Michael Brawn Consulting

26/05/2026

Here's a happy thought

AI multiplies ‘notional worker’ numbers to infinity

Whereas digital automation reduced the unit cost of production of digital ‘things’ like music, books, movies – in fact anything that can be digitised and copied - Artificial Intelligence has radically increased the notional number of available workers and simultaneously reduced the cost of labour.

Just as digital automation vastly reduced the cost of production of digital ‘things’, AI has vastly reduced the cost and increased the availability of digital ‘people’.

The ‘Virtual Machine’ at the heart of early Information Technology evolution, has returned triumphant. No longer merely replicating digital ‘things’ but replicating digital people too – potentially without limit.

What will happen to the unit costs of raw materials, administration, management, production and distribution (i.e. the unit cost of products and services) as AI Agent Infrastructures take on those roles?

As our human populations inevitably decline worldwide will we be left merely to consume abundant, essentially free, products and services?

We had best hope not.

Mick Brawn
[email protected]
0414987129

In our view, ALL small businesses should build solid foundations by implementing these six essential areas: 1) Market Positioning 2) Business Strategy and Planning 3) CRM Selection and Setup 4) Risk Analysis and Management 5) Governance and Compliance 6) Policy Development Michael Brawn Consulting s...

25/05/2026

AI Governance is critical to the safety and security of your organisation

I spent four years at Microsoft managing their AI adoption consulting team across Asia - an almost absurdly massive geographical area, covered by a smallish, but consummately professional consulting delivery team. We discovered something important about the adoption of Microsoft Copilot which I expect is applicable to the adoption of almost any LLM.

The adoption of many technologies (ERP/General Ledgers) requires highly capable technology teams, but the adoption of AI LLMs doesn't. Our adoption change management team was often more effective and drove faster and broader adoption that technical consulting teams. This is because there is very little technology effort in implementing Copilot – it is designed for secure integration into the organisation’s back-end systems and data - shifting the adoption challenge to solving the needs and desires of AI users.

The adoption of AI Agents is different. End users can certainly create their own AI agents for specific business processes but there is ample space for technologists in developing an organisational AI Agent infrastructure.

The challenge has now shifted to governance. Early adoption of any successful technology drives a period of rapid, unmonitored and uncontrolled expansion leading to massive duplication of effort and redundancy of compute power and of energy consumption.

A recent post on LinkedIn addressed this issue. Here’s a snippet:
“AI coding agents only ever get bigger. You add a skill. Then another. Six months later your agent is carrying 63 capabilities, using a fraction of them, and every unused one is dead weight...” The post explained that Copilot Agents Dojo v1.1 managed agents' capabilities & functions as active → stale → archived - driven entirely by real usage. Unused functions. Used functions revive instantly. Every agent backed up, reversible, and logged, and skills are protected from ever being touched.

This approach addresses governance early, before it becomes a real challenge.

The Boardpro organisation* (www.boardpro.io) recently “surveyed 485 board members, CEOs, and governance professionals across AU/NZ about AI adoption and AI governance.”
They found that
· “79% use AI weekly or more
· Fewer than 5% have a governance framework for it
· 75% of boards receive AI information ad hoc or never
· And 25% have not discussed AI-specific risks at all”

AI Governance is critical to the safety and value of your investment in AI.

The Australian Government established the National AI Centre to provide copious advice and guidance on implementing AI safely and securely, starting with governance. Take a look at their AI adoption insights: Dec 25 to Feb 2026 | National AI Centre.

I am happy to offer a free one-hour meeting with you to discuss AI governance, safety and security.

Mick Brawn
[email protected]
0414 987 129
https://lnkd.in/gZXBXAp9

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

11/05/2026

Why are non-profit organisations reluctant to adopt AI?

In recent conversations with non-profit organisations in South Australia, I have been struck by a degree of reluctance to leverage AI tools to support the delivery of their missions. Adoption of AI seems to be following a similar resistance pattern to the adoption of realistic cyber security policies and protections.

Like it or not, Australia’s non profits, charities and social enterprises are stepping into a new era of digital capability in which AI will inevitably become a major part. The good news is that the National AI Centre (NAIC) has been established to provide a back stop of high level advice and guidance.

The NAIC’s mission is to help organisations adopt artificial intelligence safely, confidently and responsibly. The NAIC provides guidance, national data, and tools designed to support organisations on their journey.

For the non-profit sector, where resources are tight, impact matters, and trust is everything, this kind of support is especially valuable.

AI Matters for Non Profits, Charities and Social Enterprises not just big corporates. Across Australia, smaller organisations are already using AI to:
• streamline administration
• improve reporting and data analysis
• strengthen cybersecurity
• enhance service delivery
• support volunteers and staff with productivity tools

The latest national data shows that content generation and data analytics are the two most common uses of AI, each used by 54% of current adopters (NAIC). Cybersecurity follows closely at 48%, a strong signal that organisations are turning to AI to protect sensitive information and maintain community trust.

