Cutting Edge

Fast forward to the 1980s: I was a computer technician working on machines bigger than your car.

By the 1990s, I was managing networks as the internet was being invented.

I've spent 30+ years on the bleeding edge of technology.

Here's what I've learned: The biggest opportunities come disguised as complicated new things that "nobody understands yet."

Remember the early internet when "You've got mail!" was exciting?

Most people thought it was a fad.

But some of us saw the future.

The AI Revolution Is Here

Today, I'm watching history repeat with AI, and it's moving faster than anything I've seen in three decades.

We've gone from "What's ChatGPT?" to "How do I build AI agents?" in what feels like a heartbeat.

We're not in the "mature AI" phase yet.

We're in the "You've got mail!" phase.

Just two years ago, everyone obsessed over "prompt engineering."

Now that's old news.

Today's successful entrepreneurs aren't building AI tools; they're building AI experiences.

And just like my grandfather's restaurant, the difference between a tool and an experience is everything.

Experience Over Everything

An AI tool says: "Here, use this prompt to generate content."

An AI experience says: "Tell me about your business, and I'll create a complete marketing campaign that sounds exactly like you, knows your industry, and delivers results your clients will love."

While your competitors figure out ChatGPT, I'm building custom AI experiences that intimately know your business, work 24/7, consistently apply your expertise, and scale infinitely.

Your AI Transformation

I've partnered with cutting-edge platforms to create custom AI experiences that feel like natural extensions of your business.

What I deliver:

Custom AI Experience Development

  • 3-5 specialized experiences designed for your business, branded to match your company, and integrated with your systems.
  • Revenue Strategy Consultation: Analysis of your workflows to identify AI opportunities, plus monetization strategy and launch plan tailored to your business.
  • Complete Implementation: Technical setup, staff training, client templates, and performance tracking.
  • I handle everything.

The Window Is Closing

Here's what 30+ years taught me: The biggest advantage goes to those who move first, but that window doesn't stay open forever.

Right now, AI is powerful enough to transform businesses but not yet common enough to be expected.

Soon, AI experiences will be table stakes.

Will you be leading that transformation, or scrambling to catch up?

Your Next Move

I'm only taking 5 new AI transformation projects this quarter.

If you're ready to explore how custom AI experiences could transform your business, I'm offering a complimentary 30-minute AI Strategy Session.

We'll analyze your processes, discuss AI experience concepts tailored to your business, outline an implementation strategy, and determine if this partnership is a good fit.

Reply with "AI STRATEGY" and I'll send you a private calendar link.

A Personal Promise

My grandfather taught me that the secret ingredient isn't just what you serve, it's how you make people feel.

That's the philosophy I bring to every AI project.

This isn't about technology for the sake of technology.

It's about creating experiences that make your clients feel understood and supported even when you're not in the room.

The future belongs to businesses that deliver a personalized experience at scale.

That future is available right now.

Are you ready to claim it?

Ted

Ted Prodromou

Join 60,000+ seasoned professionals who are done with the corporate world. Epic Encore is an almost daily newsletter with inspirational stories from leading experts. Your Epic Encore is about turning your lifetime experiences into the cornerstone of the rest of your life. It represents your audacious leap into entrepreneurship, fueled by the wisdom and tenacity you've garnered in your successful career. This isn't about playing catch-up in business and building a 7-figure business. It's about forging a unique path, using your distinct perspective, seasoned judgment, and invaluable insights that can only come from years of life experience.

Read more from Ted Prodromou

I’ve done a lot of personal and professional growth work over the years. I was a massive consumer of personal development programs from Nightingale Conant. At one point, my wife Ellen asked me "Aren't you fixed yet?" Nothing from Nightingale Conant has rewired me like Zenith Mind OS. Before this, I was still running on patterns that held me back: overpreparing, overthinking, playing small. Now? I’m aware when those habits show up and I have the tools to move through them. I’m more aligned....

As I continue through Rich Schefren’s Zenith Mind OS, I realize this hasn’t just been a course. It’s been a complete rewiring of how I think, work, and live. This journey didn’t end when the modules did. The biggest breakthroughs came after the course. Now I see the old habits when they try to sneak back in: The urge to over-prepare instead of speaking The subtle ways I play small to stay safe The patterns that once protected me but now hold me back And for the first time, I’m not beating...

Quick reminder: today’s Mastermind Book Club call is on! We’re diving into The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Getting Your Sh*t Together by John Carlton. No sugar-coating. No motivational fluff. Just real talk about business, mindset, and that cluttered desk we’re all pretending doesn’t exist. One of my favorite lines from the book: “You don’t need more time. You need fewer excuses.” (Yeah, that one hit me too.) 🕓 Thursday June 5th at 11:30 PST/2:30 EST 📍Join us live See you there. Bring your notes,...