How Smbs Are Adapting to AI Innovations

AI Agents will impact SMBs way more than Enterprise. Enterprises are scaled “centers of production” composed of people & technology to support complex global processes to make things. Already, enterprises have seen the benefits of “Digital Transformation”, investing in R&D to build software to support workflows and make better decisions. AI will profoundly impact enterprises, resulting in cheaper and faster production. But will it drive more top-line revenue? Let’s contrast this to SMBs. Classically an SMB differentiates vs. an enterprise on relationships & service. It’s simply unviable for an SMB to compete with enterprises on production. So, SMBs through grit, hustle, determination, & relationships build trust to establish a unique part of the value chain - often having a 1:1 relationship with each customer. But, for SMBs, AI won’t just improve efficiency. It makes new things possible.  SMBs who couldn't invest in hiring people and building bespoke processes can now hire swarms of AI Agents to do the jobs of a 1,000 skilled people overnight. Engineers at upmarket SMBs will be able to use self-generating engineering tools like Cursor or Lovable or Bolt to build bespoke tools for their company and customers in a matter of hours that large enterprise IT departments have taken years to build. They enact a “Digital Transformation” that took an IT department $1B and 5 years to happen for $10k in 1 week. Research that took R&D departments filled with PhD level employees can happen with Deep Research at a fraction of the cost. Decisions that took teams of analysts analyze swatches of data can be handled by custom GPTs with large context windows. Workflows can be overtaken by agentic workflows at a fraction of the cost, higher accuracy and greater speeds. Simply put, AI Agents level the playing field for SMBs vs the enterprise. We are going to witness a new kind of SMB - the ai-forward “upmarket SMB”. One that is able to compete with a big company by deploying AIs to make entirely new things possible. I want to draw a very important distinction. I am not talking about AI companies themselves. Much of the hype around AI companies exploding in growth are AI-companies who have discovered or invented a new mechanism for value creation. These companies can be thought of like a hit consumer app that found the right mechanism and market timing to explode. In “upmarket SMBs”, I mean 10-50 person co that had previously differentiated by service, but with AI Agents they are able to retune to compete in “production-driven” environments. In many cases, upmarket SMBs will extend the part of the value chain they occupy & co-exist alongside enterprises. In other cases, AI Agents will enable such new things that upmarket SMBs will be able to enter the arena of production themselves. And so, with AI Agents, the battle of David vs. Goliath will take on a new meaning.  For David won't just have a slingshot, but an army of AI Agents at his side.

SMBs are facing a critical challenge: how to maximize efficiency, connectivity, and communication without massive resources. The answer? Strategic AI implementation. Many small business owners tell me they're intimidated by AI. But the truth is you don't need to overhaul your entire operation overnight. The most successful AI adoptions I've seen follow these six straightforward steps: 1️⃣ Identify Immediate Needs: Look for quick wins where AI can make an immediate impact. Customer response automation is often the perfect starting point because it delivers instant value while freeing your team for higher-value work. 2️⃣ Choose User-Friendly Tools: The best AI solutions integrate seamlessly with your existing technology stack. Don't force your team to learn entirely new systems. Find tools that enhance what you're already using. 3️⃣ Start Small, Scale Gradually: Begin with focused implementations in 1-2 key areas. This builds confidence, demonstrates value, and creates organizational momentum before expanding. 4️⃣ Measure and Adjust Continuously: Set clear KPIs from the start. Monitor performance religiously and be ready to refine your AI configurations to optimize results. 5️⃣ Invest in Team Education: The most overlooked success factor? Proper training. When your team understands both the "how" and "why" behind AI tools, adoption rates soar. 6️⃣ Look Beyond Automation: While efficiency gains are valuable, the real competitive advantage comes from AI-driven insights. Let the technology reveal patterns in your business processes and customer behaviors that inform better strategic decisions. The bottom line: AI adoption doesn't require disruption. The most effective approaches complement your existing workflows, enabling incremental improvements that compound over time. What's been your experience implementing AI in your business? I'd love to hear what's working (or not) for you in the comments below. #SmallBusiness #AI #BusinessStrategy #DigitalTransformation

