
AI for Founders with Ryan Estes From pro snowboarder to AI CEO: Nicole Donnelly’s founder story
Jun 2, 2025
48:04
Nicole Donnelly, Founder of AISmartMarketing.com
Overview:
Nicole is a former pro snowboarder turned AI strategist, now helping businesses of all sizes adopt practical, impactful AI tools. In this conversation, she explains how AI can help small businesses scale, survive economic shifts, and automate without losing their human touch.
Key Takeaways:
- 75% of small businesses haven’t adopted AI yet—major opportunity.
- Google search volume is down for the first time ever—AI search is rising.
- AI is the bridge through the $1M and $10M growth “valleys of death.”
- Use case: AI agent built to forecast sales based on seasonal weather patterns.
- Gemini excels in math; ChatGPT delivers better insights.
- AI + automation = more creativity and happier teams.
Frameworks & Methodologies:
4D Framework:
- Diagnose – Audit existing processes
- Design – Create an AI strategy
- Develop – Train and test tools
- Deploy – Scale intelligently
Training Ladder:
- $197 self-serve course
- $997 live course (4 weeks)
- $5,000+ certification programs
- $10K+/day in-person training
Resources:
