AI & Solopreneurs: The Untold Future of Work!

Hi, I'm Amy Shapiro, journalist at CEK. Hi, I'm Amy Shapiro, journalist at CEK. I'm here today with Anat Dyagi, the CEO I'm here today with Anat Dyagi, the CEO I'm here today with Anat Dyagi, the CEO and founder of Midsummer. Anat, thank and founder of Midsummer. Anat, thank and founder of Midsummer. Anat, thank you so much for joining us. you so much for joining us. you so much for joining us. >> Hey, thanks for having me. >> Hey, thanks for having me. >> Hey, thanks for having me. >> It's such a pleasure to have you. >> It's such a pleasure to have you. >> It's such a pleasure to have you. >> Thank you. It's such a pleasure to be >> Thank you. It's such a pleasure to be >> Thank you. It's such a pleasure to be here. here. here. >> Wonderful. Well, to start off with, um, >> Wonderful. Well, to start off with, um, >> Wonderful. Well, to start off with, um, can you tell us a bit about Midsummer? can you tell us a bit about Midsummer? can you tell us a bit about Midsummer? What is it that led you to start this What is it that led you to start this What is it that led you to start this venture?

venture? venture? >> Um, maybe I'll, uh, first, uh, tell >> Um, maybe I'll, uh, first, uh, tell >> Um, maybe I'll, uh, first, uh, tell about how I came to it. It's uh we have about how I came to it. It's uh we have about how I came to it. It's uh we have our own book club, me and some friends, our own book club, me and some friends, our own book club, me and some friends, >> and uh we listen mainly to audio books >> and uh we listen mainly to audio books >> and uh we listen mainly to audio books and there's like this trend of um the and there's like this trend of um the and there's like this trend of um the romanty books. It's like fiction books romanty books. It's like fiction books romanty books. It's like fiction books and uh we really enjoy the graphic audio and uh we really enjoy the graphic audio and uh we really enjoy the graphic audio productions. It's like a dramatized productions. It's like a dramatized productions. It's like a dramatized audio with a full cast of actors and audio with a full cast of actors and audio with a full cast of actors and background music. It's like listening to background music. It's like listening to background music. It's like listening to a movie and it gives you that same a movie and it gives you that same a movie and it gives you that same unwind. Um, but it takes months to unwind. Um, but it takes months to unwind. Um, but it takes months to produce and I was like I was tired of produce and I was like I was tired of produce and I was like I was tired of waiting for them to produce the next waiting for them to produce the next waiting for them to produce the next chapter, the next um not chapter, the chapter, the next um not chapter, the chapter, the next um not chapter, the next series uh the next um book in the next series uh the next um book in the next series uh the next um book in the series. Um so I was uh joking with my series. Um so I was uh joking with my series. Um so I was uh joking with my friends. I was telling that maybe I'll friends. I was telling that maybe I'll friends. I was telling that maybe I'll try to do it myself. And uh long story try to do it myself. And uh long story try to do it myself. And uh long story very very very very short. Uh here we very very very very short. Uh here we very very very very short. Uh here we are in Midsummer which does dramatized are in Midsummer which does dramatized are in Midsummer which does dramatized audio productions. And so for the

audio productions. And so for the audio productions. And so for the layman, what is a dramatized audio layman, what is a dramatized audio layman, what is a dramatized audio production as opposed to like a production as opposed to like a production as opposed to like a traditional audio book? traditional audio book? traditional audio book? >> Okay, so normally audio books are like >> Okay, so normally audio books are like >> Okay, so normally audio books are like one nar narrator and it's very flat. And one nar narrator and it's very flat. And one nar narrator and it's very flat. And when you listen to um fiction uh books, when you listen to um fiction uh books, when you listen to um fiction uh books, it's really annoying to listen to one it's really annoying to listen to one it's really annoying to listen to one person does all the voices like a male person does all the voices like a male person does all the voices like a male does female and uh vice versa. It's like does female and uh vice versa. It's like does female and uh vice versa. It's like really really hard to listen. Um, so I really really hard to listen. Um, so I really really hard to listen. Um, so I love the the dramatized audio which love the the dramatized audio which love the the dramatized audio which gives it the real effect of like gives it the real effect of like gives it the real effect of like immersive in the book like fun immersive in the book like fun immersive in the book like fun listening, listening, listening, >> right? And so obviously this idea

