Tuesday, November 10, 2026
The government will co-fund up to 50% of an AI roadmap and its rollout, to $15,000, for NZ businesses with under 50 staff. Here is what it covers, what it does not, and the order to do things in.
The short answer: Making It Happen is a self-paced online masterclass for owners who already have a plan and are not finishing it. It costs US$297, one payment, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It is not the right first step if your problem is finding customers, or if you want a person checking in on you every week.
A disclosure first: Simple-Growth publishes this program, so this is a vendor's description. The facts below come from the live sales page, read on 11 November 2026. Market: United States. Last updated 11 November 2026.
The sales page lists video training, pre-made templates, a key points summary, real-world examples from big brands and small businesses, and Kevin D'Ambros-Smith's hard-learned tips, with instant digital access. It does not state a total running time or lesson count, so ask before you buy if that matters to you.
| Option | Cost | Best for | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making It Happen | US$297, one payment | Turning an existing plan into routines and accountability | Self-paced, no live coach |
| A productivity book | Low | Ideas and inspiration | No templates built for your business, no support |
| A peer group or an operating system such as EOS | Quoted on request | Structure and outside accountability | Bigger commitment; ask for twelve-month costs in writing |
| One-to-one coaching | Quoted after a free call | A plan built around your constraint, with regular review | Larger investment |
Many owners use a program to get moving, then add coaching for more accountability. That is a choice, not a rule. If you are weighing a peer group, read how to choose between a peer group and a coach.
The US Census Bureau's Business Trends and Outlook Survey found that about 17% of US firms with fewer than 20 employees said they use AI, against about 30% of firms with 250 or more employees, as reported by the Minneapolis Fed (29 May 2026). The gap is not only about price or access. Smaller teams have less time to set tools up and make them stick, which is why a routine and a named owner for each priority matter as much as the tool.
The sales page gives no total running time. It is self-paced, so you set the speed.
Yes. The page states a 30-day money-back guarantee: if it is not useful, ask for a refund.
It is written for ambitious SME owners in New Zealand and the USA.
Book a free 30-minute call with Kevin and talk through one-to-one options.
Pick the one priority you keep postponing. If you can name it and the plan is clear, Making It Happen is built for you. If you cannot name it, take the free call first.
Sources: Minneapolis Fed on US Census Bureau BTOS data (US firms by size, April 2026 supplement, reported 29 May 2026). Price, modules and guarantee from the live sales page, 11 November 2026. Results vary. Back to the growth tips hub.
Thursday, November 05, 2026
A group programme and one-on-one coaching solve different problems. Here is who each suits, what The Icehouse publishes, and six questions that settle it.
Thursday, November 05, 2026
An Auckland physiotherapy clinic wanted to stand apart from every other clinic. Here is the positioning, the work behind it, what we can and cannot say, and four steps to copy this month.
Thursday, November 05, 2026
A rival undercutting you doesn't mean 'grow harder' is the answer. Igor Ansoff's growth matrix shows SME owners the four real routes, and how to pick one on purpose.
Thursday, November 05, 2026
Still at the kitchen table at 9pm telling yourself this is temporary? The isolation of owning a business is common, measurable, and fixable — here's how.
Thursday, November 05, 2026
Still polishing a plan that's been 80% finished for three months? Toyota's Lean ECRS method and Kevin's own 'ship at 70%' rule, for recovering perfectionists.
Thursday, November 05, 2026
Busy one month, silent the next, and no idea which deals were ever real? Neil Rackham's SPIN questions surface the truth weeks before a quiet month does.
Thursday, November 05, 2026
Revenue's climbing and the bank balance still isn't. The real fix usually isn't your price — it's that your marketing never said who you're actually for.
Thursday, November 05, 2026
You're doing the books, the invoicing and the tax, and strategy always loses the fight for your time. Here's the one-hour weekly habit that gets it back, no forty-page plan required.
Thursday, November 05, 2026
Most owners do not lack ideas. They lack a weekly rhythm that turns a plan into action. A five-question check, who Making It Happen ($297) suits, who should skip it, and the real next step. Checked 5 November 2026.
Thursday, November 05, 2026
Vistage puts you in a group of 12 to 16 owners with a Chair. Simple-Growth is one owner-run coach who finds your constraint first. Here is who each suits, what is public on cost, and six questions to ask. Checked 5 November 2026.
Wednesday, November 04, 2026
Rocket Lab began in New Zealand and is now headquartered in Long Beach, California. Three source-linked lessons in outside thinking for US business owners, plus a five-question blind-spot test.
Wednesday, November 04, 2026
Only 39.7% of small businesses actually grew revenue last year, Federal Reserve data shows. If growth feels like the fix for your cash, team or time problems, the numbers say otherwise.
Wednesday, November 04, 2026
Revenue's up but your own pay still isn't? Mike Michalowicz's Profit First method flips the order so growth finally reaches your pocket.
Wednesday, November 04, 2026
Checking your banking app at 2am over an invoice that's two weeks late? You're not alone — and the fix needs a witness, not just a spreadsheet.
Wednesday, November 04, 2026
Finding out how last month went three weeks too late? One OKR, checked weekly, beats a dashboard nobody opens.