Scaling Operations with AI: A Working Session
2026-05-20 · 6:00 PM PT · Online · Virtual
This isn't a lecture. It's a working session. Every attendee submits a real operational bottleneck in advance, and we spend the session diagnosing them live — mapping the constraint, identifying the AI or process pattern that breaks it, and building the first version of a solution on screen. Capacity is intentionally capped so every submission gets real time. You'll leave with a diagnosed problem, a tested approach, and a 30-day roll-out roadmap — not a framework you have to adapt yourself.
▍ Who this is for
- —Founders and operators with a specific bottleneck they haven't solved
- —Team leads managing process friction that's slowing growth
- —Anyone who suspects they need to hire when the real problem might be ops
- —Business owners who've tried to implement AI in their operations and stalled
▍ Curriculum
What we cover
Bottleneck mapping in 5 minutes
- ›The Theory of Constraints applied to small business operations
- ›How to tell a bottleneck from a symptom
- ›The five-question diagnostic that finds the real constraint
- ›Why fixing non-bottlenecks is worse than doing nothing
The five SMB operational patterns
- ›Pattern 1: The intake bottleneck — work piles up before it starts
- ›Pattern 2: The tribal knowledge problem — one person holds everything
- ›Pattern 3: The meeting tax — calendars full, decisions slow
- ›Pattern 4: The approval gridlock — nothing moves without sign-off
- ›Pattern 5: The metric blind spot — decisions made on stale data
Live workshop: attendee submissions
- ›Live diagnosis of pre-submitted bottlenecks from the attendee group
- ›Real-time pattern matching and solution design
- ›AI tool selection for each pattern: what to use and why
- ›Minimum viable implementation — what can be live in two weeks
Roll-out without breaking what works
- ›The six-phase change framework for small teams
- ›How to pilot a process change without committing the whole org
- ›Documenting the new process so it survives turnover
- ›Building a lightweight feedback loop — 30-minute monthly retro
▍ What you leave with
Takeaways
- [01]Your specific bottleneck diagnosed and mapped to the right pattern
- [02]A minimum viable solution design you can start implementing Monday
- [03]A 30-day roll-out roadmap with milestones and checkpoints
- [04]The bottleneck mapping worksheet to run with your team
▍ Materials provided
What's included
- ✓Bottleneck diagnostic worksheet (submit yours before the session)
- ✓Five-pattern reference card — symptom, cause, and fix for each
- ✓Roll-out plan template (Notion)
- ✓SOP one-pager template — the format your team will actually follow
- ✓AI tool selection guide for operations use cases
- ✓30-minute monthly retro template
▍ Prerequisites
Come with a specific operational problem. The more concrete the better — what breaks, when, how often, what it costs. Submissions open two weeks before the session and shape the live workshop agenda.
▍ FAQ
Common questions
What if I don't know what my bottleneck is yet?
That's actually the most common situation. The diagnostic framework in the first section is designed for exactly that — you'll know by the end of the first 20 minutes. Submit what you observe (what's slow, what breaks, what takes too long) and we'll work backward from there.
What if my problem is too specific or niche to be useful for others?
The opposite is usually true. Specific problems produce the clearest solutions. Generic descriptions like 'we're inefficient' are hard to diagnose. 'Our client onboarding takes three weeks and we've never documented why' is something we can work with immediately.
Is this session recorded?
Yes. Registered attendees receive a recording link within 48 hours. The recording is not publicly published — it's for attendees only, since the live workshop includes real business details from other attendees.
Do I need to submit a bottleneck in advance?
Strongly recommended. Submissions submitted 48+ hours before the session are guaranteed a slot in the live workshop. Last-minute submissions may be addressed in Q&A time depending on how the session runs.
We're a larger team (25–50 people). Is this still the right level?
Yes. The patterns apply across team sizes. The larger the team, the more costly each unresolved bottleneck tends to be — so the ROI is often higher. A few past attendees have brought their operations lead or COO, which works well.
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