ISSUE #44

Welcome to the Forward Obsessed Founder, my newsletter with insights, awesome tools, and real-world advice to grow your business and career.

GO FORWARD THOUGHT OF THE WEEK ➡️

The Future of the Internet & Business is a Trip. 👾 Let Me Guide You.

I don’t know if you’re feeling this as acutely as I am, but I’ve found the web has become super dull — too predictable and transactional.

Look, I get it. Everyone is hunting for short-term ROI, but it's created a sea of sameness. However, the problem with chasing “best” practices is that it strips away the possibility of a bigger and better future for your business.

Speaking of different — in this newsletter, I’m going to talk about how AI is changing the way we create and engage with the Internet.

While it’s not a magic bullet, this week, I found an AI platform that actually is like magic.

It’s leading a wave of fresh innovation through Simulated AI. That is, using AI to make crucial connections between curiosity and creativity.

This is a significant inflection point in the future of Internet business.

So, strap in, and let me introduce you to Websim.ai. You don’t have to be a geek like me to understand the implications and to use this knowledge to sharpen your competitive edge.

Plus, Websim did something brilliant from a marketing perspective, which all startups can put in their toolkit to encourage early adoption of novel concepts. I’m covering all that in today’s Go Forward thought, so let’s dive in.

Meet Websim

Websim is currently a free social network that apparently a leader in the low-code/no-code movement, Figma CEO Dylan Field, is involved in.

In the era of AI, it's no longer just about low-code and no-code tools like Webflow or Squarespace that make it easier to launch websites without relying on your engineer’s busy calendar — it's also shifting how the design world works.

Figma is the current de facto digital experiences and product design tool. It usurped Adobe XD and Sketch a while ago for their multiplayer Google Docs-like features to be designed together.

Designers are the next target for the AI reckoning

With LLMs able to spot and recreate patterns, the next industry being steamrolled by AI is the design industry.

This is actually a good thing.

Just as the no-code/low-code movement revolutionized business by democratizing forward motion, AI-powered tools empower people with minimal technical know-how to 10X their effectiveness and impact.

Now, Webism takes it all to another level. It’s a platform where typing in a URL doesn’t lead to a standard website but a creative, AI-generated web experience. Sure, it’s hallucinating, but if you get caught up in that minor detail, you’re missing the point:

You can now speak things you’ve only dreamed of into existence.

For example, I made this fun Nickelback scroll, which before LLMs would have at least taken me a day, and here I did it in about five minutes:

(I’m choosing to show you Nickelback for a reason… hold that thought, more in a minute.)

Websim’s appeal lies in its simplicity and creativity. You can build engaging applications in seconds and connect them to real APIs.

While it may seem whimsical, this technology can revolutionize how startups approach web development and creativity. It’s like having a digital canvas where you can create fully functional apps and websites, then swiftly experiment and iterate.

The playful interaction is just the beginning; the deeper potential lies in how this technology can streamline development processes and spark innovative ideas.

It’s not just business, it’s personal

As you know, the more personalized the experience you can deliver to your audience, the better.

Data is the new oil; it’s digital gold when you can align your solution with your buyers’ needs and meet them where they are at all crucial digital touchpoints.

So, notice the semantics in how Fields describes Websim:

Figma, known for its innovative design tools, has been buying up AI companies for a while — for example, Diagram — enhancing their ability to spin up interfaces quickly.

Similarly, Websim is building the scaffolding for a new Internet, gathering valuable data on user behavior and creation patterns.

The implications are massive:

• Where some see a cheesy website, I see improvements in a wide range of industries.
• While some think simulated AI is just another low-code/no-code website builder tool, I see the acceleration of treatments, cures, and solutions that will help people live happier, healthier lives.
• Where some see a gimmick, I see the future of innovation.

Used correctly and ethically, multi-modal LLMS, like Webism, can traverse ancient and current wisdom and knowledge to simulate and explore new realms and possibilities.

Unlocking possibilities is how you start and scale faster.

Nostalgia: The Unexpected Driver of Innovation

Remember Nickelback? Did it make you nostalgic?

Here’s a final point to tie in something Webism does exceptionally well: it’s leading with nostalgia. The brand’s logo, which is a playful nod to the OG Google and eBay logos, gives you a clue:

The user experience is like revisiting MySpace, Reddit, and Craigslist, but with a twist. Powered by advanced AI, it allows you to create pages effortlessly, blending the old-school Internet charm with cutting-edge technology.

Nostalgia is a powerful tool in marketing, evoking positive memories and emotions. A classic study from the Journal of Consumer Research found that nostalgia can increase consumers' willingness to spend money, as it creates a sense of comfort and happiness.

When nostalgia and novel meet, you’ve got a potent tool at your fingertips: convergence.

More recent research supports the importance of convergence: the coveted Gen Z demographic) (ages 12 to 29), prefer classic brands and 81% say they love it when brands bring back products and trends from their childhood.

And it all worked for me: I went down such a deep rabbit hole this past weekend with Webism that I felt like a teenager coding his fingertips off in his childhood bedroom.

The only difference is I’m a grown adult, and even though the projects I spun up in a matter of minutes were primarily just for fun (check ’em out), I can see the future, and it’s looking very creative — and lucrative.

So, embrace the playful and imaginative possibilities of Websim and give it a go — it’s free! (And no, I’m getting no benefit from plugging Webism other than the thrill of turning my readers onto the next hottest thing early on.)

The future of the Internet is here, and it’s time to take the leap and have some fun with it.

Always here to help 🙌
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​Pete Sena​

Article ✍️: Design is everything.

As a founder, you wear all the hats. So, even if you’re not a designer, you need to know enough about design to make educated decisions about your brand, including how to stay on top of innovation to use it to your competitive advantage.

In an article I wrote last fall, I said this:

And now here we are.

There are many more predictions and recommendations in this article on the best uses of AI in crafting your user experience. Plus, I created a timeline of digital design’s ascent, pre-AI, which I think you’ll enjoy.

Read: ​AI is the New UI; Design the Future Before It Designs You (🎁gift article from Medium)

Creative Caffeine ☕️🍵

Speaking of amazing new AI tools to spark your creativity and have fun with — all while getting a glimpse of the future — have you checked out Suno yet?

This app makes everyone a rock star. Or a country star. Or whatever musical genre star you want!

I made this song for my friend who was having a crappy day. (Watch out, Chris Stapleton!) It took me about two minutes, so I spent next to nothing time-wise and money-wise… but making her smile? Priceless.

My Obsession of the Week 🖤:

What’s old is new and what’s new is old

We discussed the power of nostalgia in the Go Forward thought, but Webism wasn’t the only nostalgic trip I took this past week. I also watched the new Beverly Hills Cop installment, Axel F, with my wife. It brought back fond memories from when I was a little kid and watched these movies with my dad.

But, of course, I’m not the only one who tuned in — 41 million viewers for the debut made the film a blockbuster for Netflix.

Nostalgia triggers work: when you hear the strains of The Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance" in Axel F, you’re taken back to a simpler time. Drop in a few Easter eggs (and there were a ton in the film), and you’re really rolling. That’s because research shows that 90% of people think about the past often — and love any opportunity to reconnect with the good old days.

Bottom line: When you reference things people have a nostalgic connection to (see Nickelback, above), you’re not just playing on people’s sentimentality; you’re making it easy for them to accept new ideas, products, and revenue streams. Maybe it’s time for Netflix to remake Back to the Future…

Thanks so much for reading this edition of The Forward Obsessed Founder — you can also check out this issue on the web [Link].
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