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Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Unlocking AI For SMBs: Smarter, Safer And Stronger
Nolan Garrett, CEO of TorchLight: Transforming your infrastructure, securing and monitoring your environment and managing your IT since 2007 Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic promise: it's a present-day advantage. For small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), AI can be a force multiplier, leveling the playing field with larger competitors. But deploying AI successfully requires more than just downloading a chatbot or automating a few emails. It demands a thoughtful approach, one that includes strategic planning, the right technology partners and a serious commitment to cybersecurity. Let's explore how SMBs can effectively use AI, what to look for in a managed services provider (MSP) to support the journey and why cybersecurity must be baked into your AI strategy from day one. How SMBs Can Effectively Use AI AI adoption can feel as though it's about chasing buzzwords, when it's really about solving business problems. Here are a few high-impact ways SMBs are already using AI: Customer Support Automation: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants streamline customer support by handling routine inquiries, allowing your team to focus on more complex tasks. Today's advanced AI tools understand context, retain conversation history and escalate issues when necessary. Sales And Marketing Optimization: AI can personalize outreach at scale, predict customer behavior and score leads more effectively than traditional models. Tools like AI-powered CRMs and content generation platforms enable SMBs to punch above their weight in marketing. Operational Efficiency: From AI-assisted scheduling and workflow automation to forecasting and inventory management, AI can streamline internal processes and reduce human error. Decision Support: Predictive analytics and AI-driven dashboards can help business owners make better decisions faster—whether it's understanding customer churn or forecasting cash flow. The key is to start small. Pick one area of your business where repetitive tasks, data-driven decisions or customer interactions could benefit from automation or enhancement. Prove ROI there before expanding. The Role Of An MSP In AI Enablement Most SMBs don't have the in-house expertise to manage AI integrations, infrastructure or security. That's where an MSP comes in. But not all MSPs are created equal. When choosing a partner to support your AI initiatives, look for an MSP that offers: Strategic Guidance: Your MSP should do more than fix broken printers. They should help you evaluate where AI makes sense for your business and how to align those initiatives with your goals. Integration Expertise: AI tools rarely operate in isolation. Whether integrating with your CRM, ERP or email systems, your MSP should know how to stitch AI into your workflows seamlessly. Cloud And Data Management: AI relies on data—and a lot of it. Your MSP should understand cloud architecture, data governance and storage considerations to ensure your data is accessible, secure and AI-ready. Automation And DevOps Support: Some AI use cases require custom workflows, APIs or even low-code/no-code platforms. Your MSP should be able to support or build these automations efficiently. Security-First Mindset: This is critical. An MSP that doesn't emphasize cybersecurity when deploying AI is a liability. Cybersecurity: The Cornerstone Of Trustworthy AI AI introduces new inherent risks to an organization. Data privacy, model manipulation and inadvertent information disclosure are just a few of the threats SMBs must take seriously. • Feeding sensitive customer data into unvetted AI tools. • Exposing proprietary business data to cloud platforms without proper encryption. Data Protection Policies: Ensure that any data used to train, feed or enhance AI tools is anonymized, encrypted and governed by clear policies. Access Control And Auditing: Limit who can interact with AI systems and review usage regularly. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based permissions. Vendor Risk Management: Vet third-party AI platforms thoroughly. Understand where your data goes, who owns it and how it's used. If your MSP brings in a platform, ask questions. Incident Response Planning: AI can create or accelerate problems; make sure your business is prepared to detect anomalies, respond quickly and minimize damage. Ongoing Monitoring: AI systems evolve, as do threats. Continuous monitoring and tuning are necessary. Your MSP should offer security monitoring (e.g., SIEM, MDR) and governance as part of the service. Final Thought: Don't Just Use AI, Use It Responsibly AI is one of the most powerful tools in the modern business toolkit, but with any emerging technology, it also brings risks. SMBs stand to gain the most from AI adoption because they can move faster than large enterprises. But that speed needs to be paired with smart strategy and secure execution. If you're thinking about integrating AI into your operations, don't go in blind. Find an MSP that brings a consultative mindset, has experience with AI-enabled infrastructure and takes your cybersecurity seriously. AI is not just another app; it's a shift in how you run your business. Treat it as such and reap the rewards. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Expanding Your MSP Partnership Beyond Just IT
