Email automation for small businesses can feel overwhelming – there’s a lot of noise and contradicting advice online!

One expert says send at 9 am, another says 4 pm. Some suggest complex logic, while you're just trying to keep your business running day-to-day. If you feel exhausted just thinking about your inbox, you aren't alone!

In this guide, we’re sharing how to simplify your email automations, why they matter, and a simple 3-week plan to get the best results without the stress.

Let’s dive in!

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Why Email Automation Should Be Your Digital Assistant

While manual newsletters are great, email automations do the heavy lifting in the background. They act like a digital assistant that works while you sleep!

We love email automation for small businesses because:

• It saves you time by handling repetitive tasks automatically
• It ensures consistency even when you are busy juggling other areas of your business
• It builds trust by showing up for your customers at exactly the right moment
• It increases sales without any additional manual effort from you

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The "Big Three" Automations to Start With

You don’t need fifty different workflows to see success. Most small businesses only need these three core touchpoints to get things rolling:

1. The Welcome Email

This is your first digital impression. It’s triggered the moment someone signs up for your list. Use it to introduce yourself, set expectations on how often you'll email, and provide immediate value (like a tip or a discount).

2. The Abandoned Cart Reminder

Life gets in the way, we know that! This is a gentle nudge for customers who added items to their cart but didn't finish the purchase. Keep the tone kind and helpful, rather than "salesy," to reassure the customer.

3. The Post-Purchase Thank You

The journey doesn't end at the checkout. This email builds loyalty by showing genuine appreciation, explaining the next steps for delivery, and encouraging a feedback loop or review.

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Using AI to Save You Time

One of the biggest hurdles for founders is knowing what to say. AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini can help you draft these emails in seconds.

Remember: you are always in control. You don't have to use a robotic output - use it as a starting point, then add your own personality and brand voice.

Try this AI prompt to get started:

"Write a warm welcome email for my small business [Name]. We provide [Service/Product]. Include a friendly introduction, tell them to expect weekly tips on [Topic], and offer a 10% discount code: SAVE10."

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Your 3-Week Email Automation Plan

Don't try to implement everything at once. Break it down into manageable tasks so you can go live confidently.

Week 1: The Welcome Email

Draft your intro. Tell subscribers what they’ll get from you (guides, tips, or early access). Set it to send immediately after someone signs up via your website form.

Week 2: The Abandoned Cart

Write a simple, friendly reminder. Most platforms like Mailchimp or Shopify have a standard trigger for this. Set it to send a few hours after a customer leaves your site without purchasing.

Week 3: The Post-Purchase Thank You

Focus on appreciation! Outline what happens next with their order and provide your contact information so they feel supported.

Credit: Ceren Cetin

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Measuring Success

Once your automations are live, these are the simple metrics to keep an eye on:

• Open Rate: Tells you if your subject line is engaging.
• Click Rate: Shows if your content is interesting to your audience.
• Conversion Rate: The ultimate goal - how many people completed the action you wanted!

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Want More Support?

If you’re about to embark on your email marketing journey or want support to review your current automation plan, our mentors can help!

Our mentoring is free to access and unlimited 😊

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Meet the Mentor

As 2025 comes to a close, we've been reflecting on our year and the achievements that we've had 🎉 Through our small business mentoring, Masterclasses, programmes and in-person events, we're proud to say that we delivered over 165,000 hours of live support.

It's been a year packed with new programmes, fantastic partnerships, and big changes to our mentoring platform. Let's dive into 2025's milestones 👇

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Highlights of 2025

A year of events

If 2025 could be summed up in one word, it would be 'connection'. We delivered 24 in-person events for our community and supported over 1000 founders through these events!

• International Women's Day: We welcomed nearly 200 guests to our IWD event. It was a day for inspiration and connection and was supported by our partners at NatWest
• Volunteer Celebration Event: We held our very first volunteer celebration event in the summer! This was a chance for us to celebrate our volunteers' hard work and also spotlight some of our top mentors from the community 🩵
• Small Business Roadshow: In partnership with BT, we did a Roadshow tour of the UK! Our tour took us everywhere from Barnstaple, right up to Durham, and it was a pleasure meeting so many inspiring business owners out in their local areas.
• Small Business Bootcamps: Our flagship events took place in London and Edinburgh this year. Supported by NatWest and Constant Contact, we supported over 300 founders at these events. Across the day we delivered expert Workshops, small business mentoring, and created meaningful connections!

It's been fantastic getting out into the community and meeting so many of you! We're excited to deliver even more events in 2026 and have the chance to meet more of you in-person 😊

A record year for programmes

2025 stands out as Digital Boost’s biggest year yet for structured programmes! We delivered five major programmes alongside our amazing partners in 2025. And we supported over 1,800 small business owners, helping them to upskill and develop their organisations.

