TL;DR
✅ Automation = Freedom – Stop drowning in repetitive tasks and start working smarter, not harder.
✅ What to Automate – Focus on rule-based, time-consuming tasks like email sorting, invoicing, and customer service workflows.
✅ AI is Powerful, But Not Perfect – Use it for efficiency, but don’t let it replace human creativity and personal touch.
✅ Start Small, Scale Up – Begin with simple automations, refine them, and expand as you see results.
Why Every Business Owner Should Care About Automation
Do you dream of a world where you can do 4-5 hours of meaningful work each day, fit in 60 minutes at the gym, have plenty of time to play with your kids, cook an interesting new recipe, and get 8 hours of shut-eye?
Realistic? Maybe. Worth shooting for? Definitely.
Somehow, with more technology at our fingertips than ever before, we find ways to be endlessly busy, overworked, and jump from task to task. I’m guilty of this. Distractions and busy-work are everywhere, even if you like to automate everything.
The reason? Making large, wholesale changes is hard. And your monkey brain prefers the easy reward.
Let this serve as a pattern interrupt.
Automation is a tool for businesses of all sizes, but it’s a secret weapon for small businesses, lean teams, and solopreneurs who NEED to be efficient with their time. It’s how you get out of the weeds and start working on your business instead of just grinding away in it.
Big companies have entire departments dedicated to automation. But thanks to modern software, you don’t need a six-figure budget to set up systems that run on autopilot. You just need the right strategy.
Remember: Little strokes fell great oaks. Start swinging.
What Is Business Process Automation?
At its core, business process automation (BPA) is about using software to handle repetitive, time-consuming tasks so you don’t have to. But it doesn’t stop there! We want BPA to handle more complex, analytical tasks that provide real ROI to you and your business.
To build these complex automations, we need to connect multiple applications in your tech stack together in a string of actions and logic. The challenge is that data tends to get siloed in each app, and the most useful automations are able to access data across multiple apps in your stack.
Here is the problem with your tech stack: Businesses with 1-500 employees use an average of 172 apps. Smaller shops likely come in far under this number, but the tech stack bloat is real.
What Types of Processes Are Ideal for Automation?
Not every task should be automated, but many repetitive, rule-based, and time-consuming processes are perfect candidates. Here’s how to identify them:
If you find yourself doing the same task over and over, it’s likely a great candidate for automation. Start by making a log in a spreadsheet or doc (I prefer a spreadsheet), and write in every task that you complete in a given month. Include information like the business function, how long it takes, frequency, and other important notes. Ask your entire team to do this as well.
Here is a simple Google Sheets template I use to document processes.
At the end of a month, go through the full list of tasks and identify tasks that could be automated. Usually, the most obvious candidates have a clear set of rules or steps without much human judgment. However… We want to build more advanced automations that require human reasoning. Let’s just start with the low-hanging fruit.
Some common automation tasks might include:
- Sorting and tagging emails
- Routing customer service tickets
- Building marketing email sequences and flows
- Automatic invoicing and bill pay
- Requesting reviews and customer feedback
- Analytics and reporting
Does documenting all of your tasks seem tedious? it’s an annoying but necessary first step. Keep your eye on the prize: More time for you and your team. According to a salesforce survey, nearly 80% of employees reported that automation gave them more time to deepen relationships with customers and other stakeholders, take on challenging new projects, and learn new skills.
AI-Powered Automation: When To Use It (and When to Avoid It)
AI is the buzziest of buzzwords right now. We’re no doubt at the beginning of a major technological inflection point. But like the early days of the internet, most businesses are still trying to figure out how to use AI most effectively.
AI supercharges automation, but let’s be clear: not everything should be AI-driven.
Where AI Enhances Automation
If you’ve played around with ChatGPT or other LLMs (Large Language Models), you’ve likely realized that some responses can sound surprisingly…human. This is what we want to leverage. Personalized customer interactions, content planning, and smart analytics are areas with some serious time-saving potential.
These tasks take some level of complex reasoning, and AI automations can increase your output dramatically. It’s early in the AI-automation era, but some marketers report saving between 4 and 10 hours per week with AI assistance. Yuge.
Don’t Lose The Human Touch
Throughout this journey, it’s important to remember that people want to buy from, communicate with, and be entertained by — People. Sometimes, it’s best to trust your gut: If something feels inauthentic or formulaic, it will feel that way to your customers.
Use AI for common customer communication, but don’t replace the human element of high-stakes sales or support.
It’s exciting when a new AI tool comes out (seemingly) every single day. But we all should Memento tattoo this on our body: AI is not creative. Don’t assume it can take business branding and messaging completely off your plate. CatGPT runs an experiment with two social post videos on the same topic. One video’s script was written by ChatGPT and read verbatim, and the other script she wrote herself. The human-written script performed 3X better across the board.
Let AI tools help you with the planning and ideation phases of the creative process, but don’t let it handle the creative without intervention. Always edit, refine, and add expertise to the content it generates.
Final Thoughts: Automation As A Creativity Unlock
When my schedule is filled with too many tasks, the buildup creates a mental roadblock, making creativity and strategic thinking virtually impossible. If structured purposefully, AI and automation can free up your time for high-value work, more balance, or whatever makes your life fulfilling.
Start investing in automation today, and watch the results compound over time.
“Great investing requires a lot of delayed gratification”
- Charlie Munger
Want Help Setting Up Automation? Let’s Talk.
If you need a second pair of eyes on your automation strategy, let’s chat. I help business owners reclaim 10+ hours per week by setting up simple, scalable automation workflows. Reach out, and let’s get you out of the weeds.
