Hey Friends,
We're back in Texas! Nicole, Oliver (our dog), and I just wrapped up an incredible 11-day journey that put 4,000 miles on our Mercedes Revel. We hit the Grand Canyon, explored Zion, took in the Grand Tetons, marveled at Yellowstone, drove through the stunning landscapes of Montana, stood at the base of Mount Rushmore, and drove through the Badlands.
It was one of those trips that reminds you why we do what we do. Being on the road, seeing different places, meeting different people. and experiencing the vastness of this country.
It all reinforced something I never try to forget: we're never promised tomorrow. Don't delay the things you want to do. Find a way to do them now.
While we were exploring America's natural wonders, the AI world went absolutely BANANAS with updates that are literally changing everything we thought we knew about video creation and software development.
My goal, as always, is to help separate the signal from the noise and make sure you can take some of these developments and incorporate them into your business.
Let's cut through the hype and get to what actually matters.
GOOGLE VEO 3: HOLLYWOOD-LEVEL VIDEOS FROM A TEXT PROMPT
Google just dropped Veo 3, and it's absolutely destroying everything else in the AI video space. We're talking Sora, Cling, Pika – none of them even come close to this.
Watch this:
This isn't just another AI video tool. This is a CINEMATIC POWERHOUSE that creates 4K videos with:
- Perfect lip-syncing: Characters speak with flawless mouth movements
- Real-world physics: Objects move and interact naturally
- Complete sound design: Dialogue, sound effects, and music – all generated automatically
- Professional camera movements: Tracking shots, zooms, pans that look like they were shot by a Hollywood cinematographer
- Flow integration: Google's cinematic scene creation tool gives you professional-level controls
People are calling it "the ultimate storytelling tool" because you can literally turn any text prompt into professional-grade video content.
Why this actually matters: Video production just became democratized in a way that's never happened before. Small businesses can now create commercials that look like they cost $100K to produce. Content creators can compete with major studios. The barrier between having an idea and having professional video content just disappeared.
But here's the elephant in the room: The misinformation potential is MASSIVE. You will likely see fake news clips that are indistinguishable from real footage. Google's adding SynthID watermarking, but as one user put it: "Watermarks won't stop bad actors from spreading fakes."
The Cost: Veo 3 is available to U.S. users through the Gemini app with a Google AI Ultra subscription, priced at $249.99/month (with a 50% discount for the first three months for new users). If somebody wants to sponsor me with a subscription, I'll make your business some cool videos :) haha
ANTHROPIC DROPS CLAUDE OPUS 4 & SONNET 4: THE "WORLD'S BEST CODING MODEL"
Anthropic just fired back in the AI wars with Claude Opus 4 and Sonnet 4, and they're calling Opus 4 the "world's best coding model." Bold claim, but they have the numbers back it up.
But here's what really matters: This isn't just a better chatbot. This is moving toward true AI collaboration. You can give it a complex coding project, walk away, and come back to find it's made meaningful progress.
Why this actually matters: Development costs are about to plummet. Tasks that would take a team of developers weeks can now be handled by AI in hours. For non-technical entrepreneurs, this levels the playing field massively. You can now compete with tech companies that have armies of engineers.
The implications are staggering: Faster product development, lower technical barriers to entry, and the ability to iterate at speeds that were previously impossible.
JULES: GOOGLE'S CODING AGENT THAT NEVER SLEEPS
Speaking of autonomous coding, Google quietly dropped Jules – and this thing is absolutely WILD. This isn't a coding assistant. This is a full AI developer that works in your GitHub repo while you sleep.
Why this actually matters: Software development is about to change forever. Imagine assigning tasks to your AI developer before bed and waking up to completed features with full documentation. For businesses that rely on software, this could 10X your development velocity.
But here's the real insight: We're witnessing the birth of async AI teams. Your human developers can focus on strategy and architecture while AI handles the implementation. This isn't replacing developers – it's amplifying them.
Try it: If you have any software projects, even simple ones, Jules is free to try at jules.google. Start with a small task and prepare to have your mind blown.
MIKE'S TIME TO NERD OUT: THE CUSTOMER RESEARCH PROMPT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
I came across a post from Matt Shumer (@mattshumer_) that absolutely blew my mind. He shared what he calls his "insanely powerful Claude 4 prompt to grow your company faster."
This thing finds exactly where your potential customers hang out online, gives you their exact words, identifies who's ready to buy NOW, and hands you a concrete plan to grow.
I'm talking about customer research that would normally cost you $50K and take weeks - all done in minutes.
You NEED to try this. I tested it on three businesses yesterday and the insights were so accurate it was almost scary.
