You Already Have AI Tools. Let's Make Them Work.

Copilot, Gemini, ChatGPT — they're in your tools already. The question isn't whether to adopt AI, it's how to get real value from it. Join fellow SMB leaders figuring that out together.

Apply to Join Community Focus

An AI-focused Community of Practice for Omaha-area SMBs

Our approach follows the Community of Practice framework—a proven methodology used by leading organizations worldwide to accelerate learning and knowledge sharing among professionals.

Unlike traditional training or networking events, a Community of Practice creates ongoing, structured peer learning where members actively collaborate to solve real problems. Organizations like IBM, Microsoft, Xerox, Chevron, and the World Bank use this model to drive innovation and share expertise. Now we're bringing it to Omaha's SMB community.

For a field moving as fast as AI, this matters. Instead of a rigid curriculum that's outdated before it's finished, you get flexible, member-driven learning that keeps pace with the technology and your business challenges.

Peer-Driven Learning

Learn from AI experts and fellow business leaders facing similar AI challenges

Structured Collaboration

Tackle implementation, adoption, and risk management challenges each month with peers

Adaptive Content

Stay on the cutting-edge of AI's application to business while maximize its potential

Real AI Solutions for Real Business Challenges

AI Tools for SMBs

You're already paying for Copilot, Gemini, or ChatGPT — but are you getting value from them? We share what's actually working in real SMB environments, cut through the marketing noise, and help each other turn AI subscriptions into business outcomes.

Practical AI Implementation

Move beyond generic advice to develop AI practices that work within the constraints that SMBs face. The community facilitator will help you address common SMB challenges including limited technical resources, smaller teams, and tighter budgets with approaches that don't require a dedicated technical team, consultants or large IT investments.

Strategic AI Pilots

Get practical advice for designing AI initiatives that align with your core business objectives rather than following generic industry trends. Each quarter, our community will help you identify genuine use cases, sett measurable success criteria, and build pilots that prove value before scaling. This is a surefire way of avoiding costly experiments that don't demonstrate clear ROI.

Risk Management & Governance

Understand AI risks and build practical data governance policies that protect your business without hampering innovation. Learn how to create frameworks that keep sensitive data secure while enabling your team to leverage AI tools effectively. Taking a balanced approach ensures your business can adopt AI confidently while maintaining customer trust.

Adoption & Change Management

Address the human side of AI implementation by building sustainable usage habits and calming fears about AI taking employee's jobs. Your community facilitator will help you navigate managing job security concerns, creating early wins that demonstrate value, and developing strategies that drive broader adoption.

How Our Community Works

A structured approach to collaborative learning that fits your schedule and delivers real value

Third Thursday of Each Month

Quarterly In-Person Sessions

90 minutes in the Aksarben Village area • Networking, in-person collaboration, and hands-on workshops

Monthly Virtual Meetings

60 minutes via Microsoft Teams • Focused discussions and peer-led deep dives

Meeting Structure

1

Share & Learn

Quick round: what did you try since last meeting, what happened, what's next

2

Topic Deep Dive

Focused exploration — peer-led or facilitator-guided, based on what the group needs

3

Problem Solving

Workshop real challenges with group collaboration

Between Meetings

Exclusive Teams Channel

Stay connected with ongoing collaboration, tool discoveries, and resource sharing

Quick questions and answers
Tool recommendations and reviews
Access to all meeting materials

Topics We Work Through

Three focus areas shape our conversations. We don't follow a rigid quarterly calendar — we tackle whichever one the group needs most. Someone struggling with a pilot? We pivot. Shadow AI showing up in everyone's org? That becomes the deep dive.

AI Pilot Design

Identify real use cases (including agentic AI) • Design pilots with clear success criteria • Avoid expensive experiments that don't deliver ROI

Risk Management & Governance

Tackle shadow AI • Establish data policies • Build practical governance frameworks that protect without hampering productivity

Implementation & Change Management

Build buy-in • Address resistance • Create sustainable AI habits that stick across your team

What We're Looking for in Community Members

We're looking for small- & medium-sized organization leaders who are ready to learn collaboratively and share honestly about their AI journey.

Experience Level

You've got AI tools in your stack — Copilot, Gemini, ChatGPT, something — and you're frustrated that they're not delivering the value you expected. You don't need an intro to AI; you need peers who can help you turn potential into results. If you're still at the "what is AI?" stage, there are plenty of free intro resources out there — come back when you're ready to go deeper.

Collaborative Mindset

You believe in the power of shared learning. The most valuable insights come from openly discussing both wins and challenges with peers who face similar decisions. If you prefer to keep all strategies close to the vest, this community isn't the right fit.

Growth-Oriented Approach

You're comfortable discussing what's working, what isn't, and where you're stuck. We learn more from honest conversations about obstacles than from polished success stories. Members who only share victories miss the point of peer learning.

AI Professional Development That's Affordable to Everyone

Professional AI development shouldn't cost thousands. Our community gives SMB leaders the same peer learning and structured problem-solving that large enterprises use to drive AI adoption — at a price that fits your business.

