One day my dad brought home a new IBM PC. That was the day my life changed. Dad and I kept upgrading that computer inside and out. When the Internet became available, we paid for as much speed as we could afford. I developed a competitive advantage with the head start Dad gave me.

Nearly 600 years ago, cities that invested in the printing press grew 60% faster than those that didn’t because hand-written books were scarce and expensive. The early adopting cities held on to their growth lead for nearly 100 years.

In 1995, 42% of American adults had never heard of the Internet. Only 14% were online. Amazon, Google, and Netflix all launched in the late nineties, betting that adoption would grow from near zero to universal.

When cloud offered companies mobility, flexibility, and more processing power, half of enterprises waited to migrate, citing security as their top concern.

Others I’ve worked with migrated slowly because a rapid shift to usage-based pricing required a change in accounting treatment and created less predictable expense forecasting, impacting short-term profitability.

The mistake they made was calculating costs without modeling the more difficult upside. McKinsey found that organizations building new capabilities gained ground and those that simply migrated did not.

When I first saw that premium AI tiers cost up to 10x more than standard plans, I said no way… I’m not doubling my annual software spend.

But the models kept getting smarter, and I began building faster and more capable digital coworkers. I started hitting usage limits that made no economic sense.

I remembered what I’ve spent my entire career telling clients, and what Dad taught me first. If I invested in the best tools and learned how to use them, I would be unstoppable.

Originally published on LinkedIn

A young boy excitedly using a computer in a cozy, tech-themed room.
Graph showing wealth shift from workers to billionaires over 50 years.
100+ years of printing press growth advantage highlighted.
42% of Americans in 1995 had never heard of the internet, with only 14% online.
Infographic highlighting billion-dollar investments by Amazon, Google, and Netflix before mainstream understanding.
Steel frame of a building under construction at night.
49% of enterprises avoid the cloud due to security fears, with low utilization rates.
Slide shows early cloud adoption results: growth, fewer failures, capability focus.
Illustration showing a 92% cost drop in two years for tokens.
Infographic showing productivity gains and design impact on tool adoption.
Futuristic quantum computer with glowing blue circuitry and holographic displays.
Illustration of a futuristic quantum computer setup in 1450 concept.
Inspirational quote about opportunity and timing.

After nearly a year, the edge I’ve gained far exceeds the cost I’ve paid.

AI is in that early-adopter phase right now. The tools are getting cheaper, but the gap between early builders and everyone else is already compounding.

What are you building while the window is still open?

#AI #FinancialServices #Leadership