>> right? And so obviously this idea >> right? And so obviously this idea started with you and your friends in started with you and your friends in started with you and your friends in this book club, but when you're thinking this book club, but when you're thinking this book club, but when you're thinking of the audience for Midsummer, who is it of the audience for Midsummer, who is it of the audience for Midsummer, who is it that you envision will enjoy this? that you envision will enjoy this? that you envision will enjoy this? Because it seems like it could be for Because it seems like it could be for Because it seems like it could be for everyone, readers, non-readers. So um my everyone, readers, non-readers. So um my everyone, readers, non-readers. So um my uh like target audience is actually not uh like target audience is actually not uh like target audience is actually not the listeners so much but the authors the listeners so much but the authors the listeners so much but the authors who loves to like they love to hear who loves to like they love to hear who loves to like they love to hear their um their characters come to life. their um their characters come to life. their um their characters come to life. >> It's for them it's like I wish I had a >> It's for them it's like I wish I had a >> It's for them it's like I wish I had a photo of every like author that I um photo of every like author that I um photo of every like author that I um made his uh initial chapter anyway made his uh initial chapter anyway made his uh initial chapter anyway because we're like in a very initial because we're like in a very initial because we're like in a very initial stage. Uh so they're like no way like stage. Uh so they're like no way like stage. Uh so they're like no way like the the jaw is dropping and it's like the the jaw is dropping and it's like the the jaw is dropping and it's like for them it's the most fun uh experience for them it's the most fun uh experience for them it's the most fun uh experience here in it come to life. Um so initially here in it come to life. Um so initially here in it come to life. Um so initially I'm I'm turning to authors and I'm I'm turning to authors and I'm I'm turning to authors and publishers and like it's really now publishers and like it's really now publishers and like it's really now launching in these days. launching in these days. launching in these days. >> So we're starting uh our marketing.

>> So we're starting uh our marketing. >> So we're starting uh our marketing. >> Fantastic. So talk to me about being a >> Fantastic. So talk to me about being a >> Fantastic. So talk to me about being a soloreneur. soloreneur. soloreneur. >> Yes. So, I've been soloreneuring it >> Yes. So, I've been soloreneuring it >> Yes. So, I've been soloreneuring it since uh it just started off as like a since uh it just started off as like a since uh it just started off as like a fun side project and that got demand uh fun side project and that got demand uh fun side project and that got demand uh which is always great. Uh I didn't which is always great. Uh I didn't which is always great. Uh I didn't really have the time to even find a really have the time to even find a really have the time to even find a co-founder. So, so here I am and it's co-founder. So, so here I am and it's co-founder. So, so here I am and it's really difficult because you have to do really difficult because you have to do really difficult because you have to do it all. But as somebody that worked in it all. But as somebody that worked in it all. But as somebody that worked in tech and used to um work in a team and tech and used to um work in a team and tech and used to um work in a team and like you have the designer and the like you have the designer and the like you have the designer and the development and every like the development and every like the development and every like the communication takes time and everything communication takes time and everything communication takes time and everything takes really really long like being a takes really really long like being a takes really really long like being a solopreneur these days when AI is so

solopreneur these days when AI is so solopreneur these days when AI is so enabling. enabling. enabling. Well Well Well I think it's like we're going to see a I think it's like we're going to see a I think it's like we're going to see a lot more of solopreneurs. lot more of solopreneurs. lot more of solopreneurs. >> Right. I was going to ask because I >> Right. I was going to ask because I >> Right. I was going to ask because I understand Midsummer's quite a quite a understand Midsummer's quite a quite a understand Midsummer's quite a quite a new startup. new startup. new startup. >> Yeah. that was it AI that enabled you to >> Yeah. that was it AI that enabled you to >> Yeah. that was it AI that enabled you to start it now and how uh what are the start it now and how uh what are the start it now and how uh what are the challenges and opportunities challenges and opportunities challenges and opportunities specifically with AI versus working with specifically with AI versus working with specifically with AI versus working with contractors or uh other employees? contractors or uh other employees? contractors or uh other employees? >> I think that um not like the the initial

