Making AI Work for You: Easy Ways to Save Time and Boost Your Business
By Beth Deyo
If you’re a business owner who’s curious about AI, you’re not alone. It seems like everywhere you look someone is talking about it — offering bold opinions, wild predictions, or the latest tool you “have” to try. While the possibilities are exciting, it can also feel overwhelming — even for those who’ve already gone all in.
Here’s the good news. AI is finally becoming what it should be — practical, easy to use, and genuinely helpful when time is tight and the to-do list just won’t quit.
You don’t need a tech background or hours of free time to start seeing results. In fact, it only takes a few minutes to start working more efficiently and clearing space for the things that matter most. Here are a few simple ways you can use AI to boost your business.
AI Chatbots: Your New Business Bestie
AI chatbots are the go-to tool for getting things done faster — and better. Tools like ChatGPT and Claude can handle a wide range of everyday tasks that eat up your time, from writing follow-up emails to planning social media posts or creating an employee handbook. Think of them as a super-smart assistant that doesn’t call in sick, need breaks, or give you a hard time.
ChatGPT is fast, flexible, and great for things like writing newsletters, generating promotional ideas, or drafting website content. It’s also helpful for things like:
- Rewording a long message into something shorter and more direct
- Coming up with ideas for seasonal promotions or events
- Creating social media captions or email subject lines
- Drafting job descriptions or internal procedures
Claude tends to shine when something needs a more thoughtful or human tone — like writing thank-you notes, customer service replies, or heartfelt messaging for nonprofit initiatives or community events.
These tools get even smarter when you train them on your business and brand voice using features like Custom GPTs (ChatGPT) or Projects (Claude), but that’s something to explore when you get more comfortable. Even without this extra step, they’re incredibly useful for handling everyday tasks quickly and with less effort.
Smart Meetings, Better Follow-Up
Meeting notes, follow-ups, and action items have a way of slipping through the cracks — especially when you’re jumping from one conversation to the next. But AI meeting assistants like Fireflies.ai work behind the scenes to capture every word and keep things organized.
This simple, affordable tool gives you an edge by:
- Automatically joining calendar meetings to record video and audio
- Generating time-stamped transcripts and customized summaries
- Creating action items for each attendee based on the conversation
- Transcribing in-person conversations using the mobile app
- Quickly searching past meetings for a specific topic, phrase, or speaker
- Delivering conversation intelligence like sentiment analysis and topic tracking
Whether you choose this tool or an alternative like Otter.ai or TL;DV, investing in an AI meeting assistant could be one of the best things you do. It will help you stay present during conversations, ensure follow-ups don’t get missed, and give you a reliable record you can refer back to anytime.
Pro-Level Design Without the Headaches
From social media graphics to flyers, signage, and menus, small business owners often need professional-looking visuals. But a professional designer can get expensive and rarely offers on-demand service.
Canva has long been a favorite for making DIY design easier, but its new suite of AI-powered tools takes things to a whole new level. Their Magic Studio includes tools built to simplify every step of the design process and unleash your creativity. Imagine instantly:
- Turning ideas into images or videos in just a few words
- Using a text prompt to create an AI voice
- Generating clips from longer videos
- Effortlessly editing photos and creating new backgrounds
- And more!
These tools make it faster and easier to create high-quality, on-brand content — even if design isn’t your thing. Canva is now a full creative hub where you can build everything from visuals and videos to audio and written content, making your business stand out both online and off.
Jaw-Dropping Visuals in Seconds
When you want to create visuals that are unique, stylized, and hard to ignore, Midjourney is one of the most powerful tools available. Instead of scrolling through stock photo sites or struggling to describe your vision to a designer, you can type a simple prompt — like “moody interior of a cozy coffee shop at golden hour” — and get back stunning images in seconds.
Midjourney is especially useful for creating branded visuals, campaign inspiration, seasonal themes, or social content that goes beyond the basics. The level of detail and artistic style set it apart from most other tools, making it ideal when you’re going for something more polished or conceptual. And, as long as you use the paid version, anything you create in Midjourney is automatically approved for commercial use, so you won’t have to worry about copyrights or licenses.
Canva and ChatGPT now include image generation features, which are great for quick ideas or simple graphics. But when you really want to stand out — or bring a creative vision to life — Midjourney gives you options you won’t find anywhere else.
Start Simple; Build Momentum
You don’t have to overhaul your business to benefit from AI. Start with one tool that solves a problem you’re facing — whether it’s writing, meetings, design, or visuals — and go from there. A few small changes can save hours each week, reduce decision fatigue, and cut down on mental clutter.
For more tips on how to integrate systems, automation, and AI in your business, join The Business Breakthrough Collective — a free Facebook group for small business owners who want to work more efficiently and grow with ease.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessbreakthroughcollective (Maybe a QR code in the printed version?)
Bio:
Beth Deyo is a small business mentor and the creator of The Business Breakthrough Lab. She helps small business owners simplify their workflows, integrate AI, and build sustainable systems that make their day-to-day easier and more efficient. Her anti-hustle approach is designed to help entrepreneurs cut through the noise, reconnect with their priorities, and run a business they truly enjoy.