Ep 62: Hidden Pitfalls of Productivity Hacks & The Future of Work

In this episode of Enterprising Minds, Dave Dougherty, Alex Pokorny, and Ruthi Corcoran tackle the enduring question: Is SEO really dead? From the rise of AI-driven search behaviors to the evolving nature of content marketing, the trio explores whether traditional SEO tactics still hold weight or if it's time to pivot entirely. They also dive into AI optimization, legal implications of LLM-generated content, the resurgence of niche marketing, and how the zero-click future of search is impacting strategy. Whether you're a marketer, content strategist, or business owner, this conversation will shift your perspective on SEO and AI.Subscribe to Enterprising Minds on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to the Pathways Newsletter where we’re exploring AI, marketing, and marketing careers together every week! You’ll get unique case studies, deeper dives into some of the podcast topics, and more: https://bit.ly/453sNKx Do you have ideas or suggestions? Get in touch at [email protected] Connect with Dave Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5L3Pn YouTube: http://bit.ly/41zuOfc Instagram: https://bit.ly/41zCPjZ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/40J3867 Connect with Ruthi LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ZvZH1v Connect with Alex Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5MwVT LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3KPDmIy

Dave and Alex tackle the dark side of “productivity hacks” and automation. What they save you upfront can quietly cost you in maintenance, admin, and attention. Dave shares a real-world attempt to automate podcast workflows with Make.com and why he ultimately chose a done-for-you social tool. The duo explores why conceptual computer science matters more than memorizing syntax, how to survive the “first dip” in the learning curve, and the legal/IP risks of AI in bigger orgs. They also debate four-day workweeks, output vs. hours, goal-setting during messy re-orgs, and two models of organizational chaos—the “garbage can” and Dave’s “lava lamp.” They close with pragmatic advice: value moats, pick smart niches (shoutout “Mike’s weekend construction”), and don’t let to-do lists run your life.Subscribe to Enterprising Minds on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to the Pathways Newsletter where we’re exploring AI, marketing, and marketing careers together every week! You’ll get unique case studies, deeper dives into some of the podcast topics, and more: https://bit.ly/453sNKx Do you have ideas or suggestions? Get in touch at [email protected] Connect with Dave Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5L3Pn YouTube: http://bit.ly/41zuOfc Instagram: https://bit.ly/41zCPjZ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/40J3867 Connect with Ruthi LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ZvZH1v Connect with Alex Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5MwVT LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3KPDmIy

Dave and Alex get real about the “AI FOMO” era—why flashy tools and hypey ads won’t fix messy workflows, how automation platforms like Make, n8n, and Zapier actually help (and where they don’t), and what “mullet content strategy” means for brand hygiene and long-term reputation. From meta description fails to the risks of letting employees be your influencers, this episode is a candid, funny, and grounded look at using AI without losing your judgment, your voice, or your weekends.Subscribe to Enterprising Minds on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to the Pathways Newsletter where we’re exploring AI, marketing, and marketing careers together every week! You’ll get unique case studies, deeper dives into some of the podcast topics, and more: https://bit.ly/453sNKx Do you have ideas or suggestions? Get in touch at [email protected] Connect with Dave Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5L3Pn YouTube: http://bit.ly/41zuOfc Instagram: https://bit.ly/41zCPjZ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/40J3867 Connect with Ruthi LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ZvZH1v Connect with Alex Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5MwVT LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3KPDmIy

In the latest episode of Enterprising Minds, the crew dives into a deep discussion on leveraging ChatGPT-5 and other AI tools to enhance productivity and career development. Alex updates the team on how using ChatGPT to create a 90-day plan has transformed his workflow, while Ruthi discusses setting boundaries to balance work and life effectively. Dave shares insights from his son's basketball camp and the importance of knowing the right questions to ask AI for optimal results. They also touch on managing organizational messiness, automating workflows with tools like make.com, and adapting to continuous changes in the digital landscape. Tune in for actionable tips and thought-provoking discussions on making AI work for you in your professional journey.Subscribe to Enterprising Minds on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to the Pathways Newsletter where we’re exploring AI, marketing, and marketing careers together every week! You’ll get unique case studies, deeper dives into some of the podcast topics, and more: https://bit.ly/453sNKx Do you have ideas or suggestions? Get in touch at [email protected] Connect with Dave Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5L3Pn YouTube: http://bit.ly/41zuOfc Instagram: https://bit.ly/41zCPjZ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/40J3867 Connect with Ruthi LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ZvZH1v Connect with Alex Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5MwVT LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3KPDmIy

As AI continues reshaping the search landscape, SEO isn't dead — it's just evolving. In this episode, Dave Dougherty and Alex Pokorny explore the seismic shifts happening in search engine optimization in 2025. From Google's algorithmic chaos and AI overviews to user trust, content strategy, and the slow return of PR and long-form authority content, the hosts dive deep into what still works, what’s already broken, and how marketers can adapt for the future. Whether you're a digital strategist, content marketer, or just trying to keep your traffic intact, this episode delivers essential insights for staying relevant in a rapidly changing SEO world.Subscribe to Enterprising Minds on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to the Pathways Newsletter where we’re exploring AI, marketing, and marketing careers together every week! You’ll get unique case studies, deeper dives into some of the podcast topics, and more: https://bit.ly/453sNKx Do you have ideas or suggestions? Get in touch at [email protected] Connect with Dave Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5L3Pn YouTube: http://bit.ly/41zuOfc Instagram: https://bit.ly/41zCPjZ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/40J3867 Connect with Ruthi LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ZvZH1v Connect with Alex Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5MwVT LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3KPDmIy

