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The rise in fraud and scams targeting the elderly is a growing concern. Our seniors, many of whom helped build the very society we live in, are now vulnerable to heart-wrenching schemes that not only strip them of their financial security but also their sense of dignity and trust. In Episode #1192 of the Arete Coach Podcast , we explore the emotional and technological methods scammers use and why it’s essential for communities to work together to protect the elderly. A Personal Story: My Mother’s Ordeal A few months ago, a fictional tale in the movie The Beekeeper  depicted a chilling scam that targeted an elderly woman, turning a routine customer service call into a full-blown financial attack. For me, that storyline hit closer to home than I ever expected. Just this past weekend, my 84-year-old mother, Peggy Sorensen, nearly fell victim to a similarly sophisticated scam. The scam began innocently enough, with a notice that her Norton antivirus software was set to auto-renew for $495. Concerned, my mother called the number provided, unknowingly stepping into a carefully orchestrated con. The scammers used manipulative tactics to gain access to her computer and even simulated depositing $20,000 into her account, leaving her in a state of panic and confusion. They preyed on her compassion and honesty, convincing her to attempt to withdraw money to “return” the supposed overpayment. Thankfully, a vigilant bank employee recognized the signs of fraud and intervened, but the emotional toll it took on my mother was immeasurable. Her story, though personal, is becoming all too common for elderly people across the country. The Growing Threat of Elder Fraud The scam my mother faced is part of a larger crisis—one that is growing in frequency and complexity as scammers harness advanced technologies like AI to manipulate their victims. Fraudsters prey on the elderly because they are seen as more trusting, compassionate, and often less familiar with modern digital systems. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), reports of fraud targeting older adults have skyrocketed in recent years (FTC Issues Annual Report to Congress on Agency’s Actions to Protect Older Adults, 2023). From tech support scams to fake medical bills and imposter scams, elderly individuals are losing billions of dollars annually to these criminals. The emotional manipulation we saw in The Beekeeper  is now mirrored in real-life cases like my mother's. Scammers exploit the vulnerability, playing on the desire of older adults to help others or avoid confrontation, creating a whirlwind of panic that leaves victims questioning their own judgment. How Scams Operate: The Tactics of Emotional Manipulation The emotional and psychological tactics used by scammers are designed to overwhelm logic. In my mother’s case, the scammer pretended to make a mistake by depositing $20,000 into her account, then begged her to return the money to avoid losing his job. This appeal to her emotions was carefully planned to push her into a rushed decision. The introduction of fake calls from spoofed “bank fraud departments” further solidified the scam, creating a sense of urgency and authority that even someone with my mother’s extensive professional background found difficult to question. These scams work because they tap into human psychology—especially when it comes to those who may be more isolated or concerned about being a burden to their families. Scammers manipulate their victims’ desire to help, avoid embarrassment, or correct a perceived wrong. Understanding these tactics is key to preventing future victims. The Role of Technology in Modern Scams Technology has become a double-edged sword. While it has connected us and simplified many aspects of daily life, it has also become a powerful tool for fraudsters. AI and machine learning now enable scammers to create more convincing scripts, mimic human conversation, and even clone voices. In some cases, elderly individuals receive what seem to be legitimate calls from loved ones in distress—calls created using voice-cloning technology. These scammers use data from social media and public records to impersonate grandchildren, urging elderly victims to send money for emergency bail, hospital bills, or other fabricated crises. Tech support scams, as in my mother’s case, take advantage of confusion and concern around cybersecurity, convincing victims to hand over access to their devices, personal information, and bank accounts. A Community Effort: How We Can Protect the Elderly Elder fraud is not just a personal or family issue; it’s a societal problem that requires collective action. Executive coaches, business leaders, families, and communities must come together to create awareness and offer practical solutions. Educate Your Loved Ones: Talk openly with elderly family members about common scams and the tactics fraudsters use. Encourage them to verify information by calling companies or individuals directly before taking action. Help them set up secure passwords, two-factor authentication, and monitor their accounts for suspicious activity. Leverage Technology Safely: Ensure that seniors have up-to-date antivirus software and know how to spot phishing emails or suspicious links. Consider using trusted apps to monitor their online transactions or block suspicious calls. Create a Safe Space for Open Dialogue: Many seniors may feel ashamed or embarrassed if they fall victim to a scam. It’s essential to create a supportive environment where they feel comfortable discussing concerns without fear of judgment. Involve Financial Institutions: Banks play a critical role in detecting fraud, as seen in my mother’s case. Financial institutions should continue training their employees to recognize the warning signs of fraud and take proactive measures to prevent elderly customers from becoming victims. Practical Steps for Fraud Prevention There are tangible steps individuals, families, and communities can take to protect elderly loved ones from falling victim to scams: Do not trust unsolicited communications:  Whether it’s a phone call, email, or text, encourage your loved ones to be skeptical of any contact they didn’t initiate. If they’re unsure, they should hang up and call the company or person directly using an official phone number. Use credit cards instead of debit cards:  Credit cards offer better fraud protection than debit cards, which can drain an account immediately. Be cautious with remote access:  Never allow unsolicited tech support to take control of a computer. If there’s a concern, contact trusted family members or professional technicians. Monitor accounts regularly:  Set up online banking alerts to notify of large or unusual transactions and review account statements carefully. Encourage skepticism of too-good-to-be-true offers:  Whether it’s a lottery, prize, or investment opportunity, remind your loved ones that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. We Are All Beekeepers As executive coaches and community leaders, we have a responsibility to safeguard the vulnerable—just like beekeepers, who protect their hives from predators. Scammers may be relentless, but through awareness, education, and action, we can create an environment where our elderly are protected, their trust in the world around them preserved. Sharing stories like my mother’s and those of countless others who have fallen prey to fraud isn’t just about caution; it’s about empowerment. By learning from these experiences, we can arm our communities with the knowledge to protect themselves and their loved ones. The Main Takeaway Fraud targeting the elderly isn’t just a private battle—it’s a societal issue that requires a collective response. Whether you’re a family member, a caregiver, a business leader, or an executive coach, we all have a role to play. Let’s become the beekeepers in our communities, watching over our elders and ensuring they can navigate the digital world with confidence and security. References FTC Issues Annual Report to Congress on Agency’s Actions to Protect Older Adults. (October, 2023). Federal Trade Commission. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/10/ftc-issues-annual-report-congress-agencys-actions-protect-older-adults . Copyright © 2024 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Pipeline tracker Result: The model evolved from descriptive to predictive—15 sheets of genuine business intelligence planning Strategic analysis and market research Operational optimization and risk assessment Competitive intelligence

