Call Summary: Life Transitions, AI Business Struggles, and Vision vs. Operations

Overview

Gary and Chris reconnected the day after Thanksgiving to catch up on major life changes. Both have experienced significant career pivots, with Gary's Tulsa opportunity falling through and Chris moving back from Bangkok to care for his mother while struggling with his AI agency. The conversation explored themes of character over intelligence, surrendering to God's plan, and the tension between building organizations versus focusing on creative vision.

Key Topics Discussed

Gary's Tulsa Experience and Character Lessons

• Failed Partnership: Gary was 100% sure he would work with the Tulsa billionaire, but discovered significant character issues
  • Billionaire had "two bastard kids" present at family Thanksgiving, creating awkward dynamics
  • His legitimate children showed signs of distrust and mental health issues
  • Pattern of over-promising: told Gary to come, then staff said they weren't expecting him
  • Gary had already given up his Austin lease based on the promise
• Key Learning: "My new motto is character is more important than intelligence"
• Previous Betrayal: Similar experience with Edge City where promised 30% equity became 2.5% offer
• Current Situation: Three-month spiritual sabbatical ending in baptism
  • Now working with existing network on their businesses
  • Being woven into deals by mentors
  • Staying with a friend in Austin temporarily

Chris's Bangkok to Santa Fe Transition

• Mother's Health Crisis:
  • Mother fell 1.5 months ago, initially seemed okay
  • Later couldn't walk or drive due to MCL issues
  • Chris realized she had minimal support system in Santa Fe
  • Made decision to move back from Bangkok (November 13, 2025)
• Visa and Timing:
  • Bangkok lease was ending November
  • Visa expiring, hadn't completed DTV application
  • Thailand changed tourist visa rules right after he left
  • "The universe conspiring" - perfect/forced timing

AI Agency Business Struggles

• Rapid Growth then Crisis:
  • Started in March 2025, quickly got "a ton of work" through Upwork
  • Hired Filipino developers to scale
  • One project estimated at 2 weeks took 2.5 months with double the resources
  • Had to let go 2 of 3 developers
  • Currently "majorly in the hole" - going into debt personally financing the company
• Technical Focus:
  • Specializes in AI calling infrastructure for trade businesses
  • 24-hour AI receptionists, appointment booking, estimates
  • Has "killer pipeline" using Claude Code daily
  • Top-rated Upwork profile provides endless leads
• Identity Crisis:
  • Hesitant to pivot LinkedIn from 15 years of immersive entertainment background
  • Doesn't want to become another "AI evangelist"
  • Considering: continue business, get day job, or both
  • Applied to Meow Wolf in Santa Fe - "cosmic joke if I got hired back"

Vision vs. Organization Building Pattern

• Key Realization: "The further I've gotten into building the business, the further I've gotten away from my vision"
  • This is second time experiencing this pattern (One World, now AI agency)
  • Recognizes his greatness is in vision, not operations
  • "Do I run into other people who have vision a lot? No."
• Creative Process Description:
  • "Whenever it happens, for me, Gary, it's like a conduit opens up... from the spirit, bro"
  • "White hot creative energy just flows through me"
  • Can see complete movies in his head
  • Easiest to express with another human present as audience
  • Recording alone has "so much more friction"

Future Vision and Content Creation Goals

• What He Wants to Create:
  • "I want to be talking about God and spirituality and AI and technology and the future of human civilization"
  • Envisions communities of 10,000 people with 3D printed housing
  • AI-controlled energy, net-positive carbon
  • "Everybody's living like college or summer camp"
  • Intergenerational communities with perpetual learning
• Content Strategy Shift:
  • Considering using VO3 and Sora to visualize visions
  • Would rather write newsletter about vision than business automation
  • "Maybe I just need to be writing that down and amplifying that"
  • "Maybe it's not my job to be the CEO or start the organization at all"

Romantic Relationship Ending

• Breakup with Alexandra (Ukrainian architect/artist):
  • Dated since April 2025 in Bangkok
  • Initiated breakup day of call due to distance and incompatibility
  • She wanted to fight for relationship; he didn't
  • Admitted poor communication: "I'm afraid to have the conversation"
  • Realized needs partner who shares optimistic vision
  • Self-reflection: "For all I feel so confident in... my romantic communication skills when things are challenging, it's just like zero"

