Good Enough Isn't

Episode SummaryCharlene Li has been right about every major wave in technology for three decades, from the internet's disruption of media in 1993, to social media's challenge to organizational power, to the AI revolution reshaping business today. In this episode, she makes a bold claim: most leaders have their AI strategy completely backwards, and the gap isn't technical; it's a leadership problem. If you're still treating AI as an IT initiative, you're already behind.Charlene unpacks why organizations that are winning with AI aren't doing it by chasing tools or running endless pilots. They're doing it by connecting AI to their actual business strategy, building cultures of psychological safety, and developing what she calls "superhuman", humans and AI working in integrated intelligence. The distinction between a company that knows AI is important, one that's using it, and one that's actively leading it is what separates the winners from the rest.The conversation also goes deep on the human cost of AI adoption, the truth that not every job will survive, and what leaders owe their people in terms of transparency, reskilling, and trust. Charlene doesn't sugarcoat it. She challenges leaders to stop promising safety they can't guarantee and start building the scaffolding that gives people confidence, no matter what comes next.What You'll LearnWhy putting "AI" next to "strategy" is already the wrong move, and what to do insteadThe Double S Matrix framework for prioritizing AI initiatives by size of value and speed to valueHow to identify the knowing-doing-leading gap in your organizationWhat rituals and ceremonies actually move the needle on AI adoption (and the Ally Bank example)Why the cost of being wrong is now almost zero, and why most cultures still act like it isn'tHow to build "superhuman" organizations that combine AI efficiency with the five uniquely human capabilitiesWhat honest leadership looks like when AI is displacing jobsFeatured GuestCharlene Li is a New York Times bestselling author, former Forrester analyst, and founder of Altimeter Group, the independent research firm she built to tackle cross-functional disruption problems before selling it to Prophet. She has advised 14 of the Dow Jones Industrial 30 companies and is the author of seven books. Her latest, Winning with AI, argues that everything most leaders think about AI strategy is backwards. She is a recognized expert in digital transformation, leadership, and what it takes to thrive when disruption arrives.Connect With CharleneWebsite: charleneli.comBook: winningwithaibook.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/charleneliAI Leaders Community: charleneli.com/community/Connect With the ShowLevel Agency: level.agencyPatrick Patterson on LinkedInMyles Biggs on LinkedInHow to Support the Show If this episode gave you something to think about, share it with a leader in your network who's still treating AI like an IT project. Subscribe to Good Enough Isn't so you don't miss what's next.

Why Distribution Wins: Lessons from 4 Exits and the AI Erawith Raj Singh (VP of New Products, Mozilla)Episode SummaryThis week, Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson sit down with Raj Singh, a serial entrepreneur who's built and exited four companies across the dot-com crash, the 2008 financial crisis, COVID-19, and now the AI wave. He's currently VP of New Products at Mozilla, where he's building an AI-powered small business suite for the ownership economy.Together, they break down what it actually takes to build something that wins: how to find insertion points before the market does, why distribution is still the hardest problem in tech, what the "95% rule" means for AI product design, and why the team, not the technology, is almost always why startups fail.Whether you're a founder, a product leader, or just trying to understand where AI is actually taking us, this conversation is packed with hard-won perspective from someone who's been in the arena through every major disruption of the last 25 years.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy distribution is still the hardest problem to solve, no matter how good your product isThe "95% rule" for evaluating which problems AI is actually suited to solveHow Mozilla is building a Shopify-equivalent for solopreneurs and service providersWhy Raj believes it's always the right time to start something and what that really meansThe "explore, expand, extract" framework for knowing which PM archetype your product needsWhy teams burn out and how that's often what actually kills startupsWhat the next 12 months of AI adoption look like inside enterprisesHow the web itself is being rebuilt for an agent-first worldFeatured GuestRaj Singh — VP of New Products at Mozilla, four-time founder with exits spanning the dot-com era through the AI wave. Builder of AI calendars, remote work tools, food communities, and now an AI small business suite (Solo, Trunk, Pencil, Post Full) inside Mozilla.Connect With RajLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rajansingh/Twitter/X: @mobiletrajConnect With the ShowLevel Agency — https://www.level.agency/Patrick Patterson's LinkedIn — linkedin.com/in/pattersonwork/Myles Biggs' LinkedIn — linkedin.com/in/mylesjbiggs/How to Support the ShowSubscribe so you never miss an episode.Share this episode with someone navigating the AI wave.Rate & review if it brings value — it helps us reach more listeners!

