Jeff Bullas

Hook: Aaron, love the “decision rule” focus. One small refinement to make this bulletproof: before VPH ranking, pass every task through a simple impact gate. Only Medium/High 90‑day impact items can compete for your top spots. That stops tiny, low‑impact tasks with sky‑high VPH from crowding out the real work.

Context: Eisenhower + Value per Hour (VPH) is a big upgrade. Add an impact gate and a confidence tweak, and you’ll get cleaner picks, fewer firefights, and more progress on what compounds.

What you’ll need

• 6–12 tasks you’re considering in the next 14 days.
• A chat-style AI assistant.
• Your calendar and a simple place to log delegations.

How to run it (fast)

1. List each task with: deadline (if any), effort hours, and a rough 90‑day impact (High/Med/Low).
2. Paste the robust prompt below. The AI will classify, score, and propose next actions.
3. Apply the impact gate: prioritize only Medium/High 90‑day impact items. Low stays, but it won’t beat real work.
4. Calendar the top 3 within Urgent & Important. Then schedule one Important/Not Urgent deep‑work block.
5. Delegate Urgent/Not Important with a micro‑brief; keep one approval checkpoint.
6. Drop or explicitly defer the rest with a review date.

Copy‑paste prompt (robust and ready)

Classify and prioritize my tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix with a confidence‑adjusted Value‑per‑Hour. For each task, output: 1) Quadrant [UI, INU, UNI, N], 2) One‑line reason (≤10 words), 3) 90‑day impact [High=3, Med=2, Low=1], 4) Confidence [High=0.8, Med=0.5, Low=0.3], 5) Effort hours, 6) Cost of Delay per day [High=3, Med=2, Low=1], 7) Deadline proximity [3 ≤48h, 2 ≤7d, 1 ≤30d, 0 none], 8) VPH‑C = (impact×confidence)/effort, 9) Urgency boost = cost‑of‑delay × deadline proximity, 10) Priority Score = VPH‑C + 0.2×urgency boost, 11) One immediate action: Schedule (date/time), Block X hours (when), Delegate to [role] with a 3‑bullet brief, or Drop/Defer (date), 12) 90‑day impact label (H/M/L). Then: a) Apply an impact gate—rank first all tasks with 90‑day impact High/Med; list Low separately, b) Rank by Priority Score within each quadrant, c) Propose calendar blocks for the top 3 overall this week (include day/time), d) Generate a 3‑bullet delegation micro‑brief (desired outcome, key info, deadline) for all UNI items, e) Flag any tasks that unblock a High‑impact UI/INU task.

Quick example (what good output looks like)

• Prepare board update — UI — Reason: due Friday, major stakeholders — Impact 3, Conf 0.8, Effort 3h — VPH‑C 0.8 — Urgency boost 6 — Priority Score 2.0 — Action: Block 90 mins Wed 9:00, 90 mins Thu 9:00 (High)
• Customer case study draft — INU — Reason: drives pipeline over 90 days — Impact 3, Conf 0.5, Effort 4h — VPH‑C 0.375 — Urgency boost 0 — Priority Score 0.375 — Action: Schedule Tue 1–3pm deep‑work (High)
• Vendor renewal email — UNI — Reason: time‑sensitive but low leverage — Impact 1, Conf 0.8, Effort 0.5h — VPH‑C 1.6 — Urgency boost 2 — Priority Score 2.0 — Action: Delegate to Ops today; brief: outcome, terms, due COB (Low)

Insider tricks

• Impact gate first: Only Med/High 90‑day impact tasks can claim your prime calendar real estate.
• Confidence matters: Ask the AI to lower scores when data is thin; you’ll avoid chasing mirages.
• Unblockers: If a small task unblocks a High‑impact item, treat it as UI for today and clear it fast.

Mistakes and quick fixes

• Over‑scheduling: Cap deep work at two 90‑minute blocks per day; park the rest.
• Everything looks urgent: Re‑run with “impact‑first” and reduce urgency weight to 0.1.
• Dollars feel fuzzy: Use the 3/2/1 impact points; faster and consistent.
• Delegations bounce back: Add a “definition of done” and one checkpoint to every brief.
• Under‑estimating effort: Ask the AI for a range and schedule the 75th percentile.

