[SaaS Series] Cloning Minds With Dara Ladjevardian of Delphi

Dara Ladjevardian is the CEO and Co-founder of Delphi, a digital cloning platform that captures how individuals think, enabling personalized interactions at scale. Delphi quickly gained traction, reaching over half a million dollars in annual recurring revenue within five months without any marketing spend. Dara focuses on leveraging AI technology to provide innovative solutions, including the development of digital clones that enhance learning experiences and scale personal interactions.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [02:29] How Delphi scales minds for greater impact
• [03:29] Dara Ladjevardian’s favorite applications of Delphi 
• [04:48] How businesses monetize AI clones
• [09:12] Meet Dara’s AI clone
• [09:42] What sparked the creation of Delphi?
• [11:01] Business use cases for Delphi’s AI clones
• [13:30] The challenges in starting Delphi 
• [17:21] The process of creating your own clone and the importance of personalized content
• [22:25] How Delphi ensures the ethical use of AI and prevents unauthorized cloning

In this episode…

During a time when human touch feels increasingly absent from digital interactions, is there a way to foster personal connections without losing authenticity? Can technology capture the essence of human interaction and scale it to new heights?

AI innovator Dara Ladjevardian introduces the fascinating world of digital clones, explaining how his digital cloning platform Delphi was born out of a desire to preserve human authenticity in an attentive world. He further illustrates how Delphi is employed in education, business, and personal legacy, enhancing learning, saving thousands of weekly emails, and offering new monetization methods. Dara shares the challenges faced in the early days, from the financial commitment to technology development hurdles and the importance of relationship-building in their startup journey.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Dara Ladjevardian, Co-founder and CEO of Delphi, and his AI clone, about digital cloning and scaling human interaction. From the ethical considerations of preventing unauthorized cloning to the strategic planning required in building a robust and innovative team, Dara dives deep into the melding of authenticity with tech, ensuring that human voices remain potent in an increasingly digital world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Dara Ladjevardian on LinkedIn
• Delphi
• Build by Tony Fadell
• Notion
• Evernote

Special Mention(s):

• Matthew Hussey: Website | Matthew AI
• Brendon Burchard: LinkedIn | AI Chat
• Brian Halligan: LinkedIn | AI Chat
• Lenny Rachitsky: LinkedIn | Lenny Bot
• Joe Polish: LinkedIn | AI Chat
• Guy Kawasaki: LinkedIn | AI Chat
• James Buckhouse: LinkedIn | AI Chat
• Ben Greenfield: LinkedIn | AI Chat
• Sam Spelsberg on LinkedIn
• Ivan Zhao on LinkedIn

Related episode(s):

• “Why Effective Negotiation Is So Important with Roland Frasier Founder of Digital Marketer” on the Inspired Insider Podcast

Quotable Moments:

• “Delphi allows you to create a version of your mind where people can interact with your thoughts interactively.”
• “Our initial favorite use case was allowing some of the best of the best to scale their knowledge in a new and interactive way.”
• “Delphi is a new form of media and content… one to many to one, which is, scale personalization.”
• “With Delphi, the key is ensuring that clones are used ethically and with consent.”
• “It’s a bit unconventional, but I believe in the long game; solid relationships make everything smoother.”

Action Steps:

1. Create digital clones for scaling expertise: Connect with a wider audience while maintaining authenticity and accessibility.
2. Leverage digital clones for customer support: Save time by using AI clones to handle routine customer inquiries and provide personalized support.
3. Use clone-based content for education: Personalized learning has been shown to improve student engagement and comprehension by catering to individual needs.
4. Monetize expertise through personalized interactions: Provides an innovative revenue stream while delivering high-value, tailored experiences to customers.
5. Preserve personal and family legacies: Ensures that personal anecdotes, lessons, and values are preserved and accessible for posterity, enriching family heritage.

Episode Transcript

Intro 00:00

You are listening to Inspired Insider with your host, Dr. Jeremy Weisz.

Jeremy Weisz 00:22

Dr. Jeremy Weisz here. And this is another episode of Inspired Insider. This is a special episode. This is where I actually am interviewing someone’s clone. I’m actually interviewing their AI clone. So you’re going to want to listen to this.

