You Can’t Spell “SME” without “AI”
Don’t tell anyone, but, as I write this from my holiday in the Southern Highlands, I want you to know my dirty little secret:
I’m an AI + SME Business Advisor, who’s been talking about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in business since 2019 … and yet AI is less than 5% of the work I do, because almost all AI is useless to real business owners.
Will that change? Look at this photo of me on Lake Como, and see if you can tell what I’m thinking…
If you’re just looking for business tips and tactics, click here
Blackboard Fridays Episode #21 “Empowering Your Team Part 1”.
This is a preview of some important changes designed to help more business owners find their Como, so I would love your criticism (comment below for all to see!).
I started coaching small businesses in 2006, when Apple shares were $2.50. Back then my business model resembled McKinsey et al.
Can you see why this didn’t work?
The theory was that business owners, lacking strategy, would surely be happy paying a lot of money to someone very smart to design your growth plan; even if we didn’t hang around to execute.
It worked (works?) at a corporate level, where the money being spent isn’t your own – but every successful small business owner has learned that Ideas are Worthless, Execution is Priceless.
So the business model changed – less investment upfront, still a focus on Strategy, but better recognition that Implementation was the real value.
This delivered much better value to the Mid-Tier business owners I work with, many of whom remember me from the 10 years I spent coaching in the UK and Australia under the Shirlaws brand.
But with time, I realised the focus on “Your Next Big Strategy” didn’t truly represent the needs of my awesome business owner clients. More importantly, it wasn’t helping you move towards your freedom, your “Como”.
1. Cut to the Chase Jacob!
Once my beautiful wife and I found clarity in our new brand focus (per last week’s post), we recognised the business model had to change. Smart business owners can find a million ideas on TikTok before breakfast, and you don’t want to invest in the wrong solutions
Thankfully, AI has made delivering you the right solution faster, easier, and cheaper.
Meet the Como RhythmTM (Not Really).
Where by “AI” we mean … “Actual Intelligence”.
Over the coming weeks I will explain the value of each segment, including why some may be a complete waste of your money. Starting next Friday with why “Rhythm” may be the most important word for your modern business.
What can you see? Which segment do you think is least valuable? most?
And if you just. can’t. wait. to learn more, click here to book a time in my diary for me to walk you through it one-on-one. I’m back in my office on Monday.
2. Blackboard Fridays Episode #21 – How to Empower Your Team (Part 1)
You know that to grow your business, you need to grow your team. Only when they are empowered to step up and take over will you be free to step up and take your business (and your life) to the little box 7 in the diagram above, wherever your Como may be.
So how do you do that?
In part one of this topic, I will walk you through a simple framework that maps the employee journey – from hopeful new team members to empowered individuals.
You may have seen Dan Pink’s RSA Animate talk Drive as an excellent overview of what really drives individuals – Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.
But how do you take that concept, and turn it to practical steps in your business? Doing so requires an understanding of the conflicting, competing desires that motivate or dishearten us as human beings.
Watch this week’s video or read the summary article here.
See you next Friday,
With love,
Jacob Aldridge
International Business Advisor
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