Working Smart with AI | AI Lunchbreak by SBDC

Stop dabbling. Start using AI with purpose. Join Solano-Napa and Sonoma SBDCs for AI Lunchbreak Series, where we cut through the hype and show you exactly how AI can work for you.

This live, interactive series is built for small business owners who want to stop experimenting and start working smarter with AI—without needing a tech background or extra time in the day.

Each 60-minute session includes live demos, guided AI exercises, and “deep dives” into real business use cases so you’re not just learning about AI—you’re using it, applying it, and building systems you can actually keep using in your business.

You’ll learn how to use AI as a vital business tool—from finding your highest-value use cases, to writing better prompts, to organizing your workspace, to building a simple daily AI routine that saves you hours.

4 Weeks, Wednesdays 1/7-1/28, Noon-1pm

YOUR REGISTRATION INCLUDES:

• Four Guided demos and interactive workshops
• Recordings to re-watch or play what you missed
• Handouts to help you put into action what you learn

WEEK-BY-WEEK SCHEDULE:

Week 1. Use AI Competitively

• Framing AI as a strategic edge, not just a helper
• What your competitors are likely doing already
• Case studies or small biz examples
• How to test and iterate with AI to move faster

Week 2. Prompt Like a Pro: How to Get What You Want

• Writing better prompts without overthinking it
• Thinking like a “task designer” vs a “question asker”
• Prompt frameworks for writing, research, and strategy
• Mini-demo of rewriting one bad prompt five better ways

Week 3. Organize Your AI Workspace

• How to set up your AI tools to avoid chaos
• Using folders, projects, pinned chats (depending on tool)
• Prompt libraries, templates, shortcuts
• Integrating your AI into daily workflows

Week 4. Make AI Your Daily Assistant

• Turn AI from “experiment” into habit
• Create daily checklists and routines with AI help
• Use AI to prioritize, plan, and stay on task

Whether you’re just getting started with AI or looking to level up your skills, you’ll walk away with ideas and tools you can start using right away.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Led by Cathy Balach, Lead Business Advisor and a Google and SBDC-certified AI specialist.

A seasoned marketing strategist and founder of three businesses, Cathy helps entrepreneurs harness the power of AI to simplify, scale, and sharpen their marketing.

THIS WORKSHOP IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SOLANO-NAPA AND SONOMA SBDCs.