Certificate Program · In Person · 5 Weeks

AI in Production for Small Business

From AI fundamentals to live deployment — build real tools, automate your operations, and launch your AI-powered business with confidence.

A program of Apex AI Institute, hosted at Feitian College in Middletown, New York.

Apply nowSee curriculum

$500 after acceptance — no charge today.

In person, consecutive
5 Weeks
Hands-on practice
100%
Business demos
Live
Startup skills
Real
Small business owner standing in their neighborhood hardware store

How it works

Three steps. No surprises.

Not a pay-first bootcamp. We review applications by hand and only invoice after we have decided you are a fit.

  1. Apply

    Tell us about your business. Takes about 3 minutes. We review on a rolling basis and respond within 3 business days.

  2. Pay

    Only after you are accepted. $500 covers all 5 weeks, materials, and your certificate. Refundable up to 14 days before start.

  3. Show up

    Week 1 at Feitian College, Middletown NY. Leave every week with a working AI system running in your actual business.

Small group of adult learners around a wooden table with laptops in a sunlit classroom

What you'll stop doing

Reclaim 10+ hours every week from tasks AI should be doing.

This program is built for operators, not engineers. Every module ends with a system running inside your business — not a certificate of attendance.

  • Before

    Spending 10+ hours/week writing the same customer emails

    After

    A branded AI agent that answers 80% of inquiries automatically

  • Before

    Paying $300+/month for an accountant to organize receipts

    After

    An AI workflow that tags, categorizes, and reports in minutes

  • Before

    Staying up until 10pm scheduling next week's social posts

    After

    AI-generated draft content you approve in 15 minutes

Program Curriculum

Five weeks. Five modules. One capstone you'll actually ship.

01

AI Foundations

Core AI concepts, how LLMs and automation tools actually work, and what AI can realistically do for your business today.

You will be able to

You will stop buying AI subscriptions you don't understand — and know which tools fit your real problems.

02

Effective AI Tools

Hands-on walkthroughs of ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Zapier, Make, and more. Build muscle memory on each platform.

You will be able to

You will be able to prompt, chain, and automate across tools without copy-pasting between tabs.

ClaudeChatGPTCopilotZapierMake
03

Real Business Demos

Full workflow walkthroughs across retail, services, and hospitality. See live AI operations, not screenshots.

You will be able to

You will have seen at least 10 working AI deployments in businesses similar to yours.

04

Small Business Setup

Configure AI for your own business: customer service bots, marketing automation, scheduling, and reporting.

You will be able to

You will leave with at least 2 AI systems running in your actual business by end of Week 4.

05

Small Business Startup & Capstone

Launch your AI-powered business concept. Present your live setup to peers and instructors. Graduate ready to compete.

You will be able to

You will ship and publicly present a working AI-powered business system — not a slide deck.

Faculty

Instructors who have actually deployed AI in real businesses.

Our faculty lineup is being finalized. Full bios and photos will be published before enrollment opens.

Program director portrait

Program Director — TBD

FTC Northern AI Hub

Faculty lineup is being finalized. Full bios will be published before enrollment opens.

Bio pending

Frequently asked

Real answers, not marketing copy.

  • Small business owners, solopreneurs, and early-stage founders in the Hudson Valley and NYC metro area who want to operationalize AI in a real business — not just learn theory.

Apply

Tell us about your business.

Takes 3 minutes. We review applications on a rolling basis and respond within 3 business days with next steps for payment and enrollment. No charge until you are accepted.

Who we are looking for

  • You own or are actively launching a small business (retail, hospitality, services, food, or similar).
  • You can attend all 5 in-person sessions at Feitian College, Middletown NY.
  • You are comfortable using a computer and web browser. No coding background required.
  • You can commit to running at least one AI system in your actual business by Week 4.

Submitting does not charge you. We will email a secure payment link for the $500 fee after reviewing your application.