• Through Begin, we support over 300 female founders to start and grow their product businesses! This programme is sponsored by NatWest and supported by BuyWomenBuilt and we can't wait to deliver it again in 2026
• Through Jumpstart, our community was able to 'jumpstart' their marketing and get unstuck! With BT's support, we ran three cohorts of this programme in 2025.
• With our AI Essentials programme, we embarked on a new project with Google! Hundreds of students registered through Google’s AI Opportunity Fund to take the Google AI Essentials course and earn certification, embracing growth with AI.
• In partnership with Constant Contact, our Email Marketing programme supported over 260 founders! Through this programme, they learned how to successfully harness the power of email marketing to grow their businesses.
• We also supported Visa's Pioneers Everywhere programme! We delivered a 6-week course for 30 female refugee founders and offered them long-term mentoring to support and develop their businesses!

A platform upgrade

A final highlight from 2025 was launching the upgraded version of our platform for the community! With this upgrade, we streamlined the scheduling process, making it easier for small business mentoring sessions to be booked. And we enabled our volunteers to add learning profiles to their accounts. Ensuring our mentors can upskill and develop was extremely important to us, so we're really proud of this new feature! Thanks to this upgrade, it'll now be easier than ever for us to keep developing new features and deliver an amazing experience for our community.

We're working hard behind the scenes on new features that will be launching in 2026, so watch this space!

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Conclusion

2025 will go down as one of the proudest moments in our Digital Boost journey. It's been an exciting and inspiring year and we can't wait to see what 2026 holds for us!

If you're not already in the Digital Boost community, why not join us for the ride?

Whether you're a founder looking to get support, or a professional who'd like to give back through volunteering, there's a place for you in the Digital Boost community 🤗

Ready to stop guessing and start growing? Growth Metrics for Small Businesses are the compass you need. If you're looking to identify the metrics that matter for small businesses but aren't sure where to start, you're in the right place.

In this guest blog, Sid simplifies the process, showing you how to focus on your North Star Metric and key performance drivers to unlock clear, measurable success for your business. 

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Why Do Growth Metrics Matter?

Too many businesses are measuring everything, yet seeing progress on nothing.

If you’re a founder, marketing lead, or SME owner, you know the drill: dashboards overflowing with CTRs, impressions, CAC, bounce rates… But when growth stalls, none of these tell you what to fix first.

The truth? Most small businesses are looking at vanity metrics, not the levers that actually drive growth. To succeed, you need to focus on the right growth metrics for small businesses.

Start With Your North Star Metric (NSM)

The North Star Metric is the one number that captures the core value you deliver to customers.

It’s not your revenue. It’s not your traffic. But it’s what happens when people truly use and love your product or service.

• For Spotify: Time spent listening
• For Airbnb: Nights booked
• For Slack: Messages sent

How to Find Your North Star:

Ask:

• What activity means my customers are getting real value?
• If I grow this number, will revenue naturally follow?
• Can every team influence it?

💡 Example:

• An eCommerce brand’s NSM might be repeat purchases per month.
• A SaaS tool might choose daily active users (DAUs).

Your NSM is your growth compass. Every effort should move this needle.

Credit:SlideSalad

Break Down Growth Metrics With Key Drivers

Your NSM is a lagging indicator. It only shows progress after the fact. To influence it, you need to focus on Key Drivers, the tier 2 metrics that push the NSM forward.

For effective metrics management, think of it as unfurling:

"If I want more DAUs, I probably need: More new signups (Acquisition). Higher activation (users experiencing the ‘aha’ moment). Better retention (keeping users coming back)."

For an SME, common Key Drivers might include:

• Acquisition: Traffic, leads, signups
• Activation: First purchase, onboarding completion
• Retention: Repeat customers, churn rate
• Revenue: Average order value, upsell rates

Rule: Only 3–4 Key Drivers at a time. Any more, and you lose focus.

Identify Your Rate-Limiting Step

Not all Key Drivers are created equal. One of them is almost always the bottleneck holding you back - the Rate Limiting Step.

How to Spot It:

Ask:

• If I double this driver, does my NSM skyrocket?
• Which driver currently feels most broken?

💡 Example:

• If retention is poor, no amount of new customers will help.
• If acquisition is low but retention is strong, focus there first.

This is where prioritisation begins.

The Nuance Metrics: Less Is More

Beyond your NSM and Key Drivers, there are supporting metrics - call them Nuance Metrics.

However, these add context but don’t drive decisions. Limit to 3–5.

Examples:

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
• Lifetime Value (LTV)
• Revenue per User
• Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs)
• Churn Rate

Rule: If a metric doesn’t help you decide what to do next, ditch it.

Growth Metrics: Stop Being Busy, Start Growing

Every idea, every campaign should pass this litmus test:

“Will this directly move our Rate Limiting Step and, by extension, our North Star?”

💥 Trade show in the US? Only if it impacts a Key Driver.
💥 New TikTok strategy? Only if it solves the current bottleneck.

This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most.

Key Takeaways for Small Businesses

• Pick a North Star Metric - your growth compass.
• Identify 3–4 Key Drivers pushing it forward.
• Find the Rate Limiting Step - fix the bottleneck first.
• Track a few Nuance Metrics for context.
• Focus on decision-driving data, not dashboards.

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Meet the mentor

Meet Shirley Lafond, a multi-talented therapist, coach, and the founder of Inner Freedoms.

After years of running her business and feeling like she was stuck on a ‘treadmill’, her mindset completely changed after seeking small business support from Digital Boost.

