The series kicks off
Workshop starts in...
Live Session 1 — October 8, 2026 · 11:00 AM CST
Live Workshop Series
AI for Small Business
Show up in AI search. Teach AI your business. Lead with it.
The 2026 playbook for small business owners who want to be the obvious choice — built by the SBDC and Vivid Image. Four live sessions, plain English, no hype. Just what's changing, how it works, and what to do this week.
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You already know AI is changing everything. You've heard it a hundred times. But here's what almost nobody is telling small business owners.
AI is already deciding which businesses get recommended when a customer asks ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity for help. Right now, most small businesses are invisible in those answers. That's not a future problem. It's a today problem. Lost customers, lost credibility, lost ground you won't easily get back.
"Selling harder is not the answer. Learning faster is."
And it's not just search. It's how your team gets work done. How you make decisions. How fast you move compared to the business down the road. Most owners are only scratching the surface — they opened ChatGPT once, maybe wrote a blog post, and moved on.
Meanwhile the businesses pulling ahead aren't smarter or better funded. They just have a system. They've taught AI how they work, so it stops forgetting. They've built habits around it instead of one-off experiments. And they show up in the answers their future customers are already reading.
That gap is starting to show — and this series closes it.
Small business owners need three things
That's all this series does. No fake scarcity. No "only 3 spots left." Just the three things, and then you decide.
What's actually changing
Where AI is already deciding winners and losers — in search, in operations, in leadership.
How it works
Plain-English explanations and live walkthroughs, designed for owners — not engineers.
What to do this week
Practical action items you can apply the same day, with checklists and prompts to keep.
Here's what we'll cover
Four live sessions, each building on the last — a full roadmap for business AI. Every session is led by an expert who works with small businesses every day.
AI Search: How AI Is Changing Search and How Small Businesses Can Use It Effectively
Many businesses are invisible in AI search tools right now. That means lost opportunities, lost customers, and lost credibility. AI is already choosing which businesses to recommend. The real question is whether it will recommend yours.
Steve Gasser
Founder, Vivid Image
Brain in a Box: Teach It, Train It, Trust It — The AI 101 Playbook for Small Business
Most business owners think they're 'using AI' because they opened ChatGPT once. Learn the three-step method for building a business AI that actually remembers who you are.
Jay Vics
Founder, JVI Mobile Marketing — AI Implementer, Speaker, Trainer
Beyond the Basics: AI for Leaders
Move past everyday AI use into strategic application. See real examples of how leaders use AI for decision-making, planning, and communication with more confidence and speed.
Mike Kutzke
Business Leadership Consultant & AI Speaker
AI Open Forum: Q&A / Ask the AI Expert
Bring your questions. This is your chance to troubleshoot, dig deeper into anything from the series, and get direct answers before the new year.
3-Expert Panel
Steve, Jay & Mike
When you register, you also get
Register once for the whole series and every bonus below is yours — whether you make it live or watch on your own time.
This series isn't for you if...
We'd rather tell you upfront than waste your time.
You want hype and buzzwords.
This series is plain-English and practical — built for owners who want to actually use AI, not talk about it.
You don't have a business in the market yet.
The tactics assume you have customers, a team, or at least a real offer. AI can't make something buyable that doesn't exist yet.
You're after a generic ChatGPT tutorial.
We go well beyond 'write me an email' — into search visibility, systems that remember your business, and strategic leadership.
But if you run a real business, you sell to a market that's already seen the AI hype, and you're tired of feeling behind — keep reading.
Want to join us?
We're getting small business owners together across four live sessions to walk through exactly how AI is changing search, operations, and leadership — and what to do about it this week.
It'd be great to have you there, and the whole series is 100% free for small businesses, hosted by the SBDC and Vivid Image.
Would you like to join us?
One registration covers all four sessions. Recording access included.
Register for all 4 sessions
One registration covers the entire live series — all four sessions, plus every bonus.
What business leaders say about Vivid Image
"We have worked with Vivid Image for almost 10 years and have been more than pleased with everything they have done for us."
— Lori
GoldLeaf Surety Services
"With their assistance via coaching calls, classes, and recommendations, our overall traffic has increased by nearly 200% in the past four years."
— Lane
Harmony Enterprises
"Vivid Image has been a dream to work with. They are incredibly knowledgeable and have provided so much knowledge to my staff!"
— Jay
Jay Malone Motors