Customers Ask, AI Decides!

December 26, 2025•3 min read

Jason Hackett (former McKinsey, marketing + customer experience expert) joins R. Kenner French for a fast, no-fluff conversation on how to grow a business by focusing less on the business owner and more on the customer. His #1 advice for solopreneurs and big companies: remove ego from the equation. Treat the customer as the real boss, and lead with what can be given—value first—before expecting anything in return.

They connect this idea to Kenner’s community at VastSolutionsGroup.com. Jason explains that a community’s business upside should be treated as a dividend, not the main goal. The main goal must be consistent value delivery—useful information, real help, and a reason for members to keep showing up. The takeaway: stop trying to “extract” from the community and start building something people would gladly stay in because it genuinely helps them.

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When Kenner asks how to boost engagement (since the community is still new and quiet), Jason offers three practical plays: (1) create “tentpole” events that pull attention (big-name guests, even if not scalable), (2) run meaningful AMAs on high-interest topics (tax strategies, AI infrastructure, business-building questions), and (3) the most scalable option—let community members lead. Community is not one-to-many broadcasting; it’s peer-to-peer. Bring members in to share, teach, and answer questions so the group becomes a real resource network.

They also talk about marketing for real estate agents and why “property features” aren’t the real message—real estate is an enabler, not the end goal. For commercial, agents should focus on the client’s business outcomes and how real estate strategy can minimize costs and prevent the “biggest albatross” on the P&L from crushing a business. For residential, it’s about lifestyle fit—helping families choose what supports real life goals, not just the biggest house or the flashiest location.

The conversation shifts to SEO vs. AEO (Ask Engine Optimization). AEO is framed as the natural evolution as people move from search boxes to asking nuanced questions in ChatGPT/Claude/Perplexity. The warning: don’t abandon SEO overnight—build the AEO muscle gradually, measure results, and scale it over time. The clean framework they land on is simple and memorable: Social media gets attention, community turns attention into intention, and live events convert intention into execution and retention.

takeaways

Take the 'I' out of the equation; focus on the customer.

Community engagement should be about adding value.

Real estate should be viewed as an enabling function.

Building connections within a community is vital.

Social media is essential for gaining attention.

Live events are crucial for converting interest into action.

Transparency in collaboration fosters trust among agents.

AEO is the future of digital marketing.

Business owners should allocate time to learn new marketing strategies.

Attention is the new currency in business.

Sound Bites