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In 2023, I took a bet that paid disconnected beyond expectations: a $10,000 finance successful AI education, a determination that reshaped my profession and business strategy. Despite my inheritance successful accounting and business, diving into AI and machine learning was uncharted territory. But earlier we dive into nan effect of this decision, here's a little inheritance astir me and immoderate of what I did successful 2023.
One point that I want to accent for those reference this article is that you don't request to spell to schoolhouse for artificial intelligence, instrumentality learning aliases information subject to beryllium genuinely awesome astatine leveraging it. Sure, having a general inheritance will ne'er hurt, but it should not deter group who are willing successful this section from exploring it. I tin attest to my connection because I went to schoolhouse for a B.S. successful accounting and a master's successful business administration, obtained a CPA licence successful New York State, and past pivoted my career done self-learning business intelligence and AI/ML information subject consulting–building a business securing complete 135 clients successful little than a 3 twelvemonth play from scratch — immoderate of which see clients for illustration Microsoft, Tory Burch, U.S. Army, Danaher, etc.
Why americium I saying each of this?
Well, connected November 30, 2022, I met ChatGPT3 for nan first time, but I was conscionable different extremity user. I wasn't this AI taxable matter master aliases guru who could break concepts down for group and create business strategies for AI implementations yet. I was simply coming for nan first debut of nan ample connection exemplary exertion era and cared capable to want to cognize much because it was astatine this constituent that I knew this exertion would alteration nan world forever.
My mind began to contemplate really generative AI would disrupt galore profession paths, but it would besides create an abundance of opportunities for individuals and companies that cognize really to usage it effectively. Immediately, I started searching online for courses that I could study astir generative AI, and unfortunately, astatine nan time, location were nary available, but I didn't fto that extremity me. I conscionable started pinch knowing nan basics of AI/ML, moreover without nan heavy learning aliases generative constituent and signed up for 2 certificate programs astatine Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wherever 1 focused connected building information subject solutions leveraging instrumentality learning and AI. The different 1 focused connected building AI products and services and deploying them into production.
Additionally, I took a fewer courses connected Udemy that focused connected really to usage nan OpenAI APIs and learned important punctual engineering techniques, specified arsenic nan COSTAR framework. Lastly, I invested successful immoderate subscriptions to AI devices specified arsenic Midjourney via Discord and others, which enabled maine to subordinate a web of different creatives who want to usage this technology. I joined plentifulness of networking groups online crossed various platforms, which enabled maine to soak up accusation and updates astatine a complaint that was acold faster than immoderate media outlet could provide. In total, each of this acquisition bundled to astir $10,000, but it was an finance that was 100% worthy it. Here are 3 cardinal reasons why:
1. Network description
During my acquisition reinvestment phase, I identified my go-to AI networks for updates and thought exchanges. This serves arsenic a tremendous resource, particularly arsenic nan excavation of individuals wrong these networks is truthful diverse, representing companies, products and services crossed various industries. This web has led to further referrals and opportunities to grow business and collaborate pinch others connected projects successful an informal setting. As a consequence of this network, I built an progressive organization connected Discord and LinkedIn group of IT AI/ML professionals crossed various industries of complete 400 professionals and person collaborated pinch a mates of them connected immoderate innovative AI projects.
2. New work lines
After I genuinely began to understand and spot really generative AI worked and what skills group and businesses lacked to efficaciously deploy solutions and strategies of this nature, I was capable to build a squad wrong my business that understands nan marketplace request for companies who are looking to adopt generative AI solutions. This determination enabled maine to unfastened further work lines wrong my business, bringing further worth to our existing customer guidelines and referral partnerships and winning caller activity successful nan marketplace that antecedently did not exist. For example, I started offering playbooks for enterprises connected Copilot deployment strategy, arsenic good arsenic training and acquisition for SMBs connected punctual engineering, doing company-specific webinars tailored to their business needs.
Related: I Tested AI Tools So You Don't Have To. Here's What Worked — and What Didn't.
3) Now an charismatic paid speaker successful AI
Some opportunity it would beryllium their dream to get paid to speak. It's an astonishing point for maine to beryllium capable to opportunity that I americium a paid speaker for foundations, SMB organizations, women entrepreneur groups and different networks astatine a complaint of $5,000 a gig. It was because of my reinvested education, on pinch customer acquisition successful this space, that I could parlay my knowing and knowledge complete each genAI task I worked connected aliases a conception I firmly understood into a marque caller gross watercourse I had not yet considered before. I retrieve my first paid arena — it was a webinar for complete 70 SMB owners, and I had nan pleasance of broadly sharing nan impacts of AI crossed businesses and industries, giving them tons of ways to see nan impacts of nan exertion and really it whitethorn subordinate to their day-to-day lives. My extremity was to supply them pinch arsenic overmuch worth arsenic possible, and based connected nan responses and feedback, that extremity was achieved.
This travel taught maine nan worth of continuous learning and adjustment successful nan fast-evolving world of AI, and for those who are reference this, your adjacent game-changing business strategy could beryllium conscionable 1 learning acquisition away.
My motto has and will ever beryllium simple: If you're going to do thing that you judge in, why not spell each in?