Medieval Billionaire Story (Gary's Alpha Schools Experience)

• Shocking Discovery: Billionaire having affair with married employee
  • Employee's husband also works for billionaire for 20+ years
  • Whole family financially dependent on billionaire
  • Gary: "It's totally medieval"
  • Reflection on sovereignty and dignity vs. money
  • "Do you need... I mean, I think it's more than fine to have great ambitions for how much your cash flow is... but primarily, if you're able to get into a situation where you have some sense of sovereignty"

Gary's Neurodiversity and Complementary Skills

• Aphantasia: No visual imagination or inner monologue
  • Consequence: Always needed to-do list apps
  • Benefit: Truly listens without preparing responses
  • God "gives me the words" when needed
  • Natural absorber/listener role
• Potential Collaboration: Complementary skills with Chris's visual abilities

Key Quotes

On Character and Trust

• Gary: "My new motto is character is more important than intelligence"
• Gary: "If you're willing to do that, there's no amount of compromise that would make me trust you again"

On Vision and Purpose

• Chris: "The vision has nothing to do with me or what I want... it's spirit flowing through me"
• Chris: "Maybe I don't need to build any kind of organization at all, like, ever"
• Chris: "I want to write about the intersection of technology and philosophy and spirituality and humanity"

On Life Philosophy

• Chris: "I'm surrendering to God's plan... I'm not gonna abandon my mom to pursue my dreams"
• Gary: "Man plans, God laughs"
• Gary: "The main product is the person that you have become"
• Chris: "Nobody's gonna take away who I am. Whatever circumstance I end up in"

On Success and Building

• Chris: "It may finally just completely let go of trying to build some software company... and then it might just happen by accident"
• Chris: "I keep thinking that I need to have all of these skills around building an organism... now I'm starting to think maybe I just need to figure out how to write down... getting my vision out into the world"

Action Items and Mutual Support

Chris's Options Moving Forward

1. Continue AI agency and try to recover financially
2. Get full-time job (possibly Meow Wolf) and wind down business
3. Hybrid: Day job plus scaled-down agency
4. Focus on vision/content creation with basic income support

Gary's Encouragement

• Offered to be first Substack reader if Chris starts writing
• Suggested complementary collaboration given their different thinking styles
• Emphasized Chris has greatly increased market value with AI skills
• Reinforced that learning from experience is most valuable

Mutual Recognition

• Both experiencing God's redirection in unexpected ways
• Both value sovereignty and dignity over pure financial gain
• Shared interest in consciousness, God, AI intersection
• Pattern of high-intelligence but low-character people causing problems

Themes and Insights

Professional Identity

• Chris struggling with identity shift from immersive entertainment to AI
• "A million people building content and brands around AI"
• Wants authenticity: "110% me, just like in my element"
• Recognition that vision is his unique contribution

Family and Responsibility

• Both confronting parents' aging and future care needs
• Chris chose mother over Bangkok life and business growth
• Gary's parents telling him the caregiving role will flip soon
• Theme of surrendering personal ambitions for family

Business Philosophy

• Question of whether visionaries should build organizations at all
• Pattern of losing vision when managing operations
• Possibility that sharing vision alone creates the needed momentum
• "The scale... maybe that's not as important as I've made it to be"

Spiritual Growth

• Gary's three-month sabbatical ending in baptism
• Chris surrendering to God's plan with mother
• Both seeing redirections as divine intervention
• Faith providing framework for processing setbacks

Relationship Dynamics

• Deep vulnerability and honesty between them
• Chris: "Thanks for being the kind of person I can just like... here's the real deal, bro"
• Gary as natural listener/absorber
• Mutual recognition of rare depth in their conversations
• Both part of small group with "vision and deep core drive for humanity to have a positive outcome"

Next Steps

• Gary will invite Chris to worthwhile events in Texas
• Chris remains open to Austin visits
• Potential collaboration on vision/content projects
• Continued support through respective transitions