Wispr Flow Explained: Why This Talk-to-Text Tool Stands Out + TikTok’s New Community Guidelines

Well, hello everybody. I guess it'd help I press the right button. How are y'all doing today? I'm Malineclar, host of

doing today? I'm Malineclar, host of this awesome live stream, Social Media and AI Shortcuts. And we got things to talk about today. Uh we're going to kind of a free flow conversation with our

panelists, but also I want to share this amazing tool I've been using. I've been

I've been using it very quietly, kind of like under the radar uh for for probably about a month now. And I didn't want to talk about it until I felt like 100% that like I'm going to be using like

it's something I use all the time that I want to talk about. It's called Whisper Flow and I can't wait to show y'all. It

is the neatest thing. And then Tik Tok has new guidelines coming out next month and um yeah, kind of interesting. I

think we need to talk about it. So, uh

let's bring up our awesome panelists that are here with us today. We got like the whole gang here. Rachel, Barb, Jim, and Bez. Welcome y'all. Good to see you.

and Bez. Welcome y'all. Good to see you.

Hey everyone, good to see you too. And guess what?

It's streaming to Facebook.

We are streaming all over the place right now. Just FYI, we're on uh

right now. Just FYI, we're on uh Facebook. We're on multiple with all of

Facebook. We're on multiple with all of us here. A lot of us here are utilizing

us here. A lot of us here are utilizing the the awesome Streamyard feature. We

can have multiple destinations. We're on

Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and X right now. Uh so always great seeing everybody

now. Uh so always great seeing everybody here. love always having a group of

here. love always having a group of panelists to to hang out and discuss things uh together. I don't have like a huge agenda today, but I do have some things I want to go over of things that

I've uncovered in the past week and uh that I think is newsworthy and then, you know, we can just kind of have a chat about what's going on with everybody and things I know y'all have lots of things

to talk about.

So, and Jim, you're you're out at an event right now. Tell everybody where you're at. Yeah. So, I'm at VidFest,

you're at. Yeah. So, I'm at VidFest, which is the video part of Podfest.

They're doing it uh actually right here in my And Bez's backyard in Atlanta at the at the Hyatt. So, it uh kicks off later today. So, I wanted to make sure I

later today. So, I wanted to make sure I I got here so I could uh link up with some of the folks I don't get to see all the time. I think our friend Eddie

the time. I think our friend Eddie Garrison, I think, is going to be here at some point. And uh it goes through uh Saturday. I'll be speaking on on a panel

Saturday. I'll be speaking on on a panel on Saturday and so it's nice because you know it's literally a 20 minute drive from my house depending on traffic so I

don't even have to get a hotel room.

That is so awesome. If anybody wants to go check it out, where should they go?

Like is there a website to go to right now? I'll uh I'll find it and uh and

now? I'll uh I'll find it and uh and share it in the comments so that uh that people can check it out because yeah, it's I think you can walk up and register and uh I think it's probably

vidfest expo.com might be the site. Uh I

won't I won't swear to it, but I I know they've been putting a lot of stuff out there.

Well, say it again. I'll try looking it up.

I think it's vidfestexpo.com and it's in Atlanta.

Yes.

Yep.

Yep. I found it. Let me pull it up so I can show y'all on screen in case anybody happens to be in the area and they want

to go check it out. So, VidFest Expo in-person video event returns.

Yeah, they forgot to uh they misspelled Atlanta. It should be hot Atlanta.

Atlanta. It should be hot Atlanta.

It's Atlanta, Georgia 21st through the 24th.

And so, you're going to be speaking there, Jim. Uh this is super cool. Okay.

there, Jim. Uh this is super cool. Okay.

Well, thanks for the info because, you know, I I didn't know that this was happening. Uh, but you know, if if

happening. Uh, but you know, if if people are in that area and want to go check it out, sounds like a great event.

So uh yeah, I know they're not too far from you. They're they're finishing up a

you. They're they're finishing up a podcast movement was in Dallas um, these past few days. I don't know if you were Yeah, I I I heard about that. I heard

that was happening. Um, but I did not know that they were that they had this going on there where you're at. So,

that's cool. Good to know. Thank you for sharing that with us. Um, and just uh reminder for everybody here watch whether you're watching live or the

replay, we got our school, come hang out with us. It's always a great place to

with us. It's always a great place to be. school.commalinsclar.

be. school.commalinsclar.

This is what it looks like. It's it's

kind of like a Facebook group, but I think better. Jim, I know you just uh

think better. Jim, I know you just uh have started with school. Uh you you set up your own, right?

Yes, I did. And uh I'm I'm uh using you as a as a great example of how of how to do it. So I'm still still working on it.

do it. So I'm still still working on it.

Uh you know, I love the fact that you can do the native video. So one of the things I've done is as people have joined, I you know, do a video reply to

them uh inside of school. And I know they're getting ready to release uh I think it's close to live streaming. So

that'll be interesting to see what that means when they have live streaming if it'll be where you could, you know, as an example stream in StreamYard into

school or will it be its own thing. So

I'm I'm excited to see how they do that.

That's the next feature. So they've been I've been using school for years and I love it. It's a great platform for

love it. It's a great platform for community building like you know I think right now the two best places to be is Substack and School. I think those are two great platforms because for so long

we've relied on Facebook and other social media platforms that make all these rules and guidelines and you know these new Tik Tok guidelines coming out next month are terrible. Um and you know

they they make all their own rules. they

do whatever they want and it's it you know I mean think back to like the whole Facebook group thing that happened a few months ago where they just took down all those huge groups with hundreds

of thousands of people just randomly one day gone and you know people use this for business and it was well a lot of them got restored it was a huge wakeup call and

I'm like looking at that going y'all this is why I'm over on school because I don't have to deal with that BS you know I and it's nice that they keep adding more features to school. So, for the

longest time, your only option was for you as the owner of of your school uh platform is pay $99 a month. And there

are other ones that are similar in price, but not too many were lower in price. And they finally just added a

price. And they finally just added a second tier for $9 a month. So, now it's a no-brainer. For $99 a month, you get

a no-brainer. For $99 a month, you get all these great features and and it's awesome. But for $9 a month, you get

awesome. But for $9 a month, you get most of the features, almost all of them.

Yeah. I think the only two things you don't get, Maline, because I'm doing the $9 a month is you don't get a custom URL and you can't add right admins, but you know, if your school

grows bigger, it makes sense. Yeah.

Well, and one more thing. So, um, if you are charging a fee, whether it's because you can have your school be free or charge a fee. Um, and you can also have classes courses in there that you charge

a fee in the classroom section. So,

anything where there's going to be credit card processing, whether they pay to join your group or pay for a course or whatever in your classroom, they take a higher percentage. They take 10% of

the credit card transaction fee, which is still like lower than a lot of other places that that do this. Um, or if you're on the $99 a month plan, it's

like the typical 2.9% of just the processing fee from Stripe. Like they're

they're not even playing middleman keeping it. They're doing it for you,

keeping it. They're doing it for you, but it's through Stripe. So, you know, and they just added uh Google and Apple Pay as a way for people.

