Will you join the movement?

This movement starts in Waco, Texas, Sept. 12 2026

I don’t want to use the term “movement” lightly. Because when you start a movement, that’s something real.

Lives are often on the line. Freedom is at stake. Enough people are frustrated and angry that they need to make a change NOW.

And I’m not referring to the current political environment (all that is true right now…but this is a business post, so I won’t get into politics).

But we’re at the cusp of something, and I feel like we’re riding the wave of a new movement.

And this movement is getting a specific venue, date, and content agenda on Sept. 12th in Waco.

What is this movement?

I don’t want to trivialize the word “movement.” But I don’t want to trivialize what’s going on at the intersection of AI and the creator space either.

For almost thirty years now, the movers and shakers in business were the coders, the app builders, the ones who built the hardware and software that run the digital economy.

And these technical folks had a special place in the new order of things.

If you were a coder, you were guaranteed a six-figure salary right out of college. You were treated to ping pong tables, catered lunches, and hammocks in cushy Silicon Valley offices.

The founders of high-profile tech startups came from Stanford, Harvard, Yale. Maybe Berkeley and USC.

They got into Y Combinator cohorts. They got funding from Sand Hill Road investors: Andreessen-Horowitz, Sequoia, Kleiner Perkins.

The quiet revolution outside the core

But while all this was going on, a quiet revolution was happening in cities like Waco, Asheville, Santa Fe, Lincoln, Marfa, Cleveland, Minneapolis, and dozens of other cities outside the traditional startup hubs.

Creators were starting podcast networks. Entrepreneurs were starting accelerators. And marketers were creating communities.

Then AI came along.

In the last six months alone, AI has completely leveled the playing field.

There are now no more barriers to creating technologies, companies, workflows, and organizations.

And the center of gravity is moving out to….everywhere.

Because this quiet revolution produced creators who amassed followings, communities, and real businesses.

Then AI gave them the same power that Silicon Valley, Route 128, and Silicon Alley startups have had.

They defied the narrative that “AI will steal your job,” or that “AI will replace your voice.”

They have their own strong voices, and they’re using AI to turn those voices into physical things. Into real businesses. Into thriving ecosystems.

Take Waco, for example.

Waco is not only known for Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Market.

There’s another presence making its mark in the creator space. My friends Mike Hamilton and Casey Jones have turned the Rogue Media Network into a podcasting powerhouse, giving homes to dozens of podcasts, with high production values and wide-reaching influence.

I’m partnering with Mike, and Casey, and Melvin, and others, to launch the YouXAI summit - a one-day conference that is officially putting its stamp on this new movement.

The You X AI movement.

Why Waco?

Because Waco has a thriving startup and creator ecosystem. And frankly, it feels like the Austin of the early ‘80s, but with AI and digital distribution.

From Startup Waco, to Launch Waco, to the McLennan Small Business Development Center, to the Baylor University Innovation Garage, to Rogue Media Networks, and yes, even to Magnolia Market, Waco is an example of this quiet revolution in the making.

And you can see the same dynamic happening in St. Louis, Cedar Rapids, Bangor, Jacksonville, and Sacramento.

On September 12th, at the beautiful Performing Arts Community Center in Waco, we’re hosting a one-day conference with creators, AI practitioners, marketers, and thought leaders.

They’ll be teaching about how to unlock your zone of genius. Your voice. Your creativity.

And how to use AI to enhance your uniqueness, not turn it into AI slop.

Who this is for

If you’re a small business owner, a marketer, a creator, an entrepreneur, a manufacturer, an educator, or somebody who supports these roles, this is for you.

And this is going to be different. Yes, there’ll be traditional conference talks.

But we’re also having practical hands-on workshops.

AI vendors will be on hand to show you the latest tech.

There’ll be food, drinks, and local entertainment.

Will you join us September 12th, in Waco, Texas?