Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Vics.
Hi Jay, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hey there! My name is Jay Vics, and I’m a serial entrepreneur—though I’ll be honest, that wasn’t exactly the plan. Growing up in New Jersey, life had its share of ups and downs. High school and the years after were rough. But after turning 21, I started exploring web design and business, then joined a punk rock band, recorded a CD (remember those?), and went on some small tours. Eventually, I moved to North Carolina, and that’s where everything came together—I met my wife, and life finally started making sense.
Back in 2012, I was working as a cell phone sales rep, teaching people how to use their smartphones. I kept hearing the same thing: “I wish someone would teach me how to use this stupid thing!” Many of these folks were business owners who didn’t grow up with technology but desperately needed it to grow. So, with about $500 and my wife’s blessing—on one condition: the business had to fund itself—I started JVI Mobile Marketing as a side hustle. I’ve now helped over 1,000 business owners turn strangers into raving fans.
Today, my focus is on JaytheAIGuy.com, where I show people how to actually use AI in their jobs and businesses—no fluff, just practical stuff that saves time and money. And when they’re ready to implement those strategies, that’s where JourneyBuilder comes in. It’s our all-in-one marketing software that replaces roughly 30 different tools. We just won our 2nd SaaSPRENEUR Gold Award, which is a huge testament to how much we’ve grown. I live for this stuff, seriously!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha! Not even close. For about 11 years, I sat stagnant with really slow growth, and honestly, most of it was self-inflicted. I was trying to do everything myself, I had no real niche focus, and when I did hire, I wasn’t hiring correctly. I also had a serious case of “shiny object syndrome”—I’d buy every new tech tool that promised to save time or make more money, and instead of helping, it just became a distraction. I lost focus on what actually mattered: making our existing products and systems better. That’s the kicker, right? Sometimes the answer isn’t a new tool—it’s doubling down on what you’ve already got.
Then, when rapid growth finally hit, all my warts got exposed. Team and hiring issues, systems falling apart, SOPs that didn’t exist or didn’t work, communication breakdowns between different focus areas of the business—it all came crashing to the surface at once. Scaling fast will help you make the most mistakes very quickly, and I made plenty.
I’d also be lying if I said there wasn’t some imposter syndrome mixed in there. I spent too much time focused on why I wasn’t the marketer everyone wanted to learn from instead of just showing up and providing value. A few client failures along the way definitely injected some self-doubt. But here’s what I’ve learned: every single one of those struggles made us a much better organization. You’ve got to learn, adapt, pivot, and innovate—that’s how you grow successfully.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about JVI Mobile Marketing?
I run two brands that work hand-in-hand. JaytheAIGuy.com is where I show business owners how to actually use AI in their day-to-day operations—practical, real-world stuff that saves time and money. And JourneyBuilder is our all-in-one marketing software that replaces roughly 30 different tools, so when people are ready to implement what they’ve learned, they’ve got one platform to do it all. No more juggling subscriptions and praying everything talks to each other.
What sets us apart? I think it comes down to a few things. First, I’m not your stereotypical businessman—t-shirt and blue jeans is my uniform. I believe in being approachable, down-to-earth, and cutting through the corporate fluff. Second, my philosophy is that you have to SHOW AI, you can’t TELL AI. People need to see it to really understand and believe it. So whether it’s a webinar, a demo, or a workshop, I’m building things live, right in front of you. That’s the power of demonstration—it converts curiosity into commitment.
What I’m most proud of? Honestly, it’s the community we’re building. We really embrace personal connection with our clients. I let them into my life—my wife, my daughter, my fur baby—and they let me into theirs. We celebrate personal wins just as much as professional ones. Grandkids, weddings, breaking sales records—all of it. That’s what makes this more than just business; it’s human-to-human. And speaking of community, we’re launching free virtual AI Workshops every Friday starting in the new year—a way to help even more business owners grow their AI skills. I live for this stuff, seriously.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Look, artificial intelligence may be the most important technology of any lifetime. I don’t care what anybody says—this is revolutionary. And here’s the truth: AI will replace jobs. But it will also replace people who don’t learn how to embrace it in their current role. The ones who adapt? They’re going to thrive. Work is going to get done 100x faster than it does now. We’re already using AI appointment setters for our clients that book appointments every single day and night—never sick, always available. That’s a role that would normally take three or four people. The time and cost savings are massive.
I think most small business owners have played with ChatGPT or other tools at this point, but they’re still seeing it as a glorified search engine, or as I like to call it… A “(re)search engine”. Some got turned off by early versions that, honestly, weren’t nearly as good last year as they are now. It’s growing leaps and bounds daily. In 5-10 years, AI and automation will be critical infrastructure for any successful business. The companies that fully embrace it will dominate. Combine that with advancements in robotics, and we’ll see many labor positions either replaced or heavily assisted by technology.
Here’s what excites me most: the solopreneur is becoming more powerful than ever. You can run so much more with AI assistants already. SaaS companies will be everywhere because everyone will be creating programs and products using AI coding assistants. We’ve already built a few AI software apps internally to handle repetitive tasks. My bold prediction? In 5 years, every small business will have an AI employee. Now, I will say—there’s a global conversation to be had around AI and things like warfare that requires some caution. But in the business sector? This is an incredible opportunity. It’s an exciting time to be alive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jaytheaiguy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jay.vics
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayvicspage
- Twitter: https://x.com/jvimobile
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jvimobile
- Other: https://www.getjourneybuilder.com
