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Everyday Use, helping people understand what AI 
is and how to use it.
“Most people come in either curious or a little 
intimidated,” he says. “A lot of it is, ‘I don’t even 
know what’s out there. I don’t know what’s pos­
sible.’ ”
Skara says uncertainty is often the biggest bar­
rier. “In reality, many AI tools are far more acces­
sible than people expect,” he says. “At its core, AI 
is about helping you think, write and organize in­
formation more efficiently.”
If you’re wondering where to begin, Skara 
keeps it simple. “For small business owners, it re­
ally comes down to efficiency,” he says. “You can 
use tools like Canva or Pictory for graphics and 
video, or ChatGPT and Gemini for drafting con­
tent and brainstorming. Platforms like Hootsuite 
and HubSpot help with marketing and outreach, 
and tools like Notion or Intercom can handle or­
ganization and basic customer inquiries.”
That idea of AI as a practical, everyday tool is 
already taking shape for Dan Smith, who owns 
Decorate with Lights and Mosquito Shield of 
North Central New Jersey, based in South Or­
ange. He describes AI as “an extra assistant.”
“It helps with writing, brainstorming and orga­
nizing ideas,” Smith says. “Sometimes I’ll write a 
rough message and use AI to polish it. It’s also great 
to bounce 
ideas off 
of. 
It’s 
like 
a 
thinking 
partner.”
H e ’ s 
also start­
ed using 
it to sup­
port the 
d a y - t o -
day oper­
ations of 
his busi­
ness. “If 
I have a 
list of ser­
vice calls, 
I can put 
the addresses in and it will suggest a more efficient 
route,” Smith says. “I don’t rely on it to make de­
cisions, but once you check it, it’s like, ‘Oh, that’s 
pretty good.’ ”
For Smith, the value isn’t about replacing the 
work, it’s about saving time. “If something saves 
even 15 minutes a day, that adds up quickly over 
a season,” he says. 
At the same time, he’s clear about AI’s role in 
his business. “It’s an assistant,” Smith says. “You 
rely on it, but it’s not the final say.”
And for business owners juggling multiple 
roles, that kind of efficiency can make a real differ­
ence. “In some cases,” Skara explains, “it can even 
free up time to focus less on administrative tasks 
and more on building relationships and delivering 
the work itself.”
Skara sees that potential firsthand in the busi­
ness owners who take his classes. “One of the big­
gest advantages is the ability for small businesses 
to operate with the polish and presence of a much 
larger company,” he says.
For those wondering where to begin, Skara’s 
Dan Smith describes AI as "an extra as­
sistant" and uses it to help with writing, 
brainstorming and organizing ideas.
Dan Smith, owner of Decorate with Lights and Mos­
quito Shield of North Central New Jersey, says that us­
ing AI to efficiently route service calls saves him time.

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