Exploring AI for Small Businesses & Startups with Matt Peck

It's Time for Success: The Business Insights Podcast

Host Sharon DeKoning and Matt Peck, Director of Innovation at Startup Lloydminster, discuss how artificial intelligence can support small businesses and startups. Matt highlights the practical uses of AI, from creating social media strategies and writing business plans to providing mentorship. He shares insights on leveraging tools like ChatGPT for generating emails, targeting social media audiences, and developing marketing plans.

Sharon asks questions that most business owners are asking about AI, and how it can help them. Matt answers by highlighting tools, including Microsoft Co-Pilot and Amazely.com. Matt’s message is clear: AI is a valuable resource, and he encourages businesses to explore its potential through free workshops and personalized consultations offered by his team.

Listeners will also learn about Matt’s efforts in building a tech ecosystem in Alberta, covering a broad region to support innovation-focused businesses from concept to funding readiness. His advice for business owners is to start with accessible tools like ChatGPT and gradually integrate AI to streamline operations and enhance decision-making. For those interested in getting started with AI, Matt’s organizations provide resources and hands-on support to help businesses at any stage make the most of these evolving technologies.

About Matt Peck

Matt Peck is the Director of Innovation at Startup Lloydminster and leads the East Central Regional Innovation Network (RIN). In his role with Startup Lloydminster, Matt is dedicated to helping small businesses and entrepreneurs succeed by providing tailored support to address their unique challenges. Startup Lloydminster, funded by the City of Lloydminster, is committed to empowering local startups and small business owners as they navigate the complexities of business growth.

In addition to his work with Startup Lloydminster, Matt manages the East Central Regional Innovation Network, a program funded by Alberta Innovates, the research branch of the Alberta government. The RIN program is designed to foster innovation and support tech-driven startups across Alberta. Matt's responsibilities extend across a broad region from Lloydminster to surrounding communities such as Wainwright, Provost, Vermilion, Saint Paul, and Bonnyville. His work focuses on supporting tech and innovation-focused businesses, helping them develop from initial ideas to stages where they may qualify for Alberta Innovates' non-dilutive funding.

Through initiatives like AI workshops and technology integration strategies, Matt actively contributes to strengthening Alberta's tech ecosystem, ensuring that regional businesses have access to the tools and knowledge needed to advance and succeed in an evolving market.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Alberta Innovates
• Chat GPT
• Gemini
• CoPilot
• Amazely.com

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Contact Sharon DeKoning | It's Time Promotions:

• Website: itpromo.ca
• LinkedIn: Sharon DeKoning
• Facebook: It’s Time Promotions
• Google: It’s Time Promotions
  
  

Contact Matt Peck | Startup Lloydminster:

• Website: startuplloyd.com
• Linkedin: MattPeck
  
  

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Transcript
Sharon DeKoning: [00:00:16] Thank you for joining us today on the It's Time for Success: The Business Insights Podcast. Today we got Matt Peck. Matt I had met at an AI luncheon, or actually it was an afternoon, I think. How long was that course, three hours?

Matt Peck: [00:00:29] It's about two and a half, three hours. Basics of AI workshop.

Sharon DeKoning: [00:00:33] Basics of AI workshop. I took so many notes and that was at Startup Lloydminster. Matt is the Director of Innovation with Startup Lloydminster and leads the East Central Regional Innovation Network. If you could chat a little bit about those two organizations with us, Matt, before we jump in.

Matt Peck: [00:00:55] Yeah for sure. Startup Lloyd is funded by the city of Lloydminster to help small businesses and entrepreneurs succeed. Understanding that every small business is a little bit different, facing different challenges. Then the Regional Innovation Network is funded by Alberta Innovates. Alberta Innovates is the research arm of the Alberta government. They've broken up Alberta into eight different regions, or RINs as we call them, our regional innovation network. There's one in Edmonton and Calgary, but then there's six rural RINSs. I cover the east central Alberta RIN. We're based in Lloydminster, but we cover about 150km into Alberta in every direction. Wainwright, Provost, Vermilion, Saint Paul, Bonnyville, Aklavik, all those communities. We have two goals with the RIN to support tech and innovation startups. Anywhere from that idea-on-a-napkin stage, if it's to do with tech or innovation, our goal with the RIN is to get them ready to potentially receive Alberta Innovates funding. There's quite a bit of non-dilutive funding through Alberta Innovates to support innovation in our province, which is really cool, and then also to support the tech ecosystem within our province as well. For me, part of that has been these AI workshops. Maybe it's setting up companies with a Google profile, maybe it's working with an existing company to see how they can incorporate new technology to advance. That tech ecosystem piece, we do a lot of research to see what company needs, what our region needs. Then we work for Alberta Innovates and provide those supports.

Sharon DeKoning: [00:02:30] That is so in depth. If somebody has any questions how do they find you at any of those places? On a website, do they email, how do they get hold of all that?

Matt Peck: [00:02:39] Through the Startup Lloyd website or the Central Alberta Regional Innovation Network website, there'd be contact. You can fill out a form through that, and then one of us will reach out. From there you should be able to find my contact details as well and reach out to me directly. Things change very quickly and so typically it's easiest to speak with one of our team directly, as we're typically up to date on what programs are currently available, what's the focus at the moment from the Alberta government, things like that. We are the best resource, so go through the website and find us from there.

Sharon DeKoning: [00:03:08] So they would reach out to you, not only startup businesses, people that are wanting to grow their business. Who reaches out to you for businesses?

Matt Peck: [00:03:16] We work with businesses at any stage. Like I said, that idea on a napkin stage, but then all the way through working with starting, scaling and then succession planning as well. Sometimes businesses need help with shutting their doors and going through that process too. We have contacts all throughout the province to support at any stage of that. We have our business coach, Holly Andony, who has worked with hundreds, dare I s...