Jesse Stay's Blog

My AI Employees: Organizing Agentic AI Through Agile Methodologies

I can’t wait until I start packaging this Multi-agent Communications Framework, or my “AI employees” as you could call it, that I’ve built (it uses Cursor IDE, at least for now). As a prompt engineer, one of the guiding principles is to ask an AI LLM to “act” as a specific role, and the more it can act as and the more knowledge it has as that role, usually the better results you can get. The idea behind this Multi-agent Communication Framework (as I’m calling it now at least) is to have one AI automatically break up tasks by role, and act as multiple roles, each talking back and forth with each other so I don’t have to do this over and over manually between agentic roles.

It has been a bit of a process to figure out the quirks and also train the individual AI “employees” to be good in their individual roles, but as I add tools and knowledge at their disposal, with the power of AI and software automation I almost have a machine of AI employees that coordinate with each other, plan with each other, delegate to each other all with the power and ability to write software on their own and manipulate file systems and even work remotely if needed.

The trick has been using many of the Agile software development and product management techniques taught to me by Alistair Cockburn (along with a few others throughout my career), who was also one of the creators of the Agile Manifesto which kicked off Agile Project Management as a methodology. The idea behind Agile is to reduce overhead and process in project management and break it up into smaller chunks that can actually be measured and the results “seen”. This reduces “scope creep” and ensures that every step of the way you’re only promising what can be actually measured and seen by the project team.

I start each project with a Release Planning “meeting” with my AI agent team of all relevant roles to that project, floating ideas off of the team, assigning a Scrum Master (which may become its own specific role in the future). We create a backlog of user stories, all intended to meet the requirements and goals of the project at hand and the desires of all stakeholders (sometimes just me, sometimes it could be a client).

Then we start the first sprint planning meeting where I specify some basic goals I want to achieve first within the release plan and I have “the team” pick a list of user stories from the backlog to complete during the sprint. They even assign weights to each user story to be sure we’re not taking on too much at a time.

Then comes the powerful part, and whether we do it in sprints or it’s just me asking my Executive Secretary/Personal Assistant to do something, this HAS to happen so there are measurable results for everything the AI team does: we establish a “definition of done” and then the team creates measurable and testable acceptance criteria to define what gets us to that definition of done and that gets added to each user story for the sprint.

Here’s the cool part: once those are in place we can apply actual software testing, with AI, to measure if each acceptance criteria is complete and when the user story is satisfied. We then build scripts through Behavior and Test-driven software development principles (using libraries like behat and PHPUnit) that get added to a regression test and sometimes GitHub workflows to AUTOMATICALLY define when a project is complete.

A lot of agentic AI developers talk about what they call, “vibing”. This is when, for a larger software development project, the AI kind of goes in circles with endless frustration from the developer just trying to make AI create the end project.

My approach takes a measured agile approach to force AI, working as a team of experts each with roles to fulfill, that can know exactly where they stand every step of the way and accomplish not just software projects, but managing just about anything you want to organize in life!

It still veers off here and there but the more in work on it and as soon as I get it in a more controlled environment like an extension, this will be a well-oiled machine with perhaps even a database of trained roles you can purchase. For instance, I’m currently trying to train my Graphic Designer role to use various image manipulation APIs and image creation AIs as well to do things like create professional logos and entire brand design documents, automatically. And I’m almost there!

If this piques your interest, I’m open to sharing it with others willing to be patient with it with my help as I make this a more solid product. It will be around $5k with a few months of support due to my need to hold your hand as you get started but we can also work something out where you get the packaged product for a given time once I have it ready. Reach out! I’m serious at how valuable this truly is!

In the meantime, stay tuned to hear about the first product I built with this that I’m launching soon that some of you in Austin, Texas might like! That’s what I’m training the designer to brand for right now.

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Building AI Systems That Work for Me: Automating Business & Income with ChatGPT

AI is becoming an essential tool for businesses looking to streamline operations and scale income generation. Companies like BBVA are integrating AI across their workforce, using ChatGPT Enterprise to automate workflows and improve productivity. Australian corporations like Telstra and Wesfarmers are also leveraging AI to enhance customer service and operational efficiency .