>> I think that um not like the the initial >> I think that um not like the the initial like for somebody that doesn't really like for somebody that doesn't really like for somebody that doesn't really know how to work with it and doesn't know how to work with it and doesn't know how to work with it and doesn't really know how AI works. I think like really know how AI works. I think like really know how AI works. I think like thinking that everybody can now is not thinking that everybody can now is not thinking that everybody can now is not like feasible. It's still requires to like feasible. It's still requires to like feasible. It's still requires to read the code. I always encourage read read the code. I always encourage read read the code. I always encourage read the code. Read the code because you will the code. Read the code because you will the code. Read the code because you will be surprised what AI puts in there. Um, be surprised what AI puts in there. Um, be surprised what AI puts in there. Um, so I always encourage to read the code so I always encourage to read the code so I always encourage to read the code and you have to be on it and to and you have to be on it and to and you have to be on it and to understand. AI also isn't creative and understand. AI also isn't creative and understand. AI also isn't creative and doesn't really know the use case that doesn't really know the use case that doesn't really know the use case that you're doing and what's because it you're doing and what's because it you're doing and what's because it doesn't know new stuff. It only knows doesn't know new stuff. It only knows doesn't know new stuff. It only knows old stuff. That's how it works. Um, so old stuff. That's how it works. Um, so old stuff. That's how it works. Um, so basically working with an a an ALS

basically working with an a an ALS basically working with an a an ALS multitaskers and people that are like multitaskers and people that are like multitaskers and people that are like that have a lot of like multifunctions that have a lot of like multifunctions that have a lot of like multifunctions that are able and know a little bit of that are able and know a little bit of that are able and know a little bit of marketing and know a little bit of marketing and know a little bit of marketing and know a little bit of development and know a little bit of development and know a little bit of development and know a little bit of like product and design and like it like product and design and like it like product and design and like it really enables the multitaskers and the really enables the multitaskers and the really enables the multitaskers and the like multi-talent people do more. like multi-talent people do more. like multi-talent people do more. >> So >> So >> So >> speaking of 2026 is just around the

>> speaking of 2026 is just around the >> speaking of 2026 is just around the corner. corner. corner. >> Yeah. What uh what milestones are you >> Yeah. What uh what milestones are you >> Yeah. What uh what milestones are you looking to achieve? What are we hoping looking to achieve? What are we hoping looking to achieve? What are we hoping to expect from Midsummer in 2026? to expect from Midsummer in 2026? to expect from Midsummer in 2026? >> Oh, producing so many books um enabling >> Oh, producing so many books um enabling >> Oh, producing so many books um enabling authors to see like uh to hear their uh authors to see like uh to hear their uh authors to see like uh to hear their uh creations come to life and like mainly creations come to life and like mainly creations come to life and like mainly producing books. That's like my personal producing books. That's like my personal producing books. That's like my personal goal. Um as many as possible. goal. Um as many as possible. goal. Um as many as possible. >> Fantastic. Well, it looks like 2026 or >> Fantastic. Well, it looks like 2026 or >> Fantastic. Well, it looks like 2026 or it sounds like 2026 is going to be a big it sounds like 2026 is going to be a big it sounds like 2026 is going to be a big year for Midsummer and I can't wait to year for Midsummer and I can't wait to year for Midsummer and I can't wait to see what comes for you. Thank you so see what comes for you. Thank you so see what comes for you. Thank you so much, Anat, for your time.