Modernize or Stall: The New Rules for Small Business Growth cover art

Modernize or Stall: The New Rules for Small Business Growth

Modernize or Stall: The New Rules for Small Business Growth

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

Is your small business ready for AI—or are you aboutto scale chaos?

In this episode, Kim and Hal break down the AI Audit—astrategic 3-question framework that every legacy business must ask before implementing automation, AI tools, or tech upgrades.

These aren't fluff questions. They’re the hard ones. The ones that expose operational gaps, team bottlenecks, and silent friction that's eroding trust with your customers and employees.

If you've ever wondered:

  • “Where do I even start with AI?”
  • “Why does it feel like we’re busier but not moreprofitable?”
  • “What’s holding us back from scaling the rightway?”

This episode is your wake-up call—and your roadmap.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why most AI investments fail to deliver ROI—andhow to avoid that trap
  • How to spot the manual tasks that are bottlenecking your growth
  • The difference between hindsight and real-timevisibility
  • How hidden friction is costing you trust (and you don’t even know it)
  • What makes legacy businesses uniquely powerful in the AI era
  • When AI actually helps—and when it’s just masking dysfunction

What is the AI Audit for small businesses?
The AI Audit is a 3-question diagnostic framework created by Kim & Hal Howard to help legacy businesses determine AI-readiness. It focuses on process clarity, visibility metrics, and friction points that affect trust and execution.


Why do most legacy businesses struggle with AIimplementation?
Because they try to automate before they document. Without clear systems, visibility, or defined processes, AI simply scales what’s broken.


How can a small business use AI without losing itsculture?
Start by auditing your internal systems. Clarify processes, eliminate friction, and use AI to amplify what’s already working—not replace what’s missing.


Ready to future-proof your business the right way?
Join the waitlist for our Small Business Transformation Model (SBTM) and start making small steps that lead to big changes:
👉Add your name to the list now

Looking for an interesting read to cozy up with thisholiday season?

Check out my novel The Dawn of A.D.A.M. It’s got mystery, momentum, and just the right touch of tech intrigue. You can grab it on Amazon:

👉 Buy and listen to “The Dawn of A.D.A.M.”

Stay Connected

✔️ Subscribe to Small Business Big AI wherever you listen
✔️ Leave a review if this episode helped clarify your next step
✔️ Share this episode with another business owner who’s feeling the tech pressure

---

Music Credit: “I Am with You” by Dream Cave; EpidemicSound via iStock.com

Sound Effects: https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/

No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.