I almost gave up on writing until a mentor showed me this counterintuitive approach. It felt wrong at first, but after implementing this AI-driven system, my productivity skyrocketed by 304%. Here's the step-by-step guide so you can do it too.
Why Most Approaches Fail
Many common approaches to AI productivity are flawed at the root.
The root cause is usually one of three things:
Copying what big companies do without understanding why they do it. What works for Google doesn't work for a 10-person startup.
Over-engineering the solution when a simple approach would work better. I've seen teams spend six months building something that could have been done in two weeks.
Ignoring the human element. Technology is the easy part. Getting people to actually use it is where the real challenge lives.
What I've Learned From 128 Companies
A few patterns in AI productivity come up again and again.
The founders who handle AI productivity well understand that timing is everything in this game.
Real Talk: What Actually Matters
Here is what actually matters in AI productivity.
First, execution speed beats perfection. Every time. Companies rarely fail because they moved too fast on AI productivity. Many fail because they moved too slowly.
Second, measure everything. If you can't measure it, you can't improve it. Set up tracking from day one, even if it's basic.
Third, talk to your users. It sounds obvious, but many founders make decisions about AI productivity in a vacuum. Get out of the building. Talk to real people.
This connects to broader themes around AI automation, AI meeting notes, AI scheduling, AI email, AI tools for founders that I've been thinking about a lot lately.
What's Next
Best practice in AI productivity is changing fast. What worked last year might not work next year. That's both the challenge and the opportunity.
My advice: stay curious, stay humble, and stay close to the people who are actually doing the work. Read less thought leadership and do more experiments. Talk to fewer consultants and more practitioners.
If you're building in this space, the best time to get AI productivity right is before you need to. Don't wait for a crisis to force your hand.
I'll keep sharing what I learn. This stuff matters too much to keep to myself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:What's the most common pushback you get on this?
People often push back by citing exceptions or edge cases. And they're usually right that exceptions exist. But building a strategy around exceptions rather than patterns is a losing game for most founders.
Q:Do all experts agree with this view?
No, and that's fine. The best ideas in business are often contrarian. I share my perspective based on my experience and data, but I encourage you to seek out opposing viewpoints and form your own conclusions.
Q:What experience informs this perspective?
This perspective comes from over a decade of building companies in Silicon Valley, two successful exits (RemoteTeam to Gusto, MovieLaLa to Gfycat), and investing in 234 startups including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Scale AI. I write about what I've lived.