Fix your schedule—or AI will

Feeling overwhelmed by AI tools? We’ve got you.

We’re your trusty trail guide, cutting through the tech clutter for freelancers, solopreneurs, and small teams. From wrangling your calendar to conquering meeting overload, we’re all about tools that save time and keep your climb steady.

This week’s focus: Smarter collaboration and scheduling tools to lighten your load—with a side of AI humor. (3-minute read)

🏔️ Week’s Highlights

• Fathom AI: Meetings without the headache.

• Motion: AI that outsmarts your to-do list.

• Sherpa Shortcuts: Level up with Google Docs and Canva hacks.

• The Ridgeline: 37% of employers prefer AI over Gen Z…what?!

• 😜 Tools Gone Wild (success edition): Creating a new buzz with bees.

AI tool spotlight:

Tool Sherpa explores the flood of new AI apps and carefully selects only proven tools.

Motion: Smarter Scheduling, Zero Drama

Why it matters: Managing your to-do list shouldn’t feel like a second job. Motion takes your tasks, meetings, and priorities and automatically schedules them into your calendar—adjusting in real-time when plans change. Bonus: It protects your deep work time so you can actually get things done.

What’s in it for you?

• AI-powered scheduling – Motion auto-prioritizes tasks and blocks time for you.

• No more double-booking drama – Meetings, deadlines, and deep focus time all fit smoothly.

Who should use this?

Solopreneurs and small teams juggling shifting priorities and unpredictable schedules.

Pro: Adapts your calendar in real time to keep you on track.

Con: May feel too structured for those who prefer a looser workflow.

Pricing: Free trial available; $19/month individual; $12 per member (small teams) (billed annually). 👉 Check out Motion

Fathom AI: Meetings Without the Mess

Why it matters: Taking notes during Zoom calls is so 2023. Fathom AI acts as your meeting assistant, recording calls, generating summaries, and pulling out action items—so you can actually focus on the conversation instead of scrambling to type.

What’s in it for you?

• No more note-taking stress – Fathom captures key moments and organizes them for you.

• Instant meeting recaps – Share summaries with your team as soon as the call ends.

Who should use this?

Freelancers and small teams who want meeting notes without the hassle.

Pro: Auto-generated summaries and action items keep meetings productive.

Con: AI notes are great, but a quick skim ensures nothing gets lost!

Pricing: Free plan available; Premium starts at $19/month.

👉 Try Fathom AI

Sherpa’s shortcuts 🚀

Sherpa-approved hacks to save time and streamline your workflow in today’s most popular AI apps.

Canva: Design Faster with Brand Kits

Problem: Consistent branding across many designs can be time-consuming. Solution: Canva’s Brand Kit makes it a breeze to use the same fonts, colors, and logos every time.

• Upload your logo and brand assets in the “Brand Kit” section.

• Save your custom color palettes and preferred fonts.

• Access your kit directly within Canva projects to ensure all designs match your brand.

Google Docs: Collaborate Like a Pro

Problem: Collaborating on documents often leads to messy edits and missed feedback.
Solution: Use Google Docs’ version history and comment features for clean collaboration.

1. Turn on “Suggesting” mode (click the pencil icon in the top-right). Edits will appear as suggestions instead of changes.

2. Use @mention in comments to assign tasks or ask questions. Example: @Sarah Can you verify this data?

3. Click “File > Version History” to review and restore previous versions if something goes haywire.

👉 Explore Google Docs | 👉 Try Canva

The Ridgeline 🏔️

News on how AI is rewriting the rules for solopreneurs and small teams. Let’s chart the trail:

This week’s AI roundup is moving faster than your WiFi when you’re trying to stream in 4K. Let’s go.

🤖 Bosses Pick AI Over Gen Z? — Wild stat: 37% of employers would rather hire AI than a recent college grad. Are robots really better at work, or are companies just scared of TikTok breaks? Read more

🔥 Uber PM’s Secret Weapon: AI — An Uber product manager is using AI to automate the boring stuff—emails, reports, and busywork—so there’s more time for big ideas. The catch? AI isn’t perfect, and some companies still put up roadblocks. But for those who crack the code, AI is a serious career hack. Read the story

💼 AI = Shorter Workweeks? — AI is making four-day workweeks a real thing. By handling busywork, AI lets teams get more done in less time. Goodbye, pointless meetings. Check it out

📊 AI vs. Old-School Editing — More creators are ditching traditional editing for AI-powered tools. Faster, cheaper, and still creative—who knew robots had an eye for design? See why

🚀 AI is changing work, hiring, and even your inbox. Where will it take your business next? 🧗‍♀️

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Tools gone wild! 😜 

Tools gone wild Success edition: Buzz-worthy innovation

It turns out even bees can benefit from a little artificial intelligence! HiveMind Apiaries, a family-owned beekeeping business, has embraced AI to monitor the health of their hives. Using tiny sensors and AI-powered software, they track temperature, humidity, and bee activity inside the hive. When things get too hot (literally), they get an alert to adjust ventilation or relocate the hive. The result? Happier bees and a smoother honey harvest. This tech isn’t just for the big players—HiveMind has shared that the AI setup was affordable and saved them hours of manual hive checks each week.

It’s a buzz-worthy example of how small businesses are using AI to innovate in unexpected ways!

What’s next? 🧭

The AI trail keeps unfolding. Next time, we’re diving into automation that actually gives you time back—because the best tools don’t just add to your to-do list, they help clear it.

Got a favorite AI hack or a tool you swear by? Hit reply and share—we might just feature it in an upcoming edition. See you at the next summit! 🚀

— Your Sherpa Team