this post is based on an older thread that went viral a couple of months ago.

since then, i've added another 10k or so followers, scaled up an entirely new offer for my business and built connections that have genuinely changed my trajectory.

with X articles taking off, it felt like the right time to repost and update these ideas.

here's how you can find your edge and build wealth in the AI era:

1. leverage is the only game that matters

winners aren't chasing hype. they're stacking:

  • Code (automations that run while you sleep)
  • Capital (cash to move fast when opportunities appear)
  • Content (distribution to own your audience)
  • Systems (repeatable processes that compound)
  • Judgment (knowing which problems are worth solving)

AI is a 10x multiplier for all five. Most people use it to write better emails. You should be using it to build unfair advantages.

2. start with what you're already good at

don't ask "How can I make money with AI?"

ask "What do I already do well that AI can 10x?"

  • strong communicator? Build a distribution system. Post on X, LinkedIn, YouTube simultaneously. AI handles repurposing. You focus on ideas.
  • love systems? Automate operations. I turned a client's 2-hour daily reporting ritual into 5 automated minutes.
  • creative director? Generate 50 ad concept variations in the time it used to take to make 5.
  • technical? Build custom tools that replace $500/month SaaS subscriptions. Charge $200/month. Win on specificity.

your existing skills are the foundation. AI is the force multiplier.

3. you don’t need to be a genius, but you do need to be early.

AI won’t eliminate jobs. but people who know how to use AI will..

the early movers will:

- build a brand and establish authority in their field.

- gain data advantage: collect insights from early adoption

- compound faster by automating growth loops that scale exponentially.

this is the starting line. not the endgame.

4. think in decades, not quarters

this isn’t a trend but a completely new way to manage how we work, think, and create.

position yourself now with:

- unmatched utility: deliver solutions that genuinely save time or drive revenue.

- deep trust: be transparent about AI's capabilities and limitations.

- unique insight: spot patterns and opportunities others mis (goes back to being an expert in your field)

5. find the "Sunday night pain"

the problem so annoying people would pay anything to make it disappear.

It's always manual, repetitive, time-consuming:

  • DTC brands: Manually tagging 200 support tickets per day
  • Ad agencies: Pulling competitor creatives and building client reports
  • Real estate agents: Following up with cold leads

your job isn't to build cool AI demos. It's to eliminate these specific hells.

6. build micro-SaaS, not just services

services generate cash flow. Micro-SaaS generates leverage.

take your best AI workflow. Package it. Charge monthly. Scale without headcount.

a service caps at your available hours. Software caps at your imagination.

7. go narrow, then narrower

don't solve everything for everyone. Pick a vertical you already understand.

I focus on e-commerce brands and agencies because that's my background. I speak the language. I know the pain points. I can spot the $10,000 problems.

vertical specialization beats horizontal knowledge every time. Your insights will be sharper. Your solutions more precise. Your pricing higher.

8. automate the boring stuff first

the highest ROI isn't automating complex strategy but eliminating the mundane.

  • Daily reporting
  • Data entry
  • Content repurposing
  • Lead qualification

these tasks drain hours. AI eats them in seconds

9. ship fast. Iterate faster.

the pace of change makes perfection irrelevant. build an MVP. get it in front of users. collect feedback, improve and repeat.

I've watched people spend 6 months building the "perfect" AI tool that launched into a market that had already moved on. Meanwhile, the fast shippers are on version 12, printing money.

speed of iteration beats feature bloat.

10. prompt engineering is the new SQL

your AI is only as good as the instructions and context you provide.

learn:

  • context window management
  • temperature settings for creativity vs. precision
  • few-shot examples that steer output
  • breaking complex tasks into atomic instructions

11. document everything publicly

highest ROI activity in the AI space right now imo

share your journey as this does four things:

  1. builds audience (future customers)
  2. creates social proof (credibility without paid ads)
  3. attracts collaborators (people building adjacent solutions)
  4. forms feedback loops (your audience tells you what to build next)

since I started posting consistently on X, my life has completely changed.

12. embrace "human in the loop"

full AI autonomy is the dream. human oversight is the reality.

design workflows where AI handles 80-90% of the work, but humans make final decisions.

this builds client trust and turns every human interaction into training data that makes your system smarter.

13. master integration, not just tools

individual AI tools are impressive. connected AI tools are transformative.

learn n8n, Zapier, Make, or build custom API integrations.

when your CRM talks to your ad platform, which talks to your email system, which talks to your AI agents.. that's when you create end-to-end automations that genuinely transform operations.

14. lead with outcomes, not tech

no one cares that you use Claude Sonnet 4 with RAG architecture and custom embeddings.

they care that you saved them 15 hours per week or generated $50,000 in new revenue.

talk about ROI and show results. let competitors obsess over their tech stack.

15. join a community

this is a team sport.

connect with other builders, founders, and operators in your vertical. Share insights. Collaborate on projects. Learn in the open.

your network determines your access to opportunities, talent, and capital.

16. start building agents, not just products.

imo the shift is toward agents: specialized, context-aware, automated, always-on.

don't aim for full autonomy on day one. build agents that assist humans in specific workflows, like sales outreach or creative research.

charge a flat retainer for this "boring service business" and use the revenue to fund R&D for full autonomy.

this approach turns every customer interaction into valuable training data, making your system smarter over time

17. position as a bridge, not a tool

don't be the person using AI. Be the person connecting AI to real-world ROI.

show a DTC brand how a forecasting agent prevents $30,000 in stockout losses.

become the AI expert for real estate, law, or e-commerce. Own the category.

build simple UIs for complex automations. make AI usable for non-technical teams.

TLDR: here's how you'll win

start where you're already strong. use AI to amplify and automate. solve real problems. build leverage. move fast, but play long.

this era will create more solo millionaires than any before it. Don't miss your window.

thank you for reading. god speed.