Why I Wrote Be Practical

It started with a simple problem: I needed help that didn’t exist

I’m a founder in a small town. That means you don’t get the luxury of massive teams, endless runway, or a department for every problem.

When you’re building in a small market, you either become resourceful, or you disappear.

Then life hit hard

Fourteen months ago I was diagnosed with FND (Functional Neurological Disorder).

Living with a neurological disorder isn’t simple. The body and brain don’t always cooperate. Some days your energy is gone before your day even starts. Some days the cognitive load of “normal work” feels like trying to run a marathon while wearing a weighted vest.

Without AI, I couldn’t have stayed open

I’m not saying AI is magic. It’s not.

But it became a crucial cog in the operation wheel of our business.

It helped me keep momentum when my health tried to take it away. It helped me convert scattered thoughts into clear plans. It helped me write, organize, respond, and execute — even when my body was telling me to stop.

Here’s the part most people miss: I didn’t want to rent my AI

At first, like everyone, I tried the easiest tools. But I ran into the same wall again and again:

• My business data didn’t feel safe living inside someone else’s cloud.
• Costs scaled in ways that punished growth.
• I was building on a platform I didn’t control.

So I decided to take matters into my own hands.

I wanted to own my AI — not rent it.

Owning AI made it usable in real operations

Owning AI is what turns it from a fun toy into an operating advantage.

When you run AI locally, you can:

• Keep your documents and internal processes private
• Build repeatable workflows (not one-off chats)
• Improve over time as your business evolves
• Actually trust it as part of the system

So I wrote Be Practical

I wrote this book because too many people are stuck watching AI happen to them, instead of using it to take control of their business and their life.

Be Practical isn’t about hype. It’s about:

• Using AI to reduce workload and mental overhead
• Building a system you control
• Turning AI into a reliable part of operations

I wanted a handbook that tells you what matters, what doesn’t, and what to do next — especially if you’re a small business owner who doesn’t have time to become an AI researcher.