I’ve had a lot of conversations lately about AI—some curious, some cautious, and some flat-out terrified. But when I sat down with my friend Rob Thompson on the Exceptional Companies Podcast, I walked away with a simple, powerful reframe:
AI isn’t here to replace us. It’s here to make us more human—if we let it.
This wasn’t just a tech talk. It was a conversation about leadership, adaptability, and staying grounded in a world moving at warp speed. Rob brought both military precision and deep empathy to the mic, and I want to unpack some of the biggest takeaways from our time together.
Shrinking the Gap: The Power of the OODA Loop
Rob introduced me to a military framework called the OODA Loop—Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. It was developed by Air Force pilot John Boyd, and it’s all about speed and adaptability.
“The faster you can go from idea to action,” Rob said, “the more you outmaneuver the chaos.”
That hit home. In our own businesses, we’ve adopted a similar mindset—act, learn, adjust. When you realize the world is always changing, the goal isn’t to avoid chaos. It’s to orient quickly and thrive inside of it.
AI as a Teammate, Not a Threat
Rob views AI like a silent partner—one that doesn’t sleep, doesn’t complain, and frees him up to do more of what really matters.
“I use AI to amplify the human parts of my business,” he told me.
Rob runs The 411 for the 719, a Facebook-driven local business ecosystem with over 100,000 members. He’s generated thousands of local business leads—and just as importantly, delivered real help to people in need. From groceries to gas to diapers, his “speed to need” program is all about humanity, not just efficiency.
And the kicker? AI gives him the bandwidth to do it better.
One of the Smartest Things You Can Do: Build an AI Version of Yourself
This blew my mind.
Rob has trained an AI avatar of himself. He’s fed it his values, his business goals, even his love for Superman. It’s like a digital version of himself that’s always ready to think, challenge, and help.
“Sometimes it tells me why I believe something before I even know,” he said.
Even more powerful? He built a version of his 90-year-old self—his wise, future self. He uses it to make long-term decisions and reset his perspective.
Since that conversation, I’ve been thinking about building my own. Imagine getting advice from the version of yourself that’s already lived the life you want to live.
The 10th Man: Give Your AI Permission to Disagree
One of Rob’s most brilliant strategies is creating an AI role he calls the 10th Man—a kind of virtual devil’s advocate.
“I told it, be assertive. If I’m wrong, I want you to tell me in no uncertain terms.”
And it works. In one case, he floated a test idea about making a quick buck. The AI shot it down hard, warning him that it would damage the trust he’d built in his community.
That kind of accountability—even if it comes from code—can be priceless for a business owner.
So… How Do You Actually Use AI in a Small Business?
Here’s what we agreed on: you don’t start with AI. You start with your pain points.
Ask yourself:
- Where am I losing time?
- Where am I losing money?
- Where am I losing energy?
Then plug AI into those friction points. Rob gave some great examples:
- Missed phone calls? Use an AI voice assistant.
- Estimating jobs inconsistently? Train an AI estimator with your pricing and delivery rules.
- Not following up with past clients? Automate your outreach—but keep it personal.
He also reminded me: if you’re not sure where to start, just talk to the AI. Tell it about your business, your challenges, and ask it to help you think through options. Not to give you the answer, but to ask better questions.
What If You Don’t Want to Touch AI?
That’s fine. But it’s not neutral.
“You’re going to get outrun,” Rob said. “If you’re not using tools that increase your speed, someone else will.”
That doesn’t mean you have to become a coder overnight. As I told our listeners, if you’re not going to use AI yourself, hire someone who will. Find a younger team member who loves this stuff and put them in charge of it. Use the Who Not How mindset.
And if you’re thinking about exiting the game entirely? That’s a great time to sell to someone who does want to take it to the next level.
My Favorite Part of the Conversation: The Real Reason We’re Doing This
One of the best moments in our conversation came when we talked about purpose.
I shared how I’ve started thinking about hospitality in our office. Snacks. Drinks. Creating warmth. Not because it’s “strategic,” but because it’s right. And Rob brought it full circle:
“What makes our community work? It’s not the tech. It’s the squishiness.”
We laughed, but he’s right. In a world full of AI tools and automation, what people crave most is connection. That’s what we’re here for.
Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
I asked Rob what he’d say to the next generation—those who feel overwhelmed by the pace of change.
Here’s what he offered:
- Learn to orient quickly
- Take a systems view of how the world works
- Pause and ask: Will this still matter in 2 days, 2 weeks, or 2 years?
- Learn principles, not just hacks
- Either ride the wave, or build the engine that drives it
And above all?
“Adapt. Sit in the change. It’s not something to fear—it’s something to grow through.”
Final Thought
I walked away from this episode reminded that AI is not the point. People are. If we use these tools well, we’ll spend less time buried in inefficiencies—and more time serving the people who count.
Let’s use AI to think deeper, act faster, and show up more fully. Not to become more robotic… but to become more real.
Thanks again to Rob for this one. You’ll be hearing more from him soon.
AND MORE TOPICS COVERED IN THE FULL INTERVIEW!!! You can check that out and subscribe to YouTube.
If you want to know more about Rob Thompson, you may reach out to him at:
- Email: ro*@*********al.com
- Phone: (719) 440-1116
- Facebook: The 411 for the 719
Connect with Chris Seegers:
- Website: https://exceptionalcos.com/
- Email: Ch***@************OS.com
Other Resources:
- Books: Selling Main Street by Chris Seegers
