Meet Raymond Vogel

We recently connected with Raymond Vogel and have shared our conversation below.

Raymond, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Starting a business is intimidating. There are so many hats to wear – strategic planner, accountant, contracts and purchasing, salesman, product developer, graphics, website builder, social media, Human Resources, IT support, and more. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, overloaded, out-of-depth, and completely intimidated.

Fortunately, this is not my first business, so I went into it eyes open. My previous experience helped a lot, especially since I’ve had to study how businesses operate in all aspects. That foundation gave me some breathing room.

But what’s different this time is AI. And since this is a business that teaches AI, we definitely practice what we preach. Using AI makes each job slightly easier. It gives us access to expertise in everything we need and then some. When I don’t know what to do next or how to prioritize my time, I open up another conversation with ChatGPT, or Claude, or Gemini and chat until a clear path emerges.

Sometimes though, you just have to fake it until you make it. You put yourself in uncomfortable situations and force “good problems” to happen. Then you trust that you’ll figure it out when it comes.

Also, I should probably plug one of our books here, because it addresses this topic head-on. It’s called Embracing Your Existential Crisis, and it’s all about using AI to get through moments exactly like this. The title’s only slightly dramatic.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’ve always been drawn to innovation. Even as a kid I imagined myself as a future inventor. That mindset stayed with me throughout my career, where I was constantly looking for ways to automate, streamline, and simplify anything I could. So when ChatGPT arrived, I immediately recognized it as something different. I dove into learning everything I could, following its evolution and exploring how to use it to make work easier. Just as quickly, I found myself wanting to help others do the same.

After a conversation with Dina Alkhateeb, now my business partner and our CEO, about starting a training and consulting business focused on AI, everything clicked. She saw the same potential I did and jumped in right away. That’s how Frontier Academy was born.

Frontier Academy helps professionals start using generative AI tools to streamline their work. Sometimes we are brought in by managers who recognize how powerful the impact can be. Other times, individuals reach out because they know these tools are becoming a core part of their jobs. We offer self-paced training, in-person workshops, and virtual events so we can meet people wherever they are in their learning journey.

One of our most exciting challenges right now is managing the steady growth in demand while building our capacity with talented trainers. We want to grow without losing the quality and value that sets us apart.

Our newest focus is expanding into the education space. We recently held our first AI workshop for teachers and administrators, and the feedback was outstanding. We helped them save time immediately, and we’re looking to build on that success with many more similar events.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

First, strong personal productivity. I’ve always believed in using time wisely, focusing on what matters most, and putting effort into creating high-quality work. Whether it’s a workshop or a strategic plan, I don’t just want to check the box, I want to make something useful, thoughtful, and lasting. In a world with limited time, this requires creating periods of focused productivity that yield meaningful progress.

Second, intense curiosity. I’m someone who always wants to dig deeper. I’ve never been satisfied with surface-level answers and I love learning new things, trying unfamiliar tools, and stepping into new roles. That curiosity has opened a lot of doors and kept me ahead of the curve – especially in a fast-moving space like AI.

And third, a willingness to lean forward and take smart risks. Starting Frontier Academy was a leap, but it was an informed one. Every big step I’ve taken has involved risk, but also reward, especially when paired with preparation and a clear vision.

One piece of advice I carry with me came from Dina. She told me that stressful moments usually mean you’re learning, and I love that thought. It’s easy to accept the first answer, to mistake confidence for accuracy, to skip the steps that actually make the difference. When I was preparing for our educator workshops, I didn’t just rely on AI outputs. I talked to AI tools, yes, but I also listened to hours of podcasts, reached out to teachers in my network, and absorbed everything I could to truly understand what would resonate. The result was something we were proud of, and more importantly, something that made life better for the people we were training.

My advice to others is simple but hard to follow: lean into the stress. Do the deep work. Don’t settle for what’s easy. The effort you put in behind the scenes is what separates good from great, and it’s what builds lasting impact.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Yes, always. You never know how a connection might turn into something meaningful, whether that’s personal growth or business growth.

We’re currently partnering with an IT company that is now able to offer top tier AI training to their local clients. We’re also bringing on AI enthusiasts as consultants who can introduce our products and certifications to their own networks while growing their careers and experience in the process. Where there are relationships, there are opportunities.

At least for now, while we are still small, the Contact Us form on our website goes straight to our inbox, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re interested in collaborating.

https://frontieracademyllc.com/contact-us/

Contact Info:

• Website: https://frontieracademyllc.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontier-academy-llc/