This wasn’t meant for Gen X. But it’s exactly the kind of AI-first, career-opportunity advice we should be paying attention to.
I saw a thread on X from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.
He was talking to 22-year-old college grads, but honestly? I think it's even more important for us Gen Xers.
Two lines jumped out at me:
“If you’re a recent graduate, I urge you not to think in terms of AI-proofing your career. Instead, AI-optimize it.”
And this next one, because if you've been reading this newsletter for a while, you'll know I've been shouting from the rooftops about the massive opportunities out there for years:
“It’s getting harder to find a first job, but it has never been easier to create a first opportunity.”
For us Gen Xers, just swap "first job" with "next job"… Or better yet, “no job” once you realize you can turn your experience into your own thing.
So today, I'm sharing how I'm AI-optimizing my career and creating even more opportunities.
AI Optimization = Being More Human
Sounds counterintuitive, right? Using AI to become more human? But here’s the thing, letting AI handle the robotic stuff frees you up to focus on genuinely human work, like connecting with people and exploring passions.
So, I’m focusing on media that amplify my humanity, while at the same time, amplifies my opportunity as well.
Lean into Podcasts
Way back in 2007 I hosted two podcasts and was a guest on a bunch of others. I loved it, but eventually got away from it. Now I’m looking to get back on the podcast train.
Every time I do, the feedback and new readers roll in (if you're reading this because you heard me on the Streamlined Solopreneur podcast, welcome!).
It is something I am naturally good at “talking peoples faces off.” So I need to lean in to it.
To take it a step further…
Podcast listenership continues to climb, with 67% of US citizens having listened to a podcast and 47% listening monthly.
Consumers feel more connected to brands and individuals they hear regularly, building trust and loyalty over time.
And Neil Patel recently mentioned in this interview on Think Media that podcasting is way less crowded than blogging.
Blogs: Roughly one billion globally—that's about one for every seven or eight people on the planet.
Podcasts: Approximately 4.5 million, meaning one podcast for every thousand people (and many of those many podcasts aren’t even active
Those are just a few of many reasons. You can read more on why podcasts kick ass here: big podcast opportunity
Smells like opportunity to me!
So I am putting my money where my mouth is. I recently spoke with an expert named Dustin Riechmann about his podcast guesting program. I'm about to pull the trigger on one of my biggest investments in years.
And honestly, It’s the scary kind of investment. But the last two times I did this, I doubled my income. Stay tuned!
Now, onto video…
Lean into Video
Video is everywhere - TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube - and it builds real trust by showing your human side. Despite me advising clients to embrace video for years, I've chickened out repeatedly. Not anymore.
I will be leaning into video as well. Other than being another medium to amplify my humanity, its a huge opportunity right now.
According to the Datos State of Search Report Q1 2025:
The sources highlight that user-generated content (UGC), especially video, is dominating even more than last year and is "getting turbocharged.”
Video-heavy platforms are dominating Google search traffic, including YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
In the first quarter of 2025, many UGC platforms are among the top sites visited from US desktop AI tools, with YouTube at #2, Facebook at #6, Instagram at #7, TikTok at #9 and X at #15.
Having videos on these means you have exposure to 5 most visited sites on the ENTIRE internet.
Yes please!
“But Corey, what about about newsletters you’re always chirping about? What gives?”
Nothing changes there.
Newsletters remain your essential home base, your direct line to your audience, free from the whims of the algorithm. They allow you to have a way to send your audience to and from your podcasts, videos, socials and and any content.
Which leads me to my next point…
Remember my newsletter experiment from a few months ago?
It’s time to double down. Podcasts and video are fantastic, but you need a solid home base. Your newsletter deepens relationships, is algo proof and offers direct value.
Its all part of a system.
So, I'm committed to sharing everything I know about personal-branded newsletters so you can capitalize on this massive opportunity too.
I'm looking for two types of Gen Xers:
Those with large audiences but no newsletter (you're leaving money on the table!)
Those who want a newsletter as a side hustle or complement to their existing business.
Interested? Start here.
And finally…
Lean into AI-First
AI optimization is about adopting an AI-first mindset by using technology to scale decisions, creativity, and action, rather than using human power to scale.
For example, here’s an AI first way to explain AI first to you using Perplexity…
“For individuals aged 45–60, "AI first" means making AI central to career strategy—actively learning, adopting, and leveraging AI to enhance, extend, and redefine their professional value in a tech-driven world.”
Being AI-first is about staying human-led, freeing you from robotic tasks, and amplifying your genuinely human impact.
Take you AI-first journey with this simple prompt:
I’m a [AGE]-year-old [PROFESSION OR INDUSTRY] with [#] years of experience.
I’m trying to adapt my work to become more “AI-First”. That is, I want to use AI to make faster, better decisions and increase my creativity and output.
I’m interested in using AI to help me:
1. Save time
2. Earn more income without burning out
3. Stay competitive and sharp
Can you help me create a step-by-step plan that shows me:
- Where AI fits best in my current workflow
- What tools to start with (based on my level of tech comfort)
- How I can gradually shift from doing everything myself… to letting - AI do the grunt work
- And how I can turn this shift into a business advantage (not just a time-saver)?
Bonus: Give me one practical example of how someone like me is already doing this successfully.Music of the Week
Gin Blossoms “Hey Jealousy” (Acoustic)
Here’s a frequent flier from back in my DJ days. It was a good early evening tune to get set an “upbeat, calm-before-the-storm” mood as the bar filled up.
Funny how early evening, back then, is my bed time now (9:30 pm).
Anyway, I think I like this version just might be better the original (agree or disagree? reply and let me know)
Check it out…
Big Takeaway
I hope today's mixtape sparked ideas about what’s possible when you lean into AI and know how to spot and seize opportunities.
Remember, tap here to start your newsletter.
Have a good one,
Corey
✅ Ready To Future-Proof Your Career
Don't wait for "someday." Here are three ways to stay relevant and get paid today:
Grab the Gen eXit Playbook
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Start a "Quiet" Side Hustle.
You don't need to dance on TikTok. Read my guide on how to use AI and beehiiv to build an audience you actually own (and get paid for it). → Read the Guide
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