On the evening of May 20th, Community Futures Westman was proud to sponsor the Women in Business Connecting event in Boissevain. At the heart of the evening was a workshop delivered by our very own Marketing/Project Coordinator, Richard Adu, titled Practical AI for Women in Business: Tools You Can Use Tomorrow. And that last part "tools you can use tomorrow" was very much the point.

WHY AI, AND WHY NOW?

If you've ever stared at a blank social media caption box at 10 p.m., felt like your inbox was a second job you didn't apply for, or told yourself "I should post more" and then didn't. Richard's opening words probably hit close to home. The message was clear: AI isn't just for big tech companies or those with a background in computers. It's for every business owner, in every small town, right now. As Richard put it: "You don't need a team of ten. One person with AI can now do the work of a small marketing department.

WHAT THE WORKSHOP COVERED

Richard structured the evening around three practical areas where AI can make an immediate difference for small business owners:

1. Show Up Online

Many businesses are losing customers simply because they're hard to find online. Richard walked attendees through claiming and polishing their Google Business Profile and showed how AI can help write a compelling business description, draft responses to customer reviews, and maintain a consistent, professional presence online.

2. Sell More with Content

Posting consistently on social media is one of the biggest challenges for small business owners. Richard shared a simple 5-minute post recipe that anyone can follow: pick a moment, tell AI three things about it, ask for three caption versions, choose your favourite, and make it sound like you. He demonstrated live how a single well-crafted prompt can generate warm, playful, and direct captions in under a minute. The takeaway? "Same prompt next week with a new moment. You just built a content system." Tools covered included ChatGPT, Claude AI, Canva's Magic Studio, Adobe Express, and CapCut for video editing.

3. Reclaim Your Hours

Time is the one thing every business owner says they don't have enough of. Richard shared a practical time-saver menu showing how AI can help handle email drafts, frequently asked questions, quotes and invoices, meeting notes, and scheduling.

KEEPING IT HUMAN

One of the most important parts of the evening was Richard's reminder that AI is a tool not a replacement for the human behind the business. He encouraged attendees to let AI handle first drafts, brainstorming, summaries, and repetitive admin tasks while keeping the things that truly matter in their own hands: their story, their relationships with customers, their big decisions, and their authentic voice.

"AI writes the draft. You write the truth." 

The workshop also covered the ethical use of AI including protecting customer data, reviewing and fact-checking all AI-generated content, avoiding bias in marketing language, and being transparent with customers when AI is involved.

A ROOM FULL OF CURIOUS, DRIVEN WOMEN

What made the evening truly special wasn't just the content, it was the people. The women who gathered in Boissevain that night came with questions, openness, and a genuine desire to grow their businesses. That curiosity is exactly what Richard closed the evening with:

"You don't need to be a tech person to use AI. You just need to be curious."

At Community Futures Westman, supporting the growth and success of entrepreneurs across our region is at the heart of everything we do. Events like this one remind us of the incredible potential that exists in our communities and the difference that access to the right tools and knowledge can make.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

If you missed the event or would like to explore how AI tools could support your business, we'd love to connect. Reach out to our team at Community Futures Westman, we're here to help businesses across the Westman region start, grow, and thrive.

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