Smart and Practical Hacks to Wear Less Hats in Small Business with Shannon Smit

For many small business owners, “doing it all” has become the norm - but it’s also the very thinglimiting growth. In this episode of The Accountant That Builds, Shannon Smit reframes AI not asa complex, technical trend, but as a practical opportunity to take pressure off and reclaim time.Rather than seeing AI as a content-writing tool, Shannon encourages business owners to think ofit as their first digital team member - one that can handle repetitive tasks, streamline decision-making, and support day-to-day operations in a meaningful way.A key shift explored in the conversation is the move from basic AI tools to AI agents. While manyare familiar with asking platforms like ChatGPT to rewrite content, Shannon explains that the realopportunity lies in systems that can take action - drafting emails, pulling data, triggeringworkflows, and supporting processes across marketing, customer service, admin, and sales. Thisevolution allows business owners to move beyond small efficiency gains and start removingentire layers of low-value work, freeing them up to focus on higher-impact activities that actuallydrive the business forward. .What makes this especially powerful is the advantage small businesses have right now. Withoutthe layers, restrictions, and slower adoption cycles of larger organisations, small businesses areuniquely positioned to experiment, adapt, and embed AI quickly. Shannon makes it clear that thismoment isn’t about becoming more technical - it’s about becoming more effective. Thebusinesses that lean in, test, and iterate will be the ones that gain a competitive edge, simply bymoving faster and smarter than the rest.Importantly, getting started doesn’t require a complete overhaul. The most effective approach isto start small and stay practical: pick one repetitive task, trial one tool, and build from there. Thegoal isn’t automation for the sake of it - it’s about creating real time savings unique to yourbusiness. Ultimately, the biggest transformation comes from a mindset shift: moving away from “Ihave to do everything” and towards asking, “What should I stop doing?” Once that shift happens,AI becomes less about technology and more about creating space to focus on the work that trulymatters.Shannon will be diving deeper into these ideas in her upcoming keynote at the B.I.T.E BusinessConference on 5 August, 2026 at Mornington Racecourse, where she’ll share practical, step-by-step ways to integrate AI into everyday business operations. Designed specifically for non-technical business owners, her session focuses on real-world application—helping attendeeswalk away with clear actions they can implement immediately to reduce workload, improveefficiency, and start wearing fewer hats in their business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.