You've been watching YouTube tutorials.

Saving prompts from Instagram. Testing ChatGPT here and there.

Signing up for free tools you half-remember. Maybe you're even using ChatGPT every day, and you think that means you've got this covered.

But here's what nobody's telling you: there's a massive difference between using AI and actually having an AI strategy that works for your business.

And the gap between those two things? It's costing you more than you think.

Not just in money. In time. In energy. In the opportunities you're missing because you're stuck in DIY mode instead of actually implementing something that sticks.

What DIYing Your AI Is Actually Costing You

Let's do some maths. Not the fun kind.

The Time Cost

How many hours have you spent consuming AI content in the last three months? Not using it. Consuming it.

Watching tutorials. Reading threads. Trying to understand what tools do what. Sitting down to "finally figure out" how to leverage AI, only to feel more confused than when you started.

I see founders spending 5, 10, 15 hours a week on this. And here's the brutal part: that's not learning. That's procrastination dressed up as productivity.

Now multiply that out. Over six months, that's hundreds of hours. What could you have done instead?

How many clients could you have served? How much money could you have made? How many weekends could you have actually taken off instead of doom-scrolling through the latest AI tool comparison?

The Tool Cost (It's Not Small)

How many subscriptions are you paying for right now that you're not actually using?

I've talked to founders paying for eight different AI tools. Eight. They can't remember what half of them do. They're using maybe one of them properly.

That's hundreds of dollars vanishing every month.

And it keeps happening because there's always another tool someone on Instagram said was "game-changing." So you sign up. You forget about it. But you keep paying.

The Mental Load (The Invisible Cost)

This one's sneaky because you can't always see it happening.

When you don't have clarity on what you're using, why you're using it, or whether it's actually working—AI becomes another thing taking up space in your brain.

Another thing you're probably doing wrong. Another gap between where you are and where you should be. That low-grade anxiety of being behind? That's a cost. It drains your energy even when you're not actively thinking about it.

Especially if you're neurodivergent, this load is real and it's exhausting.

The Opportunity Cost (The Big One)

This is where it actually stings.

What's it costing you to not have AI automation consultant-level systems running in your business?

Imagine you had systems that saved you 10 hours a week. What would you do with those 10 hours? Would you serve more clients? Launch that thing you've been putting off? Actually take a day off?

Imagine your content went out on multiple platforms automatically instead of you starting from scratch every week. Imagine your client onboarding was systematised instead of a manual mess. Imagine your follow-up emails sent themselves.

That's not someday. That's possible now.

The cost of DIY isn't what you're spending. It's what you're not gaining. And that number is way bigger than most people realise.

Why Saying "I Already Use ChatGPT" Isn't The Flex You Think It Is

When someone tells me they use ChatGPT, what they usually mean is: "I'm good. I don't need help. I've got this covered."

But when I ask how they're using it, here's what I hear: "I have it open every day. I use it for captions and brainstorming. It helps me write emails. I'm probably using it better than most people, but I could definitely use it better."

That's not a strategy. That's using a tool.

And there's a massive difference.

Using vs. Leveraging

Using ChatGPT is like having a gym membership when someone asks if you work out.

Cool. But are you actually going? And if you are, do you have a plan? Are you seeing results? Or are you just kind of going when you remember, doing the same stuff every time, and wondering why nothing's changing?

Most people are using ChatGPT like a smarter Google. You ask a question. You get an answer. You move on. That's it.

You're not:

- Creating custom tools trained on your voice and business

- Building workflows where AI handles repetitive tasks automatically

- Using it strategically, with intention, with actual ROI in mind

That's the tip of the iceberg. Maybe 5% of what's possible.

What Most Tutorials Don't Tell You

If you're learning from YouTube or Instagram, you're getting the basics. You're not getting strategy. You're not getting practical applications for your actual business.

Because those creators are making content for the masses. Not for your specific problems.

So of course you think you've got it figured out. Nobody's shown you what's possible.

I've had people come to my AI Dream Team workshop who use ChatGPT every single day. Within the first hour, they're like: "Wait. That's possible? I had no idea."

That's not because they're not smart. It's because they've never seen it in action for their actual business.

What Changes When AI Strategy Actually Clicks

Okay, so what does it actually look like when this stuff works? Here's the picture I want to paint for you.

You Get Your Time Back

This is the obvious one, but it's huge.

