Alex, founder of Hicksfield, shares insights on rapidly building a profitable AI business with a small team. He emphasizes starting with a two-person team, daily iteration, focusing on high-value customers, and leveraging social media for distribution. Hicksfield's success story highlights the power of AI in creative industries and the importance of authentic engagement in the evolving digital economy.
Alex, the founder of Hicksfield, an AI company that achieved $200 million in annual recurring revenue in just nine months—faster than Slack or Zoom—shares his groundbreaking approach to starting and scaling an AI business today. His insights reveal how entrepreneurs can replicate this success by focusing on rapid product development, targeted customer engagement, and continuous iteration.
Alex believes AI represents the next industrial revolution, potentially more powerful than the internet. For many young people, AI acts as a social elevator, opening new opportunities and transforming industries. Businesses today can scale profitably to tens of millions of dollars by leveraging AI effectively.
When asked about starting a business from scratch with only 90 days, Alex outlines a clear strategy:
Alex emphasizes the importance of embracing daily iteration due to the fast-evolving AI landscape, with major updates from leading research labs occurring multiple times a quarter.
In 2024, Hicksfield initially struggled with mobile app retention. The breakthrough came from engaging directly with creatives and understanding their needs, particularly around camera control in AI-generated videos. After interviewing eight industry professionals, all expressed the same need for multi-angled camera controls, which Hicksfield implemented.
This feedback loop extended to hiring some of these creatives, fostering a symbiotic relationship between engineers and creators. This collaboration is central to building successful creative AI products.
By mid-2023, AI-native marketing agencies emerged, leveraging AI to build ads rapidly and improve margins. These agencies often bypass traditional tools like Adobe, creating end-to-end AI-driven workflows. Brands increasingly seek constant content flow on social media, embracing AI to meet this demand.
Alex advises startups to focus on customers willing to pay substantial amounts—around $2,000 per month—rather than chasing large user bases with low monetization. Hicksfield tracks daily active users and average contract value as key metrics, prioritizing value delivered over mere user counts.
Initially, Twitter (now X) served as the primary platform for AI product launches, starting from small communities to AI news pages, then expanding to Instagram and Telegram. Despite changes in social media dynamics, X remains a crucial launchpad for new AI products.
Alex suggests using sensational and attention-grabbing language in posts to maximize reach, noting that many creators have built large followings through viral posts on X.
Having sold a previous company for $166 million, Alex highlights the importance of meritocracy and listening to fresh perspectives, especially from young graduates and freelancers who bring innovative ideas. He acknowledges resistance from traditional creatives but sees AI as a powerful tool for social mobility.
Alex discusses the potential of video models as a path to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), emphasizing the importance of visual understanding for advanced robotics and interactive media. He envisions the next decade as the era of interactive media, where games and videos blend into immersive experiences.
For those hesitant to start due to rapid AI advancements or competition from large companies, Alex encourages focusing on building real value and staying optimistic. He notes that while a few large labs may dominate, there remain countless niche opportunities across industries, such as property management, where AI solutions are lacking.
Alex shares that while he raised $16 million early on due to prior success, he recommends new founders focus on generating their first dollar within 30 days and reaching $1 million in annual recurring revenue by day 90 before seeking venture capital. Many AI businesses today can scale profitably without external funding.
Alex suggests starting with AI tools that enhance productivity and creativity. For him, tools like Gemini 3 Pro, which offers voice processing, image generation, and deep reasoning, have been game-changers. He stresses the importance of human communication skills alongside AI usage.
Despite AI's rise, Alex believes authenticity and deep audience understanding remain critical for creators. AI will democratize content creation, but genuine connections will differentiate winners in the evolving social media landscape.
Alex's journey with Hicksfield illustrates that with a focused two-person team, rapid iteration, targeted customer engagement, and strategic use of AI tools, building a $1 million business in 90 days is achievable. The AI revolution offers unprecedented opportunities for creators and entrepreneurs willing to embrace change and deliver authentic value.
This era demands optimism, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous learning, positioning AI not just as a technology but as a powerful social elevator for the next generation of innovators.
