How to use AI without sounding like a bot (w/ Shea Karssing)

How to use AI without sounding like a bot (w/ Shea Karssing)

If you've ever scrolled past a LinkedIn post and immediately thought "ChatGPT wrote that" — you're not imagining it. There's a name for it: AI beige. And it's quietly making most brands invisible. This week I sat down with content strategist and copywriter Shea Karssing to unpack why so much AI-generated content feels hollow, what's actually causing it, and how to use AI as a collaborator instead of a shortcut. We get into the 80/20 rule for prompting, why your input matters more than the model, and the counterintuitive idea that AI has actually raised the bar for human writing — not lowered it. If you use AI in your creative or content work, this one's worth your time. Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de) ———————————————— More about this episode's guest: Shea Karssing is a writer based in South Africa. She is the author of Freelance Like a Boss, South Africa's first go-to guide for freelancers.After years of side-hustling alongside full-time jobs, Shea took the leap into full-time freelancing nine years ago and hasn’t looked back.She’s passionate about continually levelling up, refining her services, sharpening her skills, and helping others build successful, sustainable businesses.Shea has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Rhodes University. She loves waking up every day, being her own boss, and wearing activewear exclusively. Links: Follow Shea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheakarssing/ Visit her website: https://sheakarssing.com/ Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C896QZ3B/ Take her 'Win 1 New Client in 5 Days' email course: https://skarssing.systeme.io/win-1-new-client-in-5-days

SEO is dead. Now what? (w/ Steven van Wyk)

SEO is dying -- and if you're not paying attention to what's replacing it, you're already behind. In this episode, I sit down with digital marketing strategist Stephen van Wyk, who's just completed a deep-dive course in AEO -- Ask Engine Optimization. It's the emerging discipline that determines how your brand shows up in AI answers, and it's changing the rules of digital visibility entirely. We cover: what AEO actually is (and why it's more than a rebrand of SEO), why small brands have a real shot at standing out, why consistency beats authority, and what most businesses are getting wrong about how AI already perceives them. If you have a brand, a business, or anything online -- this one's relevant. Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de) -------------------- More about this episode's guest: Steven van Wyk is a marketing and AI-transformation strategist... though he remains a theatre kid at heart. He’s driven by a love of building ideas and helping others bring theirs to life. For Steven, strategy lives at the playful intersection of data and imagination, where insight becomes something you can actually build, test, and scale. His work focuses on how organizations adopt new technologies  (like AI) without losing the human creativity, judgement, and culture that make great work possible. During his MBA in the Digital Economy, he developed practical frameworks to help companies navigate AI-enabled marketing transformation and rethink how strategy, tools, and teams fit together. Steven works across consulting, research, and creative industries, helping brands and founders translate complex technology shifts into clear strategy, practical systems, and compelling storytelling. Originally from South Africa and now based in Europe, he brings a Global South perspective to conversations about technology, governance, and innovation. He is particularly interested in how AI can expand human creativity and agency rather than replace it... and how organizations can design systems that make that possible. Website: thestrategicaim.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stevenvanwyk

The cost of visibility, and reclaiming power online (w/ Sonja Woolff)

If you’re building a personal brand, you need to understand this: Visibility is not neutral. In this episode, I sit down with Sonja Woolff to unpack the real cost of putting yourself out there online. We talk about the attention economy, the myth of manufactured authenticity, and why building from the inside out is the only sustainable way to show up. We also dive into the cognitive load women carry when they’re visible. The expectations. The critique. The comment sections. The pressure to look good and sound good at the same time. The way their male counter-parts don’t have the same cognitive loads. And then we get practical: What does reclaiming agency actually look like? Where is the line between authenticity and oversharing? How do we balance putting ourselves out there authentically, with protecting our self-image? If you’re trying to build something online without losing yourself in the process, this one will resonate. Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de) -------------------- More about this episode's guest: In her first year of business, Sonja knocked it out of the park. Business was easy. Until it wasn't. Her biggest client was gone. Lying on the couch staring at the ceiling, she felt depleted. That painful moment turned out to be pivotal. She realised she'd been exceptionally good at building everyone else's brands throughout her career, but never her own. Hiding behind their success, numbly pacified by the excuse that she played a part in it. But that wasn't good enough for her anymore. She wanted agency. A name for herself. And in the process of finding her own voice, she discovered her passion: helping women find theirs. Now, as Founder and Creative Director of HER, Sonja works with women who've spent careers elevating everyone else while staying invisible themselves. Together, they build brands rooted in strategy and storytelling that create magnetic visibility. At a time when visibility equals opportunity, Sonja treats personal branding for what it actually is: a deliberate act of ownership. A space where women stop waiting for permission and start building the brands that are unmistakably theirs.

Why online communities matter now more than ever (w/ Candice Grobler)

What actually makes an online community work — and why do some feel nourishing while others quietly drain you? In this episode, I’m joined by Candice Grobler, a community strategist who has spent years building, running, and supporting online communities from both the inside and the outside. We talk about how communities became lifelines during the pandemic, why information alone is no longer enough, and what really makes people stick around. Candice shares deeply practical advice on how to show up without pitching, how to engage authentically (even if networking makes you anxious), and why transformation beats content every single time. Whether you’re looking to join a community, participate without burning out, or build one that genuinely helps people grow, this conversation is full of grounded, human insights you can actually use. Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de) -------------------- More about this episode's guest: Candice Grobler is the founder of Candid Collab, a community consultancy helping community builders fix their systems and make money. After a CPTSD diagnosis and being labeled "unemployable," Candice created a new model where neuro-diverse entrepreneurs thrive through mentorship, systems, and community. She transforms chaos into streamlined workflows and turns inconsistent income into steady revenue. Her presentations combine honesty with practical strategies, because life's too short to build someone else's empire. Candice helps founders increase revenue, reduce burnout, and build self-marketing communities without expensive agencies or compromising their values. Blog https://candidcollab.com/subscribe LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/candid-cands/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@CandidCollab Instagram https://www.instagram.com/candidcollab/ Pinterest https://za.pinterest.com/candidcollab/

Algorithms know what you like. Do you?

We trust algorithms with our taste more than we trust ourselves. In this solo episode, I reflect on how feeds quietly shape what we consume, what we think we like, and how we see ourselves. From preference vs taste to feedback loops and creative flattening, this is a short, philosophical look at what happens when convenience replaces curiosity. This isn’t about deleting apps or rejecting technology. It’s about paying attention again, creating a little friction, and remembering that engagement isn’t the same as self-knowledge. Hosted by: Jomiro Eming (www.jomiro.de)