The Age of the Individual Contributor

Earlier this year I got back into collecting and playing Magic: The Gathering (MTG). It’s a fantastic game, and one I would highly recommend you check out.

As my collection grew, I realized a few simple tools would make collecting and organizing easier and more fun.

That’s when I decided to start a website that would house a collection of tools and resources for Magic: The Gathering players and collectors. TCG Foundry was born.

In the six weeks since launch, I have developed over 15 tools, features, and resources. That’s more than 2 new things per week. Compared to many other businesses I’ve worked with in the past, that’s lightning pace.

No one has worked on the site other than myself. I’ve captured 1000ish visitors, received 10k+ video views, and generated $50 in sales.

In the grand scheme of business, those numbers aren’t impressive. But for a spare-time project built with a few hours on weekends, it paints a clear picture: AI is changing what individual contributors can achieve.

I have been able to do this because of AI.

• Cursor allows me to develop new features in a matter of hours.
• ChatGPT helps me create art and write copy.
• Topaz Gigapixel allows me to increase the resolution of art.
• Sellerpic allows me to create multi-colored product images.
• Adobe Podcast improves the audio on videos.

This isn’t even the full list. It still blows my mind.

Even if TCG Foundry never takes off, that’s okay. It’s taught me that I don’t need a team of people to do something meaningful. I need grit and time.

We now live in a world where making things isn’t the hardest part of starting a business, at least a digital one. Stick-to-tidness (an “ism” my father taught) and the ability to tell a compelling story are the hard bits.

If you have grit and you’re willing to take risks AI will be, and in many cases already is, the key to unlocking the next level of execution.

Ideas are easy. Doing something is hard. But in most cases, just doing something is better than sitting on your hands and thinking more.

This feels like the moment I’ve been waiting for my entire life. I love making things and I love putting my head-down and getting things done. I’m probably romanticizing it, but I’m okay with that. It gives me a level of hope and optimism about that future that I haven’t had in quite a long time.