In this episode, hosts Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson sit down with Laurie Barkman, succession and exit strategist and founder of Business Transition Sherpa. Laurie has lived a remarkable arc: one of the first professional digital marketers at American Eagle Outfitters, CEO of a 125-year-old logistics firm, and a private equity veteran who now helps founders build businesses that do not collapse without them.What holds it all together is a conviction she has carried since the start: business is psychology. Whether you are selling jeans for a hundred dollars or guiding a founder through a hundred-million-dollar exit, how people decide and trust has not changed. The tools have.Tune in to learn why hope is not a strategy, how to build a business that thrives without you, and what the early digital marketing pioneers can teach us about navigating AI disruption today.Key TakeawaysBusiness Is Always Psychology: The fundamentals of how people decide, connect, and trust have not changed. The tools are different. The psychology is not.Build a Business That Thrives Without You: Owner dependency is one of the biggest risks to enterprise value. Laurie breaks down the three dimensions of exit readiness: personal, financial, and business transition, and why starting earlier is always the right answer.Hope Is Not a Strategy: Most founders do not know what their business is actually worth. Laurie explains how to think about multiples, what buyers really look for, and why working on value drivers every day is just good business.Anti-Fragility Is a Competitive Moat: Fragile systems break under stress. Anti-fragile ones get stronger. Laurie unpacks why the human ability to unlock clarity for clients is something AI cannot replicate.The Entrepreneurial Gene: Patrick argues for unending curiosity and ego-free humility. Laurie adds risk tolerance. Together they map out what separates founders who scale from those who stall.Write Down Your Processes. Now: The businesses that win are the ones with documented decision-making frameworks. If the knowledge walks out the door with one person, you do not have a transferable business.The Interviewing Framework That Works: Strengths, motivations, and fit. Laurie shares the framework she used to land her CEO role. The reframe: every hiring manager is trying to hire the least risky person.Resources and LinksGuest:Laurie's website: lauriebarkman.meLaurie's book: The Business Transition HandbookLaurie's podcast: Succession StoriesLaurie's LinkedIn: Connect with Laurie BarkmanConnect with the show:Myles's LinkedIn: Connect with Myles BiggsPatrick's LinkedIn: Connect with Patrick PattersonLevel Agency: Learn more about Level AgencySpecial Offer:AI Visibility Audit: Find out how prepared your business is for the AI Search Revolution. Get your AI Visibility Scorecard today.

In this episode, hosts Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson sit down with Cody Lee, Principal on the Peak Performance Group at Summit Partners, to trace a career that spans pharmaceutical advertising, poetry, copywriting, growth marketing, and private equity. Cody leads the Marketing Center of Excellence, supporting more than 120 portfolio companies in technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer, and more. His path is anything but linear, and that is exactly the point.What holds it all together? A conviction that the fundamentals of marketing do not change. How people think, what motivates them, how markets work. Cody introduces one of the most useful mental models in the episode: separating what is valid from what is relevant. It is a framework he learned from his father at 16 in a client meeting, and it is now more critical than ever as AI floods every organization with valid content that lacks relevance.Tune in to learn how to connect marketing to a financial investment thesis, why the four Ps still win, what generative search is actually doing to your funnel, and how expanding your surface area of opportunity is the best career advice for anyone starting out, especially right now.Key TakeawaysValid vs. Relevant: Learn the mental model Cody inherited from his father and has applied across every stage of his career, from client meetings to AI prompting. Many things are valid. Only a few are relevant. The best leaders know the difference.The Liberal Arts Foundation of Great Marketing: Cody never took a single marketing class in college. Instead, he studied psychology, economics, and creative writing, the disciplines that explain how people think, what motivates them, and how words connect to commercial outcomes.Marketing Inside Private Equity: Understand how to connect your marketing programs to the investment thesis of your business. Learn to speak the language of value creation levers, lead with what is relevant to the board, and translate marketing impact into financial outcomes.AI Amplifies the Fundamentals, It Does Not Replace Them: The leaders getting the most from AI are the ones investing heavily in context-setting upfront. AI is extraordinarily good at producing valid output. The human operator defines what is relevant.The Four Ps Still Win: No promotion strategy can save a broken product, misaligned pricing, or poor distribution. Cody makes the case, with a Fyre Festival reference, that the most durable framework in marketing is still the one from the textbook.Increase Your Surface Area of Opportunity: Stop treating each career step as final or fatal. Every move expands your access to people, worlds, and opportunities you cannot yet imagine. It is a grounding message for anyone navigating an AI-disrupted job market.Resources and LinksGuest:Cody's LinkedIn: Connect with Cody LeeMarketing Order of Operations article: Read the frameworkConnect with the show:Myles's LinkedIn: Connect with Myles BiggsPatrick's LinkedIn: Connect with Patrick PattersonLevel Agency: Learn more about Level AgencySpecial Offer:AI Visibility Audit: Find out how prepared your business is for the AI Search Revolution. Get your AI Visibility Scorecard today.

