18. Presentation- Finding the opportunities to improve your business

Prepared by Timothy Bell B.sc hons, CHRSP, and Euro Chartered Eng.

Elected Cllr Town of Royal Barrow and Windermere – Cumbria, UK

Vice Chair – Federation of Small Businesses

Chairman – Boosting Furness

Chair – South lakes Tourism Partnership

Director – Royal Henley Rowing Club – St Catharines

Trainer and mentor – WSPS, Mississauga Ontari0

Purchased a derelict Court House in the NW UK and renovated into a Restaurant and business centre

When I moved to Canada in 1995, I continued helping companies strengthen their safety and management systems and supporting businesses across Ontario and Alberta.

More recently I started a company Boosting With AI because I saw that AI gives us something we’ve never had before – the ability to see un-cluttered opportunities.

Canada is one of the Most Multicultural countries in the world

“Today, I’m going to show you how AI can help you discover opportunities you may not yet see, decide which ones are realistic, and how to be prepared so that when change comes — and it always does — you’re ready for it.”

I can see opportunities in a different light – AI compilation

Now the view is open Wide and bright
I can see opportunities in a different light
What was hidden is coming into frame
When the clutter clears nothing looks the same.

Paddle your canoe forward

Presentation Overview

• What is an Opportunity?
• Why Opportunities Remain Hidden
• How AI Helps
• Marketing Opportunities
• Tourism Opportunities
• Compliance Opportunities
• Using Data
• Opportunity Readiness Checklist

Slide 1. What is an “opportunity”

AI is the spotlight that reveals what your business cannot see like patterns, gaps, and opportunities hidden clear of Clutter in your plain sight.

AI Prompt 1 – “What opportunities might exist in my business or situation that I am currently not seeing, and why might they be invisible to me right now?”

Slide 2 – Some motivators to finding your opportunities

AI Prompt 2 – “What assumptions, habits, or routines in my business could be preventing me from noticing new opportunities?”

Slide 3 – Businesses succeed and not fail when they find opportunities early

Act on them straight away intelligently and communicate clearly with customers. Yet many opportunities remain hidden – buried under day-to-day pressures, staffing issues, seasonal fluctuations, outdated marketing, or simply not having enough time to step back and take a wider view.

AI helps you find extra revenue, reduce waste, anticipate seasonal dips, and improve safety / compliance.” These are benefits that translate directly into business value (money saved, risk reduced, more consistent revenue).

AI Prompt 3 – “If I deliberately changed my focus from day-to-day tasks to future possibilities, what opportunities might become visible?”

Slide 4 – Benefits of seeing hidden opportunities

I can see clearly now the rain has gone

AI Prompt 4 – “Given my current constraints (time, budget, staffing, regulations), what opportunities could exist because of these limitations rather than despite them?”

Slide 5 – We use Word maps to expand your search.

Do not get blinded by the herd – follow your own instincts

What you should be doing – Influencing!

AI prompt 5 – “What opportunities might exist when I look at my wider environment — customers, competitors, seasons, regulations, technology, and partnerships?”

Slide 6 – Finding your opportunities

AI prompt 6 – “What opportunities might my competitors or peers be overlooking. How could I benefit from noticing them first?”

Slide 7 – Improve your marketing reach

AI Prompt 7 – “Act as a thinking partner and help me explore possible opportunities without jumping straight to solutions or conclusions.”

Slide 8 – Improve visitor numbers in the winter

AI Prompt 8 – “Here is a problem I am facing: [describe it]. How could this problem be reframed as an opportunity for improvement, growth, or differentiation?”

Slide 9 – Regulative Requirements

AI Prompt 9 – ” What regulations do I need to consider for the safety of my staff and the public and to enable me to carry out my duty of care responsibilities for a restaurant”?

Slide 10 – Support your prompts with data

AI prompt 10 – ” I want to broaden my marketing reach for a restaurant in Niagara falls, I have attached my website URL and my monthly occupancy figures as data”

Slide 11 – AI see’s that we miss

AI Advantage

Scans websites, reviews performance,tourism trends

Spots opportunities you can act on immediately

Identifies inefficiencies and hidden bottlenecks

Highlights compliance or safety gaps, Duty of care.

Graph of Value against Costs

Costs

AI prompt 11 – “Which opportunities in my business or community are time-sensitive, and what might happen if I delay acting on them?”

Re cap the main steps to see and realize opportunities

Presentation produced for the Niagara Falls Innovation Hub by boostingwithAI.com where we promote opportunities.

📄 Opportunity Readiness Checklist

Be Prepared to Realize Opportunities – By BoostingwithAI.com

Opportunities are everywhere—but only those who are prepared can act on them.

Use this checklist to assess your readiness to recognize, act on, and sustain opportunities.

👁️ 1. Awareness (Can you see the opportunity?)

• ☐ I actively look for opportunities in my environment
• ☐ I understand current trends (local, business, AI, community)
• ☐ I use AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) to explore ideas and insights
• ☐ I stay informed about funding, programs, and initiatives
• ☐ I can clearly describe the opportunity

✅ Score: ___ / 5

🧠 2. Knowledge & Education

• ☐ I understand what is required to act on this opportunity
• ☐ I have relevant experience or transferable skills
• ☐ I know where to find missing knowledge quickly
• ☐ I understand risks and potential challenges
• ☐ I can make informed decisions

✅ Score: ___ / 5

⏳ 3. Time Availability

• ☐ I have time to plan and act
• ☐ I can prioritize this opportunity over distractions
• ☐ I can commit consistently (not just short bursts)
• ☐ I am not overloaded with other responsibilities
• ☐ I can respond quickly when needed

✅ Score: ___ / 5

💰 4. Financial Readiness

• ☐ I have funding available (or access to it)
• ☐ I understand the costs involved
• ☐ I can manage financial risk
• ☐ I have explored grants, partnerships, or support
• ☐ I am not financially overextended

✅ Score: ___ / 5

👨‍👩‍👧 5. Support & Alignment

• ☐ My family/partners support this direction
• ☐ Key stakeholders are aligned
• ☐ I can collaborate with others if needed
• ☐ I have access to advice or mentorship
• ☐ There are no major conflicts holding me back

✅ Score: ___ / 5

⚡ 6. Energy & Motivation

• ☐ I have the physical and mental energy
• ☐ I am motivated and willing to take action
• ☐ I can stay resilient through challenges
• ☐ I am proactive rather than reactive
• ☐ I am ready to step outside my comfort zone

✅ Score: ___ / 5

🚀 7. Ability to Act (Execution Readiness)

• ☐ I can take the first step immediately
• ☐ I have a simple action plan
• ☐ I can move quickly when required
• ☐ I avoid overthinking and delays
• ☐ I am prepared to adapt as I go

✅ Score: ___ / 5

📈 8. Sustainability (Can you maintain it?)

• ☐ I can sustain effort over time
• ☐ I have a plan for growth or follow-up
• ☐ I can measure success and adjust
• ☐ I can manage setbacks
• ☐ I am thinking long-term, not just short-term

✅ Score: ___ / 5

📊 Your Readiness Score

Total Score: ___ / 40

🟢 32–40 → Ready to Act

You are well positioned to seize opportunities.

🟡 20–31 → Partially Ready

Some gaps exist—address these before acting.

🔴 Below 20 → Not Ready Yet

Focus on removing constraints before pursuing opportunities.

💡 Final Thought

🌐 Boost Your Opportunities with BoostingwithAI.com

Use AI to:

• Identify opportunities
• Explore ideas
• Accelerate decisions
• Take action with confidence