How Smart Business Owners Prepare for AI (And Avoid Getting Burned)

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AI is coming to your business whether you're ready or not. Your competitors are using it. Your customers expect it. Your employees are probably testing it already.

If you think implementing AI means you buy some software, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. You must prepare in a big way before even considering AI models or tools. Most business owners I speak with actually have to go through major investment, because of the years of technical debt they have accumulated.

Watch Your Employees Work (Really Watch Them)

For one week, follow your employees around during normal work. Not meetings. Real work.

You'll find things that shock you. Sarah copies data between spreadsheets 20 times a day. Mike has a secret CRM workaround that saves two hours. Your customer service team has unwritten rules not in any manual.

AI excels at repetitive tasks. But it can only automate what you know exists. If you don't see the copy-paste hell your team lives in, you can't fix it.

Look for tasks done the same way every time, information looked up repeatedly, forms filled by hand, and similar emails sent over and over. These are AI goldmines you'll never find sitting in your office.

Plan Jobs Without Busy Work

Pick any job in your company. Imagine 30% to 50% of repetitive work disappears. What would that person do with extra time?

Write it down. Create "future job descriptions" for each role.

This is your opportunity to grow people. When AI handles boring work, employees can focus on moving your business forward.

Your accountant might analyze trends instead of entering data. Your salesperson might build relationships instead of updating records. Your customer service rep might solve complex problems instead of answering routine questions.

Plan now. What skills will your team need? What new responsibilities make sense?

Practice for AI Disasters

AI will fail.

Run "AI fire drills" with your team. Pick scary scenarios and practice responses:

What if ChatGPT gives customers wrong information about your company? What if your AI contract generator makes a legal mistake? What if automated customer service gives bad advice?

Create rules and backup plans. Decide who checks AI work before it goes out. Plan how to catch mistakes early and fix problems fast.

Avoid These AI Traps

Don't Get Locked In The first AI tool might seem perfect. Don't bet your business on it. Ask: Can you get your data out? Will you own your processes if you switch? What happens if the company shuts down?

Don't Become Average If your advantage is being fast, cheap, or efficient, AI will erase that overnight. Competitors will have the same tools and look just like you. Use AI to do different things, not just old work faster.

Don't Ignore Team Fears Employees worry AI will take their jobs, even if they don't say it. If people think AI will replace them, they'll resist it. Address fears directly. Show how AI makes work better, not how it replaces people.

The Bottom Line

Don’t be like Bill. You need a plan and you need to prepare.

Getting ready for AI requires a deep understanding of your business and people.

Watch how work really gets done.

Plan for jobs that create more value.

Practice handling problems before they happen.

Avoid traps that catch everyone else.

The businesses that thrive with AI won't have the best technology. They'll be the ones that prepared for change before it arrived.

Start today. Your future depends on it.

—Jared 

Text Me: 314.806.3912

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