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Home>Blog>Podcast>From Prompt to Product: The AI-Powered Path to Startup Success with Jon Levesque | Episode #0025

From Prompt to Product: The AI-Powered Path to Startup Success with Jon Levesque | Episode #0025

  • 2025-09-08
  • Posted by: Brad Groux
  • Category: Podcast
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From Prompt to Product: The AI-Powered Path to Startup Success

What if your next big idea didn’t just stay an idea?

In this empowering episode of Start Small, Think Big, Brad Groux and Robert Groux sit down with Jon Levesque, former Microsoft evangelist turned entrepreneur, to unpack how AI helped him turn a raw concept into a polished, user-ready app.

The result? Seeq, a platform that helps people visualize their goals, dream out loud, and share their purpose with the world.

If you’ve ever had an idea and didn’t know how to start, or thought you needed a full dev team to build it, this episode is for you.

A Platform for Purpose

Seeq didn’t begin as a polished product. It started with a simple mission: help people connect to their dreams and purpose in a visual, structured way. But bringing that to life required more than vision. It needed:

  • Fast iteration
  • Low-cost prototyping
  • A way to amplify one creator’s efforts across design, development, and communication

And that’s where AI stepped in.

Jon walks us through how tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Supabase, and more became his co-founders. Each helped reduce friction at critical steps of the build, from scripting investor decks, to building wireframes, to launching social content.

“This is the most democratized, accessible time in human history to build something.”

How Seeq Went From Idea to App Store

This episode breaks down Jon’s 4-phase journey from napkin sketch to working product:

  1. Ideation– Using ChatGPT to validate the concept and iterate on positioning
  2. Prototyping– Building clickable prototypes with low-code tools and AI-generated assets
  3. MVP Development– Leveraging AI-powered no-code tools and collaborators
  4. Go-to-Market– Creating pitch decks, explainer videos, and community buzz with help from AI

Jon also highlights how AI made it possible to:

  • Maintain lean budgets
  • Accelerate feedback loops
  • Stay focused on customer empathy and product vision

AI for the People: Not a Replacement, An Amplifier

One of the most impactful parts of this episode is Jon’s perspective on how AI isn’t here to replace humans, it’s here to elevate them.

“AI is the ultimate collaborator. If you know what you want to say, it helps you say it better. If you know what you want to build, it helps you build faster.”

Whether it’s refining copy, storyboarding UX, or mapping user flows, Jon uses AI as a force multiplier for human insight.

The Takeaway: Start With What You Have

You don’t need to be a coder. You don’t need venture capital. You just need:

  • An idea
  • A willingness to try
  • And the courage to start small

This episode is a powerful reminder that the AI era isn’t just for technologists. It’s for doers.

At Digital Meld, we believe that staying curious and thinking boldly is the best way to lead through change. New SSTB episodes are released every Friday across all major podcast platforms (direct links below), with video available on Spotify and YouTube. Follow and subscribe to empower your AI journey

Summary

In this episode of the Start Small Think Big podcast, Brad Groux and Robert Groux interview Jon Levesque, founder of Seeq. Jon shares his journey from being a community manager at Microsoft to becoming a startup founder. He discusses the challenges and triumphs of building Seeq, a platform aimed at revolutionizing how people discover experiences. The conversation delves into the importance of community, leveraging AI in development, and the mindset needed for non-technical founders. Jon emphasizes the value of sharing ideas, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the belief that anyone can succeed with the right mindset and tools.

Keywords

startup, AI, automation, entrepreneurship, experience network, Seeq, community building, product development, non-technical founders, overcoming challenges

Takeaways

  • Jon Levesque transitioned from Microsoft to founding Seeq.
  • Seeq aims to redefine how people discover experiences.
  • Community building has been a significant part of Jon’s career.
  • AI tools have accelerated development processes for startups.
  • Non-technical founders can leverage no-code tools to build prototypes.
  • Sharing ideas openly can lead to faster iterations and improvements.
  • Imposter syndrome is common, but can be overcome with the right mindset.
  • The startup journey is both rewarding and challenging.
  • Networking and relationships are crucial for success in startups.
  • Starting small and thinking big is essential for entrepreneurial success.

Titles

  • Revolutionizing Experience Discovery with Seeq
  • From Microsoft to Startup: Jon Levesque’s Journey

Sound Bites

  • “The only limitation is imagination.”
  • “I am the VC.”
  • “Start small, think big.”

Resources

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Journey

02:03 From Community Builder to Startup Founder

04:48 Reimagining Travel Discovery

09:54 The Leap into Entrepreneurship

17:47 Creating a New Category: Experience Networks

23:59 Building the Prototype and Team Dynamics

34:02 Leveraging AI for Development

46:51 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

53:04 Advice for Non-Technical Founders

59:28 Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations

01:03:51 The End

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