As artificial intelligence continues to expand, it is vital for executive coaches and business leaders

typing—knowledge workers can unlock 3x productivity gains and fundamentally reshape how they interface with artificial intelligence. The following tools offer high-fidelity transcription and intelligent integration with AI workflows: Reflection Voice-first productivity is a strategic pivot away from manual friction and toward fluid intelligence

A question many have been asking is, ‘If you are in the Microsoft ecosystem with 365 etc., can you use MS Copilot for all generative AI needs, or is there still a business case for using enterprise versions of OpenAI's ChatGPT (which is 40% owned by Microsoft)? Why would you use ChatGPT?’ As leaders, we must make informed decisions about the tools we implement. The Australian phrase "there are horses for courses" perfectly illustrates how different AI tools, like ChatGPT and MS Copilot, can be matched to specific business needs. ChatGPT and MS Copilot serve unique purposes but share the goal of enhancing productivity and efficiency. Let’s explore their features, use cases, and benefits to determine the best fit for your organization. ChatGPT vs MS Copilot Primary Use Case ChatGPT is designed as a conversational AI, perfect for customer support, virtual assistants, and content generation. Conversely, MS Copilot shines as an integrated productivity tool within the Microsoft Office ecosystem, excelling in document creation, data analysis, and meeting preparation. Integration and Customization ChatGPT offers API-based integration, providing flexibility for tailored solutions. Its highly customizable nature allows for fine-tuning to meet specific business needs. In contrast, MS Copilot integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, etc.), offering a user-friendly experience with minimal setup. User Interface and Ease of Use ChatGPT can be embedded in websites, apps, and chatbots, requiring some technical setup for optimal performance. MS Copilot, however, operates within the familiar MS Office interface, making it accessible for users already accustomed to Microsoft products. Natural Language Understanding and Productivity Enhancement ChatGPT supports complex conversational flows, automating customer service, content creation, and more. MS Copilot’s context-aware capabilities enhance document editing, data analysis, and meeting summarization, boosting productivity within the Microsoft Office environment. Collaboration and Data Handling Both tools offer robust collaboration features. ChatGPT integrates with team tools like Slack and Teams, while MS Copilot’s built-in features within MS Office streamline teamwork. Additionally, ChatGPT can be tailored for specific data privacy and security needs, whereas MS Copilot benefits from Microsoft’s comprehensive security frameworks. Training, Cost, and Scalability ChatGPT requires ongoing training for optimal results, with a usage-based pricing model. MS Copilot, included with Microsoft 365 plans, provides continuous updates with minimal user intervention, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses using Microsoft products. Both tools are highly scalable, with ChatGPT leveraging cloud-based deployment and MS Copilot scaling within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Support and Maintenance ChatGPT necessitates dedicated support resources, while MS Copilot is backed by Microsoft’s extensive support infrastructure, ensuring reliable assistance and updates. Compliance and Security Customization is key for ChatGPT to meet various compliance standards. MS Copilot adheres to Microsoft’s robust compliance protocols, providing peace of mind for businesses. Onboarding Considerations Implementing ChatGPT requires moderate to high effort due to its need for API integration and potential custom development to fit specific business needs. Organizations must plan for ongoing training, maintenance, and support resources, with considerations for data privacy, security, and scalability. While the customization capabilities of ChatGPT offer significant flexibility and powerful conversational AI, it demands a thorough approach to integration and continuous optimization to ensure effective use and compliance with organizational policies. MS Copilot offers a more straightforward implementation process with low to medium effort, seamlessly integrating within the Microsoft Office ecosystem with minimal setup. Users already familiar with Microsoft Office will require little additional training, and the solution benefits from Microsoft's robust support and security frameworks. MS Copilot’s cost-effectiveness, included in Microsoft 365 plans, and its ability to enhance productivity through familiar interfaces make it an attractive option for organizations seeking to improve efficiency without significant disruption or additional maintenance requirements. The Main Takeaway The phrase "there are horses for courses" aptly applies to the choice between ChatGPT and MS Copilot. Just as different horses excel on different racecourses, these AI tools are designed to shine in their respective domains. ChatGPT is like a versatile horse for businesses needing advanced conversational AI and custom integrations, ideal for automating customer service and creating virtual assistants. MS Copilot is the dependable steed for those entrenched in the Microsoft Office ecosystem, enhancing productivity through seamless document creation, data analysis, and collaborative tools. By understanding the strengths and unique features of each tool, we can leverage AI to drive efficiency, innovation, and growth. Embracing AI is a strategic move towards future-proofing our businesses, ensuring we remain competitive in an ever-evolving landscape. A similar version of this article was initially created by Severin Sorensen and published on LinkedIn on July 23, 2024. You can view the original article here . Copyright © 2024 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

