Blog Post

As this is my first post, I was tempted to launch into a long ramble about my background, hobbies, and what makes me tick. But let’s be honest — you didn’t come here to read my autobiography. So instead, here’s the abridged version: I’ve worked in and around IT since 1997, but even before that I was fascinated by how technology shapes our lives. As a teenager, I remember typing hundreds of lines of code into a Spectrum 48k with a mate just to make it whistle out the Hamlet cigar tune. Later, I lost an entire Sunday afternoon racing Gran Turismo in “real time” with my brother-in-law-to-be… only to crash spectacularly near the finish. And don’t even get me started on late-night Halo multiplayer sessions. Now, I’m not a developer. I can’t code. But I am — proudly — “quite nerdy.” I like to understand how things work. I’ve spent countless hours watching YouTube tutorials to figure out everything from fixing my TV to putting up a shed to (yes) attaching a domain name to this very blog. That same curiosity has carried over into my professional life, where I spend a lot of time with business owners diagnosing why their numbers aren’t stacking up — and finding ways to fix it through new tools, processes, or tech. Which brings us neatly onto the big one: Artificial Intelligence. Why AI Feels Different It’s easy to dismiss AI as “just another trend.” After all, we’ve seen big shifts before: All of these were game-changers — but mostly for people already working in tech. AI is different. AI is spilling out of the IT department and into every department. With the possible exception of the internet itself (and maybe social media), we’ve never seen a technology so quickly reshape both work and culture. If you’re in Sales, Marketing, Legal, Finance, or Healthcare — AI is already rewriting parts of your job. If you’re in IT, HR, Customer Services, or pretty much any role where you look at information, make decisions, and communicate  — the AI ripple is heading your way. The C-Suite Gets Curious And here’s where it gets really interesting. Traditionally, boards only really cared about IT when: But AI bucks this trend. Suddenly, CEOs and CFOs are leaning forward asking: And in many organisations, those questions are met with awkward silences. For once, change isn’t bubbling up from the bottom — it’s rolling downhill from the top. Where Next? I’m not here to declare whether AI is good or bad, or to advise you to steer your kids towards plumbing instead of programming. But I do think AI represents one of those rare technological moments where everyone — from interns to CEOs — has to stop and pay attention. And that’s what this blog will be about: unpacking what’s happening, sharing ideas, and hopefully sparking conversations about how we navigate it all. So, welcome. Let’s see where this goes. Simon

Everyone is talking about AI—on LinkedIn, in podcasts like The Rest is Politics, even in the pub at the weekend. It’s clearly entered the zeitgeist… but you might be thinking: “Should I be using it? And if so, where do I start?” Sound familiar? You’re not alone. With Microsoft pushing Copilot, everyone seemingly subscribing to ChatGPT Plus, Google talking Gemini, and Grok being a thing, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The first step is to pause and think about your business—what it does and how it operates. Are you: Clearly, each business operates differently, and their AI use cases will differ—but the approach to implementing AI is the same. Ask the Right Questions Could what you do—and how you do it—be made simpler or more efficient with AI?Are there repetitive tasks—like invoicing, drafting, comparing documents, analysing spreadsheets, or even frying chips—that could be automated?Could AI help you: If the answer is “yes” (or, more likely, probably), your next step is mapping your current processes. Identify gaps, inefficiencies, and duplication of effort. Map, Rank, and Value Your Processes Start by mapping processes at a high level. Then: This exercise also highlights: Consider a Pilot or Proof of Concept Once you’ve identified promising processes, try a small-scale AI pilot. For example: an AI agent could read incoming customer emails, classify them (order, complaint, enquiry, spam), and even start processing them: The result? Significant time savings and faster, more consistent customer service. Don’t Get Distracted by the Hype AI can seem technical and intimidating—especially with new versions, platforms, and buzzwords emerging constantly. But here’s the truth: the tool doesn’t matter until you understand where AI can actually help your business. Without that understanding, any implementation risks being a misfit: users bounce off it, processes fail, and your shiny AI project ends up in the “great bin of failure in the sky.” Assess the value, map your processes, run small pilots, and plan strategically. Then, when the next wave of weather-battered tourists comes in—or your business faces any recurring challenge—you’ll be ready.