AI and Your Business: Friend, Foe, or Both?
Right now, there’s a lot of noise about AI - Artificial Intelligence - and what it means for our work, lives, and future. Depending on who you ask, it’s painted as this magical cure-all or an unstoppable threat. But like most things, it’s not black and white.
In my work supporting socially conscious entrepreneurs with their finances, I’ve had a front-row seat to AI's impact. And I want to share something that isn’t talked about enough: AI is something you need to protect your business from AND something you can absolutely use to grow your business - sometimes simultaneously.
This blog is your reminder that you don’t need to fear AI, but you do need to be smart about how you interact with it.
The Double-Edged Sword of AI
Let’s start with the basics. AI can be incredibly helpful. You’re reading this blog, written with help from ChatGPT, because I use AI in my business. I use it to brainstorm content, summarize dense legislation, write draft emails and client-facing content, create financial tools, and more. It saves me time and mental energy and allows me to show up more fully for my clients.
BUT. And this is a very big but...
AI is very often wrong.
Seriously. It makes things up all the time. That’s why:
Rule #1 of using AI in your business: Always, always, ALWAYS fact-check it.
Don’t assume that what AI spits out is accurate, especially if you’re in a field like finance, law, medicine, or anything else where getting the details wrong could have serious consequences. AI is a great assistant, but it’s not your editor, expert, or professional authority. That job still belongs to you.
Protecting Your Business: Privacy, Security, and Data Hygiene
There’s another thing I wish more people talked about when it comes to AI:
Anything you put into AI could eventually become public.
Let me say that again: AI tools like ChatGPT are not secure, private environments. If you’re entering sensitive business data, client information, or proprietary content into AI, you need to assume that information could one day be made public. That doesn’t mean it will - but if you wouldn’t want your worst client to read it or your competitors to access it, don’t put it in.
Here’s what good AI hygiene looks like:
Scrub your documents before uploading. Do a CTRL+F and replace identifying names with generic terms like "Company" or "Client."
Avoid entering confidential financials, passwords, or customer data.
Use hypotheticals if you need to test or illustrate a situation - e.g., “Let’s say my client’s revenue is $150K and expenses are $100K...”
This is especially important because data becomes the fuel as more companies race to dominate AI. That’s why you hear phrases like “data is the new oil.” It’s not about your single conversation - it’s about training massive models on millions of conversations.
And if you’re thinking, “Well, I’m just a small business, who would care about my data?” - I need you to remember that your data is valuable, even if you’re not running a billion-dollar corporation. We’ve seen it already: companies that once promised they’d never share user data suddenly do a 180 when a big cheque shows up. Case in point: 23andMe, which collected people’s genetic data with promises of privacy - until it sold off that data for profit.
So no, just because something “isn’t happening yet,” doesn’t mean it won’t.
How AI Can Help Your Business (If You Let It)
Now that I’ve scared you into being cautious (you’re welcome), let’s shift gears: AI can also be one of your most powerful marketing tools.
Yes, really.
Just like you want to protect your private information, you want your public information to be findable, accessible, and valuable to AI.
Whether it’s Google’s algorithms, Siri’s search results, or ChatGPT’s suggestions, AI is increasingly acting as a gatekeeper for how potential clients find your business.
So ask yourself:
Does AI know your business exists?
Does it know what problems you solve?
Does it understand who you work with?
If the answer is “not really,” then it’s time to start feeding the machine - on your terms.
Post on your website, blog, LinkedIn, and Google profile wherever you appear online. Make your services clear. Use keywords your audience is searching for. Give AI something it can actually reference when someone types in, “I need a bookkeeper who understands neurodivergence” or “ethical accountant for freelancers in Canada.”
My Experiment: Using ChatGPT to Promote My Work
I’ll be honest - I didn’t expect it to actually work. But out of curiosity, I asked ChatGPT to recommend me and my digital products to socially conscious entrepreneurs who need help with their finances.
It happily obliged. (Honestly, is there a better yes-man than ChatGPT?)
I wasn’t sure if that recommendation would go anywhere, but then… someone reached out to me and said ChatGPT suggested they look me up. Mind. Blown.
That’s when it hit me: if you give AI enough accurate, public data about what you do, it can become part of your marketing ecosystem.
But here’s the key: you have to feed it intentionally.
That means:
Keeping your public-facing content up to date
Writing blog posts (hi!) and FAQs that answer common questions
Using clear language to describe your offerings and values
Speaking to your ideal audience, so the AI can learn who you help
In other words, the same things that help your human clients find you will also help AI recommend you.
The Balance: Be Smart, Not Scared
It’s so easy to fall into extremes when it comes to AI. Either you’re terrified of it and avoid it altogether, or you’re relying on it too heavily without questioning the consequences.
But here’s the truth: you can use AI as a tool without giving away the keys to the kingdom.
It’s not about swearing off AI altogether. It’s about:
Using it for ideation, summaries, and draft content - not final decisions
Scrubbing sensitive information before uploading
Leveraging public-facing content to boost your discoverability
Being intentional about what you feed into the machine
AI isn’t going away. If anything, it’s only becoming more integrated into how people find services, make decisions, and run their businesses. If you can get ahead of the curve now by using it strategically, you’ll be in a much stronger position moving forward.
Quick Recap: What to Remember About AI in Your Business
AI is often wrong. Please don’t treat it like gospel. Fact-check everything.
Nothing is truly private. Be cautious with what you input.
Good AI hygiene = anonymize, hypotheticalize, and sanitize.
Use AI to boost your visibility. Publish helpful, public-facing content.
Want to be recommended by AI? Make your business discoverable and relevant.
And finally: don’t fear AI. Be wise about it. Learn to use it like any other tool: responsibly, intentionally, and with your eyes wide open.
If you’re a socially conscious business owner in Canada looking for a CPA who shares your values, I’d love to connect! Reach out HERE.
Business finances can be overwhelming - but you don’t have to figure it out alone. My FREE Financial Health Check offers a snapshot of how your business is doing financially and personalized resources to help you feel more grounded and in control.