These are practical, low risk uses that align closely with the needs of small NFPs and community organisations.

What’s Holding You Back?
The NAIC’s latest SME AI Pulse data highlights three barriers that will feel familiar to many non profits:

1. Trust and confidence
Trust is the number one barrier to adoption, with around 65% of non adopters citing distrust in AI decision making or a preference for human control.
For mission driven organisations, this makes sense as community trust is non negotiable.

2. Relevance
More than half of non adopters (54%) say AI doesn’t feel relevant to their work.
This is especially true in sectors like regional services, arts, community development and volunteer run organisations, where relatable examples are still emerging.

3. Not knowing where to start
Nearly one in five organisations simply don’t know how to begin.
Small organisations aren’t resistant, they’re overwhelmed. They need clear, practical entry points.

The NAIC helps by offering:
• National adoption data to help organisations understand where they sit
• Practical guides for safe, responsible AI use
• Sector agnostic examples that help organisations see what’s possible
• Resources on governance, transparency and safeguards, supporting boards and leadership teams
• Learning pathways for staff, volunteers and managers

The Centre emphasises that organisations need practical, accessible guidance that meets them where they are, whether that’s understanding the basics, choosing the right tools, or navigating governance and trust issues.

For non profits, charities and social enterprises, especially those in regional Australia, AI represents a chance to:
• reduce administrative burden
• free up staff and volunteer time
• improve service quality
• strengthen data driven decision making
• build resilience in a challenging funding environment

But adoption must be responsible, transparent and aligned with mission. The NAIC’s guidance documentation helps organisations put the right guardrails in place, including checking outputs before they affect clients or communities, a practice already used by around half of current adopters.

Next Step
I offer a free one-hour clarity session for organisations that are curious about AI but unsure where to begin. I provide an evidence based starting point and introduce insights, tools and learning resources designed to help your organisation adopt AI in ways that are safe, ethical and proportionate - I believe this is what the non-profit sector needs right now.

Feel free to contact me for a chat.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0414 987 129
Website:

In our view, ALL small businesses should build solid foundations by implementing these six essential areas: 1) Market Positioning 2) Business Strategy and Planning 3) CRM Selection and Setup 4) Risk Analysis and Management 5) Governance and Compliance 6) Policy Development Michael Brawn Consulting s...

03/05/2026

Top 10 LLM Use Cases for Small Businesses

Small businesses and NFPs are stretched for time, people, and resources. AI, especially Large Language Models (LLMs), can remove friction, reduce admin, and help you operate with the professionalism of a much larger organisation.

Here are the 10 most practical, low risk ways small organisations can start using LLMs today.

1️⃣ Customer Support Automation
LLM powered chatbots can answer common questions, troubleshoot issues, and provide 24/7 support. This reduces admin load and improves customer experience, especially for service heavy SMEs, councils, and community organisations.
2️⃣ Content Writing & Marketing Production
Outsourcing marketing is expensive and often unsustainable.
LLMs can help you produce blogs, social posts, newsletters, and product descriptions quickly, while keeping control of your brand voice.
3️⃣ Lead Generation & Sales Outreach
Draft personalised cold emails, LinkedIn messages, and follow ups at scale.
Always edit the output - your authenticity matters more than ever.
4️⃣ Document Summaries & Knowledge Retrieval (RAG)
Subscription based LLMs can summarise long reports, policies, minutes, and internal documents. This improves onboarding, governance, and communication, especially for boards and committees.
5️⃣ Administrative Automation
Routine tasks like drafting agendas, SOPs, proposals, and templates can be automated.
Start with a simple pilot project and build from there.
6️⃣ Customer Sentiment Analysis
LLMs can analyse reviews, emails, and social media to identify trends, issues, and opportunities. A powerful way to “listen at scale” and improve decision making.
7️⃣ Talent Acquisition & Recruitment Screening
LLMs can sift resumes, extract key skills, and help shortlist candidates.
For small businesses, cultural fit and shared values still matter most, but AI can speed up the admin.
8️⃣ Personalised Recommendations & Customer Engagement
If you collect customer data, LLMs can tailor product suggestions, messages, and tone.
This improves relevance, conversions, and loyalty.
9️⃣ Data Analysis & Reporting
Turn spreadsheets into insights and generate plain English reports without advanced analytics skills. Always review and refine the output to ensure your voice shines through.
🔟 Workflow Automation Across Marketing, Support & Admin
LLMs can be embedded into daily workflows to create captions, respond to enquiries, draft documents, and automate repetitive tasks. This is the more advanced end of the spectrum, and worth building toward.

If you’d like help identifying which of these 10 use cases fits your organisation, I’m always happy to chat.

📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.michaelbrawnconsulting.com.au
📱 0414 987 129

In our view, ALL small businesses should build solid foundations by implementing these six essential areas: 1) Market Positioning 2) Business Strategy and Planning 3) CRM Selection and Setup 4) Risk Analysis and Management 5) Governance and Compliance 6) Policy Development Michael Brawn Consulting s...

13/04/2026

Building Resilience in Uncertain Times
What SA Non Profits Can Do in Response to the Iran War’s Economic Impacts
The Iran war feels far removed from the day to day work of a South Australian community organisation. But as it continues to disrupt global fuel markets, shipping routes and supply chains, the ripple effects are already being felt across Australia, including right here in Gawler, the Barossa Valley and the surrounding regions.
Rising fuel costs, higher supplier prices, inflationary pressure and tightening household budgets are not just mainstream business problems. They directly affect charities, volunteer run groups, arts organisations, neighbourhood meeting places, disability services, sporting clubs and community centres.
On the upside - with practical, proactive steps, small non profits can strengthen their resilience and continue delivering impact even in a volatile environment.
Here is a guide to what’s happening and what you can do to develop resilience.

1. Understand the Pressures Affecting Your Organisation
The Iran conflict is disrupting one of the world’s most important oil supply routes, pushing up global fuel and freight costs. Even though Australia doesn’t import oil directly from Iran, we rely heavily on refined fuel from Asia, and those refineries depend on the Middle Eastern supply. The result is higher fuel, transport and energy costs across the board.
For South Australian non profits, this shows up as:
• Increased costs for catering, program supplies and venue operations
• Higher transport costs for outreach, home visits, events and volunteer travel
• More expensive freight for equipment, materials and donated goods
• Suppliers raising prices with little notice
• Households tightening spending, reducing donations and participation
These pressures combine with existing challenges such as inflation, wage increases, insurance costs and funding uncertainty and so on, to create a more fragile operating environment.

2. Strengthen Financial Resilience (Even If You’re Small)
Review your cost structure line by line
Small increases add up quickly. Identify where fuel, freight or supplier costs have crept in. Look for:
• Subscriptions or services no longer essential
• Supplier contracts that can be renegotiated
• Opportunities to consolidate purchases
• Cheaper local alternatives for consumables
Build a modest cash buffer
Even a few weeks’ operating expenses can make a huge difference during supply delays or funding gaps.
Scenario plan for the next 6 - 12 months
Ask your board or committee to consider:
• What if costs rise another 10–20%?
• What if donations drop?
• What if a key supplier becomes unreliable?
Planning now reduces panic later.

3. Strengthen Your Supply Chain and Local Partnerships
Shipping delays, higher insurance costs and unpredictable delivery times globally can disrupt events, programs and service delivery.
Practical actions:
• Diversify suppliers — avoid relying on a single provider for food, printing, equipment or program materials.
• Shift to local suppliers where possible as regional SA businesses may be more reliable and responsive.
• Order earlier and hold small reserves of critical items (e.g., PPE, program materials, event supplies).
• Share resources with neighbouring organisations through co purchasing, co storage or co transporting where practical.
Local collaboration is one of the most powerful resilience tools available to community organisations.

4. Support Volunteers and Staff Through Rising Costs
Fuel and cost of living pressures affect your people too. Volunteers may struggle to travel. Staff may feel stretched. Households may reduce participation in programs.
Consider:
• Fuel vouchers or mileage reimbursement for volunteers
• Hybrid or localised service delivery to reduce travel
• Carpooling options for events and outreach
• Clear communication about cost pressures and organisational priorities
A resilient organisation looks after its people first.

5. Protect and Diversify Your Revenue
With households becoming more cautious in their spending and donations potentially softening, non profits need to broaden their income base.
Options include:
• Small scale earned income (workshops, training, venue hire, merchandise)
• Micro fundraising campaigns tied to specific, tangible outcomes
• Corporate partnerships with local businesses seeking community impact
• Grant diversification so you don’t rely on a single funding stream
• Membership drives with clear value propositions
Even small, incremental revenue sources can stabilise your organisation.

6. Communicate Clearly with Your Community
People are more understanding when they know why costs are rising or programs are changing. Use this article as a reference to show how businesses struggle when they absorb rising costs silently and what you are doing to counter the challenge.
Be transparent about:
• Rising supplier and fuel costs
• Program adjustments
• The need for community support
• How donations are being used
Clear communication builds trust and strengthens long term support.

7. Build Resilience through Organisational Flexibility
The biggest risk is ongoing uncertainty as none of us knows how long the conflict will last or how far its effects will spread.
For non profits, flexibility is now a core capability:
• Shorter planning cycles
• Modular programs that can scale up or down
• Multiple delivery modes (in person, online, hybrid)
• Cross training volunteers and staff
• Simple, adaptable governance processes
Rigid organisations struggle. Flexible ones survive.

8. