Podcast
Early Adoptr
Hosted by Early Adoptr · EN
AI is moving fast. Most of the advice out there is written for developers, not for people actually running businesses. Early Adoptr is for founders and small business owners who want to use AI to get more done without needing a technical co-founder to explain it first. Each week, Jess and Kyle cut through the noise, test the tools, and show you what is actually worth your time. Practical, plain-English, and free of the hype.
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30episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Wrong Question: Why "How Do I Save Time With AI?" Isn't Enough
1w ago00:46:51Tap to summarizeMost people start their AI journey by asking how to save time. That is not a wrong question — but Anthropic's latest research, based on open-ended interviews with over 81,000 Claude users across 159 countries, suggests it may not be the most important one.The most commonly reported productivity gain in the study was not speed. It was scope. Not doing existing work faster, but doing things that you simply couldn't before, because of budget, skills, or just the assumption that certain capabilities belonged to someone else.This episode is about the difference between saving time with the boring middle and asking what is now possible that wasn't before, and why that second question is where the real opportunity lies.What You'll LearnWhy the Anthropic study's methodology is unusualThe difference between efficiency gains and capability gainsHow to identify your "boring middle" and what to do once you have sorted itHow to prevent your freed-up time from get absorbed back into more of the sameHow a delivery driver and landscape gardener from the illustrate capability gainsWhat the Pocket OS incident reveals about AI agent permissions, and the simple rule that would have prevented itTry GranolaIf you've ever sat in a meeting, taken what felt like decent notes, and then opened them afterwards and they didn't capture anything, Granola is the tool for you. It runs in the background, captures everything, and turns your notes into something you can actually use. Both Jess and Kyle use it, it plays really nicely with Claude, and it is one of our most highly recommended toolsNew users get 100% off their first month using our link: granola.ai?via=early-adoptrTimestamps:00:00 Introduction and Travel Plans01:37 About the Anthropic Research03:37 How the Study Actually Worked07:36 The Headline Productivity Stat10:35 The Four Types of Productivity Gain from AI11:54 What the Data Says About Job Displacement13:32 The Efficiency Game: What It Gets You and What It Misses16:45 Why Automating the Wrong Things Makes You Faster at the Wrong Things21:27 The Boring Middle: Why Consistency Is the Point25:00 Capability Gains: Doing Things That Were Previously Off the Table28:54 The Wrong Question: Efficiency vs. Capability31:39 How Efficiency and Capability Feed Into Each Other35:09 Practical Takeaways: What to Try This Week38:09 AI News of the Week: Lessons from Pocket OS IncidentResources:What 81,000 people told us about the economics of AI: https://www.anthropic.com/research/81k-economics https://www.linkedin.com/posts/oguzaliacar_anthropic-just-published-findings-from-80000-activity-7440462065959366657-IqJj/ https://medium.com/activated-thinker/an-ai-interviewed-81-000-people-what-it-discovered-exposes-our-deepest-insecurities-c231c7d2f77e https://www.reddit.com/r/AI_Agents/comments/1ssz7v3/anthropic_surveyed_81000_claude_users_about_ais/Get in Touch:hello@earlyadoptr.aiTikTok: @early_adoptrInstagram: @early_adoptrYouTube: @early_adoptrWhat 81,000 people told us about the economics of AI: https://www.anthropic.com/research/81k-economics https://www.linkedin.com/posts/oguzaliacar_anthropic-just-published-findings-from-80000-activity-7440462065959366657-IqJj/ https://medium.com/activated-thinker/an-ai-interviewed-81-000-people-what-it-discovered-exposes-our-deepest-insecurities-c231c7d2f77e https://www.reddit.com/r/AI_Agents/comments/1ssz7v3/anthropic_surveyed_81000_claude_users_about_ais/Get in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →What It Really Takes to Move Your Team Forward With AI (w/ Rob Webster)
