Meet Justin Burns
Justin Burns is a technologist, futurist, and AI strategist from the South Side of Chicago whose unconventional path has positioned him at the forefront of innovation, entrepreneurship, and emerging technology.
While maintaining steady employment early in his career, Justin stumbled into what he calls his “destiny job”—a role that unexpectedly introduced him to sales. What began as curiosity quickly became obsession. He immersed himself in sales and marketing literature, practiced relentlessly, and honed what would become his signature “gift of gab.” Among more than 3,000 employees, Justin rose to become the company’s #1 salesman, proving that discipline and self-belief could outperform credentials.
In 2011, Justin pivoted into the digital economy, selling online courses and digital products.Early success fueled his entrepreneurial drive and led him to launch his first agency. A defining “destiny moment” arrived in 2015 when he was introduced to software and technology. Without a college degree—but armed with mentorship, resilience, and vision—Justin stepped fully into the tech world.
That leap resulted in the creation of Miestro, an all-in-one platform that empowers creators and entrepreneurs to launch and scale video-based courses, membership programs, and online
communities. Today, Miestro serves nearly 7,000 customers worldwide. Justin also founded AppsBuiltWithAI, a platform designed to help everyday creators build and launch AI-powered applications—without the need for coding experience.
During a period of deep personal transformation, Justin felt called to pursue a greater purpose. He streamlined his life, sold his belongings, and boarded a one-way flight to Nairobi, Kenya. Over six months spent across Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, and Tanzania, he immersed himself in new cultures and perspectives. The journey, as he describes it, allowed him to “discover himself as a man and begin the process of healing.” While in Africa, Justin was invited to speak at a conference where he shared his vision for accessible technology and AI-driven innovation. His insights sparked immediate interest and revealed a growing global demand for practical, real-world education on how AI can be used to build apps, businesses, and sustainable income streams.
Today, Justin Burns is known for demystifying artificial intelligence and showing creators, founders, and business leaders how to use AI correctly—and profitably. He has been featured on podcasts including In The Vault, Social Proof, and Access Granted. With a forward-thinking perspective shaped by lived experience, Justin operates at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, and emerging digital tools. His work challenges audiences to rethink how they build, create, and imagine the future—ultimately inspiring them to embrace technology with curiosity, confidence, and intention.
Let’s dive into a Q&A about Ai and Entrepreneurship
1. “When you say ‘the future belongs to the skilled,’ what specific skills do you believe will separate thriving entrepreneurs from those who get left behind in the age of AI?”
Here’s the truth — the two greatest skills you can have right now are communication and the ability to direct AI tools to execute your vision. Sales is still king. Storytelling is still king. But now you don’t need a team of 10 to build something real. The people who get left behind are the ones saying “I’m not tech-savvy” like that still means something. That excuse is dead. The new economy rewards the builder, the communicator, the person who gets in the game. That’s who wins.
2. “Many entrepreneurs feel overwhelmed by AI — what’s the simplest way someone can start leveraging technology today without a tech background?”
Stop trying to eat the whole meal at once. Pick one problem in your business and solve just that. Start with copywriting. I’ve run tests where AI-generated copy beat what an expensive copywriter produced — that’s not hype, that’s real. One tool, one problem, one win. Once you get that first win, your mindset shifts. You stop seeing AI as a threat and start seeing it as leverage.
3. “How can entrepelementreneurs use AI to amplify their existing strengths rather than replace the human of their brand?”
AI doesn’t replace you — it multiplies you. I am the brand. My story, my journey, my South Side of Chicago upbringing — no AI is producing that. What AI does is take my thinking and scale it. Think of it like this: AI is the engine, but you’re the driver. The entrepreneurs who try to completely outsource their voice to AI lose the very thing that made people follow them. Keep the human element front and center. Use AI to do more of the work behind it.
4. “What are a few practical, low-lift ways business owners can integrate AI into their daily operations right now?”
Three things, right now, today. First — content. Repurpose one piece into five formats: email, caption, script, blog post. One piece shouldn’t live in one place. Second — customer communication. Draft your FAQs, follow-ups, and onboarding messages. Stop doing that manually. Third — idea validation. Describe your concept to AI and let it stress-test your pricing and positioning before you build anything. That alone saves you months. Small moves, done consistently. That’s what compounds.
5. “In your opinion, what does ‘AI literacy’ actually look like for a non-technical entrepreneur?”
It’s not about knowing how the technology works under the hood. AI literacy for an entrepreneur is knowing what to ask, evaluating the output, and applying it to a real business problem. I call it the Product Manager mindset — you’re the director, not the coder. You walk in, say here’s what I need and who it’s for, and the AI executes. I have students in their 60s building apps using plain English. No code, no tech background. Just a clear problem and the willingness to learn. That’s it.
6. “As AI continues to evolve, how should entrepreneurs think about protecting their authenticity, voice, and creativity?”
Document everything — your story, your frameworks, your language. Because AI can produce content, but it cannot produce your life. It can’t replicate growing up with nothing and building something from scratch. It can’t replicate the failures that shaped you or the moment your mindset shifted. Those are yours. The way you protect authenticity isn’t by running from AI — it’s by going deeper into what makes you irreplaceable. Double down on being you. Let AI handle the rest.
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