How to Start a Business with AI (When You’re Not Even Sure What to Sell Yet)
AI is exploding everywhere. People are spinning up newsletters, digital products, and full-blown businesses…while you’re stuck refreshing Slack.
You’re smart. You’re capable. But every week feels like a rerun.
You don’t want to miss the wave. You just don’t know what to build.
That’s the gap this post fills.
I’m not going to throw 50 random business ideas at you. This is about helping you:
Get clear on what kind of business actually fits your skills and life
Use AI to move faster and cheaper than ever before
Start testing ideas without wasting months or money
You don’t need a perfect niche. You don’t need to quit your job. You just need a reason to start…and the right tools to make it real.
Let’s start building that now.
👉 [Grab my favorite AI tools and prompts in 2025]
Why AI Is the Best Business Partner for First-Time Founders
Starting a business used to mean risk, money, and months of work before you made a single dollar. That was me back in 2017!
Now? One good idea + one smart AI = you move faster than people with big teams.
Here’s why AI is a cheat code…especially when you’re starting from scratch:
🧠 1. It handles 80% of the grunt work
Don’t know how to write a landing page? Draft it in 3 minutes.
Need a content plan? Ask for one.
Overwhelmed by “where to start”? Let AI walk you through it.
💰 2. It cuts startup costs to near zero
What used to require hiring (writers, designers, VAs, strategists) can now be done solo.
For $20/month and some brainpower, you’re in the game.
📈 3. It shortens the idea-to-revenue gap
You can validate an offer, write sales copy, and publish a page in one day.
AI gives you momentum before your imposter syndrome kicks in.
💡 Real-World Example:
A guy I know used ChatGPT to turn his old Google Docs into a “freelancer toolkit,” slapped it on Gumroad, and made $300 the first weekend.
Not because it was genius. Because he actually launched something…with AI doing most of the work.
Bottom line: If you’ve been stalling because you don’t know what to build, AI lets you test, tweak, and learn without wasting time or money.
What Should I Sell? Start Here Instead
Most people asking “what should I sell?” are asking the wrong question.
The better question is: what do I already understand, do well, or care enough about to solve for someone else?
You don’t need a genius idea. You need an offer that solves a real problem, using skills or insights you already have.
Here are four questions to help uncover that:
1. What problems do I understand deeply?
Think beyond job titles. Think lived experience.
Did you overcome burnout? Fix a messy workflow? Help friends land better jobs? These are signals.
2. What skills do I already get paid for - or could?
List them. Don’t discount anything because it feels “basic.”
If you’ve been organizing team docs, running client calls, or editing content, you’ve got valuable leverage.
3. What kinds of people do I actually like helping?
This matters more than you think.
Solving problems for people you relate to—or enjoy talking to—makes it easier to show up, sell, and grow.
4. What kind of life do I want this business to create?
Do you want quiet, solo work? Or a public brand?
Daily interaction? Or deep focus time?
Your offer should fit your energy, not fight it.
Want to get more clear on what type of business you should start? 👇
Read My Ultimate Guide: 7 AI Prompts to Help You Get Clear on Your Next Business
3 AI Business Models You Can Start This Month
You don’t need a full-blown startup. You need a simple offer that solves a problem…and a system that gets it in front of people.
These three models are low-risk, high-leverage, and built for speed.
1. Productized Service (Start Fast, Charge More)
You take a skill you already have, use AI to speed it up, and package it into a repeatable outcome.
Examples:
LinkedIn profile rewrites powered by GPT-4
Podcast repurposing (turn episodes into tweets, emails, blog posts)
Notion system setups for busy solopreneurs
AI tools you’ll use: ChatGPT for content, Notion AI for systems, Zapier for automations.
💡 Why it works: You can charge premium prices without scaling hours - because AI handles the heavy lifting.
2. Content + Offer Hybrid (Grow an Audience, Then Monetize)
If you’ve got opinions, insights, or stories - start sharing them. Use AI to help you write faster, post more, and build an email list.
Then launch a simple product: Templates, mini-courses, private communities, or digital playbooks.
Examples:
Newsletter on solo business + AI, with paid backend offers
Twitter account + Notion templates
YouTube channel + prompt packs
AI tools you’ll use: ChatGPT for content ideas and scripts, Claude for rewriting and formatting, Repurpose.io for multiplatform publishing.
