AI is Disrupting My Business (And Why That’s a Good Thing)
Turning challenges into opportunities
For years, my Startup Foundations Program has provided a structured, online process that combines startup education with hands-on application.
I've guided early-stage founders to explore, experiment, and enhance their business models before launch—doing all the manual work. We’d brainstorm from scratch, I'd encourage them to interview countless customers, dive into analyses, and develop business models that were both innovative and sustainable. It was intense, often exhausting, but incredibly rewarding.
But now, with AI—thanks, ChatGPT—that part of the journey has completely changed. AI can generate dozens of ideas in seconds, provide instant market insights, and suggest business models at the click of a button. So what happens when the thing that used to be central to my offering is now automated?
It’s simple: I evolve.
And I embrace it.
Before AI: My Old Focus
Helping founders come up with original ideas and value propositions from scratch was a key part of what I did. I'd guide them through data gathering and analysis, challenge their thinking, and help refine their ideas into viable business models.
The entrepreneurs who stood out were those who could think outside the box, take constant small actions, and experiment relentlessly.
After AI: The Pivot
Now, AI can handle many of the initial steps. It can help generate ideas, perform market research, and even suggest potential business models. It's a game-changer—and it's forced me to rethink how I help founders. Instead of resisting, I'm teaching them how and when to use AI.
How I’m Adapting My Offering:
Ideation: Enhancing Creativity with AI as a Soundboard
Collaboration: AI + Human Expertise
AI Literacy: Adding New Skills to the Toolbox
Critical Thinking is Everything
Doubling Down on Human Skills
From Strategy to Execution
AI can flood you with possibilities, but it's up to the founder to evaluate those ideas, refine them, and know when to lean on human creativity.
Let’s dig deeper.
1. Ideation: Enhancing Creativity with AI as a Soundboard
In the past, originality was everything. Now, I help founders enhance their creativity by generating more ideas and using AI to connect the dots. Founders still originate ideas, but AI steps in to analyze pros and cons, spark new connections, and act as a sounding board for refining thoughts. AI is a collaborator, not a replacement.
2. Collaboration: AI + Human Expertise
Instead of teaching founders to do everything manually, I focus on how to work alongside AI. AI can generate hundreds of ideas, but I help founders evaluate, refine, and execute them. It’s about curation over creation—knowing which AI-driven insights are worth pursuing and which to set aside.
3. AI Literacy: Adding New Skills to the Toolbox
I've shifted a big part of my program to focus on AI literacy. Knowing when and how to use AI tools effectively is the new skill set founders need. It's not enough to just generate ideas—you need to know how to ask AI the right questions (hello, prompt engineering!) and how to balance AI insights with human intuition.
4. Critical Thinking is Everything
Sure, ChatGPT can throw out 100 business models in 10 seconds, but are they any good? My role now is to help founders use their critical thinking to evaluate and refine those AI-generated ideas. AI can’t replace the deep thinking and human judgment needed to pick the right idea and execute it well.
AI is powerful, but it’s not perfect—it still takes human intuition to spot the gems (and avoid the clunkers).
5. Doubling Down on Human Skills
Empathy, creativity, judgment—these are things AI still can’t do well (and probably won’t for a while). My new focus is on developing these irreplaceable human skills. Founders still need to understand customer needs, communicate their vision, and make key strategic decisions—AI won’t do that for them.
6. From Strategy to Execution
AI can give you ideas, but only you can turn them into actionable strategies. I’m now guiding founders on how to move from ideation to execution. AI helps you get started, but success comes from knowing what to do next—and I’m here to help with that transition.
In a world where everyone can use ChatGPT to come up with good ideas, IMPLEMENTATION IS KEY!
So yes, some of what I used to offer is becoming less valuable, and that’s a tough pill to swallow. But instead of fighting the AI wave, I’m embracing it. My new mission is to help founders harness the power of AI while doubling down on the critical thinking, judgment, and human skills that will always be essential.
AI is changing the way we work, but it’s also opening up new possibilities. If you’re ready to embrace the future and learn how to make AI work for you, I’m here to guide you through this exciting evolution—one smart algorithm at a time.
Let's evolve together—humans and algorithms working side by side. 🌟
#AI #Startups #BusinessStrategy #HumanAICollaboration #FutureOfWork #SmallBusiness