Feeling Overwhelmed by AI? Here’s Your Simple Start Guide for Online Business
In This Article
- Why AI feels impossible to keep up with (and why it matters for your business)
- How one burned-out entrepreneur discovered AI and rebuilt his entire business
- Five simple steps to start using AI this week
- The biggest mistakes keeping entrepreneurs stuck
- Specific tools and examples to copy right now
AI feels like the friend who constantly sends articles, videos, and tools with “You HAVE to try this!” Energy. Except this friend won’t stop talking, updates every week, and makes entrepreneurs feel guilty for not keeping up.
For business owners already stretched thin with content creation, client work, and keeping the lights on, AI can feel like one more impossible thing to master. The constant drumbeat of “adapt or die” messaging doesn’t help either.
But here’s what most people miss: AI isn’t about adding more to the plate. When used properly, it actually removes tasks, creates breathing room, and handles the repetitive work that drains energy without moving the business forward.
This guide breaks down exactly how to start—based on lessons from Rick Mulready, an AI educator who runs a multi-seven-figure online business. He went from complete burnout to building his entire business around AI tools. His approach is refreshingly practical and perfect for entrepreneurs who don’t have time for theory.
Why AI Feels So Overwhelming Right Now
The business landscape has shifted dramatically. The strategies that built successful online businesses five or ten years ago won’t necessarily work for the next decade. AI has changed the rules.
That statement lands somewhere between exciting and terrifying for most entrepreneurs.
From Mulready’s experience, several truths emerge:
Business owners can’t keep thinking the old way. An “AI-first” mindset means seeing AI as part of how businesses build, market, and deliver—not some side experiment to try when there’s spare time (which never comes).
Most people genuinely don’t know where to start. The typical experience goes like this: open ChatGPT, ask it to write a social media caption, read the generic result, close the tab, never return.
Too many options create decision paralysis. AI agents, automation tools, custom GPTs, AI browsers, workflow builders—the sheer volume of options makes it easier to do nothing than to choose something.
Mulready shared how burnout actually pushed him toward AI. After eleven years running an online business centered on Facebook advertising, he hit a wall in 2023. He took a sabbatical and casually tried ChatGPT for generating podcast titles.
That tiny experiment changed everything.
It sparked a complete business transformation where he:
- Created his own AI coach called “Pick Rick’s Brain”
- Sold his podcast after reaching twelve million downloads
- Shifted focus to YouTube
- Launched The AI Playbook membership
The takeaway? Mastery isn’t required. Small experiments with hands-on testing reveal possibilities that no amount of article-reading can match.
Your Five-Step Plan to Actually Start Using AI
Step 1: Adopt an AI-First Perspective
Before downloading tools or watching tutorials, shift the mental framework:
“Building businesses the same way for the past ten years won’t work anymore. An AI-first approach is necessary going forward.”
This doesn’t mean burning everything down and starting over.
It means asking different questions:
- “Could AI handle this task faster?”
- “Which repetitive parts could an AI agent manage?”
- “How can AI support operations without requiring constant oversight?”
Once AI becomes a business partner rather than a threat or obligation, the entire relationship changes.
Step 2: Commit to 20-30 Minutes of Daily AI Practice
Mulready made a crucial point: watching videos and reading articles about AI won’t build real understanding.
Active use builds competence.
The starting framework:
- Upgrade to ChatGPT’s paid version (unlocks significantly more capability, including custom GPTs)
- Create a simple daily habit: 20-30 minutes of AI interaction (or longer sessions a few times weekly)
Experiment with:
- Asking ChatGPT to plan the week ahead
- Requesting meal suggestions for the family
- Getting help planning a trip or event
The more someone experiments, the faster their brain starts asking “Could AI help with this?” instead of automatically defaulting to manual work.
Step 3: Run a Time Audit to Identify Repetitive Tasks
This step isn’t enjoyable. But it delivers value.
Mulready calls it the dreaded time audit:
- Track time allocation for several days or a full week
- Notice patterns: What’s repetitive? What drains energy? What actually drives results?
Then ask: “Which tasks could AI handle or complete 80% of the way?”
Examples include:
- Weekly newsletters requiring three hours
- Customer support email responses
- Analyzing advertising data or profit-and-loss statements
- Reviewing or improving sales page copy
- Formatting content (not creating original material)
The goal isn’t overnight automation of everything. Pick one task and turn AI into an assistant specifically for that function.
Step 4: Use AI as a Thinking Partner, Not Just a Task Tool
AI functions as more than a digital assistant—it can serve as a strategic thinking partner.
From Mulready’s examples, here are practical applications:
Strategy reflection and self-coaching: Using voice notes in ChatGPT at day’s end to:
- Describe completed work
- Process emotional responses
- Identify energy drains versus energizing activities
- Analyze patterns over weeks to clarify what to stop and what to expand
Real-world problem-solving: When a motorhome transmission got stuck in fourth gear with warning lights, Google searches kept returning advice for manual transmissions. ChatGPT provided specific, relevant suggestions for the automatic transmission model in question.
