First Sip

Hosted by Dekimbe Smith

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Episodes

161

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Welcome to First Sip! I'm Dekimbe Smith, your host, and every week we sit down for curious conversations about building wealth, growing a business, and showing up in your career and life with intention. Just the kind of conversations you wish you were having with someone who gets it. Whether you're figuring out how to start your first business, or want to make smarter career moves, First Sip is where curious people come to level up. New episodes drop weekly. So grab your drink, press play, and as always...enjoy your first sip!

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60 recent

September 4, 2026Episode 16330 min

Living in Guyana for 60 Days: The Good, Bad & Unexpected | EP. 163

After 60 days of living in Guyana, I’m sharing what the move has actually been like, from the lifestyle changes and lower cost of living to the business opportunities I’m starting to see across real estate, home services, and entrepreneurship. I also talk about what I miss about the U.S., how business operates differently in Guyana, and why the move has changed the way I think about work, health, and building a life abroad. Thank you for listening, and as always...enjoy your first sip! Click here to watch the full episode on YouTube Timestamps 00:00 60 Days After Moving to Guyana 00:32 What I Miss Most About America 04:38 How Business Works Differently in Guyana 07:05 Guyana Is Still a Cash-Heavy Economy 08:08 Why the Business Opportunities Excite Me 09:42 The Housing Boom and Home-Service Opportunity 12:00 New Opportunities for Guyanese Entrepreneurs 13:20 How Much Money You Need to Live Well Here 15:05 Escaping the American Rat Race 17:00 Finding Opportunity Instead of Complaining 19:35 How I’m Thinking About Building Businesses Here 23:30 How Moving Has Changed My Health and Lifestyle 27:15 What I’m Actually Doing for Work 29:00 The Bigger Project I’m Working On 30:20 Final Thoughts After 60 Days What did you think about this episode? -------------------------------- First Sip Field Notes is my weekly newsletter where I share ideas, lessons, and observations on business, and what I’m learning while building in real time. Subscribe and get the next Field Notes straight to your inbox. https://firstsipfieldnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH DEKIMBE: YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Instagram Apple Podcasts Spotify For podcast sponsorship & advertising opportunities please contact: firstsippod@gmail.com

August 25, 2026Episode 16258 min

Ryan Conceicao: The One Skill AI Can't Replace | Business & Career | EP. 162

AI can write your resume, optimize your LinkedIn profile, and draft your outreach messages, but it can't teach you how to walk into a room and be someone people actually want to work with. Ryan Conceicao is back to break down why soft skills have quietly become the most valuable, and most neglected, skill in the job market right now. Thank you for listening, and as always...enjoy your first sip! ———————— Interested in breaking into medical sales? Ryan has a free 60-minute training that walks through the system he uses to help people start landing interviews, even without previous sales experience. Watch Ryan’s free training here: https://movetomedsales.com/?am_id=dekimbe8228 First Sip listeners also receive $100 off if you decide to enroll in one of HireLevel University’s paid programs. Click here to watch the full episode on YouTube Timestamps 00:00 Recap: how AI is squeezing entry-level jobs 01:23 Be a genuinely good human 02:06 AI resumes are garbage in, garbage out 03:36 The real first test in any interview 06:42 Why generic AI LinkedIn messages get ignored 11:06 Do your recon before you reach out 11:23 The 80/20 rule of conversation 14:40 The scorecard: how first impressions cost you points 16:13 Advice to his younger self 24:47 Go back and listen to EP152 for the LinkedIn strategy 26:22 Subject yourself to failure 37:53 Measuring success by the decade, not the week 39:18 Ten years to build the skillset, then a student lands $163K in two months 40:25 Ryan's own story: $53K to $185K 45:48 Why stacking real skills beats faking it with AI 47:28 The one tactical thing before you reach out 54:15 Don't be the NPC, be the value add 54:53 Sales is human psychology 56:08 Where to find the course and free training 58:24 Sign off What did you think about this episode? -------------------------------- First Sip Field Notes is my weekly newsletter where I share ideas, lessons, and observations on business, and what I’m learning while building in real time. Subscribe and get the next Field Notes straight to your inbox. https://firstsipfieldnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH DEKIMBE: YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Instagram Apple Podcasts Spotify For podcast sponsorship & advertising opportunities please contact: firstsippod@gmail.com

