AI for Small and Medium Businesses
There’s a lot of noise out there about AI. Most of it isn’t built for businesses like yours.
That’s why we’ve teamed up with Arcanum AI and AWS to put on something different. Real examples from real Auckland SMBs, not theory and not hype.
Why AI matters for SMBs right now
AI is levelling the playing field. You don’t need deep pockets or a big tech team to compete anymore. Sales teams using AI are growing revenue faster than those that aren’t, and early movers are already pulling ahead on win rates.
Key benefits for SMBs
Businesses already on this are seeing it pay off: less time on manual work, sharper marketing without a big team, stronger sales through better forecasting, and often lower running costs too.
But here’s the catch. Only 3% of SMBs have fully built AI into their strategy, while 34% are still piloting. Most are stuck behind two barriers: data privacy and security concerns, and a lack of in-house skills.
That’s exactly why events like this matter. 57% of SMBs rely on partners and providers for guidance on AI, rather than going it alone. The ones who act early will be best placed for growth, which is why SMBs are now putting an average of 17.4% of their IT budget into generative AI, climbing to near 25% once it’s fully embedded.
Come along, ask questions, compare notes, and let us help you work out your next move.
Panel Discussion:
Nick Roberts – CEO, Momentum Consulting Group
“We believe the future of recruitment is human insight backed by intelligent technology. Numa is exactly that. It amplifies our team, sharpens our thinking, and helps us be Greater Together for our clients and candidates.”
Troy Ironside – Managing Director, Home and Office Painting Limited
“Numa is helping us take the PAIN out of PAINting. It’s like having our entire office staff in one package—helping us stay organised, save time, and keep the business running smoothly.”
Rik Flowerday – Director, Flowerday Homes
“Find the opportunity, make it better, and build it to last.”
Asa Cox – Founder & CEO – askNuma AI
Event Details
Date: Thursday 20th August 2026
Time: 7:00am – 9:30am
Location: Jade Room, Cordis Hotel
Nick Roberts
CEO, Momentum
Nick Roberts has spent his career at the crossroads of people, technology, and commercial performance and he’s brought all three together at Momentum Consulting Group, one of New Zealand’s most established recruitment firms.
As CEO, Nick is obsessed with one idea: that the future of recruitment belongs to those who can blend genuine human insight with the best technology on the planet. That conviction led him to build MomentumIQ, Momentum’s technology arm, and to go all-in on AI as a competitive advantage not a buzzword.
Today, Nick joins us to pull back the curtain on Momentum’s real-world AI adoption journey on AWS. The wins, the lessons, and what it actually looks like to transform a people business with intelligent technology.
Troy Ironside
Director, Home and Office Painting Limited
Troy is the Managing Director of Home and Office Painting Limited, a family-owned and operated painting company based in Auckland. They have more than 20 years’ experience delivering quality painting services across residential and commercial projects, including new builds, renovations and school contracts. Their business has been built largely on repeat customers, and they are guided by reliability, trust and clear communication — being a contractor their clients can genuinely rely on.
Rik Flowerday
Director, Flowerday Homes
Rik Flowerday is a Director of Flowerday Homes, one of the Bay of Plenty’s most trusted and experienced residential building companies. Since beginning in 2014 as ZB Homes BOP and later rebranding to Flowerday Homes, Rik and the team have built a reputation for high-quality homes, exceptional customer experience and strong community values. Flowerday Homes has earned multiple Master Builder House of the Year awards and was named New Zealand’s fastest-growing business in the 2017 Deloitte Fast50 – the only construction company to receive the honour. Rik’s work is guided by the company’s mission: building homes, enriching lives and creating communities.
Flowerday Homes is using Numa to replace specialist tools, automate management rhythm, and see job performance in real time.
Asa Cox
Founder, askNuma AI
Asa Cox is the CEO & founder of askNuma AI (owned by Arcanum AI), a Wellington-based company pioneering accessible AI solutions for SMBs across New Zealand and Australia. Asa leads Arcanum with over 15 years in business development and seven years focused on applied AI solutions. His vision for AI encompasses not just technological advancement but also its potential for global betterment. He is passionate about supporting companies to see how AI can drive real business value without requiring technical expertise. He works closely with AWS and industry partners to build an ecosystem that helps SMBs grow profitably through practical AI implementation.