She saw her confidence grow, learned how to leverage AI to work smarter, not harder, and expanded her network. 

This is Shirley’s story. 

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Sparking an Idea

Having worked as a teaching assistant for many years, Shirley was inspired to train as a therapist. She specialised in compassionate approaches that specifically support parents of neurodiverse children. 

This inspiration came from her own children, where Shirley had learned to support and develop them as a mother, she realised that other parents out there needed the guidance and support of someone who’d been on that journey themselves! 

And so Inner Freedoms was born. 

Finding her Feet

As with anything new, there’s always a level of fear, but overwhelmingly Shirley felt ‘excited’! She’d grown up seeing her father running his own businesses and he’d always told her anything was possible. Thanks to this early exposure to entrepreneurship, she knew she could make it happen. 

But even with this self-belief, Shirley admits those early years were hard.  The coaching was the easy bit! But figuring out a strategy and managing business finances was hard when Shirley had never done it before. 

She found herself stuck in a mundane routine that wasn’t serving her business. That’s when she started looking for small business support that could help her get off the treadmill and start seeing real growth. 

Taking Part in Begin

After joining the Digital Boost community, Shirley was inspired to apply for Begin. This programme is sponsored by NatWest and run in collaboration with Digital Boost and Buy Women Built, which trains aspiring female founders to build their businesses. 

Although Shirley had an established business, this programme highlighted significant gaps in her knowledge. She would often go from "A to Z really, really, really quickly," assuming customers would just find her and buy. With the learnings from Begin, she soon realised that this "very, very rarely happens."

Across the 6-week programme, Shirley was able to slow down, step back and fill in the missing parts of her customer journey. This allowed her to build a genuine connection with potential clients, leading to more sustainable growth.

With its inspirational videos from founders in the Buy Women Built community, Begin helped her see that success doesn’t happen overnight, but through deliberate, well-structured steps! 

Shirley finished Begin with a new sense of clarity, ready to take her business to the next level. 

Empowering Mentors

After completing Begin, Shirley had a clear plan to fill the gaps in her business. She immediately threw herself into rebuilding her business and sought out a Digital Boost mentor to support her with this. 

This mentoring was invaluable. Where previously Shirley didn’t think she had the skills to build a website, her mentor empowered her to learn how to manage and build it herself.

This newfound skill gave her a sense of control and ownership over her brand, ensuring the website truly reflected her vision.

Learning How to Use AI as a Small Business

With her newfound trust in Digital Boost’s small business support, Shirley applied for the AI Essentials programme. This programme was generously funded by Google.org AI Opportunity fund and supported by the Centre for Public Impact.

Before the programme, Shirley was using AI "lightly," but the course "opened up a whole other world." 

She learned how to write effective prompts and the importance of ‘simple prompting’ - a skill she now uses every day. Through this programme, Shirley has trained AI to be a powerful tool for her business.

Shirley has been able to leverage AI to create everything from engaging social media content to entire email funnels. Using AI tools to integrate with Mailerlite, she’s been able to automate her customer communication. 

Not only has this saved her time, but she’s also been able to nurture her audience like never before. Her newfound AI skills have made her marketing more strategic, effective and personal!

Building Confidence

Before finding the right support, Shirley was "so scared to even network, to walk into a room of other businesses." Today, that fear is gone. She's confident in who she is and what she offers, and she’s learned to accept that not everyone will be her client. As she says, "I can now accept a no. I'd actually prefer a no, and then I know where I'm at."

This confidence has led her to take on new challenges. She recently had the opportunity to record a podcast and take part in a Bloomberg Mentoring Day with Digital Boost. 

A Mentoring Day with Bloomberg

Across two days, Shirley worked with her dedicated team of Bloomberg volunteers. She collaborated with them, sharing her business idea and receiving invaluable feedback.

The experience was "absolutely amazing" and "priceless," Shirley says. She learned how to improve her presentation skills, refine her business pitch, and gained better understanding of her communication style.

The Mentoring Day gave her a unique opportunity to share her business idea and get a different perspective. It’s an experience she would recommend to anyone. "It gives you a different perspective. It allows you to share your idea because that's another thing. Usually, you don't get to share your idea as much as I did on that day, which was amazing."

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We’ve loved watching Shirley’s growth since finding our small business support! We know there are big things on the horizon for Inner Freedoms, so make sure you follow Shirley's journey!

Inspired by Shirley's growth? Check out our small business support and see what you can achieve.

We’ve got peer learning programmes, mentoring and more to support you on your journey!

At Digital Boost, we believe every founder deserves access to high-quality, empathetic support, regardless of their background, identity, or lived experience.

Last year, we made updates to our platform to better personalise mentoring to disabled founders, making it easier than ever for our community of entrepreneurs to connect with mentors who truly understand their journey.

We're proud to have always been an inclusive community, and we know that lots of our mentors had already been giving support to founders with these lived experiences. You can read about Michelle's journey with her business mentor and Amelia's experiences. But it's important to us to ensure this support is visible and built directly into our platform. And this is just the start! 🚀

Why Mentoring for Disabled Founders Matters

Disabled entrepreneurs, neurodivergent founders, and those living with long-term health conditions often face unique barriers, and whilst mentoring can be transformational, it's most effective when it’s rooted in lived experience.

That’s why we’ve enhanced our platform to offer thoughtful, relevant, and inclusive matching. Founders can choose to connect with mentors who share similar experiences, helping build confidence, understanding, and business skills in a supportive environment.

This work reflects our long-standing commitment to being an inclusive community, and this is just the beginning.

How it Works: Updating Your Profile

We’ve added a new Disability/Health section to your profile settings to make mentoring for disabled founders more accessible and meaningful.

Sharing this information is:

• Totally optional
• Fully in your control
• Private unless you choose otherwise

You can update or remove this information at any time. And no matter what you choose, your privacy is always respected.

Smarter, More Inclusive Mentor Matching for Disabled Founders

If you choose to use matching preferences, here’s how it works:

• Volunteers who share lived experience will be prioritised for requests from founders seeking that support.
• Founders will be matched with mentors whose experiences align with their own.
• Request notifications now include any accessibility requirements a mentee has chosen to share.

This ensures every session is informed, supportive, and tailored.

And importantly:
You won’t only be matched with people who share your lived experience. It will be prioritised when relevant.

Our Ongoing Commitment to Accessibility

This update is just the beginning. We are committed to continually improving accessibility and support opportunities for disabled entrepreneurs across the Digital Boost platform. If you'd like to partner with us on this important work, please get in touch here.

We want to build solutions that really work for you, so we would love for you all to be part of the journey with us. Please get in touch to share any ideas, requests, or feedback with us 🤗

Together, we can ensure mentoring for disabled founders is empowering, inclusive, and always built with lived experience at its heart.

As a small business owner, you have to wear a lot of hats! If it feels like you’re always racing against the clock to get everything done, you’re not alone 🩵 Juggling so much can be hard, but that’s where AI comes in!

The key to unlocking AI’s potential is a great prompt. But how do you know what a great prompt looks like? 🤔

We’ve put together a simple formula to help you write perfect prompts every time. And to make it even easier, we’ve worked with our mentors to put together a bank of perfect prompts you can use right away!

The Perfect Formula 🪄

Try using this formula every time you ask AI to do something:

Persona: What role or job should the AI play?
Context: Briefly describe your business or the situation
Task: What do you want the AI to do?
Format: How should the answer look? (i.e. length, structure)
Tone: Choose a style (e.g., friendly, professional, funny)

Example AI Prompts for Small Business Owners

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

You are an award-winning SEO consultant (persona). Your goal is to get [website URL] to rank first organically on search engines and in AI with [target audience] (context). Please create a list of keywords and a targeting strategy, taking into account the competition and search volume for each keyword. Include keyword difficulty and rank them by the ones which will be most effective (task). Show results in a table format (format) and in language that non-technical people can understand (tone).

Website audit

You are a web design expert, skilled in using your SEO, UX and copywriting skills (persona). Please evaluate the effectiveness of the homepage of [add website URL] for its ability to attract and engage [target audience] (task). Please score it based on best practice criteria and give specific recommendations to improve in each area (format). Then compare it to the home page of [competitor] (context).

Social Media Content

You are an experienced social media consultant hired to create content for [name & describe company] (persona). Please recommend 1 or 2 platforms to prioritise, then generate [number] engaging posts (task). They should focus on [topic or product] and establish the company as [describe brand positioning] with [describe target audience] (context). The tone should be [brand personality] (tone). For each post, suggest a short, catchy headline, a caption, a clear call to action, 2-3 hashtags, and recommended visuals suitable for each platform (format).

Sentiment analysis

You are a data analyst (persona) looking to understand how customers feel about [company name and website URL] and what to improve (context). Please analyse the latest user reviews, survey responses, and social media mentions to identify the overall sentiment (positive, negative, neutral), summarise the main positive and negative themes, and highlight any trends or changes in sentiment over time (task). Format your findings in a clear, professional bullet-point report with actions (format).

Crisis Management

You are a business owner (persona) responding to negative publicity after a product issue (context). Prepare a public statement addressing customer concerns and outlining steps your company is taking to resolve the issue (task). Differentiate between immediate actions and long-term brand restoration steps, explaining the rationale for each. Format your response as an official press release (format). Use a reassuring and transparent tone (tone).

Customer Feedback

You are a shop owner (persona) who has collected customer feedback over the past month (context). Analyse the feedback to identify common themes and prioritise issues by frequency (task). Suggest clear, actionable next steps for each major theme, and explain how addressing these could improve customer satisfaction. Summarise your analysis and recommendations in a clear, solution-focused format (format). Use a constructive tone (tone).

Customer Service

You are a customer service agent (persona) at a small retail business (context). You’ve noticed a rise in customer inquiries about product returns (task). Create a numbered checklist of steps to handle return requests efficiently. For each step, include a sample customer question and a model answer. Present your checklist in a clear, easy-to-follow format (format). Use a friendly and patient tone (tone).

Staff Training

You are a team leader (persona) responsible for onboarding new part-time staff at a busy café (context). Develop a quick-start training guide for new hires (task). Highlight key “first-day” dos and don’ts, and include examples of common mistakes to avoid. Format your guide as a step-by-step manual (format). Write in an encouraging and clear tone (tone).

Scheduling

You are an operations coordinator (persona) for a local grocery store during the upcoming holiday rush (context). Generate an optimal staff rota for the week, taking into account employee availability and peak shopping times (task). Ensure fairness in shift allocation, flag any scheduling conflicts, and explain how the schedule optimises coverage during busy periods. Present the schedule in a weekly table (format). Use an organised and collaborative tone (tone).

Recruitment

You are an HR manager (persona) hiring staff for a new store location (context). Write a clear and attractive job description for a retail associate position (task). Identify three key traits for success in the role and ensure each is reflected in the description. Use a standard job description template (format). Write in a welcoming and informative tone (tone).

Compliance & Regulations

You are a compliance officer (persona) at a small manufacturing company that must adapt to recently updated industry regulations (context). Summarise the new legal requirements affecting your daily operations (task). Highlight the three most urgent changes, suggest a realistic timeline for implementing each, and note any common pitfalls to avoid. Use bullet points for clarity (format). Write in an official and concise tone (tone).

Inventory Management

You are a store manager (persona) at a boutique clothing shop with a significant overstock of seasonal items (context). Suggest practical strategies to clear excess inventory quickly (task). Prioritise your ideas in order of their likely effectiveness, and for each, explain the pros and cons. Present your suggestions in a clear, actionable list (format). Use a proactive and practical tone (tone).

Supplier Negotiation

You are a purchasing manager (persona) needing to renegotiate payment terms with your main supplier (context). Draft a professional email to initiate the negotiation process (task). Include key negotiation points with suggested supporting arguments, anticipate possible supplier concerns, and propose responses. Use a standard email template (format). Adopt a polite yet assertive tone (tone).

Financial Analysis

You are a small business owner (persona) reviewing your company’s financial performance from the last quarter (context). Identify trends in your revenue and expenses, and recommend the top three cost-saving measures, prioritised by potential savings (task). For each recommendation, briefly explain why it’s effective and any possible drawbacks. Present your findings in a brief report (format). Use an analytical and objective tone (tone).

Top Tips

Remember, you don’t have to take the first response your AI gives you! We recommend asking follow-up questions, giving feedback, and continuing to work with your AI until you have what you need.

Try some of these questions:

• How would you rate this response out of 10?
• What would make this a 10/10 response?
• What other information do you need from me to give me an accurate response?
• What might I be missing?
• What are the pros and cons of the response you’ve given?
• How can you tailor this better to my audience?

Conclusion

Working smart not hard has never been easier for small business owners! With the right prompts, generative AI is about to become your most powerful business tool.

The more precise you become with your prompting, the better the first answer your AI generates will be! And the better that first answer becomes, the more time you’re saving for you and your business 🤝

We know AI can be daunting when you’re getting started, so if you’ve got any questions or would like some advice, our mentors are here to help! 💛

Want to create a website using AI, but you're not sure where to start? We've got you covered with this blog, where we're sharing the top 5 AI website builders!

Let's dive in 👇

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1. Wix ADI

Who it's for: Total beginners and businesses that want lots of creative control.

Wix is a long-time favourite in the website-building world, and its AI-powered tool, Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence), is fantastic.

It’s perfect if you're a complete beginner who wants a beautiful, feature-rich website without the stress. The AI gets you started, and then you can take over and make it your own!

Key Features:

• AI-driven setup: Wix ADI asks you a few simple questions about your business and uses your answers to create a personalised website in minutes, complete with text and images!
• Ultimate customisation: Unlike some other AI builders, Wix gives you a huge amount of control. Once the AI has created the initial site, you can jump into the regular Wix Editor to fine-tune every single detail.
• Online store options: If you plan to sell products or services via your site, Wix has a great set of e-commerce tools to help you manage everything from inventory to payments

Pricing: You can try Wix for free, but to use your own domain and get rid of Wix ads, you'll need a paid plan.

Image credit: Wix.com

2. Hostinger AI Website Builder

Who it's for: Businesses on a budget and anyone who needs a quick, all-in-one solution.

Hostinger is known for its affordable web hosting, and its AI Website Builder is a powerful, low-cost option. It’s an ideal choice if you're a small business owner who wants a high-quality website without a high price tag.

Key Features:

• Super fast generation: Hostinger's AI builder can create a full website in just a few clicks, making it one of the fastest ways to get online.
• Everything in one place: Hostinger bundles its AI builder with web hosting, a free domain, and a professional email address, giving you everything you need right from the start.
• Bonus AI tools: Beyond just building the site, Hostinger includes other AI tools for things like generating blog post ideas and writing content for you too!

Pricing: Hostinger is one of the most budget-friendly website builders with prices starting from £2.99 a month. The pricing is simple and includes your hosting, which is a great bonus!

Image credit: Hostinger

3. Durable

Who it's for: Micro-businesses and freelancers who want a website and marketing tools in a flash.

Durable is a newer AI builder with an incredible promise: a complete website generated in just 30 seconds. It’s perfect for solo entrepreneurs and new businesses that need to get an online presence up and running immediately.

Key Features:

• Instant Website: Just tell Durable your business type and name, and its AI will build you a full website in under a minute.
• Built-in Business Tools: Durable isn't just for building sites. It also comes with an AI-powered CRM (Customer Relationship Management), invoicing, and marketing tools all in one simple dashboard.
• AI-Assisted Content: The platform can also help you create blog posts and social media content with its AI tools, making it easy to keep your marketing fresh.

Pricing: Durable lets you see a free preview of your site, but you'll need to subscribe to a paid plan to publish it. Plans start at around $15 per month and include custom domain names and built-in SEO & marketing tools.

Image credit: Durable

4. 10Web

Who it's for: Those who love the power of WordPress but want an easier way to use it.

10Web is an AI-powered platform built on WordPress. This makes it an ideal choice for small businesses that want the flexibility and features of WordPress without all the technical fuss!

Key Features:

• AI set-up: 10Web can generate an entire WordPress website, including content and images, based on your description in just a few minutes.
• Clone any website: This is a really unique feature. You can give 10Web the link to a website you admire, and it will clone the design and produce a customisable WordPress site for you to edit.
• AI Assistant: The platform includes an AI assistant that can help you write content, optimise images, and fine-tune your site

Pricing: 10Web offers several pricing plans, which all include a free trial- prices start from $10 a month. Their plans include managed WordPress hosting, AI tools, and SEO features.

Image credit: Insidr.ai

5. Framer

Who it's for: Businesses and designers who want a modern, polished website that stands out.

Framer is a unique AI builder that focuses on creating sleek, modern websites with a lot of style. While it's popular with designers, its AI features make it accessible for any small business that wants a beautiful, cutting-edge site without needing to code.

Key Features:

• AI-powered design: You can use a simple text prompt to generate a full website, and Framer's AI will handle the layout, visuals, and copy, giving you a professional-looking site in seconds.
• Fun animations: Framer is known for making it easy to add cool animations and interactive effects to your site without any coding
• Built-in content management: The platform includes a built-in content management system (CMS) that makes it easy to organise content like blog posts and testimonials.
• Landing page option: If you're not ready for a full website, Framer has a cool 'mini' plan that allows you to build 2 landing pages for £4 a month

Pricing: Framer has a generous free version, which is great for trying out the tech. Paid plans start at £12 a month for a simple website and £4 a month for the 'mini' landing page option.

Image credit: Framer

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Still not sure which AI builder to pick?

We've put together a handy table to help you decide 😊

	Wix ADI	Hostinger	Durable	10Web	Framer
High Price	—	—	—	✓	—
Low Price	—	✓	✓	—	✓
Free Version	✓	—	—	✓	✓
SEO Tools	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Marketing Tools	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
E-commerce	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Customer Support	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

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Conclusion

When used correctly, AI website builders can free up your time AND save you money!

Now you've chosen your AI website builder, why not check out our blog on how to set up your website for success?

Remember, AI is an evolving world, so ensure you do your research to find the right tool for you. We've shared our top 5 builders, but there will be many more in the future 😊

If you need support building your website with AI, why not chat to one of our AI mentors?

Our mentoring is free to access and completely unlimited too!

Building a website used to be a complicated and expensive process, but not anymore. With the rise of AI website builders, creating a professional website is now possible for every small business. 💪

From design, to structure, to content creation, AI website builders have you covered!

In this blog, we're showing you how to build a website with AI - let's dive in 👇

Understanding AI Website Builders

Before we dive into how to build a website with AI, let's quickly explain what an AI website builder is.

Think of it as a smart assistant that uses artificial intelligence to generate a website for you.

Instead of starting from scratch, you provide the AI with a few details about your business, including your name, your industry, and what you do, and it creates a custom, functional website in minutes!

It's fast, intuitive, and needs no coding or design skills 🎉

Choosing an AI Website Builder

When you're ready to choose an AI website builder, the first step is to think about what your business needs. Do you need a simple site to showcase your services, or will you be selling products online?

The best builder for you is one that offers the right tools, whether that's robust e-commerce functionality, easy customisation to match your branding, or great customer support for when you get stuck.

Check out our blog, top 5 AI Website Builders for small businesses to get some inspo! 🙌

Building Your Website

Once you've chosen your website builder, follow these steps to ensure you're set up for success!

Step 1: Build Your Foundations

When prompted, give the AI a clear picture of your business. The quality of your website depends on your input, so be as specific as possible!

Enter your business name, industry, and a short description of what you do. The AI will use this information to generate a custom website complete with a homepage, an "About Us" section, and other relevant pages. Think of this as your first draft that you can begin to build on 🛠️

Step 2: Add Your Personal Touch

Now that the AI has done the heavy lifting, it's time for you to make the website truly yours!

Use the builder's editor to customise the look and feel of your site. Ensure you change the colour palette, fonts, and layouts to match your brand's identity.

Similarly, remember to replace the AI-generated placeholder text and images with your content.

Step 3: Final Checks

• Add a contact form to collect leads (& remember to connect it to your email marketing tool!)
• Ask AI to rate your website's layout/structure out of 10 against your competitors and make suggestions to improve it
• Ask AI to rate your website's SEO out of 10 and make suggestions

Step 4: Get Ready to Launch

See how quick it is to build your website? You're nearly ready to launch!

