AI, Automation & Apprentices: Business Growth Without the Hustle

Scale smarter by combining human talent with automation

There are two different types of cloning yourself... there's go find human talent... and then there's automation.

The Entrepreneur's Dilemma: "If Only I Could Clone Myself"

Every entrepreneur eventually faces the impossible dream: finding someone who can match your energy, creativity, and drive—someone who "gets it," without holding you back. For ADHD entrepreneurs pursuing small business ownership, this Clone Quest takes on another level of urgency and complexity. In my recent conversation with Entrepreneur’s Apprentice founder, Will Christiansen, we dug into the universal pain point: scaling a business without sacrificing the magic that makes your business uniquely yours.

The Two Sides of Cloning: Human Talent Vs. Automation

Will offers a clear-eyed division: "There are two different types of cloning yourself... there's go find human talent... and then there's automation." In other words, you can scale by hiring and training people who share your vision (or complement your weaknesses), or by building sophisticated business automation systems that multiply your reach—without hiring a single additional human.

This echoes the core lesson of Michael Gerber's classic, The E Myth: "Start with the end in mind." What do you want your business to provide in your life? Freedom, impact, ease—or just more time to focus on what lights you up? For those in small business ownership, this question becomes crucial when considering scaling a business.

Rethinking the Ideal Clone: Complement, Don't Copy

Will's journey began like many ADHD entrepreneurs: "If I could just get one more of me, we could double the output… everything would be fixed." But when he actually hunted for a "clone" through his own alma mater, finding students with similar Colby test results, the results surprised him: exact clones were just as chaotic, distracted, or ready to bolt for their own adventures.

Instead, the real game changer was hiring his opposite—someone whose strengths filled his cracks and who brought structure where he brought chaos. "To clone yourself, what you need is your opposite," Will says. Not only is your ADHD sparkle duplicated, but your business is grounded and stabilized. This principle is essential for sustainable scaling a business strategies.

Finding the Unicorn: The Entrepreneur's Apprentice

How do you actually find someone who cares about your business like you do, who can plug into your vision, and thrive operating complementary strengths? Christiansen outlines a practical, step-by-step process for small business ownership success:

Craft a 15-Question Application: Pinpoint hunger, passion, and real drive—not just resume polish.

Vet for Fit: Call top candidates out of the blue—if they can riff with you spontaneously, you're getting warmer.

Test for Risk and Ownership: Offer "phantom equity," actual stakes in the outcome, to inspire true buy-in.

Look for Integrators: Not everyone wants to be the founder—some are "entrepreneurs in embryo," integrators craving the right visionary to apprentice under.

AI & Automation: Scaling Without Sacrificing Sanity

Before AI was trendy, Will was already automating grueling, repetitive tasks to give himself space for what only his ADHD brain could do. Business automation isn't just about doing busywork faster—it's about buying back your focus. With tools growing more intuitive by the day, even non-coders can offload reporting, client onboarding, and project workflows.

Will's 15-1-15 principle is a simple business automation framework:

• Log any task taking more than 15 minutes a day, or an hour a week/month.

• Only automate or delegate what repeats.

• After manual repetition, hand off to AI or a virtual assistant.

This systematic approach to business automation is particularly valuable for scaling a business without overwhelming yourself or your team.

Eliminate: The Ultimate ADHD Challenge

The hardest pill for ADHD founders to swallow? Letting go—of tasks, ideas, or objects that no longer serve. Collecting (and not completing) is practically hardwired for us. Elimination means facing the sunk cost, letting go of the "what ifs," and creating mental white space for what truly matters. This skill becomes crucial when scaling a business and managing the complexities of small business ownership.

The True ROI: Freedom for Neurodivergent Brilliance

In the end, the full System Designer → System Builder → System Follower model is about one thing: freeing up your ADHD mind for big thinking, creative magic, and disruptive strategy—while trusting your "clone" and your automations to keep the engine running. Whether you're pursuing traditional small business ownership or exploring business automation solutions, the goal remains the same.

As Will puts it: "The true ROI is the freedom of thought to create." Build your business around your zone of genius—and find the right technology and people to fill out the rest. This approach transforms scaling a business from overwhelming to empowering.

Ready to try it? Start with automation, seek out your opposite, and never settle for a life full of Sunday blues. For practical resources, check out Automation Hunter and Entrepreneur's Apprentice—because scaling shouldn't mean losing your spark.

If you'd like to hear the full episode on the ADHD-ish Podcast, you can do that here.