Welcome to The Future of Work. We Come in Peace
Woah. How'd I get here?
You are either a friend or family member I forced to sign up for my newsletter, a dear client, or a rando who landed on my website willingly. No need to get into all those details... Thank you for being here!
I think we can all agree on one thing. The world is changing. Right? If you said no, it is time to climb out from under your rock. Ok?
Remember the Y2K panic around the fear that computers wouldn't understand that once the clock struck 2000 (’00) that computers would think it meant 1900? The people, banks, and the Krusty Krab feared their systems would crash.
TLDR: The internet didn't crash.
How AI is Empowering The Future of Work
AI.
I understand the complexities and controversies of AI's impact, but I am also watching it change the future of work.
Entrepreneur Natalie Ellis gave me the final push I needed to start using AI (Claude) in my everyday work. And wow, what a difference it made in my productivity, clarity, and performance.
AI hasn’t replaced ME. It has empowered ME.
I think “replacement” is the word we need to stop getting stuck on. Yes, some jobs will change, some may become obsolete, and entirely new ones will emerge. But that’s exactly why learning how to work alongside AI matters. The opportunity isn’t just to adapt to what’s changing, but to figure out how we can use it to work smarter and create something new.
And that got me thinking beyond my own business. If AI is changing the skills we use, the jobs we do, and the way companies hire, what does that mean for the way we prepare people for work in the first place? Which brings me to college.
Does a College Degree Still Guarantee Jobs?
Colleges are scrambling. ASU introduced an influencer degree (I hate to poke fun, but come on.). If we’ve seen any PROOF, it’s that influencers don’t need degrees. They have bought three properties, and I bought a dog for $40 off a man in Mexico (who saved who?).
Times are changing and colleges can’t guarantee jobs post-grad. At least not in business. Nearly half of college grads are forced to move back in with their parents because of living costs and low job prospects. Teachers, doctors, nurses, and lawyers, please keep going to school (thank you!).
Entrepreneurs like Steven Bartlett (warm welcome to Shark Tank, Steven!) and some of the biggest corporate companies are emphasizing hiring people who don’t have degrees. If you're not thinking about how to evolve your business and what it looks like for building teams and processes... well, skip to it!
Education is extremely valuable. Curiosity killed the cat, but not the life-long learner. Does one need college to be educated? No, I don’t believe so. Think of some of the most educated and successful people in the world (I’ll give you a minute to think of them.. and give you a hint: Rhymes with Goprah Linfrey and Will Rates).
You get the picture.
Don’t get me wrong and don’t hit me for saying this, I loved college and I am extremely privileged and lucky that my parents were able to afford for me to go. I am also part of my university’s mentor program, which feels like a full-circle achievement and I’m grateful for the opportunity to influence the next generation of leaders. College does provide value in building life skills, opportunities for internships, study abroad, and school leadership, and guiding your potential career.
I filled my four years with internships because I was starving for real work. I wanted to learn from professionals, network, and experience industries from entertainment, sports, to professional services, start-ups, and more. Internships are where I cultivated value from college. Real experience.
Anyway, I'm just saying that there is more than one way to be successful today. If you are debating college after high school, or debating sending your kids to college, or debating leaving your 9-to-5, I want you to know there is another way.
What interests you? What does freedom mean to you? Do you like content and social media? Do you have a niche hobby? Turn it into a career. Fuel yourself with something you LOVE. Offer to help a boutique store with their social media for FREE for valuable experience and boots on the ground education.
You can start a business and succeed. All you need is one idea. When you lean into one skill or interest, the opportunities are endless (take a look at what entrepreneur Jun Yuh has achieved in a few months).
I packaged what I know into The Future (coming soon), a guide and community for anyone deciding whether college is the right step. It’s everything I wish someone would have handed me at 18 or when I was burnt out in corporate.
Remember, humans are responsible for leading change, not reacting to it.
Comments