AI is moving faster than most businesses can keep up with, and the companies that learn to combine systems, people and technology will be the ones that thrive.
Last week, I had the privilege of MCing the Business Systems and AI Summit in Melbourne, and it couldn’t have come at a more important time for business owners and leaders.
I was invited by David Jenyns, whose work has shaped the way I think about business.
His books Authority Content, SYSTEMology and now Systems Champion have played a big role in how we operate at Seriously Good Design.
So when David asked me to MC the event, saying yes was easy.
It felt like a full-circle moment, and a chance to contribute to a room of business owners committed to doing things better.
The day was packed with insights from leaders across marketing, systems, AI, HR, leadership, sales and business growth. But among all the ideas shared, three themes stood out to me as the biggest game-changers for modern businesses.
If you’re a business owner or marketing leader, these are the shifts you need to pay attention to.
1. AI Is Essential, Not Optional
The businesses that win next are those that combine strong systems, the right people and AI.
One of the strongest messages from the Summit was clear, AI is no longer an experiment or an add-on. It must become part of how businesses operate, scale and deliver value.
And the only way to embed AI successfully is through strong systems and the right people leading the work.
David Jenyns opened the day with a powerful point:
Systems, people and AI need to work together, and it shouldn’t be the business owner driving this.
Too many founders try to lead systems and AI projects themselves, and in doing so, trap themselves further in the day to day.
Instead, David introduced the idea from his latest book, Systems Champion. This is the person inside a business who is responsible for building systems, improving processes and integrating AI to increase efficiency and performance.
A strong Systems Champion demonstrates qualities such as curiosity, communication, adaptability, problem-solving and a natural inclination for organisation.
They don’t need to be technical experts, they need to understand how the business works, be open to using AI tools and be trusted to lead the transformation.
David’s concept of Minimum Viable Systems (MVS) also stood out.
Similar to how the human body relies on interconnected systems to function, every business has core systems across marketing, sales, operations, finance and people. When even one system fails, the whole business feels it.
MVS is the first milestone businesses should aim for.
Having the essential systems in place creates consistency, reduces friction and builds a foundation for profitable growth and happier teams.
While David focused on the structure and the people required, Mike Rhodes brought the AI lens and made it real.
Mike challenged the room to rethink how they’re using tools like ChatGPT.
Most people stay stuck in what he called the “gravity” of simple prompting, where they use AI like a search engine or a basic assistant.
But AI’s real power comes from building your own ecosystem inside it. Mike demonstrated how giving AI the right context, such as your marketing strategy, customer data, business history and frameworks, turns generic responses into tailored, high-value output.
As Mike put it, a few minutes setting this up can multiply the quality of results many times over.
We also heard from Shannon Smit, who showed how her accounting firm has used AI and strong systems to grow and attract talent in an industry facing decline, and Nadine O’Regan, who demonstrated how HR teams are building “virtual HR departments” using AI to streamline hiring, onboarding, development and retention.
Both reinforced that AI is not replacing people, it’s enabling them to do more meaningful work with better tools, systems and support.
Key takeaway: You don’t need to be an AI expert, but you can’t ignore it.
The businesses winning today are appointing a Systems Champion, strengthening their systems and using AI to support smarter, faster, more consistent performance.
2. Clear Messaging Drives Growth
If people can’t quickly understand what you do, who you help and why it matters, they won’t take the next step.
Another standout message from the Summit was that growth doesn’t always require a new product, service or offer. In many cases, the fastest path to more leads and better clients is clearer messaging.
Allan Dib, author of The 1-Page Marketing Plan and Lean Marketing, reminded the room that no one knows how good your business is until they have worked with you. What the market does know is how good your marketing is.
If your message is vague, generic or hard to understand, people will scroll past, choose a competitor or assume you’re the same as everyone else.
Allan shared his Magnetic Messaging Framework, a simple yet powerful way to cut through the noise and help businesses articulate who they help, the problem they solve and why prospects should choose them.
A few standout points included:
- Make your message about your prospect, not you
- Make it easy to understand
- Make it believable
- Make it specific, interesting and unique
- Speak to their wants and needs, not just features
- Be clear about who you help
- Tell people what to do next
During a live audience exercise, it became clear how many businesses struggled to explain their value in a simple, compelling way. Some were too broad, others tried to say everything at once and many used internal jargon that meant nothing to customers.
