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Empowering Businesses with AI Solutions with Nicole Christian · Better Together

• Shawn Sundsvold: Welcome back to Better Together, real talk for people building real businesses. I'm Sean Sonsvold. I'm here with my co-host and co-owner of Gold Bear Media, Kelly Sonsvold. Together, we're on a mission to unpack the real behind the scenes stories of business growth, momentum, and the challenges no one sees until they live it. Today, we're joined by Nicole Christian, a powerhouse executive, award-winning leader, and founder of Verdant AI Solutions. With nearly 30 years in executive leadership and a deep focus on AI strategy, Nicole helps organizations navigate growth with clarity, innovation, and purpose. She's led chambers, advised economic development organizations, and now works at the intersection of tech and transformation, bringing AI into spaces that need it most. You're gonna walk away from this episode with insights, encouragement, and a clear vision for how to lead in a rapidly changing world. Let's get into it. Nicole, thank you so much for being here and being a guest on our show. Nicole Christian: Thank you, Shawn Kelly, it's good to see you both. Shawn Sundsvold: Thank you. Well, let's kind of start at the beginning for you. What inspired you to make the leap from executive leadership start launching Verdant AI solutions? Nicole Christian: know, really there, there were a few. I guess there were a few things that intersected and the culmination was me taking the leap. And I think that happens, at least I've seen that happen to entrepreneurs over the course of my career. You know, I spent 30 years ⁓ this ⁓ economic development world ⁓ ⁓ entrepreneurs ⁓ small businesses and serial entrepreneurs that are starting up new businesses all the time and and really kind of their struggles watching what they're going through Trying to on my of it from ⁓ you know, ⁓ the standpoint ⁓ the services the organizations ⁓ That I what we could offer, ⁓ you know all of that ⁓ and then of taking a step back a couple of years ago and saying, ⁓ know what? ⁓ now want to be on that side of it ⁓ directly with the entrepreneurs ⁓ the standpoint of being one of them and ⁓ able now help truly transform beyond what I could do ⁓ on the, know, the ⁓ association side being almost right alongside ⁓ businesses. ⁓ Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Nicole Christian: and the orcs that help him in the trenches right there with them. Shawn Sundsvold: Okay. Um, that's amazing. Um, and I think that's, uh, they all need it, right? Like when you're a growing business, you need so much help. Right. Um, and so I know we've been through that process of, know, being part of local organizations and chambers of commerce and other local entities. I'm curious, you know, what Kelly Sundsvold: Yeah. Shawn Sundsvold: What led you specifically to focusing on AI as a service and a tool for these businesses for your own business? Nicole Christian: You know, one of the things that I've seen, had a chance to actually witness firsthand over course of my career is, ⁓ know, lot of times with the small and mid-sized companies, there isn't a level playing field, right? They, ⁓ depending on and the number of ⁓ and ⁓ even location, not a level playing field for those businesses to truly ⁓ have the opportunity to grow to thrive and ⁓ to successful. ⁓ So as I in the last couple of years, I was working on some projects ⁓ here Charleston ⁓ and started utilizing ⁓ AI and I thought it just sort of hit me, wow, ⁓ all stuff that that we could utilize AI for, but really from that small and mid-sized business perspective, the things that they would be able to do that would set them up for success and be able to ⁓ help level playing field. ⁓ Technology be expensive, ⁓ especially for ⁓ a business. They want to invest in tech and ⁓ they to ⁓ utilize tech Shawn Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: their business more efficient, more productive, ⁓ a lot of times they have no idea where to start. They ⁓ have a CIO or IT person. And I don't even think AI ⁓ is really I think ⁓ that's part what AI has done. ⁓ It's ⁓ businesses utilize some very ⁓ tools and Kelly Sundsvold: Hmm. Nicole Christian: be able to not have to be somebody intact. So I think from the standpoint of I started using it and just realizing all of the opportunities that existed. And... Shawn Sundsvold: Hmm. Nicole Christian: So I wanted to be able do this, you know, to help ⁓ and organizations really wrap their head around it ⁓ and to implement and integrate. I needed to ⁓ a small business be on that same level. I needed to be a private company. you know, I felt like because of my, ⁓ past experience, I should be able Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Nicole Christian: to do this. I think most entrepreneurs feel that. Like you have all this experience, right? And you're like, I can do this on my own. And so that's kind of how all of this started. And I, found Verdant AI Solutions. Kelly Sundsvold: Yeah. You know, we, we, had similarity when we, I remember on our intro call, we were talking about AI and both of us were like early adopters to it and we were excited about it. you know, like, you know, both of us have probably come across people who are a little bit still in speculation of AI. And so starting a business that's completely a hundred percent