Podcasts

Built to Grow Podcast: How Small Businesses Can Use AI to Scale with Katie Shive

Katie Shive joins Ryan Naylor to talk about where AI actually fits in a small business, from AI agents for daily tasks to content that still sounds like you.

The AvaHR TeamUpdated September 2026 · 3 min read

In Season 2, Episode 5 of the Built to Grow Podcast, Ryan Naylor sits down with Katie Shive to talk about what AI actually looks like for small business owners when you move past the theory and start putting it to work.

From building AI agents that can take on everyday tasks to creating content systems that are easier to scale, Katie shares practical ways businesses can use AI to save time, work more efficiently, and keep up with a rapidly changing landscape.

Listen to the episode

What Ryan and Katie cover

The conversation stays practical throughout. Here's what they get into:

What businesses can expect from AI over the next 18 months
How AI agents can help automate daily tasks and support decision-making
Where businesses often go wrong when using AI and what they can do differently
How to build a distinct brand voice without your content sounding AI-generated
Why personal branding matters in a world with more automation and less trust
How the right AI systems can help great operators get more done

AI that frees people up instead of replacing them

One of the key ideas from the conversation is that using AI doesn't have to mean replacing people. Instead, the right tools and systems can help people spend less time on repetitive work and get more out of what they already do well.

Where to start

If you're a small business owner trying to figure out where AI actually belongs in your day-to-day work, this episode offers a practical look at where to start and what to pay attention to next.