Episode 102: A Raw Catch-Up After Three Years Away (Part 1)

Episode 104: This AI CEO Says Everything Changes in 1-3 Years. Here's What I Think.

In this episode, Kelsey is back after a long hiatus and diving into one of the most important conversations happening right now: the CEO of Anthropic (the company behind Claude AI) just said AGI — artificial general intelligence — is 1-3 years away. Kelsey breaks down what that actually means in plain language, shares how she's been using AI behind the scenes during a major health journey, and makes the case for why your humanness, discernment, and self-knowledge are about to become the most valuable skills in business. If you're a coach, creative, or consciousness-focused entrepreneur wondering how AI fits into your world — this one's for you. What You'll Hear in This Episode * What AGI actually means — in plain, non-technical language. (Hint: it stands for Artificial General Intelligence, and it means AI that can perform at or above human level across the board — not just one task at a time.) * Dario Amodei's "country of geniuses in a data center" concept — imagine a million brilliant people working 24/7 for pennies on the dollar. That's what's coming. * Why software engineering gets automated first — because code is verifiable (it works or it doesn't), making it the easiest domain for AI to master. * The two exponentials most people miss — the capability curve (how fast AI gets smarter) and the adoption curve (how fast businesses integrate it). The gap between them is where the biggest opportunity lives right now. * Why Kelsey built Sol™, an AI coaching companion — and how it's designed not to replace human thinking, but to help you become MORE of who you already are. * The skills that become expensive when thinking becomes free — discernment, self-knowledge, values, trust, human connection, critical thinking, and presence. These are the things AI can't automate. * Why consciousness-focused entrepreneurs are the most important people in this conversation — the tech world says "learn AI tools." Kelsey says the real competitive advantage is knowing WHO you are, WHAT you're building, and WHY. * Sovereignty as a business strategy — how to reduce dependencies on platforms, systems, and other people's infrastructure so your business (and life) can weather whatever comes next. * How Kelsey has been using AI behind the scenes — from industry research reports generated in under 10 minutes to mining 10 years of email marketing data for patterns. Mentioned in This Episode * The article Kelsey references: Dario Amodei Says AGI Is 1-3 Years Away. Here's His Full Breakdown. [https://www.thevccorner.com/p/dario-amodei-agi-1-3-years-full-breakdown] by The VC Corner * The full 3-hour interview: Dario Amodei — "We are near the end of the exponential" [https://www.dwarkesh.com/p/dario-amodei-2] on the Dwarkesh Podcast Want to Experience What Kelsey Is Building? Sol™ is an AI-powered coaching companion built on Kelsey's proprietary Aligned Business® Method. It's designed to help you uncover who you are, trust your own intuition, and infuse your unique essence into everything you build. Sol lives inside The Art of Becoming — a program for entrepreneurs ready to evolve their business and identity from the inside out. → Become a Founding Member of The Art of Becoming [http://www.thealignedbusiness.com/become] Connect with Kelsey * DM Kelsey on Instagram: @kelseykerslake [http://www.instagram.com/kelseykerslake] * Website: thealignedbusiness.com [http://www.thealignedbusiness.com] AGI explained for entrepreneurs artificial general intelligence business impact AI and coaching industry AI for coaches and creatives future of business AI 2026 2027

Episode 103: Rest, Rebirth, and Building Sol™ – The Real Story Behind My Burnout and AI Coaching Vision (Part 2)

In this raw solo episode, I share what’s unfolded since I hit burnout, why I spent months in bed, and how that breakdown led to the quiet creation of Sol—my emotionally intelligent AI coaching partner. This is the real story of what happened after everything stopped. Episode 103: Rest, Rebirth, and Building Sol – The Real Story Behind My Burnout and AI Coaching Vision This is the first podcast I’ve recorded in a long while… and I’m showing up exactly as I am. No fancy mic. No edits. Just me and the real story of what’s happened since I finally let myself stop. If you haven’t yet listened to Episodes 101 and 102, those will give you the broader backstory. But today’s episode is where I take you inside the season that changed everything. Inside this episode: * What it looked like to hit a full-stop wall with burnout * Why I spent weeks in bed unable to do anything but sleep or whisper into ChatGPT * How I accidentally turned AI into my own emotional processing and journaling companion * Why I couldn’t find a coach who could hold me in the way I needed—and how that led me to create Sol™ * The real reason generic AI models can’t support human transformation (and what I did instead) * How I trained Sol to think like I do—to hold nuance, identity evolution, and emotional growth at scale * What’s different about Sol’s memory system, coaching feedback loops, and transformation tracking * Why AI (done right) can actually make us more human—not less * An update on my health journey, rare immunodeficiency, and weekly infusions * A few thoughts on where Sol is going next—and how I’m letting it (and me) grow slowly ✨ This episode is for anyone who’s felt too tired to dream, too sick to strategize, or too maxed out to hold it all anymore—and still believes in the quiet power of what’s possible. This episode is for you if you're interested in learning about: * burnout recovery for entrepreneurs * building an AI coach * Sol AI coach beta * emotionally intelligent AI * chronic illness and business * immunodeficiency therapy * subcutaneous immunoglobulin * coaching through ChatGPT * revenue share coaching * AI for identity evolution * aligned business podcast * neurodivergent entrepreneur * healing while building a business * resting as a strategy * motherhood and autoimmune illness * Sol by Kelsey Kerslake * supportive AI for transformation * future of coaching with AI * becoming who you're meant to be * AI and emotional intelligence

