chatgpt

It’s Been Seven Months. Here’s What I’ve Been Doing

Hello friends! It’s been a while since my last post, for good reason. I will occasionally withdraw from blogging, so I have time to implement some theories and to get data to share with you all when I return. It’s been my system for a while, mainly because writing a bunch of fluff – just for the appearance of continuity – never appealed to me. I’d rather offer something substantial a few times out of the year, than to share flimsy articles weekly.

So, here’s what I’ve been doing: I created a few more digital products, and I experimented with a few selling platforms. I didn’t want to recommend certain selling strategies without testing them myself. I always do just enough to see what works, and I only go further if I know it’s worth it. Most of them time, it isn’t worth it! But at least I can speak from a point of experience and not just theory. Of course, it takes time to do gather these experiences so that I can report the results back to you all.

Another thing I’ve done is witness the monetization “arc” of several AI websites. Quite a few of the websites I’ve previously recommended are now behind paywalls, and, while I can understand why the developers did that, eliminating limited freebie versions are why many users are turning away. This is always why I think ChatGPT (and other platforms that offer some access at no cost ) will remain dominant: even if the free version isn’t the best, it’s better than no access at all. Besides, with the proliferation of AI capabilities being built into apps and programs we already use regularly, the accessibility of this technology will continue to grow, many times at no direct out-of-pocket cost to the end user.

I joined a business mentorship group, and I found a tribe of entrepreneurs that are regularly structuring and executing 7- and 8- figure projects. It’s been exciting to be in this hub, and I’m thrilled to offer some incredible products, programs and tips to you all in the future, based on the millionaire habits that I’m picking up from my peers.

I’ve taken a LOT of tax training, mainly for the purpose of learning new ways to interact with wealth. It’s fine to learn the basics, but once you’ve mastered those, you have to dive into deeper material. One of the subjects that I’ve spent more time exploring is estate and trust law (and how the tax law applies to these areas). Learning about estates and trusts has been exhilarating, and I’m excited to start practicing some new things with what I’ve learned.

Finally, the past seven months have been focused on synthesizing and integrating what I’ve taken in so far. One of the biggest traps that snare aspiring wealth builders is staying stuck in “learning” mode. Yes, learn as much as you can, but also begin implementing what you’ve learned. The inability to implement what has been learned is often rooted in insecurity: many of us learn what we can then we get afraid of doing something with it. “What will people say about me if they see me doing ABC?” “What happens if I fail at XYZ?” These questions come from feeling uneasy about doing new things and breaking away from the crowd. I’ll explore this idea more in a future post, but please know that, along with learning new stuff, work on your mindset and start integrating what you’re learning, so you can get the results you desire. Affirm your abilities, take a small step every day, and watch your life start changing in no time.

So, that’s what I’ve been doing the past seven months: learning, testing, observing, practicing, and succeeding. But since I’m a woman of my word – I believe in ACTION alongside learning – it’s time for me to share more about what’s happening behind the scenes, as well as what I want to create in my world. I’ll be posting my August – December goals soon, and sharing with you all how I plan to reach them. Please take some time to think about what you can do during the latter part of the year, and what goals you want to achieve. Let’s make this your best year ever, together!

Is Your Telework Arrangement Coming To An End?

I’ve followed a few articles discussing the future of telework/remote work, and I am not surprised that many businesses no longer want their employees working from the comfort of their homes. Assuming that the tasks for a job are primarily digital, it doesn’t seem like there would be a rush to return employees to the office. However, many that have enjoyed working from home are now being told that their remote work agreements are revoked and they are required to do hybrid or fully in-person work.

This can be frustrating for employees, especially if you have adjusted your lifestyle to a 0 minute commute. It’s also frustrating for employees that saw an increase in productivity and a decrease in their stress levels (shout out to the introverted workforce!) So when a job tells you that you need to start coming back to the office, what should you do?

First, ask yourself if you want this job, or if you’re there because you need it. If you want the job (you love pretty much everything about it except the return to the office), then it may be worthwhile to wait it out and see, at a later date, if you can strike an agreement to restore some of your telework days. Over time, you may be able to increase your telework back to 100% based on exceptional performance. Waiting a while, then trying to slowly integrate remote work back into your routine, could work, especially if you demonstrate upfront that you are willing to follow the new rules (for a time).

But, if you’re only at that job because you need it (i.e., the only reason why you’re there is because they pay the amount you desire, or you’ve stayed there has been because you can do the work from home) it may be time to come up with some alternate plans (I’d actually argue that you should come up with alternate plans even before a job you dislike changes their remote work policies, but I digress). You have less incentive to negotiate with a job that you fundamentally dislike, so there’s no need to prolong the inevitable: plan your exit as soon as you get the “return to office” news.