In this episode, hosts Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson sit down with Thomas Cooperrider, Principal at Dynamic Core Capital Partners (formerly Dubin Clark), to explore his remarkable journey from a self-proclaimed "hippie" middle schooler to a leader in high finance. With a unique background in engineering and economics, Thomas offers a masterclass in leveraging a diverse skillset for success.Are you prepared for a future where AI is an accessible virtual assistant for everyone? Thomas unpacks his prediction for 2026 and what it means for personal and professional productivity. But what about the journey to success? This conversation confronts the challenges of personal growth, from embracing awkward phases to the importance of mentorship and stepping out of your comfort zone.Tune in to learn how to embrace your own unconventional path, why "good enough isn't," and how to cultivate a mindset of continuous improvement.Key TakeawaysEmbrace the Unconventional Path: Learn how Thomas's journey from a "hippie" phase to high finance was shaped by unique experiences and a willingness to diverge from the expected.The Power of Mentorship: Discover the crucial role that influential teachers and mentors played in shaping Thomas's career trajectory and personal growth.Leverage a Diverse Skillset: Understand how the combination of engineering and economics provides a unique foundation for problem-solving and business acumen.The Future of AI as a Virtual Assistant: Get insights into Thomas's prediction that AI will become a much more accessible virtual assistant for the average person by 2026.Good Enough Isn't Good Enough: Explore the mindset of continuous improvement and the importance of pushing beyond your comfort zone to achieve excellence.Resources and LinksGuest:Thomas Cooperrider's Substack: Subscribe to ThomasThomas Cooperrider's LinkedIn: Connect with ThomasConnect with the show:Myles's LinkedIn: Connect with Myles BiggsPatrick's LinkedIn: Connect with Patrick PattersonLevel Agency: Learn more about Level AgencySpecial Offer:AI Visibility Audit: Find out how prepared your business is for the AI Search Revolution. Get your AI Visibility Scorecard today.

In this episode, hosts Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson sit down with Krish Sailam, Level Agency's new SVP of Artificial Intelligence, to explore the real-world application of AI beyond the hype. With two decades of experience driving innovation for brands like Amazon, Cisco, and BMW, Krish offers a masterclass in navigating technological disruption.Are you prepared for a future where every customer interaction is personalized and instantaneous? Krish unpacks the immense opportunity AI presents for revolutionizing customer service and creating unparalleled experiences. But what about the risks? This conversation confronts the dark side of AI, from the erosion of trust caused by deepfakes to the broken hiring market flooded with AI-generated resumes. Krish provides a framework for how to think about these challenges and what it takes to lead with empathy and authenticity in an increasingly digital world.Tune in to learn how to be a "market maker" in the age of AI, why empathy is your most critical tool for innovation, and how to build and maintain trust when you can no longer believe what you see online.Key TakeawaysBecome a Market Maker: Learn the principles of translating complex technological shifts into actionable business strategies that put you ahead of the curve.Leverage Empathy for Innovation: Discover why understanding the human experience is the most crucial element in designing breakthrough products and services.Navigate the AI Trust Crisis: Get actionable insights on how to foster authenticity and build meaningful connections in a world saturated with AI-generated content and deepfakes.Rethink Your Hiring Process: Understand why the traditional resume is dead and how to find top talent in a market overwhelmed by AI-driven applications.Prepare for the Future of Customer Experience: Explore the tangible ways AI will reshape customer service and what you need to do to prepare your business for this seismic shiftResources and LinksGuest:Krish Sailam’s LinkedIn: Connect with KrishConnect with the show:Myles’s LinkedIn: Connect with Myles BiggsPatrick’s LinkedIn: Connect with Patrick PattersonLevel Agency: Learn more about Level AgencySpecial Offer:AI Visibility Audit: Find out how prepared your business is for the AI Search Revolution. Get your AI Visibility Scorecard today.

