The Biggest AI Danger for Entrepreneurs (And How to Avoid It)

Welcome to the Paul Vette podcast. I'm not going to talk about how things should be done, but mainly about who you need to be. I challenge you to become the owner of your true identity. Time for your breakthrough and joy in your business. There's one reason to be afraid of AI as an entrepreneur, and this is how you prevent it. A long time ago, really a long time ago now, I was 20 years old, had just gotten my own bar, and I met someone there. I spoke with this person during an after-party. I think it was around 9 o'clock in the morning. And I asked him, hey, who are you, what are you doing here? I was in his apartment but I hadn't really run into him yet, there were several people there. And he told me, yeah, I'm living here for a few more months in the Netherlands and then I'm going to a piece of the world that I've purchased myself. I said, do you have that many resources then? Yeah, I'm completely financially free and I'm here in the Netherlands to wrap up a few last things and then I can just go stay there on my own beach. I thought, wow, that's cool and inspiring. I asked him, okay, what do you do then? At an after-party, people are generally a bit more open about what they do. And why do you still need to stay in the Netherlands? Because if you're financially free anyway, why don't you go there today already? And he told me that he had built a system for porn websites. In the past, you had to dial in, so you had to maintain a phone connection. And as long as you did that, you had access to the porn website in this case. And he had built that system. So he also showed me a bank account of his and there was just continuously, when he refreshed, there was just more money in it. That was bizarre. But I said, because why do you still need to stay in the Netherlands, I asked. He says, yeah, that system is starting to become outdated. And that system, you have to rebuild it, he in this case, into a new system. As soon as that was finished, he was the one who had the technical knowledge of it, then he could just go to his own beach. Yeah, nice story of course. You already understand the link with AI, but not completely yet. Because what I found great about him was that these systems he had developed, they were already widely present. Worldwide, those kinds of systems for different purposes were already present. But, he said, I had a passion for this subject. Not necessarily porn, he said, but for websites that had to maintain a certain connection and then the link with telephony. That's where his passion lay. That came from a core of him, because he had grown up, he told me, with someone who also had a passion for telephony. Only back then still fixed telephony, and that's why he had become interested in it. So what's great is, the same now applies to AI. It's not necessarily about it being an amplifier, being a real catalyst. Because it's a catalyst in countless areas and that's only increasing. So you can also very much lose your way in this whole AI quest of where should I start, what do I need? But you know where you need to start? With yourself, who you are at the core. Because the moment you first realize that AI is the biggest danger of losing your true identity. And you act accordingly to prevent that from happening, then you stay with your core. And then when you embrace AI as a major catalyst or as a lever, then you will start using it in the right way. But not because you're going to search for all the tools and everything that exists and then just see what you can do with it, because then you'll shoot off in all directions. It's about first going to the core to hey, who am I, why are you building your current business, what impact do you want to make with it? Maybe you have one business, maybe you have different branches. Maybe you have multiple companies. And for each company you're naturally going to look at, okay, from you, why did you build that business? Why are you in that business specifically? And how can you use your identity as a lever with the help of AI? Because then I know for sure that you won't fall behind. What's important, of course, is that you actually embrace it. Because the moment you don't embrace it and you fall behind, then your business will just really go to shit. 100 percent. Within a few years it's just over, and time really goes fast. Every month new updates come out of things that you actually want to apply in your business, but from your core thinking. Because the moment you look at which branch of your business or just your core business, what matches best with your true identity? Then I'm not talking about those little voices that tell you, yeah, but I have to do this, I have to do that. I'm the only one who can do that. No, you do have to look as that entrepreneur who lays out all the lines, who ensures that you can fulfill your 500 euros per hour, 1000 euros per hour, 10,000 euros per hour tasks. It just depends on what kind of business you have, how much per hour you can currently assign to yourself and how much that will be in 5 years. Because that's naturally where you want to move toward. But from that core you look. Okay, which tasks do I want to do at the core if I don't listen to all those little voices in your head that tell you what you should actually also be doing. Because you believe you have to work hard or because you believe you can't be successful. Because you believe you're an imposter. Because you believe you're too afraid to do the right things. Doesn't matter, there are all kinds of little voices in your head too that prevent you from really taking that step toward building the business that is 100 percent in line with who you are. Because the moment you do that and use AI at those points, then you'll really make big steps. And that's what I wish for you. So AI can only be a big danger if you either do nothing with it at all. That can't happen. Do something with it, go learn it. You're still on time now in November 2025, but you do need to take action now. And the other big danger is that you ensure that AI confuses your identity even further. Because you're already not 100 percent on your own path. You're already a bit off. There are all kinds of steps in between, blockages in between, limiting beliefs in between, fears in between, stories in between, emotions in between that block you from truly doing and living as you truly are. Well, if you then also throw AI on top of that, then that's a catalyst of the role you're playing and not of the real you. So the other biggest danger is that AI, and it can do that so easily, will tell you all kinds of things, especially if you also engage in conversation with LLMs, with large language models. They're going to make you believe all kinds of things that you'll accept as truth. And if you can't stay close to yourself, then you'll completely lose yourself. And then in a year or two you just won't know at all anymore who you are. Then you'll be building businesses that don't fit you at all anymore. And then you have a big problem, because then you'll definitely burn out. Either through mental complaints or even through physical complaints. Because your system will just protest because you're no longer the person. You're no longer even a shadow of the person who you are at the core. That's the biggest danger and I want you to guard against that. That you don't let AI take you away, remove you from the person that you are at the core. So you only need to solve those two things. Keep tuning into yourself, hey, who am I at the core? You know that, and somewhere you also know what you really want to do, what really fits you and what you're doing now that doesn't fit you. And embrace AI, because it's a great gift if you use it to build your business more easily, so that systems emerge, so that you get space to do the things you really want. And often that's also good for your own life, because ideally more time for yourself comes as well. And you can then spend that time together with your loved ones, with your community. You can do nicer things or you can set up a new business branch or further expand your business. Because that's what I truly wish for you. That you get everything out of yourself, that you reach your maximum potential. What your maximum potential is for you within what you truly want. Without those little voices that say no, take it easy, I'll just keep myself small, I'll just act normal, then I'll be crazy enough. No, go crazy, then you'll already be normal enough. Go to that core, stay with that core and build AI on top of that. That's it. Then you never have to be afraid of AI. Your growth is further ignited. Ready to take complete ownership? Then check the link in the show notes. --- This transcript has been translated from Dutch.