I shall either find a way or make one.
From a young age, I’ve been drawn to puzzles. Not just the wooden dinosaurs or jigsaw pieces, but the deeper kind, abstract challenges, patterns hidden in plain sight, and the strategies that emerge when you start to “see” future possibilities.
As my career progressed, that same instinct translated into business. Strategy is, at its core, a puzzle. You observe, you connect, and eventually, you begin to anticipate.
Today, tools like AI have amplified that ability. For me (and I’m curious to know who else feels this way) AI has become more than a tool. It’s a rough draft thought partner. I’ve used it to deep dive into questions, stress-test ideas, and run entire business concepts from spark to feasibility.
Over time, I’ve run through more than a few business models:
Automated U.S. Customs Brokerage Data Platform (Strong Idea, but difficult)
Rent-to-own: All-Inclusive housing management company (Very Risky)
A Motorcycle cover designed to prevent rust in humid climates (Ugh - my poor motorcycle)
Each one had merit. Each one had obstacles: capital requirements, legal frameworks, technological limitations, or cultural adoption. And that’s where the reality sets in...this is why they say, do what you love. Because the obstacles will always be there and you need to weather those storms.
But here’s the part that matters most: every cycle of ideation, testing, and refining taught me to ask better questions...the right questions. And that discipline has carried into my career, helping me become not just a better professional, but a sharper observer of business, strategy, and people.
As the header suggests, whether you are an employee, self-employed, business owner, or investor. Those who succeed will find a way, regardless of the obstacles.
I’d love to hear from others: have you used AI as a way to push your thinking, pressure-test business ideas, or uncover new strategies? What did you discover in the process?
Did you dabble in creating a motorcycle Ai picture so that you can have stickers to hand out to every baja town you visit? Cause I did, hence the image below.
First published on LinkedIn.