AI for SMBs
When Does a Small Business Need an AI Consultant or a Full-time AI employee?
Most small businesses do not need to build a full-time AI team before they know which business problems AI can actually help solve. An experienced outside advisor can help identify useful projects, establish rules for employee use, train the team and test whether an investment produces enough value to continue.
By Shiloh Burnam · September 7, 2026
Does My Small Business Need an AI Consultant or a Full-Time AI Employee?
Maybe, but start with the business problem, not AI.
After more than 20 years managing projects involving new technology and organizational change, I have learned that choosing a tool is often easier than changing how people work.
Before hiring an AI consultant, ask these questions:
- What problem are we trying to solve?
- How much employee time does it consume today?
- What customer or company information is involved?
- What would a useful improvement look like?
- Who will own the process after implementation?
If you cannot answer those questions, you may not be ready to choose an AI solution yet.
An external advisor can help identify where AI makes sense, evaluate risks, test a practical use case, train employees and help your team adopt a new way of working.
What should the goal be?
The goal should not be to add more AI. It should be to improve how the business operates.
For SMBNewCo, that means helping small and medium-sized businesses use AI to spend less time managing routine work and more time focused on their clients.
Need help deciding where AI fits in your business?