They just added it and and the whole native upload, you know, is new. So, I

know that's, you know, since you just joined, that's been a newer feature, which I've been, y'all, when I joined years ago, I was contacting Sam Ovens on the DMs in there saying, "Please, I want

to be able to upload native videos because what a pain in the butt to have to go do a loom or a YouTube, make it private, go make it upload it, and then go get the link, and then go put it in

school." It was a lot of steps. And I

school." It was a lot of steps. And I

told them, I said, "Y'all need native video and audio, too." it. I was like, I kept asking them, can y'all please do audio DMs like like on X like like to be able to just tap a button and just talk?

That would be amazing. So, they're

listening. They just they've had a lot of things they've been trying to add.

But, I'm really excited about um what's coming up with the live streaming. I

can't wait to try that. I mean, who knows? We might just change this whole

knows? We might just change this whole live stream and just do it in there completely, which means it would still be free, but you got to come join us on school and it'll just be inside of school. instead of although I do like

school. instead of although I do like that we're live streaming all over social media and that does grab attention and brings people to us. But I

guarantee you once they have the new feature and it's supposed to be in a few weeks is I will definitely be doing something with a live stream just for

our school community. So you So the thing is go join it's free. I don't even charge for this. Go to

school.commandolinschool.

I will definitely be utilizing that feature. And another feature after that

feature. And another feature after that one comes out, the next one will be um subscription tiers. And so what's I'm

subscription tiers. And so what's I'm really excited about this because if you want to have a free community and a paid community, you got two of them. And if

you're paying $99 a month, you're now paying that times two, right? So,

they're coming out with these uh different pay tiers so that you could still have a free school group, but then have subscription tiers on top of that,

which I can't wait and I will definitely have that in in the Meline School Art School once that's in place. Um I keep telling them like, "Hurry, I want the I want these new fe I want the live stream

and the subscription tiers." So, they're they're putting together lots of things to make this a a very flexible platform and a great alternative to to Facebook

groups and all these others that are not as reliable anymore. Um, and for $9 a month, I mean, oh my god, what a no-brainer that you can like go set that

up and get almost all the features. And

especially if you're not going to be charging a fee, you don't have to worry about it being 2.9% versus 10%, which still is not a huge difference in cost.

You could start with a $9 a month plan.

And if you are going to charge a fee for something as you're growing your community and like, oh, I'm starting to get all this money coming in, then upgrade to when it makes sense, upgrade to $99 a month because you can upgrade

or downgrade at any time. And to me, that that makes the most sense.

Is that your thinking, Jim? What? Like

just going?

Yeah, absolutely. I think that's you know, and

absolutely. I think that's you know, and because it's like I don't really have a team yet. I don't really need to have

team yet. I don't really need to have admins and I'm not uh, you know, caught up in the, you know, oh, I got to have a custom domain. I mean, sure, eventually that

domain. I mean, sure, eventually that might be nice, but I'm fine with with uh with how it is right now. And I just like, but you know, I get all the other features that you have and and I think it's, you know, worth

it.

Yeah. you get all the features. So I I think it's a great deal. So I would say everybody watching this do two things.

Go join us on my school for our social media and AI shortcuts school.com/madelinesclar.

school.com/madelinesclar.

Just takes a a minute to do very quick and it's free. And then sign up for your own. You can do it once you sign up into

own. You can do it once you sign up into mine. you can just it'll show you that

mine. you can just it'll show you that you can just start your own uh or you know I got a nice little tiny URL shortcut link that'll take you right to it as well. So check that out. All

right, I have been so excited to show y'all something I've been playing with and I don't know why I was doing it quietly. I just wanted to make sure it

quietly. I just wanted to make sure it was something I was going to like using because y'all know I love tools. I love

tools. I've always been this way. It's

like when I find cool tools, I'm all over it. And

over it. And I don't know if y'all remember this. Um,

so a couple of years ago, I was complaining a lot in my live streams and in my chats about my wrist problems. I was having problems with both wrists, especially my right wrist. And it was very hard for me to type on the

computer. And I am not going to be

computer. And I am not going to be bringing up something like that unless it is excruciatingly painful. And I know I brought it up a lot because everybody

kept trying to help me and giving me advice and thoughts and things, but it was some kind of inflammation problem.

And I I've had a history of these weird inflammation problems that just come out of the blue, last for a while, and then go away. And it's always like joints and

go away. And it's always like joints and sometimes both joints. So, I've had it with my knees before in my hips and my shoulders. I mean, I've had it all. So,

shoulders. I mean, I've had it all. So,

about two years ago, I started getting in both wrists. Well, when you're typing all the time on your computer, that's not good, right? And it just got so bad.

You know, I went to multiple doctors, um, surgeons. I mean, I went I did what

um, surgeons. I mean, I went I did what did everything and and there wasn't anything they could do. I had had multiple MRIs and X-rays and injections and like nothing worked. So, and they're

they kind of like threw their hands up like we can't help you. It's not carpal tunnel, you know, we know that it's not this cyst thing. they thought it would

like you know so um it was frustrating and I kept trying to find a voice to text app and everybody was like telling me try this one try that one um and I

don't know how many of y'all remember our good friend George Silverman from years back who was very actively involved in my space all of my spaces

chats um an amazing guy who sat sadly passed away a few years ago um he was he just kept always lecturing you need to you doing voice to text? You got try this app and you know and I kept trying

all these apps and they just weren't none of them none of them helped me do what I was trying to do. I'm one of those that when I'm on the keyboard I can just think of things while my hands are on the keyboard and I don't know if

am I just weird or any of y'all like that? Like I feel like like okay I need

that? Like I feel like like okay I need to put out a tweet and I go I got the idea of what I want to say but I got to like open it up and get ready to type it and it'll just come to me. So, do y'all do any of y'all do that or am I just

weird?

No, we're just like you.

So, you So, you just get on that keyboard and you can really like cuz when I was playing around with those voice to text apps, I'm like I just go, "Okay, I don't know what to say." But if

I had the keyboard and I'm like in a tweet or a Facebook or an email, it just comes to me. So that that's what the problem kept being for me is that I would be in this voice detects app even

a word doc you know you can press the microphone button and I would just be like okay now like I don't know like it was weird and it just kept messing me up

so it just wasn't for me. Well finally a tool came out boy do I wish this had come out a few years ago and I really needed it. So, it's called Whisper Flow,

needed it. So, it's called Whisper Flow, and I don't even remember how I first came came across it, but basically, it

works on everything. So, uh you I'm using their um MacOSS, you know, on my computer, but it's for a Mac or Windows,

and it can work on your phone. And

basically, I can just press the button and talk in anything I'm in. And it

wasn't weird. And it wasn't that like before when I was trying those other voice to text apps, I wasn't running into the same issues where I didn't know what to say or I did like I can

literally just open up something and just talk and it's utilizing AI but but not like it's not writing it for you.

What what it does I mean it's definitely like a voice dictation but it but it's alleviating all the typing and it works on all the apps. I mean, I've used it in

every kind of life and I am blown away and so doesn't matter what app I'm on my phone or on my computer.