💡 Why it works: You build trust and an asset at the same time.
3. AI-First Micro Products (Build Once, Sell Forever)
You don’t need to be a coder to sell tools anymore. Just be someone who spots inefficiencies and turns them into plug-and-play shortcuts.
Examples:
“30 prompts for therapists” guide
Airtable CRM template for creators
Email automation sequences for coaches
AI tools you’ll use: ChatGPT for prompt creation, Notion or Airtable to build, Gumroad or Lemon Squeezy to sell.
💡 Why it works: These are fast to build, evergreen, and scalable. Make once, sell 100 times.
The AI Stack You Need to Launch (No Team, No Code, No Excuses)
You don’t need 15 tools, a $500 course, or a Notion setup that looks like a spaceship.
You need a lean, proven setup that lets you think, create, and sell…fast.
Here’s the only tech stack you need to get going:
1. ChatGPT (or Claude)
Either of these LLMs will become your co-founder in a box.
Use it to brainstorm ideas, write landing pages, build content plans, and respond to customers.
Pro Tip: Don’t use the free version. I recommend upgrading to ChatGPT Plus for $20/month. Much better limits on messaging, file uploads, data analysis, and image generation!
2. Notion or Google Docs
Use it to plan your offer, organize your prompts, or even deliver your product. Notion works great for digital products, templates, or onboarding guides.
3. Gumroad or Lemon Squeezy
Sell digital products or services without touching code. I’ve personally used Gumroad and Lemon Squeezy…they are great platforms that make it simple to sell.
One link, clean checkout, done.
4. Kit.com or Beehiiv
Build an email list and talk to your audience. I personally use Kit.com for my most important email funnels. But Beehiiv is also a great, cheap alternative for growing a newsletter.
Start simple - one welcome email, one offer email. Use AI to draft both.
5. Carrd or Notion Site
Launch a landing page in 30 minutes. Carrd is one of the easiest, low-friction landing page builders. I also recommend several others in my other blog post: 6 Steps to Escape the AI Layoff Wave in 2025.
No designer needed. Just a headline, a few bullets, and a CTA button.
6. Zapier or Make.com
Glue it all together with either Zapier or Make.com. My general rule of thumb: use Zapier for quick automations if you’re okay paying a premium, while Make is cheaper and has more customizations.
Want to auto-send an email when someone buys? Auto-sort responses from a form? Done in a few clicks.
This entire stack costs less than your UberEats bill for the month - and gives you everything you need to test and launch.
How to Launch Without Overthinking It
Most people stay stuck because they think they need to “get everything ready.”
Here’s the truth: clarity comes after you start—not before.
Here’s how to launch something small, test it, and learn fast using AI:
1. Write a One-Liner Offer with AI
Use ChatGPT:
“Help me write a one-sentence business idea based on this: [insert who you help, what you solve, how you solve it]. Make it sound clear, confident, and simple.”
Example: “I help freelance designers land better clients by rewriting their portfolios using proven positioning prompts.”
2. Build a Simple Landing Page
Use Carrd or Notion. Your page needs:
A clear headline (your one-liner)
3 bullet points of value
A button: “Book Now” or “Join Waitlist” or “Buy Now”
Use ChatGPT to draft everything.
3. Share It with 10 People You Know (or Post It Online)
Don’t build in secret.
Email friends. DM past coworkers. Tweet it. Drop it in a Slack group.
You’ll get feedback…or maybe a buyer.
4. Keep It Ugly. Keep It Moving.
Don’t tweak fonts. Don’t obsess over pricing.
Your first version is a test - not a legacy.
You’re building clarity through action. AI makes it faster…but you still have to press “publish.”
You Don’t Need a Master Plan…You Need a Start Line
You’re not behind. You’re not late. And you’re not the only one who’s unsure what to sell.
But the difference between people who build momentum—and those who stay stuck—is simple:
They launch.
Not perfectly. Not with a 5-year roadmap.
They just start…and let clarity come from doing. I wrote a post on LinkedIn the other day on my personal journey with this.
AI makes that easier than ever. You’ve got the tools. You’ve got the time. Now you just need the next step.
👉 Want all favorite AI tools and prompts in 2025?
You don’t have to figure it all out. You just have to move.
And if you do? You’ll be way ahead of the people still “thinking about it” 3 months from now.
Let’s build.
