The AI Santa: How Jonathan Mast Empowers Entrepreneurs with Smart Tools for Revenue Growth & Success

S5:E18 In this heartwarming and brilliant episode of Small Biz Stories, Dr. LL welcomes Jonathan Mast, affectionately known as “The Whitebeard of AI." He is a generous educator, strategist, and AI expert with a mission to make AI accessible for small business owners. Jonathan reveals the top 3 AI tools every entrepreneur should be using, how to overcome fear and overwhelm with technology, and how to create an AI-powered board of advisors (fictional and real!). He also shares touching and unexpected ways he’s used AI from health advocacy to writing a tear-jerking Mother’s Day letter. Whether you're AI-curious or already deep in prompt engineering, this episode will inspire you to embrace the future with practical tips, humor, and a Santa-sized dose of generosity. 🧠 Topics Covered: Must-have AI tools for beginners Prompting frameworks that work Overcoming AI fear with confidence Building your own AI board of advisors How AI can support emotional intelligence and relationships   🎯 Perfect for: Small business owners, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, consultants, and coaches.   LEARN MORE ABOUT Jonathan Mast 👉https://jonathanmast.com/ JOIN his AI Entrepreneurs HUB 👉https://tac.whitebeardstrategies.com/communities/groups/ai-entrepreneurs/home ✴️And don't forget to follow us on YouTube @MidlifeSuccess ⏱️ Timestamp Highlights (SEO-Rich Tips): 1:12 – “You don’t need the perfect tool. You just need a tool—and start!” ➡️ Stop chasing perfection—Jonathan breaks down 3 simple tools to start your AI journey: ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Midjourney. 9:00 – “Use this 4-step framework for perfect prompts.” ➡️ Jonathan reveals his prompting method: declare the expert, give context, ask a question, then say: “Ask me any questions you have.” 15:13 – “I built a board of advisors using AI—real, fictional, and even dead people.”  ➡️ A mind-blowing technique to simulate advice from Steve Jobs, Tony Stark, and others using generative AI. 23:00 – “The fear of AI is like asking someone out—you overthink it. Just try it.” ➡️ Jonathan likens AI hesitation to dating nerves—his advice? Jump in! It’s not scary, and it won’t bite. 26:22 – “Search ‘white beard AI guy’—you’ll find me.” ➡️ Jonathan’s signature branding: a heart-led leader whose goal is to help you save time, make money, and grow smarter with AI. 🔖#AI #JonathanMast #Entrepreneurship #smallbusiness #podcast

S5:E15 Discover how small businesses can punch above their weight with actionable PR strategies from Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases and renowned PR expert. In this episode, Mickie shares his journey from creative writing to building a leading press release distribution service, and delivers practical insights for entrepreneurs aiming for real media coverage, credibility, and results without the big agency price tag. Growth hacking at its finest! Key Takeaways for Small Business Owners & Entrepreneurs via Mickie's discussion with Dr. LL: [4:15] The Power of Storytelling in Press Releases: Mickie explains how shifting from dry data tables to compelling stories in press releases led to major media coverage, opening new markets and building credibility for his company. [7:24] Identifying Market Opportunities: He describes how listening to journalists' needs and early trends (like email distribution) inspired the creation of eReleases, showing the importance of adapting to industry shifts. [9:00] Affordable Access to National Media: Mickie reveals how eReleases partners with PR Newswire to offer national press release distribution at a fraction of the typical cost, making media access feasible for small businesses. [10:25] Knowing When to Make the Leap: For those balancing a day job and a side hustle, Mickie shares his conservative approach—saving six months of living expenses and waiting until his business generated double his living costs before going full-time. [11:31] Financial Caution in Growth: He discusses the importance of financial reserves before hiring employees, emphasizing responsible growth and risk management for entrepreneurs. Whether you’re a startup founder, author, or small business owner, this episode delivers actionable PR tips and inspiring stories to help you gain real media traction and grow your business. 🤝 Connect with Mickie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/publicity/ 📣 Learn how to get seen with Mickie's FREE resources regarding How to Win with Press Releases https://www.ereleases.com/ ✴️ follow @MidlifeSuccess on YouTube and don't forget to 👍LIKE this episode! #entrepreneur #marketing #pressconference

How do you handle Mondays? Noah Staum drops advice on how to make your Monday matter, including some Monday Motivation from Grit Daily Columnist Loralyn Mears, Ph.D., on how to "Enjoy The Ride." Plus, the latest trending news from Grit Daily: Remains Of A Missing Man Found Via Google Earth Walmart and Groupon Cash In On Healthcare Whole Foods Cuts Medical Benefits