But what I love about this, it's way faster than typing. And well, I don't like I still have some of my wrist problems. Not nearly as bad as it used to be, but they do get fatigued. Um I I

might sometimes have to put like a little wrist guard thing or something to kind of help. Um,

so I didn't feel like like the way I needed this two years ago was different than now. For me right now, while it is

than now. For me right now, while it is less wrist work on me is this right here. 4x faster. I am not because typing

here. 4x faster. I am not because typing I can type very fast. I mean I I took a typing class in junior high school. So I

I mean I've been a fast typer for a very long time that I am finding I am way more productive and this is way faster than me trying to type fast. So that's been

impressing me. But again like I've been

impressing me. But again like I've been playing with this for about a month but I just wanted to like I didn't want to like bring this up and talk about it until like I've been using it for a while and had a really good feel for it.

But I can see that when I do try typing something, I'm like, "Oh my god, this is so much slower than when I just talk."

Because I mean, I've been literally just only using it to talk into everything for for several weeks, like for everything. And so this example Oh,

everything. And so this example Oh, yeah.

Couple couple questions for you.

So, as an example, uh is it like can it be running in the background where you're using something else in it? C

Wow.

Okay.

Yeah. I mean, the way I use it is I I turn it on like when I am specifically doing something, but it can also stay on in the background. I mean, I'm not the expert on this yet because I just I feel

like I've really just, you know, have gotten my feet wet playing with this for a while, but it's super impressive. And

y'all know I'm only going to talk about stuff I use and I pay for. And I've been do they do have a a free trial and uh let me put the link up if anybody wants

to try it. Um they I so I did the free trial and my thought was all right let's see what the fuss is about. Let me see if I really like this. Is it helpful for

my wrist? Is it faster than my very fast

my wrist? Is it faster than my very fast typing? So, I did the free trial and

typing? So, I did the free trial and then the free trial was So, the free trial was up um last Sunday

and I said to myself, you know, I'm I'm probably because with the free trial, you get so many words and you and you can just keep a free account, but I

think it's like 2,000 words a month. So,

I really like just, you know, did a lot and I was able to do a lot. But also

with the free trial, you can do it for the upper account for free for the two weeks. So, at first when I did it, I

weeks. So, at first when I did it, I just did just the playing to see like how much I could do um with the free account, but then I switched over to the

free trial with the um on the pro pro or whatever they call the upper plan. And I

just remember thinking to myself, all right, it'll be interesting to see in two weeks, is this something I'm going to want to pay for? And it's not crazy expensive. So,

expensive. So, Sunday rolls around, I'm like, "Oh my god, I can't live without this." I'm

like, "I can't live without this. I am

so paying for this." And one of the things I love with the AI part, and it's not like a huge thing, but it it will fix things naturally. So, if I sit here

and say, um, like, let's say I'm doing a text to my friend, hey, so and so, let's get together for lunch today. No, no,

let's make it tomorrow at 8. No, make it 10 o'clock. like it will fix all of that

10 o'clock. like it will fix all of that as you're like it will adjust it. So

like it's saying here is doing these like AI autoedits so it's it's more naturally and you can go in and adjust it of course but when you're rambling which I will sometimes do it fixes it

which I think is really cool and it has like a personal dictionary so like I have my name spelled properly although sometimes it still spells it incorrectly so it's not perfect. you can put in a

snippet li uh library and I guess with the way the AI works it can do different tones based on the app. So uh so that it's you know depending on if you're in

Gmail or ChatBT or whatever you know whatever app you're in it can do 100 plus languages. Um, and what I love

plus languages. Um, and what I love about this, it doesn't matter whether I'm on um my desktop computer or mobile and I

can be going back and for like I have it on both and it's so seamless and I just love use like I just can't believe how much I love this thing. It is so I feel

like I'm saving a ton of time because of how much faster I think it's just one of those things when you start playing with it you're like oh my god this is so

cool. So, any thoughts about this? Have

cool. So, any thoughts about this? Have

y'all ever used any of those those um text tool like, you know, the the audio to text kind of thing? Because

I never liked any of them.

I would say that's been my issue. I I've

always felt like, yeah, maybe it's something I would do, but then, you know, because maybe you would start creating more written content if you had a way to, you know, it's kind of like if

I talk at types, right? you think back to the days of like Dragon and some of these others, but I just never got comfortable with anything. Um, I don't know what about the rest of you guys.

Well, at one stage because I use Microsoft I've used Microsoft Word since it was its launch. You could do that directly from Microsoft Word and I would

just have Word open in one, you know, in in one window and have uh whatever I was working on in the other. It used to I

would say used to write write on the side for me all the time. But since you brought this up, I mean, the light bulb went off and I said, "I wonder how that works now because of their AI, because

of them pushing AI, what they've done internally with Word and you know the and because of the a of of the AI

addition to it. I want to try that first before I go through whisper because uh ultimately it gets back to word before I

you know if I'm doing a lot of writing and then I copy it out to wherever whatever destination that I want to land on. But sounds great

and I saw I mean it's a reasonable pricing. I mean, that's the first thing

pricing. I mean, that's the first thing I look up, right? You know, because I don't want to get here locked into that free trial and 100% I don't ever I don't ever do this without first looking at what's the

pricing because if I fall in love with it, I don't need another subscription. I

already have too many. I'm trying to get rid of some. Um, and and what I loved about this when I first started looking into it is that, you know, it says you can get started for free. No credit card

required. I love when they let you do a

required. I love when they let you do a free trial with no credit card. Um, and

it's like, well, you can just have a free account, this basic account with the 2,000 word. Oh, 2,000 per week. And,

and actually, that's quite a bit. So,

like, if you know if it's definitely one of those things where like it's worth it to try because if it doesn't cost you anything, you can just see are you does

it help you be super productive? But

then also, you can do the pro, which is the the the lowest paid account for the twoe trial, which is what I did. and um

and allowed you to get, you know, a few more of these. So, this is account I'm doing. I'm doing the the pro account and

doing. I'm doing the the pro account and I I am like cuz y'all I have too many subscriptions. It's like the like when

subscriptions. It's like the like when does this stop? Like there's too many great apps, right? But this is such a a lifesaver with my wrist because I do go

through periods where they get really bothersome again. Um, and it and I mean

bothersome again. Um, and it and I mean it's still something I deal with. It's

just not the level you like. If I if I'm talking about some kind of pain issue, it's because it's very very bad. Like

it's the thing like it's top of mind because it's is so bad that it's hard to not say something, but if I say something is very bad. And I know I was saying a lot and I hated doing that. But

I was I was just in so much pain, but I gota, you know, I'm trying to do my thing here. It's like, well, I'm still

thing here. It's like, well, I'm still going to come on here. But it it was tough. Um, and so I just always felt

tough. Um, and so I just always felt like there's just not a tool for me to help with voice to text. And I'm just I'm amazed that I finally found

something that works so well. It's not

crazy expensive. So, I just went ahead and did the an annual on the Flow Pro account. And to me, it's been absolutely

account. And to me, it's been absolutely worth a lot. I can't even imagine. I use

it for everything. And here's what's so interesting, y'all. So,

interesting, y'all. So, you've seen how all the time with the whole chat PT is live. Just press the little audio button and talk to it, which I do all the time. Or if you don't

want to do that, there is a microphone button which is voice to text. And it's

funny that I hardly ever use that. It's

like if I want to do voice to text, I'm just going to hit the the the button to talk to it like a person.

