Five ways I use AI as a non-technical founder (with supporting prompts)

1. Brainstorm buddy

I used to plan workshops by gut feel and what worked last time, but now I do this:

“Here are my meeting notes with [client name]. Can you suggest some workshop ideas that would solve [client’s main problem]? Consider [any important details or constraints], and include:

• A short title for each idea

• What it would cover

• What the client would get out of it

Include more than I need. I’ll cut.”

This gets me ideas, concepts, frameworks I probably wouldn’t have thought of myself.  Clients get world-class, targeted sessions, and I learn better ways of doing things. 

Take-away: Treat ChatGPT like a business coach. The more context you give it, the more useful its thinking becomes. You’ll end up learning so much, and immediately have an edge on your competitors that aren't using it.

2. Process systemiser

Processes used to live in my head. Sometimes in a Google Doc. But mostly: me explaining the same thing again and again.

Now I ask ChatGPT:

“Help me write a clear, step-by-step guide for how I run [process]. Keep each step short and clear, like instructions someone else could follow. Use the info I’ve attached as a starting point, but improve it where you can.”

Now I’ve got clean, hand-overable processes. 

Take-away: If you’ve ever explained the same process more than once, it’s worth writing down.

As Dan Martelli says in Buy Back Your Time: “Systems buy back your time by running your business without you.”

3. Proposal accelerator

Starting proposals used to be painful. Now:

“Here’s a previous proposal. Update it for [client]. Use my notes. Keep it short. Keep it sharp. Professional tone.”

First draft is created in minutes (crazy!) which means instead of staring at a blank page, I spend my time polishing. 

Take-away: Don’t start from scratch. Supply an example document alongside your notes to cut down time creating proposals, briefs, RFPs, and other documents. 

4. Content editor

I consider myself a pretty good writer. Now I’m even better. 

“Here’s a LinkedIn draft. Improve for clarity. Keep the voice casual. Cut fluff, clichés, and passive voice. Provide the edited post + a list of changes.”

It improves clarity, maintains my voice, and removes fluff. (This post was no different).

Take-away: Ask for an “edit log” so you learn why ChatGPT’s edits make it better. That way your writing naturally sharpens over time.

5. Post-meeting scribe

I used to take all of my notes during meetings, but now I take most of them afterwards. 

“Transcribe the following meeting notes…[brain dump of meeting using voice-to-text function]”

My rambles become clearly formatted minutes I can load into my CRM.

Take-away: Dictation + ChatGPT = instant, accurate meeting minutes. 

Pro tip: Include everything. Coffee orders, kids names and schools, upcoming travel plans…capture ALL OF IT. There’s no downside. 

It also pays to do it ASAP. Memory fades fast. I will often dictate my notes to ChatGPT on my phone as I’m walking out of the building.

What can we learn from this?: You don’t need to be a coder to use AI, and if you’re a non-technical type like me and you haven’t used it much, I challenge you to open up ChatGPT and just try the following:

“The biggest pain point in my business at the moment is [pain point with specifics]. How can you help me with this?”

Just start. 

Because the truth is: even if you’re not using AI, your competitors are.

And they’re getting faster.

So you can’t afford not to use it. 

Five ways to use AI as a non-technical founder .pdf

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