Artificial Intelligence(AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s here, it’s evolving fast, and it’s transforming the business landscape. For some, it’s a threat. For others, it’s a dream come true. But the truth is, AI alone won’t grow your business. You will. And even though tools matter, what matters more is how you use them and whether your business has the right mindset, structure, and systems in place to benefit from them. This article lays out a clear, practical framework for using AI to grow your business, not just experiment with it.
AI is bigger than ChatGPT
When most people hear “AI,” they immediately think of ChatGPT. That’s not wrong but it’s limited. ChatGPT is just one of many tools within the broader field of Generative AI, which itself is a subset of deep learning, a branch of machine learning, which falls under Artificial Intelligence. Think of it as layers: the further down you go, the more powerful the foundation.
Surprisingly, “ChatGPT” is more popular than the word “AI” itself on Google Trends. With over 800 million weekly active users, it’s safe to say that nearly 1 in 4 internet users interact with ChatGPT regularly. That’s how central it has become in today’s digital world. But while ChatGPT is a remarkable tool, it’s not the whole story. It’s just the surface of what AI can do.
Is AI a threat or a dream come true?
Let’s be honest, AI sparks mixed feelings. For some people, AI represents more of a threat because AI is automating jobs. Lots of people are losing their jobs to AI itself or someone who uses AI. For most people, AI isn’t all roses. Millions have already been displaced, and projections suggest tens of millions more could be affected by 2030.
On the other hand, AI is a dream come true. It’s also creating opportunities — unlocking new business models, improving efficiency, and driving explosive growth. Take Hive Digital Technologies, for example. By simply applying AI tools effectively, they doubled their revenue from $10 million to $20 million in six months and are now on track to hit $100 million.
Is AI making you money yet?
If AI feels like a dream come true to you, ask yourself: How much money has AI put into my pocket? It’s a confronting question, but a necessary one. Because in every technological revolution, wealth is redistributed. It always flows to the people who know how to harness it early. If your business isn’t growing in the AI era, it’s time to shift from being a passive observer to an active participant.
What does it take to grow a business?
Many entrepreneurs confuse starting a business with growing one. They chase money, not structure, and wonder why growth stalls. Some leap into scaling before stabilizing. Others stay stuck, not just in ignorance, but in arrogance, refusing to learn what they don’t know.
Here’s the truth:
Anyone can start a business. Few know how to grow one.
Growth requires more than passion and pitching. It demands structure, systems, and the kind of internal foundation that makes a business fundable and scalable. Before you chase investors, ask yourself, have I built something worth investing in?
You don’t need capital, you need “capitals”
If you think all you need to grow is capital, you’re not wrong, but you’re not fully right either. The real truth is: you need capitals., You need multiple forms of “capital” which I define as: “the sum total of all the resources required for production, expansion, and the operation of a business.”
Yes, money is part of it. But capital is so much more than just cash. From my experience, there are four classes of capital that determine whether a business grows or stalls. They include:
1. Financial capital
Yes, money matters. But it’s more than just random income; it’s about having accessible cash reserves, whether through savings, investor funding, or a blend of both. Note that investor capital is not the same as taking a loan. And by all means possible, avoid informal borrowing; it often causes more harm than good.
Many entrepreneurs believe lack of money is their biggest problem. But in reality, when you’ve built up the other three types of capital, money tends to follow. Investors are drawn to structure, systems, and clarity, that’s where operational capital comes in.
2. Operational capital
This is your business backbone. It’s about structure, systems, workflows, and execution. No investor will put money into chaos. You might have funding, but without operational discipline, your business won’t scale. Think of this as your internal engine, if it’s not well-oiled, nothing else moves smoothly.
3. Social capital
No one builds a thriving business alone. You need the right people around you:
Mentors to guide you
Mentees to pass your knowledge to
Peers and co-founders to grow with
Networks and communities to sharpen you
Mentees, in particular, unlock a deeper level of growth. There’s a kind of impact and even fulfillment that only comes when you invest in others. This is why even billionaires give: it’s not just generosity, it’s a growth strategy.