To show the impact of clarity, Allan shared niche examples of businesses that achieved significant growth without changing what they delivered, only how they communicated it.
For example, a bookkeeping firm serving tradies moved from a generic message like:
“We provide bookkeeping services”
to a clearer, more value-driven message:
“We help tradies keep more of their hard-earned money and stay tax-compliant without the admin stress.”
The result was a noticeable lift in enquiries and better-quality clients because the message finally resonated.
Clarity builds confidence, and confidence leads to conversion.
You don’t always need a big marketing overhaul to improve results. Sometimes the fastest win is refining your message so the right people instantly recognise that you are the best choice for them.
3. Sales Has Shifted to Content and Trust-Building
Modern sales isn’t about closing, it’s about becoming the obvious choice long before the sales call.
Another clear theme from the Summit was that the way people buy has changed.
We’re now in a trust deficit.
Buyers are more sceptical than ever, especially in a world where AI makes it easy for businesses to make big claims, create polished content and present promises that aren’t backed by real results.
Troy Dean from Agency Mavericks shared that modern sales isn’t about being a charismatic closer. He openly admitted he doesn’t see himself as a salesperson at all.
Instead, he believes the goal is to position your business so well that by the time a prospect reaches a sales call, they’re already convinced you’re the right choice.
The sales conversation simply becomes, “How would you like to get started?”
Troy introduced the 7–11–4 Framework, based on Google’s research into modern buying behaviour. It shows that before someone is ready to make a buying decision, they need:
- 7 hours of content
- 11 touch points
- 4 different channels
This begins at the moment someone realises they have a problem and starts researching. Google calls that the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT).
From that point onwards, people are collecting information, learning, comparing options and assessing whether they trust you enough to take the next step.
The key shift is that trust must be built before a sales call, not on it.
Troy shared real examples of businesses that have embraced this through helpful content, video, case studies, reviews, emails, SMS follow-up, landing pages and thoughtful nurturing. The businesses that win are those who educate, demonstrate expertise and show proof long before a sales conversation happens.
Modern sales is no longer about funnels, it’s about designing a buyer journey people feel confident walking through.
Key takeaway: You can’t shortcut trust.
AI can help you create content faster, but it can’t replace real credibility, results and authority.
4. Additional Insights Worth Noting
While the three themes above stood out the most, there were several other valuable insights shared throughout the day that are worth highlighting.
Leading High-Performing Teams
Ana Kloth shared practical reminders about what truly drives team performance. It’s not just about hiring talented people. A high performer matched with unclear leadership can quickly become a low producer.
What stood out to me was the importance of giving each team member one clear KPI that defines success for their role. This creates alignment, focus and confidence.
Ana also emphasised onboarding as more than handing over tasks, it’s about transferring thinking, context and expectations. High-performing cultures are built on stability and consistent direction.
Building Value Beyond the Owner
The exit planning panel with Kerry Bolton and Sandra Allars reinforced that building a scalable business requires reducing owner dependence. I found it refreshing to hear three types of “exit”, not just selling the business, but exiting the day to day, the manager seat, or eventually the CEO seat.
Systems, recurring revenue, marketing moats and strong financials all increase business value. Hearing Sandra share how she transitioned from being hands-on to leading her business as a director showed what’s possible with the right systems and support.
Scaling with SYSTEMology and a Systems Champion
The SYSTEMology panel showcased how real businesses are implementing systems and freeing the founder from being the bottleneck. What stood out for me was hearing how quickly systems can be updated when leveraging AI in combination with SystemHUB, including rewriting SOPs, onboarding and training tools in a fraction of the time.
The shift was clear, systems and AI together create scale, speed and stability.
5. The Systems & AI Future
MCing the Business Systems and AI Summit was a full-circle moment for me.
David Jenyns has played a meaningful role in shaping how I think about business, systems and leadership, so standing on stage alongside him and so many respected voices in the industry was something I’m incredibly grateful for.
The message across the day was clear, the businesses that will thrive in the years ahead will be those who systemise, embrace AI and communicate with clarity.
Not as a one-off project, but systems and AI as a way of operating.
AI won’t replace people, but people who know how to use AI, supported by strong systems, will outperform those who don’t.
It was an exceptional event and a reminder of the power of surrounding yourself with people who are thinking ahead.
A sincere thank you to David and the team for bringing together a room of leaders who are genuinely committed to doing business better!
