The Startup Ideas Podcast
The best businesses are built at the intersection of emerging technology, community, and real human needs.
Think of AI Skills as Building Your Team
Conceptualize AI skills as specialized employees who need training and context to perform specific business functions consistently
Decision Rule
When deciding how to structure AI assistance, ask: 'Would I hire a specialist employee for this task?' If yes, create a skill. If no, use general AI.
How It Works
This mental model helps users understand when to invest time in creating skills versus using general AI, and how to design skills that provide ongoing value like trained employees
Failure Modes
Over-engineering skills for simple, one-off tasks
Under-investing in skill development for critical business functions
Expecting skills to work perfectly without iteration and training
Example Decision
“A design agency realizes they review copy multiple times per week across different projects. They think 'I would hire a copywriting specialist for this' and create a skill, rather than using general AI assistance each time.”