Forget chatbots. This year, AI becomes your most reliable employee — if you're ready. In Part 1, I covered what 2025 actually delivered for small businesses. Now let's talk about what's coming because 2026 isn't going to be a bigger version of 2025.
It's been three years since ChatGPT launched. Here's what the past year actually delivered for SMBs and what all the noise missed. I'll admit it: I've been quiet for a few weeks. Between wrapping up a major AI implementation project and the
Where do you want to be in 3 years? That question hit me hard as I realized it was exactly three years ago—November 30, 2022—that OpenAI introduced ChatGPT to the world. In that time, AI went from "something the tech giants do" to something your local
Over a year ago, I watched Google Labs introduce NotebookLM through our internal dogfood program at Google Cloud. I'd tested dozens of AI tools, but this one was different—it actually solved real business problems without the usual complexity. Fast forward to launching Outcome Orbit AI. My first
Look, I get it. Another AI tool. Another promise to "revolutionize" your marketing. But here's why you should actually pay attention this time. Google just launched Pomelli through their Labs division, and after testing it with three different SMB clients this week, I'm genuinely
Listen, I get it. Another AI article. Another "expert" telling you that you need to catch up or get left behind. But here's what nobody's talking about—and what a groundbreaking study from Nature just confirmed—your resource constraints aren't holding you
Last week, CNN published something that should grab the attention of every trades business owner: Your plumber has a new favorite tool: ChatGPT. The article featured Dan Callies from Oak Creek Plumbing in Milwaukee. His 20 plumbers now bring tablets with ChatGPT to every job. They snap photos of broken
Let me guess: someone in your network just shared that scary MIT report claiming 95% of AI projects fail. Maybe it was your business coach. Maybe it showed up in your LinkedIn feed three times this week. Maybe your Finance leader forwarded it with the subject line "See? I
Last week, I had the privilege of attending my 20th MBA reunion at the University of Texas. Among the highlights was a presentation by Brett Hurt, a serial entrepreneur who's built multiple companies from startup to billion-dollar valuations. You might know him as the founder of Bazaarvoice (which
Here's what nobody tells you about AI consulting: I learn as much from my clients as they learn from me. Over the past few weeks, I've sat down with manufacturers struggling with inventory management, medical practice owners drowning in administrative tasks, and consulting firm partners who
When most business leaders think about AI adoption, they often focus on one or two obvious applications—maybe a chatbot for customer service or automated email marketing. But here's the reality: AI opportunities exist at every single touchpoint of your customer lifecycle, and the companies that recognize this
The truth hit me like a brick during my third coffee meeting this month. I'm sitting across from Mike, who runs the most successful commercial cleaning company in town. This guy knows everything about keeping businesses spotless – from office buildings to medical facilities to manufacturing plants. But when