B.O.O.S.T. Podcast
B.O.O.S.T. Podcast
From Curiosity to Coach Kelly AI: Harnessing Innovation with Kelly Leonard | EP163
How are you currently using (or resisting) AI in your personal or professional life? In this episode, Kelly chats with Claude Jennings to reflect on her journey with artificial intelligence (AI). Together they explore lessons learned, challenges faced, and the launch of Coach Kelly AI; a new offering designed to help leaders and business owners B.O.O.S.T.® their business success with clarity and confidence through innovation.
This episode is both a behind-the-scenes look at Kelly’s own transformation and a roadmap for others seeking to embrace innovation while staying rooted in legacy and impact.
Try Coach Kelly AI [complimentary for a limited time]: www.kellytleonard.ai
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Website: www.kellytleonard.com
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This is not an opportunity for you to just sort of set wisdom on the shelf, set discernment on this on the shelf. The AI tool is designed to answer the question. However, it also requires that you, as the user, are asking good questions or asking the right question. And so, because it's going to typically yield a response directly in response to your question. And so the better you are at asking great questions, the better your results are going to be in any AI platform.
Claude Jennings:Today we are flipping the mic to spotlight someone whose work is transforming how business leaders tap into new markets. I'm talking about the host of the Boost Podcast, the one and only Kelly Leonard. She's not only a strategist, coach, and community builder, but she's also driving headfirst into the world of AI. From earning an AI certification to launching Coach Kelly AI, she's blending legacy with innovation in powerful ways. Today, we're going to unpack her journey and what it means for the future of business relationships and impact. I'm Claude Jennings, and this is the Boost Podcast.
Announcer:Welcome to the Boost Podcast, the podcast created to ignite your business and career potential. In each episode, hosts Kelly Leonard and her guests dive into one aspect of Kelly's signature boost framework, ensuring you get practical, actionable insights, tips, and takeaways to build your brand, optimize relationships, obtain more leads, secure thought leadership space, and tap into new markets. And now, here's Kelly Leonard.
Claude Jennings:So today, Kelly, number one, welcome to the Boost Podcast. Thank you, Claude. It's one of the rare opportunities we get to hear from you as an expert of the field. And I I said this before and I'll say it again. I really feel as if we should have more episodes where you, you know, give your expertise on what you're doing and stuff like that and how you're able to help people. Um but we have wonderful guests, but I feel like you should be a guest a little more often than than we have you as a guest because you're wonderful as at what you do. So let me just jump in uh to it. We're talking about AI and we want to uh uh jump into Kelly AI in a second. But when people think of the artificial intelligence, you see a couple of different responses. One, people love it, they dive in, they do all the things, download all the apps, they do all the tests and try different things, and then some run from it scared. I don't want to deal with it at all. But what drew you to explore AI and have that curiosity to see, oh, well, let's see how we can kind of get involved in this thing and use it to our benefit.
Kelly Leonard:You know what? Real talk, I'm married to a technologist, and so Jerome was like, sweetie, you need to get on board or move out the way because well, and in all seriousness, it's like I do like I would like to think that I'm a bit of a lifetime learner, so I'm always up for learning something new. And I am a big believer in the fact that, okay, with when new technology comes out, especially given all of the buzz around AI, that it would behoove us to sort of learn and adapt as best as we can. And so really that I think was a driver for me, and maybe a little bit of FOMO, I don't know. Um, so fear of missing out and not being, you know, as aware of what the technology and what this tool can do to help me to operate more efficiently in life and in business.
Claude Jennings:And awareness is big because I remember when, remember when the chips on the debit cards first came out, and then you could do touchless things. There were people who were freaking out about that. They were like, well, why does my debit card need a chip on it? What do you mean, touchless? Just wait, what's this? You know, and then and then when your phones could look at your face or your fingerprint, why does my phone need my fingerprint? And then now we use this like it's everyday things. So as someone who was back and forth about it, what surprised you most as you began to learn and experiment with AI?
Kelly Leonard:I think the ease really, because like when you think about other technologies where it requires, oh, I've got to go to school for you know four years, I've got to get this fancy certificate, I need to know how to code, I need to know all these things. It's really the fact that the the technology is accessible and simple enough that really you just need to have the desire to want to learn more about it. Um so really I think that's that's what's played a lot into it for me.
Claude Jennings:Yeah, and what's funny is you know, people say, Well, I don't know about this AI thing. And it's like, well, when speaking of generative AI, yeah, that's pretty much new to the consumer, but people have been using AI for a while now, like decades. You know, whether it's your you know, um Google search engine engines or whatever search engines you use, like we've been using AI for a while, it just hasn't been described in this way. And now it's like, oh, there's no need to panic. You've been using it um for a while. Now, one thing you've been doing for a while is helping countless business owners grow through your Boost framework. Um let's talk about how AI has expanded your ability to serve and to scale, especially when it comes to tapping into new markets.
