Building in Public: My Journey to Simplify

Simplify with digital and AI — Building in Public, December 2025

No Jargon. No Overwhelm.

Hey [FIRST NAME GOES HERE],

I have been building Simplify Digital AI since April 2024, but I have not told you the full story of how I got here or why I am so stubborn about solving this particular problem.

This week, I'm sharing that story. And at the end, I'm asking for your honest feedback.

My Path to Founding Simplify AI

I spent more than 20 years at Cisco in enterprise business operations, strategy and analytics, helping large organizations make sense of their data and turn it into decisions. I loved the work, but I kept noticing something. The tools and frameworks I designed for Fortune 500 companies simply did not exist for small businesses.

They faced the same complexity with none of the support and only a fraction of the resources.

That gap never stopped bothering me.

After completing my Harvard Business Analytics program certification, I finally had both the strategic experience and the technical credibility to do something about it. I launched Simplify Digital AI to bridge that gap and bring enterprise-level capability to companies that do not have (and should not need) a tech team.

This fall, I enrolled in Founder Institute because building a company from zero is different than advising on strategy. I wanted structure, accountability, and mentors who have done it before.

The Problem I Am Solving

Small business owners — bookkeepers, consultants, marketing agencies — are drowning in tools that do not talk to each other.

They have adopted the software. Google Analytics. QuickBooks. Email platforms. CRMs. But they are not getting value from any of it.

In my customer discovery:

• → 48% said their tools do not integrate
• → 71% have Google Analytics installed but never look at it

These owners are not tech averse. They are guidance starved.

The Solution: A Four-Stage Journey

Simplify AI helps small businesses get more customers from the tools they already own.

Stage 1: Assessment
See exactly where you stand: your AI readiness, tool usage, and data gaps. Take a peek: AI Readiness Assessment

Stage 2: Data Foundation
Get educated on the business and data fundamentals that make AI work, so you build on solid ground, not guesswork.

Stage 3: AI Implementation
Test automation privately, behind your firewall, encrypted, with stepwise expert guidance, so you adopt AI with confidence, not risk.

Stage 4: Strategic Dashboard
Get a 360° view of customer churn, web analytics, operations, and finance, so you know what's working and where to focus next.

Our vision is simple: A world where no small business gets left behind in the AI economy.

And our mission is practical: Guide small businesses from data chaos to AI-powered growth through a clear, four-stage journey.

Where I Am Now: Testing Stage 1

I am currently running our Minimum Viable Test — a free AI Readiness Assessment that helps business owners see exactly where they stand.

25 business owners have completed it so far. 6 led to deep conversations. 2 are ready to pay for the full program, before I even asked.

Now I need more data to validate what comes next.

Why This Is Personal

I was born in Antibes on the Côte d'Azur. When I was young, my father got an expat opportunity with IBM and we moved to the United States. I watched him navigate a new country, a new language, and a new career. I learned that the people who succeed are not always the smartest or the most resourced. They are the ones who get the right guidance at the right time.

Small business owners remind me of that every day. They work harder than anyone and build things that matter. Yet they are often flying blind because the tools built for them were actually built for someone else.

I want to change that.

Real Talk: What's Slowing Us Down

I need a co-builder.
Someone technical who can turn "connect your Gmail, QuickBooks, and website into one view" into reality. The strategy is clear. The customer need is validated. Now I need someone who can build with me.

Incorporation timing.
We will be incorporating in Delaware as a C-Corp in the next week. It is the right structure for investors and for the long term. I am being intentional so we grow on solid ground.

Early funding conversations.
With the validation from our MVT and early buyer signals, I am beginning to explore angel investors and non-dilutive grants. Not to scale aggressively, but to build the first product version with the right technical partner and keep momentum strong.

The Next 30 Days

1. Test whether customers will actually connect their data. Trust is everything.
2. Have 5 more conversations with people ready to buy. Understand exactly what they will pay for.
3. Complete our Delaware C-Corp incorporation.
4. Find a technical partner who believes small businesses deserve better tools.
5. Begin outreach to mission-aligned angels and identify grants that support AI for small business innovation.

Here's Where You Come In

I need to get this assessment in front of more businesses. If you know someone who fits, a warm intro would mean everything.

Small Business Owners
Professional services firms with 5 to 20 employees — bookkeepers, consultants, marketing agencies — who feel like they are drowning in tools that do not work together.

→ Share this link directly: Take the AI Readiness Assessment

Developers
Python, APIs, React — but more importantly, builders who get excited about helping small businesses compete in the AI economy.

Angels and Grant Connections
People who support early-stage companies improving access to AI for underserved markets.

If someone comes to mind, reply to this email. I will take it from there.

Anne-Cécile Guillot Bellisario
Founder, Simplify AI