Skip to main content

Articles

Ideas worth keeping, not just publishing

Software decisions

3 min article

01

Put Software Decisions on a Spectrum

A practical way to decide what software to rent, connect, or build as your business changes.

Treat build versus buy as a movable spectrum, not a permanent choice.

  • Treat build versus buy as a movable spectrum, not a permanent choice.
  • Start with proven tools for commodity needs such as websites and CRMs.
Read article

AI

3 min article

02

Before You Hire an AI Agent, Put It in a JAR

A useful AI agent needs a clear job, limited authority, and regular review. Alek's JAR framework keeps a small experiment from sprawling through the business.

Give the agent one specific job and a clear trigger

  • Give the agent one specific job and a clear trigger
  • Limit what it can read, say, and change
Read article

Operations & Process

4 min article

03

Canada's AI Strategy Is a Business Operations Signal

Canada's new AI strategy matters for business, but the practical move is still the same: pick one workflow, prove the value, and keep the rollout grounded.

AI adoption needs a workflow plan

  • Start where the cost is visible
  • Measure one useful result before expanding
Read article

Operations & Process

5 min article

04

The Hidden Labour Tax of Software Workarounds

A lot of businesses think their software is affordable because they only count the subscription. The real cost often shows up in status chasing, spreadsheet patch jobs, and people...

The real cost is usually coordination, not subscription fees

  • The real cost is usually coordination, not subscription fees
  • Workarounds are often a fit problem, not a discipline problem
Read article

Operations & Process

5 min article

05

The Day Generic Software Stops Saving You Money

Generic software is fine until your team starts building a second business just to keep it usable. Here is how to spot the shift early and what to do next.

Workarounds are often a fit warning, not a discipline problem

  • Workarounds are often a fit warning, not a discipline problem
  • The cost usually shows up in coordination, not subscription price
Read article

Operations & Process

5 min article

06

Before You Approve the Workflow Build

Before you approve a workflow, automation, or AI project, ask five boring questions. They will save you from vague scope, vendor drift, and expensive guessing.

A good first project is easy to name

  • A good first project is easy to name
  • Cost and timeline get clearer when ownership is clear
Read article

Operations & Process

4 min article

07

When Status Lives in Five Places

If your team checks inboxes, Slack, spreadsheets, and memory to answer one simple status question, you do not have a reporting problem. You have a source-of-truth problem.

One workflow should have one trusted status home

  • One workflow should have one trusted status home
  • Duplicate entry is usually a design problem, not a discipline problem
Read article

Operations & Process

2 min article

08

If You Cannot Define Done, Do Not Automate Yet

Most automations fail before code because nobody can say what done means. Here is a simple test you can run in 60 seconds.

Make the outcome visible

  • Make the outcome visible
  • Name one owner
Read article

Operations & Process

2 min article

09

Handoffs Are the Hidden Profit Leak

If work keeps getting dropped between people, it is not a people problem. It is a handoff problem. Here is the simple fix.

Name the handoff moment

  • Name the handoff moment
  • Pick one owner for done
Read article
Canadian Owned. Canadian Operated.