Content that used to eat your whole morning? Done in minutes. Client onboarding that's a mess of manual steps? Systematised. Meeting prep. Follow-ups. Admin. The stuff that chunks your week?

Streamlined.

I'm not talking about shaving 20 minutes off something. I'm talking about reclaiming 5, 10, 15 hours every single week. That's a whole extra workday.

For example, my podcast goes into an automated system. The transcript becomes show notes, an email, carousels for Instagram, threads for LinkedIn.

My talking head reels automatically become branded carousels that post across TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn. I create one solid piece of content. Everything else happens automatically.

That alone saves me 10+ hours a week. What would that be worth to you?

You Stop Feeling Behind

When you have a real strategy, you stop chasing every new tool that comes out.

You know what you use. You know why you use it. You know how it fits into your business. New tool launches? Cool. Does it solve a problem I actually have? No? Moving on.

That clarity is worth everything. The mental load just lifts. You're not drowning in AI content trying to keep up. You're not second-guessing yourself.

Your Work Gets Better (Yes, Really)

People think AI is just about speed. But it's also about quality.

When you have a custom AI trained on your voice, your frameworks, your processes—your content gets sharper. Your client experience gets better. Your systems run tighter than your competitors.

One of my clients built a client-facing dashboard as part of their delivery. Their clients were blown away. Nobody else in their industry was doing it.

Another built a strategic GPT—basically a business mentor in their back pocket. When she's thinking through decisions, she uses it to challenge her blind spots and help her act.

That's not dumbing things down. That's amplifying what you're already good at.

You Actually Stand Out

Most people either aren't using AI at all or they're using it badly (which shows—AI slop sounds like everyone else).

When you use it strategically? You sound like you. Your content has your voice. Your systems are tighter. Your client experience has these really nice custom touches.

That difference is noticeable.

It Compounds

Here's the best bit: every system you build frees up time and energy. You reinvest that into the next system. Which frees up more time. Which means you can build more systems.

Six months from now, you're not in the same place. You're operating at a completely different level because this stuff sticks. It stacks.

So What Now?

If you're sitting here thinking, "Yeah, okay, but I'm still figuring it out on my own," I want you to do one thing this week.

Add up the actual cost.

How many hours have you spent trying to learn AI in the last three months? How many tools are you paying for that you don't use? What's the opportunity cost of not having your AI strategy sorted for 2026?

Write it down. Look at that number.

Then ask yourself: is DIYing this actually working? Or is there a faster path?

Because there is. And it doesn't involve more YouTube tutorials.

If you're ready to actually build AI systems that work—not just use ChatGPT better, but embed AI strategy into your business—the AI Dream Team Workshop is where it happens. Two live sessions, two weeks apart, with actual implementation time in between. You leave with working systems, not theory.

Spots are limited because it's live, and I want to make sure everyone gets proper attention. If this is speaking to you, don't sit on it.

FAQs

Isn't using ChatGPT enough for my small business?

Using ChatGPT daily is a good start, but it's using the tool, not leveraging a strategy. Most people use ChatGPT like a smarter Google—ask a question, get an answer, move on. You're missing custom systems trained on your voice, automated workflows, and strategic implementation that actually saves 10+ hours per week. There's a massive gap between using a tool and embedding AI strategy into your business.

How much is this actually costing me in lost time?

If you're spending 5-15 hours per week on AI content consumption, tutorials, and tool testing without implementation, you're losing 260-780 hours per year. Multiply that by your hourly rate. Then consider the clients you didn't serve, the sales you didn't close, and the content you didn't create. The DIY approach has both visible and hidden costs—and the opportunity cost is the biggest.

What kind of systems are we talking about?

Real examples: automated podcast-to-content systems that generate show notes, emails, and social posts automatically; client qualification tools that pre-qualify leads and book them; sales call prep systems that research clients and create briefs; branded carousel makers that turn one piece of content into multiple formats; custom GPTs trained on your business that act as a strategic advisor. These save 5-15 hours per week while improving quality.

Why should I do a workshop instead of figuring this out myself?

Because figuring it out yourself costs time, energy, and money—usually for months or years. A workshop compresses this into two focused sessions with live implementation between them. You leave with working systems specific to your business, not generic tutorials. Plus, you get clarity on what actually matters, which stops the mental load of wondering if you're doing it right.