2w ago00:40:04Tap to summarizeThis is the second part of our interview with Rob Webster, who has spent over 20 years in media and marketing, ran data and technology at MediaCom for some of the world's biggest brands, built and sold a MarTech and AdTech consultancy, and now works with enterprise businesses on how they actually adopt AI.In this episode, Jess and Kyle talk to Rob about everything from navigating the messy middle to what the future of work for juniors, where AI should play in your business, what it means for how you hire and develop people, why so many organisations are stuck between experimenting and scaling, and what it actually takes to move forward.We also cover the OpenAI vs Elon Musk trial, and how South Africa's AI Policy offers a useful reminder to always check your citations.What You'll LearnHow to identify your best AI use cases by starting with outcomes rather than tasksWhy AI multiplies what you're doingHow junior employees can move faster and take on more accountability earlier when they have AI as a working layerHow smaller businesses are now better placed to train entry-level hires than they've ever been.Why real-world wisdom is the skill that can never be replaced.What the messy middle of AI adoption looks like in practice and why most organisations are stuck in itHow leaders can model AI adoption in a way that actually moves teams forward Try GranolaIf you've ever sat in a meeting, taken what felt like decent notes, and then opened them afterwards and they didn't capture anything, Granola is the tool for you. It runs in the background, captures everything, and turns your notes into something you can actually use. Both Jess and Kyle use it, it plays really nicely with Claude, and it is one of our most highly recommended toolsNew users get 100% off their first month using our link: granola.ai?via=early-adoptrTimestamps: 00:00 Intro & What We've Been Up To04:09 The 10,000 Foot View: Why You Should Start Broad Before Picking an AI Use Case10:42 What AI Means for Hiring and Training Junior Employees14:55 Why Smaller Businesses Can Now Compete on Talent Development16:20 Human in the Loop: Why Oversight Still Matters19:35 The Messy Middle: Why Most Businesses Get Stuck Between Testing and Scaling23:17 How Leaders Can Drive AI Adoption34:02 AI News of the Week: OpenAI vs Elon Musk34:31 AI Gone Wrong: South Africa's AI Policy Debacle37:55 Wrapping Up for the WeekResources:Rob Webster - https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalstrategyleader/ TAU Marketing Solutions - https://taums.ai/ AI Agents in Media Planning and Buying: https://taums.ai/ai-agents-in-media-planning-and-buying/Judging the Coming Wave of Agentic Adtech: https://taums.ai/judging-the-coming-wave-of-agentic-adtech/Mastering the Messy Middle: https://taums.ai/mastering-the-messy-middle-with-a-balanced-approach-to-ai-implementation/10 Predictions for Marketing and AI in 2026 (Futureweek): https://futureweek.com/rob-webster-10-predictions-for-marketing-and-ai-in-2026/The AI Land Grab interview (AdWorldNews): https://www.adworldnews.com/news/robert-webster-tau-marketing-ai-land-grabGet in Touchhello@earlyadoptr.aiTikTok: @early_adoptrInstagram: @early_adoptrYouTube: @early_adoptrGet in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Stop Building AI Agents the Hard Way: Lessons from 25 Years in AI (w/ Rob Webster)
3w ago00:51:53Tap to summarizeIt's here! The culmination of our series on agents, and if you've ever wondered how to make the most of the AI agents in your business (without a huge budget or a team of developers), this is the episode for you.This week on Early Adoptr, we are joined by Rob Webster, who has spent 25 years working at the intersection of data, machine learning, and marketing, including working on data and technology for brands like Dell, Tesco, and Coca-Cola. He now runs Tau Marketing Solutions, where he helps businesses adopt AI and build agents to solve real marketing problems. In this episode he joins Jess and Kyle and shares everything he has learned about making agents that actually work. From the "Fisher Price Agent" to building a daily action plan, the four components every working agent needs and why most agents fail, this episode is a goldmine of tips from years of experience.We also cover a major deal between SpaceX and Cursor, and what it tells us about where the real competition in AI is playing out right now.What You'll LearnThe two-prompt method Rob uses to turn a vague goal into a concrete daily action planThe four components every working agent needs and the reason most agent setups fail to produce useful outputWhy the most valuable skill in AI right now has nothing to do with technology, and how anyone can develop itWhat human-in-the-loop looks like as a working habit rather than a safety conceptHow to start with a "Fisher Price Agent"Rob's tips for getting unstuck when you hit a wall Try GranolaIf you've ever sat in a meeting, taken what felt like decent notes, and then opened them afterwards and they didn't capture anything, Granola is the tool for you. It runs in the background, captures everything, and turns your notes into something you can actually use. Both Jess and Kyle use it, it plays really nicely with Claude, and it is one of our most highly recommended toolsNew users get 100% off their first month using our link: granola.ai?via=early-adoptrTimestamps:00:00 What We've Been Up to