“In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.”
When I’m not railing against the misguided use of AI, I actually DO use it for our business. In fact, I spent a few hours last week building something for a client.
And I mean building — not poking around or asking Claude to “make something cool.”
I came in with expertise preloaded:
Web fonts that signal authority without being boring / generic
Colors that complement their existing brand
Content that makes cold visitors stick around
Hierarchy that earns trust before it asks for anything
I knew what the hero needed to say, where adding social proof would have the biggest impact, and what would increase conversions.
As a result, the output was genuinely good.
***
But the AI hype machine has a dirty little secret it’s not advertising …
The tool is only as smart as its input.
Period.
And writing a great prompt — one specific enough to generate a usable foundation — requires the exact expertise most people want the tool to replace.
Non-designers don’t know which fonts signal “established.” They can’t describe visual hierarchy, above-the-fold priorities, or why whitespace matters.
They can’t describe what they want with precision … because precision requires fluency that can only be earned from years of doing the work.
Same goes for copy. For brand strategy. For positioning. For any specialized skill that requires putting in your reps.
You can't prompt your way to expertise if you don't have any to begin with.
***
Not sharing this to pat myself on the back. What I did wasn't magic.
It was the result of accumulated expertise — a few decades of seeing what works, what doesn't, and understanding WHY. And a knowledge base sharp enough to describe the solution before the tool moved a single pixel.
THEN (and only then) was the output half-decent.
The AI shortcut exists. It's real. But it has a hefty prerequisite: You have to know where you're going before it can take you there faster.
If you don't, you're not saving time. You're just running around in circles (and paying big bucks for wasted tokens.)
***
Take stock of where your expertise actually lives. Very specifically.
The problems you can describe in perfect detail. The outcomes you can predict. The solutions you can visualize without hesitation.
That’s where AI becomes your superpower.
Everywhere else, it's just a faster way to produce something average.
***
PS — If you'd rather skip the learning curve and get straight to winning more clients, that's our zone of expertise. Let's talk.
PPS — Need proof first? See how we took Colette from new business to AI-cited in just 30 days.
Busy brain, meet your new BFF
Ever have one of those days where you have a million things to do and somehow end up doing ZERO of them?
Just me? 😏 … I’ll own it.
My friend Stephanie, a self-care and wellness expert, created a guide to help you move from paralyzing overwhelm to actual clarity and focus.
If you're the type who carries big dreams AND an endless to-do list in your head at all times, this one's for you.
Grab the guide 👉 HERE
Just over a year ago, I had zero subscribers and a whole lot of hope.
Then I went through Chenell's 30 Days of Growth and ended up with 1,000+ subscribers (you lovely people!) on the other side.
I'm sharing this again because it's not too late to jump in. Week one has already passed, but there are still three weeks of real, actionable tactics heading your way.
Every day, Chenell sends one focused strategy for growing or optimizing your newsletter. Stuff that actually works — from the folks who have done it.
Some days it's about getting more people in the door. Other days it's about making the most of the ones already there.
It’s not too late …
Victory Points
By: Mike Shary
My board-game-loving, copywriter extraordinaire and mentor, Dad ❤️
The Crew : A trick-taking card game for 3–5 players
The Crew is a cooperative trick taking card game for three to five players where you’re trying to complete specific missions without being able to say much of anything.
If you grew up with games like Hearts or Spades, the structure feels familiar. Everyone has a hand of colored cards. One player leads. The others follow suit if they can. Highest card of the led color wins the trick unless a trump card cuts in.
What makes The Crew different is the goal. You’re not just trying to win tricks. You’re trying to make sure the right person wins the right trick at the right time, because each round gives the team little mission cards that must be completed in a certain way.
That changes everything.
Now every card you play is a message …
Do you take control now?
Do you stay out of the way?
Do you burn a high card to protect the team later?
Since communication is limited, players have to learn how to read each other through timing, restraint, and trust. That’s what makes The Crew so smart. The team only succeeds when everyone understands that winning your own hand means nothing if it breaks the mission.
Branding works like that too. A business can have a great logo, a sharp website, and strong copy, but if those pieces are all pulling in different directions, the mission gets lost. A good brand strategist helps your business act more like a real crew, so every message, visual, and offer supports the same destination.
If you like games that start simple and get more satisfying the more your group learns each other’s habits, The Crew can quickly turn one round into ten before anybody notices.
Make it a great week! 🙌
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