Future-Proofing is a Myth

The Future Lies in Uncertainty

You've heard this idea of "future-proofing" your business or life everywhere. It's catchy, buzzy, and pulls at our emotions - but that's all it is: clever marketing.?

Who would want to do something other than future-proof everything??

The future can be both scary and exciting. The ancient philosopher Seneca got it right when he said the whole future lies in uncertainty. And you know what? That's freeing. Once we accept that we can't turn the future into a certainty, we can stop exhausting ourselves, trying to prepare and predict every possible outcome.?

That's okay - it's more than OK.

While the promise of future-proofing might sound fantastic, especially when dealing with complex systems or established service models, the reality is that trying to build perfect defenses against change usually leaves us stuck or falsely confident.

The Myth of Future-Proofing

Wanting to be future-proof is just human nature. We all want control and to reduce risk.?Some more than others.

And it feels pretty great to say, "We've future-proofed our business," doesn't it??

But here's the thing about most businesses - the pressure to protect against future uncertainties hits differently. Whether you're a founder who built this from scratch, you've raised capital and have investors counting on you, or you're carrying the weight of a multi-generation family business - you're not just protecting profits; you’re protecting legacies.

I've seen and researched companies pour money and time into what they were sold or believed were future-proof solutions. You know what I mean—those rigid sales processes everyone swears by, the CRM systems that continue to cost a fortune and become large, inaccurate databases, or the marketing playbooks that were supposed to work indefinitely. My favorite is sticking to all those traditional recruiting methods and reinvesting in the same failed areas.

But things move too fast, change is unpredictable, and significant investment becomes problematic. Many small—to lower-middle-market companies have been burned, made the wrong calls, or were the reason the “future-proof” solution failed. They are now reluctant and resistant to change. This is not the place to be in the current business climate.?

So what do most do that are reluctant to change? We double down on those traditional methods. We demand more activity from our salespeople. We glaze over when our marketing talks about impressions, and we sit there annoyed when our HR or Talent Acquisition teams can’t find talent, and all they use are job boards - but we say nothing.?

AI is reshaping everything, even if we have yet to see it. To survive, it's all about building companies and teams that adapt and layering savviness into our businesses.

The Human Factor

Here's something I see all the time—especially in technical fields. We get so caught up in being the expert, in knowing every detail of our craft, that we sometimes forget something crucial: expertise isn't enough anymore. Colleen McKenna, from Intero Advisory, wrote a piece on “Expertise Becoming A Commodity." Some in her network wondered if she was okay. She was okay but recognized what was coming and wanted to share that with her network.

I am still shocked that more companies have not moved since the ChatGPT moment. For some, the window of opportunity is closing, and they don’t even know it's open.?

Don't get me wrong - deep technical knowledge is still unbelievably valuable whether you're in engineering, IT, manufacturing, or professional services. But here's the catch - clinging too tightly to "this is how we've always done it" can hold us back. That specific domain or technical expertise can allow you to thrive with new technology and changes. Most of those with deep expertise (again, a generalization), the expertise that takes time to acquire, are in an older demographic working group. Gary Vee, love or hate him, finds the older demographic group the most interesting. Why? Because they have experience and knowledge. He knows this is a huge differentiator with the right use of technology.?

Think about it - what good is being the best at yesterday's solutions? The real trick isn't just being the most intelligent person in the room. It's about being smart enough to know when to learn or try something new.?

Right now, I look at ChatGPT as a fantastic Swiss Army knife. You won’t cut a steak with it, but you could if needed. This Swiss Army knife costs $20/month and could change your business or career trajectory. With that tool, you can leverage your expertise, improve your weaknesses, amplify your strengths, and become super adaptable - that can be done today for almost the cost of a Chipotle bowl.?

Embracing Future-Readiness

So, what does being future-ready look like in the real world? Think of it like upgrading your smartphone - you keep all your important stuff, but you get better tools and functionality.

Building Your Future-Ready Foundation

You shouldn’t and don't need to buy every shiny new tool, but you need systems that can grow and change. It's like a child building with Legos or Megablocks instead of popsicle sticks and superglue:

• Keep your core systems flexible. They should be able to integrate with new tech when needed (this is why I love Hubspot as a core system). Again, think of building blocks.
• Don't paint yourself into a corner with tech decisions or contracts - always leave room to pivot.

Innovate Everywhere

Forget fancy innovation labs or innovation teams. Instead, think of practical creativity across the business:

• Mix it up - let your client-facing people and your technical experts swap ideas regularly
• Test new ideas in small, manageable chunks - if they work, great; if not, you've learned something

Never Stop Learning (But Make It Count)

This isn't about sending everyone to expensive training to check a learning and development box. It's about staying sharp:

• Keep your ear to the ground about what's new in your field
• Create ways for your team to share what they're learning - maybe it's just a weekly lunch chat
• Balance being an expert in your field with keeping an open mind about new approaches

Plan Smart, Stay Sharp

The strategy doesn't have to be complicated:

• Pay attention to what's changing in your industry
• Keep in touch with your tech partners - they often see changes coming before you do
• Stay flexible enough to change course when you need to

Keep Your Clients Close

It's all about your clients:

• Talk to them - not just about today's project, but about where they're headed
• Watch their industries as closely as you watch your own
• Make it easy for them to tell you what they need - and then really listen when they do

Change Management

Let's talk about the elephant in the room—your most experienced or successful people are often the most resistant to change. It makes sense, right?

Here's how to bring them along:

• Make them part of the solution - get their input on new approaches early
• Give them space to experiment without risking their reputation
• Show them how staying adaptable makes their expertise more valuable, not less

Wrapping It Up

Those who will succeed will be more than those with the most technical knowledge, money, or innovative products and services. But as I mentioned, predictions are pretty hard to get right.

I bet on businesses that know how to evolve while staying true to what makes them great and creating the right culture. The "AI" can be plugged into that when you are ready. That is the foundation for preparing a business for the future.??

So what's your next move? Here's where to focus:

• Build teams that respect experience but aren't afraid of new ideas
• Create flexible systems that can grow with you
• Foster a culture where being great at what you do includes being great at adapting

Good luck. If it makes sense for both of us, we would love to be part of your journey.?

Note: The opinions and thoughts expressed in this blog are my own. Throughout creation, I utilized AI tools—including ChatGPT 4o and o1, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and a CustomGPT trained on my writing style—as thought partners and assistants for brainstorming, outlining, and refining the content. I also used Grammarly for final edits. I carefully reviewed, revised, and integrated all AI-generated suggestions to ensure the final piece accurately reflected my perspectives.

I can write and deliver blogs like this 3-5x faster than my previous process. Let me know if you want to set a similar process up for your content marketing.?