But it's like but there is a voice to text.

So, um yeah, I'm gonna mute you, Barb.

Um so it's like I I thought to myself, I don't need this for chatt because on chatt I already have all the options to do voice

to text or voice to voice. Um but I it has become such an ingrained part part of my everyday life in everything I do business and personal that when I am in

cha if I don't want to do the advanced voice and do a voiceto voice then I am using whisper flow in because it works in everything and what I love about how

I'm using it on my Mac is um on the computer you can program it to be however you want but it's defaulted to the Fn button on a Mac and so that's the one at the bottom of your keyboard. I

just press and hold and the whole time I'm holding I talk and it's doing its thing. But you can also set it so that

thing. But you can also set it so that you don't have to press and hold. You

just press and it stays on until you press again. Like you get all these

press again. Like you get all these options to customize it. And at first I'm like, am I going to remember to keep pressing the button? And at first I'm like, I can't I keep forgetting I got to hold. But that's how I set it. And it's

hold. But that's how I set it. And it's

like but it very quickly it just became second nature. And I' I've just been

second nature. And I' I've just been blown away by this tool. So,

I just uh can't say enough how how much I love this. And y'all, I only I mean, y'all have known me a long time. Y'all

know I only talk about stuff I really like and I really do use. So,

I have a question for you. Um,

does it follow you to beating and transcribes your meetings?

I imagine it could, but it's also like, you know, like on the free account, it's only so many words per week, but on the plan that I just uh upgraded to, I think

it's unlimited. Let me go check. So, it

it's unlimited. Let me go check. So, it

probably wouldn't matter, but I haven't tried that yet. Um, I mean, I mean, I I first started playing with it about a month ago and just did a free account just to see like is this because like

before I even did the trial, like just the the the plain free with the 2,000 uh words a week limit. Um, and then it's like, okay, I think I want to go do the

free trial where I could do the pro plan for two weeks for free. Uh, yeah, it does say with that plan you do get unlimited words per week, so you probably could. I just haven't

tried that yet. So, I basically, you know, two and a half weeks ago, like, okay, I kind of played with it a bit on the on the free. Let me go do the free trial of the pro and really push use it

for everything. Push the limits and see.

for everything. Push the limits and see.

But I haven't tried that yet, Buzz. I

haven't tried that part yet.

Yeah, I I think um I have Auto.AI and I get uh I bought the 6,000 minute per month, which is a lot, you know, but I I

don't ever run out. Um, but um I I like what Barbara said about Microsoft. What

uh I always when people come to me wanting to get something in uh in uh translated, I always I send them to Microsoft said don't go to Google, go to

Microsoft. And the reason why is because

Microsoft. And the reason why is because they've had their stuff local uh over a hundred languages that are localized for years. They've been in that.

for years. They've been in that.

Exactly.

Exact. I mean, their stuff is if you have if you Microsoft Word does a great job and I always tell people go to that one first instead of Google and you're

going to see how good it is. They

they've they're OG's in this. All their

products are localized over 100 languages. So, they're not

languages. So, they're not new to the party. They've been doing it.

Yeah.

So, just wanted to let you know. Yeah.

real quick on the um pricing plans here.

There it is. It defaults to annual right here above this, but you can click on monthly to get the monthly. So, there's

the monthly and then but you know how everybody always defaults to annual. So,

you get 20 20% discount on annual. So,

there you go. So, monthly would be 15 a month on the pro plan. So, um

yeah, sorry about that, Bez. I just

wanted to address question real quick.

I'm down.

If anybody's having problems with that link, I while we've been doing this a couple of times, I was trying to go to the pricing page and it was doing that 504 gateway timeout, too. So, I don't it might be something on their site, but

you could always just do this link to whisperflow.ai.

whisperflow.ai.

I hate when it's all this extra stuff.

That's why I do a link shortener. But uh

I always appreciate when people use uh affiliate codes and I always use other people's affiliate codes too because it's a nice gesture. Uh hey Rose, good to see you. But that's not why I'm doing

this. Like I y'all I this is an amazing

this. Like I y'all I this is an amazing tool. So I I y'all know when it's

tool. So I I y'all know when it's something I love like Magi, I will talk about it all the time and I can't help it. And so whenever I find something new

it. And so whenever I find something new that I discovered I can do with this whisper flow, I'll let y'all know. But

y'all should at least try the free and just see what y'all think. Yeah, I it's it's pretty cool. So,

it says the link worked for me. So, it

definitely Yeah. Okay. I wonder. So, I'm on the

Yeah. Okay. I wonder. So, I'm on the monthly and it shows 15 a month. Let me

see what happens when I hit get. See,

it's doing a gateway timeout when I There's something with their with their site because it's doing it off of their URL. I don't know why because it keeps

URL. I don't know why because it keeps from time to time it's been doing that when I'm pulling something up. Anyway,

I'm sure I'll be talking about this again in the future because it's it's something I I I think can be really helpful to others.

So, check it out. If anybody tries it, please reach out to me and let me know what you think. You can always uh tweet me, DM me, whatever. You know, y'all know how to get a hold of me. That's one

of the benefits of having an unusual name. I am easy to find.

name. I am easy to find.

Uh, next up I want to talk about, well, you know what? That that ended up taking way more time than I thought. Um,

because I know we wanted to kind of go around have everybody talk about stuff y'all are interested in. But I do want to mention Tik Tok has new guidelines coming out next month and people are really up in arms over it because, you

know, these social media platforms are getting so restrictive with community guidelines and uh, when it comes to Tik Tok, they're they're going to be even worse. And

worse. And y'all know I've talked about it here many times with my uh not the Maline Scar, but my other social media stuff,

my uh with myrratom podcast stuff that I do. Uh it's just a botanical plant. And

do. Uh it's just a botanical plant. And

I guess this gray area, you know, that there's so many issues we run into on social media with censorship and Tik Tok is constantly censoring my stuff even though it's just sharing personal

stories, personal information, you know, information about how this plant helps my chronic pain issues and it uh is

federally legal. Um, some locations have

federally legal. Um, some locations have banned it because of their misinformation and propaganda. We're not

going to get into that, but I already have all kinds of issues with Tik Tok with their community guidelines. They're

already pretty strict for for some things, but they're really going to take it next level now. And so, this is going to affect a lot more people, I think.

