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 EdgeFast 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 HereToday, 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 EverythingAn 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 TransformationI'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
The Window Is ClosingHere'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 MoveI'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 PromiseMy 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 |
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One of the most powerful stories in Barry Kleiman's "The Playground Principles" isn't actually about what happened on the playground. It's about the man who never set foot on it but shaped everything that happened there. The Blue-Collar Foundation Barry describes his father as a man who "never set foot on the blacktop" but "instilled the quiet, blue-collar examples of humility, effort, and always showing up." This father, captured in a cherished family photograph with Barry and his brothers,...
It's been a while. I've been battling some very challenging health issues. By far, the most challenging couple of months of my life, mentally and physically. I'm living a roller coaster of emotions, and my challenges are far from over. Luckily, I have a fantastic wife and two children who have been there for me. I also have a great friend, Barry Kleiman, who checks on me every day. Business is the last thing on my mind right now, but I want to keep my toe in the water while I battle through...
A few weeks ago, I couldn't walk more than a few steps. I'd fall to the floor, curl up in fetal position, feeling like I was still falling. For 21 days, I was bedridden with extreme vertigo in both ears, unable to work, unable to concentrate for more than a few seconds, unable to do the simplest things I'd always taken for granted. It was one of the most challenging periods of my life. But something unexpected happened as I began to recover. This obstacle that completely derailed my life...