Saturday, October 31, 2026
US owners lose 33 working days a year to financial worry, mostly from not knowing their numbers. Here's the 2-number Monday check that closes the gap.
If you run a New Zealand small business and know AI could save you time but not where to start, there is government money that may help. The AI advisory pilot has co-funded up to 50% of the cost of an AI plan, capped at $15,000, through the Regional Business Partner Network, and it has been extended to mid-2027. Here is how it works, what to check first, and a 30-day first step that costs you attention rather than cash.
A disclosure first: Simple-Growth publishes this guide, and Kevin D'Ambros-Smith runs AI workshops for SME owners, so he has an interest in the topic. Funding is decided by your Regional Business Partner, never by Simple-Growth, and it is not guaranteed. Checked 2 November 2026. Market: New Zealand.
It was announced in January 2026. MBIE funds it, and the 15 regional providers in the Regional Business Partner Network deliver it. Advisors help a business build an AI plan, and specialists then help the owner put the plan into practice, including privacy, data management and responsible use. Co-funding was set at up to 50% of the cost, capped at $15,000, from an initial $765,000 allocation, with at least 51 businesses expected at launch (IT Brief New Zealand, January 2026).
On 22 September 2026, interest.co.nz reported that the pilot has been extended by six months to mid-2027. About 150 businesses have been through it and another 120 are joining. Separately, the Regional Business Partner Network has co-funded 256 AI-related courses for more than 600 businesses (interest.co.nz, 22 September 2026). Minister Cameron Brewer said owners often lack "the time or in-house expertise to know where to start."
At launch, the pilot was open to existing customers of the Regional Business Partner Network. The September report does not list eligibility, so ask your Regional Business Partner what applies today.
Start where the work is repetitive and the cost of a small mistake is low. Four places most owners can begin this month:
None of these needs a big budget to test. All of them need you to decide what "better" means before you start. That is also why a plan matters more than a tool.
The pilot was set up to co-fund up to 50% of the cost of an AI plan, capped at $15,000 per business. Your business pays the rest. Check current terms with your Regional Business Partner.
interest.co.nz reported on 22 September 2026 that it has been extended by six months, to mid-2027. Confirm availability and eligibility with your Regional Business Partner.
MBIE funds it and the 15 regional providers in the Regional Business Partner Network deliver it.
Start with a plan: one job, one baseline, one measure. A workshop helps when your team needs to build the habit together. Both work best when they are aimed at a real constraint in your numbers.
Yes. Kevin runs AI workshops for SME owners and their teams. Book a free conversation and you will leave with a likely first use case and what to measure.
Want a second pair of eyes on your first AI use case before you speak to anyone? A 30-minute conversation will tell you where AI is most likely to help, and whether the funding route fits.
Sources (read 2 November 2026): interest.co.nz, 22 September 2026 · IT Brief New Zealand, January 2026 · Scoop, 13 January 2026. Funding terms change, so confirm with your Regional Business Partner. Last updated 2 November 2026.
Wednesday, September 09, 2026
January is the hardest month to sell in — and the work that prevents the January gap needed to start in September. Here's the 90-Day Pipeline Bridge framework that fills the gap before it opens.
Wednesday, September 09, 2026
Category managers at major retailers are making their Q1 2027 ranging decisions right now. Most FMCG founders find out too late. Here's the Buyer-Ready Proof Pack framework that gets you into the conversation.
Wednesday, September 09, 2026
Most businesses plan for Q4 in January — after it's already over. The owners who consistently outperform their peers write their Q4 plan in September, while there's still time to act on what they find.
Wednesday, September 09, 2026
A new survey shows the average small business owner is running five jobs at once — and burning 200+ hours a year proving it. Here's the two-hat framework that gets your time back within 90 days.
Tuesday, September 08, 2026
New 2026 consumer data shows most shoppers are value-seekers, not bargain hunters — yet 95% still rate brand trust as important. Here's the six-point test your FMCG brand must pass to earn the sale without discounting.
Tuesday, September 08, 2026
New 2026 grocery data shows branded FMCG products are being promoted twice as often as private label — and still losing share and loyalty. Kevin D'Ambros-Smith on why discounting harder is the wrong fix, and what pricing architecture looks like instead.
Monday, September 07, 2026
A 2026 Fed survey of 6,525 small businesses found owner confidence at a 6-year low — while actual revenue, employment and profitability held steady. Why the gap, not the economy, is the real risk for SME and FMCG owners.
Sunday, September 06, 2026
Burst campaigns reset to zero every time. Here's why a sustainable weekly cadence beats an intense one-month push, and how to protect it through the slow months.
Sunday, September 06, 2026
Most SME sales forecasts are built by adding up pipeline value — and it's almost always wrong. Here's how exit criteria, deal age, and weighted forecasting fix it.
Sunday, September 06, 2026
Most of what fills an owner's calendar isn't driving results. Here's how to run a structured 80/20 audit that identifies the real 20% — and what to do with the rest.
Sunday, September 06, 2026
One-on-one coaching diagnoses and designs strategy. A peer accountability group enforces it. Here's why the combination produces follow-through that neither achieves alone.
Sunday, September 06, 2026
Organic growth isn't the only path. Here's how well-chosen SME acquisitions can compress years of growth into one transaction — and where most owners get the due diligence wrong.
Sunday, September 06, 2026
Most SME roadmaps fail from what they never remove, not what they add. Here's the three-question kill list to run before your next planning cycle — and why pruning, not adding, is what actually frees up growth capacity.
Sunday, September 06, 2026
Paid social and search rent attention you don't own. Your email list is the one channel most SMEs already have permission to use — and almost never invest in properly. Here's how to turn it into a real asset.
Sunday, September 06, 2026
Most sales training focuses on the pitch and the close. The call is usually already lost in the first five minutes. Here's the agenda-set and diagnostic sequence that fixes it — at the team level, not just for one rep.