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176 - AI SERIES: 16 - The Non-Coder's Guide to AI App Building with Billy Howell
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Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Billy Howell (https://x.com/billyjhowell). I was excited to have Billy on because he's prolific at building apps and tools using AI, despite not having a technical background. We dive into his journey from government consulting and TPS reports to starting agencies like OX Labs and Stupid Simple Apps, now focused on building AI-powered internal tools for startups.
Billy shares his go-to AI models like OpenAI 4.0 (ChatGPT) and how he uses tools like Replit, Cursor, Claude, Make.com, N8n, and V0.dev to build apps quickly. We discuss how small business owners can leverage AI to automate processes, build useful internal tools, and even potentially replace expensive SaaS solutions by creating simple wrappers around a prompt.
We also tackle the challenge of finishing AI-built apps, managing technical debt, and the importance of being disciplined with rollback using tools like Git. Billy gives practical advice on keeping things stupid simple and even advocates for running towards things that don't scale initially.
Questions This Episode Answers:
How can someone with no technical background build useful apps using AI tools?
What are the best AI models and platforms like Replit or Lovable for non-technical users to start building apps?
How can small businesses use AI to automate processes and build custom internal tools?
What does it mean to build an app by creating a "wrapper" around an AI prompt?
How do you handle the debugging and finishing steps when AI builds most of the code for your app?
Enjoy the conversation!
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This week we covered:
00:00 Introduction to Automation and AI Tools
03:00 The Journey from Non-Technical to Coding
05:48 Building Apps for Business Needs
09:03 Leveraging AI for Small Business Solutions
11:54 Creating Processes through Automation
14:47 The Future of CRM and AI Integration
18:08 Overcoming Challenges in App Development
20:59 Final Thoughts on Building Simple Apps
179 episodes
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