Become Great at AI (For SMBs)

3/1/2025

AI is no longer a side project. For SMBs, it’s the difference between keeping pace and compounding advantage.

Here’s a concise approach to become great at AI:

1) Inventory processes and data - Identify repetitive tasks, decision points, and systems of record. - Note data sources (CRMs, helpdesks, docs, spreadsheets) and access.

2) Train your team on the tools you’ll actually use - Teach prompting patterns, agent basics, and safe usage. - Build everyone’s first automation together to set the tone.

3) Ship one small workflow end-to-end - Example: summarize sales calls → push to CRM → notify Slack. - Measure time saved and quality. Iterate weekly.

4) Scale what works - Add logging, evaluation, and access controls. - Expand to adjacent processes where ROI is obvious.

This rhythm—teach, ship, scale—turns AI into a durable advantage rather than a scattered experiment.