Kelly Leonard:Well, so here's the thing all of us have the same 24 hours, right? And so that's the one sort of resource that we can't make more of. We can't make more time. And what I'm finding, however, is that the need in the marketplace is plentiful. There are so many people, especially because of, you know, with furloughs and people transitioning and, you know, either being laid off or, you know, having a life epiphany, and they're like, you know what? I want to figure out something that I actually want to do and enjoy in life. There were a couple of challenges in the marketplace that I really wanted to address. One was how do I multiply myself? Because I had literally had a client one time share with me, oh my gosh, if I could just duplicate you and like take you home, that's what I would do. So I could have you, I would have you all the time. And so I was like, hmm, that's interesting. So that's one thing. The second thing was I was finding that a lot of my ideal client, my ideal buyer, um, because of the squeeze of the economy, because of people losing their main sources of income. So um, you know, being able to afford or pay for my services became cost prohibitive for a lot of people. So I was trying to address time and then also the amount of money, so the investment that was required to at least tap into the services. And so as I was going through, I got you referenced the certificate that I received from University of Maryland, Artificial Intelligence and Career Empowerment, as I was going through that certificate, and then as I was just reading everything that I could, listening to podcasts, all those things, I was like, you know what? I should train an AI agent in my boost methodology. So build your business, optimize relationships, obtain more leads, secure thought leadership space, and then tap into new markets. If I could train an agent to understand how to use the frameworks in the context of questions that clients might ask me, then I could, number one, address the issue of time, because through AI, this agent is available 24-7. And I could also potentially address the financial investment that people would need to make because it becomes less expensive, more affordable to chat with my Coach Kelly AI, the agent, as opposed to real life Kelly Leonard.
Claude Jennings:Sure. Yeah. No.
Kelly Leonard:So yeah, so those were sort of the the um the drivers of why I have been going on this journey to develop Coach Kelly AI.
Claude Jennings:So a couple things. You talk about chain uh training an agent. Um I heard a phrase a couple of months ago where uh so many people in C-suites and and not even in a C-suite, just in other uh positions in corporations and in entrepreneurship are building a digital workforce, meaning they are using AI tools and apps to do things, whether it's schedule, uh link uh scheduling calendars and things like that, um, and even writing up proposals or editing their own stuff to where they build a whole team of a workforce. It's all digital, it's all AI. Um, and and and and the thing is you have two different sides of that. You can have someone who says, Okay, well, I can do this and I don't need an executive assistant, but then you can have an executive assistant that says, I'm gonna learn all these AI tools and bring it to the marketplace so I can help people do it. Talk a little bit, if you don't mind, about how I've heard this this this cliche. It's not gonna take it's it's not gonna take jobs, it's going to allow a new job market of people who aren't afraid to use it. Talk a little bit about that digital workforce and how because I've even seen people with families like AI assistant is like that digital nanny where it's like with here's the meal prep plans of what we're trying to do, uh, where can we find it for uh cheap on the budget? Uh organize the family calendar, we want to make sure we do this. Talk a little bit about like using AI as your digital workforce or your digital nanny even at home.
Kelly Leonard:Child, you already answered the question. Well, but yeah, to your point. To your point, though. Yeah, and so the idea is that how can we again learn and adapt so that we can use the tool in order to create efficiency in our life, whether it's our business life or our personal life, because yeah, to your point, the conversation is that yes, some jobs are going to be um are going to evolve. Sure. They're going to evolve, some will perhaps disappear. And the individuals who then occupy those spaces are oftentimes going to be people who have learned and who have adapted to use the tools so that there is greater efficiency inside of workspaces, inside of homes, um, just in being able to help help us to just navigate life in a more efficient way.
Claude Jennings:100%. And don't be afraid of AI because you think it's going to take your job. Think about a way that you can utilize AI to expand your role exactly where you are. So it's it's kind of a mindset. So let's talk about Coach Kelly AI. I went to the website. I love what it looks like. What is it? Who is it for, and how does it reflect the heart of your work?
Kelly Leonard:It's for the same person that Taylor Leonard Consulting is for. So for an individual who perhaps is navigating a job transition, for an entrepreneur who's looking to perhaps start or scale their existing business, for someone who perhaps is in an early career professional who's just trying to figure out okay, how can I tap into someone who has 30 plus years of experience in varied industries, whether it's for-profit, nonprofit, you know, global organizations, healthcare, financial services. How can I really tap into someone's expertise who I know like trust? Because here's the other thing is, you know, like some people might say, well, why would I go to Coach Kelly AI? Like I could just go to Chat GPT. Well, yeah, you could. However, you don't know necessarily who you're chatting with, as opposed to in Coach Kelly AI, because I'm continuously training the agent using my voice, using my values, my skill set, my lived experiences, you at least know that, oh, okay, I know Kelly, even if it's just that I know her by way of listening to the Boost Podcast, or I know Kelly because Kelly, I was a previous client of Kelly's, or I know Kelly because I know her through the you know business community, the faith community, what have you. But knowing that on the other end of that question is someone who is has your best interest in heart. Um, now, mind you, of course, there's all sorts of disclaimer language related to um Coach Kelly at AI as well, because it's not me. It is the technology, and we know with technology nothing is, or with humans, nothing is 100%. I mean, even in my one-on-one coaching, I might give someone coaching guidance or ask them a question that may be a little off at times because we're all human. We're gonna have good days, bad days. Same thing with the tech. There may be hallucinations, things like that. But again, the spirit of the technology is that because it's been trained in my frameworks, in my ways of doing business, in my lived experience, you know that you're gonna be able to tap into the, I guess, the AI version of the Kelly Leonard that you perhaps know personally.
Claude Jennings:And for a lot of people who aren't well versed in AI, I think that's an important distinction to make. The fact that it's not some generic um, you know, whether it's ChatGPT or Gemini Ask AI uh responding to you. It is literally Kelly Leonard curating the responses through different scenarios and things like that, which you can actually even ask AI to help form that uh to make sure that what is being given is all kind of Kelly Leonard approved. And by the way, we'll talk about this, how people can get involved and stuff like that and what to expect. I'm pretty sure if there's a question or something, they can reach out to you. Absolutely. Or even ask AI to clarify it. And so I mean I don't I don't think people have to say, well, why would I go to Kelly Leonard AI? I don't know. It's like, well, it's it it it's a great introductory because a lot of times we'll get these prompts that will give us the idea or will point us in the right direction, and you may not need the human Kelly to tell you exactly what to do because the AI bot helped you. And so if only 10% of the questions you have need to be clarified by Kelly, that's a great deal to use Kelly AI.
Kelly Leonard:Absolutely, absolutely. And again, because it's available 24-7, it's like, you know, when you think about the fact that so often so many of my clients are like, I can't get to you until for another two weeks. It's like, yeah, because I have limited availability. However, if you were to tap into the AI, you'd have, you know, basically in your pocket, at your fingertips, um, be able to get sort of that that guidance, that feedback, that information to help you to move forward with confidence and with clarity.
Claude Jennings:And I understand what it is. It's it's it's um a framework based on all the things Kelly curated in it. So when someone um uh goes to the website and we'll we'll share that coming up uh in a second, uh, and they uh you know uh subscribe to the Kelly AI, what is it that they can expect?
Kelly Leonard:They can expect an experience that provides them with confidence and clarity. So to your point, they can ask anything. So it's literally it's a platform where you can ask absolutely anything, although, again, the the um the intention, the motivation behind the development is really uh focus in on professional and professional development, so career enhancement, as well as business expansion, so entrepreneurship, small business, professional. I mean, I guess you could go in there and ask for a recipe because you hosting Thanksgiving dinner, or you could perhaps say, you know, my my little brother is getting on my nerves, and so how do I approach it? So you could ask anything, literally, but the intention is for the tool to be used in a way to help you to boost your business success, whatever that might mean to you.
Claude Jennings:Yeah. And so if someone's listening right now and they're curious, but they're like, I'm kind of on the fence with this. I don't I don't know what's one mindset shift or one change in their thinking that you think would help them to at least begin exploring AI as a tool for growth, not as a dictator or boss, but just like something they can add to their toolbox, like a search engine or whatever else people use, you know, uh to help them grow their business.
Kelly Leonard:Yeah, I think it's just a matter of just dipping your toe in. Um and also going into the process, knowing that, okay, the the the tool, AI, is gonna give you an answer. Is it the answer? It it could be and it could not be. You know, this is not an opportunity for you to just sort of set wisdom on the shelf, set discernment on this on the shelf. The AI tool is designed to answer the question. However, it also requires that you, as the user, are asking good questions or asking the right question. And so, because it's gonna typically yield um a response directly in in response to your question. And so the better you are at asking great questions, the better your results are gonna be in any AI platform.
Claude Jennings:Okay, so you convinced me. We want to try Coach Kelly AI. How do we get more information? Where do we go? What do we do?
Kelly Leonard:The easiest way to do it would be to go to www.kellytlenard.ai. So very similar to my website, so kellytleonard.com, but just swap out the dot com for dot AI. So that is the URL that will take you directly to the landing page for the Coach Kelly AI agent.
Claude Jennings:And by the way, this is the actual Kelly Leonard doing this interview. This is not Coach Kelly AI.
Kelly Leonard:This is not, this is not, this is not an AI agent doing the because it's funny. Claude, you know what? It's so funny that you should say that because I don't know about you, but I can tell when an a a podcast is done through AI. Like it's got these awkward, like robotic sounding pause, and yeah. Yeah. Or like it's got these weird, really like robotic sounds. And so, yes, to your point, this is actually Kelly Leonard in the first.
Claude Jennings:Anything you hear weird in our podcast is not weird robotics, it's weird humanism.
Kelly Leonard:It's just us being quirky.
Claude Jennings:Kelly Leonard, the real one. Thank you so much for joining the Boost Podcast. And you need to be a guest on this podcast more.
Kelly Leonard:I would love to be.
Announcer:Thank you for tuning in to the Boost Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please like and rate the show and share it with a friend. Also, don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Every other week, we'll empower you with practical, actionable insights, tips, and takeaways to boost your success.
