Experimenting My Way Into Everyday AI (as a Small Business Owner)

As a small business owner and entrepreneur, I’ve spent the past two years experimenting with AI and automation tools to make my work more efficient — and to spark my creative process. My clients use a number of tools as well which provide significant AI and automation capabilities (Salesforce, Gainsight, etc) but for the stage of my company, I'm still keeping my tech stack pretty simple (and low cost).

Each platform has its own “personality”: some act like quick thinkers, others like research partners, and some like tireless assistants that just need clear instructions. Here’s how I use them in my day-to-day operations:

🧠 ChatGPT (Pro) – My go-to thought partner for initial ideation whether it be business or personal, marketing copy, and client messaging. Produces strong first drafts but still benefits from human validation and refinement.

🎬 Invideo (Free) – Great for adding visual flair to marketing videos. Delivers good first drafts, though I haven’t found them quite client-ready yet.

⚙️ Make.com (Pro): My favorite automation hub for marketing workflows, CRM updates, and content management. The most intuitive automation builder I’ve used.

💡 Gemini (via Google Enterprise Workspace): Built into my existing tools, so no added cost. Great for quick content generation and brainstorming — still exploring automation potential with Sheets and Drive.

📚 Claude (Free): My “research analyst.” Excellent at summarizing, comparing, and connecting complex ideas when given clear direction.

🗂️ NotebookLM (Free): Perfect for organizing my notes and synthesizing insights from multiple client projects. Works best with detailed, context-rich prompts.

🌐 Wix.com (Pro): A very intuitive, simple website development and automation platform. Its AI Agent capabilities are still early, but I’m continuing to experiment.

🎨 Canva (Pro): One of the most intuitive image and video creation tools I’ve used — even my daughter uses it (literally!). The AI-generated images are still a bit wonky, so not quite client-ready yet, but I’m continuing to experiment.

✨ Takeaway: No single tool replaces human judgment or creativity — but together, they amplify both. For entrepreneurs, AI is less about replacing effort and more about reclaiming time for what matters most: relationships, strategy, and growth.

How are you using AI to run your business smarter — not harder? If you’re experimenting too, schedule time with me — I’d love to share insights and explore how we can each use AI and automation more effectively in our work and daily lives.

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About the Author

Kathleen Rouse is an Independent Consultant and has taken her 20+ years of experience maximizing adoption and increasing renewal rates to best-in-class 95%+ and 45%+ growth rates and turned them into playbooks, processes & templates for her clients to increase their customer retention and growth.

Contact me to design creative solutions to boost your customers' experiences in a cost-effective and delightful way.