Hello Anne, please introduce yourself briefly. Who are you? What are you doing?
I am Anne Flath, founder of “Anne Flath KI-Training”. After studying business administration, I worked as a project manager and start-up consultant and supported people on their way to self-employment. Today, I combine my experience in start-up consulting with my newly discovered passion for AI. As a TÜV-certified AI trainer and consultant, I develop online courses and offer individual coaching for founders who want to use AI tools in their start-up or self-employment – without any technical background.
Artificial intelligence. This is the future, it’s going to be huge!
When and how did you decide to become self-employed?
The decisive moment was in November 2022, when ChatGPT was launched. Suddenly everyone was talking about artificial intelligence and it was clear to me: this is the future, it’s going to be huge! The more I got involved with AI tools, machine learning and programming, the more my passion grew. For a year, I spent all my free time on YouTube channels and in training courses on the subject of AI. At some point, I got to the point where I no longer just wanted to deal with AI in the evenings, but also wanted to continue learning during the day and pass on the knowledge I had already acquired to others in order to infect them in some way. At the time, there were no jobs or positions in the field of AI because the technology was still so new. Self-employment was therefore the quickest way to bring the AI content from my free time into my everyday working life
What has changed for you since then?
AI has completely changed my professional life! I realized that it’s never too late to learn and start all over again to find your calling. That may sound cheesy, but I really feel that way. I’ve had so many moments where AI tools have enabled me to do things I wouldn’t have been able to do before – whether it’s helping me write copy, create images or graphics, compose songs, make videos or even program. Many things that I had never dared to do before. I really want to pass on the enthusiasm I felt to other people. Today I can combine my two passions: Supporting people on their path to self-employment and communicating the potential of AI.
What vision are you following? What drives you?
I follow the vision of a world in which AI is not a threat, but an accessible tool that enables everyone to achieve their goals more easily – regardless of prior technical knowledge. What drives me is the realization that I myself have made the journey from a non-technical person to an AI expert. If I have managed to develop these skills, then others can too! I want to pass on this experience and enable others to have the same “aha moments”. I am also motivated by the desire for more independence – in terms of content, location and finances. I no longer want to be dependent on instructions and break out of the hamster wheel.
There is a shift from manual to strategic activities.
What role will AI play in the near and distant future? How will our lives change?
In the near future, AI will become a self-evident tool in all areas of life – comparable to the way computers or the internet have changed our lives. The difference is that this transformation is progressing even faster. For founders and entrepreneurs, AI will go from being an optional technology to a necessary skill. Those who do not use AI tools effectively will be at a significant competitive disadvantage. The ability to work with AI will become a key future skill. Tasks and processes that used to require a lot of time and specialized knowledge will be democratized by AI. What normally requires weeks of research and elaboration can often be achieved in just a few hours or days with the right prompts. This leads to a shift from manual to strategic activities. In the near future, AI agents in particular will change the way we work – not by replacing humans, but by supporting us. AI agents will perform routine tasks for us autonomously. You give them a goal and they go off and work on it. They only come back when they have questions and otherwise complete the task independently until the goal is achieved. This gives us humans more freedom for creative, strategic and interpersonal tasks that AI cannot and should not take on.
What have been your biggest challenges so far and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was the decision to give up my secure job and take the plunge into self-employment. I had always thought about whether I would have made a good computer science student, but I had always pushed the idea aside – convinced that it was too late. It was a big step for me to go into this technical career and field of work without studying computer science and with only my self-taught AI knowledge. Overcoming this mental barrier was important. I started to think in small steps and initially set up my own business on the side to gain experience and test my business concept.
How do you motivate yourself when things aren’t going so well?
When things aren’t going so well, I remember the “magical moments” that I continue to experience with AI – this enthusiasm also carries me through more difficult phases. My “why” also helps me: I want to show other people that they don’t have to be computer scientists to benefit from AI. I also make practical use of the AI community that I have built up in the meantime. The exchange with like-minded people gives me new energy and perspectives. I also focus on continuous learning – every new AI tool I discover, every new possible application I find, strengthens my motivation.
A lean, automated business model
What is your recipe for success?
My recipe for success consists of several ingredients:
- Authenticity: I openly share my own path – how I acquired AI knowledge even as a non-technical person. This makes me credible for my target group.
- Practical orientation: I focus on directly applicable solutions rather than theoretical concepts. My clients receive concrete step-by-step instructions that they can implement immediately.
- Niche focus: By combining AI expertise and start-up consulting, I serve a specific market niche in which there has been little competition to date.
- Continuous learning: I consistently invest in my further training to keep up with the rapid developments in the field of AI.
- Continuous learning: I consistently invest in my further training to keep up with the rapid developments in the field of AI.
To what extent did the start-up coaching with us help you? Looking back, what was the most valuable thing you took away with you?
The start-up coaching based on the “Smart Business Concept” was crucial for the development of my business model. It helped me to design a business that suits my personality, gives me freedom and mobility and at the same time is easy to manage, debt-free and low-risk.
The insight into how I can optimally manage processes was particularly valuable for me. Through the combination of a scalable online course and individual consulting, I have created various sources of income and am not dependent on individual clients. The question “Which processes do I not always need to be present for?” led me to identify automation potential.
Working on my positioning was also very helpful. I learned to clearly communicate my unique combination of AI expertise and start-up consulting and to develop an authentic presence.
dare to
What advice would you give to other people who are thinking about doing their “own thing”?
It’s never too late to learn and start again to find your calling! If you have a passion for something – no matter how far removed it is from your previous career path – have the courage to go down this path.
Start small and test your idea on a part-time basis, for example. This way, you can find out whether your concept works and whether self-employment really suits you without taking any major risks.
Build your business right from the start so that it suits your personality and your goals. Ask yourself: What do I (no longer) want to do in the future? What degree of independence do I want? What do I want my business idea to achieve in my life?
Seek support – be it through coaching, networks or communities of like-minded people. Exchanging ideas with other founders can be enormously valuable.
And finally, take advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies such as AI! They can help you work more efficiently and accomplish tasks that you would not have thought possible before.
You have one wish. What do you wish for the future?
I want my vision to become reality: A world where AI is not a mystery or a threat, but an accessible tool that empowers everyone to achieve their goals more easily.
Personally, I hope to continue to be an established AI expert in the future, with a thriving online community of founders who are successfully using AI in their businesses. I want to keep learning, keep understanding new AI tools and stay on the ball in these very dynamic times – because I find it all super exciting!
Where can we find more information about you and your offers?
You can find more information about me and my services on my website www.anneflath. com.com.
On LinkedIn, I share articles on AI tools and application examples for founders. I’m happy to network there.
I’m also starting a blog soon, where I will provide even more insights on the topic of” Starting upmore easily with AI”. You can find all links and current information on my website.
Dear Anne, thank you very much for the interview.
With pleasure.
P.s. You can also listen to the podcast with Anne Flath.
