How to Use AI to Start & Grow Your Small Business

If you're wondering how to use AI to start a business, you're not alone. Launching a business can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re wearing multiple hats — marketer, accountant, customer service rep, and more. 

You may think adding AI to the mix is complicated, but here's the good news: Small business owners don’t need a tech degree or huge investments to use AI. Even in its simplest forms, it helps streamline your operations and turn your business ideas into reality.

From building your website to automating daily tasks, AI tools are making it easier than ever to launch and grow your business. 

In this guide, we'll show you how to use AI to start a business, scale it effectively, and maintain your personal touch along the way.

Why Use AI to Help Start Your Business 

Using AI to start a business removes many of the common obstacles entrepreneurs face — limited time, lack of resources, and the need for specialized skills — giving them access to powerful tools previously reserved for larger businesses with a substantial workforce and deeper pockets.

According to a 2023 report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 91% of entrepreneurs using AI are optimistic that it will help future growth of their business. Of those, 89% agree AI has helped them enjoy running their business more and 86% agree AI has helped increase business efficiency.

To understand how AI can help small businesses in general, let’s look at key areas where AI-driven solutions make an impact:

Time Management Made Simple

AI-powered scheduling tools are changing the way small businesses manage their time. Imagine having a personal assistant who never sleeps, always keeping your schedule in check. 

Here’s how AI can help streamline your time management:

• No More Double-Booking: Sync all your calendars (like Outlook or Google Calendar) into one clear view. You’ll never have to worry about overlapping appointments again — everything is neatly organized and easy to read.
• Instant Meeting Scheduling: Forget the back-and-forth over email. AI analyzes the availability of everyone involved and instantly finds the perfect time for your meetings, no matter the time zone.
• Optimize Your Day: Get suggestions based on your work patterns, helping you prioritize important tasks and minimize distractions. Think of it as your personal productivity coach.
• Maximize Team Productivity: AI automatically adjusts team schedules, helping everyone stay on track and avoid conflicts, all while making sure deadlines are met.
• 24/7 Customer Booking: With AI, customers can book appointments at their convenience, reducing the time you spend on manual scheduling and boosting customer satisfaction.

Reducing Costs with AI

The cost-saving potential of AI for small businesses is huge. 

In the past, starting a business often meant making significant upfront investments in software, staff, and marketing. But with AI tools, many of these expenses are dramatically reduced while still delivering professional-level results. 

For example, Durable's AI Website Builder eliminates the need to hire a web developer, a costly expense that many small businesses can’t afford.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “time is money.” For small business owners, this couldn’t be more true. Time is one of your most valuable — and limited — resources. By automating repetitive admin tasks with AI, you free up more time to focus on the areas of your business that truly need your personal touch. 

Tasks like invoicing, payroll, customer relationship management, and even scheduling social media posts can all be efficiently handled by AI, allowing you to work smarter, not harder.

AI-powered Business Analytics

AI doesn’t just automate tasks — it helps you make smarter, data-driven decisions. Imagine having the ability to predict exactly when your customers are most likely to book appointments, or which services are generating the most profit in your area. With AI, these insights are no longer a guessing game.

AI-driven decision-making also helps you stay ahead by forecasting demand fluctuations, so you can adjust stock levels and optimize your resources accordingly. By analyzing real-time data and spotting patterns in your business, AI provides valuable insights that help you act quickly and make informed decisions.

For small businesses, having access to these comprehensive data insights without the need for costly resources is invaluable. 

With the help of AI, you can stay agile, reduce risks, and maintain a competitive edge — because even the smallest improvements can make a big impact.

Top 10 AI Tools to Start, Grow, and Manage Your Business 

Choosing the right AI tools can make a world of difference when you're starting a business. 

Start by focusing on solutions that solve your immediate challenges — whether it's managing your schedule, streamlining your marketing efforts, or automating daily tasks. 

Below are some of the best AI tools that successful small businesses are already using to make their operations smoother and more efficient.

• Website Building: Durable AI Website Builder. Create a professional, custom website in 30 seconds without coding skills.
• Appointment Management: Calendly. Automate scheduling and sync across multiple calendars to eliminate double-booking and save time.
• Business Admin and Task Management: Asana and Notion. Organize projects, business documents, assign tasks, and keep internal documents safe with AI-powered dashboards.
• Financial Tools: QuickBooks. Automate bookkeeping, track expenses, and gain insights into your business finances to stay ahead.
• Customer Service: Zendesk. Provide 24/7 support with AI chatbots, answering common questions and enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Content Creation: Durable's AI Blog Builder. Automatically generate SEO-optimized blog posts, helping you maintain a consistent online presence without a dedicated writer.
• Marketing Tools: Buffer, Mailchimp, and Durable AI Google Ads Writer. Streamline your marketing efforts by automating social media scheduling, paid ads creation, email campaigns, and lead generation.

