Hi

If you've been hearing a lot about “Projects” in ChatGPT recently and wondering what the fuss is about, you’re not alone. I’ve been testing them, digging beneath the surface, and thinking hard about how they could make a real difference to small business owners like you.

The short answer? They’re powerful. Possibly even transformative. Let me explain.

What exactly are Projects in ChatGPT?

Think of a Project as a persistent workspace inside ChatGPT where you can store your context, goals, documents, and conversations all in one place. It’s a bit like having a digital assistant with a long memory—one that doesn't just answer one-off questions, but remembers what you're trying to achieve and helps you work towards it over time.

Until recently, if you started a new chat, it was like starting from scratch. No memory of the previous conversation. Even when memory was switched on, it was still a bit... fuzzy. Projects change that. They keep everything neatly organised in one space so your assistant can stay focused on the same objective for days, weeks, or even months—whether that’s writing your newsletter, managing a product launch, or analysing your cash flow.

How Projects differ from Custom GPTs

You may already be using or have heard of Custom GPTs. These are personalised versions of ChatGPT, trained with specific instructions, tone, datasets, or functionality. You can create one for your business to behave in a particular way—for example, to act like a virtual bookkeeper or marketing assistant.

The difference is this:

• Custom GPTs are tools – they define how ChatGPT behaves.
• Projects are workspaces – they define what you’re working on.

To put it another way, if a Custom GPT is like hiring a specialist with a certain skillset, then a Project is like giving them a dedicated office, all your files, and a whiteboard with the goals written on it.

And yes—you can use the two together. For example, you can use a Custom GPT you’ve trained for financial analysis within a Project that tracks your business’s KPIs.

What can you do with a Project?

Projects are flexible. You can create one for almost anything that involves thought, writing, planning or analysis. Here are just a few examples:

• Writing your blog or newsletter, with saved style guides and past articles
• Managing a rebrand, with briefs, tone of voice, and sample designs all in one place
• Building your financial dashboard, with linked spreadsheets and Xero exports
• Developing an online course, with lessons, outlines and marketing copy
• Organising a funding bid, with past applications, FAQs and supporting docs
• Analysing customer survey results to improve your product or service

You don’t have to reload the same files every time. The assistant “remembers” the context—like that you want to keep a friendly, professional tone, or that your target audience is e-commerce founders using Shopify and Xero.

It’s like onboarding your assistant once, instead of over and over again.

How to create a Project (in simple steps)

1. Open ChatGPT (Pro users only for now)
   You’ll need the Pro version with GPT-4o enabled.
2. Click on “Projects” in the sidebar
   You'll find this just below your normal chat history.
3. Create a new Project
   Give it a name, and start loading in context—what you're trying to achieve, who it’s for, and any documents or links that matter.
4. Upload files or write notes
   PDFs, spreadsheets, images, briefs, brand guidelines—you name it.
5. Start chatting
   From here, ChatGPT will behave much more like a consistent, long-term partner who knows your goals and preferences.

Five ways small businesses can use Projects to get ahead

Now for the important part: how small business owners like you can actually use this. Here are five practical examples:

1. Run your marketing like a machine

Let’s say you’re a service-based business and you want to post regularly on LinkedIn. Start a Marketing Content project, upload some past posts, tell ChatGPT your tone of voice, key topics, and target audience. It can then:

• Draft weekly content in batches
• Tailor posts for different platforms
• Monitor and respond to comments (with help from other tools)
• Repurpose blogs into emails and lead magnets

And all without having to explain your brand, your goals, or your audience again.

2. Build a strategic plan and stick to it

Working on a 90-day plan? Annual goals? Project can help you set clear objectives, break them down into tasks, and review progress regularly.

It won’t just create the plan—it can hold you to it. Set check-ins, track deliverables, analyse what’s slipping, and revise your tactics accordingly.

Imagine having a strategic advisor who never forgets what you said last time and won’t let things slide.

3. Analyse your numbers without a finance degree

Create a Finance & KPIs project. Upload Xero exports or spreadsheets. Brief ChatGPT on the key metrics you care about—gross margin, average order value, cash flow forecast. It will:

• Summarise trends
• Flag unusual movements
• Visualise data
• Suggest questions to ask your bookkeeper or accountant

It's not just a reporting tool—it’s a thinking partner.

4. Train your team faster and better

Need to bring a new employee or freelancer up to speed? Create a Team Onboarding project. Include:

• SOPs and process docs
• Brand and tone guidelines
• Key contacts and systems
• Examples of what good looks like

Then let ChatGPT act as a tutor—ready to answer questions, explain systems, and even draft performance feedback or help with 1:1 agendas.

5. Launch a new product or service

Thinking of launching a new package or product line? Create a Launch Plan project. Include:

• Draft sales copy
• Customer personas
• Pricing experiments
• Promotional calendar
• FAQs and objections

Ask ChatGPT to help you test messaging, generate leads, write onboarding sequences, or simulate sales conversations. It’ll help you keep momentum without dropping the ball.

Is there a better way to run your business?

Projects don’t just make ChatGPT more useful. They make it usable in a way that sticks. Most business owners I know are full of ideas but short on structure. Projects provide that structure.

They turn ChatGPT from a clever chatbot into a collaborative workspace that actually helps you think, plan and execute better.

And for the cost of a monthly Pro subscription (around £20), it’s one of the best-value investments you could make.

Here’s what I’d suggest:

1. If you're on ChatGPT Pro, start your first project today—pick something you’ve been meaning to do for weeks and let ChatGPT help you get it moving.
2. If you’re not yet using GPT-4o, upgrade and explore Projects. Test it out for a month—you can always cancel.
3. Want help setting one up for your business? Book a quick discovery call with me. I’ll walk you through it, show you what’s possible, and help you tailor it to your goals.

You don’t need more tools. You need more traction. Projects might just be the missing piece. If you think using Projects may help you improve your business efficiency and performance drop me a line and we can have a no-obligation chat.

Noel Guilford