Dan Monaghan, founder, investor, and author of The AI Search Revolution, joins hosts Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson to sound the alarm on how AI is quietly rewriting the rules of search and fundamentally breaking the traditional business funnel. Drawing on his experience co-founding WSI Digital in 1995, years before Google, Dan shares why the current AI revolution is the most significant technological disruption he has ever witnessed.This episode is a masterclass in strategic thinking, urging listeners to move beyond using AI for simple tasks like writing emails and instead leverage "Einstein in your pocket" for high-level problem-solving and strategic growth. Dan discusses the importance of identifying the number one constraint in your business and applying AI to solve it, a principle he uses to guide his own ventures. The conversation also covers the need for adaptability, the power of curiosity ("think like Sherlock"), and a look at the cutting-edge AI tools Dan uses in his daily life.Key TakeawaysThe Broken Funnel: Learn why your website traffic may be dropping and how AI-driven search is fundamentally changing the customer journey, making traditional SEO and marketing funnels obsolete.Strategic AI Utilization: Discover the "hierarchy of AI utilization" and why the biggest leverage comes from using AI for strategic decision-making, not just content generation.The Constraint Theory: Dan explains how to apply the Theory of Constraints to your business, using AI to pinpoint and eliminate the biggest obstacle to your growth.Adaptability and Curiosity: Hear why "thinking like Sherlock" and maintaining a high level of curiosity are the keys to thriving in an environment of rapid technological change.AI in Action: Patrick shares a personal, real-world example of using a large language model to create a personalized educational game for his son, illustrating the power of on-demand, personalized software.Resources and LinksLearn more:Dan’s Book: The AI Search Revolution: Adaptive SEO for the Age of AIDan’s LinkedIn: Connect with Dan MonaghanConnect with the show:Myles’s LinkedIn: Connect with Myles BiggsPatrick’s LinkedIn: Connect with Patrick PattersonLevel Agency: Learn more about Level AgencySpecial Offer:AI Visibility Audit: Find out how prepared your business is for the AI Search Revolution. Get your AI Visibility Scorecard today.

Advertising That Feels Like Value, Not NoiseWith Lonn Shulkin (President, BAM Strategy)Episode SummaryThis week, Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson sit down with Lonn Shulkin, founder of BAM Advertising, for a candid conversation about leadership, trust, and what it actually takes to build an agency that lasts.From Lonn’s early career lessons to BAM’s growth and eventual partnership with Level Agency, this episode explores how people-first leadership, emotional intelligence, and long-term thinking outperform short-term tactics. Lonn shares hard-earned insights on managing ego, earning trust with clients and teams, and why retention, not acquisition, is the true indicator of success.Rather than chasing hacks or hype, this conversation focuses on building organizations grounded in values, accountability, and genuine care for people.If you care about leadership, sustainable growth, or creating work environments people don’t want to leave, this episode is for you.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeFrom ego to empathy: How self-awareness and humility shape better leaders and healthier teams.Trust as a growth strategy: Why trust, not tactics, is the foundation of long-term client and employee retention.Retention over acquisition: Why keeping clients and people matters more than chasing constant new wins.Values-driven growth: How aligning principles made the BAM × Level partnership possible.Leadership under pressure: Navigating insecurity, decision-making, and responsibility at scale.Marketing that feels like value: Why the best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing at all.Culture as a competitive advantage: How strong internal culture translates directly to client outcomes.Featured GuestLonn Shulkin — Founder, BAM AdvertisingEntrepreneur and agency leader focused on trust-based relationships, long-term growth, and people-first leadership.Learn MoreLonn Shulkin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonnshulkin/Level Agency – https://www.level.agencyTakeaways for Operators & LeadersStart with trust, not tactics, internally and externally.Retention is a lagging indicator of leadership quality.Growth without values creates fragility, not scale.Ego is often the hidden constraint in leadership decisions.The best marketing creates value before asking for anything in return.Partnerships work when cultures align, not just balance sheets.Connect With the ShowLevel Agency – https://www.level.agencyPatrick Patterson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattersonwork/Myles Biggs – www.linkedin.com/in/mylesjbiggs/How to Support the ShowSubscribe so you never miss an episode.Rate & review if this conversation brought you value.Share the episode with leaders building people-first organizations.