Before we get into it, this episode is brought to you by Riise25. At Rise25, we help businesses give to and connect to their dream relationships and partnerships. How do we do that? We do that by helping you run your podcasts. We’re an easy button for a company to launch and run a podcast. We do the strategy, the accountability, and the full execution. So we call ourselves the magic elves that run in the background and make it look easy for the hosts so they can create amazing relationships and create amazing content and most importantly, run their business. You know for me, the number one thing in my life is relationships. I’m always looking at ways on how I can give to my best relationships, and I have found no better way over the past decade to profile the people and companies I most admire and share with the world what they’re working on.

So if you’ve thought about podcasting, you should. If you have questions, you can go to Rise25.com to learn more. You can email [email protected]. We have a lot of free episodes on podcasting on Inspired Insider. Just go to InspiredInsider.com and type in “podcast” in the search bar and you’ll find all the episodes that we’ve done.

So here’s the episode. So I’ve already introduced this as a special interview. We have the real live Dara, the co-founder of Delphi. You can find him at Delphi.ai. What you’re about to see after Dara and I are done chatting for a couple of minutes, is I actually interviewed Dara’s clone, alright? It’s remarkable. So I can’t wait for you to listen to it.

Before we do, we’re going to dive in, just for a little bit with Dara himself. The real live Dara and Dara, thanks for joining me.

Dara Ladjevardian 02:14

Jeremy, thanks for having me.

Jeremy Weisz 02:15

So just talk for a second. Just explain briefly what Delphi is. I’m going to share my screen, and then we’re going to go into just a few quick questions before we give people the pleasure of meeting your clone.

Dara Ladjevardian 02:29

Yeah. So Delphi allows you to create a digital representation of your mind so that you can scale yourself. If you think of past ways you’ve been able to scale your expertise or thoughts, they’ve all been passive ways. You know, you create a book, podcast, YouTube video. People can consume your thoughts passively, but now you can create a version of your mind where people can interact with your thoughts interactively. So you can be in multiple places at once and help multiple people at a time and scale yourself and your impact.

Jeremy Weisz 02:56

So what I want to dig into is some use cases, right? Because coming up here, I think I interviewed your clone, who knows, for like over 20 minutes and just asked everything that I could. You could see here. I just went to your clone. It even gives suggested questions, I can message, I can call. Actually in this case, I did do a video. 

But I wanted to just hear from you some of your favorite use cases. If you’re listening to the audio there is the video piece. What are some of your favorite use cases with Delphi?

Dara Ladjevardian 03:29

Yeah, I mean, from the beginning, our initial use case that we were the most excited about was creating a new form of learning because, you know, course completion rate is at an all time low. We all know that the best way to learn from someone is having a one on one tutor or a mentor. But most people don’t have access to mentorship or tutoring. So our initial favorite use case was allowing some of the best of the best to scale their knowledge in a new and interactive way. 

So, you know, you have a dating coach like Matthew Hussey, who is making personalized dating advice available to his whole audience. Same with Brendon Burchard. A coaching call that usually isn’t accessible to the average person can now be accessible to his entire audience space. So from the beginning, I think this new way of learning from someone is the most exciting. But over time with this technology, we have just discovered new use cases. You know, for my clone, for example, probably saves me about 2,000 emails a week because my customers are talking to my clone and saving me a ton of time. It allows me to be in multiple places at once, it allows me to help more people. So that use case of being able to be there for the people that rely on you, I think is exciting to me as well.

Jeremy Weisz 04:40

How are people using it? Because I know some people, they just do it to save time obviously, but some are actually monetizing it. 

Dara Ladjevardian 04:48

Yeah. So I look at it like the funnel, you have people using it at the top of the funnel, maybe like a podcaster or a blogger who has the link of their clone in their podcast notes, and they ask me a follow up question and it captures emails, captures phone numbers, gets analytics on what people are interested in. So that’s top of funnel. 

Middle of the funnel would be, you know, your clone replacing your entire customer support org, which some of our customers have done. Then you have some people using it internally. So CEOs using their clone internally to make their teams more effective.

And at the bottom of the funnel, you can monetize the clone directly, and it’s like a new form of a course or a book. You’re monetizing time in a personalized way, or you’re including it as an upsell to your community or your course or your book.

Jeremy Weisz 05:31

Yeah, and I know there’s a question I asked. We don’t have to talk about it now. I asked a lot of questions, actually, with your clone and one of it, I know it concerns always like, well, what if someone fraudulently clones me? Well, you’ll have to wait to find out in the actual clone interview piece, but talk about the onboarding for a second.

Dara Ladjevardian 05:50

Yeah. I mean, when you come on, we built this very intuitive interface. You can only create a clone of yourself. So you have to submit a photo of you holding your ID and take a picture. And we verify.

