Been working with software systems for more than 10 years, mostly around backend, cloud, AI, automation, and product development. One thing I’ve learned, knowing a programming language alone usually isn’t enough. The harder part is understanding the actual business. How to automate work that’s still manual. Connect systems that don’t work well together. Build AI into real workflows. Keep the backend stable when usage grows. Deal with data scattered across different tools. These are the kinds of problems I’ve spent a lot of time working on here in Japan. But I’m curious about the US side. For people running companies in the US, what technical skills are becoming difficult to find? And what skills do you think companies will need more of over the next few years?

What's up y'all! I've been working this lead for about a week or two. This was our fourth call, but we eventually came to an agreement for something that worked for them, something that I felt confident in, and something with a lot of upside. If you happen to get on calls with people that you see a lot of upside with (whether they have multiple businesses, whether they have a lot of room for growth or expansion), and you truly believe in your product or system, as long as you don't need the money, take the risk up front. This deal could easily have just been an $8,000 to $10,000 close, but hopefully the LTV on it is multiple tens of thousands of dollars over the next year or two.

In my experience in business to this point, as long as you're connecting with the right people and the right ICPs, you can get on calls with somewhat important people. Leverage that to the best of your ability. Deliver great work for them, even at maybe a tiny bit of a discount rate. I wouldn't recommend for free. Leverage their connections, their network, and their experience on the value that you provided for them with your systems, so that they can go to everybody that they know and pitch them on your product. It's so much easier rather than trying to get in contact with an entire group of high-status individuals individually. As long as you build a great interpersonal relationship with one person, even if the sales process takes a little longer, that's what's going to make you more money in the long run, in my opinion.

Just got one voice agent live for a Life and Safety company based in Grand Rapids Michigan, Total Fire Protection. Getting paid 397 a month, with upsells down the road already. They want 9 more voice agents bounded to every branch of their business.

3k + 500/month with a ton of upside, building him a multi-tenant knowledge base, WhatsApp integration for him, his dad, and brother that feed into the knowledge base, and an internal audit after 14 days. Plans to use this to build out the infrastructure for his two companies: one is drywall (great niche btw) other is a tequila brand