6 REAL Reasons Why You Need A Mobile-Optimized Website
We’ve all heard the saying, “If you build it, they will come.” But what about that other saying: “If you build it right, they&...
If you’re still dragging your feet with AI, thinking it’s too complicated or not relevant to your industry, this episode will change your mind.
Jonathan Mast is a veteran digital strategist who pivoted from agency life to building a solo brand around one thing: helping business owners leverage AI to scale smarter and work less. As the founder of White Beard Strategies and a Facebook group with nearly 400,000 members, Jonathan has become one of the go-to names in the world of AI for entrepreneurs.
In this episode of Marketing Without Rules, host Lewis Vandervalk dives into the real-world applications of AI in business, how Jonathan built his brand from scratch, and why the future belongs to business owners who know how to collaborate with AI—not compete with it.
This show is sponsored by Blue Crocus Solutions, a web design and SEO agency focused on helping home service companies grow.
If you’re a plumber, roofer, junk removal expert, or any kind of local contractor, you’re probably thinking: “I don’t need AI. I need more calls.”
Here’s the truth:
AI isn’t about replacing what you do. It’s about giving you back time, improving communication with clients, and making your systems run smoother so you can focus on what you do best.
From automatically creating email updates for project progress… to transcribing your sales calls and showing where you lost the deal… AI is a powerful assistant that’s available 24/7.
Need help writing social posts? Updating SOPs? Sending job status texts to homeowners? AI can do that—faster and cleaner than your current process.
And once you implement even one of these tools, you’ll get hooked. It’s like hiring an employee that doesn’t sleep, doesn’t complain, and always shows up on time.
“Most business owners aren’t overworked because of too much growth—they’re overworked because they’re still doing tasks AI could automate.” — Jonathan Mast
Most agency owners want to build something they can eventually sell. Jonathan went the other direction.
He leaned into his personality. His beard. His voice. His message.
He launched a Facebook group called AI Prompts for Entrepreneurs with one goal: share value, every day. He committed to posting three times daily. No sales. No fluff. Just helpful content.
He didn’t run ads. He didn’t spam people. He just showed up.
That consistency paid off. Today, people seek him out. Podcast invites, keynote stages, paid consulting gigs—it all happened because he made his knowledge visible.
And if you’re wondering if that’s replicable? It absolutely is.
You don’t need a massive ad budget to get attention. You need a point of view and the courage to post about it consistently.
“I’d spent years hiding behind a company name. When I went all-in on making the brand about me, everything changed.” — Jonathan Mast
Jonathan jokes that he’s got more ideas before breakfast than most people have all week. That used to be a problem—until AI came along.
With tools like ChatGPT, he finally had something that could keep up with his brain.
Instead of spiraling out with half-finished ideas, he could structure them, explore them, and execute faster than ever before. AI helped him extend his focus—and now, he teaches others how to do the same.
For business owners who feel scattered or overwhelmed, AI doesn’t just save time—it saves mental energy.
Start with one chaotic idea in your head, then ask ChatGPT: “Help me structure this into a plan.” That one action can turn noise into clarity.
“I use AI to focus better—not just to save time. It slows my brain down enough to finish what I start.” — Jonathan Mast
If you’re in a local trade and wondering how the heck AI applies to you—here are some ways it’s already being used:
And here’s the reality…
That’s the speed we’re operating at now.
Don’t know where to start? Try this:
Do that once a day and your customer communication score will go through the roof.
“My first transcription used to cost $20 and take a day. Now it costs 3 cents and takes under 5 minutes.” — Jonathan Mast
One of Jonathan’s favorite hacks? Train a custom GPT on your business. That means giving it all your brand info, your voice, your tone, and your service details.
You don’t need to be a coder. Just ask ChatGPT:
“Act as a business branding expert. Interview me to collect the info needed to create a custom GPT for my company.”
Boom. It’ll ask 40–60 questions, one at a time. You answer them (using the voice feature if you want to talk instead of type), and it compiles your company brain in real-time.
This isn’t just a convenience—it’s a competitive edge. Now every time you write a blog post, record a video, create a sales page, or reply to a client… it’s already infused with your tone, values, and process.
“Train your GPT once and you’ll never have to explain your business again.” — Jonathan Mast
Yes, jobs will change. But as Jonathan points out, this isn’t new.
“When the internet came out, people panicked. When engines came out, people panicked. But every time, more jobs were created than lost.” — Jonathan Mast
We’ve seen this pattern before: fear → resistance → adoption → growth.
The real threat isn’t AI—it’s inaction. If you’re spending 3–4 hours per week doing repetitive tasks (like updating clients, rewriting bios, or formatting emails), you’re leaving money and momentum on the table.
Start with one task. Delegate it to AI. Then stack from there.
“AI won’t take your business. But it will be taken by someone who uses it better than you.” — Jonathan Mast
Despite all the hype, Jonathan still does 80–90% of his work in ChatGPT. He doesn’t waste time chasing shiny tools. He masters one and uses it deeply.
He recommends:
His biggest tip?
“Use ChatGPT like a collaborator. Talk to it. Answer questions. Let it shape the output—but you guide it.” — Jonathan Mast
Also: if you want AI to sound more like you, take the free personality test at 16personalities.com and give ChatGPT your type. It’ll immediately shift the tone to match your natural voice.
You don’t need the perfect GPT. The perfect prompt. The perfect tool.
You need to show up.
The home service owners, local marketers, and small business pros who start now—while everyone else is still watching—will be the ones miles ahead when the dust settles.
You don’t need to wait for permission. You don’t need to be an AI expert. You need to take one action today that saves you time, amplifies your brand, or frees up mental space.
So grab your phone. Record a voice note. Ask ChatGPT to turn it into something useful. And repeat.
“Most people are trying to write perfect posts. I’ve just written thousands of good ones.” — Jonathan Mast
Want to follow Jonathan or see how he’s using AI to grow?
Check out jonathanmast.com/linktree for all his resources, courses, and social media.
Whether you want to train a custom GPT, create branded image content, or get practical AI help inside your business—Jonathan’s your guy.
And if you’re not ready to hire anyone yet? Just start with one of his daily posts in AI Prompts for Entrepreneurs and see where it leads.
The AI revolution is here. And it’s built for business owners who take action.
This Podcast is sponsored by Blue Crocus Solutions, a marketing agency offering website design, branding, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services for Home Service businesses.
To see more episodes of the Marketing Without Rules Podcast, visit the podcast here:
