A life transition like divorce can also be a time to make other changes and shifts. Whether you're considering a career change, launching a business, or turning a lifelong passion into an income stream, today's technology offers opportunities that simply didn't exist a few years ago.
In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder sits down with business strategist Dr. Steven Kirch to explore how artificial intelligence can become a valuable thinking partner for anyone rebuilding their professional life after divorce. Rather than replacing human creativity, AI can help organize ideas, explore possibilities, challenge assumptions, and support better decision making.
Together they discuss practical ways AI can help evaluate business ideas, create business plans, brainstorm marketing strategies, identify blind spots, and even prepare for conversations with potential investors. They also explain why AI should always be viewed as a tool to support your thinking rather than replace your judgment, and why reviewing and verifying information remains essential.
Whether you're dreaming about a side business, returning to the workforce, or exploring an entirely new direction after divorce, this conversation will give you practical ideas for using AI to support your next chapter.
In this episode you'll learn:
• How AI can become a brainstorming and strategic thinking partner.
• Ways to explore new business ideas before investing significant time or money.
• How AI can help organize business plans and identify potential gaps.
• Why asking better questions produces better AI responses.
• What AI hallucinations are and why you should always verify important information.
• Privacy considerations when using AI for business planning.
Artificial intelligence is changing how entrepreneurs work, but success still depends on thoughtful planning, critical thinking, and informed decision making.
About the Guest:
Dr. Steven Kirch's path to Profit Minds began with a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, followed by more than 25 years in high tech, first at IBM, where he pioneered Focused Ion Beam techniques for failure analysis, before moving to Intel. His roles at Intel were many and varied, among them, running an analytical lab, serving as Chief of Staff to the VP managing Intel's most productive factory, and leading a 40-person international team. And along the way, he became a co-inventor on 10 U.S. patents across 5 technical fields, most of them earned as a manager contributing outside his own domain of expertise. After Intel, he founded Business Culture Advantage and then Profit Minds in 2020, where he has now served 50+ clients ranging from solopreneurs to mid-market firms.
Now partnering with his daughter, Suzy, at Profit Minds, they have shifted the focus to help businesses transform through the power of AI. Steve's mission is to take what he learned inside two of the most demanding companies on earth and put it to work for the leaders and teams of small and mid-sized businesses.
For Steve’s gift: https://aiisnothard.com/
To connect:
Website: https://profitminds.net/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevekirch/
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

