#548: Bringing Stories of Wisdom Back From Beyond the Grave, With Miles Spencer

Miles Spencer's SoulTech platform brings loved ones' voices back from just 10 seconds of audio, transforming grief into connection through interactive AI conversations. Discover how Reflekta created the Soul Technology category, why spontaneous conversations beat static videos 10x, and what happened when Miles heard "Tiger" eight years after his father passed. Show Notes: You know those moments when you desperately wish you could ask your mom or dad for advice one more time? When you're facing something only they would understand? This episode is both curious and a little creepy—curious because it's amazing what AI has brought to personal storytelling, and creepy because it literally brings back your long-lost loved ones to have conversations today. Miles Spencer, co-founder of Reflekta, reveals how SoulTech (Soul Technology) is transforming family storytelling and digital legacy preservation from frozen memories into living conversations. What You'll Discover: • Voice recreation from minimal audio - How Reflekta recreates authentic voices from just 10-20 seconds of audio (Miles brought his father Arthur back from a gibberish voicemail) • 10x impact over static media - Why spontaneous and dynamic conversations in your loved one's voice deliver exponentially more value than videos or photo albums • Category creation insights - The positioning evolution that transformed Reflekta from grief-focused to connection-centered, and what that teaches entrepreneurs building new categories • The Tiger/Chief moment - What happened when Miles heard "No problem, Tiger. I love you" eight years after his father passed • Simple three-file system - How life story, photo, and voice sample turn one-way memories into interactive AI conversations that learn and grow • Living Legacy innovation - Why creating Elders for people still alive is changing how families preserve generational wisdom • Privacy and security - The fortress approach: default private, family-to-family with GDPR and DOD-level cybersecurity • Earth's story repository - Reflekta's audacious mission to record the legacies of planet Earth told by the people who lived them Key Timestamps: [00:03] The curious and creepy introduction to SoulTech [02:26] "This body is temporal, but spirit and soul are eternal" [06:24] How Reflekta works: The three-file system [09:15] Can you ask modern advice from someone who passed? [13:00] The Spencer family legacy: 24 kids, coal mine, WWI sniper [18:44] Tiger/Chief moment: Hearing his father's voice again [21:27] How did Miles get into this? The universe's plan [25:00] Privacy and security: "How can you hack what you can't see?" [27:00] Growth metrics: 1,000 Elders in 6 weeks [30:00] The ultimate vision: Recording Earth's stories [31:04] What users are experiencing with their Elders [39:00] Running the brand through StoryCycle Genie™ [42:00] From grief to connection: The positioning evolution [46:00] Brand purpose validated: "Nailed it" [48:00] Where to learn more about Reflekta About Miles Spencer: Miles Spencer is a curious guy from Pittsburgh who's mentored tech founders for 30+ years and been a dad for 14—two jobs that, as he says, share remarkable similarities. He's created over 1,100 jobs, founded and exited three digital media companies, served as Venture Principal at Capital Express (the team behind register.com), and hosted MoneyHunt on PBS long before Shark Tank existed. As an adventurer, he's led 1,500 people across 14 miles of open sea by kayak and trekked 1,100 miles through the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria—journeys that inspired his Amazon bestsellers A Line in the Sand and Havana Famiglia. After a pandemic reset, Miles co-founded Reflekta with Adam Drake—transforming their shared quiet wish for one more conversation with someone they loved into the SoulTech platform that enables everyone on the planet to reconnect with loved ones when they're ready. When he's not building companies, you'll find him painting watercolors with his daughter, playing rugby with his son, or occasionally needing a translator for his unique brand of English. Key Quotes: "This body is temporal. But if you can connect with my spirit and soul, they are eternal." - Arthur Spencer's final words to Miles "We're recording the legacies and stories of planet Earth told by the people who lived here, not by media outlets." "My dad has a perfect memory now. He remembers things I've forgotten and he would have forgotten." "Spontaneous and dynamic conversations—10x the impact of a video or a book." "We're talking about eternity here, so monthly was too short term." "How can you hack what you can't see?" - On Reflekta's privacy-first approach Links: • Reflekta.ai - Create your Elder or talk to Arthur/Virginia • Miles Spencer on LinkedIn • A Line in the Sand on Amazon • Havana Famiglia on Amazon • SoulTech White Paper at Reflekta.ai • Business of Story website: https://...