As soon as your job announces that they may want to start bringing people back to the office, start applying for other jobs. FlexJobs is one of the biggest job posting sites that specializes in remote work. Go ahead and build your profile and start applying to new roles, so you will have options before the company decides what they want to do. AI tools are fantastic for upgrading your resume and quickly creating beautiful cover letters (if the application should require them). Try ChatGPT or Claude to get a rewritten resume that gets results. Set a goal for a certain number of applications per day (I personally aimed for 5 a day back when I was looking for jobs, but if you really need to leave, aim for more).

ExodUS Summit will have a workshop taught by Libryia Jones, a remote work expert and advocate that specializes in getting women into telework roles that allows them to live the lives of their dreams. Check out Libryia’s website, Quit Commuting, for more information on how she can get you a remote job. As someone that has attended the ExodUS Summit in previous years, I can confirm that Libryia gets results for clients, and investing with her is well worth it.

Another name that you should check out is Sheila K. Brown, whose “Find a Dope Remote Job” course was my introduction to the strategies needed for fully remote work. I purchased the course several years ago and found that it was full of valuable information that can help you transition to a full-time telework position. Sheila is a wealth of knowledge, and she has many ideas for helping anyone that wants to make money remotely.

While you apply to jobs or consult with a telework expert, I also advocate that you continue building your alternative streams of income and exploring options beyond the 9 to 5. Work is great for making sure that your immediate needs are covered, and that you have some capital for your bigger dreams. But if you want considerably more freedom, it will require you to release yourself from standard employment and earn your income through other means. If you want to explore some options with this, use the form on my Contact page, and just say “options” in the description box. Also, I encourage you to check out ExodUS Summit this year, as the theme is Location Freedom, Financial Freedom and Time Freedom.

No matter what you decide, please know that your company’s decision to return employees to the office doesn’t mean that your remote work days are over. You can find work that is lucrative and location independent, so long as you know where to look, and seek help from others that can help you with your search.

Do you have any other tips for finding remote work or handling the change from fully remote to hybrid work? I’d love to hear all about it!

Surviving AI: How To Thrive In All Professions

Artificial intelligence (AI) discussions have taken over many of the spaces that I frequent. Everyone is wondering how they will be able to keep their jobs if AI threatens to replace them. I haven’t had the same concern, and I’ll explain why in a moment (I’ll also tell you how to be AI-proof later in this post). To be clear, AI can absolutely replace MANY different professions, and I understand that some people are afraid that they may be next to be impacted. But I’m here to tell you that most people can not only survive the AI takeover, but THRIVE, earning more money and getting all of the things they’ve ever wanted: flexibility, work/life balance, and meaningful, interesting work.

I’m not concerned about AI overtaking a huge portion of the job market because I’m old enough to have seen more than one tech revolution. With every revolution, there are jobs eliminated . . . and jobs created. I remember when I had a typewriter in my home, and how the computer replaced it. But, as many of you know, computers – like typewriters – can malfunction, and thus need repair. Guess what? When tech fails, someone has to fix it! And even if you aren’t the repairer of said technology, you can be of service in a different way (remember that whole post on selling shovels? Yeah, I was sounding the alarm WAY before most people knew about ChatGPT). Certain skills are transferable (typing on the keyboard of a typewriter prepared me for typing on a computer keyboard: they’re the same!) and other skills are a slight pivot into a different modality (if you use creativity as a graphic designer, you can use creativity in other industries [once you learn the basics of that industry]).

Much like the automobile replaced the horse and carriage (I’m not old enough to remember that, but I know it happened!), and airplanes became the default method for long-distance travel (as opposed to trains and ships), newer technology will replace slower, less efficient existing technology. What’s interesting is that, while change will happen quickly, that doesn’t mean that the newer tech will overtake ALL existing processes. Despite there being many different electronic options for sending documents from one person to another, the US Postal Service still exists. The courts still require certain documents to be “served” via postal mail or hand delivery. In spite of the glorious technology of scanners and PDF formatting, there are still companies that only accept fax documents, and these companies PAY for additional phone services that allows for sending and receiving faxes. As recently as 2022, I knew someone living in Germany (a country known for being an industrial titan) that could only get documents from one doctor to another through faxing, and he still had to hand-carry prescriptions to the pharmacist. In short, new tech does not quickly and completely replace all existing old tech: it’s a process, and it could be years or decades before the transition is “complete”. In the case of the horse and buggy, there is still a subset of people in the United States – the Amish – that keep the carriage makers in business.

