This episode is for entrepreneurs, small businesses, solopreneurs, creators, and consultants who feel overwhelmed by AI and don't know where to start.
You'll learn how a completely non-technical founder used Generative AI to transform two businesses, pivot her career, and build AI-driven systems without writing a single line of code.
In this episode of Open Tech Talks, host Kashif Manzoor speaks with UK-based entrepreneur Marnie Wills, whose journey with Generative AI began unexpectedly while franchising her children's PE business. A copywriting challenge introduced her to Jasper AI, and that single moment reshaped everything.
Within two years, she used AI tools to fix messaging issues, transform her franchise model, exit her online fitness business, and finally launch her consulting practice.
Marnie breaks down how she built her AI-first operating system using ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Abacus AI, and NotebookLM. She explains why customizing your AI, training it on domain knowledge, and owning your data matters for the coming wave of agentic AI.
She shares a powerful real example: building a full CRM + GPT workflow for a keynote speaker in 90 minutes using no-code tools. The system identifies events, drafts applications, and enables a VA to manage the entire pipeline, an example of how AI amplifies human roles rather than replacing them.
The conversation also explores ethics, the myth of privacy, overwhelm in SMEs, and the misconception that AI = automation. Her philosophy is simple:
AI should amplify humans first. Automation comes last.
By the end, you'll understand why courses are no longer the main path, how "10,000 hours" has become "10,000 prompts," and why your next breakthrough may come simply from talking to an AI daily.
Episode # 174
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Marni Wills and Her Journey
02:49 The Impact of Generative AI on Business
06:03 Practical AI Implementation Strategies
08:51 Creating Custom AI Models and Data Ownership
11:56 Vibe Coding: No-Code Solutions for Entrepreneurs
14:38 Learning and Adapting in the AI Landscape
17:30 Ethics and Intellectual Property in AI
20:36 Common Challenges for Small Businesses
23:34 Future Skills in an AI-Driven World
Today's Guest:
Marnie Wills, Founder, Business with AI Strategist, AI Consultant & Trainer
She is a multi-passionate entrepreneur and international athlete, dedicated to revolutionizing the integration of AI into everyday life and business.
- LinkedIn: MarnieWills
What Listeners Will Learn:
- How a non-tech founder transformed two businesses using Jasper AI, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and agentic tools
- Why the AI-first mindset matters more than tools, coding, or technical background
- How to build your personal AI operating system using 5–6 core tools daily
- Why custom instructions, private models, and a "second brain" dramatically improve AI output
- Real examples of vibe coding and building no-code platforms with Lovable, Replit, and GoMocka
- How to reimagine your workday using AI as your Chief Operating Officer
- Why most people are "lazy AI users" and exactly how to avoid that trap
- Why automations should come last and why amplifying humans comes first
- The biggest challenge SMBs face (overwhelm) and the simplest way to begin
- The future of AI agents and agent-friendly websites
Resources:
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