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Bringing AI Education for Entrepreneurs to ESSENCE: What I Shared, What They Learned, and Why It Mattered
At the ESSENCE Festival 2025, I presented “How I AI,” sharing real tools and strategies to make AI education for entrepreneurs simple, practical, and ready to use right away.
When ESSENCE invited me to speak at this year’s Festival of Culture, I said yes on the spot.
This festival is about legacy, leadership, and economic power. It brings together artists, entrepreneurs, visionaries, and culture-shapers from across the country for a multi-day celebration of Black excellence. And this year, the event expanded to include something that’s reshaping how we work and grow: Artificial Intelligence (AI).
I came to show exactly how entrepreneurs can start using AI now to streamline content, clarify messaging, and reclaim time. That’s what my session, “How I AI,” was all about.
Why I Created This Session the Way I Did
The presentation took place inside SOKO MRKT, a dynamic pop-up marketplace within the festival that features Black-owned businesses, creatives, and innovators. The energy was high. The people in the room weren’t browsing; they were building.
I knew the audience wouldn’t be new to the concept of entrepreneurship. These were business owners juggling sales, content creation, client work, and growth, often without a full team to support them. They didn’t need concepts. They needed clarity and process.
So I delivered a session that was fast-moving, practical, and built around real workflows.
Alicia Lyttle delivers a hands-on AI education for entrepreneurs session at ESSENCE, showing real tools and workflows designed to save time and spark action.
Here’s what I shared:
- How I use ChatGPT to write client emails, grant drafts, and content outlines
- Why Gamma is my go-to for quick, polished presentations
- How Canva AI speeds up branded visuals and product graphics
- And how it all comes together to support AI-powered business growth, without adding more to your plate
Each demo had a purpose. Each takeaway was something they could use right away.
That’s how I teach AI education for entrepreneurs—by making it feel like something you can plug in, not something you have to figure out.
What I Saw in the Room
The questions that came up were sharp and focused:
- “How do I make this sound like me?”
- “Where should I start if I’m already doing everything myself?”
- “Can I automate without losing my voice or audience connection?”
These aren’t tech questions. They’re business questions. And they come from people who are already showing up and doing the work.
Once I walked them through the tools and workflows I use every day, I saw the shift. You could feel the hesitation drop and the momentum build.
That’s the kind of transformation AI education for entrepreneurs can spark when it’s delivered with purpose and without overwhelm.
Why This Session Meant So Much
I’ve led AI training sessions in classrooms, private coaching programs, corporate retreats, and more. But there was something about being at ESSENCE and standing in a room full of entrepreneurs, side hustlers, and community leaders that reminded me why I started doing this in the first place.
Because AI isn’t just for developers or big teams, it’s for the people building businesses from scratch, day by day. Those who are leading with vision just need the right systems to keep up with the speed of their growth.
That’s why AI education for entrepreneurs needs to show up in rooms like this. Because when it does, it changes the way people work—and how they see what’s possible.
Behind the Scenes at ESSENCE
Here’s a look at some moments from the session—from live demos to the incredible entrepreneurs who showed up ready to learn.
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- Bringing AI education into community hubs — where entrepreneurs are already building and growing.
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- Speaking to an engaged room about practical AI systems that support everyday entrepreneurs.
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- Demoing how AI can create 100+ social posts in under 10 minutes — real results, no burnout.
Practical Ways to Start Using AI Today
If you couldn’t be in the room, here’s where I suggest you begin.
These are the tools I walked through live—and how you can start using them now:
- ChatGPT → Use it to write a grant draft, welcome email, or content outline. Give it your tone, and let it do the heavy lifting.
- Gamma → Build your next slide deck in minutes. Whether it’s for a pitch, training, or workshop, Gamma makes the design part easy.
- Canva → Generate graphics and product visuals quickly. Use it for your next flyer, lead magnet, or carousel post.
- OpusClip → Turn a long-form video into clips, titles, and social posts. This tool helps you stay consistent online—even when your schedule’s packed.
You don’t need to be a tech expert to get started. Just pick one thing you’re tired of doing manually, and give AI a role in solving it.
That’s how I approach AI education for entrepreneurs—with tools that support your business, not take over your voice.
How I’m Continuing the Work
The session I led at ESSENCE is the same work I continue every day through AI InnoVision.
There, I partner with entrepreneurs, teams, and organizations to build systems that bring structure, save time, and unlock more focus for growth. We teach teams how to integrate AI with intention, so it supports their existing workflows.
Whether it’s for content, onboarding, operations, or strategy, AI education for entrepreneurs provides you with the tools to accomplish more, faster. But more importantly, it gives you the freedom to focus on what matters.
Want to bring AI education into your organization, event, or program?
Visit AIInnoVision.com to learn more or get in touch about consulting, training, or custom presentations.
Summary
If you’ve made it this far, here’s what I hope you’ll take away:
- AI isn’t optional anymore—it’s a tool that belongs in your business today
- You don’t need to use everything, just what saves you time and supports your growth
- Starting small is how you build confidence, and building confidence is how you scale smarter
My goal is to keep showing up in spaces like ESSENCE, in coaching rooms, classrooms, and community hubs—because that’s where the real work is happening.
And that’s who I built this for.
AI Content Creationai digital toolsai education for entrepreneursAI Innovisionai workflowAI-powered growthautomate your business with aiblack women in techChatGPT for businessessence festival 2025
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