Here's Matt's prompt: (Adjust accordingly)
<role>
You are an elite customer intelligence specialist who finds exactly where target audiences gather online and what they're saying.
</role>
<goal>
Discover where people are actively discussing problems related to {{Your product}} and extract their exact pain points, language, and buying triggers.
</goal>
<research_target>
<problem_space>{{Describe the problem your product/service solves}}</problem_space>
</research_target>
<search_protocol>
<depth>Conduct exhaustive research across 100+ sources minimum</depth>
<platforms>
Reddit, Facebook Groups, Discord servers, Slack communities, Twitter/X threads, LinkedIn groups, Quora, Stack Exchange, specialized forums, YouTube comments, App Store reviews, Trustpilot, G2 reviews
</platforms>
<search_patterns>
- "[problem] + frustrating/annoying/sucks"
- "why is [process] so hard"
- "alternatives to [current solution]"
- "I wish there was [desired outcome]"
- "[competitor] problems/issues"
- "how to [achieve outcome] without [pain point]" </search_patterns> <recency>Prioritize discussions from last 6 months</recency> </search_protocol>
<extraction_rules>
<minimum_evidence>Include only communities with 50+ active complaints/discussions</minimum_evidence>
<relevance_threshold>Must contain actual user pain points, not just general discussion</relevance_threshold>
<engagement_metrics>Note view counts, response rates, emotional intensity</engagement_metrics>
</extraction_rules>
<analysis_framework>
<pain_point_severity>Score 1-10 based on frequency × emotional intensity</pain_point_severity>
<buyer_readiness>Identify who's actively seeking solutions vs just venting</buyer_readiness>
<language_patterns>Extract exact phrases people use to describe the problem</language_patterns>
<objection_mapping>Document what's stopping them from current solutions</objection_mapping>
</analysis_framework>
<workflow>
<step id="1">Map the problem ecosystem - all ways people describe this issue</step>
<step id="2">Find the top 20 most active communities discussing it</step>
<step id="3">Extract 50+ real complaints with direct quotes</step>
<step id="4">Identify the "hair on fire" segments most desperate for solutions</step>
<step id="5">Decode their buying triggers and deal breakers</step>
</workflow>
<deliverables>
<answer>
<hottest_communities>
<community>
<platform>[Reddit/Facebook/etc]</platform>
<name>[Exact group/subreddit name]</name>
<member_count>[Size]</member_count>
<activity_level>[Posts per week about this problem]</activity_level>
<link>[Direct URL]</link>
<why_valuable>[What makes this a goldmine]</why_valuable>
<top_complaints>[3-5 most common pain points here]</top_complaints>
</community>
<!-- repeat for top 10 -->
</hottest_communities>
<pain_point_analysis>
<pain_point>
<description>[The actual problem]</description>
<severity_score>[1-10]</severity_score>
<exact_quotes>
<!-- 3-5 real quotes showing how people describe this -->
</exact_quotes>
<frequency>[How often mentioned]</frequency>
<emotional_triggers>[Words that show high frustration]</emotional_triggers>
</pain_point>
<!-- repeat for top 5-7 pain points -->
</pain_point_analysis>
<buyer_language_patterns>
<phrase_they_use>[Exact language]</phrase_they_use>
<what_it_really_means>[Translation]</what_it_really_means>
<!-- Extract 10+ phrases -->
</buyer_language_patterns>
<ready_to_buy_signals>
People asking about: [specific solution requests]
Price ranges mentioned: [what they expect to pay]
Urgency indicators: [timeline mentions]
Current workarounds: [what they're doing now that sucks]
</ready_to_buy_signals>
<engagement_strategy>
<where_to_start>[Top 3 communities to engage with first]</where_to_start>
<how_to_enter>[Specific advice for each community's culture]</how_to_enter>
<content_angles>[Topics that will resonate based on research]</content_angles>
<landmines_to_avoid>[What triggers negative reactions]</landmines_to_avoid>
</engagement_strategy>
<executive_summary>
[Clear, actionable summary of where your customers are, what they're saying, and exactly how to reach them - written in plain English]
</executive_summary>
</answer>
</deliverables>
That's it for this week! Let me know what you're building and the momentum you're gaining.
Mike
PS: Quick note on this email list – I send this out to a select group of high-performing entrepreneurs and business owners each week. It's not about building a massive subscriber count; it's about creating a powerful network of people doing remarkable things who want to stay ahead of the AI curve. It's become an incredible networking tool connecting some seriously talented folks. If you know someone who'd be a valuable addition to this circle, just reply and let me know – I'm happy to add them!
