AI Replaces Forms, Pre-Screens Job Applicants and Trains Teams with Rob Imbeault from Heartee Foods

Jun 6, 2025

Rob Imbeault, co-founder of Heartee Foods and Assent, dives into the transformative power of AI in agriculture. He shares how AI optimizes hiring processes, evaluating job candidates through language models. Discover his innovative use of voice-driven data collection for daily farm tasks, which replaces traditional forms and cuts audit times significantly. Rob also discusses how AI enhances training with interactive systems and streamlines grant applications, showcasing a future where AI reshapes farming and logistics.

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ANECDOTE

Voice Data Entry Replaces Forms

Heartee Foods eliminated forms by letting farmers enter data using voice commands on phones.
This method significantly reduced manual entry friction and improved operational data collection.

ANECDOTE

Custom AI-Driven LMS for Training

Heartee Foods built a custom LMS powered by LLMs trained on video transcripts for farm training.
The LMS enables question answering linked to specific video timestamps and tracks user queries for process improvement.

ADVICE

Design for Voice Interaction

Design interfaces to enable voice input for faster data entry and less friction.
Consider office design changes to accommodate increased voice interaction during daily work.

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In this episode of This New Way, Aydin talks to Rob, co-founder of Heartee Foods, co-founder of Assent and longtime AI practitioner, about how he’s integrating AI into every corner of his mushroom farming business — from training systems and voice-driven data entry to hiring pipelines and grant applications. Rob shares how his team replaced costly software with internal tools powered by LLMs, dramatically accelerating operations and unlocking new insights. If you're curious how AI can power real-world logistics and training — this one's for you.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro: Rob’s background in machine learning and startup journey01:15 – Building Heartee Foods and pivoting from software to farming03:00 – Voice-based data collection for daily farm operations04:50 – Replacing forms with AI-powered voice inputs06:00 – Creating an internal LMS using LLMs and video training07:40 – Why traditional audits now take 2 hours instead of 2 weeks10:00 – The power of voice in AI interfaces and workplace design12:00 – Using AI to build and query internal documentation systems13:45 – Why LLM-powered search beats traditional search16:30 – Building internal software faster than ever before20:00 – How Rob uses AI to evaluate job candidates using transcripts24:00 – Demo: Ranking resumes with NotebookLM28:00 – Using LLMs to draft government grant applications34:00 – Automating grant budgeting and narrative writing with AI36:00 – The future of coding: From dev-led to voice-initiated workflows38:00 – Rob’s advice to leaders: “Just start using it”Tools & Resources Mentioned:Fellow – For recording and transcribing interviewsAnthropic Claude / GPT-3.5 – Used to build internal toolsNotebookLM (Google) – Used to rank resumes and answer hiring questionsCursor – AI coding tool for faster software developmentSiri (macOS voice dictation) – Used for hands-free data entry and draftingCustom LMS with LLM integration – Built in-house to replace third-party toolsSubscribe at Thisnewway.com to get the step-by-step AI workflows.