August 11, 2026Episode 16116 min

How an AI Hedge Fund Lost $35 Billion in One Month | Business & Tech | EP. 161

A former OpenAI researcher correctly saw where the AI boom was headed, built a hedge fund around that prediction, and watched it grow to roughly $45 billion in assets. Then July happened. Leopold Aschenbrenner’s Situational Awareness fund lost 67% of its portfolio, wiping out roughly $35 billion. But the interesting part of this story is that his original bet on AI may not have been wrong. So how do you lose $35 billion while being right about the bigger trend? In this episode of First Sip, I break down what happened, what a hedge fund actually is, how leverage can multiply both your wins and losses, and how a margin call can force you to sell an investment even when you still believe in it. More importantly, we get into the lesson that applies far beyond Wall Street: being right doesn’t matter if you don’t have enough runway to survive being early. If you’re building a business, investing, using debt, or betting on an idea you believe in, this is a story worth understanding. Stay tuned, stay curious, and as always, enjoy your first sip. Click here to watch the full episode on YouTube What did you think about this episode? -------------------------------- First Sip Field Notes is my weekly newsletter where I share ideas, lessons, and observations on business, and what I’m learning while building in real time. Subscribe and get the next Field Notes straight to your inbox. https://firstsipfieldnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH DEKIMBE: YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Instagram Apple Podcasts Spotify For podcast sponsorship & advertising opportunities please contact: firstsippod@gmail.com

July 21, 2026Episode 16012 min

Checkpoints: How to Stop Restarting From Zero | Business & Career | EP. 160

Survival mode isn't a setting you choose. Its a setting we get locked into, that piles on quietly until you don't even notice it's on. This week breaks down why business owners and employees keep restarting from zero, the research-backed reason it happens, and how to get yourself out of that cycle. Here's what we're sippin on: Why researchers gave this exact mental state a name, and why it's not a discipline problem The real numbers behind accountability What a video game character's stat sheet gets right about progress that most of us get wrong in real life The people who keep moving aren't the ones with more willpower, they're the ones who built a way to check in on themselves before they needed it. Thank you for listening, and as always...enjoy your first sip! Click here to watch the full episode on YouTube What did you think about this episode? -------------------------------- First Sip Field Notes is my weekly newsletter where I share ideas, lessons, and observations on business, and what I’m learning while building in real time. Subscribe and get the next Field Notes straight to your inbox. https://firstsipfieldnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH DEKIMBE: YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Instagram Apple Podcasts Spotify For podcast sponsorship & advertising opportunities please contact: firstsippod@gmail.com

July 14, 2026Episode 15915 min

ChatGPT 5.6 vs Claude: Why Picking a Side Is the Wrong Move | Business & Tech | EP. 159

ChatGPT vs Claude is the debate everyone's back to having this week, thanks to the release of ChatGPT 5.6. People are asking if they should switch back after just getting comfortable with Claude, and the honest answer is that's the wrong question to be asking in the first place. Click here to watch the full episode on YouTube Here's what we're sippin on: Why becoming AI literate matters more right now than picking the "right" tool, and how to actually get there without feeling behind A simple way to know which one to reach for depending on what you're actually trying to get done that day Why you don't have to be techy to get real value out of either one, and the easiest way to just get started The real risk right now isn't picking the wrong AI tool, it's sitting on the sidelines while everyone else is moving forward. Thank you for listening, and as always...enjoy your first sip! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — The ChatGPT vs Claude debate, PlayStation vs Xbox style 00:57 — Welcome back, why "which one's better" is the wrong question 03:15 — ChatGPT: the everyday ecosystem vs Claude's edge for deep work 05:36 — Connecting tools to Notion, and why preference matters most 07:54 — Becoming a "power user" and running into usage limits 10:11 — Splitting the work between tools, and standing out at your job 12:27 — Where to start if you're new, plus image generation and taste 14:42 — The adoption curve, and where you want to be What did you think about this episode? -------------------------------- First Sip Field Notes is my weekly newsletter where I share ideas, lessons, and observations on business, and what I’m learning while building in real time. Subscribe and get the next Field Notes straight to your inbox. https://firstsipfieldnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH DEKIMBE: YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Instagram Apple Podcasts Spotify For podcast sponsorship & advertising opportunities please contact: firstsippod@gmail.com

