Jonathan Mast is the founder of Whitebeard Strategies, an AI coaching and education company dedicated to helping businesses, nonprofits, and leaders use artificial intelligence with confidence and integrity.
With over a decade in digital marketing and a career built on understanding how technology shapes human behavior, Jonathan made a bold pivot in 2022. When AI tools like ChatGPT launched, he immediately recognized their transformational potential—not as a threat to human creativity, but as a force multiplier that could help people save time, amplify their skills, and deliver more value.
Today, Jonathan’s work reaches over 600,000 people every day, as he teaches teams and organizations worldwide how to integrate AI responsibly, creatively, and meaningfully. His story offers clarity, optimism, and a grounded perspective at a time when AI feels overwhelming for many.
Humans of Fuzia is proud to feature his journey.
Q: Jonathan, what inspired you to start Whitebeard Strategies? Was there a defining moment?
Jonathan: I spent many years working in digital marketing and eventually built my own agency in 2010. But when OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022, something clicked for me instantly.
I fell in love with how AI amplified my skill and productivity. I could accomplish more, at higher quality, in less time. But at the same time, many of my team members were worried that AI would replace their jobs.
I didn’t believe that at all.
So I decided to step away from my agency and dedicate myself to coaching organizations and individuals—helping them understand that AI is a tool that enhances human ability, not one that replaces it.
My personal mission became clear:
Help people use AI to save time, make more money, and deliver more value—all at the same time.
Q: Tell us more about your business model. How does Whitebeard Strategies work today?
Jonathan: The business has evolved since I launched it. Today, we primarily run weekly group coaching sessions for teams, businesses, and nonprofits globally.
We teach them how to integrate AI into their workflows, how to boost productivity, and how to use AI ethically and effectively.
We also run mastermind groups—small circles of business owners and leaders who are serious about leading with AI inside their organizations.
It’s about empowering teams, empowering leaders, and helping people understand that AI is here to support them.
Q: For our Q4 Special Edition—what do you see as the pros and cons of AI? How do you use it in your business?
Jonathan: The pros are massive. AI is an incredible time saver and skill amplifier. It helps us work faster, better, and more creatively by taking care of repetitive tasks we don’t enjoy.
If there’s a downside, it’s not the technology itself—it’s how people use it.
Many overcomplicate AI or expect it to do things it simply wasn’t designed for. Others fear it because they don’t understand it.
Some worry AI will make us less creative or overly dependent, but I’ve experienced the opposite.
When AI handles the repetitive work, my mind becomes more free, more creative, and more focused on the things that matter.
To me, AI is not the enemy—misuse and misunderstanding are.
Q: What is the biggest challenge you face as an entrepreneur?
Jonathan: The biggest challenge is proving to people that I lead with value.
Many assume we’re here to sell or promote in the traditional, aggressive way. But my goal is the opposite.
We focus on delivering value first.
And once people realize that, they’re relieved—and they stay.
Another challenge is addressing fear. There are loud voices claiming AI is dangerous or harmful, and often these people don’t understand how the technology actually works.
My challenge is to respect their concerns while showing them—through facts and experience—that fear-based decision-making has never helped humanity progress.
Q: And what’s the best part about being a founder?
Jonathan: I get to test my ideas in the real world.
They don’t all work—but the ones that do are incredibly rewarding.
I love being able to chart my own course, follow my mission, and create something that genuinely helps people. It’s fulfilling to know I’m contributing to a future where AI empowers rather than intimidates.
Q: What are your thoughts on women empowerment?
Jonathan: AI is one of the greatest equalizers humanity has ever seen.
As long as you have a device and an internet connection, you can learn the same things that people in the best schools in the world are learning.
It removes barriers like geography, gender, background, and resource limitations.
With AI, we no longer have to focus on who someone is—we can focus on what they’re capable of.
That’s empowerment in its purest form.
Q: Finally, what message would you like to leave our audience with?
Jonathan: Don’t let fear control your relationship with AI.
Ignore the noise and just try it.
Find one task you dislike doing—something repetitive—and let AI help you do it better.
If people simply used AI once a day for one small task, I believe almost everyone could save 30 minutes a day.
There are many free tools.
Start experimenting.
AI won’t bite, and you can’t break anything.
Lean into it—and watch what becomes possible.
“AI isn’t here to replace us. It’s here to elevate us. The future belongs to those who are willing to explore, experiment, and embrace new tools.”
Connect with Jonathan Mast:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanjmast
https://whitebeardstrategies.com
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