In 2025, artificial intelligence evolved from a promising experiment into the backbone of modern infrastructure

“Wait, you used AI for that? Shouldn’t this cost less?” If you’re building, prompting, or advising in the AI space, you’ve likely heard this. It’s a fair question—on the surface. But it misses a deeper truth about how real value is created in this new era of speed, automation, and scale. When clients ask, “Shouldn’t this cost less because AI did the work?” they’re often misplacing the locus of value. The implicit assumption is that effort or time equals worth. But in reality, the true value lies in knowing what to ask, how to guide AI to deliver the right outcomes, and how to turn those results into meaningful business advantage. The ability to prompt with precision, discern patterns, and drive decisions isn’t commoditized—it’s elevated. In this new landscape, expertise isn’t replaced by AI; it’s refracted through it, creating leverage that’s worth more, not less. The Classic Story: The Engineer and the Chalk Mark This concept of “knowing what to do” isn’t new. Consider a timeless story: A factory machine breaks down. Production halts. Panic sets in. A specialist is called. She walks the floor, listens intently, then draws a simple chalk “X” on one part of the machine: “Replace this.” The repair is made. The machine roars back to life. The invoice arrives: $10,000. The factory manager objects: “$10,000? But you were only here five minutes!” The specialist revises the bill: Marking the machine: $1; Knowing where to mark: $9,999. This isn’t just a parable—it’s a principle of value. And in the age of AI, it’s more relevant than ever. The Leverage Layer AI, in the hands of a skilled professional, acts as a multiplier—not a discount trigger. Think of it as a force amplifier. The consultant who once took 30 hours to uncover an insight may now do so in three. But what’s been compressed is not the value—it’s the delivery time. Clients aren’t paying for keystrokes; they’re paying for clarity, impact, and momentum. In fact, the faster the insight arrives, the more valuable it becomes. That’s because knowing how to use AI effectively still requires: Contextual Understanding: Will this solution work for your exact situation? Strategic Judgment: Is this the right action, or just a fast one? Implementation Skill: Can this plug into your people, processes, and priorities? Ethical Foresight: What are the risks, trade-offs, and downstream consequences? Continuous Refinement: Can this evolve with you? Without these elements, it’s like having the food ingredients—but no recipe, and no chef. Should We Abandon the Billable Hour? This brings us to a core question: if time is no longer the best proxy for value, why do we still price services that way? The traditional billable hour model—long the cornerstone of consulting, legal, and executive coaching practices—is increasingly misaligned with the realities of AI-enhanced efficiency. As AI automates routine tasks and accelerates service delivery, professionals must pivot to pricing models that reflect not time spent, but value created. The Obsolescence of Time-Based Billing Time-based billing once made sense. It was an easy way to quantify effort. But AI’s capacity to perform complex tasks at unprecedented speeds breaks this equation. For example, AI tools can now draft legal documents, analyze thousands of data points, and generate strategic insights in minutes. A study by the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations and WE Communications found that 88% of PR professionals believe AI will increase task efficiency, and 72% expect reduced workloads as a result (Hawkins, 2023). Similarly, the legal industry has been exploring alternative billing models that better reflect outcomes over effort (American Bar Association, 2017). Understanding Value-Based Pricing So what should replace the billable hour? Value-based pricing—an approach that centers on the outcomes and benefits a client receives, rather than the inputs involved in getting there. This model aligns pricing with the client’s perceived value of the result. A consultant who delivers a strategic insight that transforms a client’s trajectory shouldn’t be penalized for doing it faster with AI; they should be valued for making it possible at all. Implementing this model requires more than changing your invoice. It requires deeper client discovery, clearer articulation of