Listen to “#830 Unlocking the Power of AI for Your Small Business” on Spreaker.
On this episode of The Small Business Radio Show…
What are the key issues facing small businesses this year?
Chris Shank is the Vice President of Retail-to-Business (R2B) Sales for Verizon Business, overseeing operations across 28 states with a team of over 450 employees that generates $1,042M in annual revenue. He is responsible for driving sales and financial performance, enhancing the customer experience, fostering a strong organizational culture, and leading strategic planning efforts.
We talked about AI adoption, cybersecurity, and SaaS application consolidation.
- AI Adoption: How do you see AI transforming the day-to-day operations of SMBs in 2025, and what key areas do you think will benefit the most from automation and AI-driven solutions?
- Cybersecurity: With the increasing digitalization of business operations, how can SMBs strengthen their cybersecurity strategies to protect sensitive data and maintain customer trust in the face of evolving threats?
- SaaS Consolidation: As SMBs move towards consolidating their SaaS solutions, what are the key benefits they can expect from integrating their software platforms, and how can they avoid potential pitfalls during this transition?
- Social Media for Growth: In what ways can SMBs leverage social media more effectively in 2025 to build stronger connections with customers, expand their brand presence, and drive sales growth?
- Digital Transformation: How can small businesses navigate the shift to digital-first strategies—leveraging emerging technologies like AI while maintaining a personal touch with customers? How does Verizon’s Small Business Digital Ready program help business owners strike this balance by providing the tools and resources they need to grow and thrive?
How can we reduce training time while improving retention in small businesses?
Rich Carr is a pioneering expert in cognitive learning neuroscience and founder of Brain-centric Design (BcD). With decades of experience spanning media, marketing, and education, Rich has revolutionized how information is presented and retained by developing methodologies aligned with how the brain naturally processes information.
Here is what we discussed:
- How does Brain-centric Design dramatically reduce training time while improving retention, and what specific example can you share of a smaller organization implementing this successfully?
- What’s one Brain-centric technique they could implement immediately to make their communication more effective and memorable?
- Could you break down how a small business with limited resources could adapt this approach for their team meetings or client presentations?
- What are the most common mistakes you see small business owners making when communicating important information, and how does neuroscience offer a better approach?
- How did your life-altering experience shape your understanding of how we can all rewire our brains for better learning and performance in business contexts?
