Episode Description
Search “best business networking group San Diego” and the AI answers with one name. In this episode of AI Made Simple, Carmen Skipworth sits down with James Hickey — founder of SD Networking Events and JMH Marketing Group — who went from owning six gas stations to running one of San Diego's fastest growing networking communities. James swore he'd never let AI touch his emails, until one test lifted his open rate from 27% to 40%. Now he's six months into AEO — answer engine optimization — and dominating AI search, with more than half his website traffic arriving through AI. Plus breaking news dropped on air: a new monthly event at the Biergarden in Oceanside, taking him to 36 events a year. Human-Led. AI-Powered.
HOST
Carmen Skipworth
GUEST
James Hickey — founder of SD Networking Events, launched in 2021 to connect business owners, entrepreneurs, and startups through networking experiences across San Diego: mixers, expos, showcases, and summits. Also founder of JMH Marketing Group, the digital marketing agency he started in 2008, where he now works as a fractional CMO. Over 18 years in digital marketing and business development.
SUMMARY
James tells Carmen how six gas stations turned into a marketing career: Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer at an auto repair boot camp, Michael Gerber's E-Myth, and a first client he made the top real estate agent in her office. Out of COVID he threw one event off a Facebook post and an email blast, 50 people showed up, and SD Networking Events was born. On AI, James owns the ego hit: a proud copywriter whose open rates jumped from 27% to 40% once ChatGPT wrote his subject lines. Now it's ChatGPT for the everyday, Claude for the heavy lifting — a 10-slide presentation that became 14 YouTube shorts — and Search Atlas driving the AEO push that made him number one in AI search results. His digital twin, AI James, wasn't ready: it called him a Chargers fan, and he's Patriots. His close says it all — the tools aren't replacing what you do, they're enhancing it.
MAIN TOPICS
From six gas stations to digital marketing
The girlfriend who became the top real estate agent in her office
COVID, an email list, and the first 50-person event
Breaking news: the Biergarden in Oceanside and 36 events a year
MySpace to AI: how marketing keeps changing
The bruised ego behind a 40% open rate
AEO vs SEO: six months to dominating AI search
Claude for the heavy lifting, ChatGPT for the everyday
Graphic design in under a minute
AI James: the digital twin that wasn't ready
INTRIGUING QUOTES
“AI search is the real deal.” — James Hickey
“It's not replacing what you're doing. It's enhancing what you're doing.” — James Hickey
“My ChatGPT knows and Claude knows. Don't talk to my Claude or my ChatGPT.” — James Hickey
“I don't need business cards anymore. I just say Google me.” — James Hickey
KEY MOMENTS
-From six gas stations to digital marketing
-An email list, COVID and the first event
-Breaking news: the Biergarden in Oceanside
-MySpace, ClickFunnels and the marketing evolution
-The subject lines that lifted open rates to 40%
-AEO vs SEO: dominating AI search with Search Atlas
-Graphic design in under a minute
-Claude, 10 perfect slides and 14 YouTube shorts
-AI James: the digital twin that wasn't ready
-Books by the pool: E-Myth and Alex Hormozi
-Just Google San Diego Networking Events
NOTABLE RESOURCES
ChatGPT
Claude
Search Atlas
Opus
The E-Myth by Michael Gerber
Books by Alex Hormozi
SD Networking Events — sdnetworkingevents.com
JMH Marketing Group
CONNECT
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FXihmKLqS/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590720415359
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadwithcarmen/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadwithCarmen
Apply to be a guest on AI Made Simple: https://www.latpn.com/ai-made-simple-podcast-booking
