021: “Will You Adapt Before You’re Forced To?” (lessons from Justin Coats)
Coming off the conversation with Justin Coats, Erik reflects on what stood out most — not just in what was said, but in the tone of how it was said. Justin’s outlook on AI is refreshingly optimistic, and not in a techno-utopian way. His confidence stems from deep proximity to the tools, but also from the pattern recognition of someone who’s rebuilt himself multiple times.
This reaction is Erik’s way of pulling that thread further: What if Justin’s not just right — what if he's early? And what if we’ve been dramatically overvaluing busywork while underestimating what we're actually capable of?
🎯 Top Insights from the Interview
- Disruption is already here. Industries like marketing are being gutted. Legal, sales, and creative are next. If you feel safe, it might just mean you're early.
- You’re probably doing less meaningful work than you think. Erik revisits his own sales leadership role and admits — most of his 50-hour weeks only contained ~10 hours of real value.
- The “race to the bottom” isn’t inevitable. Companies won’t all optimize for cost. Many will reinvest efficiency gains into higher-margin or more meaningful work — and that opens new lanes.
- This is an invitation to create. Whether you’re laid off or leveraged, the tools are there. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink what you want to build.
- AI won't replace you — but it might replace your inertia. Those who embrace the tools early will create massive leverage. Those who wait for a forcing function may be too late.
🧩 The Personal Layer
There’s a vulnerability in this episode — Erik names his fear. Not just as a professional, but as a father, husband, and friend. He acknowledges the real human cost of change and the worry for people he cares about. But he also offers a hard truth: maybe the stuff we’re clinging to wasn’t that meaningful in the first place.
He also shares a deep resonance with Justin Coats’s view that humans are wildly capable — and that what we really need now isn’t more motivation, it’s better attention to what matters.
🧰 From Insight to Action
- Audit your week. How many hours are you doing real work? What could be handed off to AI or automated systems?
- Practice noticing problems. Get less numb. Pay attention to the inefficiencies in your world — those are potential business ideas.
- Try one tool. Whether it’s Replit, ChatGPT, or Claude — spend an hour creating something small. Not researching. Building.
- Stop waiting for permission. AI has leveled the playing field. If you have a bias for action, you’re ahead of 95% of people.
- Talk to your people. If you lead a team or have peers you care about, initiate this conversation. Don’t wait for the crisis to come.
🗣️ Notable Quotes
“Justin’s optimism isn’t naive. It’s earned. He’s been through reinvention — he knows what’s on the other side.” — Erik Berglund
“If you’re waiting for the forcing function, you’re probably already behind.” — Erik Berglund
“The opportunity is wide open in front of you — and you’re still early.” — Erik Berglund
🔗 Links & Resources
- neesh.ai – Justin's company
- Check out Justin’s LinkedIn for more info about his upcoming event: AI in the West
