How to Use AI to Build a Business Faster: Cien Solon at Virgin StartUp Changemakers

Cien Solon, founder of LaunchLemonade, joined Changemakers for a practical conversation about AI and what founders should focus on as technology continues to evolve.

While much of the conversation touched on AI agents, automation and the future of work, one message came through clearly: founders do not need to become AI experts to benefit from AI.

Instead, the biggest opportunities often come from curiosity, experimentation and a willingness to solve real problems.

From Radio DJ to AI Founder

Cien's journey into technology was anything but conventional.

Her first job was as a radio DJ before later becoming an English teacher in China. After moving to the UK, she volunteered as a social media executive before eventually moving into fintech and product management.

Throughout her career, she found herself working on projects that used machine learning and automation to solve customer problems. What fascinated her was never the technology itself, but what it could enable.

When large language models like ChatGPT emerged, she recognised something important.

For the first time, founders no longer needed huge budgets, large development teams or specialist technical knowledge to start building useful products.

Building LaunchLemonade With Customer Feedback

LaunchLemonade did not begin with a large investment round or a fully formed product roadmap.

Cien explained how she bootstrapped the business, building alongside customers and letting their feedback shape the platform's evolution.

Originally, the vision was to help non-technical people turn their expertise into AI-powered products they could monetise.

Over time, customer needs changed - and so did the platform.

As new challenges emerged around AI adoption, cost, usability and governance, LaunchLemonade adapted with them. For Cien, this flexibility has been critical.

As she put it during the conversation, businesses today must "adapt or die."

Curiosity Beats Perfection

One of the most practical parts of the discussion centred around how founders should approach AI.

Cien shared examples of creators and entrepreneurs who started with little more than curiosity, a small budget and a willingness to test ideas.

Rather than spending months trying to build the perfect solution, they launched simple experiments, learned from the results and improved over time.

She also challenged the perfectionism that holds many founders back.

Too often, entrepreneurs feel they need to understand every detail before getting started. But waiting until everything feels perfect can prevent valuable learning from ever happening.

Instead, Cien encouraged founders to focus on momentum and validation.

Build something small.

See if anyone wants it.

Then improve from there.

Why Sales and Relationships Matter More Than Ever

As AI makes it easier to build products, Cien believes the true differentiators are changing.

The ability to code or create is becoming more accessible. But building trust, forming relationships and communicating value remain deeply human skills.

In a world where more people can create products, founders who can explain what they do and connect with customers will continue to stand out.

Not everyone can market.

Not everyone can sell.

And not everyone can build genuine relationships.

Those skills, she argued, will only become more valuable.

Looking After Yourself as a Founder

The conversation also touched on a topic many founders will relate to: burnout.

Building a business in a rapidly changing industry can be exhausting, and Cien was refreshingly honest about the importance of taking care of yourself.

Her approach? Much to the delight of the audience... massages and naps!

While shared with humour, the underlying message was serious.

Founders cannot continue operating at their best if they never make time to recover. Taking care of yourself is not a reward for success. It is part of building sustainably.

Final Thoughts: What Founders Can Learn

Cien's journey is a reminder that entrepreneurship is rarely about having all the answers.

Often, it is about being curious enough to ask the right questions and brave enough to start before you feel ready.

Key takeaways for founders:

• Focus on solving problems, not chasing technology

• Let customer feedback shape your product

• Start small and learn quickly

• Don't let perfectionism stop you launching

• Invest in sales, marketing and relationships

• Make time to look after yourself along the way

As AI continues to evolve, Cien's message was reassuringly simple.

You do not need to know everything. You just need to start.

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- Written by Nina Evangeli, Virgin StartUp