I’ve always looked for ways to make AI work for me, not the other way around. Recently, I started structuring my AI workflows using ChatGPT’s Projects feature, organizing AI agents into specialized roles. One of the most effective so far is my Business & Income Coaching AI agent, which helps me identify income opportunities, automate outreach, and scale business operations with minimal effort.

Instead of just theorizing about automation, I’m applying it directly to revenue-generating tasks. One of those I asked my new AI Agent to do first was to help me promote and drive sales to a webinar on how to make money on Canva that I’m presenting to people that live in Mexico March 6-7.

Automating Lead Generation and OutreachAI-Powered Lead Collection

Manually searching for leads is time-consuming. To solve this, just as a proof-of-concept, I built a Cursor IDE script that intelligently scrapes LinkedIn profiles of freelancers in Mexico, extracts publicly available emails, and filters results to English-speaking professionals. The script also uses proxies and anti-detection techniques to avoid getting blocked.

Now, instead of spending hours researching, AI delivers targeted prospects automatically.

Automating Personalized Email Outreach

Once I had my lead list, I needed a system to send outreach emails at scale—without duplicates or spam issues.

Using Google Apps Script, I built an email automation system that pulls leads from Google Sheets, personalizes each email dynamically, prevents duplicate emails, marks emails as “Sent” to avoid resending, and runs automatically on a schedule.

Scaling LinkedIn Outreach with Automation

Since not every freelancer shares their email publicly, I needed an alternative way to connect with them.

I extended my Cursor IDE script to scrape LinkedIn profiles, auto-send personalized DMs in English, prevent duplicate outreach, and log engagement metrics. This allows me to reach potential webinar attendees without manually messaging people one by one. Now, again, this is a proof-of-concept and something I don’t recommend others do frequently, or you risk getting your account banned. The point is that AI made this automation really easy and for a run-once script, it “just worked”!

Tracking Email Responses and AI-Powered Follow-Ups

Sending outreach is only step one. Managing responses efficiently is where AI makes the biggest impact.

Gmail automation logs replies in Google Sheets, and ChatGPT (GPT-4o) categorizes responses based on engagement—whether someone is interested, needs more information, isn’t a fit, or has additional questions. AI then generates a daily summary of follow-up recommendations so I don’t have to manually sort through email threads.

Scaling Business Through AI

In just one day, I used AI to:

Find and organize high-value leadsAutomate outreach across email and LinkedInTrack responses and analyze engagementBuild a self-sustaining system that works on its own

This isn’t just about saving time—it’s about scaling revenue-generating activities without needing to personally oversee every step.

What’s Next?Refining AI-led automation for outreach and engagementUsing AI to optimize follow-up messaging for better conversionsExpanding automation beyond my Canva webinar into additional income streams

If you’re still handling outreach manually, you’re already behind. AI works faster, smarter, and scales better than any human-driven system.

I’ll be sharing more insights as I continue refining this AI-powered business strategy. If you want to follow along, let me know.

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How Process Automation Saved This Employer $10M Annually—and How It Can Work for Your Business

When I reflect on some of the most impactful work in my career, my time at UnitedHealth Group (UHG) stands out. Despite its challenges and public reputation, I witnessed firsthand how the right automation strategies could cut inefficiencies, reduce human error, and ultimately improve customer health outcomes. These lessons weren’t just about saving money—they were about driving transformation.

Leading a project that delivered measurable results in customer health was rewarding, but writing cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) that saved over $10M annually was a game-changer. The insights I gained about process automation from one of the largest corporations in the world apply to businesses of any size. Here are the key takeaways:

1. Understand Your Data First

The first step to meaningful automation is identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Data-driven decisions are only as good as the insights you extract.

Here’s what worked for me:

Stakeholder Interviews: Understand where challenges lie.Tools to Use: Domo, Alteryx, and Google BigQuery.

By analyzing workflows and cross-checking results with these tools, we uncovered inefficiencies that had gone unnoticed. Once we had clarity, the rest of the process unfolded seamlessly.

2. Prioritize Scalable Solutions

Not all automation tools are created equal. Choosing the right platform can make all the difference.
At UHG, platforms like UiPath, Blue Prism, and Automation Anywhere helped us replace manual processes with AI-driven robotics and machine learning. The result? Bottlenecks were reduced by 25% or more, leading to significant savings. These tools aren’t just for Fortune 500 companies—they can scale for startups too.