Daily 3‑minute cadence

1. Paste new tasks, re‑run the prompt.
2. Accept the top 3 by Priority Score (after the impact gate).
3. Calendar blocks, issue delegations, and drop one Low‑impact item.

One more prompt (60‑second check‑in)

Given yesterday’s outcomes and today’s calendar, re‑score my list with the same method. If no free 90‑minute window exists for a top UI/INU task, suggest the first reschedule I should make and why. Return a shortlist of three: 1) do now (90 minutes), 2) schedule this week, 3) delegate today.

1‑week plan

1. Day 1 (20 minutes): Run the robust prompt, calendar top 3, delegate UNI with micro‑briefs, set review dates for deferrals.
2. Days 2–4 (5–10 minutes): Re‑run, protect deep‑work blocks, clear one unblocker daily.
3. Day 5 (15 minutes): Check metrics: % time in INU ≥40, top UI started ≤24h, delegation within 24h.
4. Day 6: Add a recurring weekly block for your highest‑ROI INU item.
5. Day 7: Note wins, drops, and one tweak to the prompt (e.g., adjust urgency weight).

Closing thought: Eisenhower decides the bucket. The impact gate and confidence‑adjusted VPH decide the first move. Put those moves into your calendar or a delegate’s hands, and the needle moves.

Onwards,Jeff

Hook: Want a usable storyboard and shot list in under 30 minutes? AI gets you there — fast — if you feed it the right brief and follow a simple checklist.

Why this works: AI excels at turning clear inputs into structured outputs. It won’t replace your director or DP, but it will give you reliable drafts to iterate from — fewer meetings, fewer surprises on set.

What you’ll need

• One-paragraph script or treatment
• 2-sentence creative objective (message + mood)
• Scene beats with rough durations (seconds)
• 3 mood keywords or 3 reference images
• Any constraints: budget band, camera, lenses, locations

Step-by-step (do this)

1. Write the 2-sentence objective — force clarity.
2. Break the script into 3–8 beats and assign seconds to each.
3. Run a director-focused AI prompt to get 2 visual options per beat.
4. Pick your preferred visuals and run a production pass to convert into shot specs (INT/EXT, framing, camera move, lens suggestion, estimated minutes).
5. Create simple storyboard image prompts for your top shots and generate or hand the prompts to an artist.
6. Export the final shot list to a spreadsheet, mark priorities and time estimates, then review with DP/PM 48–72 hours before shoot.

Copy-paste AI prompt (quick 5-shot win)

Project title: “[TITLE]”. Creative objective: “[one-line message and mood]”. Script (one paragraph): “[paste script]”. Scene beats with durations: “[beat 1 – 5s; beat 2 – 8s; …]”. Mood keywords: “warm, contrasty, energetic”. Constraints: “budget: [low|medium|high], camera: [model], max crew: [number], locations: [list]”. Output: 1) A 5-shot sequence covering opener and closer: number, INT/EXT, action, suggested framing, camera move, approximate duration, and one visual reference keyword. Keep language simple. 2) For each shot give a short production note: lens choice, tripod/handheld, minimal gear, and estimated minutes to shoot.

Worked example — one-paragraph script + 5-shot mini shot list

Script: “A young woman opens a bakery door at dawn. She breathes in, smiles at the empty shop, turns on the oven, and places fresh croissants on a cooling rack for a customer who will arrive later.”

1. Shot 1 — INT, 5s: Wide doorway shot as she pushes the door; framing: 3/4 wide; camera move: slight push-in; visual: warm morning light. Prod note: 24mm, tripod, 8 minutes.
2. Shot 2 — INT, 4s: CU of her face inhaling; framing: close-up; camera move: static; visual: soft highlights. Prod note: 50mm, handheld or small rig, 6 minutes.
3. Shot 3 — INT, 6s: Mid-shot of her switching on the oven; framing: waist-up; camera move: pan to follow action; visual: tungsten glow. Prod note: 35mm, tripod, 10 minutes.
4. Shot 4 — INT, 6s: Insert of croissants being placed on rack; framing: close macro; camera move: rack focus; visual: buttery texture. Prod note: 85mm macro, tripod, 8 minutes.
5. Shot 5 — INT, 5s: Wide of empty shop with warm light, croissants in foreground (closer); framing: wide with foreground interest; camera move: slow dolly out; visual: inviting. Prod note: 35mm, dolly/slider, 12 minutes.