So, I just wanted to bring this up that um if anybody that utilizes Tik Tok, yeah, I'll I'll put links to this uh later into uh the YouTube version of

this live stream. of of all the stuff if anybody wants to look into it. But I

would definitely um read these new guidelines and just be aware of what's going on because even if you're putting out content

that's not as gray area as like the stuff I do uh in the cratium community, they're they're still getting really tough and and I've I've seen people complain for a long time about all kinds

of industries with the type of content they try to put out and gets restricted.

So, just something to be aware of.

But why don't we spend the rest of the time, you know, having y'all chat about stuff? Y'all always have cool things to

stuff? Y'all always have cool things to discuss.

Who wants to go for Yeah, Rachel.

Sorry. Um, I'll be I'm not going to be super talky today. I have a little bit of a migraine, but I wanted to share uh the article that we talked about a

little bit in the DM. It's a an article in the New York Times about a mother who didn't who lost her daughter to suicide

and she didn't realize that the daughter was using chat GPT as her therapist and talking about suicidal ideiation

make and the plan she was making and there was never any help. There was

like, okay, do some grounding exercises, drink some water, talk to a friend, but never let me call somebody or let me

connect you right now. So, they had absolutely no idea that she was even using chat as a therapist. So, I just

wanted and I'm I can share the article in school. I'll do that. It's a I have a

in school. I'll do that. It's a I have a subscription to the New York Times, so I shared it as a gift article. So even if you don't have the New York Times, you can actually read it. And it's just a

really good warning for anybody that it might be in your life who sees a chatbot as their therapist. We're not there yet.

And I just it's such a cautionary tale and I think it's important that we talk about these things.

Absolutely. Where where was it you posted that? Was that in school?

posted that? Was that in school?

Um I posted it in our DM chat on X.

Okay. Oh, right, right, right. I was

trying to remember where that was and I can throw it into school if you want.

So yeah, you post it there.

You bring up a good point. Um I'm going down this um journey where I'm going to become a certified QPR, which means question persuade refer.

About a year ago, I interviewed uh you know, I'm a recruiter. interviewed

somebody and um it got dark really quick and um I felt all thumbs. A few weeks about a month later, I found out that

she had died by suicide and it really put me in a weird place because I was like, could I have done something? could

have done um you know things sometimes just happen where and and um I got I ran into somebody that and anyways I'm going

down the path and uh there is a line for that um and it's a 988 line so I don't know um this is uh like you said it's

important to talk about it and um you know it's um it's I learned something you know that you don't say committed

suicide, you say died by suicide. So you

you learn things about, you know, and it's it's affecting, you know, a gym.

You know, you have something you do. I

see because it affects veterans. Uh

another thing that is uh going on that isn't talked about right now. It's it's

affecting those in the Latino community because of um you know, certain things going on in today's environment uh for the immigration situation. people feel

hopeless. So, there is a 988 number you can call and uh so just and there's one specifically for vets. Uh Jim, it's a

vet vets for warriors. Um so yeah, good stuff.

Well, and I think Rachel brings up a really interesting point, too, because even like the uh the other day on Substack, uh a friend of mine that's a solopreneur had put a note about the

importance of coaching. And I restacked it and was like, you know, because I'm in agreement. I think coaching is

in agreement. I think coaching is important. and this uh I'll just call

important. and this uh I'll just call them a troll because I always laugh when people don't, you know, have a have have a way to really tell if they're a real person, but they're like, "Oh, chat PT

is going to replace coaches 100%." I'm

like, "Well, maybe for some people, but I still think I want to talk to a real person. I don't, you know, I'm not ready

person. I don't, you know, I'm not ready to turn my life over to the robots." So,

I think to your point, you know, Meline and Rachel, the whole fact that someone would use chat GPT as a therapist is it's a little concerning because even

there they've lost the human connection.

Uh well, here's the thing. Um something

that you may not know, the mental health profession actually is embracing AI.

Now, there is something different when you say generative AI versus rules-based AI. The mental health profession uses

AI. The mental health profession uses rules-based AI. So, it they have to

rules-based AI. So, it they have to hardcode it in there. You cannot and and if you look it up, um 60 Minutes did this about a year or two ago, a piece on

it. Very fascinating. You'll find just

it. Very fascinating. You'll find just look it up. And they talk about this.

the the mental health profession is embracing AI because they say, "Hey, we can't be there at 2 in the morning.

Better get somebody, but you have to log in. It's driven by insurance." It's very

in. It's driven by insurance." It's very fascinating the story that you would think the mental health is, but they're saying there's not enough of us. There's

So, they'd like to have somebody at 2 in the morning when they're in bed and then that they could but it but rules-based AI means that the the same word it's it's going to be repeatable. the the

output or the advice. It's not going to be, oh, hit it again and you'll get a different type of advice. Love that.

Yeah, I'm going to drop some some numbers here you can share, man.

I am multitasking. Thank you, Barb, for for messaging me that. And here's the article that uh Rachel was talking about uh in the New York Times. So, yeah,

Rachel, you'll post that in the school platform right?

Oh, you're sorry. Yeah, I'll do that.

It's fascinating that the person I interviewed was in Central Park in New York City and um it was one of the uh

I'll just say it was very dark. You went

talking to that person and um I had to ask them do you feel like hurting yourself? because that's the only thing

yourself? because that's the only thing I knew how to do, you know, and she said, "No, no, no, no." But um I felt something was very wrong.

Yeah, that's that's a major experience to go through, Bez. So, I'm glad you you spoke

through, Bez. So, I'm glad you you spoke about it because we we are not trained as people. We are not most of us are not

as people. We are not most of us are not trained professionals. I don't want to

trained professionals. I don't want to take this to a really dark place. I just

wanted to say that I would hope that there are HIPPA guidelines involved. And

the thing about if you talk to somebody who is um a what is it called? A

mandatory reporter. If they if you said to your shrink, I'm thinking of jumping off a bridge. They have to get you help.

They are required by law and they could lose their license if they don't. chat

GPT or any of the other apps, there's millions of them now, do not have that ethical boundary. They That's the issue

ethical boundary. They That's the issue that we're dealing with here.

It's not It's not meant to because it's generative.

Exactly.

I can't say I'm going to jump off a bridge and then it gives you the right advice and then you hit refresh and it gives you well go ahead and jump off.

No, that's that's generative AI, right?

Right. And so rules-based AI has a specific repeatable output it's going to give you based on on the input and and that's why you can now it when they were

running this piece on 60 minutes they actually had outsourced some of the coding and one of the developers had introduced a little bit of generative

AI. Oh it it be it really became a big

AI. Oh it it be it really became a big deal. They had to so I know this is

deal. They had to so I know this is maybe not this is actually relatable.

You know, we're talking about AI, right?

And uh there are different types of AI.

AI isn't just a vanilla. It's a

onesizefits-all. There's different types of AI.

Thanks, Barb. I just put something in the ticker that Barb sent me. And I love how you use it, Matteline, because you're just working through business issues or, you know, what's the best way

to like get, you know, help my dog lose weight, like whatever, you know, like I think for the using those types of things, it's very helpful. And you can you can become friends with it. I don't

see any issues.

Absolutely. I Yeah, because I'm not using chatbt as a therapist at all.

