I’ve always believed that being intentionally small is my strength. But that doesn’t mean I follow the rules.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to build a big consultancy with a team of people—it’s just that the traditional consulting model never felt right for me. I’ve never been the type to chase after a big office and a big team. To be honest, I’m an introvert. I’ve always struggled to ask for help, to use my networks, and to push my agenda the traditional way.
For many, building a large organisation might be the goal, and that’s great for them—but it’s not my path. I was once asked about my “big audacious goal,” and I just couldn’t say I wanted to be in the top 1% or own a private jet. Sure, I’m ambitious, but success for me is different. I come from a working-class background, where you live paycheck to paycheck, and now, I’m in a place where I’m comfortable—that’s success.
But let me be clear: comfort doesn’t mean playing it safe.
My Journey: Redefining Success by Breaking Convention
I’ve seen my share of hardship growing up, and those experiences shaped my approach to life and business. I lost much of my family early to cancer, and my time in the NZ police taught me that there’s always someone worse off. That perspective has grounded me. You can have all the money in the world, but without family, health, and purpose, it’s meaningless.
That’s why I’ve always been committed to redefining success on my own terms. I don’t chase flashy goals. I stay true to what works for me and my family, but I also push the boundaries of what my business can achieve. I’m not afraid to take risks, even if it goes against the grain. I’ve built my business around being small, profitable, and agile, but I never stop looking for new ways to innovate and grow.
And that’s where AI comes in.
AI: The Ultimate Game Changer for Businesses that Innovate
For me—and for other Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) willing to break the mould—AI is the game changer. It’s not just a tool, it’s a strategic partner. AI has become my sounding board, my business mentor, my social media strategist. I don’t need a massive team to do what I do. With AI, I can manage content creation, strategy, decision-making—everything—while staying small and nimble.
What’s really powerful is that AI has helped me step outside traditional boundaries. I don’t have to follow the conventional path of scaling my business through massive hires or big overheads. I can do it my way—small but scalable, efficient, and still profitable. AI lets me compete at the highest level without playing by the same old rules.
I truly believe that small businesses that adopt this mindset can achieve billion-dollar success without becoming the bloated, slow-moving corporations we see today.
2024 and Beyond: A New Path Forward
So here I am in 2024, embracing a new direction. I’m not sticking to anyone’s playbook. I’m focusing on building multiple small, profitable ventures that can grow sustainably and with purpose.
With AI, I don’t have to conform to traditional thinking. In a world full of corporate giants and government organisations, I believe we, the small and agile businesses, can move faster, smarter, and more purposefully to add real value in services and or products.
This is just the beginning. AI has allowed me to build something meaningful, and to show that small businesses can not only survive but thrive by thinking differently. My journey isn’t about following someone else’s script—it’s about creating success on my own terms.
And that’s the message I want to share: You don’t need to be big to be successful. You just need the right tools, the right strategy, and the courage to create your own path.
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