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I sat down with Michael Shimeles to talk about the most approachable path into building with AI. We got into why you don’t need to be technical to start building powerful AI automations, how to sharpen your edge as a non-developer, and why “just building stuff” is the most important thing you can do right now. We covered tools like Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Make, n8n, and Gumloop, and even talked about wrapping these workflows in simple web apps. We also explored AI-first product ideas, smart ways to escape the “tech bubble,” and how beautiful design can become your moat.

You can find Michael on X at https://x.com/rasmickyy and check out what he’s working on at http://rasmic.xyz/

Here are direct links to all the tools, platforms, and APIs mentioned in the episode:

🛠️ AI Models & LLMs

Claude (Anthropic / Cloud Code): https://claude.ai
ChatGPT / OpenAI: https://chat.openai.com
Gemini (Google): https://gemini.google.com
Perplexity AI: https://www.perplexity.ai
Grok (xAI / Twitter): https://x.ai

⚙️ Automation & No-Code Tools

N8N (Workflow Automation): https://n8n.io
Make.com (formerly Integromat): https://www.make.com
Zapier: https://zapier.com
Gumloop: https://gumloop.com
Replit (Browser-based IDE & AI dev): https://replit.com

💳 APIs & System Integration

MCP (Multimodal Communication Protocol): https://www.anthropic.com/news/model-context-protocol
Linear (Project Management): https://linear.app

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
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Learn more about me: https://www.chrisjkoerner.com/
Business ideas shorts channel: ⁨@thekoernerofficeideas (https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCzjpCGEXR7BU-_SJSl59CGQ)
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AI-enabled accounting software, because Quickbooks SUCKS: https://lazybooks.com/
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00:00 Unlocking Opportunities with Automation
03:06 The Future of AI Agents
05:53 Navigating the Learning Curve of Vibe Coding
08:47 Building Useful Automations
12:09 Embracing the Pain of Learning
15:03 Creating Unique Solutions in Your Industry
17:56 The Importance of User Experience
20:49 Choosing the Right Tools for Automation
23:43 The Role of MCP in LLMs
26:58 Finding Opportunities Outside the Tech Bubble
29:50 The Value of Industry Knowledge
33:02 Designing Beautiful Applications
35:55 The Future of Non-Technical Creators
38:50 Final Thoughts on Learning and Building
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For the Algorithm:

#TKOPodcast #ChrisKoerner #MichaelShimeles #HoldCoBros #AItools #ClaudeAI #ChatGPT #GeminiAI #AutomationTools #BuildWithAI #VibeCoding #NoCode #LowCode #LLMs #AgenticWorkflows #OpenAI #Zapier #MakeCom #N8N #Gumloop #TempleBuild #CloudCode #AIautomation #MCP #UXDesign #ProductDesign #BuildInPublic #AIForBusiness #AItools2025 #SaaSIdeas #NonTechnicalFounders #StartWithAI #BuildAutomations #Claude4 #AIWrappers #AIProducts #AIstartups #VibeAutomating #QuickWinApps #AIAPIs #AIUXMatters