Started startup journey with no experience, established 3-pillar strategy, explored AI infrastructure opportunities

date: 2025-06-24 time started: 11:02 AM time ended: 4:06 PM —

The Starting Point: No Job, No Experience, But Big Dreams

I find myself at a crossroads - no full-time job experience, no traditional career path, but armed with determination and a vision to build something meaningful in the AI space. This is Day 0 of my startup journey, and I’m documenting every step, every thought, every pivot.

The Core Mission: Building an Insane AI Portfolio

My primary goal isn’t just to create projects for the sake of having them. I want to build an insane AI portfolio that demonstrates real problem-solving capabilities. Currently, my projects have been solving minor inconveniences rather than addressing genuine pain points. But that’s about to change.

The Three-Pillar Strategy:

  1. LEARN (1 hour daily) - READ, watch videos, stay updated
  2. IMPLEMENT - Build, iterate, fail fast, learn faster
  3. FIND CLIENTS - Understand real needs, not perceived ones

The Startup Vision: Beyond Just Making Money

While financial success is important, my deeper goal is to learn how to sell and develop products that actually matter. I’m not just building for the sake of building - I’m building to understand the entire product lifecycle, from ideation to market validation.

Key Insights from Research

The AI Paradox

“AS SOON AS IT WORKS, NO ONE CALLS IT AI ANYMORE”

This profound statement from my research hit home. When AI becomes truly useful, it becomes invisible - just another tool that works seamlessly. This is exactly what I want to achieve.

The Plumber Analogy

I came across an interesting video about selling solutions, using a plumber as an example. The key insight? Don’t sell what you think people need - sell what they actually do. They might not need “AI” at all; they might just need something that makes their life easier.

The Customer Discovery Challenge

The fundamental question: What do you actually build?

My hypothesis:

  • People usually don’t know what they want until you sell it to them
  • If they do know what they want, they either can’t find it or don’t have time to look
  • The solution might not even exist yet

Exploring AI Infrastructure and Market Opportunities

I’m diving deep into AI infrastructure possibilities and studying what other AI-focused startups are building. Some areas that intrigue me:

Potential AI Solutions:

  • AI Agents for Specific Tasks: Streamlining redundant processes
  • AI Agents to Test AI Agents: Quality assurance for AI systems
  • AI for Voice Interviews: Automated interview processes
  • AI’s that Reduce Traffic: Intelligent traffic management systems
  • AI’s that Handle Calls: Automated customer service solutions
  • Content Creator Tools: AI-assisted content generation and optimization
  • AI-Assisted Services: Tax preparation, manual work automation, and other labor-intensive tasks
  • Project Tracking using AI: Intelligent project management
  • Company Compliance Automation: Regulatory compliance made simple
  • Auto Documentation using AI: AI-powered documentation generation
  • Email Summarizer: Intelligent email management
  • AI in Group Chats: Enhanced communication tools
  • Medical Scans: Healthcare AI applications
  • Create Avatars with AI: AI-generated avatar creation tools

The YC Deadline: August 8th

A hard deadline looms - Y Combinator applications are due August 8th. This creates urgency to develop an MVP quickly, though it might deviate from my original plan to focus on small businesses.

Personal Pain Points as Inspiration

I’m also examining my own frustrations:

  • Job Application Process: The current system is broken
  • Resume Optimization: Making applications more effective
  • Interview Preparation: Streamlining the hiring process

The Critical Question: What Am I Going to Help Replace?

The fundamental question I keep asking myself: Am I building something to replace an outdated legacy system, or am I creating a tool that reduces a genuine pain point?

Next Steps: From Ideation to Implementation

  1. Research Phase: Dive deeper into AI tools and market gaps
  2. Problem Validation: Talk to potential customers, understand real needs
  3. MVP Development: Build something that works, even if it’s simple
  4. Market Testing: Get feedback, iterate, pivot if necessary

Resources I’m Studying

The Journey Ahead

This is just the beginning. I’m documenting this journey not just for myself, but for anyone else who’s starting from zero and wants to build something meaningful in the AI space. The path ahead is uncertain, but the goal is clear: build products that solve real problems, learn how to sell them, and create value for both customers and myself.

Day 0 complete. The real work starts tomorrow.

This post is part of my startup journey documentation. Follow along as I navigate the challenges of building an AI startup from scratch.

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