261. AI won’t kill jobs — but short-term thinking will
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
Release Date: 07/09/2025
283: Why successful business owners fail at tech
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
You’ve built a successful business before. So why does tech feel harder than it should? Here’s the uncomfortable truth. The instincts that made you successful offline can quietly sabotage you when you build tech or add AI. In this episode of Tech for Non-Techies, Sophia breaks down the four traps she sees again and again among high-performing business owners. Not beginner mistakes. Smart, expensive ones. You’ll learn why working harder often backfires, why “moving fast” can burn cash, and why delegation without product leadership creates chaos. Plus, what to do instead of learning to...
info_outline
282: 5 skills to master before you worry about tech
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
Most people dive into tools, stacks, and AI hacks the moment a new idea lands. Sadly, that’s the fastest way to burn cash and momentum. Here’s the thing: before you touch a single line of tech, you need to master the skillset the best companies in the world return to again and again — the skillset that actually creates traction. In this episode of Tech for Non-Techies, Sophia breaks down the five core product-innovation skills every modern business leader must build long before worrying about Bubble, React, or any new AI tool. You’ll hear real examples, simple frameworks, and the...
info_outline
281: Before You Bring On a Technical Co-Founder: Listen to This
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
People often think a technical partner will solve their product problems overnight. Sadly, it rarely works that way. Before you hand over equity to someone who can write code, you need to know what you’re actually giving up. In this episode of Tech for Non-Techies, Sophia lays out the five risks that quietly derail teams when they rush into technical partnerships. You’ll learn how to protect your ownership, lead product confidently without coding, and build enough traction to attract the right technical partner — on your terms. In this episode, you will hear: The equity mistake that...
info_outline
280: The Build-vs-Buy Framework: When Off-the-Shelf Wins — and When Custom Tech Is Worth It
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
A popular debate is “build vs buy.” Sadly, that’s the wrong question. Here’s the thing: shiny features and clever dashboards don’t matter if you’re solving the wrong problem. And picking the wrong path—custom tech when you don’t need it, or off-the-shelf when it can’t support your ambitions—can cost you six figures and months of lost momentum. In this episode of Tech for Non-Techies, Sophia walks you through a simple four-question scorecard to cut through the noise and make the right choice for your business. No jargon. No hype. Just a clear decision-making framework...
info_outline
279: What to Do If You've Already Spent $100K on Developers and Have Nothing to Show for It
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
Founders assume that if they just hire “good developers,” the product will magically take shape. Sadly, that’s rarely what happens. Too many non-technical founders burn through $50K … $80K … even $100K, only to end up with half-baked code and zero users. Not because they’re careless but because they skip the unsexy, zero-glamour work that actually protects their budget. In this episode of Tech for Non-Techies, Sophia Matveeva breaks down the real reason this problem keeps happening and what to do if you’re already deep in the mess. In this episode, you will hear: The hidden trap...
info_outline
278: The One Success Metric Every Non‑Technical Founder Must Know (Encore)
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
Many founders think their product’s success can be measured in downloads or revenue. But here’s the truth: those are business outcomes, not product goals. In this encore episode, Sophia breaks down the one success metric that every non-technical founder must understand before leading a tech team or pitching investors. By the end, you’ll know how to lead with clarity, ask sharper questions, and track the metric that matters most — without writing a single line of code. In this episode, you will hear: The one metric that separates product success from business success Why Airbnb’s...
info_outline
277: Why You Shouldn't Use AI to Build Your Product
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
Every founder is looking for ways to save time and money. And right now, AI promises both. But here’s the catch: while AI can write code, it can’t think through your product’s logic, security, or scalability. The result? A shiny prototype that collapses under real-world use. In this episode of Tech for Non-Techies, Sophia Matveeva interviews Natalie Kaminski, CEO of JetRockets, with a knack for bridging the gap between non-tech founders and the digital world. With experience spanning multiple countries and roles she brings a hands-on approach to turning ideas into real, successful...
info_outline
276: How AI is Reshuffling the Rules of Business
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
How many founders think AI is about faster automation? What if the real opportunity lies in reimagining how entire systems work? Sophia Matveeva sits down with Sangeet Paul Choudary, best-selling author of Platform Revolution and Re/Shuffle: Who Wins When AI Restacks the Knowledge Economy, to explore how AI isn’t just speeding up workflows. It’s rewriting the rules of business models. From TikTok’s behavior-driven growth to Shein’s algorithmic supply chain, Sangeet explains how AI coordination is quietly reshaping industries. You’ll learn why being a “second mover” might now be...
info_outline
275: 5 Founder Lessons From the JP Morgan Tech Conference
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
What separates founders who make it from those who stall out? After spending two days surrounded by billion-dollar CEOs and investors at JP Morgan’s Tech Investor Conference in London, Sophia Matveeva discovered that the conversations happening in those rooms reveal far more than market gossip. They hold the blueprint for building resilient, fundable tech companies. Whether you’re preparing to fundraise, expand internationally, or simply sharpen your strategy, this episode gives you a rare look at how top leaders think and how you can apply those insights to your own company’s next move....
info_outline
274: The Non-Technical Founder Mindset: How to Lead When You Can't Code
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
Many startups collapse not because the idea fails, but because the pressure gets unbearable. Sadly, it’s not strategy or funding that takes them out. It’s the grind, the chaos, and the sheer mental weight of building something new. In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shares three mindset shifts that every non-technical founder needs to survive the rollercoaster. From moving past imposter syndrome to staying calm when launches stall, these are practical tools to help you think strategically when everyone else panics. Listen in and learn how to turn pressure into your unfair advantage. In...
info_outlineSome CEOs are already replacing engineers and junior staff with large language models.
But what if the real risk isn’t that AI replaces your team — it’s that it doesn’t, and you’re left without a talent pipeline?
In this episode, Sophia Matveeva breaks down:
-
Why cutting junior hiring today could sabotage your company in 3–5 years
-
What IBM’s CEO gets right that others get very wrong
-
How the hype around “AI-first” companies is creating poor decision-making
-
What the S-curve of innovation tells us about the real pace of AI progress
-
And why thinking long-term — not just cutting costs this quarter — is a strategic advantage
Whether you’re a government leader, innovation executive, or non-technical founder, this episode will help you make smarter, more resilient decisions in the age of AI.
Chapters
00:00 — The Real Risk Isn’t AI — It’s What Happens When It Doesn’t Work
02:45 — What CEOs Are Saying: Duolingo, Klarna… and IBM’s Contrarian View
06:30 — The Junior Job Crunch: Accountancy’s Mistake Repeats in Tech
09:15 — The S-Curve Explained: Why AI Progress Is Slowing
14:10 — Your Strategic Takeaways: What Smart Leaders Are Doing Now
Growth Through Innovation
If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here.
Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.
For the full transcript, go here: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/AI-wont-kill-jobs-but-short-term-thinking-will