Writing
The Blog
Practical notes on AI automation, n8n workflows, AI voice agents, and agentic AI for small teams.
Build or Buy AI SaaS? Calculate the Break-Even Point
A practical break-even model for small companies comparing an internal AI tool with SaaS, including build labour, maintenance, security, usage and the cost of delaying other work.
How Do You Deploy a Private AI Knowledge Base on a Budget?
A small business can run a private AI knowledge base without buying a GPU on day one. Start with a narrow document set, a simple RAG workspace, and access controls that do not trust the model.
When is self-hosted AI cheaper for an SMB?
Self-hosted AI can beat per-seat SaaS, but only after you price the operator, idle GPU time, and maintenance. Here is the break-even test I use with small teams.
Which AI guardrails should an internal chatbot have?
An internal chatbot needs controls outside the prompt. Start with access limits, input and output checks, grounded answers, human review, and an incident path.
What Should an AI Use Policy Cover?
A small company needs an AI use policy people can remember. Here is the one-page charter I would start with, including data rules, review gates, approved tools, and a reporting route.
How should a small business respond to an AI data leak?
An employee pasted customer data, source code, or a password into an AI tool. Here is the practical response for a small business, starting with containment and ending with a better reporting process.
What should you do after an AI data leak?
An employee pasted confidential material into an AI tool. Here is the small-business response I would run first, before anyone starts deleting chats or guessing about the damage.
How do you audit shadow AI across a 100-person company?
A practical shadow AI audit for a 100-person company using identity logs, DNS, browser extensions, expenses, and an anonymous survey before blocking anything.
How do you audit shadow AI in a 100-person company?
A practical shadow AI audit for a 100-person company: map identity and network signals, ask employees directly, classify data, then move useful work into approved tools.
How can a small business control AI API costs?
A practical cost-control system for AI APIs: set provider caps, route simple work to cheaper models, cache repeated context, and watch tokens by workflow.
How do you eliminate unused AI subscriptions?
A practical audit for finding forgotten AI seats, duplicate AI features, and subscriptions that no longer earn their place in a small company's budget.
How can employees use AI without leaking data?
A practical five-day rollout for teaching employees to use AI with less data risk, using clear rules, approved accounts, and safe redaction habits.
What AI literacy skills do non-technical employees need?
AI literacy for ordinary employees is less about clever prompts and more about judgment: framing a task, protecting company data, checking claims, and knowing when a human must decide.
How Can a Small Company Build an AI Champion Network?
A small company does not need an AI department to help people use AI well. A trusted champion in each busy team, two protected hours a week, and a short feedback loop is enough to start.
Should a Small Enterprise Appoint a Head of AI?
Most small enterprises do not need a full-time Head of AI. They do need one accountable owner, clear decision rights, and a way for departments to test automation without creating a second IT department.
How Can a 50-Person Company Build an AI Team?
A small company does not need a new AI department. It needs a part-time team with a clear owner, a short tool list, and one workflow worth improving.
How do you govern AI use across ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini?
Most 50-200 person companies run three or four AI assistants at once. Here is the tiering model I use to decide which tool touches which data, with 2026 prices and the retention guarantees worth checking.
How do you build an approved AI tools registry?
A vetted list of AI tools tied to data classes, not a 20-page policy. Here is the version I actually build for clients under 200 people.
What should an AI acceptable-use policy cover in a small company?
Your employees are already using AI at work — some of it unapproved. A one-page acceptable-use policy with seven sections covers the risk without hiring a compliance department.