#231 - Tools I Actually Use to Save Time

The Startup CPG Podcast · 13 Jan 2026 · 14m · Episode 246

AI in practice: 2 real uses of AI described

What this episode covers

Daniel Scharff, founder and CEO of Startup CPG, details the specific software and hiring strategies he uses to run his business efficiently. He categorizes his toolkit into core operations (Superhuman, Notion, Surfe), back-office solutions (Calendly, Bill.com), content creation (Riverside.fm, ChatGPT), and talent acquisition (Upwork, LinkedIn Jobs, offshore contractors). Scharff emphasizes how these tools reduce administrative friction, automate outreach, and enable the hiring of cost-effective, specialized remote teams without agency fees.

AI in practice

Where this conversation describes AI being used to build or deliver a product. Part of the AI in practice tracker.

Marketing & salesRiverside.fm

The AI automatically generated clips from high-quality recordings, which saved significant post-production time and allowed for the creation of multiple content assets.

“Also they just have great features and they're AI clips that are automatically generated, saving a lot of post production time. It can create so many assets for you, so much content.”

Daniel Scharff ·

Marketing & salesChatGPT

The speaker used the AI to review interview scripts and provide suggestions, finding obvious points he had missed, and to generate tighter or better-worded ideas for new stories.

“But then I do ask ChatGPT to look at it and give me suggestions and it always is going to find one or two obvious things that I didn't think of … It can often give me stuff that's much tighter or better worded than what I'm thinking of.”

Daniel Scharff ·

Mentioned

Companies
Startup CPG
Tools
Superhuman, Notion, Surfe, Calendly, Bill.com, Riverside.fm, ChatGPT, Upwork, LinkedIn Jobs

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