The AI Stack Every Small Business Should Know - 4 of 10
DSTech Solutions | Making AI Practical for Small Business
A Practical Look at Tools That Work Together to Save Time, Money, and Sanity
When small businesses think of AI, they often imagine one flashy tool. But the real power comes from the stack—a layered set of tools working together to automate, streamline, and empower.
Here’s a breakdown of the AI Stack every small business owner should know:
🧠 Layer 1: AI Brain — ChatGPT or Claude.ai
This is your thinking layer. These tools help with:
Writing content (emails, posts, letters)
Research and brainstorming
Customer service responses
Document summarization and analysis
Use tools like ChatGPT or Claude.ai to do 80% of your thinking and writing prep. Then polish it with your own human touch.
🔁 Layer 2: Workflow Automation — Zapier or Make
These are your connectors. They link your tools together so they work automatically.
Example uses:
When a lead fills out a form → automatically add them to your CRM + send a welcome email
When a calendar event is booked → notify your team via Slack
Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat) are no-code tools that connect hundreds of apps without hiring a developer.
📇 Layer 3: CRM — HubSpot, Zoho, or Pipedrive
Your CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is your command center for sales and communication.
How AI helps here:
Smart lead scoring
Automatic follow-ups
Personalized email flows
Many CRMs now include AI for predicting deal close rates and optimizing outreach.
🔄 Layer 4: Prebuilt Automations — Notion AI, ClickUp AI, Google AI
This layer lives inside your current tools and quietly boosts productivity.
Examples:
AI auto-generating task lists from meeting notes (ClickUp AI)
Smart document creation in Notion AI
Predictive analytics in Google Workspace
You’re probably already using this layer without realizing it. Time to explore it further.
📈 Layer 5: Data Insights & Decision Support — ChatGPT Plus + Spreadsheets
Combine ChatGPT with your spreadsheets for instant analysis.
Try this:
Paste your sales data into ChatGPT and ask, “What stands out?”
Get a plain-English summary of trends, anomalies, and opportunities
Bonus: Add Google Looker Studio or Power BI for dashboards.
Final Thoughts:
The stack is more than just tools—it’s a system.
Once these layers are connected, you’ll be running a smarter, leaner, more responsive business. And the best part? Most of these tools offer free versions to get started.
Contact us: https://bit.ly/DSTechContact
Please take a moment to Comment. Your questions are greatly appreciated!
- thanks, Sam
Transforming business operations with smarter technology.