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The failure of small businesses is mainly due to poor governance. The fact is that few small businesses fail due to poor sales and marketing alone. Poor governance enables a cascade of negative outcomes such as inadequate strategic planning, weak risk management, and a lack of accountability, all of which are crucial for the success of a business. Small businesses, and the non-profit and charity sectors are particularly prone to failures of governance, risk management and com

Small Language Models (SMLs) can run without data centres. They provide flexibility, keep your data on your PC, overcome internet latency and enable good governance. In this blog I focus on the opportunity to reduce data centre dependence when using AI. SLMs are designed to run on the modest hardware requirements of AI laptops and offer a viable alternative to the voracious energy and water demands of data centre AI. A wide range of SLMs are available to choose from. SLMs cov

Artificial intelligence is not alive, it has no feelings, subjective experience or agency. AI has no understanding, no common sense, no consciousness or sentience. It is not truly Intelligent and cannot think like humans. Artificial intelligence is not alive AI is a collection of software, mathematical models, and code running on computer hardware. It can simulate human conversation, create art, and solve complex problems but lacks the fundamental biological, chemical, and ex

Driving Productivity, Reducing Costs, and Improving Customer Experience Executive Summary Small businesses face rising operating costs, limited staff capacity, and increasing administrative burden. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers a practical, affordable way to automate routine work, improve customer engagement, and strengthen decision-making. When implemented deliberately, with clear workflows, lightweight governance, and staff training, AI delivers 20–40% productivity ga

Before we dive into the challenges, let’s reset on the variety of AI systems out there – spoiler alert, it’s not just LLMs. Here are a few of the best-known alternatives: 1. Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) are used to process complex data structures such as graphs 2. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are for image processing and to enable computer vision 3. Transformers are an architecture model used for AI requirements beyond language processing 4. Reinfo

We have been here before. The phrase "everything that can be digitised will be digitised" apocryphally attributed to Nobel laureate Paul Krugman, highlighted the ubiquitous capability from at least the early 1990s, to commoditise through duplication. Digital content (books, music, photographs and films) was available ‘for free’. The technology enabled it. It took several years for the law and digital rights management tech to build a moat around digital IP. Economically, the

The Convergence of Seven Forces Reshaping our World We are 'fortunate' to live in interesting times. Right now, seven distinct paradigm shifting technologies and about to collide. This is one of those rare moments where multiple breakthroughs accelerate and come to fruition at (almost) the same time. Individually any one of these breakthroughs would be transformative, together, they will drive fundamental change in every area of human life on Earth, and maybe beyond. We may b

1. Pivot from “billable hours + juniors” to an AI‑augmented, senior‑led expertise model Core idea: Doubles down on what AI cannot replace, i.e. human judgement, sector experience, crisis navigation, and trusted relationships, while using AI to eliminate low‑value work. Why this fits the current AI environment Clients now expect AI to automate research and analysis, eroding the traditional junior‑heavy model Current page. Clients increasingly pay a premium for experienced cons

Whereas digital automation reduced the unit cost of production of digital ‘things’ like music, books, movies – in fact anything that can be digitised and copied - Artificial Intelligence has radically increased the notional number of available workers and simultaneously reduced the cost of labour. Just as digital automation vastly reduced the cost of production of digital ‘things’, AI has vastly reduced the cost and increased the availability of digital ‘people’. The ‘Virtual

I spent four years at Microsoft managing their AI adoption consulting team across Asia - an almost absurdly massive geographical area, covered by a smallish, but consummately professional consulting delivery team. We discovered something important about the adoption of the Microsoft Copilot which I expect is applicable to the adoption of almost any LLM. The adoption of many technologies (ERP/General Ledgers) requires highly capable technology teams, but the adoption of AI LLM

Most small business owners I have spoken to recently about using AI asked one or all of the following: 1) How can I maintain privacy and security? 2) Are there genuine productivity gains to be had? 3) Which AI should I use? 4) How best can I use AI in my small business? In this article I will set out my top 10 uses of Large Language Model AIs (LLMs) - Chat GPT, Copilot, Claude etc. I’ve included links to further information on each example. In my view, for

What SA Non‑Profits Can Do in Response to the Iran War’s Economic Impacts The Iran war feels far removed from the day‑to‑day work of a South Australian community organisation. But as it continues to disrupt global fuel markets, shipping routes and supply chains, the ripple effects are already being felt across Australia, including right here in Gawler, the Barossa Valley and the surrounding regions. Rising fuel costs, higher supplier prices, inflationary pressure and tighteni

Over the years and many consulting engagements with charities and non-profit organisations, I have noticed a strange paradox – and I am by no means the first to comment on it. Charities and non‑profits are often extraordinarily effective at delivering frontline services. They feed communities, support vulnerable people, protect the environment, and enrich our cultural life. Yet behind the scenes, many operate with internal systems that are stretched, outdated, or simply not f

Introduction We are fortunate in rural and regional South Australia in that the great controversies and partisanship that are sweeping the USA and Europe do not yet seem to have taken hold here. It would be great to keep things that way. As a way of countering partisan headwinds I suggest we think about an informal code of conduct or common approach to managing partisanship by means of a practical framework of shared value. I believe this would help to manage and reduce parti

Sometimes people’s reasons for opposing change are just plain baffling… Here’s a great story about one of those times. He was a fresh young consultant engaged on what should have been the simplest, easiest change program ever. No, really, it should. Well, to be completely accurate, it was, then it wasn’t, then it was. When I think back on my 35-year corporate career, the story of a few short weeks in the life of an engineering firm near Telford in the UK was, without do

I am excited to announce that Michael Brawn Consulting is now a Social Enterprise focussed on developing a resilient and thriving business ecosystem from the northern suburbs of Adelaide to the hills and plains as well as Gawler and the Barossa region. What is a Social Enterprise? A social enterprise is a commercial enterprise that applies business methods to achieve social, environmental, or community outcomes while still being financially sustainable. It does not rely on gr

When it comes to providing advisory services to small business owners, I’m finding they share some of the same headaches to those suffered by senior managers and executives of large corporate and even enterprise scale businesses. From the outside it may seem that small business owners and corporate executives live in different universes. The former may be juggling cash flow, customer relationships, and day‑to‑day survival while the latter are navigating boardrooms, quarterl

SME Survival Strategies for Australia’s “Triple Whammy” Economy Context Australian small businesses are facing simultaneous pressures: multiyear interest‑rate increases, rising energy prices, and mandated wage growth. These forces threaten margins and may accelerate the failure of underperforming (“zombie”) firms. Yet SMEs that adapt quickly can stabilise and even strengthen their competitive position Key Pressures Industry pundits are predicting triple economic impacts on s

Small businesses are facing more, and more frequent, unique challenges than ever before. The global management consulting firms refer to this as a 'VUCA' environment (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous), you may be experiencing it simply as chaos. Rapid change requires innovative solutions. With the right digital tools, implemented at the right time, you can streamline operations, enhance customer engagement, and ultimately drive growth. This blog post will explore pr

Achieving growth in our increasingly competitive landscape demands great business strategy and great planning. Your businesses will face many challenges that can hinder growth. Without a clear direction, your business may struggle to achieve your goals and realise its full potential. Strategic planning is essential for any business looking to navigate these challenges effectively. This blog post will explore how strategic planning can maximise your business growth, providing