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Forte Labs Newsletter

How AI Saved a Sugar Mill $500K in 2 Hours

Published 3 days ago • 2 min read

Have your tried our BASB mobile app, yet?

Built in partnership with Circle Plus, our app gives you a direct line into our community of over 10,000 members, right from your phone.

It’s clean, simple, and designed to make engaging with our work easier and more seamless than ever.

The moment you log in, you’ll unlock our free PARA Method mini-course.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by digital chaos, this is the perfect place to start.

How AI Saved a Sugar Mill $500K in 2 Hours

On a recent trip to Guatemala, I witnessed something remarkable.

A traditional sugar mill—one of our Second Brain Enterprise participants—used AI to solve a $10 million equipment crisis in just 2 hours.

Typically, they’d have to fly in consultants to get to the bottom of the problem, which could take days.

The result: They saved $500,000 and avoided catastrophic failure.

No matter what type of business you’re in, you have processes that could fail tomorrow.

In this video, I'll share the full story and show you the exact 4-step diagnostic framework they used so you can build your own crisis protocol.

The Voice-Only Mid-Year Review: Testing the Limits of ChatGPT Voice Mode

I've always resisted doing my mid-year review because it felt like another task keeping me further behind.

This year, I decided to experiment with ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode to turn my reflection into a walking conversation instead of hours of sitting and journaling.

The results surprised me.

While the technology impressed me with its natural flow and warmth, I discovered fascinating limitations—both with the AI and my own assumptions about how we interact with these tools.

Read my complete breakdown of what worked, what didn't, and the unexpected insights I gained about the future of AI-assisted self-reflection.

Book Recommendation: The Long-Haul Leader by Chris Ducker

I've known Chris Ducker for years. He's been a trusted voice in the entrepreneurship and leadership space for over two decades.

When he told me about his recent burnout that led to a diagnosis requiring antidepressants, it hit close to home.

His new book shares 10 practical strategies for building sustainable leadership practices that last. Chris writes from hard-earned experience, the kind that comes from burning out and having to rebuild smarter.

What I appreciate most is how honest he is about the real cost of unsustainable leadership. If you're tired of running on empty or feel like success shouldn't require sacrificing your health, this book offers a different path forward.

The Most Efficient Way to Learn Anything

I’ve always loved diving into big ideas from books, podcasts, and articles. But between work, family, and everything else, finding uninterrupted hours to read isn’t always realistic.

That’s why I use Shortform — the most comprehensive way to learn from the world’s best nonfiction. It goes far beyond quick 1-page summaries. You get:

  • Expert breakdowns and key insights with chapter-by-chapter analysis
  • Connections and counterpoints from other books and sources
  • Audio and PDF versions so you can learn anywhere
  • Interactive exercises to help you retain and apply what you learn

The library covers thousands of books across dozens of categories — from psychology and leadership to creativity and career growth — and new titles are added every week. You can even vote on what gets covered next.

Plus, Shortform’s guides for articles, podcasts, and its browser extension let you summarize almost anything online, even YouTube videos.

For a limited time, the first 500 of my readers get 20% OFF an annual subscription, plus a free trial.

Thanks to Shortform for sponsoring this newsletter.

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Tiago Forte

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Forte Labs Newsletter

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