Membership

$50 /quarter

Cancel anytime

Join the Community

What's Included

Monthly meetings

Virtual sessions plus quarterly in-person meetings in Aksarben Village

Real-world AI tool evaluations

from SMB practitioners who've actually tested them in similar business environments

Pilot design workshops

so you can avoid expensive AI experiments that don't deliver measurable results

Risk & governance frameworks

that address shadow AI and data exposure without hampering productivity

Change management strategies

to get past staff resistance and build AI usage habits that actually stick

Members-only Teams channel

for ongoing collaboration, tool recommendations, and access to all meeting resources

Expert facilitation

from someone who's helped 120+ businesses navigate technology adoption

Peer learning

from fellow SMB leaders dealing with the same AI implementation challenges

Shape the Community as You Grow

A Community of Practice thrives when members are committed. The more you invest in the community, the more say you have in its direction — from suggesting topics to helping shape what we cover and how we grow. That's what real community looks like.

Active Member

3 consecutive meetings

Suggest and vote on deep dive topics
LinkedIn recognition highlighting your active participation

Core Member

6 consecutive meetings

Lead a Topic Deep Dive for the community
Featured in the community spotlight
Help select guest speakers and shape the topic calendar

Community Lead

12+ meetings

Co-facilitate community sessions
Recognized as a foundational voice of the community
Invited to shape the community's direction and future programming

Why a Community of Practice?

Workshops end. Certificate programs expire. Consulting engagements wrap up. A Community of Practice keeps evolving — because AI certainly does.

A Fraction of the Cost

$50 per quarter vs. $500-2,000 for a single workshop, $3,000-10,000 for certificate programs, or $5,000+ for consulting engagements. Same practical outcomes, sustainable price.

Built-In Peer Network

Workshops and consulting end with limited networking. Certificate programs give you a cohort that disbands. A Community of Practice gives you an ongoing network of SMB leaders facing the same challenges.

Evolves With AI

Workshop content is frozen the day it's delivered. Certificate curricula take months to update. A Community of Practice adapts in real time — when the AI landscape shifts, the community shifts with it.

Your Problems, Not Textbook Cases

Workshops teach generic examples. Consulting focuses on one project. Every month, we workshop the actual challenges your business is facing right now — not hypothetical scenarios from a slide deck.

Support Between Sessions

Workshops hand you a binder and wish you luck. Our members-only Teams channel means you've got a sounding board between meetings — quick questions, tool recommendations, and peer support when you need it.

Member-Driven, Not Scripted

Consulting follows a scope of work. Certificate programs follow a syllabus. A Community of Practice follows what the group needs — if everyone's stuck on adoption, that's what we work on. No rigid curriculum.

Meet Your Community Facilitator

Skip the AI hype and theory. Learn from someone who's helped SMBs navigate the practical realities of implementation.

Zachary Nelson - Professional headshot
20 Years of SMB Experience

Zachary Nelson

Owner & Principal Consultant
Lantern Strategic

I've worked with more than 120 businesses across various stages and sizes, giving me a unique perspective on what actually works in challenging business environments. In 2019, I founded a fractional marketing firm, which taught me the realities of building and operating a business from the ground up. During that time, I also worked as a disaster recovery consultant, helping community-based organizations build adaptive capacity to support flood survivors and respond to economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, as VP of Operations & IT Solutions at Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, I'm leading digital transformation efforts and spearheading their AI adoption journey.

My AI implementation philosophy is straightforward: start small, measure results, then scale what works. I approach AI through an organizational development lens rather than a technology-first perspective, focusing on how AI can build organizational capacity and solve specific business problems. This means emphasizing measurable pilots, establishing practical governance, and helping teams adapt to new workflows—not implementing AI because that's the hot thing to do right now.

Key Expertise

Organizational Development & Capacity Building
Disaster Recovery & Adaptive Systems
Cross-Industry Implementation Experience
Practical AI Governance & Risk Management
Connect on LinkedIn Schedule a Time to Talk

Be Part of Something From the Start

We're building this community from the ground up. No placeholder bios, no fake social proof — just real SMB leaders who want to figure out AI together. If that's you, we'd love to have you in the room.

Apply to Join

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about joining our AI Community of Practice.

Yes! Our AI CoP @Work offering brings the Community of Practice model directly to your organization. This private program is designed specifically for your team, focusing on your unique business challenges and AI implementation goals. It's perfect for companies that want dedicated expert facilitation and peer learning within their own workforce. Contact us through our contact form to learn more about bringing an AI Community of Practice to your workplace. Schedule a time to visit with Zach to learn more.

If you're completely new to AI, you'll likely feel out of place in this community until you're familiar with its capabilities. As a community of practitioners, our members are actively using AI either in personal pursuits or in a business setting (or probably both). Once you've got a basic understanding of AI's capabilities and limitations, you'll feel more comfortable participating in conversations during our monthly meetings. If you're unsure about joining, find a time to visit with Zach.

You can cancel your membership at any time. Memberships are billed quarterly at $50 and are non-refundable for the current quarter. Just reach out and we'll handle it — no hassle.

At minimum, you'll need to set aside enough time each month to attend our meetings. In-person meetings happen the first month of each quarter. They are 90 minutes long and are held in the Aksarben Village area. The other monthly meetings are 60 minutes long and are held virtually on Microsoft Teams. We have a Teams channel for members where we'll share articles, tools, and updates during the month; you're encouraged to engage with our digital space as much as possible.

Yes! You decide how much detail you want to share during the meetings. That being said, we're looking for members that are willing to be open and candid about their AI journey. If your instinct is to hold everything close to the vest, then a Community of Practice may not be the best professional development opportunity for you. We believe most people will be able to find a balance between keeping company secrets confidential and meaningfully discussing AI in their workplace. If you have questions about our confidentiality practives, you can find a time to visit with the community facilitator, Zach, here.

Still Have Questions?

We're here to help you determine if our Community of Practice is the right fit for your business.

Schedule a Call