rooted in kind of that emerging tech is really bold. You know, We're incorporating it into our clients and our clients on it, but your whole business is around that. ⁓ what gave you the confidence to step into the AI space? It's a really bold move and ⁓ really exciting. Nicole Christian: ⁓ so maybe part of it was bold and brave, but the other part may be a little crazy. And I think that, you know, when you're gonna, when you're going to take a leap, you have to be willing to be a little crazy and not totally risk averse. I mean, there are days that I'm like, don't know why I did this. ⁓ you know, from ⁓ standpoint of, I had been in, in career, you know, what I ⁓ been doing for 30 years and, and seeing this new tool, technology, start to come onto the scene and really see like, wow, this could be something that we've never seen before. You know, you go, you have to go all the way back to probably when internet was first really ⁓ shape and, and were starting to employ ⁓ utilization the internet in their business. But, ⁓ you I don't think we've seen anything like that. now with AI ⁓ so part of it was ⁓ own interest ⁓ enthusiasm in AI because I'm a big believer in it. ⁓ adopter but big believer ⁓ what I truly think this is going to be able to do ⁓ all businesses, all organizations and even individuals. So was part of it. The other was Kelly Sundsvold: Hmm. Nicole Christian: kind of time for a change, you know? wanted take all this experience ⁓ and to ⁓ use in a different way. I'm not, I probably... My enthusiasm and excitement about AI may not be norm or the standard right now for most people, so I may have underestimated a little bit. You know, still think all get there, but... Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: It was a leap of faith and then I just thought, well, if I'm going to do this, I need to delve ⁓ get get some certifications. And ⁓ the crazy is that it's changing so fast. So really having to keep up with it is probably one of the biggest challenges. Shawn Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's interesting. We read a blog every month and one of the most recent posts we talked about is that AI isn't replacing you, it's empowering you. I think we've been fed this conversation that AI is gonna take everybody's jobs and nobody's gonna be able to do anything. And I don't think that's the case. AI can be a tool and it be a tool to help you grow your business, gain skills, do some of those different things. And so, you know, how do we talk to business owners who look at a digital transformation and they feel overwhelmed, right? How do you help them move from, you know, ⁓ my gosh, AI, I'm super scared to AI is my friend. It can help me grow my business. How do you help them get clarity around that? Nicole Christian: The way I've started to approach it because again, it can't be something so big and all right, we're gonna completely change your entire business model. We're gonna implement AI across the board. That's not gonna happen for any business out there. But what it is, it's solving a problem. So I'll give you an example. I working with this landscaper and they do a lot of hardscapes. Shawn Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: Well, one of his biggest challenges actually ⁓ coming with concepts and designs and having the time to sit down and do that. so I used AI, created a custom GPT and I up a situation where ⁓ all he to do ⁓ is take, know, just using his phone, take a couple pictures ⁓ of the upload those to this GPT. ⁓ The GPT ask some questions then ⁓ starts working on the design concepts. But he's the expert. So here's where you get the human in the loop, right? ⁓ is where it can't replace him ⁓ do this job. So now ⁓ takes that, the concepts and ⁓ experience, expertise in hardscape and landscape. ⁓ He uses that ⁓ to Shawn Sundsvold: Mm. Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: to really manipulate or to... completely the design in the way that it's really going to work. ⁓ there are a lot of things that he didn't have to do to get to that step ⁓ now saves him hours of time. ⁓ ⁓ know, kind of back to what you were saying, how do have a business owner? Shawn Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Yes. Nicole Christian: kind of be willing to take the risk, to take the leap and start implementing. I like to do this from the standpoint of let's solve a problem. Give me a problem or a challenge and let's solve it. I think that that's how then once these businesses see, oh, okay, and it's not like, I've put some robot who's now gonna work in your office or something. That's not what we're talking Shawn Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: about. It's literally, we've now created a custom tool for your business that's going to save you hours of time, make you more efficient, make you more productive. Shawn Sundsvold: Hmm. Kelly Sundsvold: Yeah, that's so good. I could talk for hours on AI. just it's such a great conversation. I remember we had a really good intercal compared, you know, compared a lot of good notes and stuff. So kind of transitioning into you building this business, you know, it's it's it's really what this whole podcast is about is ⁓ the and the grind behind ⁓ the Like it's hard to own your own business. You know, there's those memes that are like. ⁓ I'm so glad I quit my nine to five so now I can work 24 seven, you know, like it's a lot of