AI For Small Business: A Practical Starting Point For Owners And Teams

Forbes

18 hours ago

Bernardo Martinez is the managing director at Inverdeco, Inc., an advisory firm.
As a mentor and advisor to small businesses, I've been exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can support entrepreneurs. I have used it internally to streamline work, speed up early drafts and support decision-making. The tools continue to improve incredibly fast, but the core challenge for many business owners hasn't changed. There is not enough time and money to execute another activity.
The question I hear most often is simple: Can small businesses actually make use of AI in a meaningful way? The answer is yes, but only if it is done thoughtfully. AI can help small teams save time, improve consistency and gain leverage. But it takes intention, a clear starting point and a willingness to learn.
AI can save time, but you'll need to make time first.
Running a small business does not leave much extra room. Most owners wear multiple hats, managing operations, sales, hiring and customer service—often all at once. So the idea of learning a new technology, especially one as hyped as AI, may feel unrealistic or distracting.
But there is a trade-off to consider. A 2024 survey found that 75% of small-business employees said AI helped them work more efficiently, and over half said it led to measurable cost savings. The challenge is finding the time up front to get those benefits later.
That is why I often recommend starting small. Identify one task that feels repetitive or time-consuming—like writing emails, sorting data or summarizing internal notes—and explore whether AI can help with just that. An hour or two spent testing a tool could save multiple hours each week moving forward.
AI can fill knowledge gaps, but it still needs your input.
One of the most powerful aspects of AI is that it helps small teams get started in areas where they may not have in-house expertise. You do not need to be a marketer, analyst or writer to generate a solid first draft of a proposal, a campaign or a customer message. AI can help you move faster, with fewer resources.
But it does not replace your knowledge of the business. In my experience, AI can take a task 80% to 90% of the way, but the last 10% still matters. Whether it is tone, context, accuracy or alignment with your goals, the final result usually needs your judgment.
That is where prompting comes in—asking the tool the right questions, giving it the right context and knowing when to make adjustments. It is not about being technical. It is about being clear and thoughtful.
Small businesses that treat AI as a support tool—not a decision-maker—get the most out of it. It is there to accelerate your work, not replace it.
Time and money are tight, so be intentional.
One of the biggest hurdles I see with small businesses is that both time and money are limited. You are juggling immediate needs—sales, customer service, staffing—while also trying to plan for the future. So when something like AI comes along, it is easy to feel like it is either out of reach or simply not urgent.
That is why it is important to approach AI with clear priorities. Start by asking: Where are we spending too much time for too little return? That might be manually answering the same customer questions, rewriting similar emails or organizing data that never quite gets used.
Once you have identified a few of those pain points, the next step is not to implement the perfect AI solution—it is to run a small, focused test. Try one tool, on one task, for a few weeks. Then step back and ask: Did it save us time? Did it help us work better? Was it worth the cost, even if small?
You do not need a large budget to start, but you do need to make the effort count. When time and money are both tight, the goal is not to do more—it is to spend better. The most successful small businesses I have worked with do not chase every trend. They look for the few changes that free up their teams to focus on what matters most.
Assign ownership even if it's a small role.
For AI to gain traction in any business, someone needs to take ownership. That does not necessarily mean hiring a specialist. Often, it is enough to give a curious team member the space to explore and share what they learn.
If that is not feasible internally, you can bring in light external support—a freelancer, a peer or an advisor—to help you get started. Even a few hours of input can point you toward the right use cases and help you avoid common missteps.
The important thing is that AI is not treated as an afterthought. Moreover, it cannot be postponed. When it is a clear priority, even at a small scale, it tends to stick.
Act now, start small, learn fast and stay focused.
AI is not a silver bullet, but it is also not just a trend. It is becoming a practical tool for small businesses that are willing to approach it with focus.
If you are not sure where to start, I would suggest the following steps:
• Identify one task that eats up time every week.
• Explore one way to automate or speed it up.
• Test for two weeks.
• If it works, keep going. If it does not, try something else.
You do not need to 'adopt AI' as a strategy. You just need to use it where it helps. In my experience, the biggest wins come not from doing more but from doing what matters—better, faster and with more confidence.
The information provided here is not investment, tax or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation.
Forbes Finance Council is an invitation-only organization for executives in successful accounting, financial planning and wealth management firms. Do I qualify?