This week I talk about whether I'm wrong about AI-generated YouTube thumbnails — I've told my designer to never use AI on them, but if a thumbnail's only job is to get the click, does it matter? Then Casey Newton on Mark Zuckerberg's AI manifesto and why "superintelligence is a dragon" is the analogy that actually fits, and a recommendation for Schmigadoon! on Apple TV. Plus this week's automation: a Daily Call Debrief skill that gathers my recorded calls, summarizes them into Obsidian, routes action items to Todoist, and files client transcripts for voice-of-customer research.Links:AI Brain RotvidIQ-generate Thumbnail of meSuperintelligence is a dragon (Platformer) Call Debrief Prompt: I want you to pose to me three extremely precise, very hard-hitting questions, all of which are independent and have different coverage, that if sufficiently answered, would yield some kind of transformative, genuinely novel, impactful insight. Please make reference to the primary source material where appropriate in the context of the question.These episodes are about taking more time off — especially on the weekends. The best way you can do that is by having a good system. If you're not sure where to start, head over to https://streamlined.fm/quiz. Answer a few questions, and I'll send you exactly where you should start to build a less overwhelming business.

I was talking to an acquaintance recently who told me how he has AI agents write his articles for him. He sends a voice note of an idea, and every morning it picks the ideas, writes the drafts, sends them to him, he requests edits, and then it writes and publishes them. So I asked him: at what point do you feel uncomfortable putting your name on this? And he couldn't even see the issue. He just thought AI was some amazing magic bullet that produced articles for him. That's what I want to talk about this week — the lie that AI is a magic shortcut, that if you're not using it you're going to fall behind. And sure, AI can write stuff. So can my five-year-old. That doesn't mean it's going to be good. Here's the truth: if you stop doing the craft, you will no longer be good at the craft. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen. Want some actually good ways to use AI? Grab the free Solopreneur Systems Starter Kit — the 4 systems every solopreneur needs, plus the exact tools, automations, and AI prompts to set them up: https://streamlined.fm/kit Links3 Signs You Have AI Brain Rot

This week I talk about a piece of advice from Boris Cherny, head of Claude Code — that you should reset your prompts, projects, and skills every time a new model ships — and why I'm not doing it. Then a recommendation for Destiny of the Republic, Candice Millard's book on James Garfield, and why I've started walking a mile every morning without headphones. Plus a quick promo: I'm speaking at Ops Ahoy this September on setting inbox boundaries. Links:Boris Cherny interview (YouTube)Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard2026 Yearly Theme: Digital DetoxOps AhoyThese episodes are about taking more time off — especially on the weekends. The best way you can do that is by having a good system. If you're not sure where to start, head over to https://streamlined.fm/quiz. Answer a few questions, and I'll send you exactly where you should start to build a less overwhelming business.

Back in 2016, I ran…well, *completed…*a Disney half marathon. And the thing about Disney is they make it impossible not to find the starting line. Buses from the resort, signs, gates, pre-race emails. Everything points you to where to start. And if I didn’t know any of that, I wouldn’t just start running. I would start simple…like asking a cast member when the race is, and go from there. But for some reason, when it comes to our business, a lot of us tell ourselves: I have to fix everything right now, immediately. But you can’t when you don’t know the first step. In this episode, I’m going to tell you how to take the first step. And if you are still looking for a place to start? Grab the free Solopreneur Systems Starter Kit — the 4 systems every solopreneur needs, plus the exact tools, automations, and AI prompts to set them up: https://streamlined.fm/kit

For most of my life, I believed that if I wanted something done right, I had to do it myself. I held it all the way until I had a panic attack and had to stop doing everything myself. I made changes, and you know what? I learned that being a solopreneur doesn't mean doing everything yourself. It means you own the business and work on your own terms — not that you personally execute every task. In this episode, I break down how to tell the difference, why "no one can do it like me" is a story we tell to protect our feelings, and how one client almost stopped doing her show because she wouldn't let go of a single task. Then I give you the one small thing to try this week. Looking for a place to start? Grab the free Solopreneur Systems Starter Kit — the 4 systems every solopreneur needs, plus the exact tools, automations, and AI prompts to set them up: https://streamlined.fm/kit LinkedSolopreneur Systems Starter KitHow I Saved Laura More Than She Spent on Coaching