How Solving My Own Profile Picture Problem Led to a New Business

For years, I was using a blurry, outdated family photo as my profile picture… 😅

It wasn’t until last year that I realized just how bad it was. The picture was a crop from a family photo when my sons were 3 and 6 years old (they’re 7 and 9 now!). It was grainy, poorly lit, and didn’t represent who I am today.

For a while, I just ignored it.

But then I started my master’s degree, and I needed a more professional image to present myself. I tried snapping some selfies, but neither my wife nor I are skilled photographers.

The results? Slightly better quality, but not quite right.

I ended up using one of those photos at my graduation, standing in front of over 1,000 people… and felt so awkward.

Everyone else had professional, polished pictures, and there I was, with an image that just didn’t feel like me.

After that moment, I set out to solve this problem.

I dived into learning about generative AI models and how I could train them using my own photos. The results were mind-blowing!

I saw the potential in creating not just better photos, but professional images that actually represented who I am today.

Around the same time, I noticed a growing trend: personal branding. Whether you’re marketing a business, trying to get a new job, or just standing out online, your profile picture is a huge part of how people perceive you.

In a world where you’re competing with millions of posts for attention — and where you’ve got under a second to make an impression — your profile picture is one thing you can control.

But I realized a lot of people, just like me, were using outdated images that didn’t reflect their current selves.

That’s when I knew I could turn my solution into a product.

I built aiselfi.es to help people create professional, authentic photos that showcase the best version of themselves.

If you want to test it out, check it out at aiselfi.es 📸. Let’s make sure you look as good as you are!