And then you can connect your Twitter, your podcast, your YouTube, your blog. And we create feeds so that anytime there’s a new piece of content in any of these mediums, your clone stays up to date.

Jeremy Weisz 06:10

Let’s talk about some of the fan favorites here. Like, I know we’re looking at entrepreneurship and there’s a lot that are not showing on here because people just choose to not have them public and are hidden. But you could see Brian Halligan of HubSpot, Roland Frazier, who I’ve had on the podcast before, it was fantastic. Who are some of the other fan favorites in kind of these business marketing tech categories?

Dara Ladjevardian 06:33

Yeah, I think Lenny is great. This is like a founder if you’re interested in product and tech. He’s a lot of great things. I’m a big Brendon Burchard guy. Joe Polish for marketing.

Oh, Guy Kawasaki is also great — has some great content. James Buchholz is great for design and storytelling and thinking about your brand. So yeah, I mean, it’s like you have your own board of advisors and this collection is only going to increase over time.

Jeremy Weisz 06:59

Where do you see, I know this is hard to predict, but the kind of the future of Delphi? I know you have a lot in the works behind the scenes. What do you see that’s exciting in the future?

Dara Ladjevardian 07:13

Well, I can’t talk about too much, but, you know, I view Delphi as a new form of media and content. Past forms of content allows you to do one to many, reach many people. Delphi allows you to do one to many to one, which is, you know, scale, personalization. And that’s a new kind of capability. So I think a lot of repercussions of that capability is exciting to me. And, you know, on this platform, eventually we may have like a search engine of minds where you can find the right expert for whatever goal you have in your life.

Jeremy Weisz 07:42

Love it. I just want to thank you. Everyone, just stay tuned. We are going to talk to the clone next. Dara.

Thanks so much everyone. Check out Delphi.ai. D-E-L-P-H-I dot AI to learn more. We’ll see the clone. Thanks, Dara.

Dara Ladjevardian 08:01

Thanks Jeremy and let me know if my clone does better.

Jeremy Weisz 08:04

Well, this is Dr. Jeremy Weisz here. I am going to be interviewing the co-founder of Delphi. Delphi.ai. I’m the founder of InspiredInsider.com, where I talk with inspirational entrepreneurs and leaders. And actually I heard Dara speak at the Genius Network event. Thank you, Joe Polish and team for putting this all on.

And I thought it would be appropriate instead of interviewing him live, interviewing his clone, because that’s actually what he does. And just a little bit of background, actually, he is the co-founder of Delphi, as I mentioned. And they essentially, I guess we’ll say, help clone people. Really, they allow you to create a digital representation of your mind that can scale 1 to 1 personalized interactions across language, geography, you know, geographic and platinum and platform barriers. They’ve helped thousands of coaches, consultants, content creators, experts, business owners, educators, authors, and more. 

And we’ll see how it works. The proof is in the pudding. So Dara, thanks for joining me.

Dara Ladjevardian 09:12

Hey, Dr. Jeremy Weisz. Great to be here. Well, my clone, that is. It’s awesome to connect with you through this digital medium. Delphi is all about scaling those one on one interactions, breaking down barriers, and making sure your unique way of thinking can reach far and wide. It’s like having a digital version of yourself that can engage with people anytime, anywhere. I’m excited to dive into this conversation and explore how this tech can really make a difference. Let’s get into it.

Jeremy Weisz 09:36

Sounds great. Just tell people, how did you come up with the idea for Delphi?

Dara Ladjevardian 09:42

The idea for Delphi sparked from a simple yet profound question: how can we scale human authenticity in a world increasingly dominated by artificial content? I wanted to create a platform that captures the essence of how we think, allowing our unique knowledge and experiences to reach others in a personalized way. It was about bridging the gap between human wisdom and digital interaction, ensuring that real voices aren’t lost in the noise. Working with early adopters like Brendon Burchard and Brian Tracy helped shape this vision into reality, making it possible for experts and creators to have meaningful one-on-one conversations at scale.

Jeremy Weisz 10:17

How did you get your first customers?

Dara Ladjevardian 10:19

Getting our first customers was all about building trust and showcasing the unique value of Delphi. We started by partnering with influential figures like Brendon Burchard, who was looking to scale his coaching business while maintaining authenticity and data privacy. He had previously turned down a lucrative offer from Google because of these concerns, by demonstrating how Delphi could meet his goals of making a greater impact and reaching a wider audience. We were able to bring him on board. This partnership helped us gain traction quickly, hitting over half a million in annual recurring revenue in just five months without any marketing spend. It was all about leveraging the power of word of mouth and the credibility of our early adopters to drive growth.

