Not too long ago, I was on a video call with a friend from one of the coaching groups that I’m part of. We were talking about our businesses, what was working, what wasn’t, and where we each wanted to go next. At one point, he shared something that stopped me in my tracks. He explained that after spending more than twenty years building a successful career in a very specialized profession, Artificial Intelligence (AI) had essentially replaced what he did. Companies were no longer hiring people to perform that work because AI could now do much of it faster and cheaper.
Imagine dedicating two decades of your life to becoming really good at something, only to discover that technology had quietly walked into the room and sat down at your desk. That is enough to make anyone panic. Instead, he smiled. And then he said something I’ll probably never forget. “If AI is going to take my job, I’m going to use AI to make my job.”
I actually laughed. Not because it was funny. Well, maybe just a little. It reminded me of someone saying, “If life gives you lemons, open a lemonade stand, automate it, and have AI write the advertising.” But the more I thought about it, the more brilliant his statement became.
Instead of fighting the technology, he embraced it. He took the knowledge he had gained over more than twenty years, combined it with AI, and created an online business that allows him to continue doing what he loves in a completely different way. He isn’t abandoning his expertise. He’s amplifying it. He gets to work from wherever he wants. He serves people more efficiently. He reaches more customers than before. And quite honestly, his business has the potential to become even more profitable than the career he left behind.
That conversation stuck with me. I’ve found myself doing exactly the same thing. As I’ve been building my own online businesses, including ColorMatch Assist and a
few others, AI has become one of the most valuable tools I use every single day. It helps me brainstorm ideas, organize projects, write code, solve problems, test concepts, and even challenge my own thinking.
Notice I said tool, not replacement. Because AI doesn’t replace experience, creativity or relationships. It doesn’t replace caring about your customers. Those things still belong to us. AI, as well as other tools, simply helps us do them better.
So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!
One of the biggest mistakes we can make as entrepreneurs is assuming that because something worked yesterday, it will work tomorrow.
Business, technology and customers change. If we’re standing perfectly still while everything around us is moving, we’re actually falling behind. That doesn’t mean we chase every shiny new object that pops up online. Believe me, there are enough “guaranteed million dollar systems” out there to keep us entertained until next Tuesday.
Instead, we should regularly ask ourselves a simple question. “What tools are available today that could help me serve my customers better?” That’s a much healthier way to think about innovation.
The goal isn’t to replace who you are. The goal is to remove unnecessary work so you can spend more time doing what only you can do. Technology should never replace your personality, it should highlight it. Your experience, integrity and expertise still matter.
The tools simply help you deliver those things faster, better, and to more people than you could on your own. That is exactly what successful business owners have always done. The tools have changed. The principle hasn’t.
Five Reasons To Stay Open To New Tools Without Losing Who You Are
- Better tools create better opportunities. Sometimes the difference between struggling and succeeding isn’t working harder. It’s using a better tool.
- Your experience becomes even more valuable. AI can generate information. It cannot replace years of wisdom, judgment, and real world experience.
- Customers benefit first. When you become more efficient, your customers receive faster service, better products, and a better overall experience.
- Change is happening whether we like it or not. Ignoring new technology doesn’t stop it. Learning it gives you a chance to lead instead of react.
- You remain in control. The technology works for you. You don’t work for the technology.
Keep the steering wheel firmly in your hands. The businesses that continue to grow over the next several years won’t necessarily belong to the smartest people or the ones with the fanciest websites. They’ll belong to the people who stay curious, willing to learn, willing to adapt and the people who keep improving one small step at a time.
My friend’s comment reminded me that sometimes the greatest opportunity arrives disguised as the biggest obstacle. He could have spent years being angry that AI changed his profession. Instead, he chose to make AI part of his future.
I think that’s a lesson all of us can learn from. Whether you’re building your very first online business or looking for ways to grow the one you already have, never stop asking how you can improve. Sometimes the answer isn’t working harder. Sometimes it’s simply picking up a better tool.
The coaching community I mentioned earlier has become one of the best investments I’ve made in myself and my business. It’s called Internet Profits Academy. It has helped me create a plan, stay accountable, discover opportunities I never would have found on my own, and connect with an incredible group of entrepreneurs who genuinely want each other to succeed. The training is practical. The mentorship is outstanding. The tools are continually improving. And yes, AI is one of those tools that’s helping everyday people build businesses they may never have thought possible.
If you’ve been thinking about starting an online business, or you’re looking for a better way to grow the one you already have, I’d encourage you to take a look at Internet Profits Academy. The best part is you can start for FREE. There is absolutely no pressure, and you’ll get a chance to see if it’s a good fit for you.
If AI is changing the way the world works anyway, why not learn how to make it work for you instead?
And finally, I told my wife about my friend’s quote. “If AI is going to take my job, I’m going to use AI to make my job.” She smiled and said, “That’s great. Maybe you can teach AI how to remember to take out the trash.” Apparently, even artificial intelligence has its limits.
“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” – Benjamin Franklin
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence. It is to act with yesterday’s logic.” – Peter Drucker
And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:
People say you have to think outside the box. I did. Now I can’t remember where I left the box.
I asked AI if it could replace me. It replied, ‘Have you met your wife? She still prefers the original.
Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!
Hi Ernie,
Have to say, your comment of “sometimes the greatest opportunity arrives disguised as the biggest obstacle” had me both laughing and seriously looking at the reality of it all for me.
We are living in one of the weirdest times; we have both the technology and opportunity to become better – at things we practically know nothing about – in a very short period of time if we want to.
Like you, I’m taking advantage of that opportunity with AI and hopefully will make it the best of it all.
Cheers!
Hi Marc – I think “weirdest times” pretty much sums it up! We suddenly have tools that can help us do things we never imagined doing, and in my case, occasionally things I’m still not sure I know how to do. But I think that’s the opportunity. We don’t have to know everything. We just have to stay curious enough to keep learning.
I love that you’re taking advantage of it too. Who knows where all of this will take us, but I’d much rather learn how to use the tools than sit around complaining that somebody moved my toolbox. Thanks, my friend!
Ernie, I really connected with this because that’s how I’ve started viewing AI too.
Instead of worrying about AI taking over, I’m focused on using it to make what I already do easier or better. I also agree that it’s important not to chase every new tool, but to find what’s genuinely useful.
Your friend had the right idea… If change is coming, I’d rather learn to work with it than fight it.
And the trash comment made me laugh. Apparently, some jobs are still safe from AI. 😂
Hi Meredith – I really appreciate this, especially coming from you because you’ve spent so much time actually testing these tools and figuring out what works and what is just the latest shiny object. I think you nailed it. We don’t need every new tool that comes along. We just need to be willing to learn which ones can actually help us do what we already do a little better.
And yes, apparently taking out the trash is still safe from AI. My wife will be relieved to know that my position has not been eliminated. Thanks, my friend. I always appreciate your perspective and expertise!