But before your launch, make sure you've checked off these key things:

• Proofread everything: Thoroughly proofread every page. While AI is powerful, it can sometimes miss errors, so a human touch is essential.
• Nail Your SEO: Ensure your page titles and meta descriptions are clear and include relevant keywords.
• Check for Mobile Accessibility: Check that your website works just as well on mobile as it does on desktop - remember, most customers are searching on their mobiles, not laptops now!

Once you've completed that checklist, you're ready to launch your new website to the world 🚀

What Happens Next?

Now your website is live, the work begins!

Successful websites evolve over time, so here's what we recommend to maintain your website in the long term:

• Keep your content fresh: Regularly update your website with new blog posts, fresh product photos, or new information about your services. This not only keeps your audience engaged but also signals to search engines that your site is active and relevant.
• Embrace analytics: Use a tool like Google Analytics to understand how visitors are interacting with your website. What pages are they visiting most? Where are they coming from? This data helps improve your website and grow your business!
• Listen to your customers: Pay attention to customer feedback. Is there a question you get asked all the time? Turn it into an FAQ page or a blog post! Your website is a tool to serve your customers, so ensure you're listening and meeting their needs.

Conclusion

So now you know how to build a website with an AI, what are you waiting for?! This is your sign to give it a go and see the incredible results you can have using AI tools 🤩

We know it can be daunting, so if you've got questions or need support building your website with AI, our mentors are here to help 😊

Today we're sharing a story that shows the true power of small business mentoring!

This is the story of Soni Panda's incredible journey to building By Soni Panda X - a premium gender-inclusive hosiery brand!

It's a story that goes from a single moment of panic on a 30th birthday, to a thriving hosiery empire just a few years later.

Let's dive in!

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A Fashion Love Affair

For as long as she can remember, Soni has loved all things fashion.

As she grew up, she developed a special passion for hosiery after seeing the self-confidence it can bring wearers.

For many, hosiery can carry a stigma, but Soni became passionate about changing those perceptions about how and why people wear hosiery.

"Starting off with [...] stockings, you think bedroom attire, you think, you're wearing it for another person instead of yourself. And actually I wanted to change those norms."

She began writing a blog to share her love for hosiery and built a loyal following on social media!

The Birthday Panic

Soni's community loved her hosiery reviews and recommendations, but they kept asking if she'd ever considered creating her own brand.

Having never owned a business before, Soni was gripped with fear at the thought of having her own line.

But the seed of inspiration had been planted.

When Soni's 30th birthday rolled around, she had an epiphany in her hotel room!

"I literally sat on my bed and I'm like, what am I doing in my life? Am I going to start a business or not? You know what, people are onto something. Let's give it a go."

Soni decided then and there to face her fears and launch By Soni Panda X -and four years later, she's hit over 1,000 orders with a thriving global customer base!

Credit: By Soni Panda X

Navigating a Business Alone

Starting a business wasn't the glamorous journey social media often portrays. Soni quickly faced the lonely reality of being a founder, despite having her online community.

The early days hit hard and imposter syndrome crept in big time. Soni describes swinging between tears of joy and complete breakdowns questioning why she was building a business.

Navigating those feelings alone was tough, so to keep herself accountable, she started documenting her journey on YouTube and LinkedIn. Fondly referring to LinkedIn as her 'business diary', Soni says that when she's having a bad day, she can now scroll back through her 'diary' and find highlights that motivate her to keep going 😊

Finding Her People

Whilst the accountability of social media helped, Soni was still feeling alone and disconnected on her business journey. Luckily, it wasn't long until she found Digital Boost!

Soni joined the community and very quickly had the opportunity to attend a Digital Boost International Women's Day event. An event she says that "changed [her] life".

Surrounded by women at every stage of the business journey, Soni was inspired by their stories and reassured that she wasn't the only one experiencing loneliness.

By the end of the event, Soni knew she'd found a community where she'd be supported and championed!

How Small Business Mentoring Made All the Difference

While the community provided emotional support, it was Digital Boost's free mentoring that delivered the transformation Soni needed.

Initially hesitant to ask for help (something she admits she'd never been comfortable with), Soni realised Digital Boost's mentoring was "a godsend."

Soni was matched with Claire, a Digital Boost mentor and huge supporter of female founders, who quickly became an ongoing support for Soni.

Claire helped Soni tackle her perfectionist tendencies and realise that asking for help was actually a strength, not a weakness. The regular check-ins provided both strategic guidance and the accountability Soni needed to implement real changes.

"She's helped me so much. She's my accountability person. And so we kind of catch up every six weeks to two months... And it keeps me in check."

A Social Media Breakthrough

One of Soni's biggest pain points was social media overwhelm. Spending hours daily on platforms was starting to really affect her mental health ❤️‍🩹

Through the support of her mentors, Soni figured out how to be more strategic with her scheduling and how to show up authentically online. Scheduling her content freed up masses of time and improved her business's sales!

The transformation went deeper than just time management - Soni started showing up more authentically, sharing her real self rather than just the 'business version'. The result? Better connections and more sales.

