Founders of boutique PR agencies tap AI tools to write proposals and build a 'scrappy CRM'

In the fast-paced world of public relations, many professionals find themselves balancing their passion for client service with the demands of operational management. This challenge is particularly pronounced for founders of boutique agencies who often manage every aspect of their business solo. Adebukola Ajao, the founder of B.D.Y. CONSULT, has embraced artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline her operations and enhance the quality of her services over the past two years. Ajao oversees client strategies, creative direction, marketing execution, partnerships, and operations independently. She discovered that utilizing AI could significantly reduce the time spent on essential tasks, such as proposal writing. By harnessing tools like Google’s Gemini, Ajao can sift through extensive notes and emails to gather insights about potential clients. What used to take over a week to draft now takes less than a day, allowing her to focus more on her clients' needs. Similarly, Ciara Siegel, founder of the brand consultancy CJC, has found AI to be a game-changer in her client strategy work. Initially, her research-intensive processes could drag on for weeks. However, with the help of AI tools, Siegel has managed to cut this time down to a fraction, enabling her to dedicate more energy to high-level strategic planning. She employs ChatGPT to analyze client communications, allowing for a more efficient synthesis of information that would have previously taken hours. The collaborative aspect of brainstorming is also transformed by AI. Siegel utilizes the voice-to-text feature of ChatGPT to stimulate her thought process, revealing ideas that might otherwise remain unarticulated. “The real value lies in the momentum it creates,” she noted, emphasizing how AI helps unlock creativity. Chensvold Communications’ Lisa Chensvold started her agency in 2025, leveraging generative AI tools after initially being skeptical. Faced with the complexities of managing her business’s technology and systems, she turned to AI for assistance. By setting clear parameters for simplicity, she found AI to be an invaluable partner in identifying gaps in her workflow and developing efficient systems. She created a customized 'scrappy CRM' using guidance from ChatGPT, which helped her navigate customer management options tailored to her solo operations. Additionally, she employs Claude, another generative AI tool, to refine and validate her processes, ensuring that she remains organized and effective in her client engagements. Through these innovative applications of AI, these boutique PR founders demonstrate how technology can empower solo entrepreneurs to enhance their service offerings while maintaining their unique human touch.