In a recent episode of the Elite Entrepreneurs podcast, Diffco CEO Vadim Peskov joined host David Gilliland for a wide-ranging conversation on entrepreneurship, adapting to uncertainty, and the transformative power of AI. What unfolded was a candid and insightful dialogue between two leaders deeply passionate about helping businesses grow more intelligent and faster.
Turning Crisis Into Opportunity
Vadim’s journey began in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. As a young CEO, he found himself facing economic instability—and instead of playing it safe, he leaned into the chaos. That leap of faith became Diffco.
“If we’d had a stable market, it would have been boring,” Vadim says. “Uncertainty is what creates the drive.”
This mindset—seeing volatility as a catalyst—has shaped not only his entrepreneurial approach but also the ethos of Diffco: move fast, embrace change, and always look for the opportunity behind the challenge.
The Truth About AI: It Won’t Replace You, But Someone Using It Might
One of the podcast’s standout themes was the role of AI in the future of business. Vadim put it plainly:
“AI won’t replace people—but people who use AI will replace those who don’t.”
That’s a wake-up call to businesses of all sizes. While there’s a lot of hype (and fear) about machines taking over jobs, the fundamental shift is about amplifying human capability, not replacing it. Teams that learn how to integrate AI into daily operations—from customer service to marketing and beyond—will simply move faster and be more intelligent than the rest.
Practical AI for Everyday Businesses
You don’t have to be a tech company to benefit from AI. Vadim emphasized that even industries like home services, legal, or healthcare can use off-the-shelf AI tools to:
• Automate content creation and customer communication
• Improve appointment scheduling and lead handling
• Simplify complex service estimates
• Generate internal documentation and customer-facing materials
And the best part? You don’t need a PhD in computer science to make it work.
“You don’t need technical knowledge to talk to AI,” Vadim said. “Just be specific. Treat it like a person who doesn’t know anything about your business—because it doesn’t—until you teach it.”
A New Approach to Innovation
Vadim also shared Diffco’s approach when working with companies on AI transformation: map out your customer journey, identify inefficiencies, and ask how AI can help optimize or scale that process. The goal isn’t to replace employees—it’s to make their work more efficient, freeing up time and resources for more strategic tasks.
As David put it, the real power of AI in a business isn’t about waiting for everyone to become an AI expert but about creating a culture where each person who owns a process learns how to integrate AI into their work.
The Future of Software Development (and Why It’s Still Human)
While the AI tools are improving fast, Vadim was clear: AI won’t be replacing software developers any time soon. What it will do is enable smaller teams to build more with less.
“We’re not there yet,” he said, referencing large-scale enterprise systems. “AI helps developers work faster, but it doesn’t eliminate the need for expertise.”
Diffco continues to lead in helping companies build complex software projects—from enterprise systems to AI-first SaaS platforms—combining speed with quality and strategy.
Looking Ahead
What’s next for Diffco? Vadim didn’t try to pretend he had all the answers. In fact, he admitted that o one really knows what the tech landscape will look like in a year, let alone five. But that’s the fun part.
“We’ll see more solopreneurs, more powerful tools, more iteration. The market is shrinking in cost but growing in possibility.”
Final Thoughts
The conversation wrapped with a reminder to business owners: Now is the time to get your hands dirty. You don’t need to know everything. You just need to start.
As David said, “It’s really about getting our hands messy. Getting in there and doing it.”
And if you want a team that already knows how to build AI-powered solutions, scale products, and guide your transformation, Diffco is ready to help.
