Everyday Run State: Pro Edition

Let’s be honest - AI feels overwhelming.
Every week there’s a new tool, a new update, a new headline about how it’s changing everything. If you’re running an MSP, it can feel like you don’t even know where to start. Should you be taking courses on Copilot? Automating ticket responses? Building reports? Or just waiting for things to “settle down”?

Here’s the truth: it won’t settle down. The pace of AI innovation is only speeding up. The only way forward is to get comfortable with continuous learning - and this is where an old supply chain principle comes in handy: Kaizen.

What is Kaizen?

Kaizen is a Japanese word that means continuous improvement. It’s the philosophy of making small, incremental changes every day that add up to major improvements over time. In factories, it might mean moving a tool six inches closer. In supply chains, it might mean reorganizing bins to cut 10 minutes off a pick route.

Kaizen also leans very heavily on employee involvement. The methodology believes that those closest to the jobs will have the best ideas on how to improve them. Now, this doesn’t mean your employees are going to be jumping up and down with AI improvements. It does mean that they know where the issues are, and that by reducing or eliminating small, irritating parts of their day, you can free them up for some creative problem solving.

What Does This Have to Do with AI Anyway?

Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, recently said the most important skill in an AI-driven world will be “learning how to learn.” The shelf life of skills is shrinking. In his words, lifelong learning won’t be optional, it will be required.

That can feel like a lot of pressure, especially with the pace of AI innovation. I’ll admit: I save hours every day using AI to draft, summarize, and automate tasks. But the flip side is that it can feel overwhelming. We’re not used to processing this much change, this fast.

Here’s the shift: instead of filling those saved hours with more work, I choose to reinvest them with offline learning and reinvesting time back into hobbies - new skills that keep me adaptable, creative, and ready for the next change. AI accelerates productivity. Kaizen keeps us grounded.

Closing Thought

AI won’t wait until you feel “ready.” But you don’t need to swallow it whole, either. Treat it like Kaizen: start small, one improvement at a time. Can you use AI to write a Macro to save 20 minutes in a spreadsheet? Or use an AI Agent to look over your receipts, and rename the file with the total in two different currencies for easier reconciliation? Over time, these incremental learnings and time savings compound into real advantage, both personally and professionally.