July 7, 2026Episode 15813 min

The AI Skills Gap: Why "Darwinian" Is the Right Word for 2026 | Career Growth | EP. 158

Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks, says 90% of his employees aren't AI-ready. The AI skills gap is quietly becoming the biggest career risk most professionals aren't watching, and instead of mass layoffs, he's rebuilding his team through hackathons and natural attrition. This week we cover what he said on the 20VC podcast, why he's calling out leaders like Coinbase's CEO and Block's Jack Dorsey for how they're handling AI-driven cuts, and why this moment feels a lot like the one our parents lived through when computers first showed up at work and typing classes felt optional. If you've been wondering whether AI will replace your job, this is really a conversation about how to stay ahead of it. Here's what we're sippin on: The exact numbers behind his 12-month and 3-year plan, and what he says happens if he's right How to tell if your role is one of the "replaceable" ones he's really talking about One question to ask your parents that explains exactly where this AI moment is headed Five years from now, this either ages like a warning you caught early or one you ignored. Thank you for listening, and as always...enjoy your first sip! Click here to watch the full episode on YouTube Timestamps: 00:00 The 90% AI Readiness Problem 01:00 Settling In: The Move to Guyana 02:00 Who Is Nikesh Arora and Palo Alto Networks 03:00 Natural Attrition and Hiring Through Hackathons 04:00 The Jobs Most at Risk Right Now 05:00 Calling Out Coinbase and Block's Layoff Approach 06:00 The Parents-and-Computers Parallel 09:00 A Free Tool to Validate Your Next Idea 11:00 Using ChatGPT and Claude to Move Faster 12:00 Are You Seeing This Resistance Too 13:00 Final Thoughts and Sign-Off What did you think about this episode? -------------------------------- First Sip Field Notes is my weekly newsletter where I share ideas, lessons, and observations on business, and what I’m learning while building in real time. Subscribe and get the next Field Notes straight to your inbox. https://firstsipfieldnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH DEKIMBE: YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Instagram Apple Podcasts Spotify For podcast sponsorship & advertising opportunities please contact: firstsippod@gmail.com

June 29, 2026Episode 1578 min

Moving to Guyana: Building a Business From Abroad | Business & Life | EP. 157

After years of going back and forth, I finally made the decision to move to Guyana. A one way ticket from Philadelphia to Georgetown, with no scheduled return date. Life in Guyana has been something I've been building toward for a while now, from the Airbnb, consulting work, the connections on the ground, and moving there just became the next logical step. This episode is a quick update on what made me pull the trigger, what the business picture actually looks like on the ground in Georgetown, and what Season 4 of the First Sip Podcast is going to look like from here. Here's what we're sippin on: - What finally made the decision click after two-plus years of going back and forth - What Guyana's economic boom actually means at the street level, and why it matters for entrepreneurs right now - What stays the same on the show and what's changing now that First Sip is officially going international If you've been thinking about making a move, going all in on something, or just wondering what it looks like to build a business in a new market, this one is for you. Thank you for listening, and as always...enjoy your first sip! What did you think about this episode? -------------------------------- First Sip Field Notes is my weekly newsletter where I share ideas, lessons, and observations on business, and what I’m learning while building in real time. Subscribe and get the next Field Notes straight to your inbox. https://firstsipfieldnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH DEKIMBE: YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Instagram Apple Podcasts Spotify For podcast sponsorship & advertising opportunities please contact: firstsippod@gmail.com

June 11, 2026Episode 15616 min

Anthropic's IPO vs. Shrinking AI Budgets: What the Split Signals | Business & Tech | EP. 156

