Midday Connect

08/21/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗔𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲?

AI is more than a tool for writing emails or creating content. Used the right way, it can become a powerful part of how you think, solve problems, and build your business.

Join us at our next Midday Connect session with Michael Marshall to learn practical ways to make AI a force multiplier in your everyday work.

𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼:

✅ Think more clearly with AI
✅ Communicate your ideas with confidence
✅ Build better and faster with AI

If you want to go beyond simply using AI and start getting real value from it, this session is for you.

🔗 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘: https://luma.com/ue310z9s
📅 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: Tue, Aug 25, 2026
⏲ 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 11 am MT

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𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿

Michael Marshall is the Chief Technology Officer at Axomo, where he has spent nearly two decades helping the company grow into a modern SaaS platform for branded merchandise and employee recognition. He also founded FeatherQuest, where he explores AI, product development, SEO, and digital marketing. Mike focuses on sharing practical ideas that entrepreneurs and business leaders can use in their own work

08/20/2026

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗔𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆.

One of the most practical tips Carter Wirig shared during this week’s Midday Connect was how to use tools like ChatGPT or Claude to help you build a simple automation.

You do not need to start with technical language.

Start by explaining your workflow like you would explain it to a new employee.

For example:

“I receive a new request by email. I copy the details into a spreadsheet. I check the schedule. Then I write a reply and send it.”

Next, tell AI which tools you use.

Maybe that looks like:

Gmail
Excel
HubSpot
Canva
Outlook
ServiceTitan

Your accounting software

Then ask:

“Help me build the smallest version of an automation for this process.”

That word “smallest” is important.

Instead of trying to build a giant system on day one, create something simple that works.

𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻:

✅ Pull important information from an email

✅ Spot missing details

✅ Organize information before it reaches you

✅ Draft a response for your approval

✅ Prepare a daily report

✅ Turn repeated information into a reusable format

Then test it.

Improve it.

Make it repeatable.

And only after it works well should you move on to the next workflow.

AI becomes a lot less confusing when you stop asking, “How can I use AI in my business?”

A better question is:

“What is one annoying thing I keep doing that I would love to stop doing manually?”

Start there.

👉 Don’t miss next week’s Midday Connect — 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://luma.com/ue310z9s
🎥 Want the full replay of Carter Wirig’s session? 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/gxWY5rPm



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08/19/2026

𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗔𝗜 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

During this week’s Midday Connect, Carter Wirig shared a simple way to figure out where AI can actually help.

Start by paying attention to what you do all day.

Write down the tasks you repeat. Look at where work slows down. Notice where you keep copying information, updating spreadsheets, moving details between tools, checking the same things, or fixing small mistakes.

Those little annoyances can point you toward the best place to start.

𝗔 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁:

✅ Write down your regular daily tasks

✅ Look for work you repeat several times a week

✅ Pay attention to copying, pasting, data entry, reporting, scheduling, or moving information between tools

✅ Pick ONE workflow that takes too much time

✅ Map out every step from start to finish

✅ Write down every tool involved, such as Gmail, Excel, your CRM, Canva, or another platform

Once you see the full workflow, ask a simple question:

Which parts really need me, and which parts could AI handle?

That last part matters.

The goal is not to hand your entire business to AI. Some steps still need your judgment, approval, or decision.

But if AI can take care of four steps out of six, that can still give you hours back every week.

Carter’s biggest reminder was simple: get one workflow working well before trying to automate ten others.

One small win is much more useful than ten half finished AI experiments.

👉 Don’t miss next week’s Midday Connect — 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://luma.com/ue310z9s
🎥 Want the full replay of Carter Wirig’s session? 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://youtu.be/L4K1aoxeWlI



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08/13/2026

𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱.

One of the biggest lessons Blake Hudson shared during this week’s Midday Connect was simple:

Curiosity should come before persuasion.

A lot of sales conversations start with the seller thinking:

What should I say?

How do I explain the product?

How do I convince them?

But Blake suggested starting somewhere else:

What do I need to understand about this person before the call ends?

That small change can completely change the conversation.

𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗷𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:

✅ What problem are they actually trying to solve?

✅ Why does that problem matter right now?

✅ What have they already tried?

✅ What frustrated them about those attempts?

✅ What would a good result look like six months from now?

✅ What happens if nothing changes?

Then your pitch becomes easier because you are no longer guessing what matters to them.

You already know.

Blake shared a great example.

Instead of simply asking about budget or timing, ask something like:

Imagine six months from now and things are going really well. You chose this solution and it worked. Why do you think you were successful?

Now the buyer has to think about the result.

They might say:

We implemented it quickly.

Our team actually used it.

We finally fixed the process that was slowing us down.

They are giving you useful information while also thinking through the value themselves.

That is much stronger than telling someone why they should care.

Before your next sales call, try this:

Write down one sentence.

By the end of this conversation, I need to understand ________.

Then build your questions around that.

Great sales conversations are not built around having all the answers.

They are built around asking better questions.

A great reminder from Blake Hudson during this week’s Midday Connect.