This Week03:16 Interview with Robert Webster05:07 AI News: SpaceX and Cursor Deal05:47 Meet Rob Webster10:51 The Two-Prompt Method: Going from Vague Goal to Concrete Plan13:28 The Four Components Every Working Agent Needs18:14 Why Knowing What Good Looks Like Is the Real Skill20:26 Human-in-the-Loop in Practice26:20 Building a Co-CEO Agent: From Fisher Price to Advanced33:01 Where to Start If You Are Not Technical37:42 Takeaways40:07 AI News of the Week: SpaceX & CursorResources:Rob Webster - https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalstrategyleader/ TAU Marketing Solutions - https://taums.ai/ AI Agents in Media Planning and Buying: https://taums.ai/ai-agents-in-media-planning-and-buying/Judging the Coming Wave of Agentic Adtech: https://taums.ai/judging-the-coming-wave-of-agentic-adtech/Mastering the Messy Middle: https://taums.ai/mastering-the-messy-middle-with-a-balanced-approach-to-ai-implementation/10 Predictions for Marketing and AI in 2026 (Futureweek): https://futureweek.com/rob-webster-10-predictions-for-marketing-and-ai-in-2026/The AI Land Grab interview (AdWorldNews): https://www.adworldnews.com/news/robert-webster-tau-marketing-ai-land-grabGet in Touchhello@earlyadoptr.aiTikTok: @early_adoptrInstagram: @early_adoptrYouTube: @early_adoptrGet in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →AI Agents Explained Through One Real Business Use Case
4w ago00:59:26Tap to summarizeA new client signs...congrats, you're excited! And then the onboarding begins process with all the tedious tasks: folder creation, the welcome email, the kickoff scheduling, the project setup, the intake form you'll need to chase twice. None of it is difficult, all of it takes time, and it always seems to happen at the exact moment you're least available to do it well.This week on Early Adoptr, we walk one real, familiar business process through every single rung of the Ladder of Autonomy, from fully manual through to fully autonomous, using real examples at each stage. By the end, you'll know what each level actually looks like in practice, which rung your current setup sits on, and what a realistic next step looks like for your business.This is episode three in Early Adoptr's ongoing series on AI agents. If you haven't listened to our previous episodes (links below), it's worth starting there.What is an AI Agent: https://shows.acast.com/early-adoptr/episodes/what-is-an-ai-agent-a-plain-english-guide-for-business-ownerAI Agent Frameworks Explained: https://shows.acast.com/early-adoptr/episodes/ai-agent-frameworks-explained-the-five-things-every-agent-syWhat You'll LearnHow to tell which steps in your workflow genuinely benefit from AI and which ones are better handled by a simple automationWhat it actually means to add an AI agent to a business workflow, and how that differs from using a chat tool like Claude or ChatGPTHow AI agents become more capable and more autonomous at each level — and what that progression looks like applied to a single, familiar business processWhy keeping a human in the loop isn't just a safety measure, and how the way you structure that oversight changes as your setup becomes more sophisticatedWhat the real security and risk considerations are when AI starts taking actions on your behalf, with practical guidance on how to approach permissions and accessWhy the most advanced level of AI autonomy is worth understanding and what goes wrong for businesses that skip the basics Try GranolaIf you've ever sat in a meeting, taken what felt like decent notes, and then opened them afterwards and they didn't capture anything, Granola is the tool for you. It runs in the background, captures everything, and turns your notes into something you can actually use. Both Jess and Kyle use it, it plays really nicely with Claude, and it is one of our most highly recommended toolsNew users get 100% off their first month using our link: granola.ai?via=early-adoptrTimestamps:00:00 What We've Been Up to This Week03:46 Exploring Client Onboarding and Automation07:27 The Ladder of Autonomy: A Quick Recap13:11 Before You Start: Why Workflow Mapping Comes First14:55 Rung One: Basic Automation and Where It Falls Apart20:32 Rung Two: Adding AI Into Your Onboarding Workflow28:41 Rung Three: Handing the Agent a Goal, Not a Task39:19 Rung Four: Full Autonomy and What Can Go Wrong47:08 Your Action Plan: How to Start Without Overcomplicating It51:57 AI News of the Week: Anthropic Launches Claude Design & Allbirds AI PivotFollow Us: Email: hello@earlyadoptr.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/early-adoptr/TikTok: @early_adoptrInstagram: @early_adoptrYouTube: @early_adoptrResources:https://www.reddit.com/r/AI_Agents/comments/1nv3sd4/case_study_client_onboarding_issue_how_i_fixed_it/https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-agentic-ai-can-re-define-customer-onboarding-product-upadhye-7ikje/https://www.mindstudio.ai/blog/ai-powered-client-onboarding-tools-workflowshttps://churnzero.com/blog/customer-onboarding-with-ai/ https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/17/anthropic-launches-claude-design-a-new-product-for-creating-quick-visuals/ https://slate.com/technology/2026/04/ai-allbirds-pivot-silicon-valley.htmlGet in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →AI Agent Frameworks Explained: The Five Things Every Agent System Needs