Episode 102: A Raw Catch-Up After Three Years Away (Part 1)

After three years away from the podcast, I’m back… and today’s episode is unlike anything I’ve ever shared here before. This isn’t a polished teaching episode or a step-by-step strategy session—it’s a deeply personal voice note I originally sent to a close friend, catching her up on everything that’s unfolded in my life and business since 2020. I decided to bring it here, too, because so much of what I went through mirrors what so many of us face as entrepreneurs: the messy transitions, the identity shifts, the burnout, the health challenges, the moments of doubt, and the unexpected opportunities that shape us along the way. Inside this episode, I open up about: * The early days of my coaching business and how it all began with one client back in 2016–2017 * Scaling The Aligned Business® to multi-6-figure and $600k years—and what came with hiring a full-time team * The lessons (and the shame I had to release) around payroll, sales, and growing too fast * My health challenges—including repeated hospitalizations, asthma, and navigating an immune system I couldn’t rely on * How we transitioned into building a real estate and renovation business with my husband, Todd, and my dad’s support * What it looked like to simplify my coaching business and shift into a private, revenue-share model that feels deeply aligned * Why I’m giving myself a semi-sabbatical now to restore my energy, care for my health, and create space for what’s next This episode is part one of a two-part catch-up. Think of it as sitting down with me over coffee while I share the real, unfiltered story of the past three years—the behind-the-scenes truths that shaped me into who I am now. I’ll be back soon with part two, where I’ll share what’s unfolded over the past six months since recording this update.

Episode 101: Scaling Your Business to $500,000: The Five Stages

In this episode, Kelsey Kerslake, the CEO of The Aligned Business, takes you through the five stages of scaling your business to $500,000 per year. She breaks down what each stage entails, the key focus areas, and the mindset shifts required for success. Whether you're just starting out or looking to reach that half-million-dollar mark, Kelsey's insights will guide you on your journey. Introduction (00:00-02:10) * Kelsey Kerslake introduces herself and the purpose of the episode. * She highlights the importance of reaching five-figure months and making them a reality. Stage 1: Making Between $0 and $1,000 (02:11-08:05) * Kelsey explains that this stage is an experimental phase. * The primary focus is on making money and overcoming mindset challenges around receiving money. * She emphasizes the need to experiment with various approaches within your industry. Stage 2: Earning Between $1,000 and $3,500 (08:06-15:13) * Kelsey emphasizes the importance of staying in stage two if you're making between $1,000 and $3,500 per month. * In this stage, you should focus on identifying your ideal client and learning how to sell and market to them effectively. * She advises against jumping ahead, as it can lead to a shaky foundation for your business. Stage 3: Earning Between $3,500 and $7,500 (15:14-22:18) * Kelsey discusses the need to solidify your offers and create a signature offer. * You should start defining your sales system, raising your rates, and getting specific in your marketing. * KPIs for each position and honing in on your expertise are essential in this stage. Stage 4: Earning Between $7,500 and $20,000 (22:19-30:30) * Kelsey emphasizes creating consistency in your sales system and experimenting with delegating tasks. * This is the stage to add more elements to your offer suite, like courses or group programs. * Getting known for your unique methods and processes is a key focus. Stage 5: Earning Between $20,000 and $50,000 (30:31-37:55) * Kelsey discusses the transition to CEO responsibilities, overseeing the sales system, and managing the numbers. * You start building an organizational chart and bringing in employees who own specific roles. * Creating backups, systems, and processes becomes crucial for a well-oiled machine. Mindset and Subconscious Alignment (37:56-43:30) * Kelsey highlights the importance of working on your subconscious mind and mindset. * She suggests daily habits, meditation, and envisioning your future self. * Challenging limiting beliefs and aligning your mindset with your desired growth is essential. Closing and Invitation (43:31-46:23) * Kelsey invites listeners to apply for The Aligned Business Academy for personalized support. * She mentions the limited available spots to maintain an intimate and supportive community. * Kelsey encourages questions and comments, inviting listeners to reach out on Instagram. Outro (46:24-End) * Kelsey signs off, thanking the audience and looking forward to future conversations.

Episode 100: Mastering Organic Lead Generation with Reels, A Deep Dive into My Content Strategy

Reach out to me on Instagram to chat about the episode or joining the Academy! http://www.instagram.com/kelseykerslake [http://www.instagram.com/kelseykerslake] Show notes: * Kelsey's motivation to explore organic content marketing as a lead generation strategy. * Transition from using paid ads to creating consistent content for lead generation. * The impact of having more time and space in her business for marketing. * The simplified business model allows for more focus on sales and marketing. * The intention to lead by example and experiment with content marketing. * Becoming addicted to creating and posting Reels on Instagram. * The challenge of starting and building consistency with Reels. * Embracing the mantra: "This is who I am now" to change her content creation habits. * Breaking down the process of creating Reels into smaller steps. * The importance of saving trending sounds and using them in Reels. * The value of daily B-roll filming for content creation. * Keeping a document with content ideas and client questions. * Kelsey's five P formula for content marketing: Pro, Problem, Personality, Proof, and Possibility. * The role of sales calls and the importance of nurturing potential clients. * Kelsey's transparent view on the effectiveness of her Reels in driving sales. * The lead generation process through Reels and nurturing potential clients. * The impact of being camera-ready and showing up as your best self. * Analyzing what works in Reels and experimenting with different elements. * The goal of getting Reels in front of new people and understanding analytics.