AI Tools for Creatives
This week on the podcast, I’m joined by Taryn Southern, a creative technologist and early adopter of AI. She is probably the first person who I ever heard speak about AI via an instagram post back in 2016. And truthfully, when I first heard about AI all those years ago, my reaction was, “...this is dumb.” Cut to now, and I have to admit—it’s become incredibly useful for streamlining day-to-day tasks, from the mundane to the essential. For example, AI plays a huge role in editing and producing this very podcast. I’m genuinely grateful for the ease it brings.
With AI swiftly changing how we do things—which admittedly also feels scary—I felt it was high time to have an educational conversation on the subject. Especially one that explores how AI can support and enhance the creative process for solopreneurs and business owners.
Below is a curated list of tools mentioned in our conversation. If you want to go deeper on the topic, Taryn offers a creative AI bootcamp for entrepreneurs.
Productivity & Writing:
ChatGPT | For writing, editing, negotiating, brainstorming, and streamlining creative workflows
Canva (with AI features) | Design presentations, create social posts, and generate content with built-in AI tools
CapCut | Video editing with auto-captions, transitions, and smart cuts
Adobe Firefly | Ethical AI image generator (trained on licensed/public domain material)
Video Creation & Editing:
Opus Clip | Turn long podcast episodes or videos into short-form clips (auto-edits + captions)
VEED | AI-powered video editor with customizable templates
HeyGen | Create a realistic AI avatar of yourself for video content
Waymark | Auto-generates marketing videos from brand input
Invideo AI | Generate videos from scripts with voiceover and stock footage
Runway | Advanced AI tools for creative video generation and editing
Google VEO | (Beta) High-end AI video generation from text prompts
Image Generation & Visualization:
Midjourney | Create stunning visuals and concept art (great for mood boards + storyboards)
ChatGPT’s DALL·E (via image tool) | Generate and *edit* images with custom dimensions
Adobe Firefly | (Yes, again!) Great for safe, stylized image generation
Build Your Own Tools / Apps:
Replit | Build custom tools or mini apps (no-code/low-code)
Cursor | AI-first coding assistant
Lovable | Create personalized apps (e.g., track health data or simplify workflows)
Also mentioned in the epsode:
Watching: The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Fun fact: Afton, who joined me for Too Niche’s Wedding Beauty episode, has been doing Jessi and Mayci’s makeup…the Too Niche? effect.
Listening to: Are You A Charlotte? podcast.
ChatGPT-ing: rental-friendly backyard landscaping mockups. And per a listener DM wondering what I used, I also used ChatGPT to get my color analysis. (Prompt I used was: chat, I’d like you to do a color analysis, what types of photos do you need? I uploaded said images and it did its thing from there )
You’re invited to: My Summer Mood Board Workshop on June 1 @ 12pm PST. Early bird pricing is $40 until May 26 ($45 after)—enroll here.
I forgot to mention in the episode: I’m co-hosting Amina AlTai’s LA launch for her book, The Ambition Trap. It just hit the best seller list and is complete with a forward by Maria Schriver. Join us in LA on June 4—ticket price includes a book. Get your ticket here.
Wishig you a wonderful holiday weekend and unitl next time, stay niche.