3. Align Your Team for Success

Automation is as much about people as it is about technology. Without team alignment, even the best tools won’t deliver.

Here’s an example:

For a tech client, I reduced execution bugs by 52% by streamlining collaboration with tools like Asana, Jira, and Trello. Automating workflows between marketing and development teams allowed us to sync data and improve communication. When your team is aligned, implementation becomes smoother and more effective.

Why Automation Is Worth It

Whether you’re a startup or a large enterprise, automation pays for itself many times over. From cutting costs to improving customer experiences, the benefits are undeniable. And while massive organizations like UHG may seem too big to optimize, automation has the power to make even the largest systems feel more agile and efficient.

If you’re curious about how automation could transform your business, let’s chat. Whether you’re starting small or tackling enterprise-level challenges, the efficiencies you gain can change everything.

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3 Proven AI Automation Strategies to Scale Businesses Efficiently

Automation is my go-to strategy for helping businesses scale while keeping their teams energized and focused. It’s not just about cutting expenses—it’s about empowering your workforce to tackle what truly matters. By leveraging AI, you can optimize workflows, boost efficiency, and save substantial costs. Let me walk you through three impactful ways I apply AI to elevate mine and my clients’ businesses.

1. Automate Routine Tasks

Routine tasks are necessary but often time-consuming. AI-powered tools simplify and automate these processes, freeing your team to focus on higher-value activities.
Here’s how:

Recommended Tools: Zapier, ChatGPT, or Canva’s Magic Write.Use Cases: Automate customer service queries, generate data reports, or create marketing content.

For example, I recently partnered with a plumbing business to automate offline appointment bookings. Using Zapier and Google Ads, integrated with their Housecall Pro software, we streamlined the booking process—saving time and ensuring accurate tracking.

2. Use Data to Drive Precision

AI thrives on data, helping businesses turn insights into smarter decisions.
Here’s how you can implement this:

Recommended Tools: Tableau, Power BI, or free options like Google Analytics.Use Cases: Analyze customer trends, optimize ad campaigns, and reduce manual data tasks.

A recent success story: I helped a client link their Google Analytics and Meta Ads Manager data to a custom GPT agent. This integration cut manual research time by 50% and increased ad targeting efficiency by 30%. These insights helped them achieve a better ROI with less effort.

3. Enhance Customer Interactions

Your customers expect quick, personalized support. AI tools make it easy to exceed these expectations.
Here’s how:

Recommended Tools: HubSpot Chatbots, Intercom, or Drift.Use Cases: Chatbots can handle FAQs, nurture leads, and provide tailored responses 24/7.

Picture this: A customer visits your site at midnight with a question. Instead of waiting for a morning response, your AI chatbot steps in with instant, accurate answers—improving satisfaction and potentially securing a sale.

Why AI Automation Is the Future

AI and automation are more than tools—they’re essential strategies for modern businesses. Automating tasks, leveraging data insights, and enhancing customer experiences are not just luxuries—they’re necessities for staying competitive. The best part? These solutions are scalable for businesses of all sizes.

Your Turn: How Are You Adopting AI?

Are you using AI and automation to improve efficiency in your business? Let me know in the comments, or reach out if you’d like to explore tailored solutions for your operations. I’m always eager to share ideas and help you get started.

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3 Tech Tips for Any New Startup

This is a sponsored post.

Deciding to launch a startup is a something that requires vision and a great deal of determination. If you’ve recently started one, then you can likely relate with these sentiments. It takes a combination of a good team, the right information, and resources to get a startup off of the ground. In addition to these things, if you want to see growth in your startup, it’s imperative that you learn to use technology. Whether you happen to be tech-friendly or not, there are several reasons that you should learn more about how to use technology and how it can benefit your business. Some include helping streamline your processes, enabling you to be more productive, and helping you stay up-to-date with new innovations. On that note, this article is going to give you three tech tips if you’ve newly launched a startup.

Embrace Technology and Innovation

When running a startup, it’s important that you learn to embrace technology. Although technology is extremely vast as there are so many developments, products, and innovations, you should know that there are numerous solutions readily available to solve major challenges that your business faces. Sometimes, new businesses don’t embrace technology because it’s something they don’t understand, can’t afford, or are intimidated by. However, it’s important that you know technology has far more benefits than it does disadvantages and in many cases, can be relatively affordable or even free. Some key benefits of technology in business include increased efficiency, employee monitoring, business security, as well as automation.