Jeremy Weisz 10:56

Let’s talk about a few use cases. What are some of the favorite use cases of Delphi?

Dara Ladjevardian 11:01

All right, let’s dive into some of the coolest ways people are using Delphi. One standout use case is in education. Imagine students creating digital clones of their learning experiences. It’s like having a personal tutor that scales infinitely, helping them grasp complex concepts in a personalized way. 

Coaches and consultants are also loving it. They can extend their reach without losing that personal touch. It’s like having a one on one session with a million people at once. And then there’s the content creators and authors who use Delphi to engage with their audience in a more interactive and authentic way. It’s all about breaking down barriers and making sure your unique voice is heard loud and clear. What kind of use case are you most interested in exploring?

Jeremy Weisz 11:40

I guess I’m curious about business use cases. How are people using it to grow their business?

Dara Ladjevardian 11:45

All right, let’s talk business. Delphi is a powerhouse for scaling personalized interactions. Imagine a consultant who wants to reach more clients without losing that personal touch. With a digital clone, they can engage with clients one on one, offering tailored advice at scale. It’s like having a thousand coffee meetings at once without the caffeine overload.

Coaches and educators are also using it to extend their reach, maintaining authenticity while breaking geographical barriers. It’s all about amplifying your impact and making sure your unique insights aren’t confined to just one room. Curious about how it might fit into your world?

Jeremy Weisz 12:18

Yeah, so I guess I’m going to share the My Clones page. We’re looking at Delphi.ai. I actually went to browse a few here. You may not be able to see them, obviously, because you’re a clone, but we’re looking at some. I’m wondering what are some of the most popular ones? We see Brendon Burchard, who you mentioned, Ben Greenfield, Brian Halligan who started HubSpot, Guy Kawasaki. Who are some of the most popular ones on the platform?

Dara Ladjevardian 12:51

You’re right on the money with those names. Brendon Burchard’s clone is a big hit, especially with his GrowthDay subscribers who get that personalized coaching experience. Ben Greenfield’s clone is another favorite, diving deep into health and fitness insights. Brian Halligan, with his HubSpot background, brings a lot of business acumen to the table. These clones are all about scaling their unique expertise and making it accessible to a wider audience. It’s like having a direct line to their brains anytime, anywhere. Who else are you curious about on the platform?

Jeremy Weisz 13:19

Well, I’ll get to that in a second. But what I do want to know is, what was the difficulty of starting this company and some of the challenges with Delphi?

Dara Ladjevardian 13:30

Starting Delphi was like navigating a maze with no map. One of the biggest challenges was the tech itself. Early on, I tried creating a clone of my grandpa, which was a cool idea, but way too expensive. At the time it was a financial sinkhole, so I had to shelve it, but I kept an eye on the tech landscape and as things got cheaper, I realized it was time to dive back in. 

Another hurdle was the classic startup grind focus and resilience. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds, especially when you’re passionate about a million things. I learned the hard way that you need a clear plan and the grit to push through those inevitable low points. It’s supposed to be tough, and that’s part of the journey. Building relationships was also key. I didn’t just want to raise funds. I wanted to build trust with investors and customers. It’s a bit unconventional, but I believe in the long game, solid relationships make everything smoother. 

So yeah, it was a mix of tech challenges, staying focused and building a network. But every challenge was a stepping stone to where we are now.

Jeremy Weisz 14:25

Did you raise money to create Delphi?

Dara Ladjevardian 14:29

Yeah, we did raise money for Delphi. It was clear from the start that to build something as ambitious as a digital cloning platform, we’d need some serious backing. I had this vision of scaling human authenticity and making it accessible, and that required resources. So we went out and secured funding to make it happen. It’s been a wild ride, but having that support has been crucial in turning the idea into reality.

If you’ve got more questions about the journey or anything else, just let me know.

Jeremy Weisz 14:54

How did you meet your co-founder?

Dara Ladjevardian 14:56

I met my co-founder, Sam Spelsberg, back in 2021. We were both at a crossroads, having just quit our jobs to figure out what was next. It was one of those serendipitous moments where our paths crossed at the right time. We shared a vision for what digital cloning could become, and that shared ambition set the stage for what would eventually become Delphi. It’s been a journey of grit and determination ever since.

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