Career Education Report: How Speed, AI, and Brand Are Rewriting Higher Ed EnrollmentHigher education is operating in a more competitive and consumer-driven environment than ever before, and new data reveals what actually drives enrollment growth.In this episode of the Career Education Report, Patrick Patterson, CEO of Level Agency, and Prithwi Dasgupta, President of LeadSquared North America, join host Dr. Jason Altmire to unpack findings from a national benchmarking study analyzing more than 500,000 student inquiries and $100 million in higher education advertising spend.Together, they discuss how student behavior, marketing channels, and operational execution intersect, and where institutions are falling behind.In this conversation, you’ll learn:Why responding to student inquiries within the first five minutes can increase enrollment conversion rates by nearly 30%How AI and automation enable faster, more personalized student engagementWhy brand building is a critical (and often underestimated) driver of enrollment performanceHow channel mix decisions impact cost per enrollment, not just cost per leadWhere institutions are misallocating marketing dollars—and how to course-correctWhat “great execution” looks like from first inquiry to enrollmentPractical insights for enrollment leaders, marketers, and executives looking to move beyond surface-level metrics and design student-first experiences that convert.Resources & LinksLearn more about Level Agency: https://www.level.agencyLearn more about LeadSquared: https://www.leadsquared.comCheck out the Career Education Report Podcast: Linked hereSee the full benchmarking report: Click hereTo learn more about Career Education Colleges & Universities (CECU), visit: https://www.career.org

Will AI Replace Universities? ECPI’s Bold Experiment in AI-First Learningwith Stephen Arthur (Director of AI & Analytics, ECPI University)Episode SummaryThis week, Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson sit down with Stephen Arthur, Director of AI and Analytics at ECPI University, one of the first institutions boldly pushing toward an AI-first university model. While most universities are still debating whether students should be “allowed” to use ChatGPT, Stephen and his team have already built a proprietary AI learning platform, integrated it into curriculum design, student support, faculty workflows, and the operational backbone of the university.Stephen shares how his unusual journey, from aerospace engineering to marketing analytics, to AI product leadership, shaped the mindset needed to drive change in one of the most tradition-bound industries in America. You’ll hear how ECPI is breaking higher-ed inertia, converting AI skeptics into evangelists, and redefining what it means to prepare students for the workforce of the future.If you’ve wondered whether AI will replace universities, or remake them, this episode is your front-row seat.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeAI’s existential question for higher edHow ECPI became an early AI-first universityChange management: flipping skeptical faculty into AI championsMarketing, analytics, and the engineer’s mindsetThe Three C’s that ensure universities survive AIThe future of work and which careers AI won’t replace soonOperational AI across the institutionFeatured GuestStephen Arthur — Director of AI & Analytics, ECPI University Engineer turned marketer turned AI builder, leading ECPI’s transformation into one of the first AI-first universities.Stephen on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-arthur/ ECPI University Newsroom – https://www.ecpi.edu/newsroomTakeaways for Operators & Education LeadersAI won’t replace universities, but universities that ignore AI may become irrelevant.Experience beats access: AI enables one-to-one tutoring at scale, something higher ed has dreamed of for centuries.Adoption requires solving faculty pain first, not just student pain.Curriculum must evolve constantly: AI isn’t a topic to teach, but a medium through which all learning happens.Operational AI matters: IT support, financial aid, and student services can all be reimagined with LLMs.Statistical literacy is a superpower in marketing, analytics, and now AI deployment.The human element still wins: Community and accountability remain irreplaceable advantages of real institutions.Connect With the ShowLevel Agency – https://www.level.agency/Patrick Patterson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattersonwork/ Myles Biggs – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mylesjb/How to Support the ShowSubscribe so you never miss an episode.Rate & review if this conversation brought you value.Share the episode with colleagues exploring AI, higher ed innovation, or organizational transformation.