In this episode of Enterprising Minds, Alex, Ruthi, and Dave discuss the rapidly evolving job market for marketers and how you can adapt to it. The discussion explores the amount of times you can expect to get laid off, how many companies you can expect to work for, and how to get the experiences you need for a job if you can't get hired without them.Subscribe to Enterprising Minds on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to the Pathways Newsletter where we’re exploring AI, marketing, and marketing careers together every week! You’ll get unique case studies, deeper dives into some of the podcast topics, and more: https://bit.ly/453sNKx Do you have ideas or suggestions? Get in touch at [email protected] Connect with Dave Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5L3Pn YouTube: http://bit.ly/41zuOfc Instagram: https://bit.ly/41zCPjZ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/40J3867 Connect with Ruthi LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ZvZH1v Connect with Alex Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5MwVT LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3KPDmIy

How do you balance innovation and caution in the age of enterprise AI? In this lively and thought-provoking episode of Enterprising Minds, hosts Dave Dougherty, Ruthi Corcoran, and Alex Pokorny dive into the complexities of AI in HR—from data privacy dilemmas to tool adoption challenges. Should you feed proprietary or personal data into AI tools? What happens when employees bypass official channels? And how do performance reviews and enterprise culture evolve with AI assistance? Tune in to hear debates, frustrations, and surprising insights that will resonate with every professional navigating AI in the workplace.Subscribe to Enterprising Minds on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to the Pathways Newsletter where we’re exploring AI, marketing, and marketing careers together every week! You’ll get unique case studies, deeper dives into some of the podcast topics, and more: https://bit.ly/453sNKx Do you have ideas or suggestions? Get in touch at [email protected] Connect with Dave Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5L3Pn YouTube: http://bit.ly/41zuOfc Instagram: https://bit.ly/41zCPjZ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/40J3867 Connect with Ruthi LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ZvZH1v Connect with Alex Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5MwVT LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3KPDmIy

In this episode of Enterprise Minds, hosts Dave Dougherty, Alex Pokorny, and Ruthi Corcoran explore the evolving discussion around agentic AI and its current state. They dissect the difference between longstanding automated workflows and the emerging (yet often overstated) promise of agentic AI—technology that can reason, act, and learn independently. Through personal anecdotes, analogies, and real-world examples, they explore the current capabilities and limitations of AI tools, highlighting the critical gap between today’s practical tools and tomorrow’s intelligent agents. Packed with insights, humor (including Darth Vader ducks), and grounded analysis, this episode is a must for tech professionals, marketers, and AI enthusiasts looking to make sense of the hype and the reality.Subscribe to Enterprising Minds on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to the Pathways Newsletter where we’re exploring AI, marketing, and marketing careers together every week! You’ll get unique case studies, deeper dives into some of the podcast topics, and more: https://bit.ly/453sNKx Do you have ideas or suggestions? Get in touch at [email protected] Connect with Dave Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5L3Pn YouTube: http://bit.ly/41zuOfc Instagram: https://bit.ly/41zCPjZ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/40J3867 Connect with Ruthi LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ZvZH1v Connect with Alex Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5MwVT LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3KPDmIy

In this episode of the Enterprising Minds podcast, co-hosts Ruthi Corcoran and Alex Pokorny dive deep into the evolving world of AI tools. From personal applications, such as sunscreen research and interior design experiments, to professional use cases that revolutionize marketing workflows, they explore the real-world implications of integrating AI into daily life. Alex shares how he builds automated systems using ChatGPT, Google Ads Scripts, and Screaming Frog, while Ruthi reflects on prompt engineering and the limitations of current AI models. Together, they discuss the pitfalls of modern search engines, the erosion of trust in e-commerce due to AI-generated content, and the value of having intelligent agents assist in troubleshooting and creativity.Subscribe to Enterprising Minds on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to the Pathways Newsletter where we’re exploring AI, marketing, and marketing careers together every week! You’ll get unique case studies, deeper dives into some of the podcast topics, and more: https://bit.ly/453sNKx Do you have ideas or suggestions? Get in touch at [email protected] Connect with Dave Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5L3Pn YouTube: http://bit.ly/41zuOfc Instagram: https://bit.ly/41zCPjZ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/40J3867 Connect with Ruthi LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ZvZH1v Connect with Alex Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5MwVT LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3KPDmIy

Welcome to the latest episode of Enterprising Minds! In this episode, the entire crew dives deep into the current state of AI adoption and its impact on work and productivity. Alex kicks things off by asking whether we're near the 'critical mass' point where the widespread access to AI tools like ChatGPT is leading to meaningful output. The team explores their experiences with AI, discussing the shift from staying current with developments to effectively applying the tools in their daily lives. Topics include the impact of AI on productivity, the shift in use cases from idea generation to personal development, and the future of managing AI-driven systems. We also touch upon the importance of finding balance, strategic thinking, and continuous learning in an increasingly AI-driven world. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion about the future of AI and how it affects our work and lives.Subscribe to Enterprising Minds on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to the Pathways Newsletter where we’re exploring AI, marketing, and marketing careers together every week! You’ll get unique case studies, deeper dives into some of the podcast topics, and more: https://bit.ly/453sNKx Do you have ideas or suggestions? Get in touch at [email protected] Connect with Dave Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5L3Pn YouTube: http://bit.ly/41zuOfc Instagram: https://bit.ly/41zCPjZ LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/40J3867 Connect with Ruthi LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ZvZH1v Connect with Alex Website: http://bit.ly/3Z5MwVT LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/3KPDmIy