Practical AI adoption
From Story to Action
Every Business Tells a Story (and AI Needs to Understand It)
Let's take all of this out of theory and make it concrete.
Imagine a small yoga studio. The owner has a simple goal:
"I want to offer seniors a yoga class in my studio."
That's not a bad instinct. But it's not a story yet.
If that's where we stop, any AI we involve next is going to struggle. There's no context. No constraints. No definition of success. Just a vague direction and a lot of room to guess.
Now let's tell the actual story.
This studio understands that movement is one of the best things seniors can do for their health, but only if it's low to no impact. The goal isn't intensity. It's mobility, flexibility, and confidence.
They decide to offer two 30-minute sessions per week, capped at ten participants so there's room for individual attention. Sessions are scheduled in the morning and late afternoon, when seniors are most likely to attend.
Pricing matters. Many seniors are on a fixed income, so the studio settles on $15 per session. It needs to be affordable without putting the business at risk.
The instructor is personally motivated. Her parents are now seniors, and she's seen firsthand how much something like this could help. She's a certified yoga instructor with additional training specifically for teaching seniors and handling physical limitations.
There are clear boundaries. Participants must be ambulatory, though a seated option is available. Anyone requiring oxygen or breathing assistance is outside the scope of the class. This is wellness-focused yoga, not medical or rehabilitative care.
Language matters. Messaging should be gentle and reassuring. No hard gym words. No pressure. This is about feeling better, not pushing limits.
The studio itself is accessible. First floor. Plenty of parking. Restrooms available. It's located inside a familiar health and wellness center.
Success is defined realistically. Full sessions would be great, but dropping below 80 percent attendance over time would force hard decisions like raising prices, combining classes, or ending the program. Long-term attendance and referrals matter more than one-time signups.
Now pause for a moment.
This is the same business.
The same studio.
The same goal.
But the second version is a story. It has intent, constraints, tone, boundaries, and a definition of what "good" looks like.
Only now does it make sense to bring AI into the conversation.
Not to invent the idea.
Not to decide what seniors need.
Not to replace judgment.
But to help express the story more clearly, explore options, and reduce the friction of execution.
When people say AI didn't help their business, it's often because they never told it the story first.
Once the story is clear, AI finally has something to work with. It's time to start asking questions.