Will AI replace my accountant or marketer?

No. Keep the experts; AI assists. You keep human judgement, compliance, and strategy.

Is AI safe for my business data?

Yes, if used carefully. Avoid sensitive data in public tools and use business accounts with access controls.

How does this help my marketing?

Custom GPTs help you measure and optimise marketing so you can reach your business goals.

Do I need lots of data or a big budget to start?

No. Start with what you have and a clear outcome; build small, repeatable tasks.

What tools should I start with?

Start with a general AI assistant (e.g., ChatGPT or Google Gemini). Skip niche tools unless they clearly save time or improve quality.

Brand Digital Marketing Public Relations

Meet Cleo, our Custom GPT CFO: built by a Redlands digital marketing agency

Posted 10 Nov 2025 by Maria Anderson

Meet Cleo, our Custom GPT CFO: built by a Redlands digital marketing agency

As a redlands digital marketing agency, we’re often asked if AI can be trusted with real numbers. I wanted an assistant that could interpret real financial data, deliver insights like a CFO, and coach with empathy so the process stays calm. As a marketing consultant, I start and end with the numbers.

I studied accounting at university for two years before switching to marketing — I’m a numbers person at heart. That’s why our team is data‑driven and why we focus on sustainable profitability, not vanity metrics.

We created Cleo with AI Queens via their Custom GPT CMO, while I continue to upskill through the AI Society’s 12‑month program and the AI in Marketing Accelerator with the AI Growth Academy.

Quick win: Cleo analysed our October financials and gave tangible recommendations to keep us on track for our financial goal — plus a short coaching note to keep focus.

What actually made the difference

This wasn’t about a magic prompt. It was a good brief and an iterative, human conversation.

I wrote a clear brief.
I asked AI Queens’ CMO to ask me questions.
I asked more questions as we progressed.
The CMO suggested improvements (I mostly accepted).
We kept the dialogue going: question → refine → test → improve.

Before any instruction was written, we:

gathered our financial history (P&L, balance sheet, revenue by client)
clarified goals (budgeting, cash flow, KPI tracking, debt reduction, investment choices)
defined tone and working style (monthly accountability, proactive coaching)
chose Excel for version one: transparent, simple, no API required

We also asked the CMO to research expert CFOs who support small agencies. That became an expert library for Cleo.

The build, human and AI side by side

I built an Excel workbook with focused Excel worksheets, Cleo’s “brain”. AI Queens’ CMO generated structures, formulae, and verification steps; I pasted, tested, and refined.

Key tabs:

Debt Tracker & Debt‑Free Forecast
60‑20‑20 Dashboard (revenue, overheads, profit ratios)
Monthly CFO Review & Quarterly Reflection
Goal Focus Meter (progress bars tied to real KPIs)
Expert Cards & Scenario Map (which “mentor” to invoke and when)

Once the workbook was sound, I uploaded it to the Custom GPT and added Cleo’s instruction block, conversation starters and scripts, and a launch checklist with version control.

Time and workflow:

My time: 20 hours (strategising, building sheets, entering data, testing formulae)
AI Queens CMO: 8–10 hours (structure, formulae, prompts, QA)
Project duration: 4 days (build → test → adjust → move on)

What Cleo does now

runs monthly and quarterly reviews with plain‑English explanations
tracks revenue, profit, debt, and goal progress
gives actionable insights and a short coaching note each session
keeps us focused on sustainable profitability, not busy numbers

What this means for local SMEs

Comparing a digital marketing agency Redlands or looking for a marketing consultant you can trust? Here’s the practical bit: AI only shifts results when it’s anchored to clear goals and clean data, and our one rule always applies: AI is the assistant, not the owner. If you’re unsure where to start, try this:

Clarify the outcome: define what success looks like with the task you set AI.
Use a prompt helper: tools like Prompt Cowboy can help you shape clearer, more effective prompts.
Write a simple brief: what, who, why, when, how; include tone, guardrails, and the data you’ll use.
Start small: use standard chats to get a result that’s 80–90% right.
Level up to a Custom GPT: once the chat process is solid, turn it into a reusable assistant.
Then add workflows: a “workflow” is simply a repeatable set of steps (inputs → AI task → human check → output → where it goes next) you can run every week.

We do the thinking upfront, review the outputs, and stay accountable for results. Choose tools you trust and keep a human in the loop.

A simple checklist you can use

Define one 90‑day financial goal and two related marketing goals.
Write a one‑page brief: who you serve, services, KPIs, tone, offers, and a must‑not‑do list.
Start with one small AI task and make continuous improvements until you are comfortable with the results.

Simple marketing examples to start with

Socials: ask AI to summarise last month’s Facebook/Instagram performance and propose three posts to improve on what worked.
Google Business Profile: draft two local posts using your local keywords
Blog: turn one customer question into a 700–900 word outline with a local example; you add the facts and publish.

Before you start: brand foundations amplify AI

For AI marketing to work, get your brand basics in place:

Brand positioning (who you serve, the problem you solve, your ‘onlyness’)
Key messages and brand voice (tone, phrases we use/avoid)
A simple annual marketing plan (goals, audiences, strategies/tactics, content pillars/topics, budget, measurement)

Upload these into your AI assistant and you’ll get better, faster results, the assistant works from your knowledge, not generic internet text.

How Sustainable Marketing Services can help

We support Redlands and Brisbane SMEs who want practical help from a redlands digital marketing agency that understands AI marketing for small business:

Brand positioning strategy document: positioning, key messages, and brand voice you can upload to AI ($1,250 inc GST).
Annual marketing plan: marketing goals, audience, strategies and tactics, content pillars and topics, budget and measurement; also a great tool for AI ($1,250 inc GST).
One on one two hour training session on the topic you’d like training on ($450 inc GST).
Creation of a Custom GPT for your business: from a simple Custom GPT Blog Writer to a more complex AI Chief Marketing Officer (POA).

: No. Keep the experts; AI assists. You keep human judgement, compliance, and strategy.
: Yes, if used carefully. Avoid sensitive data in public tools and use business accounts with access controls.
: Custom GPTs help you measure and optimise marketing so you can reach your business goals.
: No. Start with what you have and a clear outcome; build small, repeatable tasks.
: Start with a general AI assistant (e.g., ChatGPT or Google Gemini). Skip niche tools unless they clearly save time or improve quality.

About the Author

Maria Anderson is the Founder & Managing Director of Sustainable Marketing Services, a multi-award-winning Brisbane marketing agency known for integrating brand, marketing, digital, PR, and social to deliver measurable, sustainable growth.

A data-driven strategist with over 25 years’ experience, Maria is a Certified Practising Marketer (Australian Marketing Institute) with a Bachelor of Business (Marketing and Public Relations) and Diplomas in Sustainability and Financial Services. She helps businesses launch, grow, and protect their brands through results-focused, sustainable marketing strategies.