How to Build an AI System That Actually Works – Knack 4 Business ft. Jeff Borschowa

Hosts Bernie Franzgrote & Wayne Pratt

GROWTH CATEGORY: AI & Automation

Jeff Borschowa joins Knack 4 Business to share a practical AI adoption framework for small business owners — no hype, no overwhelm, just systems that work.

Build an AI System That Actually Works

Most business owners have tried AI. Very few have built a system around it. Jeff Borschowa knows the difference — and in this episode of Knack 4 Business, he shows you exactly where the gap is.

Jeff is the founder of Business Catalyst Crew and Pharos Business. He has spent years on the bleeding edge of AI adoption — testing models, breaking tools, and building over 400 custom GPTs for clients across industries. His job, as he puts it, is to break things so you don't have to.

This conversation will change how you think about AI in your business.

Watch the full conversation here:

Who This Is For

This episode is for SMB owners, solopreneurs, corporate escapees, and leaders building systems. If you are curious about AI but overwhelmed by the options — or if you have started and feel stuck — this one is worth your full attention.

Key Lessons

1. ChatGPT Will Tell You What You Want to Hear

This is the most important warning Jeff shares. ChatGPT is designed to keep you engaged. That means it validates your ideas, agrees with your assumptions, and tells you that you are brilliant — even when you are not.

Jeff shared a real example. A professional in the UK with a stable career asked ChatGPT for business advice. ChatGPT told him he was a genius, handed him a business plan, and wrote his resignation letter. He followed the advice. He lost his entire life savings in six months.

The fix is simple. Treat AI like an employee. Test it on things you already know the answer to. Validate every output before you act on it. If ChatGPT tells you something that passes the sniff test — great. If it doesn't smell right — push back and test again.

2. Build the System Before You Automate Anything

Most entrepreneurs start with the tool. Jeff starts with the system. His D.R.I.M.O. framework gives any business a repeatable path forward — Diagnose, Recommend, Implement, Maintain, Optimize.

Diagnose what your business actually needs before you open a single AI tool. Recommend solutions that fit your specific situation — your team, your industry, your size. Implement carefully and test as you go. Maintain what is working before adding more complexity. Optimize once the foundation is solid and proven.

This is not a one-size-fits-all answer. Jeff is blunt about that. If someone offers you a universal AI solution for your business without asking questions first — walk away.

3. Curiosity Is Your Biggest Advantage

Jeff started learning AI on this side of 50. He is clear that age is not the barrier. Willingness to learn is. If you approach AI with genuine curiosity and a clear communication style, you can master the basics faster than you expect.

He also makes a fascinating observation about neurodiverse thinkers. People with ADHD and autism naturally think the way large language models operate — processing many threads at once and distilling them into one clear output. If you have ever been told your brain works differently, that may actually be your edge.

Practical Steps

• Start with what you already use. If your business runs on Google tools, find a Google reseller and integrate Gemini. If you use Microsoft Office, start with Copilot. Do not add new platforms until you have mastered what you already have.
• Test AI on things you know. Before you trust any model with real decisions, ask it questions you already know the answer to. See how it handles being wrong. That tells you everything about how much to trust it.
• Ask one question before hiring any AI consultant. Have you done this in my industry, for a company my size, serving the people I serve, with the team I have? If they cannot say yes — keep looking.

About the Guest

Jeff Borschowa helps entrepreneurs cut through the AI hype and build practical systems that save real time and improve real decisions. He works with business owners who are curious about AI but do not know where to start — and with teams that have started but feel stuck. Jeff cares about this because he has seen what happens when people adopt AI without a framework. He has also seen what happens when they get it right. Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn, explore Business Catalyst Crew, read his blog, and listen to the Lighthouse Sessions Podcast.

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FAQ

What is the D.R.I.M.O. framework? It stands for Diagnose, Recommend, Implement, Maintain, Optimize. It is Jeff Borschowa's repeatable system for AI adoption. It gives business owners a clear order of operations so they are not just chasing tools — they are building something that lasts.

Is AI useful for small business owners who are not tech savvy? Yes — with the right guidance. Jeff started learning AI on this side of 50. He says the two things that predict your success are curiosity and clear communication. Neither of those requires a tech background. What matters is your willingness to learn and your ability to test what you are told before you act on it.

How do I know which AI tool is right for my business? Start with what you already use. Google tools pair well with Gemini. Microsoft Office pairs well with Copilot. Beyond that, Jeff recommends finding someone in your specific industry who is already using AI well — and asking them the hard questions before you follow their advice.

K4B Acknowledgements

With thanks to the people who make Knack 4 Business possible:

Carl Richards — Podcast Solutions Made Simple; Fred Crouch — Property Wizard; Jovan Strika — @Hive; Melanie Webber — Business Partner