Apr 1501:02:38Tap to summarizeMost business owners have heard the word "framework" thrown around a lot lately and filed it under "probably technical, not my problem." In this episode, we make the case that it is your problem, not because you need to build one, but because understanding what a framework actually does is what helps you evaluate any agent tool being pitched to you, spot where an agentic workflow is likely to break down, and make smarter decisions about what to hand over and what to keep human.Most business owners have heard the word "framework" thrown around a lot lately and filed it under "probably technical, not my problem." In this episode, we make the case that it is your problem, not because you need to build one, but because understanding what a framework actually does is what helps you evaluate any agent tool, spot where an agentic workflow is likely to break down, and make smarter decisions about what to hand over and what to keep human.In this episode, Jess and Kyle walk through a complete practical example, that shows how you move from writing down your decision logic to deploying a real working agent, step by step.What You'll LearnWhat an AI agent framework actually isThe five components every agent system needs to work — model access, tools, memory, coordination, and human oversightWhy decision logic mapping is important before you build anythingHow to automate a real business process, using inbound enquiry handling as a worked example, from writing your decision logic through to rolling out with guardrailsThe difference between CrewAI, LangChain, and LangGraph, and which situations each one is suited toInbound enquiry automation as a practical use caseHuman-in-the-loop and why it matters as agents gain more access Try GranolaIf you've ever sat in a meeting, taken what felt like decent notes, and then opened them afterwards and they didn't capture anything, Granola is the tool for you. It runs in the background, captures everything, and turns your notes into something you can actually use. Both Jess and Kyle use it, it plays really nicely with Claude, and it is one of our most highly recommended toolsNew users get 100% off their first month using our link: granola.ai?via=early-adoptrTimestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates06:42 Recapping AI Agents and the Ladder of Autonomy12:07 Frameworks 101: The Five Capabilities Every Agent Needs18:41 How Framework Design Affects Performance and Cost19:20 Frameworks vs. Capabilities in Agent Systems25:40 How to Get Started with Frameworks: A Five-Stage Path40:10 Real-World Example: Automating Inbound Sales Enquiries47:52 Safety Considerations in Agent Use50:21 Key Takeaways for Agent Frameworks52:28 AI News of the Week: Claude Mythos and Third-Party Harnesses58:42 AI Gone Wrong : Meta's Expensive Model MistakeInstagram: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/early-adoptrResources: https://linktr.ee/early_adoptr📩 hello@earlyadoptr.aiResources:https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/building-effective-agents https://www.moveworks.com/us/en/resources/blog/what-is-agentic-framework https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/turning-your-icp-framework-working-ai-agent-without-code-aird-mash-ni1me/ https://www.moxo.com/blog/agentic-ai-framework-comparison https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/the-agentic-ai-handbook/ https://huggingface.co/learn/agents-course/unit2/introduction https://www.reddit.com/r/AI_Agents/comments/1pcrjgn/trying_to_learn_agentic_ai_please_suggest_me_a/ http://aiagentskit.com/blog/agentic-ai-frameworks/https://www.datacamp.com/blog/agentic-ai https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/agentic-ai-explained https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/04/anthropic-says-claude-code-subscribers-will-need-to-pay-extra-for-openclaw-support/https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/first-model-zuckerberg-superintelligence-labs-flopshttps://thenewstack.io/anthropic-claude-mythos-cybersecurity/Get in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →What Is an AI Agent? A Plain-English Guide for Business Owners
