How Small Businesses Can Use AI Research to Get Ahead

Real-World Strategies from AI Coach Dr. Jeff Bullock

I recently had the opportunity to participate in another AI session with Dr. Jeff Bullock, this time focused specifically on AI research. I volunteered to use my business as a real-world example, and I was genuinely impressed by how much valuable information was gathered and delivered in multiple usable formats in less than 20 minutes.

During the session, Dr. Bullock shared several practical strategies that I was able to apply immediately. After seeing the impact firsthand, I asked if we could continue the conversation to provide small business owners with clear, actionable guidance on how to use AI more effectively, especially when it comes to research.

Here is what we discussed.

What was it like to transition from a successful career in the pharmacy industry to becoming an AI coach, and how does that background shape the way you approach AI today?

Dr. Jeff Bullock:
“Honestly, it felt natural because the core skills transferred. I spent 18 years at CVS Health. Seven of those I was on the bench dispensing medications, deep in community pharmacy. Then I got promoted to supervisor and spent the rest leading teams of 25 pharmacists across multiple locations.

The two things that carried over most were curiosity and helping people solve their problems. Pharmacy is science. AI is science. Both require you to stay current, think critically, and make decisions with real consequences. And as a supervisor, my job was never to do the pharmacist's job for them. My job was to remove their obstacles so they could be successful. That is exactly what I do now.

And look, AI is industry agnostic. So when I sit down with a real estate investor, a printing company, a law firm, I genuinely want to understand their business. I am naturally curious about how things work. That came from pharmacy. You are constantly learning, constantly adapting. That never turned off.”

What does effective AI research actually look like for a small business, and where should they start?

Dr. Jeff Bullock:
“Start with what you are already doing manually that takes too long. Every business has tasks where someone is spending hours gathering information, comparing options, or compiling data. That is where AI research creates immediate ROI.

You saw this yourself. You used the research we did together to build a targeted prospect pipeline for your entire region. Contact information, business profiles, competitive intelligence. That would have taken weeks. We did it in an afternoon.

The mistake people make is thinking AI research means asking ChatGPT a question and copying the answer. Real AI research is iterative. You give it a framework, let it pull information, stress test the output, refine the prompt, and keep going until you have something you can actually act on. The quality comes from the back and forth, not from the first response.”

What is the biggest advantage business owners gain when they personally learn how to use AI?

Dr. Jeff Bullock:
“Once you know what AI can do, you will never accept less from the people around you. That is the real advantage.

I tell my clients this all the time. Once you learn AI, you will never be able to hire someone who knows less than you do. You just cannot do it. Because you know that a task that should take an hour is going to take them seven hours since they do not know how to use the tools. That is a terrible feeling when you are paying for it.

And it goes the other way too. The quality standard goes up permanently. In my own organization, if somebody gives me something and they did not use AI to elevate it, I push it back. Not because I am being difficult. Because the highest standard should be automatic. When that becomes your internal baseline, your clients feel it. They get used to premium output, and anything less is unacceptable. That is how solopreneurs start competing with companies ten times their size.”

How can business owners get more accurate and useful results from AI when conducting research, planning, or creating content?

Dr. Jeff Bullock:
“Meta-prompting. Tell the AI your goal, then ask it to create the best possible prompt to achieve that goal. Do not try to write the perfect prompt yourself. You will overthink it.

Then stress test. Ask the AI to grade its own prompt against your stated goal. If it comes back at a 5 out of 10, ask it why and have it improve. Keep going until you are at an 8 or 9. That takes two minutes and completely changes the quality of what you get back.

The other thing is knowing what is your job versus what is the AI's job. Your own taste, judgment, and accountability. The AI handles volume, speed, and pattern recognition. When people try to outsource their judgment to AI, everything comes out generic. When they keep the judgment and let AI do the heavy lifting, the output sounds like them, just faster and sharper.”

Two things really stood out to me about why Dr. Jeff Bullock is so effective at helping small business owners succeed with AI: his curiosity and the high standards he sets for himself and his team. That combination raises the bar for his clients and helps them achieve results beyond what they initially thought was possible.

One question that has been in the back of my mind is: How can AI make me smarter? From what I have seen, AI meets you where you are, but it also rises with you. Adopting Dr. Bullock’s approach of staying curious and using meta-prompting is a powerful first step. When I applied this myself, it immediately improved the quality of the results I was getting from AI.

Another key insight was how he approaches research. During the session, he had AI evaluate its own output against the goals of the meta prompt before reviewing anything manually. That stress test step consistently improved the quality of the results and maximized his time productivity using AI.

To  reach Dr. Jeff Bullock, visit: https://www.prismaiconsultants.com/

Continuing the Conversation...

If you're exploring how AI can fit into your business, we’re always happy to help you think through the next steps. At 416 Sales, we work with companies on strategy, messaging, and customer experience to help them grow with intention.