What AI can’t replace
Whether I’m talking with writers, entrepreneurs, or friends in corporate jobs, the topic eventually finds its way to AI. The specifics change depending on the situation, but the question underneath is almost always the same.
“Do you think AI is coming for my job?”
On this week’s episode of Drip Trickle Flow Flood, Tony and I discussed an article about millennials buying blue-collar businesses as a way to AI-proof their careers. The article argues that businesses like HVAC and plumbing are becoming increasingly attractive because they’re difficult to automate.
I’ve also been re-reading the book Main Street Millionaire, which explores a similar idea through the lens of buying “ordinary” businesses. I’m a little obsessed with it. I’ve spent a bunch of time browsing BizBuySell, looking at everything from mailbox stores to laundromats and wondering what it would be like to own one.
The more I think about those businesses, though, the less interested I become in the businesses themselves. What fascinates me is why they’re so resilient.
The obvious answer is that these businesses involve work AI can’t easily do. AI can’t unclog your sink. It can’t trim your dog’s nails.
I think there’s another reason these businesses feel so durable. Nearly all of them involve real people interacting with other real people.
You have a relationship with your hairdresser. You (deeply!) trust your dog sitter. The barista at your favorite local coffee shop remembers your order. You probably go to a certain gym or class because you love the instructor or trainer.
Human connection isn’t disappearing as AI becomes more capable. If anything, I think it will become more valuable.
I get that most of us aren’t looking to buy a plumbing company. Many of us actually like the work we’re already doing. We want to keep writing books, designing brands, coaching clients, making films, teaching classes, or running the businesses we’ve spent years building.
I don't think those careers suddenly become obsolete. I think the opportunity is finding more ways to connect with the people you serve.
For example, authors aren’t competing only with other authors anymore. They’re competing with an endless stream of AI-generated content. What AI can’t generate is the experience of sitting across from the person who wrote the book that meant something to them. That’s why I think reader events, book clubs, author newsletters, Patreon perks, and other connection points matter even more than they did a decade ago. The book may introduce someone to your work, but the relationship is often what keeps them around.
The same principle applies to coaches and consultants. Most people aren’t paying for information anymore. They’re paying for accountability, encouragement, community, and someone who believes in them when they’re stuck. That may mean rethinking how you package what you already do. Instead of selling another course to hundreds of people, maybe you host smaller cohorts where people know each other’s names and have direct access to you. Maybe you organize more in-person events or virtual parties.
It can be as simple as replacing one digital touchpoint with a human one. One of my favorite things to do is send handwritten notes in the mail. People absolutely love them because who even gets letters anymore??!
As you think about your own business, ask yourself: Where could I create more human connection?
Maybe it’s hosting a dinner party instead of a webinar, organizing a customer appreciation event, or mailing a handwritten note just ‘cause. The answer will look different for every person and every business.
I don’t know exactly what AI-proofing a business will look like five or ten years from now.
I do know this.
The businesses I keep coming back to give people a reason to return.
xo,
Melissa
This is so helpful. And so on brand. You’ve always been about the person behind the business. I love this. Human connection has always and will always be the differentiator.