Antoine Wade, a tech sales professional based in San Antonio, shared how he’s built a personal edge using AI tools, even as he remains cautious about revealing his full strategy. He began using AI in 2022, shortly after ChatGPT launched, and quickly saw its potential to transform both his work and personal life. Initially, AI helped him craft more effective cold outreach emails—a crucial part of his sales role. Instead of spending hours drafting messages, he could generate tailored, compelling content in seconds. Over time, he expanded AI use beyond work. As a youth sports coach and father, he uses tools like Claude for crafting post-practice updates to parents, organizing schedules, and compiling game statistics—all tasks that once took days but now take minutes. Wade now integrates multiple AI platforms into his daily routine. He relies on Claude for business communication and content creation, Perplexity for in-depth research, and Gemini for generating visuals. He’s even used AI to learn how to install an air conditioner and to help teach his son sixth-grade math. His company provides access to advanced tools like Salesforce Sales Navigator, which helps identify ideal prospects by analyzing buyer signals. This allows Wade to personalize outreach with precision, turning generic cold calls into meaningful conversations. While he emphasizes that he’s the one building relationships with clients, AI has significantly boosted his pipeline by enabling faster, smarter outreach. He acknowledges that AI hasn’t directly closed deals, but it has amplified his effectiveness. Better insights lead to better messaging, which leads to more engagement and, ultimately, more revenue. Despite the widespread availability of AI tools, Wade believes real advantage comes from how users combine data, refine prompts, and automate workflows. He refers to his approach as a “secret sauce”—a personalized system developed through extensive experimentation. He’s selective about sharing details. While he’ll help others when asked, he holds back on specific techniques or prompt strategies because they give him a competitive edge. In a high-pressure sales environment, knowing how to leverage AI efficiently can make a difference. He’s willing to share insights with trusted friends or collaborators, but not broadly. For now, he sees AI as a personal advantage, and in a world where everyone has the same tools, the real differentiator is how you use them.