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In 2023, I took a risk that paid off beyond expectations: I invested $10,000 in AI education, which changed my career and business strategy. Despite my background in accounting and business, diving into artificial intelligence and machine learning was uncharted territory. But before we delve into the implications of this decision, here’s what: a little background about me and some what I did in 2023.
One thing I need to emphasise for people reading this text is that you simply don’t have to go to highschool to learn artificial intelligence, machine learning, or data science to be really great at using it. Sure, it never hurts to have a formal education, but it shouldn’t stop those interested in this field from exploring it. I can attest to my statement because I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Accounting and a Master’s in Business Administration, obtained my CPA license in New York State, and then I changed my career through self-learning business analyzes and AI/ML data analytics consulting –building a business securing over 135 customers from scratch in lower than three years – some of them clients similar to Microsoft, Tory Burch, US Army, Danaher, etc.
Why am I saying all this?
Well, on November 30, 2022, I encountered ChatGPT3 for the first time, but I used to be just one other end user. I wasn’t yet that AI expert or guru who could break down concepts for people and develop business strategies for AI implementations. I used to be simply present at the first debut of the big language model technology era and I cared enough to learn more because at that very moment I knew that this technology would change the world without end.
I began pondering about how generative AI would disrupt many career paths, but would also create a wealth of opportunities for people and corporations that know the best way to use it effectively. I immediately began looking online for courses where I could learn about generative AI and unfortunately there have been no courses available at the time, but I didn’t let that stop me. I began by understanding the basics of AI/ML, even without the deep learning and generative component, and signed up for two certificate programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where one focused on building data analytics solutions using machine learning and artificial intelligence. The second focused on building AI products and services and implementing them into production.
Additionally, I took part in several courses Udemy which focused on the best way to use OpenAI APIs and learned necessary rapid design techniques similar to the COSTAR framework. Finally, I invested in some subscriptions to AI tools like Midjourney via Discord and others, which allowed me to affix a network of other creators who wish to use this technology. I joined many online discussion groups on various platforms, which allowed me to soak up information and updates at a rate much faster than any media could provide. In total, this whole education cost almost $10,000, but it was an investment that was 100% value it. Here are the three most important reasons:
1. Network expansion
During the education reinvestment phase, I identified AI networks that I return to most frequently to update and exchange ideas. This is a huge source of data, especially since the group of individuals in these networks is so diverse and represents corporations, products and services from various industries. This network led to additional recommendations and opportunities to expand the business and collaborate with others on projects in an informal setting. Thanks to this network, I have built an energetic community on Discord and LinkedIn, a group of IT AI/ML specialists from various industries, numbering over 400 specialists, and I have collaborated with several of them on several revolutionary AI projects.
2. New service lines
When I actually began to know and see how generative AI works and what skills people and corporations lack to successfully implement solutions and strategies of this sort, I used to be capable of build a team inside my company that understands the market demand for corporations that wish to implement generative solutions AI. This decision has enabled me to open additional service lines inside my company, adding additional value to our existing client base and referral partnerships, and gaining recent work in the market that didn’t previously exist. For example, I started offering enterprise manuals on Copilot implementation strategies, in addition to rapid engineering training and education for small and medium-sized businesses by hosting company-specific webinars tailored to their business needs.
3) Now an official paid speaker on AI
Some say their dream could be to get paid to talk. It’s amazing for me to say that I’m a paid speaker for foundations, SME organizations, women’s entrepreneur groups and other networks at a rate of $5,000 per show. It was through my re-education and client experience in this space that I used to be capable of leverage my understanding and knowledge of any genAI project I worked on or concept I strongly understood into a completely recent revenue stream that I had not yet considered. I remember my first paid event – it was a webinar attended by over 70 SMB owners and I had the pleasure of sharing more about the impact of AI on businesses and industries, giving them multiple ways to contemplate the impact of this technology and its potential impact into their on a regular basis lives. My goal was to offer them with as much value as possible, and based on the responses and feedback, that goal was achieved.
This journey has taught me the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, and for those reading this, your next revolutionary business strategy could also be just one learning experience away.
My motto is and will at all times be easy: if you are going to do something you suspect in, why not go all the way?