One of my favorite podcasts uses the tagline “Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey. But it doesn’t have to be.” Business owners need to nurture healthy relationships or else the burdens they bear are likely to overwhelm them. Without a support system, both your business and your health are likely to suffer.

God knows that it’s not good for us to be alone and that we are prone to being tossed to and fro by the world around us. He knits us together into a church family to give us stability in our faith, to provide us an environment where we can grow in His grace, and to provide a community that we can love and that can love and serve us. You may wonder how the student, the airline pilot, the machinist, the homemaker, the web developer, the nurse, or the retiree in the pews with you could possibly help you run your business better, but each of them has gifts and insights that are different from yours and they may very well surprise you with the wisdom they are able to speak into your business situation. If nothing else, they can take your needs to the One whose wisdom and ability are beyond measure.

Read my full article here to learn more about what it means to be a good “churchman” and why it matters.

“ChatGPT and the Future of AI” by Terry Sejnowski is an insightful book that delves into Large Language Models (LLMs) – what they are, how they work, and their potential impact on our future.

The book is structured into three parts:

1. Living with Large Language Models: An introduction to AI technologies including ChatGPT (Chapters 1–5)

2. Transformers: Exploring the origins, workings, capabilities, and potential threats of LLMs (Chapters 6–10)

3. Back to the Future: Discussing the future of AI and its potential benefits (Chapters 11–14)

Sejnowski adeptly balances technical depth with clear explanations, occasionally seeking ChatGPT’s help to simplify complex concepts. His engaging writing style and use of stories make the content accessible and enjoyable.

The one area that was distracting to me, personally, was the philosophical differences I have with the author. Like many scientists, the author holds to the concept of macro-evolution and the miracle of millions of random changes combined with natural selection producing the amazing human being (and especially the human brain) that we have today. As a Bible-believing Christian, there were many times when I was struck by the author’s blindness to the work of the Creator. As I read in the final chapter two sentences separated by a few pages (“We do not understand how biology started, nor do we have a deep understanding of how cells work, let alone brains.” and “We have invented computational tools that can reveal the language of life, a great surprise; these same AI tools have revealed how life emerges from language, a shocking discovery.”), I simply wanted to point the author to the first chapter of Genesis where God spoke everything into existence — life emerging from language indeed!

While acknowledging the challenges of predicting the future in a rapidly evolving field, the book offers valuable insights for those looking to grasp the nuances of AI. Whether you’re tech-savvy or a newcomer, “ChatGPT and the Future of AI” provides practical value and is a highly recommended read, even if you have philosophical differences with the author.

Read my detailed review here.

Everyone’s talking about machine learning and artificial intelligence, but have we overlooked the importance of our own learning and wisdom? Growing in intelligence and wisdom not only leads to success in business but also allows us to bring glory to God.

Learning is a fundamental part of who we are, enabling us to apply knowledge effectively and create value in the world. While formal education may end in our mid-20s, the journey of learning and gaining wisdom continues throughout our lives.

Honoring God involves excelling in our work and deepening our understanding of His ways. Continuous learning is key to achieving excellence and applying knowledge to all aspects of life.

God has instilled in us a desire to expand our understanding and capabilities, emphasizing the importance of ongoing growth and learning. Let’s embrace this journey of lifelong learning and wisdom.

“A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,” (Proverbs 1:5)

Read the full article here.

Business owners, have you considered your exit strategy? Planning for the future is crucial to ensure a smooth transition when the time comes. The reality is, every owner will exit their business at some point. Whether it’s retiring, a sudden attractive offer, or unforeseen circumstances, having a plan in place is key.

A recent survey by the Exit Planning Institute revealed that for 70% of business owners, their business provides the majority of their income, with 64% needing to leverage the business’s value to live post-transition. With so much of their wealth tied to the business, a successful exit is vital.

Exit planning not only enhances your business’s value upon exit but also boosts its performance today, increasing your income and independence. Check out the linked article for insights on exit planning and feel free to reach out for guidance on your own exit strategy.

Read the full article here.

Thirty years ago this week, Netscape launched their first browser. Do you remember? In the article linked below, I look back at how a simple product release from a short-lived company had such a profound impact on how we live, work, and interact with each other.

Read the full article here.

As I started to read Personalized by Mark Abraham and David C. Edelman, I was excited to realize that the authors were describing, in very tangible and practical terms, specific ways that the Connected Intelligence Revolution is changing how businesses operate, industries compete, and how we as individuals interact with the world around us. In the dozen or so years that I’ve been writing and talking about this technology revolution, I’ve been able to point to specific anecdotal examples of the transformative impact of ubiquitous connectivity, comprehensive data collection, data analysis and machine learning, and natural interfaces between the computational and real worlds. But personalization, as described by the authors, is a significant and broad demonstration of this impact, similar to the ways that Smartphones (in the Mobility Revolution), the Web (in the Internet Revolution), and PCs (in the Microprocessor Revolution) fundamentally impacted all people, businesses, and industries.

The book teaches the lessons that the authors have learned from Boston Consulting Group’s engagements with large businesses across industries who are striving to leverage big data and AI to deliver a more personalized experience for their customers.

The first half of the book is largely structured around what the authors call the Five Promises of Personalization:

– Empower Me: Help customers achieve their goals.

– Know Me: Interact with customers in a way that demonstrates awareness of and sensitivity to their current situation.

– Reach Me: Reach out to the right customer in the right channel at just the right moment to deliver the right experience.

– Show Me: Provide customers with relevant content tailored to specifically meet them where they are in their journey.

– Delight Me: Over time deliver a magical experience that demonstrates that the company is paying attention and learning from every interaction in order to truly empower customers with awareness and sensitivity.

