I’ve spoken often about how non-tech, traditional entrepreneurs, the shop owners, chefs, makers, and creatives, are the heartbeat of our daily lives. They create the experiences, flavors, and culture that keep our communities alive and connected.
But even as a traditional founder, you can’t afford to ignore the tech wave. To grow and stay competitive, you have to stay up to date on technology advances, especially AI, to scale your business smartly.
So if you’re a retail founder, restaurateur, CPG brand, or creative entrepreneur, and you’ve been hearing about AI like it’s the next gold rush; AND your business thrives on people, place, and product, you might be wondering…
“What does AI really have to do with me?”
The truth? Everything.
While you build spaces that foster real human connection, your customers live in a world driven by digital convenience and data.
- Nikoa Evans
And the entrepreneurs who learn to straddle both realities…the human and the high-tech…are the ones who will scale, stay relevant, and win the long game.
The Reality Check: The New Hybrid Era
Retail, restaurants, and creative businesses have always been about experience:
the scent when you walk into the store; the conversation with your barista; the vibe of your pop-up; the way your packaging feels.
But now, the experience extends beyond your walls.
Your customers are discovering you online before they ever meet you in person.
They’re expecting personalization, speed, and social proof and AI gives you the power to deliver all three.
So, the challenge becomes:
How do you stay rooted in authenticity while also leveraging technology to grow smarter, faster, and leaner?
The Gritty Guide: 7 Ways Non-Tech Entrepreneurs Can Use AI to Scale
Here’s how you can make AI your silent business partner, not your replacement:
1. AUTOMATE THE BACK OFFICE
Use AI to handle repetitive admin tasks:
Draft and schedule social posts
Create invoices, contracts, and emails
Manage inventory or reservations with predictive tools
Use chatbots to handle common customer inquiries
TOOLS TO TRY: Notion AI, ChatGPT, Zapier, QuickBooks AI, Shopify Magic
2. POWER YOUR MARKETING WITH AI
You don’t need a full-time marketing team to show up like a major brand.
Generate marketing copy, captions, or ad headlines in seconds
Use AI to analyze engagement and find the best-performing content types
Create branded visuals, videos, or product mockups for campaigns
TOOLS TO TRY: Canva Magic Studio, ChatGPT, Jasper, Runway ML, OpusClip
3. KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER (For Real!)
AI can help you build detailed audience profiles by pulling patterns from your social data, email engagement, or purchase behavior.
Understand who’s buying, when, and why
Identify emerging trends or underserved customer segments
TOOLS TO TRY: SparkToro, Perplexity.ai, Google Analytics AI insights
4. FIND GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES IN THE GAPS
The best entrepreneurs look for the white space…the unmet need.
Use AI-powered research to:
Identify trending ingredients, colors, or product categories
Find areas where competitors are underperforming
Explore new markets or partnerships
TOOLS TO TRY: ChatGPT (for analysis prompts), Glimpse, Exploding Topics
5. REFINE YOUR BRAND VOICE
AI can help you maintain consistency across every channel so whether it’s your email, website, or packaging, your brand sounds like you.
Try this: Train ChatGPT with your brand tone and messaging framework to create copy that fits your brand DNA.
6. ENHANCE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
AI can help personalize your customer journey:
Recommend products based on past behavior
Send targeted loyalty rewards
Anticipate needs before your customer says a word
TOOLS TO TRY: Klaviyo, Shopify Sidekick, ManyChat
7. USE AI TO TRAIN YOUR TEAM
Think of AI as your built-in training department:
Build internal guides, SOPs, and onboarding scripts
Turn your expertise into plug-and-play training modules
TOOLS TO TRY: ChatGPT (custom GPTs), Loom AI Summaries, Notion Templates
QUESTION: Every entrepreneur has one thing that eats up time. If AI could take it off your plate, where would you start?
The Nitty Gritty Truth:
If you’re in retail, hospitality, or product-based business, your superpower is CONNECTION. AI’s superpower is EFFICIENCY.
The real win is learning to BLEND BOTH. Because in 2025 and beyond, success belongs to the entrepreneurs who can deliver high-tech systems wrapped in high-touch experiences.
Or as I like to say: Keep it human. But make it scalable.
Bonus: My Favorite AI Prompts for Entrepreneurs
Want a jump start? Here are three AI prompts to try today:
“Analyze my target audience based on this product description and suggest 3 potential new customer segments.”
“Create a 7-day social media plan for a small retail brand that wants to increase foot traffic.”
“Write a product description that sounds like [Your Brand Voice].”
Keep your hustle human, your systems smart, and your strategy gritty.
Let’s get gritty and grow together.
Nikoa
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