Effectively Use Digital Marketing

Another aspect of tech that every new startup should think about is digital marketing. Irrespective of what the nature of your startup is, you’re going to need marketing to get your business off the ground and keep the momentum going. While traditional forms of marketing are still relevant to an extent, digital marketing is becoming equally as important. For this reason, it’s key that you embrace the many tools and platforms available in the digital marketing world or get a company such as Click Intelligence involved it if you simply don’t have the resources or time to do it effectively. By doing so, you could be setting your business on the right path for future successes.

Use Software Where Necessary

As briefly mentioned above, technology is good for new startups as it can help increase efficiency as well as automate many long and tedious processes. This is important as the last thing you want as a new business is to find yourself as well as your staff wasting valuable time carrying out mundane tasks such as sorting emails or trying to manually separate robust amounts of data. Seeing as we are entering the automation age, it’s imperative that you’re able to use automation as a means of competing with larger enterprises which is a plus.

Deciding to become an entrepreneur may be one of the most life-changing decisions that you make. It influences everything, from your time to your financial standing as well as the way you live. The key is to continuously look for ways to make your life easier as an entrepreneur and tech happens to be one of them.

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Bitcoin Use-Cases: BAT Crypto Token and Brave Browser Show Glimpse That in the Future, the Internet IS the Browser!

Back in 2009, before Bitcoin was invented, I talked about a world with an internet that had no login button. The idea was that, with open standards and open technologies built right into the browser you would be able to visit site-to-site on the internet and each website would know exactly who you were, and there would be no reason to log you in. At the time there were open standards like “Information Cards”, which could be stored right inside the local client (aka browser), identifying you as a user, authenticating automatically with the website, no unencrypted credentials passed in the process, and only YOU would have the data stored on your device. That was 10 years ago! As a user on today’s web you don’t own your data. When you visit Facebook, your profile information, the conversations you participate in, and even the websites you visit (via a pixel they give to publishers) all get stored somewhere on Facebook’s massive server infrastructure. This is how they make money! Google operates the same way. YOUR privacy is the goldmine of the current internet ecosystem. And you have no control over it. This is what a new cryptocurrency token called “Basic Attention Token” or BAT, along with the browser Brave aim to solve, and why I think they’re incredibly valuable!

BAT, written by the creator of JavaScript, and founding team members of Mozilla and Netflix, is an open protocol based on this new “peer-to-peer internet” I’ve been preaching about for 5 years now. It uses technology from the cryptocurrency Ethereum to, basically, make it so that advertisers do not need middle-man services like Facebook and Google to deliver their ads directly to users. BAT aims to take the middleman and any storage of your personal privacy data out of the picture, so the only place this data gets stored is cryptographically, encrypted on a public ledger that only you can decrypt.

Using “Proof of Attention” as a Cryptocurrency Reward for Sharing, and Consuming Ads

BAT’s strategy for adoption is really smart (no pun intended, considering it was written as smart-contracts on the Ethereum cryptocurrency blockchain). In typical blockchains and other cryptocurrencies and tokens, most aim for “proof of work” to identify without doubt that an encrypted entry on a public ledger is not counterfeit and that the transaction of giving something from one individual to another indeed actually happened. The “work” in that case is often the transfer of one thing (often currency like Bitcoin) from one person to another. Large, power-hungry and electricity-sucking servers called “miners” figure out and authenticate this proof-of-work, and the owners of the miners are rewarded in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin for participating in the ecosystem.

In the case of BAT, they are seeking a new concept they are calling “proof of attention”. Instead of verifying ownership through miners, the currency instead rewards end users and publishers for anonymously helping the public ledger identify attention of the user on particular things they are interested in. They have also coded into BAT’s peer-to-peer codebase random BAT tokens that they award to users the more they use the platform, encouraging users to use the Brave (which I’ll talk about later) browser and populate BAT coins into the ecosystem. It should also be noted that BAT also has real-world value! It’s currently selling for around $.50 on many of the major cryptocurrency exchanges (and is supported in the Jaxx wallet).

Introducing The Browser for the User-Controlled (and Peer-to-Peer) Internet – This is Only a Start!

