Insights

Practical thinking on AI
for growing businesses.

You won't find recycled news or a "Top 10 AI tools for 2026" roundup here, just the questions SME owners keep asking me, answered from the work I do with them, and if a piece is here it's because I think it's worth your time.

Latest articles
Real-World Results
How to tell whether your AI investment is actually working.

Most SMEs have spent money on AI by now, and few can say whether it's paying off. A four-question framework for finding out.

August 2026 · 8 minRead →
Strategy & Planning
How to read an AI vendor's pitch.

The seven moves the AI sales playbook uses on every SME owner, the questions that expose each one, and a scorecard you can run on the next pitch.

July 2026 · 8 minRead →
Tools & Technology
The AI features inside Microsoft 365 that most businesses overlook.

You're probably already paying for them. What's hiding in plain sight, and which of it deserves your team's time.

July 2026 · 7 minRead →
People & Culture
Bringing AI into a creative agency without breaking it.

Pricing, creative pride and fear decide whether AI works in an agency, long before anyone touches a tool.

June 2026 · 5 minRead →
People & Culture
How to talk to your team about AI without causing panic.

What the evidence shows about AI and jobs, and how to have the conversation your team needs to hear.

June 2026 · 8 minRead →
People & Culture
The first hire your business should make now that AI exists.

How AI changes which role you should hire next, how to interview for genuine AI ability, and when to train existing staff instead.

May 2026 · 7 minRead →
Strategy & Planning
What should a small business's AI budget actually look like?

A practical view on investment levels, what you get at different price points, and where most businesses overspend.

April 2026 · 7 minRead →
Strategy & Planning
Why most AI pilots fail. And what to do differently from the start.

Gartner says at least 50% of generative AI projects are abandoned after proof of concept. The pattern behind it, and how to avoid it.

March 2026 · 7 minRead →
Tools & Technology
The AI tools already included in software you're probably paying for.

Before buying anything new, look closer at what's already in your stack. You might be surprised what's sitting there unused.

March 2026 · 6 minRead →
Getting Started
Is your business actually ready for AI? Here's what most assessments miss.

Most AI readiness tools give you a score and stop there. What a useful assessment should tell you, and what it means for what you do next.

March 2026 · 8 minRead →

New pieces go up once or twice a month, and we share each one on the Yea I Consulting LinkedIn page.

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