I love when content writes itself.

As you probably know, TikTok was temporarily shut down over the weekend.

Knowing my reader audience, I don’t think most people here post regularly on TikTok.

But it has PROFOUND lessons regardless . . .

In the 80s and 90s, we bought software to install on our computers.

In 2025, EVERYTHING is on the cloud.

Quickbooks, Office 365, Google Workspace — all of our data is housed in someone else’s building.

I’m obviously a big fan of the cloud, but TikTok is a good reminder . . .

Tools can go away at a moment’s notice.

Businesses shut down.

Companies are sold.

Governments can pass laws.

No software is “too big to fail.”

TikTok has the largest market share for search and social media engagement.

Could the same fate happen to Facebook or OpenAI?

Absolutely.

You will often NOT have advance warning.

Your data lives in their house.

They have the keys and the deed to the property.

They can burn the house down anytime they want, including the contents.

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO?

First, backup/sync your stuff locally—even if it’s not an exact copy—just get the data. It may be in a ZIP file or a CSV or some other format, but try to regularly bring a copy of your cloud data.

Second, be REALLY wary of new AI tools. As fast as they are popping up, they will disappear.

And finally, DOCUMENT YOUR PROCESSES. I’m going to talk more about this during this week, but this is huge . . . If you have complex automations setup in Zapier . . . what would happen if they shut down tomorrow?

Would you be able to recreate what you had?

I don’t lose sleep over Google Workspace shutting down, but if a juggernaut like TikTok could be shut down in an instant . . . anything is possible.

Don’t forget to sign up for my webinar this Friday! I’m going to be showing you how to create your own Coda/Notion Brain using AI with n8n.

It’s FREE and I promise you’ll learn a TON!

Click here to register!

Troy's One Cool Thing of the Day

Overview:

• 🤖 Insights on adapting to automated environments

• 💡 Guidance on reframing business operations with technology

• 🔍 Emphasis on developing human skills like emotional intelligence and creativity

• ⚙️ Strategies for evaluating roles and identifying automation opportunities

• 📊 Encouragement to adopt collaborative, team-based approaches

The Bottom Line: This book gives non-technical business owners a future-oriented view on integrating AI and automation. It highlights the complementary roles of humans and machines, offering ideas to enhance productivity and innovation while valuing human skills.

Disclaimer: Just a heads-up! Some of the links in this newsletter might be affiliate links, which means I could earn a small commission if you make a purchase. No extra cost to you… just a way to keep the magic coming!