The System That Runs Without You

Welcome to The Real Work, weekly insights for high-performers and entrepreneurs who've outgrown their current success and are ready to rebuild from their authentic foundation.

Today's newsletter is brought to you by Stanley, because your best ideas shouldn't die in the algorithm.

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100,000 views on a LinkedIn post I dictated while making my daughter alphabet soup.

That's not a flex. That's what happens when you stop guessing at what works and let a tool do the heavy lifting.

​Stanley is an AI that turns your thoughts, stories, and experiences into LinkedIn content that actually performs. It interviews you to pull out your best ideas, sends you tailored content prompts every week, and helps you sound like yourself instead of a robot.

As a father of four, I don't have time to study copywriting formulas. Stanley lets me create content that gets results while I'm living my actual life.

Try it free for 3 days with my link. And if you sign up, let me know. I'll send you my favorite writing tips I use alongside the tool.

And now, let's get started . . .

Winter break was supposed to be time with my kids.

And it was. We did the whole thing. Movies. Games. Way too many snacks.

But if you're an entrepreneur with young kids, you know the tension. You're physically present, but part of your brain is running calculations in the background. How do I keep the business moving without missing these moments?

I couldn't get much "real" work done. So I defaulted to what I know. Systems. Automation. Building things that work while I'm not working.

At 3am, while everyone was asleep, I built something I'd been putting off for months.

The Problem I Was Solving

Here's where most small business owners get stuck.

You can generate ideas fast. Content ideas. Product ideas. Lead magnet ideas. But turning those ideas into tangible assets? That takes forever.

You need a designer. Or a developer. Or both. And suddenly your "quick idea" is stuck in a queue for weeks.

I wanted a simple system that moved people from social media → newsletter → value → revenue. Affiliates. Coaching. Speaking. Whatever.

But I didn't want to wait around for someone else to build it.

What I Built

I used a tool called Lovable to build an app that walks people through how I manage my business in about 10 hours a week.

Quick clarification. The 10 hours is for growth and management. The actual delivery, speaking gigs, coaching calls, creating content, that's separate. The point is that the business itself doesn't need my constant attention.

The app shares my full stack. Every tool I use. How it all connects. And it links back to my newsletter with affiliate links built in.

I called it STACK.​

The Flywheel

Here's why this matters.

A flywheel is a system where a few initial actions create momentum that builds on itself. You push it once, and it keeps spinning.

Here's how mine works.

I post content about my life. Kids. Gym. Work. How do I balance it all?

At the end I say, "DM me STACK."

On Instagram, Stan's auto-reply sends the app link automatically. On LinkedIn, me or my team replies directly.

The app delivers value. Captures their email. They join the newsletter.

Affiliate revenue is built into the app.

Repeat.

All I have to do is talk about my life. The system handles the rest.

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Proof It Works

I built the first version at 3am during winter break.

I built one for a friend in 15 minutes.

I built one to accompany a $170,000 brand partnership pitch in 20 minutes. It showed them exactly what I could bring to the table through my use of technology.

These aren't polished. They're shipped. I can update them verbally whenever I want. The point isn't perfection. The point is progress.

The Bigger Point

This is the future of entrepreneurship.

Not "AI will replace you." But "AI lets you build faster."

Think about what you could create.

A coach could build an agent that diagnoses where clients are stuck and recommends the right program.

A consultant could build an intake tool that qualifies leads before a sales call.

A creator could build an interactive version of their best content that captures emails.

The old way. Have an idea → wait for designer → wait for developer → launch weeks later.

The new way. Have an idea → build it yourself in Lovable → launch the same day.

I'm not saying it's super easy. I'm saying it's extremely possible. And it's faster than you think.

I Know This Might Sound Confusing

Look, I get it. Creating an app or an agent for your business sounds complicated. And honestly, it will sound confusing until you actually try it.

All you have to do is literally talk. You describe what you want. The tool builds it for you.

This is one of those moments where you have a real opportunity to stop and work ON your business instead of IN your business. So that all the work you do going forward is way more efficient.

Think about it. Now for every single post I put up on Instagram or LinkedIn, whether I'm talking about work or doing a tire flip, I can say "Hey, you want to see how I get all this stuff done? Check out these tools."

And just like that, I have a way to get people off social media and onto my newsletter by providing real value.

If I did this with a bunch of kids running around during winter break at 3 in the morning, trust me. You can do this too.

But this is how we have to start thinking. Things are moving fast. And we can't keep up if we choose not to.

Your Turn

If you're interested in building something like this for your own business, let me know. We can talk about how I might be able to help you build your own.

Or if you just want to try it yourself, here's a link to Lovable. It's a pretty cool tool. No code required. Just describe what you want and start shipping.

Either way, stop waiting for permission. Start building.

Stay Up,

Terry

Real Quick Want to see what I built? Check out STACK here. Poke around. Steal ideas. That's what it's there for.

One More I also built one called BUILT that walks through my fitness and nutrition program. It's primarily built for men like me who are over 40 and just trying to stay in shape while raising their family and advancing their career. You can check that one out here.​

Last One If 2025 taught me anything, it's that the right conversation at the right time can change everything. I do 1:1 coaching calls where we cut through the noise and get you unstuck, whether that's around your business, career, or personal growth. Book a call here.​

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