Common mistakes & fixes

• Too-vague brief — Fix: force a 2-sentence objective before you prompt.
• Skipping durations — Fix: require seconds per beat to get realistic timing.
• Trusting AI visuals without DP input — Fix: run a production pass and review with DP.

1-week action plan (fast)

1. Day 1: Write objective + gather 3 mood images.
2. Day 2: Run director pass; pick top visuals.
3. Day 3: Run production pass; build spreadsheet shot list.
4. Day 4: Create storyboard prompts and generate frames.
5. Day 5: Review with DP/PM; lock the list.

Closing reminder: Use AI for drafts and options — make humans the final call. Start small, iterate, and lock the shot list 48–72 hours before the shoot for calm, confident production days.

Quick hook: Yes — AI can help you create ad creatives and copy that convert for a side gig. But only if you use it like a hypothesis machine, not a magic wand.

Here’s a simple, practical way to turn AI ideas into measurable wins without getting lost in tech.

What you’ll need

• Ad account (Facebook, Instagram or Google)
• One best-performing headline or your core offer sentence
• 1–3 images or a 10–15s video
• A spreadsheet to track results (CTR, CVR, CPA)
• An AI chat tool (ChatGPT, Bard, or similar)

Step-by-step (do this in 60–90 minutes)

1. Set the goal & baseline: define a conversion (sale, lead). Pull last 30 days CPA, CTR, CVR.
2. Collect assets: headline, product USP (one line), 2 customer pain points, an image or short clip.
3. Run the AI prompt: paste the prompt below and ask for headlines, body copy, CTAs, and image captions.
4. Create variants: pick 6–8 combos (change one element at a time: headline or image).
5. Launch low-budget tests: set a small daily spend per variant that will get 200–500 clicks across the test if possible.
6. Measure & decide: after enough traffic, compare CPA/CVR. Pause losers and double spend on winners.

Copy-paste AI prompt (core — use as-is)

“You are an expert ad copywriter for small businesses. Product: [brief product description]. Audience: [age, interests, main pain point]. Offer: [discount/free trial/lead magnet]. Objective: [sale or lead]. Produce: 6 short headlines (max 30 chars), 6 medium headlines (30–60 chars), 4 body copy variants (short 90 chars, standard 125–150 chars, long 200 chars), each in a different tone (direct, empathetic, curious, urgent). Provide 6 CTAs and a 2-line image caption highlighting the main benefit and next step. Keep language simple and focused on results.”

Prompt variants (faster or more creative)

• Fast test: “Give me 10 headline variants for: [one-sentence offer]. Keep each under 30 characters.”
• Story angle: “Write 3 short ad stories (125–150 chars) that start with a customer pain and end with the benefit and CTA.”

Example (quick): For a side gig selling handmade cutting boards: use the AI to produce headlines like “Chop in Style” or “Lasts for Years”; pair with a close-up image and test two headlines across the same image.

Common mistakes & fixes

• Testing too many variables: test one change at a time.
• Trusting impressions over conversions: focus on CPA/CVR.
• Running AI copy without editing: always human-edit for clarity and brand voice.

7-day action plan (quick)

1. Day 1: pull baseline, collect assets.
2. Day 2: run prompt and select variants.
3. Day 3: build 6 ads in ad manager.
4. Day 4: launch low-budget tests.
5. Day 5–6: watch CTR/CPC, pause clear losers.
6. Day 7: evaluate CPA/CVR; scale winner and iterate new copy.

Reminder: start small, test often, and let data tell you what to scale. AI gives you many ideas — your job is to turn a few into measurable wins.

That’s the central problem for every company page.

Quick Answer: A good starting point is the 80/20 rule. Eighty per cent of your content must provide value to your audience, while twenty per cent can be promotional.

You must see your page as a media channel, not a billboard, which means using different content formats for different goals.

