020: “Can You Build a Culture Around Systems?” ft. Justin Coats

🎙️ Episode Snapshot

Erik sits down with AI implementer, systems thinker, and neesh.ai founder Justin Coats for a future-forward conversation that spans war zones to workflow. From wrenching helicopters in the Marines to designing AI frameworks for SMBs, Justin's journey is anything but linear — and that’s exactly why his perspective hits so hard. Together, they explore the human side of exponential tech, the slow pace of adoption, and what it really means to lead in a world that’s changing faster than we can comprehend.

👤 About the Guest

Justin Coats is the founder of neesh.ai, a company helping individuals and organizations level up their AI literacy and integrate intelligent systems into their operations. A U.S. Marine veteran turned Amazon entrepreneur turned AI advocate, Justin’s credibility comes not just from what he knows — but from how he builds. He's hosted AI conferences, worked one-on-one with late adopters and early tech execs alike, and is committed to ushering humanity into the new era of AI-enabled work.

🧭 Conversation Highlights

• Justin’s path from military mechanic to entrepreneur to AI systems builder
• The “aha” moment when ChatGPT transformed an hour of brainstorming into a full marketing plan
• Why step 1–8 of most tasks should be handed to AI and why 9 & 10 belong to us
• The danger of confusing comfort with alignment and why this era is forcing people to reevaluate their lives
• AI as a leveler: why for the first time in history, tech might actually democratize opportunity
• What kids will grow up understanding that adults currently can’t fathom

💡 Key Takeaways

• AI is the great reset — everyone is starting at square one, and those who learn how to wield it early will set the pace for others.
• The future belongs to the generalist — people who can creatively think, spot opportunities, and wield tools.
• You don’t need to dream bigger, you need to start smaller — identifying annoying, overlooked problems can be a goldmine when paired with AI.
• The 80% trap is real — most human energy is spent on rote tasks; AI can unlock the time and space for higher-level thinking.
• We are the gap generation — caught between analog mindsets and AI-native futures, our job is to bridge the chaos into clarity.

❓ Questions That Mattered

• What’s actually happening under the hood of these “language models” and why does it matter?
• How long will humans remain “in the loop”?
• Is this tech a forcing function or just an opportunity most people will ignore?

🗣️ Notable Quotes

“We’ve trained humans for decades to be robots. Now we’re shocked when real robots do it better.” — Justin Coats

“AI isn’t taking over — it’s giving you a shot to actually think. Most of us haven’t done that in a long time.” — Justin Coats

“Humans are slow. That’s not an insult — it’s just the truth. And that’s why we build tools.” — Justin Coats

🔗 Links & Resources

• neesh.ai – Justin's company
• Check out Justin’s LinkedIn for more info about his upcoming event: AI in the West