How Tech & AI Are Changing Small Business

In this insightful clip from EYL, we dive into the real-life challenges and breakthroughs of entrepreneurs adapting to rapid technological change. Rashad Bilal leads the discussion, asking entrepreneurs Angel, Mariyah, and Kika Wise how technology, AI, and innovation have reshaped their businesses, team dynamics, and day-to-day operations.

Angel and Mariyah open up about their journey embracing new tech—even when it feels out of their comfort zone. From using AI chatbots to recommend personalized tea blends for online customers, to leveraging automation for handling emails and streamlining their point-of-sale systems, they discuss practical ways technology saves time, reduces workloads, and boosts sales. Need help checking in at the airport or switching up business roles in a pinch? Their story is equal parts relatable and inspiring for any small business owner learning new tech on the fly.

Kika Wise shares her own playbook, revealing how she went all-in with AI tools like ChatGPT to reverse-engineer her business strategy, build scalable franchises, and hit ambitious revenue goals—faster than ever before. She offers candid advice: don't fear the robot revolution, embrace it before it's too late!

Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur, just starting your business, or simply tech-curious, this CLIP is packed with honest talk, humor, and tactical tips. Discover how authentic connection with customers, experimenting with AI, and data-driven storytelling are all part of the modern entrepreneur's toolkit.

*Key Highlights:*

• How brick and mortar businesses bridge the online gap using AI (robot tea concierge, anyone?)
• Automation and AI for small teams: real talk about saving time, cutting costs, and avoiding burnout
• Data collection tips for telling your business story to funders and the community
• Embracing constant tech updates (Square register jokes included!)
• Personal anecdotes about learning new systems and thriving outside your comfort zone
• Using AI to supercharge business strategy and creative thinking

Tune in for laughs, lessons, and smart strategies to help any entrepreneur navigate the digital age—without losing that personal touch.

*Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring entrepreneur journeys and practical playbooks!*

#EYL #EntrepreneurPlaybook #AIforBusiness #SmallBusinessTech #WomenInBusiness #Innovation #TechTalk #BusinessGrowth #AIAutomation #SquarePOS #DigitalTransformation

Our Sponsors:
* Check out PNC Bank: https://www.pnc.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This episode is brought to you by P and C Bank.
A lot of people think podcasts about work are boring,
and sure they definitely can be, but understanding of professionals
routine shows us how they achieve their success little by little,
day after day. It's like banking with P and C Bank.
It might seem boring to safe plan and make calculated

(00:21):
decisions with your bank, but keeping your money boring is
what helps you live or more happily fulfilled life. P
and C Bank Brilliantly Boring since eighteen sixty five. Brilliantly
Boring since eighteen sixty five is a service mark of
the PNC Financial Service Group, Inc. P and C Bank
National Association Member FDIC.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
From a standpoint of technology, right, I'm interested in to
know like how you guys are adapting to technology and
how it's changing you know, your business models.

Speaker 3 (00:54):
That's you, Roy, that's me okay.

Speaker 4 (00:57):
So I consider myself the oldest one, yes, and as
you know, older people don't like that stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
She calls me for every thing. She had to help me,
how did I get into the airport to go your ticket?
But we have really we do lean into technology and
AI and all of that. So one thing that we
recently did was we talked about earlier y'all asked us like,
how do we bring our brick and mortar our company

(01:29):
to like our online so people when they walk in
the T shop, we can say, what do you want
your tea to do for you? What's the vibe, what's
the flavor? All of these things? Where do you want
to meet you? And we can talk about that. So
now we have on our site just as simple as
a little robot that says, okay, click these little buttons
and it'll tell you the first five blends that you
need to go purchase, and that has helped us. One

(01:49):
has increased the cells so much we can go back
and be like wow, like they actually bought this extra tea,
and then offer another discount and leaning into it to
allow technology to be a part of it and take
things off our plate, because if we think about it,
we've talked about staffing, we talked about operation and a
y'all offers where you can take some of this off

(02:11):
your plate so we don't have to build every landing page,
we don't have to write every little description or do
all the little minute things and online orders, click the
buttons and use it. We don't need to email every
person back. You have a little assistant right there that
comes with your Gmail now if you're using Gmail suite,
and they'll do it for you, like leaning into it,

(02:32):
learning it and taking like just taking time to let
allow those things and that takes up having to hire
an extra person for it. That has really helped us.
And then I just have to train her to know
how those systems so that they're affective for us. So
that's one way that we have used it.

Speaker 4 (02:50):
But yeah, and our whole team has they're all young,
and we have Square and they teach me how to
use the square. My team teaches the owner how to
use the square and so the square.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
That sounds like Auntie.

