I built an AI C-suite to help me run my small business. As a creative, I was hesitant to use AI, but it’s helpful for certain things.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sara Russell, a 37-year-old small business founder of Mainland Vintage Bath & Body Boutique , based in Brooklyn, NY. It’s been edited for length and clarity.

I’ve known about AI for a while, but I was always hesitant to use it. I don’t want it to take away my creative freedom.

I’ve run my small bath-and-body business full-time since 2023, and the creative side of the business has never been a problem for me. Building the foundation for a strong, solid company is the part I had very little experience doing.

After I started using Claude projects in February, I had a light bulb moment. I…