From Hustle to Human: Rediscovering Meaning in the Age of AIwith Brooks Canavesi (Baryons)Episode SummaryThis week, Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson sit down with Brooks Canavesi, serial entrepreneur, technologist, and co-founder of Baryons, an AI company building personal mentors designed to help people flourish. Brooks shares his journey from competitive athlete and founder to a wilderness rehab turning point, and why “good enough isn’t” only works when it’s paired with well-being. We unpack the science of flourishing (PERMA), how Baryons’ voice-first AI uses memory, intention, and post-call processing, and why the goal isn’t more hustle, it’s human agency.If you’re curious about human-centered AI, personal growth, or building tech that actually helps people live better, this one’s for you.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeWhy flourishing beats hustling, and how the PERMA model frames daily choices.How a personal AI mentor can surface root causes (not just symptoms) and drive real change.Memory that matters: recency/frequency, decay, and context graphs that feel human.Dialogue as product: designing questions, “be quiet” modes, and proactive nudges.Guardrails & compliance: building safety for students, teams, and B2C users.The power of transitions: why moments of change are the best time to adopt a mentor.Group Baryon: private, on-meeting insight that later guides each person 1:1.What AI can and can’t replace, and how to keep the human in human-centered AI.Featured GuestBrooks Canavesi — Co-Founder, BaryonsSerial entrepreneur and technologist focused on human-centered AI. Brooks blends product, engineering, and flourishing science to build voice-first AI mentors that help people and teams grow.On X: @brookscanavesi Sign up: https://baryons.com/ LinkTree (all socials): https://linktr.ee/baryonsLearn moreBaryons — Personal AI mentors for work and life: https://baryons.com/Takeaways for Operators & LeadersStart with outcomes for people, not features for models; measure flourishing, not just usage.Treat conversation as a UI: craft prompts, toggles (yes/no), and check-ins with intention.Build proactive systems: memory, decay, and context so AI shows up with an agenda to help.Safety isn’t optional: define escalation paths, compliance checks, and when to stay silent.Focus the roadmap: say “no” to assistant sprawl; be the best at a narrow, high-value job.Design for transitions (new role, school, parenting, retirement) where impact compounds.Connect With The ShowLevel Agency – https://www.level.agency/Patrick Patterson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattersonwork/Myles Biggs – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mylesjbHow to Support the ShowSubscribe so you never miss an episode.Rate & review if it brought you value, share it with a friend.

From Janitor to CEO: Crafting Better Education at Scalewith Bill Nance (StrataTech Education Group)Episode SummaryThis week, Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson sat down with Bill Nance, an education operator and change leader, now the CEO of StrataTech Education Group. Bill’s journey spans art & design, IT, operations, finance, and strategy, experiences he’s used to rebuild how schools work from the student's perspective.Bill shares why great leaders do the hard work themselves until they understand it, make the call without perfect data, and protect the brand by owning demand rather than renting it. You’ll hear how he balances quarterly pressure with long-term purpose, why referrals outperform short-term volume, and how AI can widen opportunities, from adaptive learning to securing real funding for real students, without sacrificing human connection.If you care about student experience, sustainable growth, or pragmatic AI in higher education, this one’s for you.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeStudent-first operations: How structuring programs (pricing, devices, materials) levels the playing field and frees faculty to teach.Own the brand, don’t rent demand: Why overreliance on pay-per-lead hurts referrals, show rates, and long-term unit economics.Referrals as a north star: What Bill learned when cohorts sourced from aggregators didn’t refer, and how that changes the math.Leadership under uncertainty: Making 50/50 calls, communicating pivots, and earning trust by explaining the “why.”AI as a leveler (not a chatbot gimmick): Practical use cases that improve outcomes without degrading the front-door experience.Adaptive learning’s moment: Why true personalization at scale finally looks feasible with modern AI.Funding discovery at scale: Bill’s Monday-morning AI experiment to surface grants, workforce funds, and employer sponsorships for each student.Skilled trades at scale: Why the next five years demand high-ROI programs that meet community and employer needs.Featured GuestBill Nance – CEO, StrataTech Education Group; former executive at Delta Career Education and Ancora; operator focused on student experience, brand ownership, and technology-enabled transformation.Bill Nance on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/billnance/Learn moreStrataTech Education Group - https://stratatech.com/Takeaways for Operators & LeadersStart with the student, design the service: Treat curriculum as the product and everything around it as the service layer, price, materials, devices, financing, so day one is equitable and predictable.Brand ownership compounds: Leads you generate yourself have higher intent, higher referral rates, and better downstream economics than rented demand.Measure what matters (referrals): Track referral % per source; if a channel suppresses referrals, its “cheap” volume is more expensive than it looks.AI ≠ call-deflection: Avoid front-door chatbot traps that erode trust. Prioritize AI that adds value (adaptive learning, call summaries with human QA, funding discovery).Connect With the ShowLevel Agency – https://www.level.agency/Patrick Patterson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattersonwork/Myles Biggs – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mylesjbHow to Support the ShowSubscribe so you never miss an episode.Rate & review if it brought you value,