Nolan Garrett, CEO of TorchLight: Transforming your infrastructure, securing and monitoring your environment and managing your IT since 2007 The surge in cyberattacks targeting small and midsize businesses (SMBs) has pushed many to seek external support through managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs). For many, this trend is both logical and necessary: the skill sets, tools and time required to defend against modern threats are out of reach for many lean internal teams. But outsourcing isn't a silver bullet. Many SMBs jump into MSP or MSSP partnerships too early—or without laying the necessary internal groundwork—and end up disappointed, exposed or worse: breached with no clear accountability. What SMBs Must Get Right Before Outsourcing IT And Security Over the years, I've seen the difference between successful and failed engagements up close. The success stories don't start with the provider. They start inside the business—with clarity, preparation and a basic operational foundation. Whether your business is contemplating a first-time MSP relationship or evaluating your current partner, these internal best practices are essential. Outsourcing security or IT operations without knowing what assets you own, where your data lives and who has access to what is a recipe for chaos. Before seeking help externally, SMBs should build a basic asset inventory: • Hardware: Servers, laptops, mobile devices, networking equipment • Software: Operating systems, software-as-a-service (SaaS) subscriptions, internal applications • Data Repositories: File shares, cloud storage, business systems • Users And Access: Active directory accounts, administrative privileges, third-party access This doesn't have to be perfect, but it must be accurate enough for a service provider to understand what they're responsible for. A mature partner can help refine the inventory, but you need to own the starting point. Cybersecurity isn't just a technical function—it's a business risk. Yet many SMBs delegate security decisions entirely to IT or an external vendor, assuming that signing a contract means the job is 'done.' In reality, outsourcing security requires: • Executive Clarity On Risk Appetite: What are you willing to accept, transfer or mitigate? • Shared Understanding Of Responsibilities: Who is responsible for incident response? Who owns compliance reporting? • Budget Alignment: Are you prepared to fund security tools, not just support hours? SMBs with executive alignment on these questions are far more likely to succeed with outsourced partners because expectations are grounded in reality rather than assumptions. Outsourcing is not a shortcut for skipping the basics. If your internal operations are undisciplined, bringing in a third party will only create more confusion. Foundational IT hygiene includes: • Patching schedules and system updates • Strong password policies and multifactor authentication (MFA) enforcement • Endpoint protection (even if basic) • Clear processes for onboarding and offboarding employees • Routine backups and verification of restore capabilities An MSP or MSSP can elevate your capabilities, but without these fundamentals, their job becomes much harder—and the risk remains high. It's easy to conflate roles: Are you hiring a helpdesk? A strategic advisor? A security analyst? A virtual chief information security officer (vCISO)? Each of these roles has a place, but they serve very different purposes. SMBs often expect a tactical provider to give strategic insight or a security provider to also deliver excellent desktop support. When these expectations aren't aligned, both sides feel frustrated. Before engaging with a provider, ask yourself: • Do we need operational execution, strategic leadership or both? • Are we trying to reduce overhead, improve outcomes or meet a compliance mandate? • Who inside the company will oversee the provider relationship? The more clarity you bring to these questions, the more likely you are to select the right provider—and hold them accountable in the right way. Too often, SMBs treat outsourcing as a full transfer of responsibility: 'It's not our problem anymore.' But outsourcing doesn't eliminate responsibility—it redefines it. You still need internal leadership to: • Participate in quarterly reviews or steering meetings. • Ensure the provider's work aligns with business priorities. • Manage internal stakeholders (finance, HR, legal) during incidents. • Coordinate between multiple vendors, if needed. The SMBs that thrive in outsourced partnerships treat providers as extensions of their teams, not a black box. Finally, not every engagement needs to start as a fully managed, multiyear commitment. Many SMBs benefit from pilot projects—such as security assessments, vCISO advisory or limited-scope endpoint management—before expanding to broader services. This lets both sides learn how to work together, uncover blind spots and build trust. It also allows the SMB to measure outcomes and adjust course without being locked into a long-term dependency before they're ready. Final Thought There's no question that outsourcing IT and cybersecurity has become a lifeline for SMBs facing limited resources and rising threats. But success doesn't start with a contract. It starts with preparation. By understanding your environment, aligning leadership and investing in basic hygiene, you'll create the conditions for a productive partnership—one where the right MSP or MSSP can help your business thrive, securely and confidently. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
