My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Rising Labor Costs Driving Automation Adoption
Timeframe: 5-10 year structural shift already underway
What's Changing
Labor costs increasing dramatically (waiters from $15 to $25/hour in NYC) while technology costs decreasing, creating new automation opportunities.
Driving Forces
Immigration restrictions limiting labor supply
Minimum wage increases in major cities
Post-COVID labor market dynamics
Declining costs of robotics and AI technology
Winners
- Automation technology companies
- Businesses that adopt automation early
- Capital equipment manufacturers
- Remote/offshore service providers
Losers
- Traditional labor-intensive businesses
- Workers in automatable roles
- Companies slow to adopt technology
- High-cost geographic markets
How to Position Yourself
Invest in automation technology companies
Build businesses around labor replacement
Target industries with acute labor shortages
Focus on ROI-positive automation use cases
Early Signals to Watch
Example Implementation
“Restaurants investing in automated french fry cooking systems when cooks demand $30/hour, achieving 18-month payback periods.”
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