1. Ask a question
2. Wait until they completely stopped talking
3. Wait a few seconds more
4. Then think about all they have said
5. Then respond

Most listening fails around step 2.

In the mid-1800s, Isaac Singer made two changes that transformed an industry. He invented an affordable sewing machine and sold it with a payment plan. Workshops and individuals could now access technology previously limited to manufacturers. Within decades, thousands of small producers replaced the few professionals who had controlled the industry.

We’re at a similar threshold for AI and software as a service (SaaS). The tools to build software are becoming more accessible every day.

It makes creation possible for everyone. Small teams and individuals can now build tools in days and weeks instead of months and years. Technical complexity that once required years of experience and specialized knowledge is now simplified with AI that can write code, design interfaces, and implement features using natural language.

However, Singer’s sewing machines didn’t eliminate the need for basic sewing skills and AI tools won’t remove the requirement for basic tech knowledge. What changes is the barrier to entry.

Like Singer paved the way for thousands of at-home tailors, I predict thousands of specialized micro-SaaS products emerging at relatively low costs.

Established SaaS companies face a crucial tipping point. Will they become the Singer of the AI age, adapting their business models to this new reality?

History suggests that when barriers collapse, markets change permanently. We saw it with Kodak losing to digital cameras, Blockbuster missing out on streaming, and AltaVista bypassed by a single input field.

So why not just do it even if it is subpar?

Most people are too focused on themselves to notice you.

Do it for yourself and for those who are actively looking for it.

Be so good they can’t ignore you - Steve Martin

But before that, remember no one cares about your first attempts. Your work is to keep showing up until they do.

Taylor Swift’s lyrics often feature cars and bars. Fans probably spotted the pattern early but the rest of us found it after she became mega-successful and toured the world.

There is something special with patterns that emerge and things that feel and sound good. Think about classic I, IV, and V chords that make up a lot of songs. The feelings is that you recognize it and feel comforted about it, and combined together with a familiar rhythm in the song, you feel complete.

When you create something that feels out of your comfort zone, you don’t follow patterns you are used to. You go with your own tune with your own beat. And this is a power when it comes to being the new kid on the block.

You don’t need to follow the ways of big successful organizations. They’ve found one way and often stick with it. Patterns and behaviours that become chains that make change much harder.

New companies bring a fresh view. A clear vision that isn’t watered down by inner politics and competing priorities within big companies.

They can pivot quickly. Try new things. Change their vision voice and tone in an instant.

That’s the superpower of new businesses.

Our grandparents probably couldn’t have imagined someone making a living as:

• a YouTuber
• influencer
• gamer
• social media expert
• lifestyle entrepreneur
• prompt engineer
• e-sports team coach
• digital estate planner

AI might remove a lot of jobs, but we will most possibly invent new ones, just like we always have.

Influence is a recipe: Mix steady voice control with relaxed body language. Add engaging stories and genuine listening.

Your result: shaping thoughts, emotions, actions and beliefs.

One somewhat paradoxical signal is that imposter syndrome signals growth.

It’s not exclusive to juniors. Even longtime leaders show this. Second-guess themselves and feel like fakes.

Without a clear mental model of how a system works and what to ask, AI tools become more obstacle than help.

It’s like trying to have a conversation when you’re not sure what language the other person speaks.

At the start of “Roxanne”, Sting accidentally sat on a piano creating an odd chord followed by laughter. Instead of removing it The Police kept it in the final recording. It became one of those perfect imperfect moments.

Embracing the flaws is the best way to hide the flaws. Because then the flaws become the signature. - Venus Theory

This reminds me of my first Fallout 4 playthrough. I tried to make my character equally good at everything. Just like when I became an engineering manager and saw that skill matrix spider web. I automatically assumed I needed to max out every area.

But here’s the thing: being average at everything isn’t as valuable as being exceptional at specific things. Some of our “flaws” are just areas we’ve chosen not to prioritize. And that’s okay.

Like that piano chord in Roxanne sometimes our mistakes and imperfections become our signature. Our strength isn’t in being flawless. It’s in owning the mistakes and the imperfections.

At Spotify I worked a bit on the Alexa speakers and had meetings with Amazon. This is where I first learned about the “silent meetings” structure that Amazon had. They usually began with someone having written a document on the topic, different viewpoints, and a possible way forward. The first 10-15 minutes of the meeting went into reading this document. And once everyone was literally on the same page, the meetings started. The discussions were engaging, and everyone was focusing on solving the same problems.

There are key parallels between Amazon’s silent meetings and the flipped classroom model: both rely on everyone starting with the same information before discussion begins. When done right teachers become coaches guiding students through shared material rather than lecturers delivering new content.

When I’ve experienced a working flipped classroom, it has been all about the “silent reading” part. The students all started from the same baseline when it came to the information. They worked together in small groups summarizing it, then shared with a bigger group about what they learned.

This is often when I’ve seen the flipped classroom break. Instead of having the same baseline, each group has had a different set of topics and areas they should summarize and teach to the rest of the group. Effectively they’ve switched from an experienced teacher to an amateur teacher, and they’ve only learned the topics they themselves have discussed. The method works best when it builds on shared understanding rather than dividing the learning experience.