Why We Created the Small Business AI Sprint (and What It Means for You)

Posted on by Craig

What is a Small Business AI Sprint and why did Momentum AI choose to offer one pro bono to 94 companies?

We’ve trained close to 1,500 organizations on AI. That’s a lot of conversations, a lot of lightbulb moments, and a lot of businesses taking their first steps into this important frontier.

So why did we decide to add something new – the Small Business AI Sprint – on top of our traditional training?

Because it’s pretty clear that training isn’t enough to fully answer the question, “How do I use AI for my business?”.

What is a Small Business AI Sprint?

How do I use AI for my business? How do I use AI for our chamber of commerce? How do I get results from using AI? Small Business AI SprintAn AI Sprint is a focused, hands-on session where participants don’t just learn about AI concepts – they build real, usable tools for their own businesses during the program. Instead of leaving with only ideas, they leave with working examples tailored to their needs. It combines training, guided practice, and customization so that by the end, every company has something tangible they can use immediately.

1. Making AI Training Stick: “How do i get real results from ai?”

Here’s what often happens: someone comes to a training, they’re energized, they see what’s possible… and then they get back to their desk. 150 emails are waiting. Phone calls. Meetings. Next thing you know, it’s six months later and they’re saying (literally – I hear this regularly): “I loved your training – I just haven’t had time to dig into it.”

That’s not why we train on AI – and it’s certainly not good enough. The Sprint solves this by giving every participant the chance to build tools for themselves, right there in the program. I might show an example, but then they take that example and adapt it directly to their own business needs. The stickiness is built in.

“I’ll admit – it’s become an issue… I can’t walk into a business without immediately evaluating how we could use AI to make them stronger, better and faster (this is not a joke – my kids will attest).” 

2. Accessibility Matters: “How do I use ai for my business?”

Most people know AI can help with copywriting. That’s the easy win. But the bigger opportunities – the true time-savers, the decision-support tools, the game-changers – can feel intimidating.

We designed the Small Business AI Sprint to lower the barrier, to make those “bigger fish” accessible. In just a few hours of real time spread over a couple weeks, participants could see how AI connects directly to their ROI, not just in marketing, but in operations, customer service, and beyond. You don’t always get that clarity in an hour-long training.

3. ChatGPT Told Me To

This one makes me laugh, but it’s true. As you know, I spend a great deal of time talking strategy with ChatGPT. One particularly long discussion on a drive from Buffalo to New York City revolved around: How do we take our Momentum AI training to the next level?

The AI Sprint was the answer. An easy, high-impact, accessible format that delivers real results. Since ChatGPT knows everything else we’re doing in the AI space, and our desire to make it tangible and within reach for businesses and associations, “You should add this to your repertoire,” hit me the right way – a few months later, we’re promoting our first AI Sprint.

Small Business AI Sprint: The Results

We reached out through our Chamber of Commerce network. Ten chambers said WE WANT IN. Ninety-four companies participated. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m excited to see how the tools they built will play out over the coming months.

This was a proof-of-concept exercise for us, so we ran it pro bono – and we appreciate these chambers (and associations) jumping into the experiment with us:

By the way – I’m also pleased with the folks who e-mailed me directly saying, “Hold on… This is showing me I need some basic training on AI.” I’m glad we could help move you past the “inspiration” stage, and we’re eager to provide the nuts-and-bolts guidance you need to turn that spark into practical success.

Why is All of this Important?

There’s been a lot of chatter in the marketplace – and you’re seeing plenty of it on LinkedIn as we speak – that for many companies, even big corporations, the results of AI implementation haven’t matched the hype or the investment. That’s unfortunate, because in our work with chambers and their business members, we have seen them achieve real and significant ROI – not to mention our own work at Momentum AI, where we’ve easily 10xed our own capabilities, allowing us to serve businesses and associations across the country. And it’s not just time savings, but identifying new opportunities for growth, creating new projects and products, and establishing tools to better serve customers (and reach new ones). It’s clear that smaller shops like ours have the advantage of being nimble: we can test, evaluate, and implement much more quickly than bigger companies can. But that’s exactly the kind of success we’re trying to instill in every business and association we work with. Not using AI just to say you’re using it, but because it truly changes how you do business for the better. THAT is why the Small Business AI Sprint is important.

What’s Next for our Small Business AI Sprint?

We know businesses are busy – and sometimes even the Sprint isn’t enough. That’s why we created the Fractional CAIO (Chief AI Officer) opportunity. It’s for companies who don’t just want to learn about AI – they want someone who knows what they’re doing to help them implement it. The full boat: custom solutions, training, strategy, execution. Done for you, not just taught to you.

We’re already doing this for clients, and the results have been incredible. Not off-the-shelf. Not generic. Tailored. And at Momentum AI, we specialize in the “why” of AI – breaking the possibilities down so that everyone from your CEO to your brand new hire can see the vision and opportunity, and know that it’s within reach. That’s where the real transformation happens.

I’ll admit – it’s become an issue… I can’t walk into a business without immediately evaluating how we could use AI to make them stronger, better and faster (this is not a joke – my kids will attest). 

If you’re still trying to figure out how to wrap your head around AI for your business, we have a number of paths forward: training, sprints, custom solutions, Fractional CAIO. The important thing is to get started.

Because AI isn’t slowing down. And neither should you.

Ready to move from curiosity to real results? Join us for our next AI Sprint or talk with us about a Fractional CAIO engagement. Whether you’re just beginning your AI journey or ready to scale what you’ve started, we’ll help you turn possibility into measurable ROI. Let’s build the future of your business or association – together.