BAT’s strategy is built on the arms of a browser, built by the same engineers and founding team, called Brave. Brave aims to be THE browser focused entirely on giving the user back entire control of their privacy and data. Brave, by default, blocks all 3rd party ads on all websites, and disables a lot of tracking data like pixels. As an advertiser I should be scared to death about this, but I’m not, and I’ll explain later. The “middle-men” like Facebook and Google will be most disrupted by this technology.

Brave also launched integration with BAT platform so that now publishers and users can get paid, directly by advertisers, as they use the publisher’s website. All the publisher needs to do is get verified with Brave (it seems to me this part of the process isn’t entirely distributed – my hope is even this gets put on some sort of distributed platform in the future, maybe similar to Namecoin?), and then users can opt into giving a “tip” in BAT to that publisher for every time they visit the website. They also just integrated support for Youtube channels, so if you’re frustrated about the new Youtube publisher changes this could be a new way for your channel to make even more money than before, cutting Youtube out of the picture. That’s right – you get everything. Youtube gets nothing! (unless they decide to authenticate with BAT as well)

So let’s say I visit staynalive.com, spend 10 minutes on this site (because doesn’t everybody?), and perhaps even buy something (like the crazy deal I’m doing on consulting for January this year wink wink – ask me if you want to pay in BAT!). The browser, with your BAT tokens stored, can automatically “tip” StayNAlive.com some BAT (because you like it so much), and at the same time, your visit to the website, time on site, and other data (they haven’t been clear yet on what that is – as an open platform I’m guessing it’s published somewhere though – it’s clearly not perfect yet) get encrypted, stored on a public ledger, and while you know that data is owned by you, no one else does – not even the advertisers. Advertisers will be able to search the public ledger however, target ads to your public key (and others) because you match very specific criteria that the Brave browser detected, and you’ll make more BAT tokens. I also assume you’ll have some level of control over the ads you see down the road.

What Can I Do as an Advertiser with Brave and BAT?

It’s not entirely clear how advertisers can get involved in this yet. I haven’t had enough time to research. Brave itself is open source though, and I’m sure the code could be searched. BAT, the ledger storing these transactions for attention, is also completely open, and peer-to-peer. It’s also not entirely clear how users will interact with advertisers. The whitepaper for BAT can be found here though and you can definitely see the vision.

Advertisers should be excited though – this means they (the advertisers) pay less in the end due to the removal of the middle man, who normally would add their (the middleman’s) own charges to view ads. This also means they get even more strongly-targeted ads, Minority-report style (see my presentation on this at LDS Business College), hitting their audience and more data delivered back to them, but this time in a format that the users have 100% approved, given their permission, and the user even benefits from receiving that information without giving up their privacy to ANYONE. It’s win (advertiser)-win (publisher)-win (user)!

More Evolution Towards a Peer-to-Peer, User-Controlled Internet

I’ve shared other use-cases where entire e-commerce and sharing economy systems are moving to peer-to-peer networks like Origin (which goes to ICO later this year and you’ll be able to use!). I’ve talked about a future of a peer-to-peer internet powered by blockchain-like technology. We’re continuing to see this evolve, and with Brave and BAT, now we have a browser and means to protect privacy and personal data in a distributed internet ecosystem.

With the storage of personal data at the browser, instead of server level, that takes a HUGE chunk of data needing to be stored off of the internet that we were previously reliant on in the old client-server internet model. Brave, and BAT together and perhaps even future technologies that will work with the Brave browser (my hope is that it works more, by default, with MetaMask, which comes bundled with Brave as an extension, and allows you to browse the Ethereum network just as though it were a peer-to-peer internet – I’ll write more on that later) show just a glimpse of what we see a future p2p internet looks like. We’re not within decades of seeing this now – we’re within 5 years of an entirely new, blockchain or similar peer-to-peer crypto, public ledger-based, internet coming to shape. Mark my words.

As an advertiser, this technology makes me really excited! I plan to, as soon as they start allowing advertisers into the platform (hopefully they keep this process distributed as well), start experimenting with this and seeing if there are immediate opportunities for the brands I represent. This takes paid ads from being just social or search ads to now being “contextual” ads, something that makes me really happy! I am currently writing this inside Brave and plan to use Brave 24/7 – this technology and BAT have my heart.

