Currently traveling through Bulgaria, I had a conversation that sparked some deep thoughts about where our economy is heading. Here's what I discovered.

Hey everyone, Dan Shimony here. I'm writing this from Bulgaria, where I just had lunch with a friend & with Eva. Our conversation started like most do these days – discussing how expensive everything has become. Rent is sky-high, groceries are through the roof, and finding a job has become a six-month ordeal for many of our European friends.

But here's the thing: this isn't just a Bulgarian problem. Everywhere I travel, I hear the same story. People struggling to afford the life they want with traditional salaries.

The $20 Revolution vs. The $3,000 Employee

As a business owner, I've experienced this shift firsthand. While a single employee costs me at least $3,000 per month, I have access to AI assistance for just $20 monthly. This "colleague" is available 24/7, incredibly intelligent, and never needs a vacation.

Think about it: I have Shortwave managing my emails, AI tools editing my videos, and ChatGPT creating stunning graphics. What used to require entire teams now costs me between $0-30 per month per service.

Compare OpenAI's employee count to Google or Apple from a decade ago. OpenAI reached massive revenue with far fewer people. The pattern is clear: successful companies need fewer employees, and this trend will only accelerate.

We're Living Like Pharaohs

Before you get depressed about job prospects, let me share some perspective. Look around you right now. How many people do you know who can hang out on a Tuesday at 3 PM? Probably quite a few – and they can afford their lives.

We're living in the highest quality of life in human history. We have hot and cold water on demand, air conditioning, the best mattresses ever made, instant entertainment, and heating systems. Ancient pharaohs would literally rise from the dead to live like we do today.

Your smartphone alone gives you access to the world's best comedians, performers, and educators – on demand, without commercials. We're living like royalty compared to previous generations.

The Transition Phase: Adapt or Get Left Behind

We're in a revolutionary transition period. This isn't about doom and gloom – it's about unprecedented opportunity.

You have two choices:

1. Adapt and leverage the incredible technologies available
2. Stick to old ways and struggle

The factory-era education system that served us for 200 years? It's obsolete. Getting a degree to find a job? You're not going to get that job anyway. Why? Because you're not contributing anything new. We already have all the information documented and accessible.

Universities still serve one purpose: research and passionate learning. If you're going to contribute to actual research or following genuine passion, go for it. But if you're going to university just to get a job? You're wasting three years of your life.

The New Economy Model

Here's how wealth is actually built today:

Build a tool for yourself → Share it with others → Charge very little

The formula is simple:

• $0 for regular users
• $10-40 monthly for premium features
• Higher rates for enterprises

Want to make $20,000 per month? You need just 1,000 users paying $20 each. That's probably more than any traditional job would pay you.

This works because:

1. We have billions of people on this planet (your city is tiny compared to global reach)
2. We have the internet to connect everyone
3. People desperately need tools that implement new technology for their specific needs

What Society Actually Needs From You

Stop waiting for someone to hire you. Society needs you as an entrepreneur, not an employee.

We need you to:

• Take existing technology and make it useful for specific needs
• Build solutions for your own problems, then share them
• Create tools that help scale human progress even further

Instead of expecting one boss to pay you $2,000 monthly, multiply yourself and serve 1,000 people for $20 each. You'll make 10 times more money while helping 1,000 times more people.

Fill Yourself With Gratitude, Then Build

Rather than complaining about rent prices, fill yourself with gratitude for what we've accomplished as humanity. Then ask yourself:

"How can I help this scale even further? How can I help people leverage these amazing tools we now have?"

This is a revolution. Life will never be the same. The old days are gone.

The question isn't whether this change is coming – it's already here. The question is: Will you adapt and thrive, or will you cling to outdated models and struggle?

Good luck building the future.

What tools are you building? What problems are you solving? The new economy is waiting for your contribution.