Tacos and Tech Podcast
Neal Bloom
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AI for Main Street, Not Just Big Tech
In this episode of Tacos & Tech, Neal Bloom sits down with longtime friend, founder, and self-described “Maine Melon,” Jared Ruth, founder of Ripcurrent. What starts as a walk down memory lane through San Diego’s early startup ecosystem turns into a wide-ranging conversation about entrepreneurship, marketing, AI, and the human moments technology should protect - not replace. Jared shares his journey from decades in telecom and corporate innovation to building Ripcurrent, a marketing and automation agency focused on Main Street businesses. Together, Neal and Jared unpack how generative AI and no-code tools have radically lowered the barrier to building, why small businesses are both overwhelmed and empowered by tech, and how the next era of marketing isn’t about shouting louder - it’s about removing friction so humans can show up where it matters most. Key Topics Covered * Jared’s path from telecom and corporate innovation to founding Ripcurrent * Early days of San Diego’s startup ecosystem, Founder Dinners, and CTO roundtables * Building “startups inside big companies” and why that experience matters * The moment GenAI unlocked solo building and rapid experimentation * Vibe coding, no-code tools, and the rise of AI-native workflows * Why small and Main Street businesses struggle with modern marketing tech * Google Business Profiles, search, and what visibility means in an LLM-driven world * Automation as a way to remove transactional work - not human connection * Where AI agents help brands and where they can quietly destroy trust * Why trust and brand moments matter more than the underlying technology * Parallels between AI adoption and autonomous driving trust curves * Using technology to give business owners their time - and humanity - back * The optimism (and responsibility) that comes with building in the AI era Links & Resources * Ripcurrent Connect with Jared & Neal * Jared Ruth * Neal Bloom This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe
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