In this conversation, Mostafa Daoud and Patrick Soch discuss the myths surrounding entrepreneurship and the role of AI in business. They critique the prevalent notion that AI can easily replace human effort and expertise, emphasizing the importance of understanding business fundamentals. The discussion highlights the potential of AI as a tool for amplification rather than replacement, and the necessity of human insight in leveraging technology effectively. They conclude with a cautionary note about the limitations of AI and the importance of creating meaningful products and services.

Takeaways

The messaging around needing multiple income streams is misleading.

AI is often misrepresented as a solution to all business problems.

Understanding business fundamentals is crucial before leveraging AI.

AI can amplify good ideas but cannot replace human expertise.

Many AI-driven business claims are exaggerated or false.

The fear of AI replacing jobs is often overstated.

AI can automate tasks but requires human oversight.

Creating a successful business requires more than just technology.

AI can help with research but cannot make decisions for you.

Focus on building something meaningful rather than chasing trends.

Chapters

00:00 Chilly Conversations: A Winter's Tale

02:05 The Echo of Entrepreneurship: Debunking Myths

06:04 AI: The Double-Edged Sword of Business

11:53 Understanding Business Fundamentals: The Role of AI

23:29 Human Amplification: The Future of AI in Business

In this conversation, Mostafa Daoud and Patrick Soch discuss the common pitfalls of New Year resolutions in both personal and business contexts. They explore how businesses often set ambitious goals at the start of the year but fail to execute them due to poor communication, siloed departments, and lack of collaboration. The discussion emphasizes the importance of aligning marketing and product teams, the limitations of AI in solving fundamental business issues, and the need for effective project management and prioritization. The hosts advocate for a commitment to actionable goals rather than vague resolutions, suggesting that businesses should focus on sustainable processes and clear communication to achieve their objectives.

Takeaways

New Year resolutions often lead to unfulfilled goals.

Businesses frequently fail to execute their plans due to poor communication.

Siloed departments hinder collaboration and project success.

Marketing and product alignment is crucial for successful launches.

AI cannot fix fundamental business issues; it requires proper governance.

Effective project management is essential for timely execution.

Commit to actionable goals rather than vague resolutions.

Regular check-ins can help maintain project alignment.

Prioritization of impactful work is necessary for success.

Collaboration should be structured to ensure all teams are involved.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to New Year Resolutions

02:54 The Business Cycle and Goal Setting

05:31 Siloed Departments and Communication Issues

07:52 The Role of AI in Business Planning

10:24 The Importance of Collaboration

13:38 Avoiding Misalignment in Projects

16:19 The Consequences of Poor Execution

19:01 Strategies for Effective Project Management

21:34 The Need for Clear Goals and Accountability

24:24 Final Thoughts on Business Resolutions

Mostafa and I kicked off 2026 by conducting an autopsy on the previous year.

We dug into why 2025 felt like a year of "Phantom Efficiency," where dashboards showed green arrows, but business impact remained flat.

We debated the real cost of hyper-personalization (and why it often crosses the line into creepy surveillance), dissected the collapse of perfect attribution models, and challenged the idea that digital maturity always means adding more tools.

Instead, we proposed a new framework for 2026: growth through subtraction, focusing on impact over activity, and finally admitting that AI cannot fix broken processes.

1. • The "Phantom Efficiency" Trap: We discussed how 2025 saw massive investment in AI and automation tools that increased activity but not necessarily value. If 70% of your work is automated but morale is low and revenue is flat, you are just spinning your wheels faster.

   • Hyper-Personalization vs. Stalking: There is a fine line between helpful relevance (reminding you of a cart item) and creepy surveillance (reminding you how many french fries you ate). We argued that respecting user boundaries is a better long-term retention strategy than aggressive algorithmic targeting.

   • The Death of Perfect Attribution: Chasing 100% accurate multi-touch attribution is a fool's errand for most companies. We suggested focusing on broader Marketing Efficiency Ratios (MER) and unit economics rather than getting lost in the "black hole" of pixel tracking.

   • Maturity via Subtraction: Digital transformation doesn't always mean buying more software. We made the case that 2026 should be the year of auditing your stack and removing the tools, tags, and processes that create drag rather than drive revenue.

   • Impact Over Activity: We concluded with a challenge for leaders: Stop measuring how busy your teams are. Start measuring the tangible business impact of their work. A full calendar does not equal a growing business.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and New Year Reflections

02:00 Phantom Efficiency in AI

05:55 The AI Bubble and Investment Concerns

09:45 Hyper-Personalization and Its Pitfalls

24:41 Attribution Challenges in Marketing

36:16 Looking Ahead: Simplifying for 2026

Is your tech stack creating drag instead of drive?

If you suspect your organization is suffering from "Phantom Efficiency," it might be time for an audit. We help companies rationalize their technology investments, clean up their data infrastructure, and focus on the metrics that actually matter.

Contact us today to turn your 2026 roadmap into a plan for measurable impact, not just busy work.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/psoch/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mostafa-daoud/