It’s time to start your own business
12 years ago I wrote a book called “How To Become a Consultant”. Up until that point I had been a consultant for 10 years and by that time I had been in my career for 16 years. I had worked for 12 different startups, built a ton of websites, managed teams and guided businesses to success. I knew what I was doing.
Then an Ecommerce client of mine asked me to come on board full time. It was a great opportunity to work on the client side of Ecommerce and as they say, “Eat my own dog food.” For years I had built and consulted with Ecommerce companies and now I was going to run one. I was excited to get more experience in all aspects of the day to day of an Ecommerce business.
Fast forward 9 years later, we grew the revenue 3x, sold the business and I decided to go back to consulting. It felt good to be a consultant again like putting on an old pair of jeans after losing weight and it just felt right. The problem was, that just like an old pair of jeans, the styles had changed, businesses' needs changed and they all talked differently. It was like coming out of a time capsule. What changed over the last 9 years was that I was focused on making one business great, not 10 or 20 businesses at a time.
Just like the Ecommerce company that I was running, businesses were now smaller, nimble and leveraged technology like never before. Now every business was an online business. The problem was that most of these businesses were struggling. They weren’t leveraging technology the right way. Using old business methods to manage new companies didn’t work anymore. Businesses needed more, employees wanted to work for modern companies and customers wanted to use the latest technology to buy and do business online. Many businesses knew what to do, they just didn’t know how to do it or where to start, so I became a Fractional COO. I help businesses streamline processes, improve efficiency, and drive growth by aligning operations with strategic goals, without the cost of a full-time executive. A Fractional COO is ideal for companies that need experienced operational management but don't require or can't afford a full-time COO.
Coming up with my new consulting service gave me the idea that I had to change the book I had written to not be about how to become a consultant, so I changed the title to Create Your Own Job | How To Become Self Employed Without a Plan. It made sense, because I too was starting again. As life was imitating art, I was literally writing the book on creating your own job as I was restarting my consulting career. Many of the concepts of the book were still the same, but they had to be rewritten for the new audience. The dreamers, the pragmatics, the burnouts, the rogues, the bullied, the hustlers, the autonomous and the aspirants, were the new target audience now. These were the people that needed my help, but didn’t know how to do it or where to start.
Then AI happened. I mean, it’s been around, but the last couple of years we’ve seen an atmospheric surge in AI companies, services and solutions that have impacted how companies do business. The concepts of business are the same, but the approach has been completely altered in a monumental shift. We’ve all heard the phrase, “you want to work ON your business, instead of IN your business” and the reason that phrase is popular is because it’s so hard to do, but now with AI, that phrase is more attainable than ever. Sure, marketing slogans like, “It’s never been a better time to…” (insert product or service being sold here), but really, it’s like never been a better time to start your own business!
Why now?
First, before we talk about why it’s a great time to start your own business, let me explain what’s happened in the background to get to this point. AI didn’t all of the sudden usher in the reason to start your own business. Yes, it’s radically changed, in a positive way, for how easy it is to start a business, but how we got to this point has been evolving over the last 60 years and definitely sped up faster as technology has evolved. So what happened?
The Decline of Job Security
Corporate layoffs, hiring freezes, and automation anxiety have shaken the illusion of “safe” employment. More people are realizing that owning your own business can be more stable than working for someone else. Entrepreneurship has become the new form of career security.
Remote Work Changed Everything
Remote work proved that you can build and run successful companies from anywhere. The shift to distributed teams and digital collaboration means your market isn’t local, it’s global. That flexibility opens the door for people to design businesses around their lives, not the other way around.
Consumer Trust Has Shifted to Individuals
This is a big one. Customers now want authenticity over corporate clean. Consumers prefer to buy from real people they trust rather than faceless brands. This creates a massive opening for small business owners and personal brands to attract loyal followings simply by being transparent and relatable.
Technology Costs Have Crashed
Starting a business no longer requires massive capital. Cloud tools, e-commerce platforms, AI assistants, and marketing automations have driven the cost of entry to almost zero. This has erased traditional barriers, what you need now is creativity and consistency, not deep pockets.
A Cultural Reawakening Around Purpose
People are re-evaluating what “work” means. The pandemic, burnout, and social shifts made many realize they want control, impact, and meaning. Starting a business is no longer just an economic decision, it’s a personal one, tied to identity and fulfillment. That mindset shift has built a wave of founders who are creating not just income, but alignment.
AI was the missing link
On my desk is a note, a reminder of sorts, as to what my highest priority is. The note says, “70% of your time should be marketing!” This is still true today, but it’s more attainable, the quality has gotten better and it’s more consistent than ever. Why is that? Because AI has given me a digital collaborator that I can use to run my business better. Will it replace employees? Yes. Will it just raise the bar and employee and small business expectations be higher? Yes.
AI Levels the Playing Field
Artificial Intelligence has democratized access to capabilities once reserved for large corporations, data analysis, copywriting, marketing automation, even customer service. A solo entrepreneur can now operate with the same efficiency and intelligence as a 50-person team. This means your idea isn’t limited by your size, only by your willingness to use the tools.
Speed from Idea to Execution Has Never Been Faster
You can go from concept to launch in days, not months. AI tools can instantly generate brand identities, websites, content, and market insights. What used to take teams of designers, analysts, and marketers months, now happens with a few prompts and clicks, allowing small business owners to test, refine, and scale faster than ever.
Smart Decisions Without the Guesswork
AI enables smarter business decisions through accessible analytics and forecasting tools. Even if you’re not a data expert, platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and no-code dashboards can turn raw numbers into clear next steps. You no longer need to “go with your gut”, AI gives you clarity before you commit.
Personalization at Scale
It used to be impossible for small teams to deliver personalized experiences to every customer, but now it’s now achievable. AI can help tailor messaging, automate follow-ups, and even suggest new products or services based on behavior. The result: customers feel seen, and your brand feels much bigger than it is.
AI Doesn’t Replace You, It Amplifies You
Everyone talks about automation and that’s still valid, but the real opportunity is amplification. AI frees you from repetitive, low-value work so you can focus on creativity, strategy, and relationships. For business owners, that means more time leading and less time stuck in admin tasks. The entrepreneurs who learn to partner with AI will move faster, think clearer, and execute stronger than ever before.
The Era of the Self-Made Entrepreneur
I think the future is unfolding right before our eyes. We’re going to view this time as an incredible pivot. It’s interesting to see businesses evolving over the last 28 years, from my early startup days to the rise of Ecommerce, from installed software and now working from the cloud. I feel like we are standing at a new intersection of technology and business explosion. Over the last sixty years, the ground beneath business has shifted. Job security has faded, remote work untethered us from offices, consumers turned toward authenticity, technology costs plummeted, and our collective purpose has new meaning. Each of these changes has quietly prepared the world for what’s happening now. AI didn’t start the revolution, it completed it. It gave small business owners the missing tools to act faster, think smarter, and compete globally.
The gap between “thinking about starting” and “running a thriving business” has never been narrower. The same technologies that once belonged only to enterprise are now accessible to anyone with a laptop and an idea. AI has leveled the playing field, yes, but it has also raised the standard, amplifying those willing to adapt, learn, and lead. Whether you’re starting over, starting fresh, or simply ready to take back control of your career, this is your moment. The opportunity isn’t waiting in some future wave, it’s here, right now. And it’s never been a better time to start your own business.
View more about my book here, Create Your Own Job | How To Become Self Employed Without a Plan
I can help your business Operate better to increase profit. Book a Call With Me