 

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Bitcoin Use-Cases: IPFS and the Real, Viable, Plan to Replace the World Wide Web

Back in 2013 I predicted an internet that was no longer client-server oriented like the current, “HTTP” (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)-based internet, but an entirely peer-to-peer internet that no longer has the need of large government and central entities owning your data on the internet. I even went into it in detail in what I called “The Peer-to-Peer Society” that will exist in the next 50 years (that article is worth a read if you want to get your mental muscles excited!). Currently, the internet as it exists allows large companies like Facebook, and even government entities like your Drivers License division to store your data in their own databases that they have full control over, meaning you never really see exactly what information they have on you and you never actually have full control over the data they’re storing about you or the data they have access to. In addition, the current internet is limited bandwidth-wise, when we’re entering an era of multi-dimensional VR and AR and artificial intelligence that needs unlimited resources for storing and transmitting data for us to consume. The current internet model simply isn’t scalable enough to manage this. There is actually a solution available today, and many businesses are starting to implement it as a backend for their apps and especially content, and it’s called IPFS, or the “Interplanetary File System”.

Even today I shared an article about how Facebook is currently listening to your conversations through its Messenger and other apps (something I believe), and using that data to target relevant ads to you. We’ve already seen the Russians abusing this system to manipulate elections. We already see threats to the current internet models as the concept of “net neutrality”, or the idea that the internet should not be owned nor regulated by any government entity, are threatened by leaders such as Donald Trump and are already diminished in countries like China, Saudi Arabia and other countries where internet is throttled, websites are limited, and the access to information isn’t nearly as vast as the internet is capable. The USA has control over the vast majority of the world’s web traffic through regulation entities such as ICANN, which regulates who owns domains (the URLs you type into your web browser), and could shut those off for anyone or any country at any time (cryptocurrencies like Namecoin attempt to solve this problem). Let’s face it – the current internet model as we know it is broken, and doomed to fail. Net neutrality is impossible on the current model of the internet.

Enter IPFS. IPFS stands for “Interplanetary File System”, and is built to be an entirely peer-to-peer, fully-functioning internet that requires no “servers” to control data such as domains or IPs or where your data is stored on the internet. It is entirely peer-to-peer, and data is stored across a worldwide storage across billions of computers around the world. Instead of your information being stored on only one or two (or hundreds of) servers located in a single hosting location like Facebook’s hosting facilities, your information is stored on multiple computers around the world with vast duplication and redundancy so your data is never lost. And due to the sheer size, your data can be accessed from the nearest peer (computer) to you that has that data, which will likely be from a computer just down the road from you making transfer of data much, much faster. Not just that but you can actually transfer multiple parts of that file from multiple computers nearby at the same time, making transfer of that file even faster than a typical client-server download! It’s actually called “Interplanetary Filesystem” because it’s designed to be a working solution for when humans finally leave this earth, move to other planets, and we are no longer stuck downloading all our data from other planets – it can all be transferred from the nearest location in the universe! When I say this is the future it is TRULY the future! And Elon Musk will be our immortal God.

It gets better though. Now, add to this something like Ethereum, which uses a blockchain (I used to call this “The Chain” because in reality “Blockchain” was built for Bitcoin, not all the accompanying cryptocurrencies – see some of the articles linked above for background) to identify ownership of “things” in real life or virtual. Inside each “token” on Ethereum’s Chain, you can store little programs in a JavaScript-like language called “Solidity” that tell what’s owned by that particular token (to keep it simple at least). One of these things that can be done inside that token is identify contracts – so, for instance, if I want to own a car, rather than going through a central registration entity to identify ownership of that car with the government and get a car title, I can instead create a “smart contract” inside Ethereum that says I own this car, and I purchased it from X individual, and at that point, that car then becomes mine and is proven, without question, on Ethereum’s blockchain without need for a physical title from the government. This is currently being used to represent things like logins on websites, early access to launches, and even my friend Even Prodromou is using it to store “time units” to sell his time for Ethereum “tokens” you can buy using “EvanCoin”. (I find that so fascinating and genius!) I’m even seeing entire companies being built, and ownership distributed for those companies using Ethereum and Smart Contract technology!