Apr 801:01:15Tap to summarize"AI Agent" has become one of those phrases that means everything and nothing depending on who's using it. It gets attached to basic customer service bots, to tools running overnight making business decisions, and to everything in between. And then there's "agentic AI," which most people use interchangeably with "AI agent" but shouldn't. If you've been nodding along while wondering what actually separates any of these things from a very clever chatbot, this episode is for you.In this episode, Jess and Kyle revisit the basics of AI agents: what an AI agent actually is, what makes something agentic, why those two things are different, and a much needed update to our Ladder of Autonomy, the framework that helps you figure out which level of AI autonomy actually makes sense for your business right now. This is part one of a multi-part series on AI agents and agentic AI.What You'll LearnWhat actually makes something an AI agentThe difference between an AI agent and agentic AI and why the two get confused constantlyHow to use the Ladder of Autonomy to assess any AI tool or workflow — and where Cowork, OpenClaw, and Perplexity Computer each sit on itWhat the key failure modes are for agents in live business environments, and the questions you should be asking before you deploy anythingThe Anthropic Claude Code source code leak and what it revealed about unreleased features and how far ahead the labs are building Try GranolaIf you've ever sat in a meeting, taken what felt like decent notes, and then opened them afterwards and they didn't capture anything, Granola is the tool for you. It runs in the background, captures everything, and turns your notes into something you can actually use. Both Jess and Kyle use it, it plays really nicely with Claude, and it is one of our most highly recommended toolsNew users get 100% off their first month using our link: granola.ai?via=early-adoptrTimestamps:00:00 What We've Been Up To04:25 Why we're revisiting agents07:26 What Is an AI agent?11:11 LLMs vs agents: understanding what each component does12:29 From demos to deployment: where agents actually stand right now16:20 Will AI agents be reliable by 2035? What the experts are saying17:11 AI adoption and the digitally native advantage18:17 What is the difference between an AI agent and agentic AI?19:56 Agents vs orchestrators25:27 The Ladder of Autonomy: a framework for understanding AI capability26:25 Rung 1: Basic Workflows and Automations29:06 Rung 2: Task Agents and Their Capabilities30:49 Rung 3: Outcome-Based Task Management36:18 Rung 4: The Future of Agentic AI39:51 Why most agent failures are setup problems, not AI problems41:40 Which rung of the autonomy ladder is right for your business?43:38 Pros of AI agents for small business: what actually holds up46:32 Cons of AI agents: what to watch out for before you deploy46:57 How to avoid the most common AI agent failure modes50:31 The most important question to ask before building any AI agent workflow51:24 AI News of the Week: Anthropic's Code Leak📲 **FOLLOW EARLY ADOPTR**Email: hello@earlyadoptr.aiInstagram: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/early-adoptrResources: https://linktr.ee/early_adoptrResources:https://www.anthropic.com/research/measuring-agent-autonomy https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/effective-harnesses-for-long-running-agentshttps://www.maryammiradi.com/blog/build-ai-agents-anthropic-lessons https://medium.com/@speaktoharisudhan/ai-agent-vs-agentic-ai-understand-the-actual-difference-4580a4b01dd4 https://www.bcg.com/capabilities/artificial-intelligence/ai-agents https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/agentic-ai-explainedhttps://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-08-26-gartner-predicts-40-percent-of-enterprise-apps-will-feature-task-specific-ai-agents-by-2026-up-from-less-than-5-percent-in-2025https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/01/anthropic-claudes-code-leaks-aiGet in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Claude Skills Explained: How to Stop Repeating Yourself in Every Session
Apr 100:59:36Tap to summarizeClaude Skills is one of the most useful features available to Claude users right now, and solves something that you almost definitely have encountered.You start a new conversation, and Claude has no idea how you like things done. You end up re-explaining your tone, pasting in your brand guidelines, or manually correcting the output back into something that actually sounds like you. Every. Single. Time.Claude Skills fixes that but allowing you to build your preferences, your rules, your formats, and your style into a reusable package that Claude can pull in automatically whenever it is relevant. Set it up once, and stop repeating yourself.In this episode, Kyle and Jess break down what Skills actually are, how they sit alongside Model Context