Introduction: Why I Wrote This Book

A pesky truth of the age of AI is that everyone's day job is at risk, but we all still need money. This book has one job: to provide you with practical, data-driven tools to equip you with the ability to future-proof your career and income. I dare say we can have fun, too! If you have the desire to develop your career, expand your career opportunities, and make more money, you're in the right place. This book is all about the agency you have in your life to take action, upskill, and expand your life and income. But before we get there, I need to address the elephant in the room: fear.

No one's job is safe. Shifting sand under our feet and an often small safety net can be scary. Large-scale layoffs at companies fill our new feeds almost daily. Almost 50 percent of Americans report layoff anxiety.1 About 28% of Americans have already been laid off since 2021.2 While the COVID-19 pandemic played a role in these layoffs, the anxiety continues today. Does working in AI keep you immune to being laid off? Nope! Even the chief executive officer (CEO) behind ChatGPT, Sam Altman, lost his job in 2023 when the board tried to oust him. Luckily for him, he was reinstated a few days later.3

That's truly the age we live in. The age of AI brings both high volatility and opportunity. These types of opportunities did not exist even as recently as 2015, when I was in graduate school. In the age of AI, it is estimated that “69 million new jobs are expected to be created and 83 million to be eliminated,” says the World Economic Forum in their 2023 report.4 “The report finds that nearly a quarter of all jobs (23%) globally will change in the next five years.” That is a loss of 14 million jobs eliminated internationally. Even large companies previously considered relatively stable have had layoffs: Amazon, Meta (formerly Facebook), Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAP, Dell, Cisco, IBM, Uber, X (formerly Twitter), Xerox, VMware, Peloton, PayPal, Shopify, Indeed, Zillow, Airbnb, Wayfair, and Yahoo, among others.5

I myself have been in two large-scale layoffs. It's painful, but so common for folks working in the tech sector. When we look at the individual to the societal level, do the folks whose jobs are eliminated have the experience for the new jobs being created? Not necessarily. So begins a great time of upskilling to get new jobs, make pivots, and reconsider our life paths. This book is especially for you if you're at the crux of these career decisions.

Why do we have jobs? For some it might be a vocation that is meaningful for us personally. I know doctors and scholars who feel truly called to their work. For most people I know, jobs are about money. We work for a paycheck. We need to pay our rent, mortgage, student debt bills, childcare, and grocery bills, to name a few. We need money to live our lives. For people who were used to a world of stable jobs for 30 years, this is a pretty big change for so many to have such high amounts of job and career volatility. One interpretation from this is, “We are doomed! There is no more job stability! Gahhh!” Things are changing for sure. Doom and gloom is one way to look at it. I see this as a time of reimagining—a time when you question if a 9 to 5 job is what you want or need.

I'm wildly optimistic about your future. Yes, it's true that the age of AI is a time of great volatility. With great change comes great opportunity to democratize power and wealth. This is especially true for people previously excluded from wealth and agency in their lives and careers. You can build wealth today fast, ethically, and legally for you and your family. This is especially powerful for Black and Brown folks, women, gender expansive, caretakers, LGBTQIA+ folks, people with disabilities, veterans, and other marginalized folks in our world. Lucrative opportunities are now readily available to anyone with a computer, Wi-Fi, and enough time to take action. I am not saying this to diminish the digital divide and those who do not have the time or access to tech, which often are in marginalized communities. For those who do have access, my goal is to show how they can use these tools for good, for themselves, and to lift others up.

In this book, we will explore answers to the following questions:

• Resilience in the Age of AI: How do we build resilience during the turbulent and opportunity-filled times of AI?
• Careers: How do we future-proof our careers in the modern age of AI?
• Income: How do we future-proof our incomes?

This book is a collection of answers. These answers have changed my life and the lives of those around me, and are bolstered by data-driven research and exemplifying stories. I'll share my own story in these pages, as well as the journeys of others who have different identities from mine.

Goal of the Book

This book provides robust answers to these questions as you craft your AI roadmap through the age of AI. Frankly, I'm really jealous of you! You have this resource that distills more than 30 books worth of career and finance content in what I hope is a clear and openhearted way. This book is about 200 pages. Roughly 100 pages are about careers, and 100 pages are about finances. Wow, do I wish I'd had this book even two years ago! I had to chart many decisions that were hard and scary alone. I'd love it to be easier for you! This book can provide actionable shortcuts.

As the author, I hope you can view me as a friend, rad cousin, or ridiculously bold niece/granddaughter who talks about careers and wealth in an open, inclusive, and modern way. I would love for this book to cheer you on and equip you with practical tools to be resilient and live in joy, freedom, wealth, and fulfillment.

Do you talk openly about careers and money? My family doesn't. I'll be honest with you, some of my family members can't stand how openly I talk about these topics. It can be deeply uncomfortable. Words akin to, “How dare you talk and post about how much you get paid?” In fact, “Oh, you know that other people are going to see this?!?!” is a heated discussion my mom and I have had at least five times across the years. I love you, Mom. Agree to disagree! I frequently get told at family dinner tables to quiet down and change the topic. People say that influencers are stupid, not realizing my friend, who is an influencer, brought in $3 million in revenue last year.

Pressured to work long hours? Are you pressured by others to work wild hours and never dream of alternate paths? Is it taboo to talk about side hustles? I have worked a job where I was pressured to work 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. six days per week. Life is too short. I definitely didn't stay at that job long. There are still people I know who work there more than half a decade later. That's a choice! Not what I want.

Some people in my life are indifferent to ambition. They blink at me when I mention negotiating large contracts, raising $500,000 for my nonprofit, or semiconductor stocks. They say, “That's nice, dear, so about our recent trip….” To protect my tender heart from shame and disinterest, there are some folks I choose to never talk with about money or careers. We instead talk about the weather and our current favorite show on Netflix. That's okay!

Is it a taboo for you to talk about your ambitions? To explore how you could expand your income? Perhaps you're from a family and community that openly talks about stocks, portfolios, and entrepreneurship. Lucky you! If you have ever felt like the odd duck out, I want to let you know: you are not alone.

You and Me

You and me, though? I bet you're here because we are on the same page. We are ambitious. We have goals to build our careers and bank accounts. We want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives. Not all of your family and friends may feel comfortable with these topics. Your boss may work from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the week. That's their choice. That's their journey. But there are other options. There's never been a better time to make a plan, take action, and make a change. Let's make it easier! I've got a great map to help you chart your way—this book!

Will all of it be easy? If I said “Yes, all of it is easy,” then I'd be lying to your face. It may be even hard if folks in your life aren't supportive. My advice? Create and enforce boundaries as a strategy for the haters and doubters. Prioritize friendships and people who cheer you on. Consider therapy (it's been awesome for me!). Keep eating your vegetables, working out, and increasing your wealth. It may be safer to build wealth in stealth! It sure has been for me! No one is coming to save you but you. Let's build that roadmap and achieve these goals.

My Story

Who am I to be talking about careers and wealth? My name is Joan.6 I am an entrepreneur, influencer, and investor living in Seattle. Before I share my story, please know that despite these accolades I'm about to share, I really don't have a big ego. In real life, I often get mistaken as Sarah, that brunette from yoga class, or Rachel, your mom's friend's daughter. Let me share my story.

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