Let the Robots Help: How AI Can Free Up Time for What Matters
There’s a common fear when people hear “AI” and “automation”: that the machines are coming for our jobs. But if you’re a small business owner, bookkeeper, or consultant like me, here’s the truth: AI isn’t here to replace you. It’s here to release you.
From what, exactly?
From the tedious, time-sucking tasks that keep your business running—but don’t require your genius to do them.
As a bookkeeper and consultant, I’m always looking for ways to build systems that actually serve people. And lately, that means helping my clients (and myself) figure out how to let AI take some of the weight. Because when we automate the boring stuff, we make more space for the work that lights us up: strategy, creativity, relationships, and rest.
Where AI Actually Helps
Here are a few ways I’ve seen AI genuinely make a difference for business owners—not in theory, but in daily practice:
1. Data Entry & Transaction Categorization
Most modern bookkeeping platforms (like QuickBooks or Xero) are already using AI to auto-categorize transactions based on your history. But you can go even further with tools like Dext or Hubdoc, which extract key details from receipts and invoices so you’re not typing them in manually. It’s not glamorous, but it saves hours—and keeps your records cleaner.
2. Writing & Communication
Writing isn’t everyone’s favorite task. AI tools like ChatGPT can help you draft emails, client proposals, process documentation, or even blog posts like this one. You’re still the brain—but AI can be the first pass, the outline builder, or the clarity checker that keeps you moving.
3. Calendar & Admin Support
AI-powered schedulers like Motion or Reclaim.ai don’t just book meetings—they optimize your time. These tools analyze your workload, shift tasks dynamically, and help protect focus blocks so you’re not context-switching all day long. Think of them as a tiny operations assistant who never sleeps.
4. Client Onboarding & Workflow Automation
With tools like Zapier, Make.com, or even ClickUp AI, you can build onboarding flows that trigger when someone fills out a form, signs a contract, or submits payment. You don’t have to keep reinventing the wheel—let the robots send the welcome emails, assign the tasks, and prep the files.
What AI Can’t Replace
Here’s the important part: AI can do the grunt work.
But it can’t replace the judgment, empathy, or insight that you bring to your business. Your clients don’t hire you just because you’re efficient—they hire you because you care. Because you think critically. Because you build trust.
The goal isn’t to become a robot. It’s to become more human—because you finally have time to be.
AI is a powerful tool, but it’s not a magic wand. And it’s definitely not a substitute for emotional intelligence, nuanced judgment, or customer care. If you need a reminder of that, just look at Klarna.
In 2024, Klarna—a major fintech company—rolled out an AI-powered customer service chatbot to great fanfare. It could reportedly handle two-thirds of all inquiries without human help and could handle the same workload as 700 full-time human service providers. On paper? A huge success. Faster replies, lower costs, less strain on their support team.
But here’s the part that got lost in the hype: AI handled the easy stuff.
Refund requests, password resets, order status updates—those were simple. But when it came to complex situations, frustrated customers, or emotionally charged disputes, the chatbot hit a wall.
Customers reported robotic, repetitive answers, delays in escalation, and feeling unheard. In high-emotion situations (say, a delayed order for a wedding, or a mischarge during the holidays), what people needed wasn’t speed—it was empathy.
And that’s the part AI just can’t replicate.
It doesn’t understand nuance. It doesn’t sense frustration. It doesn’t know how to bend the rules with grace, or when to offer reassurance instead of a script.
Your clients trust you not just for your accuracy, but for your care.
You are the person they come to when they’re overwhelmed, confused, or trying to make a big decision. AI can help prepare the numbers. You help them understand the numbers—and feel calm enough to act on them.
Yes, use AI to reduce admin work. Yes, use templates and workflows. But don’t outsource your humanity. Because that’s what makes your business irreplaceable.
Your relationships, your insight, your ability to read between the lines?
That’s your real value. Let AI give you the time and space to lean into it.