These tools can transform your business operations, but finding the right one for your needs is key. 

Let’s explore how Durable’s tools, and others like it, can help you launch, grow, and manage your business more efficiently.

Durable: Best AI Tool to Build Your Business Website

Does your small business really need a website? The short answer is a resounding ‘yes!’. But why? 

You may be thinking a website is more trouble than it’s worth — you don’t know how to code, you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a developer, and surely a presence on social media will be enough? 

Let’s delve a little into each of those concerns:

AI Website Builders Are Revolutionizing Web Design: 

Gone are the days when creating a website meant learning to code or hiring a costly web developer. 

With AI website builders like Durable, you can create a professional website in just 30 seconds — without any coding skills required.

“You might say we're biased, but it's hard not to be when we've seen firsthand how transformative AI website builders, like Durable, can be for small business owners,” shares Jess Worb, Marketing Manager at Durable. 

“For so many entrepreneurs, the idea of building a website feels daunting and requires special skills. But with Durable’s AI website builder, you can truly sit back and let the web development magic unfold,” she adds.

Feeling ready to give it a try for yourself? Let Durable create a website for you in 30 seconds — for free! 

You Can't Rely on Social Media Alone to Grow Your Business: 

While social media is essential for connecting with your audience, a website offers benefits that social platforms can’t provide. 

Here are just a few reasons why your business needs a website:

• Credibility: When consumers want to learn more about a business, the first thing they do is search for its website. A professional website immediately establishes your business as credible and trustworthy.
• Discoverability: According to Statista, 21% of consumers used the internet to find a local business on a daily basis. By having a website, you increase your online visibility, putting your business front and center in the minds of potential customers.
• Trust and Authority: A website allows you to showcase your expertise with valuable content like blogs, which can establish your authority and build trust with potential leads. Customer testimonials and case studies displayed on your site can further enhance your credibility.

How to Use Durable to Build Your Website:

Durable’s AI Website Builder is designed for entrepreneurs like you who want a fast, affordable, and easy way to get online. 

With AI-driven technology, you can have a fully optimized, mobile-responsive website up and running in no time — without the high cost or steep learning curve. 

Whether you're just starting out or looking to update your current site, Durable’s website building tool helps you focus on growing your business while we handle the tech.

Let's break down how Durable works:

1. Start with your business details: Simply enter your business name (if you have one, or we can help generate some business names for you), industry, location, and a few other essential details, and just like that, your website is ready to go.
2. Watch the website come to life: Durable’s AI Website Builder automatically generates everything for you — from the content and design to the contact forms, all tailored to your business.
3. Personalize your site: Use the intuitive design editor to refine your site. You can adjust the hero section, add customer testimonials, or change colors and text to match your brand.
4. Go live with ease: Once you’ve reviewed your site, you can choose a domain name (or migrate one you already have) and hit the publish button, and your website is instantly live and ready to attract customers.

Meet the Small Business Owner: 

After years in corporate finance, Pro Chowdhury left behind a stable career in New York City to pursue his passion for crafting unique beverages as a mixologist.  

His dream of turning his mobile bartending service into a thriving business came with many of the same challenges faced by other entrepreneurs just starting out. One of those related to building a website for his business that would drive lead generation and grow his customer base.

“I didn’t have any expertise, experience, time, or the budget to hire somebody to build me a website from scratch,” shares Pro. “Durable built my entire site for me, which made it so easy to go in and tweak everything. I didn’t have to stress or spend too much time on it.”

And it’s not just about having a sleek, professional website to show off his services. The bookings soon came flooding in.

"I’ve seen a 50% increase in client leads since creating my website with Durable,” he shares.

Read more of Pro’s story here → 

Feeling inspired? Use Durable's AI Website Builder to create a professional website that will help you stand out to potential customers and clients. It’s quick, easy, and ensures you’re ready to take on new bookings confidently.

Calendly: Best AI Appointment Management Tool

Running a small business means balancing multiple tasks each day, and managing appointments can quickly become a time-consuming challenge. But with AI-powered tools like Calendly, you can automate the process and free up valuable time. 

Small business owners often spend hours managing appointments, confirming meeting times, and following up with clients. This process can lead to errors, missed opportunities, and wasted time.

But with a tool like Calendly, it simplifies the scheduling process by integrating smart scheduling features that sync seamlessly with your website and calendar. 

No more back-and-forth emails or manually trying to coordinate times with clients. With Calendly’s AI-driven scheduling, appointments are set automatically based on real-time availability, ensuring accuracy and saving time.

