AIYourBrand · Part of the YourBrand Network

You don't need the whole map. You need the nextstep.

You don't have an AI problem. You have a clarity problem. You don't need another tool or a hundred prompts. You need the one move that makes AI actually help this week.

Find my AI nextstep →

Two minutes. Six questions. You see your result before I ask for anything.

Or just get Nextstep Notes free

Free · 2 minutes

What's your AI Clarity Score?

I'm Russ. AI is a tool, like a good pen or a good mic. Used well, it gives you time back for people. Most of us don't struggle with AI because of the tool. We struggle because nobody said what to fix first.

Six questions. Two minutes. One nextstep. No email needed to see it.

Kindness is cool, smiles are free.

How it works

No program. No 40 tabs. One move at a time.

1

Take the score

Six quick questions about where you are with AI today. Just starting or years in, it works.

2

See your one gap

Not ten things. The one that matters most right now, plus three moves for it.

3

Do one move a week

Nextstep Notes lands every Thursday with one trend and one 15 minute move. Do it, then do the next.

Try this today. 15 minutes.

Write your one AI job and your review rule.

Write one sentence: the one job AI helps you with this month, like first drafts of your weekly email. Then write your review rule: I read, fix, and fact check everything before it goes out. Save both where you work.

Done looks like one job sentence and one review rule, saved where you'll see them.

That's what a nextstep feels like. The quiz finds yours.

Russ Johns

Nextstepnext · YourBrand Network

Who's behind this

I'm Russ. I write Nextstep Notes every Thursday, and I read every reply.

30 years in corporations and 15 years as an entrepreneur and content creator.

I've learned I have no one else to be responsible for but myself. With AI that's still true: a tool can help, but what goes out with my name on it is on me.

This site is one small piece of a bigger mission: help more people help more people. One craft, one move at a time.

Read the whole story → (opens in a new tab)

Not ready for the quiz?

Start with the letter.

Nextstep Notes lands every Thursday. One trend, one 15 minute move, and the AI trend lives right inside it. Free, short, and kind to your inbox.

No price. No upsell. Unsubscribe any time.

See a recent issue (opens in a new tab)

Fair questions

Is it free?

Yes. The quiz, your result, and Nextstep Notes are all free.

Do I have to give you my email to see my score?

No. Your result shows up on the page. Getting it in your inbox is your call.

I barely use AI. Is this for me?

Especially for you. Starting with one job and one review rule keeps AI helpful and honest from day one.

Will AI save me hours every week?

I won't promise numbers. I'll help you see where you are with AI and pick one useful move. What happens next is yours.

Trust

Playing it straight

Trust is earned one message at a time. Here's how we keep it, and how you can too.

Rules people follow

Follow the terms of the AI tools you use and the places you publish.
Only message people who asked.
An unsubscribe link in every email, honored right away.
Honest claims and safe, clear links. No hidden redirects.

What we do

Opt in only. No unsolicited emails, texts, or DMs.
Every message says it's from Russ Johns and Nextstepnext, and leaving takes one click or one word.
Real numbers only, like 600+ livestream interviews. No promised results.
We never buy, sell, or share lists.

Using AI the right way

Be honest about where you use AI, and label AI-made images, audio, and video.
A human reviews everything and checks the facts before it goes out.
No fake reviews or testimonials, AI-written or not. The FTC bans them.
No deepfakes, and no cloning anyone's voice or likeness without permission.
Keep what people share private. Don't paste it into AI tools without permission.

This is general guidance, not legal advice.

Rather talk it through with a person? Book a free Roadmap call (opens in a new tab). We look at where you are and pick your nextstep together.