work. It's enjoyable. It's very like satisfying and it can be, you but so what's the most surprising challenge in transitioning from leading organizations to running your own consultancy? Nicole Christian: You know, I think a for me at least, it does go back to the fact that AI is still so new. So when I started a business, I didn't start something that has been around for decades and people are used to. I chose industry that's very new and people ⁓ still trying to understand and grasp and wrap their head around. ⁓ that right there, you know, is a big challenge to take on. ⁓ But I honestly, personally thought, okay, well, I have all these contacts. have this huge network, right? Because I've been an executive for 30 years. ⁓ I thought, well, ⁓ ⁓ solutions business is going to focus on small mid-sized businesses, because I've worked with those businesses for ⁓ decades, of commerce, economic development organizations, destination marketing ⁓ organizations, ⁓ Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: are also considered CBBs. I have so much expertise and experience and I have all these contacts and I thought, well, you I'll just go to these people and say, okay, hey, we can use AI and do this and we can do that. Well. It even though like I have this vast network there is still that well we're not sure yet we're just getting into it. We don't know that well our staff are already using the AI and part of it is they don't know what they don't know. And the other part of it is that it's they're not sure that should be investing investing in AI or should they still be buying canned I'm not exactly sure how to kind of state that. So from my perspective, I mean, I thought my competitors were, which would be other AI consultants. It's actually more than that, right? So my competitors ⁓ competing with ⁓ technology. I'm competing with old paradigms. I'm competing with... Kelly Sundsvold: Hmm. Nicole Christian: boards and businesses ⁓ anti-change. So competition me to clients and customers, there's more competition than what ⁓ I thought because I look at it that way. Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah, that makes great sense. And I think I want to dive into the whole figuring out your niche side of it, right? Because you've worked with nonprofits, you've worked with destination marketing, you've worked with chambers, you've worked with economic development ⁓ ⁓ made you choose them as kind of ⁓ niche you wanted to be a part of? And ⁓ made you really feel like, I help these people and these businesses and organizations? Nicole Christian: know, for one, being in ⁓ ⁓ arena for so long ⁓ seeing evolution of those organizations over time. think, too, the perspective, as I said, I have a vast network. ⁓ So ⁓ able utilize that network to help ⁓ grow my business. And then also the standpoint of ⁓ I have been the the chamber world. I know ⁓ those challenges are. Same thing with economic development or destination marketing. ⁓ organizations that are in that industry, I know ⁓ what dealing with and ⁓ to them, how to ⁓ help create tools overcome some of their challenges. Shawn Sundsvold: Hmm. Nicole Christian: It's not... mean, it's... Is it going to be honest? It's almost been easier for me to work more with the small to mid-sized businesses than to work with chambers and EDOs and DMOs only because now the small businesses, if you take a ⁓ business like here's another example. I was working with this small wholesale thread company. and they wholesale thread that they sell to retailers who sell to people doing needlepoint. ⁓ needed to ⁓ ⁓ They've never had barcodes on their tags. ⁓ that seems like, ⁓ technology is not new, but coming up ⁓ ⁓ system and a solution of how we were going to ⁓ ⁓ those barcodes on their tags I also created this ⁓ all of it I used AI in doing this except for getting the barcodes you have to go through. That's a sort of a government system. ⁓ Shawn Sundsvold: Hmm. Yeah. Nicole Christian: to help them create these tags, ⁓ AI and used their existing software, Microsoft Office tools, but I came up with something that is literally they select a color. they click the button and bam, instantly their tags are printed. Well, they're put into the layout so then they can send them to the printer. So again, I think from the small business perspective, it's almost easier to try to tackle their challenge where with, now with Chambers and with network, It's, I think they're, it's almost harder to find the specific hook of getting in. Kelly Sundsvold: Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. So looking at your company, what's kind of the moment that you felt like, yes, this is exactly why I started this business. This is exactly why ⁓ doing this. Nicole Christian: I think every time I solve a problem, I feel that. ⁓ You know, that's, that's where you get the satisfaction. That's the reward. I took, I took my knowledge and I helped transform a business using ⁓ Kelly Sundsvold: Hmm Nicole Christian: you know, using my skill set, my experience, and I made their business either more efficient, more productive, help them make money, time. ⁓ ⁓ did something to help that business. ⁓ know, I will tell you though, on the flip side of that right now, when you're starting a business, those rewarding because you're out, you the bigger, struggle is trying to get the clients trying to get those projects so the time between ⁓ I feel great