From Weeks to Hours: When AI Is Done Right

TL;DR

• A solo consultant specializing in gender-inclusive education and translation services was drowning in translation work.
• We used Google’s Opal with targeted prompting to build an automation.

Their Translation workload dropped by 80%, freeing up dozens of hours per project while maintaining quality and cultural sensitivity. The consultant’s role shifted from “translator” to “translation editor”.

Client’s Challenge

The consultant faced a classic solo practitioner dilemma: building the business was always taking the back seat to doing the deliverable work. Translation projects consumed days, often weeks, leaving little bandwidth for the growth activities that actually scale a consultancy.

The challenge wasn’t just speed though - quality and inclusivity couldn’t be compromised. Gender-inclusive translation requires both linguistic precision and cultural sensitivity, making it a complex and time-intensive process.

Our Approach

We started with energy drains - where was time actually disappearing? Translation dominated the list. The challenge wasn’t just speed though - quality and inclusivity couldn’t be compromised.

This client had something valuable: detailed training materials on gender-inclusive French translation. We realized we could teach AI these same principles.

Using Google’s Opal with targeted prompting, we built an automation during the session. The AI handles the initial translation using the client’s established guidelines, then the expert reviews and refines the output.

Implementation Process

The solution was implemented in a single session:

1. Process Analysis: We identified translation as the primary time drain and analyzed the existing workflow.
2. Knowledge Documentation: The client had already systematized their expertise in detailed training materials.
3. AI Training: We used Google’s Opal with targeted prompting to teach the AI the client’s established guidelines.
4. Workflow Design: Created an automation where AI handles initial translation, then the expert reviews and refines.
5. Immediate Deployment: The automation was built and tested during the session itself.

In Their Words

This is going to save me so much time. What used to take me days, now I can get through in just a few hours.

…It feels like 70 to 80 percent of the work is gone, and I can just focus on making sure the nuance is right.

Positive Outcomes

• Massive Time Savings: Translation workload dropped by 80%, freeing up dozens of hours per project.
• Maintained Quality: Quality remained high and values stayed intact throughout the process.
• Role Evolution: The consultant’s role shifted from “translator” to “translation editor,” allowing for more strategic work.
• Business Model Shift: Freed hours now go toward outreach, marketing, and scaling the consultant’s reach.
• Strategic Leverage: The business model fundamentally shifted from trading time for money to leveraging expertise more strategically.

Why This Worked

The workflow was well-defined and the client had already systematized their expertise. AI became the execution layer for knowledge they’d already documented.

Most Jumpstarts end with a roadmap, not a working automation. This client had already done the work of documenting their processes, so we just got to connect the dots quickly. For most teams, the jumpstart is a time to map out the groundwork we’ll tackle together.

The Takeaway

Your biggest time drain often points to your biggest opportunity. The question is whether your processes are clear enough for AI to execute them effectively.