The eighty per cent value component is where you build trust, and it should be a mix of formats. This includes insightful text-based posts that teach your audience something, behind-the-scenes image content that humanises your brand, and employee-spotlight video content that showcases your company culture. These formats are designed to earn audience engagement and loyalty. Only after you have consistently delivered that value have you earned the right to use the other twenty per cent of your content. This is where you post your promotional formats, such as a polished video demo of your product, a text-based case study with a link, or a clear call-to-action image. This mix works because the high-value content builds an audience that will tolerate, and even act on, your promotional content.

Cheers,

Jeff

That’s a valid question, as profile sections can lose relevance.

Short Answer: Yes, it absolutely matters, but its importance is highly industry-specific. For technical, academic, or medical roles it is critical proof; for most other roles, it’s a minor detail.

You must see that section as a formal archive for your most high-authority, text-based content.

The ‘Publications’ section is a static, text-based repository. In expert-driven fields like science, law, or R&D, it functions as a powerful, non-negotiable signal of your credibility. However, you cannot rely on people to find this content on their own; you must actively merchandise it. First, you should take your most impactful publication and add it to your ‘Featured’ section, perhaps as a direct link or a PDF image of its cover, as this visual format is far more prominent. Second, you must repurpose that dense text into more accessible content. You can write a new, short text post for your main feed that summarises the key finding, or even record a short video about why that research matters. The ‘Publications’ section is the formal library; your ‘Featured’ section and your main feed are the active shopfront for that same content.

Cheers,

Jeff

This is a critical question for building a smart content strategy.

Quick Answer: You must ignore vanity metrics like Reach and Impressions, and focus only on the action-based metrics for your content: Replies, Sticker Taps, and Exits.

These specific metrics are the only ones that tell you what your audience is actually doing in response to your image and video content.

It’s easy to get lost in all the data, but most of it doesn’t help you make decisions. The most important metric for any Instagram Story is ‘Replies’. A reply is a direct, text-based conversation starter and the strongest signal of engagement you can get. Your next most important metrics are ‘Sticker Taps’ and ‘Link Clicks’ as these show you that a viewer took a specific, physical action on your content. The final metric you must track is negative: ‘Exits’. This number shows you exactly which piece of video or image content made someone abandon your Stories entirely. You should analyse your ‘Exit’ rate on every single Story frame; if a particular format is causing people to leave, stop making it.

Cheers,
Jeff

That’s exactly the right way to be thinking about it.

Quick Answer: Proactive engagement on Instagram is about starting conversations based on your followers’ text, image, and video content, not just waiting for them to comment on yours.

This is how you turn a passive audience of viewers into a genuine, loyal community.

You’ve already mastered reactive engagement, which is the baseline. Proactive engagement is the next level and it’s what the algorithm loves to see, as it signals a real relationship. This strategy involves a few key actions. First, you should dedicate time each day to engaging with the actual feed content from your followers; this means leaving thoughtful, text-based comments on their image and video posts, not just a generic emoji. Second, you should watch and reply to their Stories; this is a very high-value interaction that lands you directly in their DMs as a personal message, not a public comment. Finally, you can even proactively start a non-salesy text-based conversation in the DMs with a new follower who perfectly fits your ideal customer profile, just to welcome them.

Cheers,
Jeff

This is one of the most confusing parts of Facebook advertising, so it’s a great question.

Short Answer: Facebook’s “daily budget” is not a strict daily cap but an average spend over a calendar week. Facebook may spend up to 25% more than your daily budget on any given day if it sees a good opportunity.

The system is designed to automatically spend your money more efficiently, so it overspends on high-opportunity days and underspends on low-opportunity days to balance out.

Think of your twenty-dollar daily budget as a one-hundred-and-forty-dollar weekly budget ($20 x 7 days). Facebook’s algorithm analyses your ad’s performance and, if it identifies a day with a lot of high-quality traffic, it will spend more to capture those extra results, which is why you see spending of twenty-three or twenty-four dollars. The system is designed to compensate by spending under your budget on other days. The most important rule to know is that while Facebook may exceed your daily budget by up to twenty-five per cent on any single day, it will never charge you more than your daily budget multiplied by seven over a calendar week.

Cheers,

Jeff