Starting a business in one weekend

Plus how to stop using ChatGPT like Google

Author

Helena Di Biase
February 03, 2025

KIS News Issue #40 - some links included in this issue may be affiliate links

Update: It’s been a minute since I wrote this newsletter and I’m so happy to be back in your inbox on a Monday morning with some big life updates. If you’ve been following my TikTok, you’ll know that two weeks ago I decided to take some big action in one weekend and launch a new business - Espresso AI. In all honesty, I knew I was going to start this business when I decided to take a sabbatical from investing in October. But I’ve also been procrastinating on the idea and letting it just roll one from week’s to-do list to the next. So I did one of my favourite things - I made a big bold move and put it on the internet and set myself a challenge to get the first steps up and running in one weekend. More on that below…

As I’ve been working on a new platform and website, I’ll be moving all of my AI content over to Espresso so if you aren’t already following me there, you can find me on TikTok and Instagram as @startabusinesswithme focuses on behind the scenes, lessons learnt and smarter ways to make more money.

Which brings me to my final update - my CustomGPT masterclass will be moving to the new EspressoAI platform at the end of the week. If you’ve already got it, you don’t need to do anything, you’ll get access to the new platform when it’s ready. If you’ve not got this class yet then this is your sign as it won’t be available in this format at this price after Thursday. Get instant access here >>

Words to live by: I don’t care if it sounds unrealistic - I’m doing it.

Book Recommendation: The One Thing by Gary Keller. If you struggle with distractions, shiny object syndrome, or just trying to do too many things at once, this book is a game-changer. It teaches you how to focus on the one thing that will make everything else easier or unnecessary.

Key takeaway: Success doesn’t come from doing everything—it comes from doing the right thing, consistently.

If you’ve read it before, this is your sign to revisit it!

AI News: This week was wild. The release of not one, but two, new open-source generative AI models by Chinese start-up DeepSeek sent the markets into a tailspin wiping $600bn (yes Billion) off Nvidia (US-based hardware manufacturer who until last week have dominated the market for micro-chip processors used in data centres for the likes of OpenAI, Microsoft and Meta). Why was it such big news and why should you care? DeepSeek reportedly built these models for less than $6mn. A drop in the ocean compared to the amount of time, money and energy it has taken competitors like OpenAI to develop their models. Until last week, if you had said that someone could build such advanced AI tech for that budget you would have been laughed out of the room. The narrative was cut and dry - building an AI model was expensive. DeepSeek didn’t have the budget nor did they have access to Nvidia’s micro-chips thanks to US sanctions. So instead of giving up, they found a new way. A cheaper way. And potentially, a better way. The lesson for us all? When the odds are seemingly stacked against you and all the doors are closed, look for the windows. No one said you had to use the doors.

For the US - this was a masterclass in not resting on your laurels.

Introducing Espresso AI

As many of you know I’m a huge advocate up-skilling in AI. One of the advantages of being in entrepreneurship, particularly in early-stage investing, for as long as I have, is that I often get to see markets start, evolve, and grow, long before it becomes mainstream. The adoption of generative AI by the mass market is one of the most significant shifts in how we all live, work and play akin to the release of the internet in 1983.

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ll know this is something I’m constantly harping on about - learn about AI, use AI, understand AI and what it can do for you and how it can help you grow.

Finally, after tiring of not having anywhere to send people who asked me how they could learn about the basics and get started in a non-technical way, I’ve decided to create my own resource.

Espresso AI is a platform dedicated to making AI education accessible, practical, and completely non-technical. My mission is simple - to close the AI literacy gap, particularly for women, by providing step-by-step guidance on integrating AI into work, business, and everyday life.

I’ve built my own new website (coming soon) and I’ve even been developing an app in the last couple of weeks. And yes, AI has helped scale me and do it all.

