How AI is transforming small business success

Key findings from our survey of HoneyBook members on how AI is transforming the way they work, run their businesses, and live their lives. 

It’s been said time and again in recent years, and for good reason—AI is the future. 

Look no further than the palm of your hand—where AI is powering many of the tools we rely on every day. From the way we communicate with clients to the way we choose to travel, get information, and even plan out our lives.

Though AI has been a part of our society long before this boom, it’s now more intelligent, powerful, and accessible than ever before. Both transforming entire industries and tackling everyday tasks like coming up with a compelling subject line for your next email or organizing your grocery list. 

At HoneyBook, we wanted to truly understand how this seismic shift has been impacting our community of small business owners as AI’s scope and power continue to expand in 2025. 

As a follow up to our AI research from 2023, we surveyed 151 HoneyBook members from February 14-25, 2025, to find out how they feel today—two years later. In the study, we looked into their attitudes on using AI, how it’s affected the way they work, and how it’s brought value, to not just their business, but their lives. 

Here’s what we learned. 

HoneyBook members are overwhelmingly more confident in their business decisions—thanks to AI 

Being an entrepreneur is filled with countless decisions—each carrying its own weight of uncertainty. It can be anything from strategic choices like how to scale your business, who to hire, and where to allocate resources—down to the smaller, but still important decisions—like should you place that ad, how much is too much to spend pens—and the list goes on. 

This has been a constant for business owners—until now. Our recent study revealed that AI is fundamentally changing this dynamic. 

More than 70% of members who use HoneyBook AI reported feeling more confident in their business decisions since incorporating AI features into their workflows. This stat alone highlights something deeper than efficiency—it points to a shift in how entrepreneurs approach the decision-making process itself.

For many HoneyBook members, this lies in AI’s ability to provide accurate, data-informed suggestions. For example, HoneyBook’s priority leads feature automatically identifies your most promising inquiries, by analyzing booking history and contact form data, to instantly prioritize high-value prospects. A notification lets you know when a promising lead comes your way, so you have the information you need to take action without any extra effort. 

“I’m not at a point where I can hire an assistant but I need an assistant, so HoneyBook AI kind of takes that placeholder right now for me.” 

–Dee Travaughn, cinematographer and HoneyBook member

What’s even more notable is that 65% of these same business owners are eager to integrate even more AI tools into their operations. 

Ultimately, this confidence stems from tangible results—improvements in these members’ workflows, communications, and time management. Business owners who experience this boost in decision-making confidence naturally extend AI tools across more aspects of their operations.

This confidence directly fuels business growth. When entrepreneurs feel secure in their decisions, they more readily take calculated risks, pursue new opportunities, and focus on their craft—areas where human creativity remains irreplaceable.

Importantly, this increased confidence doesn’t require surrendering control. Business owners using HoneyBook AI aren’t delegating their business identity to algorithms; they’re leveraging AI to enhance their expertise, transforming not just how they work, but how they feel about their work. 

With concrete improvements in efficiency and outcomes, further AI integration becomes less about technological experimentation and more about strategic business advancement.

HoneyBook AI helps members reclaim up to three hours per week 

Small business owners know all too well that time is their most precious and scarce resource. Every minute spent on routine, administrative tasks is a minute not spent on creative work, client relationships, or business growth. 

The good news? Time-saving is a key benefit of implementing AI-powered tools. In fact, with HoneyBook AI, business owners save up to three hours per week. 

What may seem like a mere three hours, translates to more than 150 hours annually. That’s nearly four full work weeks that HoneyBook members are reclaiming from administrative burden.

For small business owners and entrepreneurs, this represents a significant shift in how they can allocate their energy and attention.

Of those using HoneyBook AI, 77% are using it to streamline previously manual tasks like drafting emails, responding to clients, and qualifying leads. All of which adds up to time saved in their weekly routines. 

With the technology handling the heavy lifting of these necessary but time-consuming activities, business owners can focus on the aspects of their work that require human creativity and connection.

HoneyBook AI time-saving features to get started with

If you’re ready to start saving three hours a week, these HoneyBook features are a great place to start. Aside from priority leads, mentioned above, which cuts down on lead qualification time, email drafts and the meeting notetaker will save precious hours each week. 

Email drafts instantly generate personalized client communications, tailored to your unique business. By learning from previous messages sent on the platform, HoneyBook AI mirrors your voice and tone to craft professional, client-ready drafts you can edit and send in seconds.

The meeting notetaker does exactly what it promises—and more. It steps in to not only take notes for you but also automatically organize and highlight key takeaways from all your HoneyBook meetings. So you can stay fully present and build those all-important client connections knowing no important information will get lost. 

What makes this newfound time savings significant is how HoneyBook members are reinvesting it.

