807: Why AI Gets Worse Over Time (And How to Fix It) with Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju

Megan chats with Shruthi about using AI beyond basic prompting, building smarter workflows, and protecting your unique voice as a food creator. Founder of Urban Farmie (vegetarian-global niche, 2M visits a year, AP syndicated). I spent 12 years at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and left as a Partner in February to run the food business full-time. Stanford MS-MBA, former engineer, TED speaker on food systems. I also just launched Mise en Claude, a Substack on how working food bloggers can use Claude as part of their operating system. Summary & Takeaways Most food bloggers use AI as a simple writing tool. Shruthi explains why the biggest gains come from treating AI as a strategic business partner instead. This episode explores project-based AI systems, prompt maintenance, voice development, and practical ways to use AI without sacrificing originality or expertise. Key Topics Discussed: - Organize AI projects by purpose to prevent instruction overload. - Review and clean AI project instructions every month. - Use AI for repeatable tasks, not strategic business decisions. - Define your voice before teaching AI to replicate it. - Build systems that protect lived experience and expertise. - Focus on one major business initiative each quarter. Mise en Claude Substack Connect with Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju Website | Instagram | Facebook