Asana and Notion: Best AI Tools for Business Admin and Task Management

Small business owners often find themselves overwhelmed with tracking tasks, managing team workflows, and ensuring deadlines are met. This can lead to confusion, missed deadlines, and inefficiency. 

But with tools like Asana and Notion, you can automate, organize, and track tasks effortlessly, improving efficiency across all areas of your business.

Asana simplifies task management by allowing you to organize projects, assign tasks, and track progress. Its AI-powered suggestions help you stay on top of deadlines, prioritize important tasks, and collaborate seamlessly with your team. No more disorganization or missed follow-ups.

Notion, on the other hand, is an all-in-one workspace that combines notes, tasks, and databases in one place. It helps you centralize your business operations, whether it's creating documents, managing proposals, or setting up internal processes. With AI-driven features like smart suggestions and templates, Notion makes staying organized and focused a breeze.

By using Asana and Notion, you can:

• Streamline Task Management: Automatically assign, track, and update tasks, so nothing slips through the cracks.
• Improve Team Collaboration: Keep everyone on the same page with shared boards, calendars, and easy-to-navigate workspaces.
• Boost Productivity: With AI-driven features, you can prioritize tasks and manage deadlines efficiently, freeing up time for growth-focused activities.
• Centralize Your Business Operations: Notion’s all-in-one platform helps you organize everything in one place, from client management to internal documentation.

Both Asana and Notion simplify business admin and task management, allowing small business owners to focus on what truly matters — growing and scaling their business.

QuickBooks: Best AI Tool for Financial Management and Forecasting

Financial planning can be a challenge for many small business owners, but AI-powered tools like QuickBooks make managing your finances effortless and efficient.

QuickBooks simplifies financial management by providing AI-driven insights into your business finances, so you can make smarter decisions and focus on growing your business.

With an AI finance tool by your side, you can:

• Automate Bookkeeping: Track expenses and income automatically, reducing manual work.
• Predict Cash Flow: Use historical data to forecast future cash flow, helping you plan ahead.
• Flag Unusual Patterns: Get alerts on irregular spending, improving financial oversight.
• Streamline Payroll: Automate payroll processes, saving time and ensuring accuracy.

There are many financial tools out there for small businesses, so it’s important to choose one that suits your business size and personal needs. 

ZenDesk: Best AI Tools for Customer Service Automation

Small business owners often face the challenge of missing customer inquiries outside business hours. And that challenge can lead to frustrated and unhappy customers.

A recent peer-reviewed study found that AI-powered customer service greatly improves customer satisfaction and efficiency. Based on their findings, the authors recommend that businesses embrace AI to make customer support faster and more effective, leading to happier customers.

And the even better news? With AI-powered tools like ZenDesk, you can provide 24/7 customer support without the need for additional staff.

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ZenDesk uses AI chatbots to automatically handle common customer questions, making sure your customers always receive assistance, even when you're not available. It can help you:

• Automate Customer Service: AI chatbots and an intelligent FAQ system handle routine inquiries, providing quick and consistent responses.
• Offer 24/7 Support: Ensure your customers get help anytime, without needing additional staff.
• Increase Efficiency: Streamline support processes, saving time and improving customer satisfaction.

With an AI customer service tools, your business becomes more efficient and scalable, but these tools do come at price. So, before you launch your 24/7 support service, make sure it fits into your overall business budget. 

Durable AI Blog Builder: Best AI Tool for Content Creation

Blogs are an important tool for marketing your business. Regularly publishing quality blog posts helps build trust with your audience, drive more visitors to your website, and guide leads through a journey that leads to sales. 

With Durable’s AI Blog Builder, content creation is simple and efficient, it can help you:

• Create SEO-Optimized Content: Generate blog posts for you that attract organic traffic and improve your search engine rankings. No writing required if you don’t want to.
• Produce Industry-Specific Content: Quickly craft content that positions your business as an expert in your field.
• Keep a Consistent Publishing Schedule: Maintain a regular blog schedule without the need to hire additional writers.

With Durable’s AI Blog Builder, you can focus on growing your business while letting AI handle your content creation, saving you time and effort.

Want to write your first blog post with the power of AI? Give Durable’s Blog Builder a try today. 

Buffer, Mailchimp and Durable’s AI Ads Writer: The Best AI-powered Marketing Tools

Marketing can be a challenge for many small businesses, but AI-powered marketing tools are transforming the way businesses attract and retain customers. 

