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Member Profile of Edwin Jean-Gilles

Edwin Jean-Gilles is the Founder and CEO of Aptare AI, an automation and consulting firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurs scale their businesses without burnout. With over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, he bridges the gap between complex technology and practical business growth. He specializes in helping solo entrepreneurs, small businesses, and enterprises—from service-based businesses to biotechnology companies—deploy AI voice assistants, chatbots, and workflow automation to capture every opportunity and grow revenue.

Edwin’s core services address the most costly problems businesses face: missed customer calls that never convert, invisible Google presence that loses them to competitors, and manual lead generation that caps their growth. His solutions include intelligent missed-call text-back systems that respond instantly when businesses can’t answer, automated Google review generation that boosts local search rankings, and social media automation that generates qualified leads while owners focus on serving clients amongst many others.

When he isn’t architecting automation solutions, he is a tech enthusiast who enjoys playing basketball, watching movies, and exploring new cultures through his love of Mediterranean and international foods.

When and why did you join NASE?

I joined NASE in 2025. After over 25 years in the corporate IT world, moving into entrepreneurship was a shift. I joined because I wanted to be part of a community that understands the unique challenges of being self-employed. NASE felt like the right place to find resources and support without having to figure everything out the hard way.

What inspired you to enter the field you are in?

I’ve been a tech geek my whole life. But spending so long in IT, I noticed something that really frustrated me: small business owners were losing thousands in revenue every month simply because they couldn’t answer their phone during peak hours. A plumber working on a job site, a realtor showing a property, a therapist in session—they’d miss 5-10 calls a day, and those potential customers would just call the next business on Google. Meanwhile, those same businesses were invisible in local search because they had only 2-3 Google reviews while their competitors had dozens.

At the same time, big companies had entire teams and sophisticated tools doing lead generation 1and customer follow-up automatically. I started Aptare AI to level that playing field—to give smaller companies the same firepower the big enterprises have, while also providing enterprises with the capability to accelerate their growth and save costs.

When and why did you start your business?

I started Aptare AI to solve the most expensive problems small businesses face. Industry studies show that businesses miss 30-40% of incoming calls, and 80% of those callers won’t leave a voicemail—they just move on to a competitor. That’s not a small inconvenience; that’s revenue walking out the door every single day. I built solutions that respond to missed calls within seconds with a personalized text message, capturing those opportunities that would otherwise vanish.

My goal was to use AI not just as a ‘cool tool,’ but as a practical lever to help business owners reclaim their time, stop losing customers to simple logistics problems, and actually grow their revenue instead of just working harder.

How do you market your business?

I practice what I preach—I use a lot of automation! But primarily, I focus on education and networking. AI can be intimidating, so I produce content that demystifies the technology, showing real-world examples of how a law firm can automatically request Google reviews from satisfied clients after case resolution, or how a restaurant can turn a 3.8-star rating into 4.5 stars in 90 days by systematically gathering feedback from happy customers.

I also demonstrate how businesses can use social media automation to identify and engage with potential customers at scale—something that would take hours daily if done manually. I rely heavily on referrals and strategic partnerships with organizations like NASE because once business owners see these systems working, they become evangelists.

What challenges have you faced in your business? How have you overcome them?

The biggest challenge is the ‘fear factor’ surrounding Artificial Intelligence. Many business owners think AI is too complex, too expensive, or going to replace humans. But the real issue is they don’t realize how much money they’re losing right now. When I show them data—that 62% of consumers won’t do business with a company that has under 4 stars on Google, or that 85% of customers read reviews before making a purchase decision—it becomes crystal clear why online reputation management isn’t optional anymore.

I overcome this by taking a consultative approach. I don’t just sell software; I sit down with clients to understand their specific pain points. Once they see a demo of a voice assistant handling a missed call and booking an appointment automatically, or watch their Google review count triple in 60 days, the fear turns into excitement. The results speak for themselves.

Do you have any employees? If yes, how many and are they full or part time? If no, any plans for the future to add people or do you like your business just you?

Right now, I keep it intentionally lean. It’s mostly me, heavily supported by AI agents and a few trusted contractors for specialized tasks. That’s actually the core of my business philosophy—using automation to do the work of a full staff without the overhead. I do plan to bring on a few full-time strategic roles as we grow, but I really enjoy the agility of a small footprint. It proves that with the right tech, you don’t need a massive headcount to make a massive impact.

What’s your schedule like, what’s a typical day for you?

I’m an early riser. My mornings are usually reserved for deep work—building out complex automation workflows or testing new AI models. Afternoons and evenings are for client consultations and strategy sessions. However, I make sure to disconnect. As a huge movie buff and basketball fan, I try to make time for both. And, being a ‘global foodie,’ my wife and I unwind by eating at one of our favorite restaurants or somewhere we’ve never heard of before.

What’s the best thing about being self-employed?

The speed. In the corporate world, a good idea takes six months to get approved. Now, if I see a new tool that can help a client, I can test and deploy it by the afternoon. That freedom is rewarding.

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received from a client?

I had a client who was spending hours manually scheduling appointments and hunting for leads on social media. I automated that entire process with an intelligent system, so appointment scheduling runs on autopilot and qualified leads flow in daily from targeted social media engagement. He told me, ‘I didn’t realize running a business could feel this effortless.’ That’s exactly the transformation I aim to create.

What’s the most important piece of advice you would give to someone starting their own business?

Don’t try to wear every hat. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. In the beginning, you might have to do it all, but your goal should be to automate or delegate the repetitive tasks as fast as possible. Protect your time; it’s your most expensive asset.

Which NASE member benefit is most important to you?

The access to experts and the networking capability. Being a solo entrepreneur can feel isolating, so having a hub where you can get answers to legal, tax, or strategy questions is crucial.

Any other information you would like to share?

I am passionate about helping business owners stop losing money to fixable problems. If you’re frustrated by missed calls that never convert, if you’re watching competitors with better Google reviews steal your customers, or if you’re spending hours on social media with nothing to show for it—those are all solvable problems.

Here are three common revenue leaks I help businesses fix:

• Missed-Call Text-Back System: When you can’t answer your phone, an intelligent AI agent immediately sends a personalized text message to the caller, keeps the conversation going, and can even book appointments—all automatically. This captures the 30-40% of potential customers you’re currently losing.
• Google Review Automation: I help businesses systematically request reviews from satisfied customers through automated follow-up sequences. More 5-star reviews mean higher rankings in local search, more trust from potential customers, and ultimately more business. Some clients have doubled their review count in 60-90 days.
• Social Media Lead Generation: Instead of randomly posting and hoping for results, I build systems that identify your ideal customers on social platforms, engage with them intelligently, and nurture them into qualified leads—all while you focus on serving your existing clients.

For NASE members, I offer a complimentary ‘Revenue Recovery Audit’ where I analyze your current processes and show you exactly how much revenue you’re leaving on the table—and more importantly, how to capture it.

Visit www.aptareai.com to claim yours.