No. And that's that's why I brought it up. I think there's you can use it as

up. I think there's you can use it as somewhat as a coach. It's not going to give you that team connection obviously, but it's something where I can say, "Hey, I looked at this and chat GPT gave

me this. What are your thoughts on

me this. What are your thoughts on this?" And it can start some

this?" And it can start some brainstorming or discussion that way.

So, if you can use it as like a platform to create ideas, then I think it's okay.

Let's do this. Let's bring Chad up to because you know Barb told me my assignment right was to have Chad GPT come be a part of the conversation. Now,

I only had time to just like bring it up on here with us, not as a separate, you know, speaker. Um, but yeah, let's bring

know, speaker. Um, but yeah, let's bring it up and uh what do you want me to ask it to like what in relation because I don't know if it'll hear you. I don't

think it will because I'm bringing it up on my browser, but I can ask it like like to give us some thoughts on something real quick here. So, anything

specific?

I here's something I'm curious about.

Um, how is AI affecting Google's ability to search? Is AI winning search or is

to search? Is AI winning search or is Google winning search?

Oh, it's bringing up and hey chat, how are you? I'm on my live stream. Say hi

are you? I'm on my live stream. Say hi

to everybody.

Hey there, Meline's live stream crew.

Good to be here. Hope you're all doing great and enjoying the stream. Let's

dive into whatever we've got on deck.

Well, you know, we always have lots to talk here. Can you all hear chat? Okay.

talk here. Can you all hear chat? Okay.

Yes, y'all. Okay. Chad, can you hear my speakers? Y'all say something real

speakers? Y'all say something real quick. Let's see if Chad can hear y'all.

quick. Let's see if Chad can hear y'all.

Hey.

Hi, Chad.

Yeah, I can hear everyone just fine on my end. Sounds like we're all good to

my end. Sounds like we're all good to go. Let's keep rolling.

go. Let's keep rolling.

Hello.

It said it while y'all were Yeah. Uh,

who who just spoke chat? Who was that?

I can definitely hear someone talking, but I can't actually identify who it is.

So, you'll have to fill me in on that part.

You know, when it first responded, it did it as y'all were saying y'all, you know, saying hello. So, I don't I don't I I don't think it's really hearing y'all. So, um

y'all. So, um give me give me the question again, uh Rachel, for me to throw out to it.

Sure. Um

Sure thing, Nataline. So, if Rachel's Hold on, chat. Hold on. I got a question for you. Rachel's gonna relate to me and

for you. Rachel's gonna relate to me and then I'll tell you.

is absolutely no rush at all. I'll just

hang tight and you can toss Rachel's question my way whenever you're ready.

Is AI replacing Google for search?

Could you hear that at all, chat, or no?

No.

Yeah.

What did she just say?

I actually can't hear what Rachel said directly. Just to keep it real with you.

directly. Just to keep it real with you.

So, you'll have Don't We're not here to hallucinate. All

right. She wants to know, um, uh, wait, tell me again, Rachel, is AI replacing Google for SEO?

Is AI replacing Google for SEO? We want

to know. Inquiring minds want to know.

All right, let's dive into that.

Basically, AI is definitely changing how people find information, and it's making some folks rely a bit less on Google for certain quick answers, but it's not a total replacement, at least not yet.

people still use search engines for all the deeper stuff. So, it's more like AI and Google are both in the mix, each doing their own thing.

Okay, thank you for sharing with us.

I got a question for you, Maline, to ask it. Um,

it. Um, how do we make sure that we appear in AI search results? What are some good

search results? What are some good strategies for us?

Okay, Chad, how do we make sure that we show up in AI search results?

would you say as ourselves?

Yeah.

So, the straightforward way to think about that is really just to keep focusing on being consistent with your content and making it super relevant. In

other words, the more helpful and natural your content is, the more likely AI tools will pull it in. It's not that different from good SEO in the end. Just

keep it genuine, keep it useful, and you'll show up as yourself just fine.

Okay.

Thank you for sharing with us.

You're absolutely welcome. Happy to

share and glad to help out on the stream.

I'd like to make this more interactive.

So Barb, you're going to have to tell me like how to I tried playing around with it till I bring it up as a speaker and I was not doing well with that. So

I That was funny though. That was pretty funny. And you were like, "Don't

funny. And you were like, "Don't hallucinate. Don't hallucinate."

hallucinate. Don't hallucinate."

I figured at least I'll bring it up to, you know, we could ask it something. But

Yeah, that's kind of awesome actually.

But I knew it was lying because when I asked it if it could hear y'all, it said yes while y'all were talking. I'm like,

"No, it's just saying that." So,

I knew it wasn't really hearing y'all.

Anyway um but Rachel, definitely post that over on school because I think that's, you know, a a great discussion for us to have over

there. And then um Bez, I know you're

there. And then um Bez, I know you're sending me some stuff, too. Uh well,

I'll just put it all over on school because we all Yeah, that was just Yeah, that was all that was was a transcript of the CBS interview and then the other one was a

YouTube video, the whole uh 60-minute of the show, which is very fascinating because if anything, I would think the mental health profession was not

receptive of AI is quite the opposite.

Yeah. Any

other final thoughts as we wrap up our hour that anybody wanted to discuss?

Yes, I want to say something. Um uh

yesterday Wednesday we we've been hosting a 1 million cups every Wednesday at 9:00 and uh we started in in March the end of March and uh you know was

slow going in the beginning and then you know somewhere along the way we had you know as many as 25 and then uh we

average about 20 25 yesterday we had 42 people show up and um even a media personality came out to interview some

of us organizers and um I've never been in a newspaper. I'm a

little bit over 50 Cents and I've uh been in the newspaper this year already for this effort five times. Uh and part

of it is manufacturing it. You know, in our little town, the paper gets printed once a week. So, we went to them, asked them. We've we've asked for some

them. We've we've asked for some coverage and they've given it to us. Um,

and people will come and say, "Oh, we heard about this through the newspaper."

There's people that still buy the the newspaper or may maybe they get it electronically too. So, um, sometimes

electronically too. So, um, sometimes earn media can be just by asking for the media and, uh, just wanted to share that we're getting a good groove and the vibe

is crazy and and remember our little town is 2,000 people, the county is 20,000 and we're not doing bad with those numbers. So I just wanted to share

those numbers. So I just wanted to share that it's a IRL but a a lot of entrepreneurs um because I thought it was a retirey

community but it is not. It is um podcasters, media people, I mean young families, just a really great vibe. So,

I just wanted to share that because I' I've been asking Jim to come up and uh but uh maybe one day he can come up check it out now that the crowd's getting bigger.

When he comes it'll be like 10 of us.

I'm just joking. But no, it's just something I wanted to share because I'm pretty stoked and um we're we're just developing relationships with each other.

That's cool. That's what it's all about, relationships. You know,

relationships. You know, we're getting social. So, we're going from online to like get person

million cups has always been a great initiative actually. So, I you know,

initiative actually. So, I you know, hats off to you for taking that initiative.

Anybody can start one. You can call you can it's it's it's free.

