One Chapter Ahead in AI

I remember the first time I watched Catch Me If You Can. I walked out of the theater with my friends, and before we even got to the parking lot, they had already turned to me and said, "That character is you." Not the con-man part, of course (let’s clear that up before the FBI comes knocking), but the resourcefulness, the ability to adapt, and always seeming to be a few steps ahead. My friends agreed those are my superpowers.

There’s one scene from the movie that has stuck with me for over 20 years. Early in the film, Frank Abagnale Jr., played by Leonardo DiCaprio, pretends to be a substitute teacher. Despite having no teaching credentials, he manages to successfully teach a class simply by staying one step ahead of the students. He even starts planning a field trip for them, further cementing his role as their teacher. His ability to confidently step into a role and figure things out as he goes resonated deeply with me. He did this merely by reading the chapter on that day’s lesson plan the night before so he knew the material.

That concept changed my life.

For years, I’ve lived by this philosophy. Any time I’ve felt out of my element or like I was in over my head, I leaned into it. When I first started selling houses, I had never even bought one myself. But I stayed up late studying the material, making sure I was always one chapter ahead of my clients. Over time, those chapters stacked up. Eventually, I wasn’t just ahead. I was an encyclopedia of real estate knowledge. And if I ever encountered a question I didn’t know, I saw it as an opportunity to research, learn, and add it to my growing library of expertise.

This approach led me to become the youngest and fastest to receive the Realtor of the Year award at NHMR in 2017, my second year in the industry, an award you can only win once in your career. This concept also allowed me to eventually be featured in Real Trends as one of the top 100 realtors in the country, ranking #67 out of 1.2 million agents. These milestones weren’t just shiny trophies. They were proof that mine and Frank’s method of staying one step ahead really worked. More importantly, this allowed me to scale my first business, my real estate brokerage, by mentoring others using the same principle, being one chapter ahead of their career.

Since then, I’ve applied this mindset across my businesses—whether it was learning sales techniques, hiring strategies, operational efficiencies, or leveraging new technologies to drive success. From building and leading a thriving real estate brokerage to launching and scaling ASK Insurance, Atlas Investments, and Tru You Design & Development, I’ve built a career by staying one chapter ahead.

But here’s the thing—after years of running and scaling traditional businesses, I started to feel like I had mastered the playbook. These companies now run like well-oiled machines, with incredible teams handling the day-to-day while I operate as more of a chairman, offering executive influence and strategic vision. It’s a great place to be, but I’m someone who craves variety, challenge, and the next frontier.

Enter AI.

AI is the complete opposite of my current businesses. Real estate, insurance, and development have remained relatively unchanged for over 100 years. AI, on the other hand, evolves at lightning speed. What’s advanced today is outdated by next week. That excites me. It forces me to get uncomfortable, to adapt, and to push myself into an entirely new arena. And just like Catch Me If You Can, it keeps me on my toes. This time, I’m not the one being chased. I’m the one chasing AI.

I have no background in tech. I am not a coder. I did not build a software company. But that doesn’t mean I can’t dive into AI and learn everything I can about how it will impact business, particularly traditional industries like mine. So, I’m taking my one chapter ahead philosophy and applying it to AI.

This blog is my journal, my open book. That’s why I’m calling it One Chapter Ahead in AI - because that’s the philosophy I’ve used to grow my businesses, and it’s the same approach I’m taking to AI.

It’s for those of us who aren’t tech gurus or Silicon Valley insiders, but who recognize that AI is coming fast, and we want to understand it.

I’ll share what I’m learning, what excites me, what confuses me, and what challenges me the most. I’ll also talk about how I’m actively implementing AI into my traditional business models that typically have slow technology adoption and minimal innovation. What’s working, what’s a waste of time, and what I wish I knew sooner.

I don’t have all the answers. But I promise to always be one chapter ahead, sharing what I know so you can apply it too.

Welcome to my AI journey. Let’s figure this out together.

Catch me if you can...!