From Crypto to AI: The Serial 'Expert' Phenomenon

I've been tracking the same 50 LinkedIn profiles since 2017. Watching them transform from solar panels to crypto to NFTs to AI has been like watching a shape-shifter with a business degree. Here's what I've learned about the serial "expert" economy.

The Evolution of a Serial Expert: A Case Study

Let me tell you about "Dave" (name changed, pattern unchanged). I first encountered Dave in 2017 when he was "revolutionizing solar energy." Here's his LinkedIn title evolution:

The Anatomy of a Pivot

Here's how the transformation happens, usually over a weekend:

1. Friday Evening: Reads three Medium articles about the new trend
2. Saturday Morning: Takes a $49 Udemy course (2x speed, skips the hard parts)
3. Saturday Afternoon: Updates LinkedIn profile with new buzzwords
4. Sunday Morning: Writes first "thought leadership" post (plagiarized)
5. Monday Morning: Open for business as an "expert"

Why This Works (Unfortunately)

The Information Asymmetry

When a new technology emerges, there's a golden window where nobody really knows anything. The serial expert thrives here. They know 5% more than their clients, which looks like expertise when everyone else knows 0%.

The Buzzword Smokescreen

They weaponize jargon. "We're leveraging distributed ledger technology to create trustless systems for decentralized value transfer." Translation: "We might use blockchain for something, maybe."

The FOMO Factory

Their pitch is always the same: "Your competitors are already doing this. You'll be left behind. I can help you catch up." Fear sells faster than competence.

The Telltale Signs

1. The Timeline Test

Real expertise has a story. Ask them: "Tell me about your first project in this space." Serial experts will reference something from 6 months ago. Real experts have war stories from years back.

2. The Depth Probe

Go three questions deep on any topic. Serial experts crack by question two:

• Q1: "How does AI help our business?" (They can handle this)
• Q2: "What's the difference between transformer and CNN architectures?" (Panic begins)
• Q3: "How do you handle catastrophic forgetting in continual learning?" (Complete meltdown)

3. The Portfolio Problem

Their portfolio is a graveyard of dead trends. Solar installations from 2017, ICO whitepapers from 2018, NFT collections from 2021. Nothing maintained, nothing evolved, everything abandoned.

The Psychology of Serial Expertise

Why do they do it? It's not always malicious. Many genuinely believe they're helping. They've convinced themselves that enthusiasm equals expertise. That wanting to help is the same as being able to help.

But here's the thing: In technology, enthusiasm without expertise is dangerous. You can't fake your way through production systems. Code doesn't care about your positive attitude.

How to Protect Yourself

1. Check their trail: Use Wayback Machine on their website. Watch the pivots.
2. Verify depth: Real experts love technical discussions. Fakes avoid them.
3. Look for longevity: Have they stuck with anything for more than a trend cycle?
4. Test specifics: Ask about tools, frameworks, specific challenges.
5. Check references: Not testimonials. Real clients who'll take your call.

The Coming Wave

As I write this, I'm watching the same serial experts pivot again. Quantum computing is starting to appear in their profiles. "Quantum Strategy Consultant" is coming. Same people, same lack of physics degrees, same pattern.

They'll always exist because there will always be new technologies and confused businesses. The question is: Will you be their next victim?