At the recent event, Beyond the Buzz: Real AI Strategies for Real Business Owners, a panel of industry experts and forward-thinkers came together to cut through the noise surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). Focused on actionable insights, the panel explored how AI can be used by businesses to solve real challenges, increase efficiency and drive growth. Attendees gained practical tips for leveraging AI in their business strategies.
The event was organized by the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council, a leading nonprofit dedicated to supporting women-owned businesses. They represent over 1,500 Women’s Business Enterprise National Council women’s business enterprises and provide access to capital, corporate procurement opportunities, certification for women-owned business enterprises and small business educational support. With a mission to connect, empower and advocate for business owners, Great Lakes WBC created the event to address one of today’s most urgent topics for business owners: AI.
According to the Indiana Marketing and AI Survey sent to attendees, most respondents had little to no formal AI training despite more than half using some form of AI on a weekly if not daily basis. The top concerns highlighted were security risks and potential for inaccuracies, followed closely by a lack of time to learn and implement AI tools. In response, Hirons and the Great Lakes WBC aimed to provide business owners with valuable opportunities to better understand and integrate AI into their operations.
At the event, the panel featured several industry leaders, including Sheila Smiley, Hirons executive vice president, who moderated the panel. Sheila is a skilled marketer with more than two decades of experience leading strategic marketing campaigns for organizations of all sizes spanning the globe. As a strategic consultant, she specializes in business analytics using consumer behavior insights and emerging technology to direct advertising and marketing strategy and implementation. Sheila brought a grounded perspective to the conversation, drawing from her experience helping clients navigate the constantly evolving digital landscape.
A key takeaway from the panel was the importance of starting small and being intentional. Business owners were encouraged to experiment with low-risk tools already embedded in everyday platforms like Microsoft or Google. These platforms often include simple AI functions like drafting emails or summarizing notes which, for users, can soften the transition into AI without overwhelming them.
The panel also emphasized AI should support, not replace, human insight. While AI can help speed up tasks like writing or data analysis, human judgement is still critical for quality control and ethical decision-making. Business owners were advised to always review AI-generated content before using it internally or externally. This helps maintain authenticity and ensures the final product aligns with brand standards and business goals.
Finally, the conversation touched on the importance of using AI responsibly. Business owners were reminded to be cautious about what information they feed into AI systems and to understand the terms of any platform before use. It’s recommended to stay away from inputting any sensitive client or company data and information to help create trust with clients and reduce the risk of misinformation or data leaks.
One example that stood out during the discussion was how AI is being used for internal productivity. It was shared that some panel members’ teams use tools like Outlook’s email assistant and Google Doc’s smart summaries to draft communications and capture key meeting takeaways quickly. In another instance, AI was used to help structure a client presentation by turning a rough outline into a more polished format which the team could then refine. These practical, low-barrier uses of AI show that businesses don’t need to make major investments to start seeing real benefits.
Interested in learning more about how AI can support your goals? Contact us to get in touch with our experts. Let’s collaborate on how to elevate your team or business through AI.
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