Early Adoptr
Here's the thing about AI content right now: it's designed to confuse you.Every day, another "AI expert" drops a 47-slide deck about "leveraging synergistic paradigms for exponential optimization." Another guru promises "revolutionary breakthroughs" using terms that sound impressive but mean absolutely nothing.This isn't accidental. It's gatekeeping by design.The AI industry has a vested interest in making this stuff sound impossibly complex. Because if you think you need a PhD to use ChatGPT, you'll pay someone else to do it for you.That's exactly where Early Adoptr comes in.We're startup founders ourselves – we've been in the trenches bu...
AI Data Requirements: What Your Business Need Before Implementation
In this episode, Kyle and Jess continue their deep dive with data veteran Eric Callahan, exposing the truth about how most businesses actually handle their data. It's messier than you think, and that's exactly why your AI initiatives keep failing.
Eric talks us through his "duct tape analogy" - a brutally honest take on why most companies are digital Frankensteins, we get real about technical debt, data hygiene nightmares, and why throwing AI at bad data is like putting premium gas in a broken engine.
We also discuss how Spotify turned simple data...
AI Starts with Data: What Most Companies Get Wrong
In this episode of Early Adoptr, Kyle and Jess bust the biggest AI myth of all: “We don’t have enough data.” The truth? You’re already swimming in it. From emails to spreadsheets to customer conversations, every business has more than enough information to start building AI-powered insights.
To prove it, they bring in data veteran Eric, who’s spent 15+ years cleaning up messy data for startups and enterprises alike. Eric shares why even Fortune 500s are struggling with data quality, how to avoid AI hype traps, and why the “hot dog story” from his kid’s PTA is t...
Business Data for AI: How to Turn Customer Emails and Invoices Into Competitive Advantage
In this episode, Kyle and Jess tackle the biggest myth in AI adoption: "I don't have enough data." The reality? Every business owner is sitting on a goldmine of untapped information - they just don't know how to see it or use it. From email threads to customer support tickets to that "Bible spreadsheet" you've been updating for three years, your business is generating incredible amounts of data every single day.
We break down the three types of data your business already has, explain how to actually extract it from your systems without needing a computer...
How to Get AI to Actually Do What You Want - Prompt Engineering That Doesn't Suck: Electric Boogaloo
In this episode, Kyle and Jess are completely overhaul their most popular episode on prompt engineering, because GPT-5 isn't just faster than GPT-4 - it's fundamentally different. It follows instructions with "surgical precision," handles 800 pages of context at once, and will get confused if you give it contradictory prompts that older models would just ignore. Not to mention there's been a whole host of other updates to prompt engineering that deserve attention too.
We dive deep into why role prompting (like "act as a marketing expert") is largely ineffective according to new research, introduce the game-changing 4...
Your Laptop Can Run AI Now? Testing Small Language Models So You Don't Have To
In this episode, Kyle and Jess get hands-on with Small Language Models (SLMs) - showing you exactly how to set up your own private AI that runs entirely on your laptop. If last week was the "why," this week is all about the "how," complete with real business use cases and a step-by-step quick win you can try today.
We dive deep into LM Studio, walk through analyzing business documents without sending data to the cloud, and show you how to create content that actually sounds like you wrote it. Plus, we cover ChatGPT's inevitable move...
Small Language Models 101: Why Bigger Isn't Always Better in AI
In this episode, Kyle and Jess explore the world of Small Language Models (SLMs) - the focused, cost-effective AI alternatives that might be perfect for your small business. While everyone's talking about expensive enterprise AI solutions, we dive into why smaller, specialized models could be the smarter choice for most business owners.
We break down what Small Language Models actually are (hint: think specialist vs. generalist), explore real-world use cases from customer support chatbots to internal knowledge bases, and give you practical tools you can try today. Plus, we cover Switzerland's groundbreaking open-source AI initiative and why...
ChatGPT Agent Review: We Tested OpenAI's New AI Assistant So You Don't Have To (The Good, the Bad and the Frustratingly Slow)
In this episode, Kyle and Jess dive deep into OpenAI's much-hyped ChatGPT Agent feature - and spoiler alert: the reality doesn't quite match the marketing. After Kyle spent a week testing everything from flight booking to DMV appointments, we deliver our take on what works, what doesn't, and why you probably shouldn't connect your email just yet.
We also cover some critical AI news that affects every business owner: YouTube's controversial AI-powered age detection system and Microsoft's internal list of jobs they believe AI will transform. Plus, two concerning privacy stories from OpenAI that validate everything...
Minimum Viable AI Policy: The Framework Every Business Needs in 2025
In this episode, it's the final part of our three-part series with Sean Bhardwaj from Breakthrough Growth Partners. If you missed parts one and two, we highly recommend going back to listen - they set the foundation for today's practical framework.
This week, we're diving into the solution: how to actually create an AI policy framework that protects your business while enabling confident AI adoption. Sean introduces his "Minimum Viable AI Policy" (MV(AI)P) - a simple, one-page document that answers four critical questions every business needs to address before implementing AI tools.
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The Ultimate Guide to AI Pitfalls And the Framework to Avoid Them (with Sean Bhardwaj)
In this episode, it's part two of a three-part series with Sean Bhardwaj from Breakthrough Growth Partners. If you missed part one, we highly recommend going back to listen - it sets the foundation for today's discussion.
This week, we're tackling the uncomfortable truth about AI adoption: why most AI initiatives fail (it's usually not because of the technology itself!). Sean breaks down the five major pitfalls that consistently trip up businesses, no matter how big or small your business is, and provides practical guidance on how to avoid these costly mistakes.