You're you're it's not your thing. You

roll up under them. You follow their rules. They send you everything,

rules. They send you everything, right? and you just you just find a

right? and you just you just find a sponsor to give coffee and you you meet every Wednesday morning and you know they'll they're flexible in the time but

it's Wednesday mornings uh typically and uh my goodness it's a it's a phenomenal program. There's only two in Georgia,

program. There's only two in Georgia, one in South Fulton near where Jim is, you know, in Atlanta and one up here in the in the hills. So anyway,

yeah, it's it's a great initiative. I

hope that next week we can talk a lot about community because that's what we're talking about coming to school and what has happened on Facebook and I read

I know Jim's written a book on it. I've

uh I was featured in multiple books over the last couple decades on building communities and and I've been building them and maintaining them you know since

the 80s. And I have to tell you all

the 80s. And I have to tell you all something because Jim Jim's article, you know, is like leaving Facebook now kind of thing. You know what I'm talking

of thing. You know what I'm talking about, Jim. And the bottom line is my

about, Jim. And the bottom line is my um engagement in the one Facebook group that actually I started out on a BBS

system. I mean people and now I have

system. I mean people and now I have like four generations in there. It is

hopping just like it always does. in the

summertime. It is huge. And Facebook has not taken me down on that. But those

features that community has, why I put them in that community, the features don't work right anymore.

And I think that's the real opportunity for school and Substack to to really excel over the others. So I hope we can spend

a lot of time on community next week.

And of course that thing that just happened with Meta this last week Maline that I didn't want to discuss today it fits right into that. So

yeah and Barb you like you know like last week you kind of touched upon like how I can have chatt actually be one of the speakers. I need you to like get with me

speakers. I need you to like get with me and walk me through how I can do that here on StreamYard because what we just did was fun but it's not the same experiment. I wanted to be part of our

experiment. I wanted to be part of our discussion, but I I was not doing good. I tried. I

failed. I'm I was trying doing it with my other computer, like two computers.

So, yeah, I had it I had it going the other day and I just hope I'm getting old now.

But I'm still I'm still out there. And

let me go back because I've not been feeling well the last couple days, but I um I know I've actually got some write up about it and next week I told you

about the speaker that I the my live that just preceded this one and things that were said about that because podcasting is a big deal again now and

so chatpt can be your guest. It can

actually I mean it it creates your whole podcast for you.

Yeah.

So I think Notebook LM. Look at Notebook LM. I mean, the way it does that, which

LM. I mean, the way it does that, which and it's been doing that since the first of the year and that's pretty cool.

A big deal. Well, in fact, I know uh a software developer that I've been working with for years. They're actually

coming out with a new AI that is just for podcasting and has that very thing.

So, interesting.

Yeah, I think it's a good avenue to go down. So, I'll see what I can do. Well,

down. So, I'll see what I can do. Well,

the the notebook LM has other use cases as well, but I used it as a um a next generation bio. So, if you feed it

generation bio. So, if you feed it stuff, it'll have a conversation about you between these two characters, that man and the woman, and do the deep dive on you.

Oh my goodness. You know, if you're ever feeling down, you know, you listen to that that little snippet of you. It'll

make you feel good. So, it could be your daily affirmation. And it's that.

daily affirmation. And it's that.

Oh, I've I've walked y'all multiple times on this live stream. I've walked

through the process of of how to do that. And you know, the the first time I

that. And you know, the the first time I did that when Notebook LM was new and added that feature, I'm like I was just floored. I'm like, "Oh my god." It was

floored. I'm like, "Oh my god." It was like a nine-minute discussion of them talking about how great I am. I'm like,

so I was like, "If anybody wants an ego boost, go do this because it's pretty darn awesome to do." But it's a great tool. I It's It's very impressive and

tool. I It's It's very impressive and it's powered by by Google. So, uh, which is cool. So, um, if anybody here hasn't

is cool. So, um, if anybody here hasn't checked it out, go to notebookm.google.com.

notebookm.google.com.

It's free. And, and speaking of Notebook LM, a quick piece of news I've come across is when you're using it, if you're trying to add a bunch of URLs, which is one of

the things you can do because you feed it sources, they now added bulk URL uploads, which is cool. So, you can do multiple URLs at once. It says you got to make sure the link is separated by a

space or a new line.

So, that's good to know because if you want to put in a whole bunch of sources that are URLs, that's that's a good way to utilize it. Uh Rose says, "I used it

as a genealogical ancestry search of my ancestors from 1760 to visit Clayton in visit Clayton. That's cool. It's a very

visit Clayton. That's cool. It's a very interesting tool. I I like it a lot. I

interesting tool. I I like it a lot. I

think it's one to look at. Before we go, I mean, it's how we're always go." so

fast. I forgot to show you all this. So,

I know algorithms don't always show you our each other's friends stuff, right, on social media. So, I posted this photo of me on Facebook yesterday. Um, I came

across an old a very old photograph and you know, it's like, anybody remember those? Like an actual photograph you

those? Like an actual photograph you hold in your hand? Oh, yeah. Um, I found like a whole bunch of old ones. And so,

I found this photo. It was so cool. So

this was when I started my very first business in 1996. It was called cyber sites web design. And so that was when I got into the whole entrepreneurship. I

had no idea what I was doing. Um but I had learned the prior year in 1995 I learned I taught myself how to do HTML.

And back then we didn't have apps and programs that did it for you like Microsoft Front Page. That wasn't out yet. It when you did code you you did it

yet. It when you did code you you did it in Notepad. You typed it off the top of

in Notepad. You typed it off the top of your head. So I knew how to create

your head. So I knew how to create simple web pages and back then they were very simple. Um and so people started

very simple. Um and so people started asking me like if I would make one for them. So I thought huh maybe I can turn

them. So I thought huh maybe I can turn this into a business and I had no idea I had that entrepreneurship in me. Uh but

that I found this photo. Uh it was really cool. So I called it cyber web

really cool. So I called it cyber web design. Actually the banner says webpage

design. Actually the banner says webpage design. So cyber webpage design. Um and

design. So cyber webpage design. Um and

then it became cyber web design uh because you didn't need the word page after a while. And um everything back then was called cyber, cyber this, cyber that. Right?

that. Right?

So a few years in I get a seasoned desist letter saying I can't use the name cyersize and apparently somebody had already trademarked it and they were

first to it's all I learned a lot about trademarking when this happened to me.