Here’s where it gets cool – not only can you store simple things like ownership of vehicles and homes on Ethereum’s “smart contracts” – you can also store links to content an individual owns on the IPFS network. So let’s say I have identity information about myself – say my address, phone number, or text. Or maybe it’s a private video of my kids I only want to share with certain people. I can upload that to IPFS, get a special key or “hash” that identifies that content’s location, and then store that on the Ethereum blockchain to identify I’m the one that owns that content. If I ever want to transfer or share ownership of that content to someone else I just create another smart contract on Ethereum to transfer that to someone else or give access to them, and it’s established, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the ownership has been shared or transferred. Imagine me selling you access to create a profile on my network in the form of an Ethereum token (this is called an “ICO” or “Initial Coin Offering” similar to an IPO on the stock market), you pay me for complete ownership of that profile and token on the Ethereum blockchain, and I use that to fund my company. Now do you see why the Stock Market is in trouble?

Already I’m getting pitched business plans from companies wanting me to help with their growth that are implementing pretty advanced versions of using IPFS in their well-funded startups. This is just the beginning. But it’s very real, and businesses are launching THIS YEAR on this new model of the internet! Business models are going to be disrupted. Entire economies are about to change. The internet, as we know it is about to change, and the entire world will change with it! You’ll see this happen rapidly, over the NEXT 5 YEARS. You better bet I’m riding this wave and you should too!

If you’re willing to stretch your mind a little, this video below is worth a little time to try and understand IPFS just a little more. It’s still a little technical, but the best I’ve found so far to explain the concept – see you on The Chain!

Image courtesy Tom MacWright, https://macwright.org/2017/08/09/decentralize-ipfs.html

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3 Tips For Social Media Content That Promotes Sales

As we take another step into the digital age, more and more tasks are being completed online. Less and less are going to the businesses themselves to open accounts or make purchases. Businesses with a focus on traditional marketing are losing money on outdated sales practices that can’t be tracked or produce leads.

Which is why it is vital to find customers online and create the content that will drive them into the sales funnel. The place to start is to research and target the right audiences, and figure out what kind of content is going to make them tick.

Here are 3 tips for creating such content:

Top-notch and well-researched social media targeting
Have the sales and marketing teams work together to direct  and entice customers through the sales funnel
Create content that is relevant to your audience in each stage of the funnel, this will eventually drive them into making donations/purchases

For the original article, visit thefinancialbrand.com

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Top Methods Used By Social Media Marketers To Find Influencers

This report was the result of data from 100 US-based marketing professionals being surveyed. According to the report, the number one method marketers use for reaching out to influencers is by contacting them directly. 

For how other methods rank, see below:

Reaching out to influencers directly (59%)
Influencers reaching out to the brand (35%)
Creating marketing platforms for influencers (34%)
Combined methods (27%)
Through use of media companies or publishers (21%)
Through use of talent agencies (17%)

For more information, see the original article at marketingprofs.com

 

The post Top Methods Used By Social Media Marketers To Find Influencers appeared first on Stay N Alive.

Which Social Media Platform Would Work Best For Your Business?

With so many social media platforms to choose from, and likely a limited budget, its vital that one invests their time and what money they have into the most effective platform. Let’s explore the top 6 social media channels and, based on the information provided, you can determine which one’s audience will engage the most with your brand!

 

 

Facebook

 

How many are using it?

Just hit 2 billion active users, and by far the most popular social media platform. Although more youth are flocking to newer platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram, Facebook is still in the lead with 82% of 18-29 year olds using it!

Demographics

Everyone. Literally everyone. This is why targeting ads and defining your audience within your marketing strategy is vital.

Best Approach?

Best for building brand reputation and consumer loyalty. Keep content engagement-focused.

Frequency

Post about twice a day

 

 

Twitter

 

How many are using it?

Twitter has about 750 million members!

Demographics

There are Twitter users all across the board, however it is most popular among adults who are 18-29 years of age.

Best Approach?

Keep content short, easy-to-read, and eye-catching!

Frequency

Tweet about four times a day

 

 

LinkedIn

 

How many are using it?

Linkedin has about 450 million members!

Demographics

Linkedin users are anywhere from 18 to 75, but are more likely to be those with higher education.

Best Approach?

Short sweet content that will promote leads. Professional advice on how to achieve success is the name of the game!

Frequency

Try to post about 3 times a week!

For information on other platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram, and Snapchat, see the full article at theeword.co.uk

 

 

 

 

The post Which Social Media Platform Would Work Best For Your Business? appeared first on Stay N Alive.