We al...
Building AI Guardrails That Actually Work (with Sean Bhardwaj)
Jess and Kyle are joined by their first guest, Sean Bhardwaj from Breakthrough Growth Partners! This is part one of a two-part series that dives deep into AI transformation and policy fundamentals, and honestly, it's the conversation every business owner needs to hear right now. Spoiler alert: your team is already using AI tools whether you know it or not, and it's time to get strategic about it.
Sean brings some serious wisdom about why AI isn't just another productivity hack - it's a foundational shift that requires intentional leadership. He shares why we're not actually late t...
Welcome to Early Adoptr
Meet the hosts of Early Adoptr, Jess and Kyle. We're here to make AI your unfair advantage.
Get in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.ai
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Early Adoptr - Meet Jess and Kyle
An introduction to the faces on screen and the minds behind Early Adoptr, the practical podcast guide to all things AI. Perfect for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals ready to leverage artificial intelligence, Early Adoptr transforms AI into your unfair advantage.
The Elephant in the Room: AI Ethics Every Business Owner Must Know in 2025
Welcome to the episode where Jess and Kyle finally tackle the elephant in the room! This is a long, but very important one. While they've been showing you all the amazing ways AI can supercharge your business, this week they're diving deep into the ethical implications that every entrepreneur needs to understand. Spoiler alert: AI ethics isn't just about doing the right thing (though that's important!) – it's about protecting your business, managing risks, and staying competitive in an increasingly complex landscape.
From carbon footprints to bias, job displacement to deepfakes, this episode covers the good, the ba...
AI Agents in Action: Real Examples, Real Frameworks, Real Fun-gents (?)
In this episode, Jess and Kyle dive deep into real-world AI agent use cases, moving beyond theory to show you how you can create an AI agent today. They share their framework for identifying which tasks should become agents (versus simple automations), walk through actual examples they've built, and introduce the concept of "fun-gents" - low-stakes AI projects perfect for beginners. Plus, they cover Anthropic's major legal victory and why one startup's controversial "cheating" AI is getting roasted online.
Chapter Timestamps
[00:00] Introduction and Background[02:40] Where Do I Even Begin: AI Agents: The Sequel[08:17...AI Agents vs Agentic AI: Why Everyone's Getting It Wrong
In this episode of Early Adoptr, Jess returns from the scorching Cannes Lions with insights on how AI is transforming advertising and business. She and Kyle break down the critical difference between AI agents and agentic AI - two terms everyone's using interchangeably but shouldn't be. From real-world examples at Cannes to building personal assistant workflows, they explore the ladder of AI autonomy and why understanding these distinctions matters for your business decisions.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro & Insights from Cannes Lions12:46 Where Do I Even Begin: WTF are Agents?36:30 AI Agents & Limitations42:32 AI News...
Stop Googling, Start Deep Researching: Deep Research Tools 101
In this episode, Jess and Kyle deep dive into deep research - the game-changing tools that can turn you into an expert on any topic before your morning coffee. We'll help you discover how to get PhD-level insights without the PhD-level time investment. Plus, we share our first user user case, break down this week's biggest AI news including OpenAI's data retention drama, Meta's big AI investment, and Disney's copyright battle with Midjourney, and why it all matters for your business.
Chapters:
00:00 Did Jenson Really Say That?
03:55...
Beyond Basic AI: How Custom GPTs Can Help Your Business
In this episode, Jess and Kyle talk AI at SXSW London, and we do a deep dive in Custom GPTs, aka specialized AI assistants that can revolutionize how small businesses operate. We talk about how Mary Meeker’s AI report and Meta’s AI ad creation will affect small businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as the cautionary tale of Builder.ai.
[00:00] Intro
[00:50] Welcome to Episode 4: What we've been up to this week
[07:16] Where Do I Even Begin: GPTs
[10:03] Custom GPTs: Revolutionizing AI Applications
[22:56] Custom GPTs - Real...
How to Get AI to Actually Do What You Want: Prompt Engineering That Doesn't Suck
In this episode of Early Adopter, hosts Jess and Kyle dive deep into the game-changing world of AI prompt engineering - and trust us, this isn't just another tech tutorial! They share their hard-won insights on how to actually talk to AI tools in ways that get you amazing results (spoiler: most people are doing it completely wrong). From the universal truths of prompting to avoiding the pitfalls, the duo walks you through practical frameworks like RACE and CARE that you can use immediately. Plus, they dish on the latest Anthropic announcements, talk hardware, and their favorite AI fails...
Where Do I Even Begin? Your First Steps with AI Tools for Business Success
In this episode of Early Adopter, Jess and Kyle launch their new beginner-focused series "Where Do I Even Begin?" They break down what Large Language Models (LLMs) are, explain the core AI tools available today, and provide a comprehensive comparison of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, DeepSeek, and Grok. The hosts also dive deep into Google's massive I/O 2025 announcements that could revolutionize small business operations, share listener poll results about most-hated work tasks, and discuss a cautionary tale about AI-generated content gone wrong at the Chicago Sun-Times.
• LLMs are pattern-based text generators trained on massive amounts of in...
Hello, World!
In the inaugural episode of Early Adoptr, hosts Jess and Kyle introduce their mission to make AI practical and accessible for small business owners and entrepreneurs. They share their backgrounds, discuss the rapid evolution of AI technology, and emphasize the importance of community engagement.
The episode covers various topics, including the role of AI in small businesses, listener feedback on desired content, real-world use cases, and the implications of recent AI news.
The hosts also explore image generation tools and best practices for using AI effectively, while cautioning against...
