How a flood of new business almost broke my company — and why AI was the only way out.
A couple of years ago, business picked up faster than we could handle it.
That sounds like a good problem to have. And it was — until it wasn't.
I was drowning. More clients, more paperwork, more follow-ups, more things falling through the cracks. I was working longer hours and somehow getting less done. I couldn't hire fast enough and I couldn't clone myself.
So I did what any reasonable person does when they're desperate — I started looking for shortcuts.
I didn't find shortcuts. I found something better.
I started experimenting with AI tools. Not the expensive enterprise systems the big companies use. Not the stuff that requires an IT department to set up. Just simple, accessible tools that anyone with a laptop and a wifi connection can use today.
And honestly? It changed everything.
Not overnight. Not magically. But gradually I started getting hours back. Tasks that used to take me an afternoon started taking twenty minutes. Follow-ups that slipped through the cracks started happening automatically. I started looking like I had a bigger team than I did.
That's when I realized two things.
First — this stuff actually works for small businesses. Not just big corporations with big budgets.
Second — nobody was explaining it in plain English to the people who needed it most.
That's why you're reading this.
Okay, so what actually is AI?
You've heard the word a thousand times. But what is it really?
Here's the simplest way I can put it:
AI is software that learned from an enormous amount of human-created content — books, websites, conversations, documents — and can now respond to your questions, write things for you, summarize information, and help you think through problems.
That's it.
It's not a robot. It's not magic. It's not going to take over the world next Tuesday.
Think of it like this — imagine the smartest, fastest intern you've ever had. One who has read basically everything ever written, never sleeps, never complains, and will do whatever you ask in about three seconds. That's closer to what AI actually is.
Now imagine that intern costs less than your monthly Netflix subscription.
That's where we are right now.
What can it actually do for your business this week?
Three things. All free. All take less than ten minutes to try.
1. Write your emails faster. Stop staring at a blank screen. Open ChatGPT at chat.openai.com — it's free. Type: "Write me a professional follow-up email to a client who hasn't responded to my quote in a week. Keep it short and friendly." Read what comes back. Edit it to sound like you. Send it. You just saved twenty minutes.
2. Answer questions your customers are already asking. Type this into ChatGPT: "What are the most common questions customers ask a [your type of business] before hiring them?" You'll get a list. Now you know exactly what to put on your website, in your emails, and what to address on the phone before they even ask.
3. Summarize anything long into something short. Got a long contract, a lengthy email chain, or an article you need to understand but don't have time to read? Copy and paste it into ChatGPT and type "Summarize this in plain English in five bullet points." Done in seconds.
None of these cost a dollar. All of them work today.
What AI can't do — and why I'm telling you this.
I could fill this newsletter with hype. A lot of people do.
Instead I'll be straight with you.
AI makes mistakes. Sometimes confidently wrong ones. It doesn't know your specific business, your specific customers, or your specific market unless you tell it. It's a tool, not a replacement for your judgment. It won't replace the relationships you've built or the expertise you've earned over years in your industry.
What it will do is handle the repetitive, time-consuming parts of your day so you can focus on the stuff only you can do.
That's the honest version. I'll always give you the honest version.
This week's action step.
Go to chat.openai.com and create a free account if you don't have one.
Then type this exact prompt:
"I own a [type of business] in [your town]. What are three ways AI could save me time this week without costing me anything?"
Read the answer. See what resonates. That's your starting point.
Reply to this email and tell me what it said. I read every reply and I'll write back.
Three ways I can help you right now.
Talk to me — 20 minutes, no pitch, just a straight conversation about what AI could do for your specific business. My email is at the bottom, You can book it there.
Read along — Forward this to another business owner who needs it. It's free and always will be.
Get a free custom AI tool — if you're already using ChatGPT and want a custom AI tool built specifically for your business, My email is at the bottom, reach out and tell me what you do. No catch. I'll build it for you.
Talk soon.
Ed Donovan GPTuitive | Hackensack, NJ [email protected] (201) 625-2153