Higher Ed in the Age of AI: Rethinking Relevance & Resultswith Dr. Michael Hageloh & Dr. Bruce Fraser (Indian River State College)Episode SummaryThis week, Myles Biggs and Patrick Patterson sit down with two innovators who are shaping the future of higher education: Dr. Michael Hageloh and Dr. Bruce Fraser of Indian River State College in Florida.Together, they discuss how AI is disrupting higher ed, not as a technology problem, but as a change management challenge. From Steve Jobs’ lessons at Apple to democratizing knowledge in the classroom, Michael and Bruce share their experiences leading transformation at scale.They make the case that students are customers first, that knowledge is no longer scarce, and that AI, used wisely, can help colleges unlock creativity, adaptability, and epic wins for the next generation of learners.If you care about innovation, the future of education, or how to lead through massive change, this conversation is packed with insights.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Apple’s product philosophy shaped Michael’s approach to education leadershipWhy “customers don’t know what they want” still applies to students in 2025The death of the click economy and what it means for marketers & schoolsHow IRSC is using AI to move students from curiosity → enrollment → successThe role of fidelity (taste, judgment, human refinement) in an AI-driven worldWhy higher education must shift from “knowledge scarcity” to AI-abundant, collaborative learningPredictions for the future: apprenticeships, stackable credentials, and billion-dollar one-person companiesFeatured GuestsDr. Michael Hageloh – VP of Marketing at Indian River State College, former Apple executive, author, and change leader.Dr. Bruce Fraser – Faculty leader at IRSC with a background in psychology, epistemology, and AI research, specializing in organizational change and faculty development.Learn more:Indian River State College - https://www.irsc.edu/IRSC AI Thought Leadership Article: The Death of the Click Economy - https://medium.com/@michaelhageloh/the-death-of-the-click-economy-how-ai-is-altering-human-agency-and-commerce-533e9ac6aeb4Takeaways for Operators & LeadersAI adoption is a change management problem, not a tech problem. Leaders need to prepare their organizations for cultural and structural adaptation, not just tool rollouts.Democratization changes the business model. Just as iTunes democratized music, generative AI democratizes knowledge; leaders must rethink what unique value their institutions or companies add.Customers (and students) don’t always know what they want. Leaders must guide people through a journey, painting the vision before delivering the product.Entry-level work is evolving. Education and employers must fill the gap with apprenticeships and practical, AI-augmented learning to prepare talent for higher-value roles faster.Connect With the ShowLevel Agency - https://www.level.agency/Patrick Patterson’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattersonwork/Myles Biggs’ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mylesjbiggs/How to Support the ShowSubscribe so you never miss an episode.Share this episode with someone wrestling with GenAI adoption.Rate & review if it brings value, helps us reach more listeners!

