FIELD NOTES

Dispatches from the trail.

Field notes from building in public... AI experiments, small business marketing lessons, website rebuild case studies, and honest breakdowns of what actually worked. Written from inside the build, not the highlight reel.

Latest dispatch

Local & Community/August 5, 2026/2 min readJourney to Hope: An Evening for AFSP Long Island

I Rebuilt a Dance Studio's Website in Four Days. Traffic Is Up Nearly 6x.Marketing & Strategy · Aug 3, 2026 · 5 min read

Why I left Squarespace and what I create with nowTech & Tools · Jul 16, 2026 · 5 min read

How Composure Actually Helped Me, 3 Real MomentsTech & Tools · Jun 30, 2026 · 5 min read

I Built My Own Workout Tracker Turned AI TrainerBuild Log · Workout Log · Mar 24, 2026 · 7 min read

What a Custom Claude Skill Actually Looks Like (And Why I Built One for My Blog)Tech & Tools · Mar 3, 2026 · 7 min read

The AI Tool Audit: How to Evaluate If a Tool Is Actually Worth Your TimeTech & Tools · Feb 15, 2026 · 6 min read

Why I Ditched Warby Parker for a Local Eyewear ShopReviews & Recommendations · Jan 21, 2026 · 4 min read

Small Business Spotlight: Bones and Beans CreativeLocal & Community · Dec 16, 2025 · 5 min read

What I Learned Managing Social Media for Big Brands That Small Businesses Get WrongMarketing & Strategy · Dec 11, 2025 · 5 min read

AI Slop Is Killing Consumer Trust... And Here's How Smart Businesses Can Fight BackTech & Tools · Oct 20, 2025 · 9 min read

From Tutoring to Creativity: What 700 Million ChatGPT Users Reveal About Real-World AI AdoptionTech & Tools · Sep 22, 2025 · 6 min read

The Collapse of Social Media Isn't a Crisis. It's a Reset.Marketing & Strategy · Aug 6, 2025 · 6 min read

Local & Community/August 5, 2026/2 min read

Journey to Hope: An Evening for AFSP Long Island

I'm supporting The Journey to Hope on August 19 in Bay Shore, a night of music and advocacy benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Long Island Chapter.

Marketing & Strategy/August 3, 2026/5 min read

I Rebuilt a Dance Studio's Website in Four Days. Traffic Is Up Nearly 6x.

How moving DXNY off Squarespace and rebuilding around parent needs led to 7 straight months of traffic growth on zero ad spend.

Tech & Tools/July 16, 2026/5 min read

Why I left Squarespace and what I create with now

I spent over ten years on Squarespace... I even used to work there. This is the story of why I finally left, what the transaction fees were really costing me, and the five-tool stack I create with now.

Tech & Tools/June 30, 2026/5 min read

How Composure Actually Helped Me, 3 Real Moments

I didn't know what I didn't know, until I left the Squarespace safety net and started building on my own. Three real moments with Composure showed me exactly how much I was missing, and why building without a second set of eyes is building on quicksand.

Build Log · Workout LogTech & Tools/March 24, 2026/7 min read

I Built My Own Workout Tracker Turned AI Trainer

I had years of health data sitting in Apple Health and workout logs collecting dust in Notion. Titan connects them into a system that actually tells me what to do next.

Tech & Tools/March 3, 2026/7 min read

What a Custom Claude Skill Actually Looks Like (And Why I Built One for My Blog)

Most people use AI to write an email. I built a system that runs an entire content category. Here's what a custom Claude Skill actually looks like, including the parts that broke.

Tech & Tools/February 15, 2026/6 min read

The AI Tool Audit: How to Evaluate If a Tool Is Actually Worth Your Time

Most businesses adopt AI because they think they're supposed to. Here's the 3-step evaluation process that separates tools worth your time from expensive distractions.

Reviews & Recommendations/January 21, 2026/4 min read

Why I Ditched Warby Parker for a Local Eyewear Shop

Warby Parker just killed their home try-on program. I needed new glasses anyway, so I tried a friend's recommendation. He nailed my frames on the first try and proved that expertise beats algorithms.

Local & Community/December 16, 2025/5 min read

Small Business Spotlight: Bones and Beans Creative

A look at Bones and Beans Creative Studio... 11 years of perfect reviews, custom craftsmanship, and a founder who actually cares. Here's why Monica Baker's small business is worth knowing.

Marketing & Strategy/December 11, 2025/5 min read

What I Learned Managing Social Media for Big Brands That Small Businesses Get Wrong

Big brands aren't doing anything magical with their marketing. They just don't skip the basics. Here's what I learned at Canon, Scholastic, and Accenture that applies to any size business.

Tech & Tools/October 20, 2025/9 min read

AI Slop Is Killing Consumer Trust... And Here's How Smart Businesses Can Fight Back

AI-generated content is flooding the internet, and consumers can tell. Here's how small businesses can use AI as a real tool without creating the “slop” that's killing brand trust.

Tech & Tools/September 22, 2025/6 min read

From Tutoring to Creativity: What 700 Million ChatGPT Users Reveal About Real-World AI Adoption

Still think AI is just for tech nerds? Half of ChatGPT's 700 million users are women, and most aren't using it for work at all.

Marketing & Strategy/August 6, 2025/6 min read

The Collapse of Social Media Isn't a Crisis. It's a Reset.

The breakfast posts are gone. The algorithms won. But something new is emerging... and it looks a lot more human than what we're leaving behind.

Follow the build on Threads.

Daily notes from inside the build... wins, misfires, and what's next.

@itsadventureswithrick