AI for small business, in plain English
No hype and no jargon. Just practical ways to save hours every week on the paperwork that comes with running a local business.
What AI is good at for a business like yours
Modern AI assistants are excellent at first drafts and at organizing messy information. They are not magic, and they need a human to check their work. Used that way, they're a real time saver.
- Quotes and estimates: turn your notes from a site visit into a clean, consistent written quote.
- Email and messages: draft replies to customer questions, follow-ups and reminders in your own voice.
- Social posts and Google updates: a month of posts from one list of what's going on.
- Job descriptions and policies: a solid first draft in minutes instead of a weekend.
- Bookkeeping prep: sort receipts, summarize statements and spot what needs a closer look before it goes to your accountant.
- Scheduling and to-dos: turn a voicemail or a scribbled note into a task list.
Real examples by trade
Contractor: photos and notes from a walkthrough become a written estimate with line items, ready to review and send.
Restaurant or café: menu descriptions, a seasonal special announcement and a week of social posts in one sitting.
Shop or boutique: product descriptions, a holiday email and replies to common customer questions.
Lodging and rentals: guest welcome messages, check-in instructions and a polite reply to a tough review.
These are illustrations of common uses, not client results.
How the coaching works
1. Find the time sinks
We look at your week and pick the three tasks that take the most time for the least reward.
2. Set it up together
On your computer and phone, with your real work. You leave with saved templates you can reuse tomorrow.
3. Keep a human in charge
Simple rules for checking AI output and protecting customer information, so nothing embarrassing goes out.
Rather not run it yourself? Managed AI
Coaching is for owners who want to run AI themselves. If you'd rather hand it off, I'll run it for you on a monthly plan. I triage your inbox and draft replies, draft quotes and invoices, keep scheduling reminders going, draft review responses and social posts, prep your books for your bookkeeper, and send you a short weekly summary.
You stay in charge: nothing goes out without your OK, and I never move money.
Managed AI plans
Starter $349/mo · Office $649/mo · Operations $1,095/mo, plus a one-time setup fee.
3-month minimum, then month to month.
See Managed AIWorkshops for local groups
I offer practical “AI for your business” workshops for chambers of commerce, business associations and teams across Bonner and Pend Oreille counties. Attendees bring a laptop or phone and leave with tools set up and working. Ask about hosting one.
AI questions
Do I need to be good with computers to use AI?
No. If you can send a text message, you can use these tools. The Jumpstart session is built for people who have never tried AI.
Is it safe to put my business information into AI tools?
It depends on the tool and its settings. Part of every session is showing you which settings to turn on, what never to paste in (like customer card numbers or Social Security numbers), and how to keep a human check on anything that goes out.
What does AI actually cost a small business?
Many useful tools have free tiers. Paid plans for the popular assistants typically run about $20 to $30 per user per month. I'll recommend the smallest setup that does the job.
Will AI replace my staff?
That's not the goal. The goal is to take the repetitive first drafts off your team's plate so they spend more time with customers.
Can you just run the AI for me?
Yes. That's Managed AI, a monthly plan from $349 a month plus a one-time setup fee. I do the work in your accounts and you approve anything that goes out.
Ready for a website that works as hard as you do?
Tell me about your business. You'll get a straight answer on what you need and what it costs.