The $30/Month Intern vs. The Empty Chair

Solving the “Chief Everything Officer” Problem

I talk to business owners across Alberta every week. Whether they are in construction, retail, or consulting, they all suffer from the same “structural paradox.”

We (yes, we  - I’m a small business too) are the bedrock of the economy. 87% of all businesses in Alberta have fewer than 5 employees, yet we are stretched thinner than ever.

If you own a small business or run a nonprofit, you know the feeling. You are the “Chief Everything Officer”. You are the lead practitioner, the IT desk, the janitor, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, and the marketing department.

When I bring up AI, the reaction is usually hesitation and some good questions:

• “Is it safe?”

• “Is it accurate?”

• “How long would it take to set up? I don’t have time.”

And yes, there are loads of legitimate questions about energy use, water use, and ethics. These are all important and they all need attention and deliberation.

But the question that isn’t asked often enough is: “Is it useful?”

Let’s reframe the conversation. Forget “Artificial Intelligence” for a minute. Forget the sci-fi movies. Imagine I offered you the services of an intern who is trained on all the World's written knowledge:

• Salary: ~$30 a month.

• Hours: 24/7/365.

• Attitude: Enthusiastic, tireless, but inexperienced.

• Skills: Can read 100 pages in seconds, draft emails, summarize meetings, and organize data and can be trained to understand your business as well (or better) than you do.

Would you hire them? Most of you would say “Yes” before I finished the sentence.

The “Good Enough” Rule (Pareto Principle)

Here is the catch: This intern sometimes lacks “common sense.” They sometimes make things up. They need guidance, and coaching. (BTW - I worked with an actual intern like this once).

But if you are drowning in admin work, ask yourself:

• Does your draft email need to be perfect, or does it need to be done?

• Does that spreadsheet need to provide actionable intelligence, or gather dust?

• Does your customer communication need to wait, or can it impress your clients with speed and sensitivity?

This is the 80/20 rule. The AI intern gets you 80% of the way there. It breaks the “blank page” syndrome. Your job shifts from “Creator” to “Editor”. You add the final 20% - the strategy, the nuance, the human touch.

The Cost of Inaction

Right now, we are seeing a “Jagged Edge” of adoption in Alberta. 71% of SMBs are playing with AI, but only about 12% are using it to actually deliver services.

The gap between those two numbers is where the opportunity lives. The businesses that bridge that gap aren’t building complex custom software. They are just smart enough to hire the $30 intern and put them to work on the boring stuff.

The Call to Action

Don’t let the pursuit of “perfect” get in the way of “useful.” Utility beats perfection.

Start small. Treat it with a “healthy distrust”. Be the human in the loop. But don’t leave the seat empty.

If you are an “Explorer” ready to hire your first AI intern but don’t know where to start, DM me. We are looking for 3 businesses to join our Case Study program in January.