Creative amplification for family: A six-year-old child used ChatGPT voice notes to:
- Tell an original story
- Transform it into a book format
- Design cover art
- Convert drawings into 3D characters
This isn’t replacing creativity—it’s amplifying imagination.
For business, this might look like:
- Asking AI to review sales page copy as if it were an expert copywriter
- Requesting feedback framed as coming from specific business leaders
- Getting suggestions for funnel conversion improvements
Step 5: Create a Knowledge Repository for Future AI Agents
One of Mulready’s most valuable recommendations involves preparing assets now for future AI capabilities.
Build a “Knowledge” folder in Google Drive or similar storage containing:
- Course content and lesson transcripts
- Past launch emails and sales pages
- Offer details: pricing, bonuses, guarantees
- FAQ documents for customer support
- Brand voice guidelines and ideal customer profiles
- Process documentation and standard operating procedures
Why this matters:
Future AI agents become exponentially more powerful when they can reference authentic business content, established answers, and brand-specific language.
Practical applications:
- Customer support GPTs that answer questions using existing FAQ documentation
- Copywriting GPTs that generate emails modeled on proven sales pages
- Operations agents that reference documented SOPs
Building the agents isn’t urgent today. Gathering the foundational assets ensures readiness when needed.
Common Mistakes That Waste Time and Energy
Mistake 1: Tool Hunting Instead of Problem Solving
Countless tools exist: Gamma, relay.app, Manus, GenSpark, Synthesia, AI browsers, agents, automation platforms.
The common trap: “What could be done with this tool?” instead of “What actual problem needs solving right now?”
Start with genuine business needs. Then select tools that address those specific challenges.
Mistake 2: Waiting for Complete Understanding Before Starting
No one needs to:
- Become an AI engineer
- Understand every model variation (GPT-4.5, Claude Sonnet, Gemini)
- Create the perfect setup before beginning
One tool (ChatGPT works perfectly) and one use case is sufficient.
Clarity emerges from using AI, not from consuming content about it.
Mistake 3: Treating AI Agents as Set-and-Forget Solutions
Agents offer power, but not magic.
AI still hallucinates—it generates plausible-sounding information that’s completely fabricated.
Essential practices:
- Review all outputs
- Verify factual claims
- Treat AI like a new team member being onboarded, not a robot deserving blind trust
Business owners remain the final decision-makers. AI assists; humans approve.
Myth: “AI Will Eliminate Creativity”
From children’s stories to business sales pages, AI doesn’t erase creativity.
It serves to:
- Accelerate tedious components
- Enable exploration of more ideas
- Transform imagination into tangible outputs more quickly
A child creating multimedia stories isn’t losing creative capacity—they’re discovering expanded possibilities.
The same applies to business owners.
Specific Tools and Real Examples
Here are tools and examples from Mulready’s conversation:
Core AI Tools
- ChatGPT (paid version) – Strong all-purpose tool, especially with the 4.5 model for writing and custom GPTs for recurring tasks
- Claude – Mulready’s preferred choice for email sequences and longer-form copy. Exceptional writing quality
- Perplexity – Powerful for research and summarizing complex topics
- Manus – An AI assistant that can research content like podcast episodes and generate reports
Workflow and Agent Tools
- relay.app – No-code tool for building workflows and automations (connecting different tools, creating lightweight agents without technical skills)
- AI browsers like Dia or GenSpark – Enable analysis of on-screen content (ad dashboards, web pages) directly through an AI side panel
Content and Creation Tools
- Gamma – AI-powered slide and presentation creator (useful for webinars, pitch decks)
- Synthesia – AI avatars and video generation (can clone appearance to create video content efficiently)
- Coachvox – Platform for transforming coaching knowledge into an AI coach
Remember: Not all tools are necessary. Start with whichever solves the next genuine problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should someone who feels completely behind actually start?
Begin with ChatGPT (paid version) and one task. For example: the weekly newsletter, a blog post, or end-of-day reflections.
Commit to 20-30 minutes daily for testing. That’s the entire requirement initially.
Does AI require technical skills?
No. Tools like ChatGPT and Claude are built for everyday users. If someone can type a message, they can use AI. Clarity about desired outcomes matters more than technical knowledge.
Which tool deserves priority?
For complete beginners: ChatGPT (paid version) handles most needs.
Later additions might include Claude for copywriting, Perplexity for research, or relay.app for basic automations.
Will AI replace human team members?
AI replaces tasks, not people.
Creativity, judgment, lived experience, and leadership remain irreplaceable human capabilities. AI handles repetitive, time-consuming tasks so people can focus on higher-value work.
How much time should go toward learning AI?
Extended learning periods aren’t necessary. Start with 20-30 minutes daily (or several sessions weekly) focused on:
- Hands-on practice in ChatGPT
- Testing one business use case
- Gradually exploring tools that solve real problems
Consistency produces better results than intensity
Here’s how we can help
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FOR-PROFIT GRANT LINK: https://www.yippitydoo.com/small-business-grant-optin/
Criteria:
Ages 18 Or Over, Within The United States. For-Profit Women Entrepreneurs/Small Business Owners that are at least 50% owned and run by a woman. Your Business Can Already Be Started Or In Idea/Start-Up Stag
