“I like to tell folks like me in their 50s, people in their 40s or 60s, cancel your FT, cancel your Wall Street Journal, and don't think that you're going to learn about how AI is transforming your economy by either of those two publications or any other publication. Get your hands dirty. Be vulnerable. Learn how to operate Claude and ChatGPT to an A-level degree, build some skills, spin up your own agents, really learn on the front line.”
sputnikintelligence.com
Asked what he is most focused on as 2026 ends, the executive coach and angel investor gives blunt advice to older executives on keeping up with AI: learn by doing, not by reading about it.
…people who have rolled up their sleeves and are getting dirty with the technology, are the people who are at an advantage today. And as a result of that, reverse mentorship is a huge trend that I am seeing across the board, not just in financial services, but just about every sector of the economy.
And now that we're nearing the end of 2026, what are you most focused on and excited about?
Well, what I am most focused on is, I think, part and parcel to what I just said before about getting my hands dirty. I like to tell folks like me in their 50s, people in their 40s or 60s, I tell them to cancel your FT, cancel your Wall Street Journal, and don't think that you're going to learn about how AI is transforming your economy by either those two publications or any other publication. Get your hands dirty. Be vulnerable. Learn how to operate Claude and ChatGPT to an A-level degree, build some skills, spin up your own agents, really learn on the front line. So I'm excited to continue to do that. Also, I work with several people in private equity. And no secret to anyone who listens to a show like this, that the game has changed for what it takes to be a successful private equity person. You know, like not to say that it's ever been easy. It has never been easy. But, you know, whether they like it or not, cost of capital has gone up dramatically. And the nature of the types of investments that PE folks are trying to source and build value from is changing and it requires a different set of skills. It requires way more creativity. And while the pressure remains merciless, the go-to routes that were tried and true…
Absolutely. That's some helpful context there. And now that we've looked into the future, looking back at the last six, 18 months or so, can you talk about an initiative or a project that you're most proud of?
Sure. And this is part and parcel to what I've already said, but I was one of these typical white collar executives who felt like I had juniors surrounding me who could handle much of the heavy lifting associated with technical work. But my own journey into building skills with Anthropic, Claude…
I love that. And kind of in the same vein, as a coached entrepreneur, you must have a lot of valuable insights to share with emerging leaders. What are a few pieces of advice you find yourself coming back to most often?