Prior to becoming an educator, Rob Cressy was an entrepreneur. Initially, he ran a sports marketing agency and then became a high-performance coach.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Artificial intelligence changed everything.<\/p>\n
Cressy was an early adopter of ChatGPT. In fact, he began to utilize the tool the first week it came out. This experience had a profound impact on him. Cressy realized that AI\u2019s role in the future of business was undeniable. This led him to focus his coaching efforts on AI enablement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Cressy Creating organization joined the St. Petersburg-based spARK Labs by ARK Invest incubator over the summer. An announcement was made this month.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a few different ways, from almost a business ladder perspective, of how someone would work with me,\u201d he explained. \u201cI am someone who comes in as a champion for someone who\u2019s looking to grow their business from a human first perspective.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cressy Creating provides workshops, team and group coaching and one-on-one sessions. Additionally, Cressy is a keynote speaker and hosts The Undeniable Leader podcast, which focuses on entrepreneurship, AI and business growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I don\u2019t have a tech, coding or AI background, it actually helps me meet people where they are,\u201d he said. \u201cI help them build the systems, processes, mindsets and states of being to leverage AI in what they are doing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cressy believes it is essential to teach people about the technology from a \u201crelatable background.\u201d Rather than focus on the technical specifics of the tool, individuals should learn how to implement AI as an assistant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I say to my clients is talk to ChatGPT like it\u2019s an employee,\u201d he explained. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t say to your employee \u2018you tell me everything that we\u2019re going to do.\u2019 No. You\u2019re going to give clear instructions. You\u2019re going to ask them questions if they need more things for clarification. You\u2019re going to set goals and you\u2019re going to do so in a way that has a consistent cadence to it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cressy believes that people should \u201ccreate their own understanding and frame of AI.\u201d He argued that, from an ethical standpoint, \u201cthe big thing that we\u2019re going to see moving forward is going to be around a lack of authenticity and connection.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, Cressy said that students should be proactive and learn how to use AI effectively. Many schools are enforcing strict policies and consider the technology a form of cheating.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe problem is if I were going to hire a just out of college student for my company, with absolute certainty, they need to know how to use AI,\u201d he explained. \u201cThe real world, from a business perspective, is saying \u2018if you don\u2019t use it, you are behind in a skill you need to acquire to be the best.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Cressy, the decision to become a member at spARK Labs by ARK Invest was an easy one.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been a part of tech and innovation in Chicago for more than a decade,\u201d he explained. \u201cSo, it was a very natural extension. Probably the biggest thing I missed from Chicago was the community, the people and the pulse.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cressy added that spARK Labs by ARK Invest\u2019s focus on AI was particularly attractive. Many of the founders who work at the incubator have a deep knowledge of the technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAI innovation is completely normal and fluid here,\u201d he explained. \u201cIn 99% of the rest of the world, it\u2019s stranger danger or \u2018I don\u2019t have enough time\u2019 or \u2018I don\u2019t know what I\u2019m doing.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n