Imagine this: you sit down with a simple idea, type a few words into a prompt box, and—boom—your own app is born. No hiring developers. No months of testing. Just one good idea, one powerful prompt, and a bit of help from AI.
It might sound like a fantasy, but tools like Perplexity Labs are making this a reality—right now.
At Zone of Genius, we’re always looking for ways to help business owners, entrepreneurs, and creators unlock new opportunities. And if there’s one message we want you to take from this post, it’s this:
Building your own custom app has never been easier—or more possible—than it is today.
From Dream to App in Minutes
Recently, Perplexity Labs showcased the many apps their users have created using a single prompt. And we’re not talking about just technical folks—these are everyday people and business owners like you.
Here are just a few examples that caught our eye:
- SEO Blog Post Wizard – Generate SEO-optimized blog content in minutes.
- Summarize YouTube – Drop in a YouTube link, get a fast, useful summary.
- Startup Idea Validator – Enter your startup concept and get feedback instantly.
- Tweet Thread Rewriter – Improve your X/Twitter content for more engagement.
- Daily Inspiration Generator – Automate your morning motivational quotes or posts.
The amazing part? These weren’t coded from scratch. They were built using prompts. That’s it.
Why This Matters for Small Business Owners
You’re wearing multiple hats: marketing, sales, operations, customer service… the list goes on. But what if AI could help you offload some of those tasks—or even better, build a custom tool that saves you hours every week? Imagine a scenario where you can automate your invoicing, track expenses seamlessly, and gain insights into your business operations, allowing you to focus on growth. With tools like Intuit QuickBooks for small businesses, you can streamline your accounting processes while leveraging AI-driven solutions to optimize your other responsibilities. This way, not only can you manage your workload effectively, but you can also enhance overall productivity and performance.
Here’s why this is a game-changer:
- No code, no problem. You don’t need a tech background to build an AI-powered tool.
- Faster implementation. What used to take months can now take minutes.
- Cost savings. Skip the dev team and create tools tailored to your business, on your terms.
- Real-time testing. Launch and iterate quickly to see what works best for you and your customers.
What Could You Build?
Think about the repetitive tasks in your business. What do you keep saying you wish you could automate? Here’s a little inspiration:
- A lead scoring app for your CRM
- A custom customer service reply generator
- A content brainstorm tool for your blog or podcast
- A personalized nutrition tracker for a fitness coaching business
- A daily sales report summary pulled from your spreadsheets
If you can explain it in a sentence, AI can probably build it.
How to Get Started (It’s Easier Than You Think)
Ready to dip your toe in? Here’s how you can get started with Perplexity Labs:
- Go to Perplexity Labs
- Browse existing apps for inspiration—or remix one to make it your own.
- Click “Create New App” and describe what you want your app to do.
- Test and iterate—you’ll be amazed how quickly you can create something useful.
Note that in order for you to create your first project, you must be signed up for a paid plan.
Want to build an app that helps generate personalized marketing emails? Type in your prompt. Need a social post scheduler? There’s likely a base you can start with and customize.
Final Thoughts: Your Genius Is Just One Prompt Away
This isn’t just about tech. It’s about ownership. It’s about taking that idea that’s been in the back of your head for months and turning it into something real—without needing a big budget, fancy tools, or a team of engineers.
If you’ve ever said, “I wish there was an app for that…”—now’s the time to stop wishing and start building.
Because your next best business decision might not come from hiring more people—it might come from harnessing the tools that let you do more, with less.
