AI: An Intro to Using AI Daily When Starting and Growing Your Small Business

Meet your new (robot) assistant!

Sheesh, that title is a bit wordy - I should have asked AI to trim it down 😊 A quick note before we get into it: I personally love AI and use it daily; however, I believe there should be a human on the front and back end of every project. Your ideas, your words, your proofreading.. with an intern to help in-between. But hey, you do you. OK let’s get to the good stuff!

AI. It sounds intimidating, right? Like something reserved for tech bros in hoodies building rocket ships in their garages. But here’s the truth: AI is already sitting at your table, waiting to help you with your actual small business problems. It’s like having an assistant who works 24/7, never needs coffee, and is always down to brainstorm.

When you’re wearing all the hats: CEO, social media manager, accountant, janitor, AI can help take one or two off your head before you tip over. Let’s break it down into simple, daily ways to use AI that won’t make your brain hurt.

1. Idea Generation & Brainstorming

Blank screen syndrome? We’ve all been there! AI is your brainstorming buddy who throws out ideas, even the weird ones, so you can skip the “stuck” phase and move straight into the “ooh, that’s good” phase.

💡 AI prompt you can try right now:
“Give me 10 creative Instagram caption ideas for a bakery launching a fall menu. Make them playful and don’t include emojis.” <— AI looooves emojis 🙃 But who doesn’t?

2. Streamlining Communication

Emails and DMs are like laundry, they never stop. AI won’t fold your undies, but it can definitely draft a message that makes you look like you have it all together.

💡 AI prompt you can try right now:
“Turn these bullet points into a friendly but professional email to a client: [paste bullet points here]. Keep it clear, warm, and not too stiff.”

Easily summarize blog posts (just like this one!) to extract the main data points that matter most.

3. Market Research Without the Headache

You don’t need a 40-page research report! Just a quick lay of the land. AI can scoop up patterns and spit them back in plain English, saving you hours of Googling.

💡 AI prompt you can try right now:
“Summarize the top 5 challenges small coffee shops face in attracting new customers. Keep it simple and practical.”

4. Time-Saving Operations

Small business life = a thousand tiny tasks. AI can’t figure out why your power strip isn’t working (my current problem today), but it can make admin way less painful.

💡 AI prompt you can try right now:
“Summarize this meeting transcript into 5 key takeaways and 3 action items: [paste text].”

5. Building Confidence & Clarity

Sometimes the hardest part of business is the swirl of decisions in your head. AI can help you untangle the mess, like a business therapist who doesn’t charge by the hour.

💡 AI prompt you can try right now:
“I need to decide whether to hire a part-time employee or keep doing this task myself. Help me list pros, cons, and hidden costs of each option. Ask me questions, one by one, to help me figure it out.”

Final Thought

AI isn’t about replacing you and it’s nothing to be scared of. It’s about giving you a second brain so you can focus on the parts of your business only you can do. Think of it like adding a quirky intern who never complains, always has ideas, and doesn’t eat your snacks.

Next time you’re drowning in tasks, try asking: “Can AI help me with this?” Chances are, the answer is yes.

OK OK, I can’t help but put a shameless plug in here! If you are struggling in your small business and AI isn’t enough, please reach out to The Hub, North. We’re here to talk about all things business. We can also help you create an action plan of what to do next and suggest resources or conversations you need to have to keep your momentum going!