10 Ways Small Businesses Can Use AI to Reduce Contractor Costs 💡 Hiring freelancers for everything can get expensive—fast. But today’s AI tools make it easier than ever for small teams to do more in-house without sacrificing quality. Here are 10 practical ways AI can help you reduce reliance on contractors and save serious money: Graphic Design: Use AI tools like Canva’s Magic Design or Adobe Firefly to create professional graphics—no designer needed. Video Editing & Voiceovers: AI video tools can help you cut, caption, and narrate marketing videos with studio-quality polish. Content Writing: Blog posts, product descriptions, and newsletters can now be written (and optimized) in minutes using AI. Customer Service: AI chatbots can handle FAQs, returns, and support tickets—freeing up your team and reducing outsourced support costs. Bookkeeping & Invoicing: Tools like QuickBooks with AI features can automate expense tracking, categorization, and reporting. Website Management: AI website builders and content tools let you update and expand your site without hiring a developer. Social Media Management: Schedule, write, and even generate visuals for your posts with AI—no agency or VA required. Email Marketing: AI can personalize subject lines, optimize send times, and even write the emails for you. SEO Optimization: Use AI to identify keywords, write meta descriptions, and improve rankings without needing a specialist. Market Research & Trend Analysis: AI can scan your industry and competitors for insights—without paying for pricey reports. Bottom line: AI lets you keep quality high while cutting costs and reclaiming control. For many small businesses, that’s a game-changer. What task are you thinking of bringing in-house with AI? #SmallBusinessTips #AIAutomation #SaveMoneyWithAI #Entrepreneurship #CostCutting #DoMoreWithLess #Bootstrapping #SmallBizTools #AIForSmallBusiness

𝗪𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 Depending upon who you listen to everyone is using AI or everyone on LinkedIn is just talking about AI.  Salesforce’s latest Small & Medium Business Trends report puts some hard numbers to it. Here are some of the stats and my take on what they really mean for the typical small business or the consultants who serve them: 𝟭. 𝟳𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗠𝗕𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗜, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁. 𝘔𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦: Yes, the adoption numbers are impressive. But plugging in an AI tool and calling it a day isn’t a strategy. I’ve seen too many businesses sign up for “AI-powered” solutions and never connect the dots to their real business challenges. The winners are using AI with intention, tied to revenue, customer experience, or freeing up talent for higher-value work. 𝟮. 𝟵𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗠𝗕𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆. 𝘔𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦: Efficiency isn’t just about automating busywork. The real impact comes when AI is mapped to the processes that actually drive growth, like faster proposal turnarounds, smarter lead scoring, or more personalized marketing. If you’re a consultant, this is your chance to help clients think beyond the “AI checkbox” and focus on real outcomes. (An AI tool we created for a client took a 40-hour process and turned it into a 7-hour process. Charges the same for it.) 𝟯. 𝟴𝟲% 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗔𝗜 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗴𝘂𝘆𝘀. 𝘔𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦: That’s not because they just adopted AI, it’s because they’re using it to punch above their weight: automating what used to be manual, surfacing insights they couldn’t see before, and delivering experiences customers notice. The gap isn’t just in having AI, but in making it a core part of how the business delivers value. 𝟰. 𝟴𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗠𝗕𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗥𝗢𝗜 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗜. 𝘔𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦: ROI only happens when you’re clear about what you want AI to do for you. I tell clients: start with one problem you can measure, apply AI thoughtfully, and build from there. The businesses that see returns are the ones connecting AI to their strategy, not just their software stack. 𝟱. 𝟰𝟭% 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗜. 𝘔𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦: Worries about data and privacy are real, but don’t let that stall your progress. The bigger risk is using AI haphazardly, without guidelines, training, or a plan. The right partner or tools can help you keep it safe 𝘢𝘯𝘥 focused. 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: AI adoption is only step one. The real leaders are those who use AI on purpose to deliver clarity, create customer value, and build a more resilient business. For consultants and business owners alike, the opportunity isn’t just to adopt AI, but to make it work 𝘧𝘰𝘳 you, not just 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 you. 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲: Salesforce, Small & Medium Business Trends, 6th Edition, 2024.