This Community Voices column on AI is written by Dawn Parks, the director of BizAccessHub at Northern Kentucky University.
Most small business owners I know are swamped. They’re trying to keep clients happy, make payroll, send invoices, post on social, follow up on leads — and somewhere in there, try to sleep.
So when they hear me talk about artificial intelligence, known to most as AI, the reaction is almost always the same: “I don’t have time to learn that,” or “I’ve already used ChatGPT,” or “We’ve got some automation running.”
And yet, they’re still working 60 hours a week.
Here’s what I tell them: We are still in the flip phone era of AI. You’re not behind — you’re early.
Think back to those rugged little cell phones with rubber buttons. They made calls and sent clunky texts, but didn’t do much else. You couldn’t have imagined what the iPhone 16 would one day be capable of.
That’s where we are with AI.
The tools exist. Some are impressive. But most business owners have barely scratched the surface — and the real transformation is still ahead. That’s good news. You don’t have to overhaul your business or become a tech expert. You just have to see where AI and automation can quietly give you back your most precious resource: time.
The first step is noticing where your time is being drained. You don’t need to “learn AI.” Just pay attention to what’s slowing you down. I’m not talking about reinventing your business. I’m talking about the everyday friction that wears you out — those emails that take 20 minutes to write, the meeting notes you forget to send, or the content you keep rewriting because it doesn’t sound quite right. These aren’t glamorous problems, but they’re exactly what AI solves well.
One of the biggest misunderstandings I see is the confusion between AI and automation. They’re not the same. AI is a creative and analytical partner. It helps you think, write, summarize and generate content. You can ask it to write a thank-you email, polish a post, or outline your next newsletter. Automation, on the other hand, runs systems that execute — like sending a message on a schedule, moving data between tools, or reminding someone of a deadline. AI is your writer. Automation is your delivery truck. They’re great together, but you don’t need both to get started. If automation feels overwhelming, just start with AI.
That shift — using AI to help you think — relieves pressure fast. If there’s an email you’ve been putting off because you don’t know how to say it, ask ChatGPT to help. Say, “Write an email to a client who’s late on payment. I want to be firm but friendly.” Or, “Help me write a follow-up to someone who asked about my services two weeks ago.”
You don’t have to use it exactly. But you’ll stop staring at the screen and get moving. I’ve worked with people who save hours each week just by using AI to write — and they feel more confident when they hit send.
Another place AI can help is after meetings. Whether it’s a sales call or client check-in, we all know the struggle of remembering what we promised. Instead of relying on memory or messy notes, you can record your next call using tools that summarize action items. Then just paste the key points into an email or project list. These are small wins that build momentum.
And here’s what no one talks about enough: When you start saving a few hours each week, you don’t just reclaim time — you reclaim energy. You have space to think, to plan, to call your best clients, or sketch out that idea you’ve been sitting on. For some business owners, it even means taking Fridays off — not because they’re working harder, but because they’re finally working smarter.
AI isn’t just about saving time. It helps you make better decisions. Instead of flying blind, you can use AI to make sense of your data. Ask it to summarize trends in customer reviews. Feed it your sales notes and see what patterns emerge. Let it draft a progress report from your CRM notes. You’re not replacing your judgment. You’re strengthening it.
The key is taking one step. Don’t wait until you “have more time.” That moment never comes. Pick one part of your business that’s driving you crazy and ask: Could AI help me write this faster, explain it better, or plan it more clearly? Don’t try to build the iPhone 16 version of your business this month. Just replace one flip phone. That’s how you gain traction — and stop spinning your wheels.AI won’t solve everything. But it’s already helping business owners reclaim hours each week — starting with nothing more than the emails that used to keep them up at night.
If you have an idea for a Community Voices column, email Meghan Goth at mgoth@linknky.com.
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