The Information Age brought prosperity, access, and knowledge to billions. But that era is ending. In this episode, I argue that the Information Age has already given way to a new era: The Augmentation Age.

We no longer need to know everything—AI tools and digital memory hold that for us. Knowledge workers are being replaced. Google doesn’t send us to information; it delivers the answer. Designers, coders, lawyers, and writers are being augmented—or automated.

So what’s next? We explore the new economy of augmented labor—where hands-on skills matter again, trades thrive, and entrepreneurs are free to build leaner, faster businesses with AI as their co-pilot. I share how we’re already augmenting our bodies and minds—digitally, chemically, and mechanically—and what this means for the future of work, leadership, and strategy.

Whether you're a business owner, coach, or creative, this episode will help you understand what's ending—and what to do next.

🔧 Topics covered:

• Why the knowledge economy is fading
• How AI is replacing—but also empowering—creators
• Why labor and trades will thrive
• What entrepreneurs should automate first
• The power of early adoption in the Augmentation Age

📌 Takeaway:

You don’t need to fear AI—you need to build with it. Systemize, automate, and get ahead of the curve.

Sault Ste. Marie is at a tipping point.

In this long-form episode, I explore the six critical challenges our city is facing—and how we can turn the tide. From economic fragility to the drug crisis, from government reliance to leadership voids, I offer bold but achievable ideas to help the Sault thrive again.

This isn’t political. It’s personal. And it starts with honesty, unity, and hope.

Why our population, wages, and workforce are in decline

What’s actually working to reduce drug use (hint: we can borrow from Vancouver and Portugal)

Why government grants and consultants won’t save us

What comparing Sault, ON and Sault, MI reveals about entrepreneurship

Why hope is the greatest growth strategy of all

How leadership (using the CALM model) can unite us around a real plan

📚 Sources (select highlights; full links in show notes):

Opioid death rates – Ontario

Portugal’s Drug Policy Model – Drug Policy Alliance

[Insite Vancouver – CMAJ & The Lancet](https://www.cmaj.ca, https://www.thelancet.com)

Sault College & Algoma U international student stats – SooToday

Building permit values – City of Sault Ste. Marie

Employment data – Statistics Canada

Let’s save the Sault—together.

🔗 businessisgood.com

Connect with Chris Cooper:

Website - https://businessisgood.com/

What if your business could grow without more risk or more work?

In this episode of BusinessIsGood, I unpack the powerful concept of intrapreneurialism—where staff build businesses inside your business. It’s not just delegation or profit-sharing; it’s about giving your team a platform to grow something remarkable while you both win.

I’ll define what intrapreneurialism really is, break down the value for staff and owners, and share five real-world examples from service industries (including one from the fitness space). Plus, I’ll give tips for structuring revenue-sharing and avoiding common pitfalls like overpaying, underexplaining, or doing too much of the work yourself.

If you're a founder who wants to scale impact and reward great people—without adding overhead or stress—this episode will show you how.

🔗 businessisgood.com

Connect with Chris Cooper:

Website - https://businessisgood.com/

Description:

In this episode of BusinessIsGood, we delve into the timeless wisdom of Sun Tzu's The Art of War and explore how its principles can be applied to today's service-based businesses. Discover how to:

• Leverage strategic deception to outmaneuver competitors.
• Prepare thoroughly to ensure victory before entering the market.
• Seize opportunities proactively to multiply success.
• Achieve victories without direct confrontation.
• Gain deep self-awareness to navigate business battles effectively.

Tune in to learn how ancient military strategies can provide a competitive edge in the modern business landscape.

Connect with Chris Cooper:

Website - https://businessisgood.com/

Over the last six months, I’ve worked with five different business coaches to simplify my company and refocus on what matters.

I’ve talked to experts, mapped out plans, brainstormed strategies—until yesterday, when executive coach Dennis McIntee said something that stopped me cold:

In this episode of BusinessIsGood, I unpack the hard truth:

👉 Knowing what to do isn’t enough.

👉 Learning and planning can become avoidance strategies.

👉 Change only happens when you act.

You’ll learn:

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• The two-part process of change: decision + action
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• The sneaky ways entrepreneurs avoid action (even when they know better)
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• Why the smarter you are, the easier it is to rationalize waiting
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• Five tactical tips to move from stuck to started
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• How to stop circling the hard decisions and just do the thing
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If you’ve been circling a big decision, this episode is your call to break the loop.

The opportunity is there—but only you can act on it.

Connect with Chris Cooper:

Website - https://businessisgood.com/

If you’re like most entrepreneurs, you think: “To grow, I need to do more—more marketing, more ads, more promotions.”

But Keith Cunningham, author of The Road Less Stupid, has a smarter answer:

In this episode of BusinessIsGood, I walk you through Cunningham’s Growth Funnel—a five-step roadmap to growth that puts your energy where it matters most.

We cover:

✅ Why keeping more customers is your #1 growth priority

✅ How to increase referrals and repeat purchases without adding overhead

✅ Why your success rate (certainty of outcome) matters more than you think

✅ Where to tighten your sales process before dumping more money into ads

✅ When it’s finally time to scale lead generation—and when it’s not

This episode is about simplifying your focus and multiplying your results by doing the right thing at the right time.

And if you want to go deeper, I highly recommend reading The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham—it’s one of the best entrepreneur books out there.

Connect with Chris Cooper:

Website - https://businessisgood.com/

Most entrepreneurs know they should do more of what works.

But very few realize they also need to stop doing what doesn’t.

In this episode of BusinessIsGood, I walk through how to identify the things in your business that are wasting your most valuable asset: your time. I share stories—from my own businesses and from our mentorship clients—about how much time, money, and energy are lost doing things that feel “good” but don’t actually produce results.

I explain:

• Why 98% of entrepreneurs aren’t tracking any metrics when they join us
• How to reverse-engineer your revenue goal based on your Net Owner Benefit target
• How your business data can tell you exactly what’s working, and what’s not
• A simple process to prune tactics that aren’t moving the needle
• Why not measuring your impact is the biggest risk you’re taking right now

You’ll leave this episode with a clear framework to focus on what matters—and permission to stop doing the rest.

Because growing your business isn’t just about adding things.

It’s about subtracting the stuff that doesn’t work.

Connect with Chris Cooper:

Website - https://businessisgood.com/

You’ve probably heard the saying: “The rich get richer during a recession.”

But here’s the truth: It’s not the crisis that makes people successful—it’s their preparedness.

In this episode of BusinessIsGood, I share one of the best lessons I’ve learned from Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach:

Luck will come. Opportunities will show up. The real question is—will you be ready?

Using real examples from the COVID lockdowns, I talk about how some entrepreneurs didn’t just survive—they came out stronger. They grew their businesses by:

• Focusing in on their core clients
• Trimming unnecessary expenses and complexity
• Adding new services that created lasting revenue streams
• Finding themselves with less competition and more market share after the dust settled

I also talk about the opportunity sitting right in front of us today, during the current financial squeeze—and how those who are prepared (with cash reserves, low debt, and a clear plan) will be the ones who grow while others retreat.

If luck is where preparation meets opportunity, then this episode is your invitation to get prepared—because opportunity is coming.

The only question is: Will you come out stronger… or set back?

Connect with Chris Cooper:

Website - https://businessisgood.com/