Jodie Cook

AI tools are transforming business, enabling operations for less than a junior salary, with early adopters gaining a significant edge. A founder survey identified indispensable AI, with Claude leading as an "AI chief of staff" for business intelligence and admin, stressing context-first use. ChatGPT functions as a "thinking partner," aiding in asking better questions and decision-making, not just content creation. No-code platforms like Lovable enable rapid software development, collapsing the concept-to-product gap. Dictation tools like Wispr Flow and meeting recorders like Granola streamline communication and notes. NotebookLM acts as a research partner, analyzing personal data for insights. Coachvox creates AI versions of experts, scaling their knowledge. A key risk is tool dependency; founders mitigate this by storing core knowledge in independent systems like Obsidian, allowing flexible AI integration.

Founders were asked to pick one AI tool each, and three names took most of the votes. Here are the nine tools they say they could not run a business without.

Prospects who need convincing cost you hours you will never get back. These 5 ChatGPT prompts get the decision made before anyone ever speaks to you directly.

A prospect finds your podcast interview, listens on their commute, and emails you that afternoon ready to work with you.

AI agents can now do the work of a junior marketing executive. Experienced team members manage the agents the way they once managed trainees.

Nine of the largest technology companies have committed to around $3 trillion of AI spending that does not appear on their balance sheets, five times the capital expenditure they reported over the past year.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Why Small Businesses Are Turning To AI For Social Media How AI Can Improve Your Social Media Marketing

AI search engines quote LinkedIn posts to millions of people every day, and the posts they choose are ordinary ones.

You have a list of things your business needs and no way to get them made. An interactive lead magnet. A better landing page to send people from Instagram.

The best LinkedIn post you will write this year is the one you are slightly afraid to publish. The safe version gets read for three seconds and forgotten.