Where AI meets real Business Strategy & Implementation
The only newsletter of its kind for SMBs
AI Implementation Strategy Team
Ary Aranguiz, CPTD, AIPM | Benjamin Mills, CPA, CFO
Welcome to the Second Edition of
The AI Ready Business Biweekly Newsletter!
If you’re here, it means one thing:
You’re not waiting for the future of business.
You’re preparing for it.
This newsletter is built for small and mid-sized business (SMB) leaders and their teams who want to use AI in ways that actually make sense, financially, operationally, and strategically.
No hype.
No tech overload.
Just smart, practical moves you can apply right away.
Whether you're a beginner with AI, or an advanced user looking to optimize your existing AI strategies, this newsletter is for you!
And one important reminder before we dive in:
👉 Don’t go at this alone.
Your biggest wins will come from learning with others and applying AI hands-on.
That’s why you’ll also want to click the links below to join our AI Ready Business Community and sign up for our AI courses.
Join The AI Ready Business Community
How This Newsletter Works
Every issue is designed to respect your time and move your business forward.
In each edition you'll find short, clear, actionable insights each month:
Monthly Tool
One AI tool. Reviewed through a business and financial lens.
Quick Win
One simple way to use AI that creates immediate business value right away.
CFO Insight
AI + financial insights from a CPA & CFO with 25+ years of experience, focused on ROI & risk.
Deep Dive
One focused topic each month, with playbooks, guidance, and ready-to-use prompts.
Let’s dive in to the second edition!
Monthly Tool
ChatGPT
ChatGPT Settings Deep Dive
You've got ChatGPT open right now. You think you know what you're doing. You're using it like it's a search engine with personality. And you're leaving money on the table.
The truth: most SMB owners are using ChatGPT like they're renting an apartment and never customizing anything. The landlord's decorations are fine, but it's not really yours. The settings most people ignore are the difference between getting decent output and getting output that sounds like it came from someone who actually knows your business.
Let's talk about what you need to know.
Custom Instructions:
Teaching ChatGPT Your Playbook
This is the first setting you should change today. Not next week. Today.
Custom Instructions are how you tell ChatGPT: "When I ask you anything, here's the context you need to know about how I think, what I care about, and what I want from you."
What it does: You fill in two boxes.
The first is "What would you like ChatGPT to know about you to provide better responses?"
The second is "How would you like ChatGPT to respond?"
Why it matters for business: Without Custom Instructions, you're starting every conversation from zero. You re-explain your business, your industry, your constraints, your values, every single time. With Custom Instructions, ChatGPT enters every conversation already understanding your context. Your prompts become shorter. Your outputs become more relevant. Your team gets more consistent results.
How to set it up:
- Go to ChatGPT
- Click on your profile (bottom left)
- Select "Custom Instructions"
- Fill in the boxes
What to put in there:
For the first box (About You):
I'm a [your industry] business owner. I care about practical, implementable solutions. I'm not interested in theoretical frameworks. I work in [your market] with [describe your typical customer]. My business processes are [key processes]. What matters to me: speed to implementation, clear ROI, measurable results. I have limited technical resources.
For the second box (How to Respond):
Be direct and specific. Use bullet points over
paragraphs. Avoid jargon. Every recommendation should include a time estimate and a cost estimate if
applicable.
Ask clarifying questions before diving deep.
Format outputs so they're ready to copy/paste or
present to my team.
Before and After:
Without Custom Instructions:
User:"How should we handle customer data?"
ChatGPT: "Customer data management involves several key principles..." [generic 800-word answer about compliance frameworks]
With Custom Instructions:
User:"How should we handle customer data?"
ChatGPT: "For a [your business type], here's what matters: [3 bullet points specific to your industry]. Quick implementation: [day-by-day setup guide]. Cost: [specific numbers]."
The second version is what you actually need to run your business.