The Anthropic IPO is officially in motion. IPO season is back, and companies like Anthropic and SpaceX are leading the race to go public. Anthropic just filed confidentially with the SEC at nearly a trillion dollar valuation, and Claude has been dominating the AI conversation all year. Almost at the same time, two of their biggest customers, Microsoft and Uber, are quietly pulling back on how much they're actually spending on AI. That tension is what this episode is all about. Here's what we're sippin on: What an SEC filing actually means, and why the timing of Anthropic's IPO matters more than the number Why Microsoft and Uber are cutting AI spend even though the tools are working What the Gartner forecast on AI budgets tells us about where this whole thing is headed, and what it means for anyone investing in AI right now If you've been watching the AI market and wondering what any of this means for you on the ground, this one is for you. A SpaceX deep dive is coming soon, so stay subscribed for that one. Thank you for listening, and as always... enjoy your first sip! Click here to watch the full episode on YouTube What did you think about this episode? -------------------------------- First Sip Field Notes is my weekly newsletter where I share ideas, lessons, and observations on business, and what I’m learning while building in real time. Subscribe and get the next Field Notes straight to your inbox. https://firstsipfieldnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH DEKIMBE: YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Instagram Apple Podcasts Spotify For podcast sponsorship & advertising opportunities please contact: firstsippod@gmail.com

May 28, 2026Episode 15519 min

AI Data Centers: Who Actually Pays for the Buildout | Business & Tech | EP. 155

Click here to watch the full episode on YouTube AI data centers are popping up across the country at a pace nobody's really talking about, and they might be the reason your electric bill keeps climbing. This week we're getting into what these data centers actually are, who's really paying for them, and where the money is moving behind the scenes. Here's what we're sippin on: Why your electric bill is climbing even if you're cutting off every light in the house The companies getting billions in tax incentives to build in your backyard, and who ends up footing the bill How to position yourself on the right side of a $7 trillion shift instead of just paying for it If you've noticed your bill going up and you've been wondering what's actually going on behind the scenes, this one is for you. Thank you for listening, and as always... enjoy your first sip! What did you think about this episode? -------------------------------- First Sip Field Notes is my weekly newsletter where I share ideas, lessons, and observations on business, and what I’m learning while building in real time. Subscribe and get the next Field Notes straight to your inbox. https://firstsipfieldnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH DEKIMBE: YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Instagram Apple Podcasts Spotify For podcast sponsorship & advertising opportunities please contact: firstsippod@gmail.com

May 12, 2026Episode 15421 min

Claude Has Taken Over the AI Race...For Now | Business & Tech | EP. 154

Click here to watch the full episode on YouTube Most of us picked one AI tool a couple years ago and never looked back. If that tool is ChatGPT, there is a real chance you’re leaving a lot on the table and you might not even know it yet. This week we’re getting into the AI race as it stands right now in 2026. Here's what we're sippin on: One company just lapped the entire industry and it happened faster than anyone expected The four major AI tools broken down so you actually know which one to use and when How the company behind Claude is building its own product differently than any tech company before it If you have been using the same tool since the beginning and wondering why everyone else seems to be moving faster, this one is for you. Thank you for listening, and as always…enjoy your first sip! ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The AI race and why the conversation has changed 01:13 Welcome and what we are sipping on today 02:00 How Dekimbe has been using AI in his business and life 03:00 Breaking down the four major players in the race right now 04:43 What LLMs actually are and how they work 05:40 Why Claude is the deep thinker and how it compares to ChatGPT 07:18 ChatGPT's image generation and where it still wins 07:38 Gemini and its integration across the Google Suite 08:13 Why Gemini and NotebookLM are a powerful combo for content creators 09:18 Grok and where real-time information gives it an edge 09:35 How the race shifted and what happened to OpenAI's lead 10:38 Anthropic's growth from $9 billion to $30 billion in four months 11:12 Why it took Salesforce 20 years to do what Anthropic did in three 11:47 Enterprise adoption and over 1,000 companies paying $1M or more a year 13:28 Anthropic using Claude Code to write its own code 14:24 The Elon and Anthropic data center deal and what it means 15:48 How to pick the right AI tool for the right task 16:15 The knife analogy breakdown for ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and Gemini 20:06 A simple challenge to compare tools on the same prompt this week 21:14 How Claude connects to the tools you are already using What did you think about this episode? -------------------------------- First Sip Field Notes is my weekly newsletter where I share ideas, lessons, and observations on business, and what I’m learning while building in real time. Subscribe and get the next Field Notes straight to your inbox. https://firstsipfieldnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH DEKIMBE: YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Instagram Apple Podcasts Spotify For podcast sponsorship & advertising opportunities please contact: firstsippod@gmail.com