Some are refining their craft, developing new service offerings, or simply being more present with clients. Others are achieving something that often feels impossible for small business owners—reclaiming personal time and reducing their workweek without sacrificing quality or client satisfaction.

“AI is so important because the less time that I’m spending being my own assistant, I can put that time and energy into improving my craft and client experience, spending time with my family, or just doing the things I enjoy in life.”

–Michaela Harle, wedding and events photographer and HoneyBook member

Perhaps most tellingly, 51% of members using HoneyBook AI report reduced stress levels as a direct result of using AI tools. This suggests that the benefit extends beyond mere time savings into overall well-being—a crucial factor in sustainable entrepreneurship. 

By minimizing the mental load of routine tasks, business owners can operate with greater clarity and purpose throughout their workday.

HoneyBook AI users report twice as many booked projects and profitable leads compared to those who haven’t adopted AI 

Our study also revealed a striking correlation between AI adoption and business performance: members who use HoneyBook AI report twice as many booked projects and twice as many profitable leads compared to their counterparts who haven’t yet incorporated AI into their workflows.

The difference is dramatic. Doubling project bookings can transform a struggling business into a thriving one, or take a stable operation to new heights of success. 

Similarly, the ability to generate twice as many profitable leads addresses one of the most persistent challenges entrepreneurs face: finding qualified clients who value their services appropriately.

What makes this particularly fascinating is that the tasks AI is taking on aren’t highly complex or difficult, they’re just the ones making a big difference—like qualifying leads, drafting communications, or taking meeting notes for example. 

Another small and tedious yet important task is following up with clients. Automating this kind of communication, especially during busy seasons, ensures no opportunity is missed and business owners stay top of mind with the clients they care about. 

HoneyBook automations can be used to streamline your entire workflow—automatically sending scheduling links, questionnaires, reminders, and thank-you emails at key touchpoints in your client journey, all without requiring your manual intervention.

This means that HoneyBook AI users aren’t just working more efficiently; they’re also able to focus their energy on the high-value activities that directly contribute to growth.

It’s important to note that this isn’t suggesting AI is a magic solution. Rather, it indicates that entrepreneurs who strategically implement AI tools to handle routine tasks while focusing their human creativity and expertise on relationship-building and service delivery are positioning themselves for greater success in today’s highly competitive and ever-changing landscape.

HoneyBook AI users are seeing a 94% higher gross payment volume (GPV)

Ultimately, assessing business impact is simple: does this help generate more revenue? When it comes to AI, for HoneyBook members, the answer is a resounding yes. 

Our study reveals a staggering statistic: the small businesses leveraging our AI capabilities and other AI tools are experiencing a 94% higher gross payment volume (GPV) compared to those who haven’t adopted these tools.

This financial performance isn’t a coincidence—it represents the real, tangible power of AI. As we mentioned earlier, streamlined workflows, enhanced client communications, and time savings help HoneyBook members focus on high-value activities that directly impact their revenue streams.

While it’s possible the HoneyBook members seeing these kinds of financial gains may also be more likely to adopt other efficiencies in the way they run their businesses, aside from AI, the takeaway is the same. Working smarter, not harder, is more than just a buzzword—it can have a meaningful impact on your bottom line. 

For small business owners, a 94% higher GPV can mean the difference between struggling to maintain operations and achieving sustainable profitability. It can also mean transforming a hobby into a full-time business. And beyond that, it enables growth such as expansion into new markets, and the financial ability to hire additional help—further accelerating the potential for a business to grow and flourish. 

Ultimately this statistic validates the investment business owners make in adopting and learning AI tools. While there’s always an initial learning curve with new technology, the financial return clearly outweighs the upfront time commitment. HoneyBook users who have embraced AI aren’t just working differently—they’re achieving tangibly better financial outcomes.

The future is now—AI is essential to small business. 

The findings are clear. AI has moved far beyond theoretical potential and now delivers measurable, significant advantages for small business owners. 

What makes these findings particularly meaningful is that they represent real transformation in the lives and businesses of entrepreneurs. Time reclaimed becomes an opportunity for creativity, growth, and personal well-being. Increased confidence leads to better decisions and bolder business moves. And ultimately, these improvements can translate to financial success, creating an exciting cycle of growth and opportunity.

For small business owners still on the fence about AI adoption, the evidence is increasingly difficult to ignore. The question is shifting from “Can I afford to invest in AI?” to “Can I afford not to?” 

With tools becoming more accessible, intuitive, and powerful every day, the barriers to entry with AI continue to fall—making this the perfect time for entrepreneurs to explore how AI can transform their own business workflows and journey. 

At HoneyBook, we remain committed to developing AI solutions that address the real challenges entrepreneurs and small businesses face—not just making business more efficient, but making it more fulfilling, sustainable, and successful. Because ultimately, when small businesses thrive, we all benefit from the innovation, creativity, and passion they bring to our world.