Protocol (MCP), and the pros and cons. They also get into where to find pre-built Skills, how to build your own without any technical knowledge, and what to watch out for when you are browsing the public marketplaces. If you're fed up with constantly repeating yourself to Claude, this is the episode for you.PS. Kyle's audio is a little weird on this one, apologies in advance!What You'll LearnWhat Claude Skills are, how they differ from custom GPTs and Google Gems, and why portability gives them a longer shelf life than eitherHow Skills, MCP, Projects, and memory all fit together and when to reach for each oneWhere to find pre-built Skills, what to check before you install anything from a public marketplace, and how to build your own without any technical knowledgeWhy the skill description is an activation condition, not a title, and what to do if your skill is not triggeringWhat OpenAI shutting down Sora and consolidating its products signals about where the money is actually flowing in AI right nowWhy the window where small businesses can run the same AI stack as enterprises is real, and why it probably will not stay open indefinitelyWhat are Claude Skills and how are they different from custom GPTs or Google Gems?How do Claude Skills and MCP work together?How do I find and install Claude Skills without needing any technical knowledge?Are public Claude Skills safe to install, and what should I check before using one?How do I write a Claude Skill that actually activates when I need it? Try GranolaIf you've ever sat in a meeting, taken what felt like decent notes, and then opened them afterwards and they didn't capture anything, Granola is the tool for you. It runs in the background, captures everything, and turns your notes into something you can actually use. Both Jess and Kyle use it, it plays really nicely with Claude, and it is one of our most highly recommended toolsNew users get 100% off their first month using our link: granola.ai?via=early-adoptrTimestamps:00:00 Introduction and Weekly Updates04:19 Quick Recap: What Model Context Protocol (MCP) Does and Why Skills Come Next06:28 What Are Claude Skills and Why Do They Matter11:17 Inside a Skill: How It Is Built and How It Knows When to Activat16:51 Where to Find Skills and How to Install Them Without Any Technical Knowledge17:59 Memory, Projects, and Skills: Which One Does What20:21 Projects vs Skills: How to Use Both Without Getting Confused24:09 Where to Find Skills: Build vs Pre-made26:50 Free, Portable, and Consistent: The Pros of Claude Skills30:18 Skills Are Not Perfect: The Limitations Worth Knowing About35:27 Real Business Use Cases: Brand Voice, Sales Prep, and More42:39 Getting Started with Claude Skills: Tips and Tricks46:14 AI News of the Week: Sora and OpenAI's SuperApp55:12 AI Gone Wrong: Robot Hot Pot ChaosResources:Anthropic Skills repositoryskills.sh Find Skills SkillVoice DNA skillAnthropic's official guidance on skillsMCP Episode Part 1 MCP Episode Part 2Disney Exits OpenAI Deal After AI Giant Shutters SoraOpenAI Plans Launch of Desktop ‘Superapp’ to Refocus, Simplify User ExperienceFollow Us:Email: hello@earlyadoptr.aiTikTok: @early_adoptrInstagram: @early_adoptrYouTube: @early_adoptrLinkedIn: @early_adoptrGet in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Stop Switching Tabs: How to Connect Your AI to Your Business Tools (Safely) Using Model Context Protocol (MCP)
Mar 2500:53:26Tap to summarizeMCP — Model Context Protocol — is the AI infrastructure that's quickly becoming the key layer underneath almost every serious AI setup. It's a big part of why AI is shifting from something where you copy and paste from one tab to the other, to something that actually can act on your behalf, and is the foundation that makes agentic AI possible.Last week in part one of this series, we covered the what MCP is and why it's such a big deal. In part two, we get into what MCP actually looks like in practice, from the easy non-technical entry points (no technical knowledge required!) already built into Claude to automation tools like Zapier to Kyle's own more advanced setup that allows you to have plain-English conversation with your business data in 30 minutes. We cover a range of options so you can find the right starting point for where you are right now, and understand how far you can take it from there.If you are a founder, operator or small business owners who is tired of manually looking at data across all your different systems and tools, this is the episode for you.What You Will LearnThe easiest way to get started with MCP with no technical knowledge requiredWhat a more advanced setup looks like using BigQuery and ClaudeWhy clean data still matters — MCP removes the barrier between you and your data, but it can't fix what is broken underneathThe safety rules that apply to