Speaker 4 (03:09):
But then when I learned it, when I learned it,
then they change something. Yeah, so weird. They moved the
button this one right here, So I'm kidding.

Speaker 1 (03:20):
That's an update.

Speaker 3 (03:23):
So seriously, all the line would be out their door
on Friday. It was me and her working. It's us too,
because we let our team have summer breaks. We told
them like y'all get y'all mental health. You want to
take two weeks here, you want to take two weeks
we'll be at the shot. So I made it. It
was an update and she's like, I'm going to be
on a register today. Okay, then Auntie, you you be
on a register. I'm be in the back of the house.
I'm making drinks. You're taking care of the people up front.

(03:43):
She's like, well, can you come help me with the register?
And I'm like, oh face, I got you with the updates,
but knowing how, but it makes it fun and it
really does grow the company because when customers walk in.
One thing that surprised us was like they walked in,
they saw both of us and it was like, oh
my god, I'm star struck. And we're like, no, we're
we out here hustling like we got it in us.

(04:04):
You're gonna see us doing every position at this shop.
Somebody want to call out, we are there to show up.
So whether or not we use technology, some things we
can't replace technology for. We can't replace our personalities. You're
gonna get that, but we can't replace it. But you're
gonna get us when you come to the shop. You're
gonna get us on online and all of that.

Speaker 5 (04:24):
We're low tech over here. Well, I mean we have
you know, like kind of the same like square point
of sale system set up. We use the mobile ones
for our you know, the pop up shops. At this
point in business, in terms of technology, we're just trying
to figure out how to enhance our data collection because
we do so much service to community and we now
have so many like funders and things with grants, and

(04:45):
we want to be able to tell the complete story
of our business. So it's really more like that kind
of in like research and development right now, trying to
figure out what tech, what things can we use to
be able to collect as much data as we can
to be able to tell a better story of who
we are.

Speaker 6 (04:58):
I was gonna say, I've become an AI bought. Some
of my team members call me Kika bot. I love AI.
I remember when chat GPT first came out, you guys
know TJ, Me and TJ were on Zoom every single day,
like playing with prompts like when it first came out.

(05:19):
And so now she's like, hey, look what I did.
I'm like, how the did you do this? So for me,
it's it's helped. It's like the kryptonite that I needed.
I think as human, this sounds so bad. I'm sorry.
Shout out to AI, shout out to Square. But it's
actually made me like a super woman because the things

(05:41):
I lacked now I can get from AI to attached
to what I so like as a creator, I'm creative.
I can create a business from scratch. Strategy, I can
create from scratch. But how do I make sure this
strategy is going to lead to millions? Oh that's a prompt.
Make sure it leads to millions? And actually that's what
I did. I built black Box franchising using chat GBT

(06:04):
prompts and I reverse engineered. So this is how much
I want to make the first year? Now, how do
I do this? Give me all the steps? I follow
the steps. We got there after four months and I'm
not making this up. So it's like it's it's really
helped me a lot.

Speaker 1 (06:23):
I don't want to sell.

Speaker 6 (06:24):
I feel like I'm on a commercial.

Speaker 1 (06:26):
It's my best friend. Is this really her? Me?

Speaker 6 (06:33):
Guys, I saw your shout out to your last episode.
I'm like, oh, that's not her, this is not me.
But no, I encourage everyone to embrace it because if
you still don't know what we're talking about, it's already
like kind.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
Of too late.

Speaker 1 (06:47):
Ernest what's up.

Speaker 2 (06:48):
Look?

Speaker 1 (06:48):
This episode is brought to you by Square Banking. One
of the things we love most is seeing neighborhood businesses
level up. This this West Indian spot right in our
community that started with a small takeout counter. Now with
Square they've been able to expand into a full sit
down restaurant and even started catering events across the city.
That's the kind of growth that inspires us, and it's

(07:10):
powered by Square. Square is built for all types of businesses,
from the corner bagel shop that turned into a local chain,
to the specialty market with thousands of unique items, to
the stylist who's been holding you down for years. With
Square Banking, growth gets easier. You've got more control over
your cash flow, access to capital right in the same

(07:31):
system you're already using to run your business, and with
a free Square Savings account, you can automatically set aside
a portion of your sales for upgrades, taxes, and those
slow seasons, setting yourself up for long term success and
when it's time for the next big move. Square makes
it simple to get approved with a Square loan based

(07:51):
on your actual business performance. No long ways, just quick
access to capital. In fact, eighty eight percent of businesses
with Square loans growth. So go to Square dot com,
slash go, slash e y l to learn more about
how your business can grow with Square. That's s q
U a r e dot com slash g O, slash

(08:15):
e y l. Block Inc. Is not a bank. Banking
services provided by Square Financial Services, Inc. And certain bank members.
F d I C loans are subject to credit approval