What happens when AI can do almost everything better than you?
If you’re not building your personal brand today, you may not even exist tomorrow.
That’s the clear, hard-hitting message from Joe Shalaby — founder and CEO of EMortgage Capital — on this week’s episode of The ABCs for Building the Future.
Joe built the largest non-depository mortgage bank in California, the #5 broker nationwide, and a personal brand that reaches millions across TikTok, Instagram, and beyond.
And he’s just getting started.
Here’s the biggest insight from our conversation:
In a world dominated by AI, the only differentiator left will be the trust and credibility behind your name.
Joe didn’t just stumble onto this. His story is a relentless climb through adversity: from immigrating to the U.S. from Cairo, to starting over in a one-bedroom apartment, to facing bullying and poverty, to eventually building an empire — one resilient step at a time.
“Challenges don’t impact me like they do others. They’re just another walk in the park.”
Joe believes entrepreneurs today must master two things simultaneously:
Build businesses that automate the basics
Build personal brands that establish human connection
Because soon, the cold efficiency of AI will dominate every commoditized task. And the only thing left standing will be who you are — and what people believe about you.
What You’ll Learn from This Episode:
Why personal brand is now your #1 startup investment
How Joe coaches 900+ entrepreneurs through adversity and brand building
The secret behind his viral growth across every major social media platform
Why resilience — real, gritty resilience — is the unteachable superpower
How Joe connects faith, entrepreneurship, and service into a business philosophy that wins long-term
Predictions for 2050: What happens to the mortgage and finance industry when AI runs everything
Resources and Links
Find him on Instagram
Why Epistemic Me Matters
“How can AI understand us if we don’t fully understand ourselves?”
We solve for this by create programmatic models of self, modeling belief systems, which we believe are the basis of defense against existential risk.
In the longevity tech space, we create tools that meet users where they are, helping them make better decisions, form healthier habits, and align with their deepest values.
Get Involved
Epistemic Me is building the foundational tools to make this vision a reality—and we’re doing it in the open. Here’s how you can join the movement:
Check out the GitHub repo to explore our open-source SDK and start contributing.
Subscribe to the podcast for weekly insights on technology, philosophy, and the future.
Join the community. Whether you’re a developer, researcher, or someone passionate about the intersection of AI and humanity, we want to hear from you. Email me anytime!
FAQs
Q: Why does this matter for AI?
A: Because without shared values, we can’t align AI. Belief systems that scale and unify are essential to building tools that serve humanity, not destroy it.
Q: What is Epistemic Me?
A: It’s an open-source SDK designed to model belief systems and make AI more human-aligned.
Q: Who is this podcast for?
A: Entrepreneurs, builders, developers, researchers, and anyone who’s curious about the intersection of technology, philosophy, and personal growth. If you’ve ever wondered how to align AI with human values—or just how to understand yourself better—this is for you.
Q: How can I contribute?
A: Visit epistemicme.ai or check out our GitHub to start contributing today.
Q: Why open source? A: Transparency and collaboration are key to building tools that truly benefit humanity.
Q: Why focus on beliefs in AI?
A: Beliefs shape our understanding of the world. Modeling them enables AI to adapt to human nuances and foster shared understanding.
Q: How does Epistemic Me work?
A: Our open-source SDK uses predictive models to help developers create belief-driven, hyper-personalized solutions for applications in health, collaboration, and personal growth. Think of it as a toolkit for understanding how people think and making better tools, apps, or decisions because of it.
Q: How is this different from other AI tools?
A: Most AI tools are about predictions and automation. Epistemic Me is about understanding—building models that reflect the nuances of human thought and behavior. And it’s open source!
Q: How can I get involved?
A: Glad you asked! Check out our GitHub.
Q: Who can join?
A: Developers, philosophers, researchers, scientists and anyone passionate about the underpinnings of human beliefs, and interested in solving for AI Alignment.
Q: How to start?
A: Visit our GitHub repository, explore our documentation, and become part of a project that envisions a new frontier in belief modeling.
Q: Why open-source?
A: It’s about harnessing collective intelligence for innovation, transparency, and global community involvement in shaping belief-driven solutions.
P.S. If you haven’t already checked out my other newsletter, ABCs for Growth—that’s where I have personal reflections on personal growth related to applied emotional intelligence, leadership and influence concepts, etc.
P.S.S. Want reminders on entrepreneurship, growth, leadership, empathy, and product?
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