every MCP setupWhat multi-agent systems look like next, and why MCP is the infrastructure that makes them possible Try GranolaIf you've ever sat in a meeting, taken what felt like decent notes, and then opened them afterwards and they didn't capture anything, Granola is the tool for you. It runs in the background, captures everything, and turns your notes into something you can actually use. Both Jess and Kyle use it, it plays really nicely with Claude, and it is one of our most highly recommended toolsNew users get 100% off their first month using our link: granola.ai?via=early-adoptr Timestamps: 00:00 What We've Been Up To This Week04:43 What Is MCP and Why Does It Matter? A Quick Recap08:58 Why AI Agents Need MCP to Actually Be Useful11:28 The Easy Wins: MCP Connectors Already Built Into Claude18:12 Zapier, n8n and Make: The Next Step Up23:40 The Advanced Setup: Talking to Your Data Warehouse With Claude26:28 The Problem MCP Solves: Getting Answers Without a Developer28:47 Asking Your Data Questions in Plain English32:41 Democratizing Data Analysis for All Businesses34:33 Garbage In, Garbage Out: Why Clean Data Still Matters36:31 Having a Real Conversation With Your Data: Memory and Context in Data Conversations39:35 Pulling From Multiple Systems in a Single Question42:27 Where MCP Is Heading in the Next 12 Months47:03 AI News of the Week: What 81,000 Claude Users Actually Want From AI49:06 AI Gone Wrong: The Importance of Human Oversight52:34 Wrapping Up for the WeekGet in TouchEmail: hello@earlyadoptr.aiTikTok: @early_adoptrInstagram: @early_adoptrYouTube: @early_adoptrLinkedIn: @early_adoptrResources:Official Anthropic MCP server list: github.com/anthropics/mcp-serversGitHub MCP server (what we used): github.com/github/github-mcp-serverBigQuery MCP server options: search Smithery.ai for “bigquery”Zapier MCP (no-code entry point): zapier.com/mcpSmithery.ai — browse and discover MCP serversOWASP MCP Top 10 — security reference: owasp.org/www-project-mcp-top-10AI News of the Week: https://www.anthropic.com/features/81k-interviewsAI Gone Wrong: https://fortune.com/2026/03/18/ai-coding-risks-amazon-agents-enterprise/AI Gone Wrong: https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/18/meta-is-having-trouble-with-rogue-ai-agents/Get in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Model Context Protocol (MCP) for Business Owners: Pros, Cons and What It Is
Mar 1800:56:30Tap to summarizeMCP — Model Context Protocol — is the open standard that is quickly becoming the infrastructure layer underneath almost every serious AI tool you will encounter in 2026. It's one of the main reasons that AI is shifting from something you consult to something that acts on your behalf. And like most big developments in this space, it has arrived with both significant opportunity and risks.In this episode, Kyle and Jess do a full deep dive into what MCP is, why the whole industry has moved on it faster than almost any standard in modern tech, and what the upside looks like for a small business that has never had access to serious AI integrations before. We also cover the cons including some new security risks.This is part one of two. This week we're tackling what it is, the pros, the cons and some quick wins to make sure you understand what you are dealing with before next week's episode gets into the practical setup, the safety framework, and Kyle's actual tech stack. If you are going to connect AI to your business systems — and increasingly, you will be — this is the episode to start with.What You Will LearnWhat MCP isHow MCP differs from APIs, and why that distinction mattersWhy OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft all adopted a competitor's open standard within six monthsWhy agentic AI only delivers on its promise if the AI can move fluidly across multiple systemsThe real business advantages: cost efficiency, flexibility, the ecosystem of ready-made connections, and why a cheaper model with good connections beats an expensive one working blindThe risks that matter: over-permissioned access, supply chain vulnerabilities, and a novel attack type called tool poisoninSome practical rules for staying safe with MCP before next week's full setup guide Try GranolaIf you've ever sat in a meeting, taken what felt like decent notes, and then opened them afterwards and they didn't capture anything, Granola is the tool for you. It runs in the background, captures everything, and turns your notes into something you can actually use. Both Jess and Kyle use it, it plays really nicely with Claude, and it is one of our most highly recommended toolsNew users get 100% off their first month using our link: granola.ai?via=early-adoptrTimestamps:00:00 What We've Been Up To06:41 What Is Model Context Protol (MCP) and Why Is Everyone Suddenly Talking About It17:34 Why MCP Is the Missing Piece for AI That Actually Does Things22:40 The Real Advantages of MCP for Small Businesses24:07 The Importance of Your Tool Integrations27:05 Competitive Advantage through Connected Workflows29:31 Pros of MCP31:22 The Downsides to MCP39:31 Best Practices for Safe MCP Implementation42:26 AI News: Meta Acquires Molt Book49:43 AI Gone Wrong: Amazon Pauses AI-Generated Code After Costly OutagesGet in TouchEmail: hello@earlyadoptr.aiTikTok: @early_adoptrInstagram: @early_adoptrYouTube: @early_adoptrGet in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →How to Use OpenClaw Without Wrecking Your Digital Life: We Tested OpenClaw So You Don't Have To
Mar 1101:00:07Tap to summarizeOpenClaw is one of the biggest AI stories of the year, and it is generating equal parts excitement and concern. Unlike every other AI tool you have probably used, it does not just respond to questions...it takes action. In this episode, Kyle and Jess get into what OpenClaw actually is, why the use cases are compelling enough that people are buying spare laptops just to run it, but (most importantly) why the security risks are serious enough that they were both nervous about discussing it at all. From prompt injection attacks to a skills marketplace where nearly one in seven tools has been found to contain malicious code, and a new category of threat called cognitive context theft — this is not a light risk profile. The episode exists because the tool is worth understanding, and because understanding the risks is the only responsible way to approach it.This episode is slightly more technical than most, and that is intentional. The goal is not to scare you off, but to make sure that if you do decide to experiment with OpenClaw, you know exactly what you are handing over and how to protect yourself.What You Will LearnWhat OpenClaw is, how it launched, and it's chaotic journey so farWhy the developer behind OpenClaw was acqui-hired by OpenAI and what that signals about where the industry is headingThedifference between AI that advises and AI that actsHow OpenClaw's skills system and the ClawHub marketplace workWhat prompt injection is, how attackers are already exploiting it against OpenClaw users, and why there is no clean solution to it yetWhat cognitive context theft is and why OpenClaw creates a new category of security risk that did not exist beforeReal business use casesHow OpenClaw compares to Claude CoworkWhy setting OpenClaw up safely is a technical undertaking — and what to do if that is not your skill setThe SAVE framework: practical rules for using OpenClaw responsibly Try GranolaIf you've ever sat in a meeting, taken what felt like decent notes, and then opened them afterwards and they didn't capture anything, Granola is the tool for you. It runs in the background, captures everything, and turns your notes into something you can actually use. Both Jess and Kyle use it, it plays really nicely with Claude, and it is one of our most highly recommended toolsNew users get 100% off their first month using our link: granola.ai?via=early-adoptrTimestamps:00:00 Introduction and What We've Been Up to This Week 02:33 What Is OpenClaw and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?05:17 Understanding OpenClaw: How OpenClaw Actually Works08:05 OpenClaw vs. Cloud Cowork: Key Differences10:55 Exploring OpenClaw's Skills System13:26 Use Cases and Potential Applications of OpenClaw16:28 Pros of Using OpenClaw19:13 Cons of Using OpenClaw21:40 Final Thoughts on OpenClaw28:17 Cons of OpenClaw36:49 Practical Guidance for Safe Usage47:54 Framework for Safe OpenClaw Usage50:32 AI News of the Week: Perplexity Launches Perplexity Computer54:30 AI Gone Wrong: Woolworth's Chat Bot57:54 Wrapping up for the weekGet in TouchEmail: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow us: @early_adoptr on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedInResources:https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2026/02/openclaw-what-is-it-and-can-you-use-it-safely https://www.gendigital.com/blog/insights/leadership-perspectives/how-to-use-openclaw-safely https://medium.com/@srechakra/sda-f079871369ae https://shawnkanungo.com/blog/how-to-use-openclaw-safely-best-practices-and-security-tipshttps://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/introducing-perplexity-computerhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy7jeyeyd18oGet in touch with Early Adoptr: hello@earlyadoptr.aiFollow Us on Socials & Resources:IG: https://instagram.com/early_adoptrTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@early_adoptrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@early_adoptrSubstack: https://substack.com/@earlyadoptrpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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