Now Is a Great Time to Start Your Own Income Stream
The conversation around AI reshaping the workforce often centers on jobs being disrupted across customer service, administrative work, media, finance, legal support, and entry-level technology roles. But a growing number of business leaders say AI is also creating new opportunities for people to build independent income streams, launch businesses, and scale ideas faster than ever before.
A recent Forbes article highlights how AI tools are helping many individuals create side income, automate operations, and pursue entrepreneurial goals that previously required far larger budgets and teams.
Duvi Honig has firsthand experience with entrepreneurship. As founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, and creator of the annual JBiz Expo and Business Conference and JBiz News website, he often counsels people on launching their own businesses.
We spoke with Duvi about how individuals can leverage both their skills and AI platforms to create additional income opportunities, scale businesses more efficiently, and potentially build independent career paths outside traditional employment.
What mindset shifts are most important for someone who feels limited by the job market but wants to take control and build something of their own?
One of the biggest mindset shifts is understanding that failure is not the opposite of success — it is part of the process. Many people try something once or twice, do not succeed immediately, and begin labeling themselves as failures. I view it differently: every failed attempt can help clarify what may not work and brings you one step closer to what does work.
The same applies in business and sales. When someone says “no,” I do not see it as failure. I see it as clarity. It means I should not waste time chasing the wrong opportunity and should instead move forward to the next one. What often creates failure is staying stuck in situations that are going nowhere because you are afraid to move on. Many successful people know when to pivot, let go, and continue searching for the right opportunity. Persistence, adaptability, and resilience are often far more important than immediate success.
What are some practical, low-barrier ways for someone with no business background to begin creating their own income stream or career path?
In today’s world, there are more opportunities than ever to create income without a formal business background. Someone with strong communication or sales skills, for example, can take online courses to sharpen those abilities and apply them in industries such as insurance, real estate, digital marketing, or consulting. Online marketing itself has become an enormous industry that many people can learn relatively quickly and turn into a profitable income stream.
Networking is also key. Sometimes opportunities come simply from being resourceful and surrounding yourself with the right people. I know individuals with little traditional experience who were able to create meaningful opportunities through strong professional relationships and networking. In one case, an introduction alone led to a business account that turned into a very lucrative source of income.
Not everyone needs to invent the next big company. Sometimes success comes from facilitating relationships, solving problems, connecting people, or providing support services that businesses already need.
Many people have skills that don’t look “entrepreneurial” on paper. How can they reframe or translate those abilities into viable business opportunities?
In many situations, I suggest finding a partner who has complementary strengths. Entrepreneurship is not always about doing everything yourself. One person may have vision, creativity, relationships, or technical skills, while another may understand operations, sales, marketing, or business development. That is what true partnership is about — one complements the other.
Some of the strongest businesses are often built when two people bring different strengths to the table, rather than overlapping with identical skill sets. When both individuals contribute unique value, the business may become more balanced, scalable, and successful. Many people underestimate their abilities because they do not fit the traditional definition of an entrepreneur. But skills such as networking, organization, communication, relationship-building, creativity, or simply being resourceful can become extremely valuable business assets when paired with the right structure and partnership.
How have digital platforms, AI, and outsourcing changed the way people can create businesses and independent career opportunities today?
Today’s world is very different. Technology and outsourcing have changed which skills are most essential for many businesses. In some cases, it is now possible to run an entire business by delegating nearly every role through digital platforms. What matters most today is having vision, management skills, structure, and the ability to utilize the right people and resources.
There are many platforms today, such as Fiverr, where businesses and individuals outsource work to freelancers around the world. Fiverr offers a range of services including graphic design, video editing, website development, social media management, AI support, marketing, copywriting, and much more. In addition, platforms such as Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, and other online marketplaces allow individuals to monetize skills, products, or services without needing a traditional office or major startup capital.
The first thing you need to identify is not necessarily a “business idea,” but rather what value (useful service, product, or solution) you can organize, connect, market, or provide. Once you build a reliable outsourced team, you can establish professional services and launch a business with very little overhead.
Many people already have passions or interests that can become business opportunities. For example, someone interested in music can offer online services within the music industry by leveraging AI, digital platforms, and outsourced support. Today, people no longer need to personally possess every skill required to build a business, which has dramatically lowered the barriers to entry.
Many highly successful companies operate this way today — outsourcing work instead of maintaining large payrolls and full-time employees. You would be surprised how many professional businesses are built on outsourced infrastructure while appearing fully staffed and sophisticated from the outside.
Of course, building a business involves uncertainty and not every venture succeeds immediately, but today’s tools have made experimentation and entry more accessible than in the past.
Duvi Honig is the founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, a national organization focused on economic development, business advocacy, workforce solutions, and public-private partnerships. He also leads the annual JBiz Expo and Business Conference, and JBizNews, the first-of-its-kind business news platform for the Jewish community. Duvi’s work with elected officials, ambassadors, and governments in the U.S. and Israel remains a central pillar of his global business advocacy. He has been recognized by both President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump for his work in leveraging the power of commerce to build diverse networks to influence public policy at all levels of government for the betterment of international economic development.