I’ll be sharing all the behind the scenes as always and if you’d like to join me over there you can follow along here >

What I learnt starting a new business in one weekend

  • I prioritised niching right down on one specific customer - a customer that I deeply care about. Because whilst I do want everyone to have access to non-technical AI content and to up-skill in this area, I want to prevent the gender gap in AI becoming a gaping chasm like it has in finance and many other industries. This didn’t come without some resistance, both in the form of some helpful trolls online 🙄, and also internally, as I really do want to help as many people as possible. That said, I know that if I’m talking to everyone then I’ll be talking to no one and for me, this is about not pulling up the ladder behind me and actually throwing out ropes for other women to learn about and leverage AI in order to thrive in the new digital age.

  • Move fast and break things. Setting myself a target of getting the brand, website and socials as well as refining the monetisation strategy, vision and values in 72 hours was no mean feat. With limited time, I had to make quick decisions so whilst I would have loved to work with a professional designer on branding (I will in the future), and I would have liked a more sophisticated tech-stack, I needed to remind myself that these things aren’t permanent and I could update quickly once I was live.

  • Canva for websites doesn’t work - at least not for me anyway. Despite how much I wanted it to work, I just couldn’t get Canva to integrate with my domain name and my site kept breaking. This means that for now, I am focused on sharing the link to the EspressoAI newsletter and free resources landing page.

  • CustomGPTs are your best friend. I know that if this platform is to be successful I need to maximise my production and output in a limited amount of time so I’ve been using a new set of customGPTs combined with automated workflows to help me create 35 pieces of content across all mediums a week. So far so good and I’m feeling optimistic that this is the secret sauce to staying consistent on socials.

  • Make the reason for people to give you their email so compelling. Honestly, I know I could charge and make really good money selling my library of AI prompts as a digital product. But I also know that the best way to build a new audience that know like and trust you, is to give away something so good people can’t believe it is free. Giving away my prompts also speaks directly to my values and purpose with this platform - to close the gap and give 5,000,000 women access to AI education and resources.

  • Two weeks in, the numbers look like this: 1979 tiktok followers, 90 instagram followers (I’m still learning to like this platform!), 294 email subscribers since I started promoting my list 4 days ago.

Stop using ChatGPT like Google

If you’re still using ChatGPT like Google, you’re doing it wrong. If you find yourself frustrated with the quality of AI outputs and you feel like you are missing a trick, then you need to start using CustomGPTs.

Think of GPTs like your personal AI assistants that you have trained to complete a very specific task. Once you know how to set up a GPT properly you can train them to do pretty much anything from writing your emails to sound exactly like you, through to drafting, amending and scheduling newsletters (like this one), and coming up with creative, viral, short-form video content.

The thing I love the most about GPTs (and that is so underrated), is that you can pull the technology and training OUT of OpenAI and host it on your own platform that you can monetise. If you have a process for something, then you can teach that to a GPT and turn it into your own, scalable, AI assistant.

If you’ve been sleeping on this and now thinking s**t, I need to get on this, this week is your last chance to get access to my 2 hour CustomGPT masterclass before it moves platforms and the price changes. If you’re still using ChatGPT like Google then this is the class you need to take!

In this instant access session you’ll learn:

What you’ll learn:

  1. How to Build CustomGPTs

    Step-by-step guidance on creating your own CustomGPT tailored to your business. Whether it’s automating content creation, streamlining customer service, or developing a unique revenue stream, you’ll leave with a fully functional GPT.

  2. Monetising Your GPTs

    Discover how to break your GPT out of OpenAI, package it as a sellable product.

  3. Leveraging APIs for Next-Level Automation

    Learn how to connect your GPT to external systems, enabling seamless workflows, data integration, and high-value, automated customer experiences.

By the end of this workshop, you’ll have:

  • Your very own CustomGPT, built and ready to implement.

  • A clear understanding of how to use AI to 10x your productivity, income, and impact.

  • A roadmap to monetise your GPTs, turning your knowledge and expertise into scalable, passive income streams.

  • Access to my own GPT training manuals for you to copy and paste.

Have a great week ahead & remember to keep it simple.

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