Discover real-world AI in Business. Learn how Berkeley Skydeck automates diligence and Braydan Young scales revenue per employee. Practical AI for SEO and growth strategies for entrepreneurs.

TL;DL (Too Long; Didn't Listen)

Don’t have time for the full episode? Here are the top 4 takeaways on how real companies are using AI right now:

• AI as a Filter, Not a Finisher: Berkeley Skydeck uses AI to research and organize 3,800+ applications, but humans still make the final investment "gut call." AI handles the data; humans handle the relationship.
• The New Efficiency Metric: Successful startups are now tracking "Revenue per Employee." Before hiring for a new role, they search for an AI agent or tool that can do the job first.
• Small LLMs > Big Data: Companies are moving away from generic AI and building their own "Small LLMs" using internal data. This allows them to cut through the "noise" and predict future trends with 100% confidence in the data source.
• Your AI "Digital Footprint": AI is reading your LinkedIn, your podcast transcripts, and your website to build a profile of you. To be found by AI search engines, your message across the web must be hyper-consistent.

Moving beyond the hype of artificial intelligence requires looking at how companies are actually deploying these tools today. In this episode, hosts Elizabeth Gearhart, Ph.D. and Richard Gearhart, Esq. sit down with venture capital leaders and tech entrepreneurs to discuss the "on-the-ground" reality of AI integration in business operations, legal workflows, and marketing.

Inside This Episode:

• Venture Capital & AI Diligence: Caroline from Berkeley Skydeck shares how they manage a massive "deal flow" of 3,800 applications for 20 spots using AI to assist in research, while maintaining the essential "human-to-human" connection in investing.
• The "Revenue Per Employee" Metric: Braydan Young explains his strategy for scaling startups by using AI agents to replace traditional entry-level hires, ensuring the company only adds headcount when absolutely necessary.
• Data Signal vs. Noise: Clint Lotz of Trackstar AI breaks down how "Small LLMs" and on-premise data crunching allow companies to tell a holistic story to investors by distilling massive datasets into actionable insights.
• Legal & Content Strategy: Richard and Elizabeth discuss using AI for contract redlining and how to optimize your digital footprint for AI search engines through consistent SEO and podcasting strategies.

About the Hosts:

Elizabeth Gearhart, Ph.D. A marketing executive and AI strategy speaker, Elizabeth focuses on the practical application of AI in action. With a background in analytical chemistry and as a licensed US Patent Agent, she serves as the CMO at Gearhart Law, bridging the gap between technology and business strategy.

Richard Gearhart, Esq. A life sciences IP attorney and founding partner of Gearhart Law, Richard brings over 30 years of experience advising biotech and pharmaceutical companies. As an angel investor and innovation advisor at Rutgers Health, he integrates AI into firm operations to enhance efficiency and growth.

Connect with the Show:

• LinkedIn:

• (00:00:00) - Cold Open
• (00:01:23) - Caroline Winnett
• (00:03:20) - Brayden Young
• (00:04:49) - Clint Lotz
• (00:07:31) - Richard Gearhart
• (00:08:17) - Elizabeth Gearhart

• TL;DL (Too Late; Didn’t Listen)
  AI search beats the old way of scrolling through results—because it helps you find the right answer faster, not just “more links.”
  AI can interpret complex signals and data (including technical readouts) and turn them into insights you can actually use.
  The winning mindset isn’t “AI replaces people.” It’s “AI amplifies human intellect”—and that’s a competitive advantage for attracting and keeping great talent.

In this episode of AI in Business: Use Cases From the Real World, hosts Elizabeth Gearhart, Ph.D. and Richard Gearhart lead a roundtable discussion with business owners and professionals sharing how they are using artificial intelligence in practical, unexpected, and impactful ways.

This conversation explores how AI is being applied beyond basic automation or content generation, including:

• Using AI-powered search for faster, more unbiased research when evaluating products, diagnosing problems, and making decisions

• Helping professionals with learning differences and ADHD express their ideas more clearly through AI-assisted writing and coaching workflows

• Running transcripts and past conversations through AI to identify patterns, track progress, and prepare for future client interactions

• Analyzing thousands of data points with AI to guide business strategy, conservation efforts, and operational decision-making

• Rethinking the narrative around AI and jobs by using AI to increase productivity and redeploy talent rather than eliminate roles

• Repurposing long-form event recordings into summaries, emails, and follow-up content using AI tools like Descript and ChatGPT

Rather than focusing on hype or fear, this episode shows how businesses are using AI as a thinking partner, a decision-support tool, and a way to unlock human potential.

AI in Business: Use Cases From the Real World is about what’s working now—and how organizations are applying AI in ways that create real value.

• (00:00:00) - Welcome & Framing the AI Roundtable
• (00:01:00) - Using AI Search for Faster, Unbiased Research
• (00:03:10) - AI for Expression, Accessibility, and Coaching
• (00:05:40) - Using AI Transcripts to Track Progress and Prepare Client Conversations
• (00:08:00) - Analyzing Large Data Sets with AI to Improve Decisions
• (00:10:10) - AI, Jobs, and Productivity: Redeploying Talent vs. Cutting Roles
• (00:11:50) - Repurposing Events and Meetings with AI Tools
• (00:12:40) - Final Takeaways: AI as a Thinking Partner

TL;DL (Too Late; Didn’t Listen) Episode summary for how does AI give business owners more time?

• AI is saving time immediately by drafting client emails, proposals, and follow-ups in a professional (even humorous) voice.
• Private/internal AI bots can summarize meetings, create timelines, and even “pre-vet” decisions using your company’s own transcripts and data.
• The winners won’t be the most technical—they’ll be the best question-askers, using iterative prompts + devil’s advocate to reduce hallucinations and improve results.

In the first episode of AI in Business: Use Cases From the Real World, hosts Elizabeth Gearhart, Ph.D. and Richard Gearhart bring together business owners and executives to answer one simple question:

What is one real way you’re using AI in your business today that’s actually helping you?

This episode features practical, firsthand AI use cases from multiple industries, including marketing, financial services, operations, and executive leadership.

You’ll hear how:

• A solo entrepreneur uses AI as a “virtual marketing assistant” to respond to client emails, write proposals, and save hours of administrative time

• A financial planning firm uses private AI tools to summarize client meetings, simplify complex information, and create clear, actionable timelines for clients

• A fast-growing company scaled to over 150 employees by using AI to augment its workforce and centralize executive decision-making

• Leaders are training their teams to write better prompts so AI can be used effectively in daily business operations

The conversation also explores why prompt quality matters, how businesses can reduce hallucinations, when to use different AI tools, and why waiting to adopt AI puts long-term business value at risk.

This episode is not about trends or speculation—it’s about real AI workflows, real productivity gains, and what’s working right now.

• (00:00:00) - Welcome & What This Podcast Is About
• (00:01:45) - How a Solo Entrepreneur Uses AI for Marketing and Proposals
• (00:05:40) - Using AI to Simplify Financial Client Conversations
• (00:10:40) - Scaling a Company with AI-Driven Decision Support
• (00:15:10) - Training Teams to Use AI Effectively in Professional Services
• (00:17:40) - Why Prompt Quality Matters More Than the Tool
• (00:19:45) - Final Takeaways: Start Now and Master AI