The second half of the book addresses issues companies will need to deal with that extend beyond the Five Promises with chapters on technology choices (“Building Personalization through Smart Integration”), executive sponsorship, buy-in and focus (“Expanding Roles in the C-Suite”), ensuring acceptable returns on investments (“Measuring Impact”), legal and reputational impacts (“Navigating Risk and Privacy”), competitive strategy (“Competing on Personalization”), and strategic planning (“Personalization of the Future”).

Bottom line, Personalized provides a clear picture of how the Connected Intelligence Revolution is redefining how companies across industries interact with their customers. The book explains how those companies will need to change to deliver the promises of personalization. Big companies need to understand these changes, but will likely need help from big consulting firms like BCG (the authors’ employer). Smaller companies will likely continue to deliver personalization the old fashioned way — by personally knowing their customers individually. 

I recommend that big company executives, especially those focused on marketing and the customer experience, read Personalized and consider how quickly they can or should pursue the vision.

Read my full review here.

Restoring Our Sanity Online by Mark Weinstein makes a strong case for the need to reinvent social networking and for the author’s new category concept of Restoration Networks as the solution. It is a good example of a new category point of view narrative for anyone trying to define a new product category.

Weinstein is not a disinterested outsider reporting on the challenges introduced by the social networking industry. He deeply understands the space and is passionate about the problems Big Tech has caused and the potential to fix what is broken. That passion comes through in his writing which is often fiery and pointed. Although well referenced (there are 43 pages of endnotes), this is not an academic tome, but rather a fervent manifesto challenging the status quo.

Through the first 19 chapters of the book, Weinstein introduces the need and pieces of the solution. He addresses the big problems caused by Big Tech Social Networks (privacy, anonymity, bots, trolls, hate, cyberbullying, profit-driven algorithms, targeted ads, boosted posts, divisiveness, mental health challenges, etc.) and how other proposed solutions (Web3, blockchain, decentralization, etc.) fall short of solving the problems. Along the way he introduces components of what he sees as the “real” solution.

In chapter 20 Weinstein fully defines his new category of social network in the form of “The Restoration Networking Constitution”. 

He closes the book with an optimistic assessment of what he has laid out: “Now is our time to advance humanity’s genuine connectivity. In tandem, we can bolster mental health, personal privacy, civil discourse, and democracy. Starting right now, let’s escape from the social media asylum and restore our sanity.” The (over) optimism expressed in that closing statement reflects the spirit of the entire book. Weinstein cares deeply about the problems that Big Tech have caused and he believes he has the answer. 

We can argue over whether the author’s vision is achievable, but hopefully the book will create enough awareness to get the debate started. It’s an informative book for anyone who uses social media today, and an essential book for those interested in helping fix the problems.

Read my full review here.

God is completely self-sufficient. He needs nothing from us. He isn’t checking His Facebook feed every 5 minutes hoping that we will “Like” his creation. So, why is it so important to worship Him?

God created us to worship Him. He deserves our worship. If we are His, we will be worshipping Him for all eternity. The old catechism tells us that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Worshipping God is our highest calling. As business owners, we are tempted to claim to be too busy to worship God, which is really just one aspect of worshipping our work.

In Romans 1, Paul writes of the “wrath of God” which “is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” What have men done to deserve this wrath and condemnation? Paul says “although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts” and “exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.”

When we fail to worship God, or worse, when we worship something in place of God, we don’t do any damage to God, but we hurt ourselves. At the very least, we miss out on the joy and we pull away from the One who loves us beyond measure. Infinitely worse, we earn God’s wrath.

If our desire is to bring glory to God through our businesses, it is literally impossible without worshipping Him!

Read the full article here.

When you read your Bible and meditate on God’s Word, you hear from God. When you pray, He hears from you. Doing both brings God into your business in a way similar to how you would with a trusted human advisor.

Our prayers do not change God or His plans, but they can change us and our plans. There are four important aspects of prayer that make an impact on our work and that bring glory to God.

First, prayer acknowledges our standing before God. It is an admission of our failures and a recognition of God’s perfection. It is also an acknowledgement that everything we have is a gift from God for which we should be thankful.

Second, prayer asks God for help. It is a surrendering of our control over our life and business and putting it in God’s hands. It is turning from “trusting in our own understanding” to “trusting in the Lord.”

Third, when we rightly pray, our perspective changes. If we understand that God has saved us to serve Him, then our primary focus is to bring Him glory and we will naturally strive to align our prayers with His will. God cares about even our tiniest challenges and concerns and He delights when we bring them to Him. He wants what’s truly best for us and we honor Him when we turn to Him in trust and dependence.

Finally, God uses our prayers to shape us more and more into the image of Christ. 

Read the full article here about prayer, why it matters, and how to pray.

The Business Transition Handbook by Laurie Barkman shares lessons learned by the author in selling her own business, helping others transition theirs, and hosting many others on her podcast, Succession Stories. These lessons include identifying the most common mistakes and the best practices of business owners when seeking to exit their businesses.

The book shares many valuable insights and asks the business-owner/reader to consider many important questions. It provides helpful guidance on many topics critical to exiting your business. But in the end, the process is complex, and each company is unique, so that no book could possibly provide all the answers to perfectly guide every business owner through the exit journey. That’s why there’s a need for advisors like the author and myself. 

I do recommend the book to help business owners become aware of the questions and decisions they will face along the way, but I even more strongly recommend surrounding yourself with advisors (financial advisor, CPA, lawyer, value catalyst) who can help guide you at each turn and fork in the road.

Read the full review here.