A Marketing Jumpstart

Having several years of trading under her belt, Soni is a lifelong student and recognises the power of always learning 📚

Having enjoyed Digital Boost's small business mentoring, when the opportunity to join the Small Business Jumpstart programme arose, Soni jumped at the chance to spend 6 weeks jumpstarting her marketing!

The programme delivered immediate value, particularly with SEO and website optimisation. Soni credits this newfound knowledge with making "the world of difference" to her business visibility.

Milestone Moments

Four years after that hotel room decision, Soni has experienced what she calls "a whirlwind" of success. Since then, she's celebrated major achievements, including:

• Her brand's fourth anniversary
• Hitting over 1,100 orders
• Completing her first public speaking engagement

Looking back, Soni recalls, "there [were] days where I thought I would never make it four years [ago]" but these milestones are a reminder of the hard work that pays off as a founder!

Soni speaking at Digital Boost's 2025 International Women's Day event, exactly a year after she first joined our community!

Conclusion

Soni's story is a true testament to the power of passion. It's this passion that helped her overcome self-doubt, loneliness, and imposter syndrome to create a thriving business.

We're so proud of the journey that Soni's been on, and we can't wait to see what she does next!

Interested in how small business mentoring could support you? Find out more below 😊

When you're building a business, you expect the late nights and the endless to-do lists. But what you might not expect—and what few people talk about—is just how lonely it can feel.

Loneliness as a small business owner is a topic that comes up a lot for our community, so we're excited to share this guest blog from Garry Lee! In this blog, he shares practical ways to navigate that isolation and build a stronger foundation for yourself and your business.

Let's dive in 👇

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You expect bumps in the road as a first-time business owner. You brace yourself for the late nights, the financial uncertainty, and the endless to-do lists. What you might not expect—what few people talk about—is how lonely it can feel.

Starting a business is often romanticised. You’ll set your hours, make the choices you want and generally have a fun adventure. And while there’s some truth to that, the reality for many first-time business owners is a quiet, isolating experience—one where the weight of every decision rests squarely on your shoulders. Including lots of decisions, they don’t feel experienced or prepared to make.

If you’re feeling this way, you’re not alone. And more importantly, you don’t have to remain in this position.

Why It Feels So Lonely When You’re Starting a Business

Starting a business is filled with uncertainty. You’re wearing every hat: marketer, customer service, creator, sales, maker, accountant, and just general admin dogs body! Most of the time, it’s just you and your laptop, trying to figure out what works.

Friends and family will be supportive, but most of them won’t know what it feels like. They don’t understand the pressure of keeping the lights on, or how hard it is to stay motivated when there’s no one to share the small wins—or the big setbacks—with.

There’s also an unhealthy expectation to keep up appearances. To act like you’re confident and thriving, even when you’re unsure and exhausted. That kind of emotional disconnection only adds to the loneliness.

How Isolation Affects Your Mindset and Health

Loneliness isn’t just an unfortunate side product of being a business owner; it can genuinely affect your ability to run your business. Without someone to bounce ideas off of, doubt can creep in, and you start second-guessing everything.

In the worst cases, you question your decisions, your progress, even your decision to create the business in the first place.

Over time, this can all lead to burnout. You might find yourself drained before the day even begins, overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done and all with no one to share the load.

It’s incredibly hard and you should never see it as a weakness when you feel lonely. It’s a natural human response. We’re wired for connection—even in business.

What Makes the Early Stage Especially Hard

The beginning is generally the loneliest part because you're still finding your footing. You don’t have a team around you. There are no peers around who’ve walked the same path. And on top of that, you’re figuring out everything as you go.

One of the worst things people do is compare themselves to others on social media—those business owners who seem to have it all figured out. But you’re only seeing their highlight reels, not the moments when they are sat on their couch at midnight wondering if they’d made a huge mistake.

It’s important to focus less on the outward image others portray and instead talk to real people you know and look at yourself more.

Ways to Handle Loneliness When You're Building Alone

While the loneliness is real, there are ways to ease it—and even grow stronger through it.

• Find a community. Whether it’s a local networking group, an online forum, or a mastermind, being around others who are going through similarly experiences is incredibly helpful.
• Use co-working spaces. You get to be around other people working—even on different things— and that can lift your mood, give you energy and raise your mood.
• Get a mentor. Find someone who’s been through this before. They will understand your rants and share how they came through the other side.
• Make time outside of work. Schedule time with people who energise you. That coffee with a friend or dinner with family can be the boost you need.
• Attend more events. This has the double benefit of combating loneliness AND giving you the opportunity to network with potential clients!

You don’t have to power through alone; in fact, it’s positively encouraged that you don’t. Reaching out isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of resilience. Remember that most new business owners are feeling exactly the same – but like you, they are not saying it out loud.

Conclusion

It's completely normal to question yourself and feel the quiet weight of responsibility when building something from scratch. But remember, being a solo founder doesn’t mean you have to stay isolated.

There are people who understand what you're going through and resources to help you connect with them. Reaching out isn't a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of resilience.

Why not find a local business group or meet with a mentor to talk through what you're feeling? It's amazing how having that support can make all the difference to your mindset and help you overcome the loneliness as a small business owner.

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