If this 30 second video doesn’t make you laugh, then the machines have already won.

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Can I still say “Animate your Doodles”?

As always, my focus remains practical – amidst the noisy news, what can you be doing to make a difference in your business and your life? That doesn’t mean it can’t also be a lot of fun!

This week:

1. AI Tool of the Week – Involve your kids, AND/OR have some fun in business
2. Blackboard Fridays Episode #7 – Roles ‘n’ Responsibilities in a new world
3. A Quirky Coronation Fact I uncovered – Because this deep generalist is also a history nerd

1. AI Tool of the Week – Animated Drawings by Meta AI

A No Cost Tool Your Kids Will Love

The Pitch: Bring children’s drawings to life, by animating characters to move around

I’ve been reviewing a LOT of AI tools, and wanted to create a short little video to show them off to you. But I’m the business geek with actual clients, so it would never be as polished as full time team of AI marketers would create.

Doesn’t have to be. Because Meta (aka Facebook) have released this Animated Drawings AI tool for turning your child’s artwork into animated characters.

1. It’s built for pre-school artists … but actually works on any drawing or photo as long as you’re looking face on and have clear separation of your arms and legs.
2. It’s hilarious to watch the animations. So I mixed them together with 3 other AI tools (and an important message) to create this 90 second video.
3. With the right starting image, you can absolutely use this for business. More serious versions are in the works, but sometimes there’s value (as I am demonstrating now) to show off the Jester side of your Brand Archetype.

NOW – fun as that video is, I also wanted to showcase my 4-year-old’s latest self-portrait.

So here is 30 seconds of AI madness that I hope will be the highlight of your week.

2. Blackboard Fridays Episode #7

The next three weeks of short videos are going to focus on your time as a business leader – and how your choices investing time are reflected in the return on investment your business achieves.

While these were filmed before I went AI wild, they’re more timely than ever. When you leverage the tools I’m sharing in your business, how will you invest the extra time they create: Wealth, Growth, Revenue, or Profit?

Not sure what that all means? Learn how ‘Roles ‘n’ Responsibilities’ gives small business owners ‘Rest ‘n’ Recuperation’.

You can watch this week’s video and read the article here.

A Quirky Coronation Fact for III King Charleses

In my history reading this week I discovered something fascinating, and it’s newsworthy because of this weekend’s Coronation of King Charles III.

Chuck obviously shares a regnal name with Charles I (r. 1625-1649) and Charles II (r. 1660-1685). Charles I of the House of Stuart was rather unceremoniously beheaded in 1649 and the British monarchy abolished, only for his son Charles II to be invited back to the throne a decade later.

But Charles II never had any legitimate children with his wife, and (skipping a whole Catholic sub-plot that created my favourite beer) the House of Stuart expired when Charles II’s niece Queen Anne died childless in 1714.

That was the death that brought in some Kings from Germany, and so we have two quirks so far:

1. King Charles III descended from the German King George I, not from Charles II
2. In fact, since 1714 no descendent of King Charles I has sat on the British throne.

That changes tomorrow…

Because it turns out Charles II had a number of very illegitimate children, including the 1st Duke of Richmond. And one direct descendent of Richmond is none other than Camilla Rosemary Shand aka Camilla Parker-Bowles, aka “Queen Camilla“.

When Queen Camilla dons her regal headgear this week, it will be the first time in 300 years that a descendent of Charles I has been crowned.

Bonus Quirky Fact

Isn’t this just a technicality, because the Queen Consort isn’t really ruling Great Britain? Then you might be interested to learn Richmond had another famous descendent … Diana, Princess of Wales.

So if not tomorrow, then in a few years hence there will once again be a King descended from Charles I on the throne – when William, Prince of Wales makes the ascension.

Nothing to do with business, but now you know.

With love,

Jacob Aldridge
International Business Advisor