The "Oh Shit" Moment: When AI Finally Clicks for Nonprofit Consultants

Jul 10, 2025

Brooke Richie-Babbage, a former AI skeptic turned power user, transforms consulting with her AI-powered business advisory system. She shares how a pivotal conversation reshaped her view on AI's role in business. Learn about her custom GPT trained on 15+ business frameworks that offers relevant advice. Brooke discusses turning dreaded data reports into actionable insights and emphasizes personalized AI applications that can streamline operations for nonprofit consultants. Her journey inspires those curious about practical AI uses in their own practices.

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ANECDOTE

Brooke's AI Skeptic to Advocate Journey

Brooke was initially skeptical about AI tools like ChatGPT, thinking they were just for fun or gimmicks.
A specific podcast conversation helped her realize AI was essential for her business survival and she embraced learning it fully.

ANECDOTE

First Win with AI Hooks

Brooke's first practical AI use was generating hooks and email subject lines with ChatGPT that matched her voice.
This saved time and improved ad performance, changing her view on AI's usefulness in marketing.

ADVICE

Train AI Knowledge, Not Just Prompts

Focus on training AI with the right knowledge base instead of obsessing over perfect prompts.
A well-trained AI on your business specifics provides more relevant advice and saves time.

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Ever roll your eyes when someone tells you AI will "revolutionize your business"? Yeah, our guest Brooke Richie-Babbage felt the same way. She was firmly in the "I don't need some tool to write weird poems" camp until one conversation completely shifted her perspective.

Now? Brooke has built an AI-powered business advisory system that's replaced expensive professional services, streamlined her financial reporting, and gives her marketing insights that used to take days to compile. And she's doing it all without becoming a tech guru or spending hours crafting perfect prompts.

In this candid conversation, Brooke pulls back the curtain on exactly how she went from AI skeptic to power user, sharing her specific systems for training custom GPTs that actually know her business, understand her clients, and deliver actionable insights she can trust.

Whether you're curious about AI but haven't found your use case yet (hi, Jess!) or you're ready to move beyond basic content creation, this episode breaks down practical applications that can actually transform how you run your consulting practice.

Highlights:

Stop starting from scratch every time. Brooke's custom "Business Advisor" GPT is trained on 15+ business frameworks, her specific goals, and detailed customer insights—so it gives advice that's actually relevant to her business model.
Turn raw data into actionable insights. Those monthly P&L reports and Google Analytics downloads you avoid? Brooke uploads them to AI and gets comprehensive business analysis in 15 minutes instead of spending three days doing it herself.
Your clients need this too. The same AI systems Brooke uses for her own business are helping the nonprofit leaders she works with get strategic insights without hiring expensive consultants or drowning in spreadsheets.
Training matters more than prompts. Forget perfect prompt architecture—the real game-changer is giving AI the right knowledge base to draw from, whether that's business frameworks, customer feedback, or your own proven methods.

Resources Mentioned:

Connect with Brooke

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookerichiebabbage
Brooke’s website: https://brookerichiebabbage.com/

Find Us Online: https://www.confessionswithjessandcindy.com

Connect with Cindy:

Cindy Wagman Coaching: cindywagman.com

Fractional Fundraising Network: fractionalfundraising.co/

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/cindywagman

Connect with Jess:

Out In the Boons: outintheboons.me

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jesscampbelloutntiheboons/