about it ⁓ getting the next project that downtime kind of that's hard that takes its toll so you have to find other stuff to do yes you're out there trying to get clients but what are other things you can keep doing Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: to help grow your business between those projects. was like there was the big high, the lunch and ⁓ this is great and I've got a couple of projects and then you hit the low. ⁓ And it's so what I've had to do is how do I fill that time? Shawn Sundsvold: Hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think there's so much when you start a business, right? It's like that. It's almost like boom or bust, right? It's like you get going. You've got that energy. You get your few clients. And the next thing that happens is you've got to deliver on all that work. Right. And then while you're going to deliver on all of that work, you realize that you just put all your marketing on hold only to get to the point where then you get done with the work and have to go back and hustle it to get more clients. And that cycle is just repetitive and repetitive and repetitive, right? So I think it's hard as a business owner to get through some of those points and it creates pressure, right? We feel that pressure and I'm curious, you just personally have been through a number of different things and led through some different crises, right? So ⁓ been a part of Sandy, we've been through COVID-19, know, floods have been a part of some of your history as well. I'm curious how those things that you went through shaped your to risk and resilience as a founder, you know, in your business. Nicole Christian: And this is probably not for everybody, but for me, I really felt that I thrived in those situations. You know, I remember since the more recent of all those was COVID-19 and I was in, County, Maryland at the time, and it's very, ⁓ a tourism oriented economy. And it I mean, when the shutdown happened, you're talking about stalling our entire economy. And so, real. What? doing everything possible from a personal or an individual perspective and as the leader of the chamber, how are we going to help our businesses and our community get through this and really diving into it? know, you mentioned spending hours that ⁓ it's a nine to five job. ⁓ And remember even in those situations when I was dealing with Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: with catastrophic situations or crises that putting in all the extra hours, it feels good at the end when you can see the result. So me, taking that risk of starting own business and knowing I'm gonna have to put in a lot of hours, that wasn't ⁓ even... Like I was ready for that. I was excited. And I'm working on a project, if working until all hours of the night, that's okay. Because for me, that's, ⁓ I energized doing that. But yes. Shawn Sundsvold: Mm. Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Yes, I feel that. I feel that completely. Yeah. Nicole Christian: But on the other side, Sean, where you said that whole cycle, right? The repetitive cycle, you're working on projects, okay, now it's back to ⁓ we gotta get back, get the marketing engine going again and let's try to get some customers. One of the things that I also felt in the very early stages, and I still kind of feel this way sometimes, ⁓ starting a like the basics of starting a business can be ⁓ so, overwhelming of all this stuff you have to do. You have to build your website. You have to create your marketing plan. have to, you know, there's all this stuff you have to do. this peer group that I'm a part of and ⁓ I've gotten lot of my training, my AI training, and ⁓ I'm part this big network. We have a group that meets all the time for your consulting blueprint, right? You're, if you're starting your Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: consulting business, here's your blueprint. Every week there was different stuff they're saying okay now you need to do this and you have to create your Google business profile and you have to do this and in the meantime I'm also always I have to be a continual learner because the what I've chosen to do with AI it is changing every day new tools new updates new upgrades new platforms platform where you're Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Shawn Sundsvold: Hmm. Nicole Christian: using or you knew about is now gone and it's transitioning and evolving so fast. So I'm trying to start this business, build this business and continue to learn about the, you know, the, whole AI world. It, can be really overwhelming. Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. And I, it's funny, we were talking with a client of ours, you know, within the last couple of days. And one of the conversations was, is that as a small business owner, you literally wear ⁓ single hat. And if you don't know something, you to be the one to figure it out, or you have to hire somebody out to do it, ⁓ you which I think, you know, it makes it hard to get things going because you literally have to be the expert in everything. right, when you get started on your own. Nicole Christian: Everything. mean from just like the small stuff of right, you know, obviously the financial side is a big part of your business. It's not a business if you're not going to make money. So I mean just tracking your, you know, expenditures and your receipts and everything