01 — The Guide
Rick Montero

I create every day.
I share what I learn.
I build in public...
so you don't have to figure it out alone.

Rick Montero

02 — The Story

Closed doors to out loud

Fifteen years inside Canon, Scholastic, Accenture... building content strategies behind closed doors. I wasn't on the outside advising... I was in the room, managing the teams, defending the budget, shipping the campaigns.

Then I got laid off. Then again. Three times total. You build someone else's thing for years, and one morning you're just... out. Most of us have been there.

So I stopped building behind closed doors. Now I do it out loud... every day. The podcast, the threads, the AI experiments... it's all on the table. No gatekeeping. If you're done waiting for permission to start, you're in the right place.

03 — The Work

What I'm building

The Prompt

Weekly video podcast... deep dives on AI and content. Co-hosted. No hype, no theory... just what's actually working.

Watch on YouTube →

Threads

Daily. Where I show up most, share experiments, and build community in real time.

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Field Notes

Every two weeks, I round up what I've learned, what I'm testing, and what's actually worth your time. Best threads, new episodes, AI experiments... in just one email.

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04 — The Compass

What I believe

AI is a tool, not a shortcut

It makes you faster, not better. If your foundation isn't solid... your knowledge, your taste, your perspective... AI just amplifies the cracks. You are the value. AI is the lever.

Community over audience

Follower counts are band-aid metrics. An audience is potential... a community is people who are invested. Stop chasing reach. Start building depth.

The 'safe path' isn't safe anymore

Corporations will cut thousands overnight and post record profits the same quarter. I've been laid off. I get it. The real risk isn't going out on your own... it's waiting around to get picked again. Build something that's yours.

05 — Off Trail
Rick Montero with Leia and Yoda

First-generation American. Costa Rican roots. Raised in Florida, based on Long Island. Most mornings start with Leia and Yoda pulling me down the block. Most nights end with something proofing on the counter and a new AI tool open on my phone. I don't know when the experiments became the routine... but here we are.

If you're into the same messy, in-progress kind of building... you'll fit right in.

06 — Signal Fire

Come along
for the ride

Field Notes lands every two weeks. Best of what I've tested, built, and learned... straight to your inbox.