Small businesses are being left behind on AI. Between December 2025 and May 2026, AI use grew among US firms with 20 or more employees. Among firms with fewer than 20, it didn't change significantly (US Census Bureau).
The reason is rarely a lack of tools. It's the lack of a first step that works, and a clear next step after it. This is the path we use, from one small automation to a system that runs a whole workflow end to end. You can stop after any step.
Step one: one small automation
Pick the job that costs you most. Usually it's after-hours calls, slow replies to new inquiries, or someone typing invoices into a second system.
One automation is a fixed-price project from $2,500, and most go live in 2 to 3 weeks. It works inside the phone line, inbox, calendar and software you already use. A person approves anything that touches a customer or money. Your company brain comes with this first project.
Step two: a month of numbers
Then we measure it. Response times, hours saved, what the AI handled and what it passed to a person. After a month you decide: keep it, fix it or stop.
Step three: the next job
If it paid, take the next job. Same department first, then the next one. Each job adds to the company brain, so each starts further ahead.
Step four: join them up, end to end
Some jobs need to work as one: the first call, the booking, the reminder and the invoice. That is when a custom build makes sense. We design one system that runs the whole workflow end to end, connected to your tools.
Custom builds start at $12,000, fixed after discovery, and most take 4 to 8 weeks. You see working software every week, and the code is yours.
When to stop
"Not yet" is a real answer. If your leaks are small, the honest advice is to fix the basics first, like a booking link on every page and one shared inbox.
Every step is priced on its own. If a step doesn't pay for itself, you stop there and keep what you paid for.
What each step costs
| Step | From | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| AI audit, if you want a ranked plan first | $750 | 2 weeks |
| One automation | $2,500 per workflow | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Custom system, end to end | $12,000 | 4 to 8 weeks |
| On-call AI engineering, to watch and improve what's live | $900 a month | Ongoing |
The audit fee is credited to your first build if you go ahead within 60 days. Running costs, such as AI usage and phone minutes, are billed at cost. All prices.
Where to start
The three-minute check uses five numbers you already know. It tells you which step fits, and says so if the answer is "not yet".
