28 / matters magazine / spring 2026 advice is simple: start small. One of the most practical les sons he teaches to his students at the Adult School is how to ask better questions. “AI tools are only as effec tive as the prompts they’re given,” he says. “I always start with ‘as an expert …’ You’re telling the tool you want the most professional, detailed re sponse.” From there, the key is specific ity. “The more context you provide about your business, your audience and your goals, the more useful the output becomes.” And if the first result misses the mark? “You can keep building on it,” CURIOUS ABOUT AI? TRY THIS: Five AI Prompts to Get Started, from Mike Skara, teacher at the South Orange-Maplewood Adult School: 1. “Write three social media posts for my small business in Maplewood, NJ. Keep the tone friendly and community-focused.” 2. “Draft a short email announcing a seasonal pro motion.” 3. “Give me 10 ideas for a local event in South Or ange, NJ to bring customers into my business.” 4. “Create a list of FAQs for my service-based busi ness.” 5. “Summarize how I can use Instagram to reach lo cal customers.” The one rule: The more specific your question, the better the answer. Skara says. “Add more detail, refine it and improve it.” At the same time, Skara is clear about the limitations. “It’s not perfect,” he says. “From incorrect information to flawed visuals, the tools still require human oversight.” For Anthony and Melanie, even as AI becomes part of their process, what grounds their work hasn’t changed. “Landscape design still begins with the land – the sunlight, the soil, the structure of a home and the vision of the client standing in the yard imagining what could be,” Anthony says. “That’s where we come in.” Like many tools before it, artifi cial intelligence is becoming some thing that small businesses can ex plore, test and incorporate where it makes sense – not as a replacement but as an enhancement. For small business owners in Maplewood and South Orange, the opportunity isn’t about mastering AI overnight, says Skara. “It’s about cu riosity.” Amy Lynn-Cramer is a health and life coach who helps people navigate ca reer transitions, leadership growth and workplace culture with clarity and confidence. VILLAGE DENTAL GROUP Dr. L. Dawn Christian, DDS 71 Valley Street, Suite 101 • South Orange, NJ 07079 973-761-4800 • SouthOrangeDentist.com Oral Health • Cosmetic Services Restorative Services • Orthodontics • Implants H ealthy mouth ealthy Body = Mike Skara leads a class at the South Orange-Maplewood Adult School to help people understand what AI is and how to use it.
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