Your Guide Through
the AI Frontier

I break down AI so it actually fits into your everyday...
no tech degree required.

Rick Montero

Where I built the playbook

CanonScholasticJ&JBayerAccenture

Biweekly field notes from the trail... what's working, what broke, and what I'm building next.

01 — The Trail

Fifteen years behind
closed doors.
Now I do it out loud.

Canon. Scholastic. Accenture. Content and AI strategy built at the enterprise level... the kind of playbooks most people never see, let alone use.

“I'm not gatekeeping.
I'm trailblazing.”
— Rick Montero

The experiments, the frameworks, the things that actually work... I break it all down so you can use it too. No gatekeeping.

Join the newsletter →

02 — Field Notes

Dispatches from
the Trail

What I'm learning, what I'm testing, and what's worth your time in AI and content.

Tech & Tools/7 min read

I Built My Own Workout Tracker Turned AI Trainer

I had years of health data sitting in Apple Health and workout logs collecting dust in Notion. Titan connects them into a system that actually tells me what to do next.

Tech & Tools/7 min read

What a Custom Claude Skill Actually Looks Like (And Why I Built One for My Blog)

Most people use AI to write an email. I built a system that runs an entire content category. Here's what a custom Claude Skill actually looks like, including the parts that broke.

Tech & Tools/6 min read

The AI Tool Audit: How to Evaluate If a Tool Is Actually Worth Your Time

Most businesses adopt AI because they think they're supposed to. Here's the 3-step evaluation process that separates tools worth your time from expensive distractions.

Reviews & Recommendations/4 min read

Why I Ditched Warby Parker for a Local Eyewear Shop

Warby Parker just killed their home try-on program. I needed new glasses anyway, so I tried a friend's recommendation. He nailed my frames on the first try and proved that expertise beats algorithms.

Local & Community/5 min read

Small Business Spotlight: Bones and Beans Creative

A look at Bones and Beans Creative Studio... 11 years of perfect reviews, custom craftsmanship, and a founder who actually cares. Here's why Monica Baker's small business is worth knowing.

Marketing & Strategy/5 min read

What I Learned Managing Social Media for Big Brands That Small Businesses Get Wrong

Big brands aren't doing anything magical with their marketing. They just don't skip the basics. Here's what I learned at Canon, Scholastic, and Accenture that applies to any size business.

Tech & Tools/7 min read

I Built My Own Workout Tracker Turned AI Trainer

I had years of health data sitting in Apple Health and workout logs collecting dust in Notion. Titan connects them into a system that actually tells me what to do next.

Tech & Tools/7 min read

What a Custom Claude Skill Actually Looks Like (And Why I Built One for My Blog)

Most people use AI to write an email. I built a system that runs an entire content category. Here's what a custom Claude Skill actually looks like, including the parts that broke.

Tech & Tools/6 min read

The AI Tool Audit: How to Evaluate If a Tool Is Actually Worth Your Time

Most businesses adopt AI because they think they're supposed to. Here's the 3-step evaluation process that separates tools worth your time from expensive distractions.

Reviews & Recommendations/4 min read

Why I Ditched Warby Parker for a Local Eyewear Shop

Warby Parker just killed their home try-on program. I needed new glasses anyway, so I tried a friend's recommendation. He nailed my frames on the first try and proved that expertise beats algorithms.

Local & Community/5 min read

Small Business Spotlight: Bones and Beans Creative

A look at Bones and Beans Creative Studio... 11 years of perfect reviews, custom craftsmanship, and a founder who actually cares. Here's why Monica Baker's small business is worth knowing.

Marketing & Strategy/5 min read

What I Learned Managing Social Media for Big Brands That Small Businesses Get Wrong

Big brands aren't doing anything magical with their marketing. They just don't skip the basics. Here's what I learned at Canon, Scholastic, and Accenture that applies to any size business.

View all Field Notes →

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03 — Signal Fire

Your Guide Throughthe AI Frontier

Fifteen years behindclosed doors.Now I do it out loud.

Dispatches fromthe Trail

I Built My Own Workout Tracker Turned AI Trainer

What a Custom Claude Skill Actually Looks Like (And Why I Built One for My Blog)

The AI Tool Audit: How to Evaluate If a Tool Is Actually Worth Your Time

Why I Ditched Warby Parker for a Local Eyewear Shop

Small Business Spotlight: Bones and Beans Creative

What I Learned Managing Social Media for Big Brands That Small Businesses Get Wrong

I Built My Own Workout Tracker Turned AI Trainer

What a Custom Claude Skill Actually Looks Like (And Why I Built One for My Blog)

The AI Tool Audit: How to Evaluate If a Tool Is Actually Worth Your Time

Why I Ditched Warby Parker for a Local Eyewear Shop

Small Business Spotlight: Bones and Beans Creative

What I Learned Managing Social Media for Big Brands That Small Businesses Get Wrong

Come alongfor the ride

Your Guide Through
the AI Frontier

Fifteen years behind
closed doors.
Now I do it out loud.

Dispatches from
the Trail

Come along
for the ride