Whenever I sit down with a client or mentor over a meal — at a local diner, a hibachi counter, or a Brazilian churrascaria like Fogo de Chão — we connect on a level that a Zoom call just can’t replicate. It’s not just the endless cuts of picanha and crispy pork belly; it’s the opportunity to slow down, put our phones away and really listen to each other. It’s about paying attention to body language, celebrating wins with a shared plate, and building trust.

When I’m at a MEAT-ing, I’m present. My phone stays in my pocket so I can make eye contact and ask thoughtful questions. Instead of racing through an agenda, we share stories and ideas. The lessons I’ve learned over meals — like asking about someone’s family, or offering to help beyond what’s expected — have opened more doors than any technical skill I’ve ever learned.

That’s what we teach in our program. Yes, you’ll gain the technical skills to build and scale AI-powered campaigns, but the young adults who truly succeed are those who show up early, stay late, do the extra work and genuinely care about the people they’re serving.

You can’t fake empathy with ChatGPT. You can’t hide behind a keyboard when you’re sitting across from someone sharing a steak.

So if you’re a young adult dreaming of leading an AI agency, remember: your next breakthrough might not happen in a classroom or in code. It might happen over a sizzling plate of meat. Make time for MEAT-ings, develop your people skills, and watch how quickly your network — and your business — grows.

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From the very beginning, I embraced the program’s hands‑on approach to learning. In candid videos filmed in coffee shops and around dinner tables, I talked about how I never imagined I’d be running digital ad campaigns or using AI tools to automate workflows. At first, I just wanted to learn a skill. But after a few weeks, I realized I could use AI to build real campaigns for local businesses—and get paid for it.

This realization changed everything. Some of my favorite memories are of working from my laptop on the road. We’d be driving to a client meeting and I’d be optimizing a Facebook campaign from the passenger seat. Those moments showed me that you don’t need an office to get great results—just good Wi‑Fi and the right systems.

The program also provided a sense of community. Whether we were hiking a mountain or brainstorming ad copy, there was always someone to bounce ideas off. We push each other, we laugh together, and we learn together. It feels like a family.

Standing at the summit in that video, I talked about how my new skills have given me both confidence and purpose. If you’re a young adult wondering what’s next, I hope my story shows that you can learn high‑value skills, serve real clients, and have fun doing it. I’m excited to keep sharing these experiences as I continue to grow.

To learn more about how you can join me in this journey, check out High‑Rise Influence’s AI Apprentice program at highriseinfluence.net/ai-apprentice.

Over the months that followed, I realized that learning AI tools isn’t about sitting in an office all day. Our “classrooms” were as diverse as the projects we worked on: laptops balanced at diners while sharing sushi, improvised work sessions in the back of a van on the way to a client meeting, and brainstorming sessions at picnic tables overlooking mountain valleys. The program taught me that what matters is doing the work—not where you do it.

One of my favorite memories was hiking through Red Rock Canyon with a camera in hand. I recorded a two-minute reflection at the summit, explaining how learning to run Facebook and Google ads had given me confidence and purpose. It hit me then that this journey isn’t just about mastering software; it’s about discovering that I can make a real difference for local businesses using these tools.

I also found a community of like-minded people. Whether we were editing videos or experimenting with ChatGPT prompts, there was always someone around to offer feedback or encouragement. That sense of camaraderie carried me through the tougher days when campaigns underperformed or code didn’t work as expected.

High-Rise Influence’s AI Apprentice program at highriseinfluence.net/ai-apprentice.

Thanks for following along. I’ll keep sharing these stories as long as I keep climbing.