Aside from the points mentioned earlier, there are reasons why being AI-proof is worthwhile. Here is a quick guide to how to survive and thrive through the AI revolution, no matter what profession you’re in:

  • Learn to specialize in the things that AI does poorly. Anyone that has enjoyed using free or low-cost AI image generators has griped about the hands of the images. A great potential niche for digital artists is to specialize in fixing the error in these photos. For copywriters, AI does a great job of quickly coming up with text that matches the prompts entered, but, unless the text is edited for a more natural voice, these will fail the AI language checkers and fall victim to being “pushed down” in the algorithm. Editors that specialize in adding human (natural) voice touches are needed. Go into the many YouTube and Discord groups discussing the shortcomings of AI, and find something that you can offer to offset them.
  • Develop soft skills. This is going to be challenging for people who have relied heavily on technical expertise. While AI can automate those technical tasks and free up considerable time, it cannot replace uniquely human skills such as critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving. Yes, not even ChatGPT 4 has mastered critical thinking and problem solving for the REAL WORLD (though, by all accounts, it’s getting closer). Developing your soft skills can set you apart from the machines that will undoubtedly eliminate most of the technical tasks you currently execute. In addition, soft skills can open up different revenue streams for people that may be in fields that are positioned to be completely eliminated by AI.
  • Diversify and expand your skills. This relates to the last point, because diversifying your skill set is critical for anyone that wants to weather the changes that can happen in any industry at any time. Consider expanding your skills to different areas within your industry and to different industries altogether. This opens up so many more opportunities and keeps you from being devastated by the impact of automation in your current area of expertise.
  • Embrace AI and technology in general. If you can’t beat them, join them. Rather than viewing AI as a threat, learn to embrace it and find a way to use it to your advantage. Now is a perfect time for this, since many AI tools are free to use and can be explored in whatever pockets of time you have. Try using AI to help you automate repetitive tasks, then watch even more of your time open up. You can also experiment with using AI’s decision making capabilities, and it can help you plan out your work or your life, thus freeing up your mental resources to be applied to some other project or passion (or passion project, if you’re anything like me).
  • Strengthen your network, or form a brand new one. Networking is critical in practically any profession, but especially in industries that are undergoing major changes due to automation. Stay connected with colleagues (current and previous), attend industry events, and participate in online forums to stay up to date on the latest developments and opportunities. If this is something you’ve never done before, prioritize doing it now.

There are many more specific things you can do, and I’ll be sharing more about that in upcoming articles. But this introduction to the idea will hopefully get the wheels turning and inspire you all to take steps to AI-proof your life. Do you have any strategies for surviving and thriving through AI’s takeover? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

Yes, You Can Start Making Money With AI. Here’s How.

Still feeling overwhelmed when it comes to AI? That’s understandable: this world is new for everyone. But, on the upside, new worlds mean new opportunities, and there is a plethora of options that you can take advantage of at this point in time. Even with my limited knowledge, I’ve already made money with AI, less than two months into learning about these tools. As soon as I saw my first sale, I knew I needed to write this post and share this information with you all. Here’s a quick guide to start making money quickly with AI:

  • Decide what you want to create. At this early part of the AI revolution, there are many resources and countless options for anyone that’s interested in creating with AI. Future Tools has a list of all of the AI-powered platforms that offer you options for creating new or upgraded income streams. For me, it was more interesting to work with images, which is why I dove into learning how to do AI-generated art. However, it’s possible to create videos, music, website copy, and so much more using AI. If you need a simple list of AI business ideas that have already been tested, check out this Side Hustle Nation’s blog post, where Matt Wolfe (one of my favorite AI gurus) discusses the business options available using AI.
  • Watch YouTube videos to teach you the skills needed to get your business running. My favorite YouTubers that are discussing AI right now are Matt Wolfe, The AI Advantage, Goda Go, and Maximize. Learning about prompt engineering, large language models and natural language processing, and stable diffusion are great starting points, and, fortunately, you don’t have to be an expert at any of these in order to earn money with these tools. Carve out a bit of time each day to learn something about this new, exciting world, and allow these YouTube teachers to help you.
  • Start experimenting with what you learn. Work with what you know and see what gives you the best results (pro tip: get very comfortable with ChatGPT: you can use it to create a business strategy that can improve the likelihood of success). Launch and have fun!

If you’ve had a chance to start using AI tools, please let me know. I’d love to hear what you’ve learned so far!