and, and as a solopreneur, Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: ⁓ know, when you first start a business, you might be using this, this email these accounts, but then you have your business email for you. But there's else responsible for keeping up with that, but me ⁓ and tracking those expenditures and ⁓ you know, that's just part of it. Then ⁓ there's the, marketing side. I'm the one that has to do the marketing. I'm the one. ⁓ Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Kelly Sundsvold: Yeah. Mm-hmm Nicole Christian: who now I'm using AI that'll create blogs and posts and all that kind of stuff. But I'm the one who has to still it ⁓ create it and ⁓ it falls on me. ⁓ If something my website stops working, I'm the one that has to fix it. ⁓ know, if if of my equipment, how about that? You know, ⁓ if equipment stops working, it's ⁓ I'm one I can't call in I.T. and say, hey, why isn't this monitor working like it's Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Yep. Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Yeah. Nicole Christian: or whatever it is. You know, why isn't the printer? It's me. That's it. There is nobody else. Kelly Sundsvold: Right? Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Kelly Sundsvold: Yeah, I remember. So we started Gold Bear in at the beginning of 2020. you know, I was keeping track of accounting is a very weak point between Sean and I. And, you know, we both were working full time when we started this business. And so I was taking a spreadsheet and like keeping track of the finances. And I had just enough knowledge to go, ⁓ I'm supposed to get QuickBooks, but I don't even know how to work QuickBooks. And so I started doing that. So It was like probably six months into our business and I stopped doing manual like invoices like on a Google sheet keeping track of the finances. I just, an was the first person that we hired ⁓ because know, you have to be aware part of leadership and growing in your own business is being very self aware of where ⁓ your weaknesses where your strengths are and all of that. So kind of. looping in your leadership, what's been a huge shift you've had to make as a leader for your own brand? Nicole Christian: Well, I think not having a staff is one. It's huge, right? You can't delegate. There is no delegating to anyone. that was probably a big part of it. know, from startup perspective, you know, I... Kelly Sundsvold: Yeah, yeah. Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Nicole Christian: I had helped so many businesses for decades ⁓ that were starting up or that were new businesses and you know, then you have your own expertise and your knowledge for your your business is going to be. So in this case, my AI expertise. And then I have ⁓ experience for starting and growing companies. And okay, now I have to meld that together. But I you know, it's also important for us to recognize kind of what you're saying, Kelly, your limitations. so recognizing that... I have never started a business before. that in itself ⁓ ⁓ new endeavor and that ⁓ I'm of learning as I go along. And so have to give yourself a break a little bit. have to, you know, go easy on yourself. You know, don't be so hard on yourself of why isn't this happening immediately? That's the other thing. We live in this world of we want ⁓ immediate Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Nicole Christian: immediate results. When you are starting a business, even you're gonna have early successes or you're gonna have some big successes here and there, you have to have a solid ⁓ that you're gonna grow business over time. It isn't going to be an immediate success. Shawn Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: have to be willing to give yourself time and that's hard. It's hard when you come from the executive world where you had your key performance indicators and how you measured success and ⁓ you track progress and well that's because we're way down here the beginning now at the bottom and sometimes that is, you to remind. Kelly Sundsvold: Yes. Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Nicole Christian: yourself that you know you you're growing something from from this seed you're starting from scratch to not get frustrated to not get disappointed that's right let's keep the and the energy up and ⁓ and so for ⁓ learning that because I've never actually through that before it's one thing to work for an Shawn Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Yes. Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Nicole Christian: organization and you're starting a project from scratch. That's just a project or a program, but it's like still have ⁓ other that you've ⁓ measured the way to ⁓ even to that part where you're getting something new. This is different. ⁓ And you to you have to kind of go easy on yourself a little bit. ⁓ I put obviously, right? ⁓ You push yourself, but. Kelly Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Shawn Sundsvold: You'd, yeah. Kelly Sundsvold: Yeah. Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah, I think as leaders, it's, you know, especially coming from corporate world, right? Like we when as leaders, we say something we expect it gets done in, you know, 1530, 90 days, right? And when as a business owner, when you're doing it yourself, days can sometimes be unrealistic, right? Because of how much time it's going to take for you as the only person doing it, maybe to actually get it done. So just, you know, kind of talking about that and looking at Nicole Christian: It's not for long. Shawn Sundsvold: planning and things like that. What's what's coming up for you in 2026 and you're inverted and kind of a second question is how can people get in touch with you and learn more or if they want to work with you. Nicole Christian: Great, thank you. For me, one of the things that I know that ⁓ have to do ⁓ help grow that business ⁓ I'm going to be doing a lot more trainings. ⁓ Kelly Sundsvold: Mm. Nicole Christian: some online trainings. Some of those will be free. Some of those will be paid trainings that have, ⁓ know, they're specific to one aspect of AI. But doing a lot more trainings to help ⁓ that niche, my market that I have ⁓ to help try to get them on board specifically ⁓ for chambers, the EDOs, the DMOs. On the small Shawn Sundsvold: Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: business side, to do a little more, I'm going to be tailoring some marketing, targeted ⁓ utilizing ⁓ AI do where I'm trying to not give away my exact strategy. So that's hard, you know, I'm to be focusing on some businesses in a certain ⁓ regional and starting from there. So instead of just saying, hey, I'm here for the whole, ⁓ you US or the world, I'm going to actually focus on a geographic region ⁓ and try work with some of those businesses. ⁓ Shawn Sundsvold: Okay. Kelly Sundsvold: Okay. Shawn Sundsvold: Okay. Kelly Sundsvold: you Nicole Christian: are two steps that I plan to take specifically in 26 and continue with really growing. what I would call the agentic AI side. So I'm going to really be focusing on, yes, there's the general generative AI, but I'm going to be focusing a lot on creating agents and automations. That's where I feel that ⁓ will have, ⁓ is going to have the biggest impact ⁓ on businesses, whether it's an organization or small or mid-sized business, ⁓ but creating custom Shawn Sundsvold: Okay. Mm-hmm. Nicole Christian: automations and agents for businesses. really continuing because AI evolving there so keeping up my training learning the new stuff and building on that part. ⁓ And ⁓ also What I'd like to be able to do is more keynote speaking. I ⁓ reaching broader audience is at stage is would be important me. ⁓ I do have a website ⁓ www.verdientaisolutions.com ⁓ on website are full details and even shows examples. ⁓ of how you can use AI for whether you're a small business or a chamber. I've got all of those samples up there along all the services that I provide. And I offer ⁓ a ⁓ 30 consultation ⁓ for ⁓ I use ⁓ an AI test ⁓ that you take ⁓ on my It's a very basic sick test but it kind of just gets people thinking you know I think a lot of businesses and even chambers or EDOs they're like well I mean AI what what are you talking about how do you want me to know if I'm ready to use AI and this ⁓ little two-minute test or survey is is helpful for that I also have my LinkedIn page my virtual and AI Solutions LinkedIn page on there along with I'll be using some other social media ⁓ but gonna be posting tips of the week and also I'll those on the website too and I'll be putting some some ⁓ brief videos up some training but ⁓ for for the on the social media post, going to try to be posting ⁓ really snippets that I think are going to be extremely impactful ⁓ for and organizations. following my LinkedIn page, ⁓ you're going get, mean, cause it's overwhelming for even for somebody who's in the game, you hear AI and it's that's so big and so broad ⁓ where if can bring it down ⁓ to Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Nicole Christian: almost a molecular level that, you know, here's ⁓ component, here's this, see this, and to help people kind of ⁓ able to ⁓ bits and pieces. Shawn Sundsvold: Yeah. Yeah, I love that you're doing your what you can to make it bite size, right? And to make it not as scary as as it can as I think it's been it can potentially be made to be right. So we'll make sure that we have all of that information in our show description. So that way for anyone who's listening that wants to learn more about how they can bring AI into their business, you can get Nicole's information from the you know, from the description. Nicole, this was a fantastic conversation. can, and your love for AI and how to apply it really comes through. ⁓ and just wanting to help businesses apply it and make themselves better. So thank you for your heart in that. And we've really enjoyed having you on the, on the show. Thank you for being here. Nicole Christian: Thank you, Sean and Kelly. And I would just add one other thing, you know, certainly what's helped me tremendously is having a peer group or a peer network. Anybody who's starting a business who already runs a business, ⁓ that peer network that you can go to and talk about your challenges and bounce ideas off of and, you know, ⁓ whatever dealing with, ⁓ I've that to be ⁓ hugely Shawn Sundsvold: Mmm. Kelly Sundsvold: Mm. Nicole Christian: helpful. So I strongly encourage anybody to do that. But thank you so much. I really enjoyed being here. Kelly Sundsvold: Yeah. Shawn Sundsvold: Thanks, we've enjoyed having you and blessings on your new year. Kelly Sundsvold: Awesome, thanks. Nicole Christian: And to you both as well. Thanks so much. Have a great day. Shawn Sundsvold: Thanks. Kelly Sundsvold: Thanks, bye.