So apparently whoever's fir someone can have a use a name before you but whoever first used it in commerce. So apparently

there was somebody that and there were very few web designers back then. Um

somebody was using it as their business for web page design and apparently was using as com mine just kind of started as a little hobby that turned into a business and I didn't know anything. So

I'm like and turned out there was like 10 different companies using the same name. We all got to seasoned desist

name. We all got to seasoned desist letters across the country. So I'm like I need a unique name. And the internet was still very new. Most people weren't even using it yet. And so I did a bunch

of research and it's like trying to figure out how to do the whole trade like I'm like I'm gonna get something nobody's using and even tried to trademark it myself so I don't have to go through this again. And I learned all

about how that works. It takes a very long time uh to get. And so I did a bunch of research and I I renamed it to Orbit Webb Design and that would have

been 1998 I think because I think it was about two years after I started and I applied to get a trademark, a registered trademark. And you know how when people

trademark. And you know how when people put the little R in the circle for registered trademark, you are not allowed to do it until you have that document in your hand and it can take at

least 18 months but usually longer. It

takes a long time to get it if you even get it. there are all these lawyers that

get it. there are all these lawyers that are waiting to shoot it down. And I

learned that with some other little businesses I tried to and that failed miserably. And it's like, wow, I paid

miserably. And it's like, wow, I paid all that money and did all that paperwork and it just gets shut. And I

did another one shot. I was like, damn.

It's like people are just sitting there waiting for these trademark applications so they can find a way to not let you have it. Um, but I did get Orbit Web

have it. Um, but I did get Orbit Web Design. I did have a trademark. And uh

Design. I did have a trademark. And uh

so I did that I did web design for about 11 years uh in the early days and it was so much fun. I had no idea what I was doing. We didn't have mentors back then

doing. We didn't have mentors back then because nobody even done this kind of work before. And to show tell you like

work before. And to show tell you like how new this was back then. I started

the business and my dad says you should call the Texas comprollers office to see if you have to charge sales tax. I'm

like the controller what I called them up trying to explain this new business.

They didn't get it.

They didn't know what to do with this.

It's 1996. I started in January 1996.

This probably was a few months later.

They they had no clue. Finally, the lady says, "Yes, because of course they want to find any way to make you charge sales tax. Yes, you got to charge sales tax."

tax. Yes, you got to charge sales tax."

and we're going to classify it as word processing.

Okay. So, uh it just it was just so funny looking back because it's just things were so different back then. I'm

in a hu fourth largest city in the country and it was only like me and two other people do soloreneurs doing web design in the city. like it was it was so and like

city. like it was it was so and like every time I spoke to someone I always got the sale because nobody was doing this and I learned a lot about business and it was a lot of fun and it was something I really enjoyed doing because

I I I realize I'm really good at tech stuff but I just love this old photo and look how clunky that computer looks. I'm

like, "Yeah." And we were on dialup and uh dialup. Yep.

dialup. Yep.

I remember like how dialup would get better and better. And we always had the best internet of anybody we knew or anybody in our neighborhood. And you

know when ISDN and then dual ISDN like all this stuff looking back, it's just so funny. Whereas now it's just

so funny. Whereas now it's just broadband's amazing and we just take it for granted all all this stuff. But back

in those early days in the mid 90s, it was so different. Um, can I share a quick story about that era?

Absolutely.

Okay, so uh yeah, front page was garbage. I agree with you.

garbage. I agree with you.

Oh, the worst code. The worst code.

Oh, the worst. They look horrible. Um,

they look bad. But the code the backend code was awful. Like if if somebody had like their you know relative to what would typically happen somebody's relative you know knew how to do front

page and would go make them this crappy website and then they realized they needed somebody professional to take over say contact me and it got to the point that they had used Microsoft front

page I said no we're starting over because the co I couldn't even work with the code it was such garbage code to work with the way they did the it did the backend it was like no we're just going to start over. Just give me all

your info. We're just going to start

your info. We're just going to start over with a fresh site that I can make it look the same, but you're going to have very clean code here. But yeah,

Microsoft front page.

Yeah. Dur during that era, I had my business. I had started my business in

business. I had started my business in 97. Um, you know, I had worked in

97. Um, you know, I had worked in recruiting for about five years at that point. And I and um started to have my

point. And I and um started to have my first child and um I was like really excited to start my business. My wife

says, "Well, what are we going to buy insurance?" We just buy insurance. Who

insurance?" We just buy insurance. Who

cares? let's just do it, you know, and so I just went out and did it. And um I got uh a lot of uh I had a friend who was connected to an angel investor VC

and what happened is that he started bringing me web projects. Well, um the talent in the United States was not up to par at that time. Again, I was using

ISDN. You were saying I brought ISDN

ISDN. You were saying I brought ISDN into into my home office. Um I was finding uh really top talent in Eastern block countries, right? uh from a design

perspective. Uh the other problem we had

perspective. Uh the other problem we had was that the money was crazy out there with to build a website. And so I um but

animation was hard. Uh I found somebody in the UK and his name was the void, right? Uh he actually has a name, but

right? Uh he actually has a name, but that was his moniker. And I I signed him up and he he he had built his own compression algorithm and he could make

stuff fly on a web page. Like that was like ground.

That was a big deal back then. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. He was using macro media flash but he his compression was amazing on 28 or 30 33.3

um you know whatever you know a dialup.

And um so one day I'm working with him you know he's in the UK. I'm here in the United States and I say um you know I'm I'm paying him equivalent to $150 an

hour U USD, right? And um I I I asked him to to lead a project because I'm paying him a lot of money. He he needs to lead a project. Um he got really

skittish and for whatever reason I I just I just I don't know just something blurted out of my mouth. I said, "Dude, how old are you?" And he says, "I'm 16."

Oh my gosh.

I'm paying him 150 an hour. He's 16

years. I I I told him, you know what I was doing when I was 16 years old? I was

mowing a whole lawn in Georgia for 20 bucks. Like that was good money.

bucks. Like that was good money.

I said I told him good on you, you know.

Wow.

But but if he was be able to get good compression on Flash because Flash was awesome, but it not easy on dialup. He

did his He had his own comp proprietary compression. I signed him up. I kept him

compression. I signed him up. I kept him busy.

Wow.

I paid him.

Yeah. So, yeah. Think about what the endline was playing, you know.

Yeah.

Crazy. So,

yeah. Great story. Thank you for sharing. It's always a great time

sharing. It's always a great time hanging out with y'all. Always fun. We

all learning so much from each other.

And, uh, yeah, we'll be we'll be back next week to do it again. If anybody

tries Whisper Flow, let me know what you think. is such a cool tool. I just can't

think. is such a cool tool. I just can't get and I y'all I'm just still so new with it. I feel like I've only scratched

with it. I feel like I've only scratched the surface. I I'll report back with

the surface. I I'll report back with anything else. Um I'm sure I'm going to

anything else. Um I'm sure I'm going to be coming up with other ways to use it, but right now I'm using it in everything I do, even in chat. And you don't need to in chat because you got different

microphones in there, but I still I use it everywhere. I it's it's an amazing

it everywhere. I it's it's an amazing tool. So anyway, if anybody tries it,

tool. So anyway, if anybody tries it, let me know. Let me know. And uh we'll see y'all next time. Thanks for hanging out. And Jim, thank you for hanging out

out. And Jim, thank you for hanging out while you're, you know, out and out and about at an event. That's so so cool.

Just thought I'd try something new.

Yeah, that's very cool. Well, great to see you all and Yeah. Have a great week, everyone.

Yeah. Have a great week, everyone.

Yeah, we'll see y'all soon. Have a great rest of your day and we'll see you next time. Bye.

time. Bye.