Brad and Mark discussed current events, including thunderstorms, droughts, and political topics like the renaming of Lake Ontario and trade tensions between the US and Canada. They talked about media coverage and public opinion on these issues, as well as the impact of tariffs on consumers. The conversation also covered online interactions, with Brad sharing his experiences with comment moderation and dealing with negative feedback on Facebook. They discussed strategies for social media engagement, advertising, and the use of AI in business operations. Brad updated Mark on his recent book release and collaboration with Popstar Labs, while Mark shared his plans for building a small team and optimizing his business for AI.

Both reflected on the difference between online and real-life interactions, noting the prevalence of negativity online compared to more positive in-person experiences.

Brad and Mark caught up after a two-week break, discussing their recent experiences with social media, content creation, and online business. Brad shared his challenges with Facebook's audience, describing them as mostly angry boomers, but noted that the platform's payments motivated him to produce more content. He also updated Mark on his Pinterest ad strategy, detailing his spending, sales data, and the guidance he received from a Pinterest ad rep. Mark recounted a dispute over a pigeon purchase that turned sour, leading to online backlash and his decision to document the experience on his website.

They also talked about alternative finance, with Brad recommending the book "Gonzo Capitalism" and discussing his use of prediction markets. The conversation touched on Audible, with Mark considering using it more, and they briefly mentioned AI-generated content and its impact on different platforms.

Mark and Brad caught up on their recent activities, with Brad sharing his upcoming podcast with John Breaks Bad News and discussing his current focus on creating Omegle content due to its success on Facebook. They talked about the use of AI tools like Claude and the management of social media posting through platforms like Publer and SocialBee, comparing their features and effectiveness. Brad explained his strategies for growing on Instagram and Facebook, including the use of trial reels and automated scheduling. They also discussed challenges with TikTok due to content violations and the potential of Pinterest for driving traffic and sales. Mark mentioned Gabby's experiments with Claude to create content, including a club concept for women dealing with breakups, and Brad suggested leveraging Pinterest and activity books for that niche. The conversation touched on the logistics of content scheduling, the impact of algorithms, and the value of different platforms for audience growth and sales.

Next steps

Brad and Mark discussed Brad's recent creative projects using AI tools, particularly Claude and Higgsfield, to create animated content. Brad demonstrated how he used AI to transform his book pages and song lyrics into a 3-minute animated video featuring his new AI-generated country family band called "Fiddle Diddles" for approximately $70 in credits. They discussed the business potential of AI-generated content, with Brad explaining how he's repurposing his existing songs through new AI characters and influencers to reach different audiences. The conversation also covered Mark's experience with a British politician, Andrew Bridgen, who incorrectly accused Brad of promoting inappropriate content for children, leading to threats against Brad. They concluded by discussing social media platform challenges, particularly Mark's issues with recovering his hacked Facebook page and the strategic approach to content creation across different platforms.

Brad and Mark discussed their recent experiences and projects using various AI tools. Brad shared his progress on creating an animated pilot using Claude, Higgsfield, and ElevenLabs, detailing how he combined assets and scripts to automate the animation process. He also demonstrated a simple browser-based game created with Claude Design. Mark talked about using AI to streamline his pigeon breeding business, including automating pedigree entry and sales descriptions, and his plans to migrate from Evernote to Obsidian for better data management. They both reflected on the transformative impact of AI on their work, the potential for new projects, and the importance of managing the overwhelming possibilities AI presents. Brad also mentioned receiving a Facebook Creator Accelerator offer. The conversation highlighted their ongoing exploration of AI's capabilities and its practical applications in their respective fields.

Brad and Mark discussed Brad's extensive use of Claude for e-commerce optimization, including SEO improvements, Shopify customizations, and content creation for his book business. Brad shared how he's using Gemini and Claude together to automate tasks like creating Pinterest boards, generating product descriptions, and optimizing image alt text for his 2,000-book catalog. They explored the benefits of upgrading to Claude's Pro Max plan versus using pay-as-you-go credits, with Mark recommending the upgrade for its higher output limits and priority access during peak usage times. Brad explained his plans to expand Claude's capabilities into stock market analysis and crypto trading automation, which Mark suggested could be well-suited for integration with Hermes. Mark also shared his recent work on a new tax compliance service for contractors affected by the UK's Making Tax Digital requirements, demonstrating how AI tools helped him quickly build systems for this opportunity.

Brad and Mark discussed their recent experiences with AI tools and automation projects. Brad shared his success with Gemini coding, including building a YouTube uploader and Shopify integrations that replaced third-party services like Make.com, allowing him to automate book publishing and social media posting directly from his desktop. Mark described his extensive use of Claude CoWork to convert 60 prompt kits into skills files in just 25 minutes for $4.75, creating an automated dashboard for his Real Entrepreneur members. They also discussed Mark's new Hermes setup on a Raspberry Pi and its potential for business applications, including affiliate marketing automation. The conversation covered various AI tools including Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, and Perplexity, with both discussing their costs, usage patterns, and potential applications for business automation and content creation.

Brad and Mark discussed Brad's recent experiences in comedy, including performing as an opening act for Canadian comedian Ron James and his approach to crowd work. They explored Brad's plans to create content for clip production, including recording extended Omegle sessions and live streams of reading book titles to generate viral clips. The conversation covered Brad's challenges in finding clipping companies that respond to his requests and the technical aspects of using AI tools like Opus Clip for content creation. They also discussed the phenomenon of AI-generated content creators, particularly fake artists and influencers selling products on social media platforms, and considered the business potential of monthly subscription services that deliver physical art prints or stickers through the mail.