your self-defence against A.I.

why you need to own assets, AI health coaches, and a gnarly outdoor workout.

"Man, I’m starting to get freaked out with AI. It’s like the discovery of fire, and we have no idea what’s ahead of us."

That’s what a tech entrepreneur told me last week - he was leaning forward like he was delivering a warning. But he wasn’t panicking. His problem is that he’s, better than most, at seeing where the puck is going—and he can see that AI is also re-writing the rules of the game.

As someone who’s spent years as a knowledge worker, it started freaking me out a bit too. So, I asked him the question that every entrepreneur is struggling with: If you were starting with $0 today, what would you do?

He paused… and then looked at me with the eyes of someone realizing they have to put down the dog, and said, "I don’t know, man. But you need to own businesses."

It hits hard because knowledge workers often don’t own anything. We sell our time, skills, and ideas, but in a post-AI world, who needs that? The future will belong to those who build businesses producing millions in revenue with minimal to zero teams, largely powered by automation and AI.

If that sounds kinda depressing, I agree. But if it sounds intimidating, it shouldn’t. This is a golden age for scrappy, fit, entrepreneurs willing to adapt. And, because I’m so nice, I’ve ranked the Top 25 Digital-First Businesses you should consider owning in 2025. I’ll be honest, some of these are definitely at risk of AI replacement - but the counter-balance is that they are low-risk to launch. I am also in the camp that brand matters and that consumers will still select a brand over the same thing from mega-corp (ChatGPT).

Take a look, let me know your thoughts, and stay tuned for my ranking of the best sweaty, physical-world businesses.

idea of the week

1. Idea: An AI-driven personalized health coach built for hyper-specific niches, like Paleo enthusiasts, menopausal women, or bodybuilders (or maybe just Paleo-based bodybuilders that struggle with menopause… ??♂?).
2. Monetization strategy: Subscription-based plans that include wearable integration, tailored workout and meal plans, and hyper-relevant resources (think Paleo recipes or bodybuilder prep guides). Premium tiers could offer direct access to niche-specific experts, like trainers or nutritionists.
3. Why it might fail: This space already exists, but most apps try to be too broad. The opportunity lies in doubling down on the niche. The challenge? Scaling without diluting the laser-focused value proposition.

workout of the week

At-home workout:

Complete 5 rounds:

• 15 push-ups
• 20 air squats
• 1-minute plank hold

Gym workout:

4 sets of:

• Deadlift: 6 reps
• Bench press: 6 reps
• Dumbbell lunges: 12 reps per leg
• Weighted pull-ups: 8 reps

Outdoor workout:

For time:

• Run 800m
• 50 push-ups
• 100 squats
• Run 800m

plugs

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