👉 Don’t miss next week’s Midday Connect — 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://luma.com/mw28yu6o
🎥 Want the full replay of Blake Hudson’s session? 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/ga2kE3sS

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08/13/2026

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲.

They pick the coolest tool.
Automate a random task.
Then wonder why they’re not seeing real results.

The better question is: Which ONE workflow should AI fix first?

Join us at our next Midday Connect session with Carter Wirig, Co-Founder of Certified AI Partners, as he breaks down how to find the workflow where AI can actually make a difference in your business.

𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:

✅ Where AI is actually producing ROI in operating businesses right now, and where it is not
✅ A simple three part filter for choosing your first workflow based on friction, economics, and risk
✅ What it really takes to implement AI, including the right tools, data security, and getting your team on board

You don’t need to add AI everywhere.

You need to find the right place to start.

If you’re trying to figure out where AI can save time, improve results, and make everyday work easier, this session will give you a practical way to decide what to tackle first.

🔗 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘: https://luma.com/mw28yu6o
📅 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: Tue, Aug 18, 2026
⏲ 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 11 am MT

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𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿

Carter Wirig is the Co-Founder of Certified AI Partners, a Provo based AI firm that helps established companies use AI in practical ways. He works with businesses to find where AI can save time, improve results, and make daily work easier through AI solutions, training, and support.

08/10/2026

🚨 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Tomorrow at Midday Connect, Blake Hudson is showing you how to have sales conversations that actually move buyers forward.

You’ll learn how to:

✅ Ask questions that uncover what buyers really care about
✅ Build trust and create urgency without pushing
✅ Leave every call with a clear next step

Less pitching. Better conversations. More customers.

🔗 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘: https://luma.com/uvg0xkjd
📅 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: Tue, Aug 11, 2026
⏲ 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 11 am MT

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𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿

Blake Hudson is a consultant, speaker, and former Global Sales Trainer at Apollo, where he helped thousands of sales professionals improve their confidence and communication. Today, he works with founders and sales teams through Blake Hudson Consulting, helping them handle important sales conversations, build stronger customer relationships, and win more business through coaching, workshops, and consulting.

08/07/2026

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀.

Huge market.

Huge revenue forecast.

Very little proof.

Chirag Ved shared that investors care much more about evidence than excitement.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗩𝗖:

✅ 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Pilots, customer feedback, letters of intent, or paying customers all help prove people actually want what you're building.

✅ 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀.

Every business has different numbers that matter. Don't overload your deck. Highlight the few metrics that show your business is moving in the right direction.

✅ 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄.

Why couldn't this company exist five years ago?

What changed in technology, customer behavior, or the market that makes this the right time?

✅ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽.

Instead of saying the market is worth billions, show how many customers you can realistically reach and how your pricing creates revenue. Investors can test those assumptions much more easily.

The strongest pitch decks are not filled with bigger numbers.

They answer harder questions.

👉 Don’t miss next week’s Midday Connect — 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://luma.com/uvg0xkjd
🎥 Want the full replay of Chirag Ved’s session? 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/gvtYg2BX

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

08/06/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿?

Most sales conversations don't fail because of the product. They fail because the right questions were never asked.

Join us next week at Midday Connect to learn how better conversations can help you win more customers.

𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼:

✅ Stop pitching and lead better discovery conversations that uncover what buyers actually care about

✅ Ask better questions that build trust, create urgency, and help you stand out from competitors

✅ End every sales conversation with clear next steps instead of hearing "We'll get back to you"

Great sales conversations are not about talking more. They are about understanding more. If you want to turn more conversations into customers, you won't want to miss this session.

🔗 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘: https://luma.com/uvg0xkjd
📅 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: Tue, Aug 11, 2026
⏲ 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 11 am MT

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𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿

Blake Hudson is a consultant, speaker, and former Global Sales Trainer at Apollo, where he helped thousands of sales professionals improve their confidence and communication. Today, he works with founders and sales teams through Blake Hudson Consulting, helping them handle important sales conversations, build stronger customer relationships, and win more business through coaching, workshops, and consulting.

08/06/2026

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗩𝗖 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.

It is not.

It is about answering three simple questions so clearly that the investor wants a second meeting.

Chirag Ved, General Partner at Kronus Ventures, shared that most early stage investors start with these questions:

✅ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴?

Not every problem deserves a company. Show that it's painful enough that customers are already looking for a better way.

✅ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿?

Investors are not comparing you to nothing. They are comparing you to what customers already do today. Explain why someone would actually switch.

✅ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘁?

Ideas change. Markets change. Startups pivot.

What investors really want to know is whether your team can adapt when the original plan no longer works.

One example stood out.

A Kronus portfolio company did not win investors because it had years of revenue. It won attention by helping one customer cut their cloud bill by 40%. That single result created traction and opened more opportunities.

Your first VC meeting is not about proving you've already won.

It is about proving you understand the problem better than anyone else and that you're the right people to solve it.

Big difference.

👉 Don’t miss next week’s Midday Connect — 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://luma.com/uvg0xkjd
🎥 Want the full replay of Chirag Ved’s session? 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://youtu.be/4LVJtGHgHXQ