Use AI to Support Your Values
At CPA by Day, I talk a lot about building systems with soul—structures that support your goals without draining your energy. AI fits into that. It’s not about chasing trends or optimizing for optimization’s sake. It’s about asking: “What could I let go of, so I can focus on what really matters?”
Maybe that’s building client relationships. Maybe it’s launching a new offering. Maybe it’s finishing work by 4pm and going on a walk with your dog.
Whatever “freedom” looks like for you—AI can help you get there faster.
Let’s Talk Cost: AI Can Save You More Than Time
When we talk about AI, the first benefit people usually think of is time—but let’s not skip over the second big win: money.
For small business owners, every hour you don’t spend on manual tasks is an hour you can invest in revenue-generating work, relationship-building, or simply not burning out. That’s real value. But the cost savings go even deeper.
Here’s how:
1. Fewer Hours = Lower Labor Costs
Whether it’s you or your team doing the work, AI helps reduce the number of hours needed to complete repetitive tasks like data entry, invoice creation, scheduling, or responding to standard emails. That means fewer billable hours for outsourced help—or more margin for you if you’re doing everything yourself.
2. Avoiding Costly Errors
Mistakes in invoices, miscategorized transactions, or missed deadlines can be expensive. AI tools are designed to reduce human error, flag inconsistencies, and create reminders before things slip through the cracks. Clean books mean less stress at tax time and fewer dollars lost to rework.
3. Maximizing Your Tools
Many of the tools you already pay for—like QuickBooks, ClickUp, Notion, or Gmail—have built-in AI features you might not be using. By leveraging what you already have, you can increase output without increasing your expenses.
4. Reducing the Need for Extra Hires
If you’re at the stage of considering your first hire (or your fifth), AI might be able to absorb enough administrative work to delay that decision—or reduce the hours needed. You still need people for high-value work, but AI can serve as your very affordable assistant in the meantime.
5. More Bandwidth = More Business
When your systems run more smoothly, you can take on more clients without burning out or scaling prematurely. That’s a sneaky but powerful savings lever: your cost per client drops, and your profit margins improve.
A Real-World Comparison
Hiring a part-time admin assistant might cost $1,200–$2,000/month.
Setting up AI automations and smart workflows? Often less than $50/month using tools you already have access to (or can easily add).
That’s not to say AI replaces great help—but it can delay the need, supplement a lean team, and create breathing room in your budget until you’re ready for more support.
A Gentle Invitation
If you’ve been curious about how AI could support your business, but you’re not sure where to begin, start small. Automate one annoying task. Experiment with one tool. Don’t aim for perfect—just aim for progress.
And if you want help making those systems sustainable?
That’s where I come in.
Because structure should support you, not control you.
And your time? It’s too valuable to waste on tasks a robot could do.
How to Implement a New AI Process (with Human Oversight)
Start with a Low-Stakes Task
Choose a repetitive, time-consuming task like sorting emails, drafting invoices, or categorizing expenses. Begin where errors have minimal risk.Choose the Right Tool
Use a reputable platform with clear settings for customization and review. (Think: QuickBooks’ auto-categorization, ChatGPT for client email drafts, Notion AI for SOP creation.)Build a Simple SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)
Outline how and when the AI should be used—and what parts require human review. Document the process so it's easy to adjust later.Test in a Sandbox Environment
Run the AI in parallel for a few cycles without going live. Manually compare the AI’s results to your own work to spot inconsistencies or risks.Add Human Checkpoints
Implement review moments. For example:Review AI-generated invoices before sending.
Audit 10% of categorized transactions weekly.
Approve email drafts before hitting “send.”
Track Results and Adjust
Monitor time saved, accuracy, and feedback from clients or teammates. If something feels off, pause and refine the process before scaling.Don’t Automate Away the Relationship
Keep high-touch moments human. Use AI to buy back time—but still show up in the areas where trust, empathy, or strategy are needed.
Good luck and happy prompting!