outcomes, and confidence in the transformative potential of your work. AI as an Enhancer of Expertise AI doesn’t replace human expertise—it enhances it. Rather than rendering professionals obsolete, AI takes repetitive, time-consuming tasks off their plate, freeing them to focus on strategic thinking. For instance, a consultant can use AI to process vast datasets and quickly surface meaningful patterns, then use their own judgment to interpret those insights and guide clients forward. In executive coaching, AI tools can help analyze behavioral trends, but it’s still the coach who helps the leader grow. This synergy between AI and human insight enhances service quality and sharpens the value professionals bring to the table. Value Has Always Worked This Way If this feels like a radical shift, remember: we’ve always paid for expertise—not time. The chalk mark wasn’t the beginning of this idea, and it certainly won’t be the end. Picasso & the Napkin: A quick sketch, priced not for the minutes it took—but for the decades of mastery behind it. Top Surgeon: A 15-minute incision, made possible by years of rigorous training and precision. Senior Lawyer: Spots a $10 million flaw in a contract—not because they worked fast, but because they saw what others missed. Cybersecurity Expert: Isolates a critical threat in minutes, averting losses that would’ve taken months to recover. Creative Director: Delivers a campaign-defining tagline—not from hours of effort, but from sharp insight and intuition. These aren’t exceptions. They’re reminders that real value lies in wisdom, judgment, and precision. The Future of Professional Services Pricing As AI continues to evolve, the pressure to adopt value-based models will only grow. Professionals who embrace this shift will position themselves as forward-thinking, client-centered, and impact-driven. In the new paradigm, success isn’t measured in hours logged—but in breakthroughs achieved. Those who master this shift won’t just survive the AI era. They’ll lead it. The Final Thought The integration of AI into professional services is not a threat—it’s a catalyst. It challenges outdated billing models and accelerates a more honest, impactful way to measure and price value. In a world where speed is no longer synonymous with simplicity, and automation delivers at unprecedented pace, it’s tempting to reduce worth to output. But real value lies in expertise—knowing what to do, when to do it, and why it matters. AI doesn’t make that expertise obsolete; it makes it indispensable.  So, the next time you evaluate the cost of an AI-powered solution, don’t ask how long it took to run the prompt—ask how long it took someone to know exactly what to ask in the first place. That’s where the transformation happens. That’s where the magic is.  Here’s to turning your hard-earned wisdom into prompts that delight, ignite, and redefine what’s possible. References Hawkins, E. (2023, August 17). AI threatens the billable hour revenue model. Axios. https://www.axios.com/2023/08/17/ai-threatens-hourly-revenue-model American Bar Association (2017, May). 8 steps for creating value-based pricing that works. American Bar Association. https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/publications/youraba/2017/may-2017/bury-the-billable-hour-and-implement-value-billing-in-your-law-f/   Copyright © 2025 by Arete Coach LLC. All rights reserved.

The value: Agile, real-time competitive intelligence. Stage 2: Walk - Creating Custom GPTs and Departmental Intelligence Once your organization is fluent in The value: Turns unstructured sales data into actionable, strategic intelligence for product and sales The value: Outsourced, perpetual strategic intelligence.

creating a competitive advantage rooted not just in a superior AI system, but in a fundamentally more intelligent

of prompting is not just about getting answers; it's about engaging with AI to generate meaningful, intelligent

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping leadership development by offering innovative AI as an Amplifier of Human Intelligence Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a technology trend—it Rather than replacing human intelligence, AI is increasingly seen as a tool that amplifies it. In fact,  75% of CX leaders view AI as a means to enhance human intelligence, not replace it  (Zendesk

Artificial Intelligence and Creativity Conference , 35-40. Janata, P., Tomic, S. T., & Rakowski, S.