By automating key marketing tasks, AI helps you engage with your audience more effectively, boost productivity, and drive business growth. Here's how AI marketing tools are revolutionizing small business marketing:

AI for Social Media Management

Effective social media marketing requires timing, creativity, and consistency. AI tools like Buffer simplify this process, allowing you to manage your social media accounts with ease.

• Analyze Audience Activity: Use AI to determine when your audience is most active and schedule posts for maximum engagement.
• Generate Content Ideas: AI helps you create engaging post ideas based on trending topics and audience interests.
• Automated Scheduling: Schedule posts automatically for optimal times, ensuring consistency without the manual effort.

AI-Powered Email Marketing Automation

Email marketing is an essential part of any small business’s strategy. With AI-driven tools like Mailchimp, you can scale your email campaigns and make them more effective.

• Personalized Campaigns: Create tailored email campaigns that resonate with your audience, improving engagement and conversions.
• A/B Testing: AI automatically runs A/B tests on subject lines, helping you determine the most effective messaging for your audience.
• Optimize Open Rates: Use AI insights to track and improve your email open rates, making sure your messages reach more people.

AI for Digital Marketing and Ad Copy

Creating persuasive ad copy and optimizing your ad spend can be time-consuming. Durable’s AI Google Ads Writer streamlines this process, allowing you to create effective ads quickly and efficiently.

• Smart Ad Targeting: AI helps you target the right audience, so your ads are shown to people most likely to convert.
• Optimize Ad Spend: Maximize your ad budget by using AI to refine targeting and improve ad performance in real-time.
• Generate Compelling Copy: Durable’s AI Google Ads Writer creates high-converting ad copy that grabs attention and drives results.

With Durable’s AI Ads Writer, you can run smarter, more efficient ad campaigns that deliver better returns on your marketing investment.

Let Durable write your ad copy for free → 

Challenges and Considerations of Using AI in Business

AI offers powerful capabilities, but its success depends on proper implementation. Here are some common mistakes small business owners make and how to avoid them:

Start Small, Think Big

Small businesses often try to do too much at once or choose enterprise-level AI tools that have unnecessary features. Start with one AI tool that addresses your most pressing need. For example, begin with an AI website builder, then expand to other areas like marketing automation as your comfort with AI grows. This approach allows for manageable implementation and gradual scaling.

Keep the Human Touch

Remember that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human interaction. The most successful implementations strike the right balance between automation and human judgment. Use AI to handle repetitive tasks so you can focus on building relationships with customers. 

Rebecca Hoekstra, owner of NaturePure Cleaning Co. in Alberta, shares her experience: “Durable is a tool I rely on every day. From managing clients to invoicing, it’s given me the freedom to focus on doing what I love — cleaning and running my business — while handling all the backend processes smoothly.”

See Rebecca’s full Durable customer story → 

Set Realistic Expectations

While it’s super powerful, AI isn't magic.

Many business owners expect immediate transformation without considering the implementation timeline, data preparation, and gradual improvement process. To stay on top of the impact an AI tool is having on your business, be prepared to monitor and adjust if necessary. 

• Regularly review AI-generated content for accuracy.
• Track which AI tools deliver the best ROI.
• Collect customer feedback on automated interactions.
• Adjust settings based on real-world results.

Be Aware of Ethical Considerations

There’s no denying that AI can help small businesses thrive, but ethical use and data security are essential. Prioritizing these practices is crucial for maintaining customer trust and complying with regulations. 

Make sure the AI systems you choose respect privacy, avoid bias, and secure sensitive data. This establishes a foundation of trust and safeguards your business against potential data breaches and compliance risks.

How to Get Started with AI Today

Now is the perfect time to start implementing AI in your business. With the right tools, AI can simplify your daily tasks, boost productivity, and set you on a path toward growth. Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment — begin today, and watch how AI transforms your business operations.

Here's your action plan:

#1. Assess Your Needs

• List your most time-consuming tasks.
• Identify areas where you need expert-level help.
• Consider which processes could be automated to save time and resources.

#2. Choose Your First AI Tool

• Start with a basic need, like creating your website or automating a simple task.
• Look for tools with free trials or money-back guarantees to test them risk-free.
• Ensure the AI tool integrates smoothly with your existing systems.

#3. Measure Results

• Track the time saved after implementing AI.
• Monitor customer satisfaction and see how AI improves their experience.
• Compare costs before and after implementing AI to determine the value it adds to your business.

Starting your business journey with AI doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By implementing the right tools, you’ll simplify your workload and focus on what matters most — growing your business. 

The sooner you begin, the quicker you’ll experience the benefits of AI, helping you scale faster and smarter. Take the first step today and watch your business thrive with the help of AI.

Ready to get started? Try Durable’s AI-powered tools today and see how AI can transform your business.