S2 Ep 62 The Right Way to Start with AI

You don’t need to overhaul your business to use AI—you just need to start smart. In this episode, John, Jim, and Kelly break down the right way to begin: how to pick low-risk, high-reward use cases, avoid automating chaos, and make AI part of your weekly rhythm.

They share real examples of where AI actually works—from content creation and client communication to meeting recaps and sales follow-ups—and how to build guardrails that keep your brand authentic and your systems clean.

 

Key Themes & Insights:

• Start Small, But Start Now: AI doesn't need to be a giant initiative. Begin with repeatable, low-risk tasks you’re already doing every week.
• Don’t Automate Chaos: AI can amplify whatever system it's connected to—good or bad. Start with clean, clear processes or workflows first.
• Content Is Still the Easiest Entry Point: Building a GPT to help with recurring content needs (like newsletters, summaries, or blog outlines) can save hours and is easy to test.
• Use AI to Improve Thinking, Not Replace It: AI doesn’t remove your responsibility—it removes your friction. Smart prompting still requires human strategy.
• Every Business Needs an AI Policy: From internal team usage to customer-facing outputs, having guidelines on how AI should be used (and where it shouldn’t) is no longer optional.

💬 Memorable Quotes:

“Don’t automate something that’s messy. You’ll just end up with faster bad decisions.” — Kelly

“The biggest mistake is thinking AI replaces you. It doesn’t—it amplifies you.” — John

“Most people are starting with the wrong tools. Start with the ones you already use daily.” — Jim

“The real magic isn’t in the tool—it’s in the workflow behind it.” — Kelly

📌 Strategy Breakdowns:

• AI Starter Use Cases That Work → Internal documentation, meeting recaps, lead nurturing emails, client FAQs, and draft content outlines are all low-risk, high-reward ways to integrate AI immediately.
• How to Know You're Ready to Build a GPT → If you’ve repeated the same task or answer three times, you probably have a use case ready to automate.
• AI Workflow Rules to Steal → Don’t start with a blank prompt. Feed it context. Build reusable prompts. Make it part of your weekly rhythm, not a one-off hack.
• Creating Guardrails → Set clear boundaries for your team (e.g., “AI can write drafts, but humans always edit” or “No client content is published without review”). Avoid reputation risk.

👥 Guest & Team Mentions:

• John Maniatis – Host, systems thinker, and GPT-building strategist
• Jim Falotico – AI realist and operations optimizer
• Kelly Biggs – Positioning expert and queen of “don’t automate garbage” energy