While AI is an incredibly powerful tool for summarizing and creating content, it lacks the specific experience and deep understanding you have of your own business. Think of AI as a smart, capable assistant that still needs clear direction to be effective. In this relationship, you are the manager, you provide the necessary context, set the goals, and ultimately review and approve the results. By taking the lead, you ensure that the AI accurately "translates" your unique business operations into professional documents that truly reflect your vision.

Running a business is one skill, but explaining it to outsiders like lenders or partners is a completely different challenge. This case study demonstrates how AI bridges that communication gap. In this example, a direct-to-consumer clothing brand needed a $10,000 line of credit for inventory, but their complex cash cycle and sales data were difficult to present clearly. By using AI as a "business translator," the owner was able to convert raw operational data into professional, lender-ready language and a simple visual. This clarity provided the compelling narrative needed to secure the funding and move the business forward.

To get the best results from your AI "employee," you need to give it clear instructions. A great way to do this is by using the 5 W's (and an H!):

• WHO: Who are you writing for? (e.g., "for a potential customer," "for my teacher")

• WHAT: What do you want the AI to do? (e.g., "write an email," "create a list of ideas")

• WHEN: Is there a specific time or context? (e.g., "for a grand opening next month")

• WHERE: Is there a location involved? (e.g., "for a business in Seattle")

• WHY: What is the purpose of this task? (e.g., "to attract more customers," "to get a good grade")

• HOW: What tone or style should it use? (e.g., "in a friendly and welcoming tone," "in a professional tone")

Instruction: Ask the AI to take on a role and then provide the task using the 5 W's (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How).

"Role: Act as a Student Marketing Copywriter with an expert understanding of Gen Z social media trends.

Task: Draft an engaging social media post for our coffee shop, 'The Daily Grind,' to market a new drink.

• WHO: Our audience is Highline College students, ages 18-22, who we have recently observed visiting our shop more frequently.

• WHAT: Promote our new limited-time drink, the 'Late Night Study Fuel' (a triple-shot caramel macchiato).

• WHEN: The post should go out on August 20th, right before the fall semester begins.

• WHERE: The post will be used on our shop's Instagram account.

• WHY: The goal is to convert recent student visitors into regular, returning customers for the start of the semester.

• HOW: Use an energetic, slightly humorous, and highly shareable tone. Include at least three relevant hashtags.

Also, please include a quick rationale (like a mini-summary of a document) explaining why you chose this tone and these hashtags, citing the 'recent increase of student stopping by' as key data."

Now lets go to Gemini.google.com

• Practice - using the Who, What, when, where, why, and how method. 

• Practice - creating a Role for the AI, and then giving it a task based on the role

• Practice - using Text, Voice, Photos, and uploading documents

• Practice - having the AI explain things as an expert in the Role.

• Practice - Having the Role make a document in a specific format and downloading it

• Practice - Uploading Documents to the AI and having it summarize the document. 

Entrepreneurship: Business Launch Pad is a practical, multi workshop Continuing Education course designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs turn ideas into structured, actionable business plans. Participants will learn how to evaluate business readiness, analyze and iterate business models, understand pricing and break even fundamentals, and use AI tools responsibly to support research and planning. This course is open to both students and community members and provides real world context beyond theory, preparing participants to confidently move forward with advising and next steps. 

• Wednesday April 1st  - April 22nd  5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

• Featured speakers on the webinar include Phon Sigxanvoy Program Manger of Startzone and Certified SBDC Business advisor, and Andrew Powers SBDC Certified Business Advisor