How you succeed in business is shifting fast – and not because of AI

Have you ever wondered why some businesses thrive without spending a dime on ads?

Meanwhile, when you try the good old fashioned “build it, and they will come,” you’re as busy as a Chick-fil-A on a Sunday?

Some business owners have figured out something most refuse to see. But in an ever-evolving world of AI and tech, this “secret” isn’t just essential to building a sustainable marketing campaign; it might be the only way to do business moving forward.

I wish I had known this “secret” sooner. It would have saved me countless sleepless nights and millions in ad spend.

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In this article, I will share how the business world could change forever and why creators are the future of business.

If you’re new to my work, my name is Lester, but feel free to call me Les. I’m chairman of a group of DTC brands and an award-winning performance marketer who’s built and scaled brands by developing internal data and analytics tools. 

I’ve crafted and managed tens of millions in digital marketing campaigns, so I have a unique perspective on how AI is changing the future of marketing, but not for the reason you think.

All that said, if you’re into data-driven marketing insights and strategies, along with AI tips on how to drive growth, check out my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts.

But enough about me. Let’s talk about how business is shifting and how to capitalize on what might be the biggest opportunity this century.

Understanding the landscape

Let me give you some context so you can understand what has changed and what the future holds.

You see, life used to be really simple for online businesses. Spend some money on online ads; people show up ready to buy, and boom, money in the bank. Or maybe you did some SEO voodoo and got tons of organic traffic. Either way, money in the bank.

Fast forward a few years, and the algorithms are out for blood. If you’re not careful, they’ll squeeze every penny out of your account.

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The Apple iOS update made it harder for advertisers to target their audience, driving up costs, messing with tracking, and turning every campaign into a gamble.

On top of that, every online industry got flooded with new, well-funded players, and customer acquisition costs hit record highs.

All of this created the perfect storm for a full-blown pay-to-play ecosystem.

But then TikTok entered the chat and said hold my beer!

TikTok focused on creators and didn’t care about the old rules of the internet, which required thousands or even millions of followers to get noticed. Anyone had a shot to go viral, and that changed everything.

TikTok also gave creators the tools they needed, from content editing apps like CapCut to native selling through TikTok Shop.

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Naturally, new creators flocked to the platform, hoping to build a following for themselves. That shift toward creators pushed every platform to adapt or risk becoming irrelevant.

Suddenly, it wasn’t all about pay-to-play anymore. Organic reach is now at an all-time high, giving creators the chance to build real, meaningful businesses. This shift goes beyond TikTok; it’s happening across all platforms.

This is precisely why creators are shaping the future.

For once, the small guys like you and I got the win we desperately needed.

This shift started around 2020. While creator-led businesses existed before, this time, it felt different. This time, it felt permanent.

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Fast-forward to now, and headlines like “YouTube Star Mr.Beast Is Raising Money at a $5 Billion Valuation” are appearing on the front pages of your favorite news sites.

Sure, that’s an extreme example, but it’s real. At the same time, Gen Z is driving a cultural shift built on trust in creators, a desire for authenticity, and a need for authentic connection.

Some might say this is a story about what changed. But maybe it’s the opposite.

Maybe this is a story about how we never really changed at all. Perhaps this is proof that we’ve always craved authentic human connection. 

Maybe we just forgot how powerful it could be.

The secret explained and the future of business

Based on current evidence, the future of business is in the hands of creators who build authentic connections with their audience. Future entrepreneurs won’t just need to create exceptional products and services; they’ll also need to be their own biggest “influencer.”

Traditional paid customer acquisition is becoming harder to sustain, pushing businesses to rely more on owned channels like email, SMS, and content. At the same time, ad fatigue is growing, especially among the next generation, who are increasingly skeptical of paid ads.

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In fact, 77% of social media users prefer content created by influencers over traditional ads, according to IZEA’s 2025 report.

This is precisely why creators play a central role in what comes next.

According to Shopify, 69% of consumers trust influencer recommendations. Moreover, 74% of Gen Z shoppers say they spend most of their free time online, and influencers are the primary way they discover new products.

It’s easy to see why creators are shaping the future of business. And it’s not just B2C; B2B is shifting too.

According to Sprout Social’s Q1 2025 Pulse Survey, 67% of B2B brands use influencer marketing to increase brand awareness, while 54% use it to build credibility and trust.

This approach works because people trust people. According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from individuals over brands, even if they don’t know them personally.

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As AI and competition flood every market, and users are overwhelmed with options, people will turn to the ones they know, like, and trust to help them decide what to buy.

According to Statista, 60% of marketers say influencer marketing delivers a higher ROI than traditional ads, proving this isn’t just a trend.

Influencer marketing brings in an average return of $5.78 for every $1 spent, according to Influencer Marketing Hub. It’s not hard to see why this might be the solution to your rising customer acquisition costs.

The future is already here in many ways, and while the mediums have evolved, the core hasn’t changed. People still do business with people.

Your big opportunity 

This future isn’t about going viral or hiring a bunch of influencers to promote your product or service. Sure, those things can help.

What I’m saying is this: Now is the time to get closer to your customers. Show behind the scenes. Share the wins, the losses, what’s new, what’s coming. You might not realize it, but a lot of what you do every day is already interesting to your audience.

Being human will be rare in a world filled with AI and automation.

So here’s your big opportunity.

This isn’t about being a creator or chasing views. It’s about leverage. The kind of leverage that comes from owning attention, not renting it.

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When you build an audience, you don’t have to beg platforms to talk to your people. You don’t have to rely on discounts to drive sales, and you’re not at the mercy of another algorithm update wiping out your growth overnight.

That leverage turns into attention. And if you have a good product or service, that attention turns into money in the bank.

I know what you might be thinking: What influencer or creator should I use?

Hear me out… I think you should be the creator.

If creators are the future, shouldn’t you be the one telling the world about your product or service? You don’t need to be Mr. Beast making Emmy-level content, but it’s important that you show up as your authentic self.

Whether you’re running a service business, building a product, or launching a new brand, it starts with telling your story.

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You can tell your story on social channels, but if the past has taught us anything, it’s that owning your audience is the smart play. Think of ways to grow your email and SMS lists, not just followers you rent from someone else.

It’s not one or the other. It’s both.

And yeah, I get it. It’s one more thing to do on our daily grind. But it is what it is. I’d rather not overpay for customer acquisition.

As my mother would say… pick a struggle. And in this case, I’d rather choose the one that leaves the most money in the bank.

My two cents

My biggest, and I mean biggest, regret is not taking content more seriously earlier. I started to 10 years ago, but I didn’t follow through simply because paid traffic worked, and at the time, I didn’t see the value in creating content.

In many ways, I thought I could “hide” behind my laptop and make a living. It turns out that not investing in content was a massive miss.

I’d also tell myself that the Jeff Bezoses and Mark Zuckerbergs of the world didn’t create content, so why should I?

I didn’t realize back then that they were content creators, too. It just looked different. Now I see it clearly. Every interview, every event, every magazine cover was content. It just came disguised as “press.”

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But I see now that regardless of what you call it, it was a mechanism for them to get in front of their audience.

The good news? It’s not too late for me, and it’s not too late for you.

All that said, I’ll leave you with this.

Get out there and show the world how special you are. It won’t be easy, but it is simple. Don’t overthink it. With time, you’ll get better.

Hope this helps.

P.S. If you want more easy and helpful AI tips and tricks, sign up for my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts. Plus, you’ll get to see behind the scenes as I pay my penance for not creating content 10 years ago.

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