4. Intellectual capital
This is the value in your head and heart: your ideas, strategies, systems, and how you communicate them. And here’s where many entrepreneurs drop the ball. You can have great ideas, but if you don’t know how to position them, speak to pain, or tell your story, it all falls flat..
Why you aren’t making sales
One of the most overlooked truths in marketing: You don’t need a big audience, you need a hungry one. You might be putting out value-driven posts, building a brand, and still seeing struggling to get attention when you launch a product or offer.
Here’s why: You’re likely not speaking to a “starving crowd” . A starving crowd is the kind of audience that desperately and urgently wants to buy what you’re offering. If you’re not speaking to people who feel the pain of the problem you solve, no matter how polished your message is, it will fall flat.
Most people create content or lead magnets that attract curious browsers, not committed buyers. If your content always leans toward “free tips” and “quick hacks,” don’t be surprised when your audience expects free forever. Instead, create offers and content that draw in people who are already feeling the problem deeply. These are the people who say, “Take my money. Fix this.”
Want to craft your offers to attract the starving crowd? Join VEC to learn how
AI is not the advantage, you are
The real game-changer isn’t AI, it’s who’s using it. Like Vin Diesel says, “It doesn’t matter what’s under the hood. What matters is who’s behind the wheel.”
Give two people the same tools, one thrives, the other stalls. Why? Because success isn’t about access. It’s about mindset, skill, and strategy. Look at Jeff Bezos; he built Amazon with HTML and C++, tools most developers today consider outdated. The tools didn’t build the $2.3 trillion business; he did.
Tools are only as powerful as the mindset of the person holding them. Take ChatGPT, for instance. For some, it’s a shortcut to cheat on assignments. For others, it’s a growth engine, used to close deals, spark innovation, or scale ideas. The difference lies not in the tool, but in the intent and skill of the user.
AI won’t automatically change your life or your business. But if you’re prepared to drive, it can take you further than you ever imagined.
How to use AI to grow your business
Growth isn’t magic. It’s a formula:
Mindset + Systems + Capital + Tools = Scalable Business Growth
The tools are the final step, not the starting point. Too many people flip the equation and start with apps instead of clarity. Focus on what truly drives scale, and the tools will fit in like puzzle pieces. AI tools can help you write faster, build smarter, and automate more but only if you already know what you’re doing. Here’s how to scale your business by applying AI across the four growth capitals:
1. Intellectual capital
- ChatGPT for ideation, strategy, and proposals
- Canva, Gamma, Cintesia for professional design and video creation
- ElevenLabs for extremely realistic text-to-speech and voice cloning
2. Financial capital
- QuickBooks AI and Tactic for financial planning and analysis
- Beautiful.ai for pitch decks and fundraising materials
3. Social capital
- Clay, Dex for enriched lead data and CRM
- Taplio, AuthoredUp for content and comment automation on LinkedIn
4. Operational capital
- Make.com, Zapier for no-code workflow automation
- ClickUp, Notion for project management and SOPs
- 11x.ai for AI-powered support agents
Use AI to grow your business by building system
Tools are only as powerful as the system they’re part of. A system is more than software. It’s a repeatable, predictable process that turns inputs into consistent outputs. If you’re still running your business manually, handling each task from scratch, you’re missing the entire point of AI. The goal isn’t to work harder. The goal is to build smarter.
Systems allow you to automate workflows, reduce errors, scale without burnout, and make faster, better decisions. Tools CAN be used to overhaul systems, but make no mistake, ‘’ it matters who’s behind the wheel”.
Conclusion
This is not a trend. This is not optional. The age of AI is here. And the people who thrive in this new landscape aren’t necessarily the smartest, most funded, or best connected. They’re the ones who are prepared, strategic, and willing to grow. So ask yourself:
- Do I understand what kind of capital I’m missing?
- Have I built systems that allow AI to work for me, not just with me?
- Am I attracting a starving crowd or entertaining the wrong audience?
Because five years from now, you’ll look back at this season and either be grateful you started early or wish you had