A wide-ranging, human-first conversation about scaling AI responsibly. Tracey traces her path from nursing to programming to CEO, explains why “good enough isn’t,” and lays out a practical playbook: pick the right problem, bring people along, then layer AI on strong workflows and platforms to unlock real innovation—not just busywork.Our GuestTracey Cesen — Founder & CEO, Forever Human AI. Former President/CEO in professional services; earlier roles across healthcare, finance, and ed-tech. Advocate for human-centered tech, product thinking, and pragmatic change management.What we coverOrigin story: from nursing labs to coding and product leadership“Good Enough Isn’t” as a leadership lens (and why a little healthy pushback makes teams better)Human-first tech: what AI should automate, and what must stay humanPlatforms > one-off pilots: how workflow/data foundations enable GenAI valueWhy 95% of pilots stall (and how to be in the 5% that ship and stick)The “AI as a utility” model (quality–speed–cost) & what that means for builders and buyersMarketing implications: YouTube’s rising importance, AI disclosure, and audience trustTracey’s “why”: help people be more than they think they can be, and make new mistakesResources & Links MentionedConnect with TraceyTracey Cesen’s LinkedIn (DM her here):  https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceymzimmerman/Platforms & ToolsServiceNow – Now Assist (Generative AI on Now Platform): https://www.servicenow.com/now-platform.htmlxAI — Grok (Elon Musk’s AI model):  https://x.ai/grokGoogle “Doppl” (body-double virtual try-on experiments): https://labs.google/doppl95% of GenAI Pilots fail article: https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Business_2025_Report.pdfImpaxs - https://impaxs.com Email: [email protected] Agency - https://www.level.agency/Patrick Patterson’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattersonwork/Myles Biggs’ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mylesjbiggs/Takeaways for Operators & LeadersStart with the right problem. Strong pilots solve meaningful problems, not just novel ones.People > tools. Adoption comes through excitement, not enforcement.Focus on platforms. Platforms like ServiceNow unify workflows and data, making GenAI possible.Think like a utility. Models are like electricity: optimize across quality, speed, and cost.Avoid vanity pilots. Ship useful tools, iterate quickly, and make new mistakes to learn and improve.How to Support the ShowSubscribe so you never miss an episode.Share this episode with someone wrestling with GenAI adoption.Rate & review if it brings value, helps us reach more listeners!

“Good enough isn’t.” In this episode, host Myles Biggs and Patrick sit down with Level Agency’s newest executive, Chief Revenue Officer, Howard Diamond, to talk about growth, leadership, and why strategy (not hype) should lead your AI adoption.Howard shares lessons from 16+ years helping build a high‑growth agency, the poker‑player mindset he brings to decision making, and how Level’s no‑markup, fully transparent approach to media sets clients up for epic wins. You’ll hear why Level doesn’t have “an AI strategy”, we have a strategy enabled by AI, and what that means for marketers who don’t want to hand their competitive edge to the ad platforms.In this episode, you’ll learn:How to turn AI into an advantage through orchestration (not inventing LLMs)Why transparency in media buying beats short‑term “cheaper” modelsThe culture behind “good enough isn’t” and aiming for epic winsA CRO’s real job: amplify innovation for new and existing clients“Briefs on steroids”: using AI to show up radically prepared for pitchesGuardrails for growth: data, creativity, and your own optimization leversSales philosophy: lead with curiosity, problem‑solve, and serve the truthEarly‑career advice: patience over virality, own your learning, and ship workLeadership that scales: mentorship, feedback, and one conversation at a timeGuestHoward Diamond — Chief Revenue Officer, Level AgencyHostsMyles Biggs with PatrickIf this was useful, follow the show so you don’t miss upcoming episodes, and share it with a colleague who’s navigating the same AI‑driven marketing landscape.

Episode 1 – ChatGPT-5 and Monetizing LLMs AI is moving fast, and not always in the way we expect. In this episode of Good Enough Isn’t, host Patrick Patterson (CEO) and co-host Myles Biggs sit down with Howard Diamond (CRO) of Level Agency about the launch of ChatGPT-5 and what it means for both power users and everyday professionals.They dig into:Why ChatGPT-5 underwhelmed some heavy usersOpenAI's agent mode potential (and its limits)The rise of competitors like Gemini, Claude, and GrokHow Grok is testing ads inside AI responsesPerplexity’s $34.5B bid for Google ChromeMeta’s AI ad suite that can build campaigns automaticallyThe conversation also looks at the bigger picture, trust, privacy, creative disruption, and why old-school tactics like direct mail might resurface in an AI-driven world.If you want a candid, no-ego look at where large language models are headed, and how they’ll reshape marketing and innovation, this episode delivers insights you can’t miss.