The Readiness Report: Foundation First. AI Second.
Are you looking for clear answers in a confusing AI world? Welcome to The Readiness Report, where we cut through the noise for small business owners, operators, and managers.Foundation First. AI Second. That is the idea behind every episode.Running a business is hard enough without wondering if you are falling behind on technology. This show is built around one honest truth: AI does not fix a bad process. It just makes the mess faster. Before you spend another dollar on tools, you need to know where your operation actually stands.We combine the proven principles of Lean Methodology...
What is Lean AI: Why Fixing Your Process Beats Buying Another Tool
Most small businesses don’t have a tools problem. They have a process problem. And adding AI on top of a broken process doesn’t fix it — it just makes the mess move faster.
In this episode, Dr. Mike Donaldson breaks down Lean AI: a framework that starts with your operations, not the technology. You’ll learn where waste is hiding in your day, why you have to clean up the process before you touch any software, and how to tell whether what you’ve built is actually working.
AI is the great equalizer. A team of on...
AI for Small Business: What the Efficiency Numbers Hide and What to Fix First
When the doors close at 5 PM on a small business, most owners are not heading home. They are staring at spreadsheets, chasing invoices, and trying to figure out what to post tomorrow.
That is the resource gap. Big companies hire experts for everything. Small businesses have themselves.
AI is closing that gap — not by replacing the person, but by handling the work that does not require one. In this episode, Dr. Mike Donaldson breaks down five areas where AI actually moves the needle for small business owners. Not from a tech angle. From a "how do...
Welcome to The Readiness Report: Foundation First. AI Second.
The Readiness Report: Foundation First, AI Second
Dr. Mike Donaldson introduces The Readiness Report, a bi-monthly show focused on helping small businesses get practical answers about AI and operations. Emphasizing “Foundation First, AI Second,” the series tackles common operational headaches by answering key questions using a mix of lean strategy and AI automation. The goal is to provide direct guidance that helps business owners stop wasting time and start scaling by solving tough business problems one process at a time.
00:00 Small Business AI Questions
00:06 Meet Dr Mike Donaldson
00:11 More Than Technology
