A W2 career can provide income and stability, but rapid advances in artificial intelligence are changing how businesses operate and how certain skills are valued. For professionals who rely primarily on employment income, adapting to these changes may require developing new skills, building relationships, and creating additional sources of opportunity.
In a recent episode of Rigs to Riches, Casey Gregersen spoke with entrepreneur and real estate investor Ryan Pineda about preparing for AI, building an audience, developing valuable skills, reaching influential people, and managing business ambitions alongside family priorities. The conversation also explored why professionals may benefit from building something they own while continuing to develop their careers.
Artificial intelligence is changing the way many businesses approach white-collar work. As companies adopt tools that automate tasks and increase productivity, some roles and responsibilities are likely to change.
For W2 professionals, this creates a need to stay adaptable. One approach is learning how to use AI effectively and becoming capable of applying it to practical business problems. Another is developing a business or investment alongside employment so that income and professional opportunities are not tied entirely to one employer.
The goal is not to predict exactly which jobs will disappear. It is to prepare for a workplace where the ability to work with new technology may increasingly affect how valuable a professional is.
Knowing that AI exists is different from knowing how to apply it effectively. Companies may need employees who can identify useful applications, introduce new tools, and help teams improve their workflows.
Professionals can therefore focus on understanding the tools relevant to their industry and learning how they can be used to solve real problems. Because AI is developing quickly, this also requires ongoing learning and experimentation.
Becoming the person who can help an organization adopt useful AI tools may create a stronger position than simply performing tasks that technology can increasingly automate.
A W2 career provides employment income, while owning a business or investment can create another source of financial opportunity.
Real estate is one example. Rental properties can provide ownership of income-producing assets, while strategies such as wholesaling can create a separate real estate business. Starting another type of business can provide another route to generating revenue outside employment.
This does not mean W2 professionals need to leave their jobs. Employment can provide income and stability while they gradually develop a business or investment strategy that fits their financial position, skills, and available time.
As professionals develop businesses, investments, or careers, relationships can provide access to knowledge, opportunities, partnerships, and people they may not otherwise encounter.
Connecting with experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders can also shorten the learning process by providing exposure to different approaches and perspectives.
However, reaching influential people does not always happen through a traditional introduction. There are several ways to create a reason for someone to connect with you.
Paid programs, events, communities, and educational experiences can put you in environments where influential people are already participating.
The value of these opportunities depends on what they provide. Education, access, introductions, and relationships may all be part of the potential benefit, but the cost should still be evaluated carefully.
An established audience can give influential people a reason to collaborate with you. When you have people paying attention to your content, appearing on your podcast or participating in your platform can provide value to the other person as well.
Building an audience takes time and requires consistent content, volume, and a willingness to improve based on what connects with your target audience.
A specialized skill can create another reason for influential people to seek you out.
Real estate, advertising, sales, technology, AI implementation, and operations are examples of areas where useful expertise can create professional connections. When you can solve a specific problem for someone, the relationship can begin through the value you provide.
Building an audience requires more than producing a large amount of content. In crowded industries, copying what everyone else is doing can make it difficult for people to understand why they should follow you.
Differentiation can come from your experience, interests, expertise, personality, or point of view. A real estate professional might combine investing knowledge with experience in another industry, personal interests, or perspectives that are uncommon in the market.
Content frameworks can be studied and adapted, but the strongest differentiation usually comes from communicating what is genuinely distinctive about you.
Different content formats can serve different purposes. Short-form videos can introduce people to your ideas and encourage them to explore more of your work. Longer-form content can give them more time to understand your knowledge, personality, and approach.
Podcasting is particularly useful for this because longer conversations allow an audience to spend more time with a person. That extended exposure can help people develop familiarity and decide whether they trust the person behind the content.
For entrepreneurs and professionals, content can therefore serve as both a visibility tool and a way to demonstrate expertise before a potential customer, partner, or connection ever reaches out.
Building a business, investing, creating content, and networking can all require significant time. Ryan’s approach to his own schedule highlights the importance of deciding which opportunities deserve that time.
A speaking engagement, podcast appearance, business trip, or networking event may provide value, but each also has an opportunity cost. The question is not whether an opportunity is good in isolation, but whether it is the best use of the limited time available.
For professionals balancing employment, investing, business development, and family responsibilities, setting clear priorities can make it easier to decide which opportunities to accept and which to decline.
W2 earners can learn practical AI skills, improve their value at work, and consider developing a business or investment alongside employment.
Real estate can give W2 professionals an ownership opportunity through strategies such as rental properties or real estate businesses.
The three approaches are paying for access, building an audience, and developing a valuable skill or service that others need.
Differentiation helps professionals stand out by communicating their unique experience, expertise, interests, personality, and point of view.
Content can demonstrate expertise, attract an audience, create collaboration opportunities, and give potential connections a reason to engage.
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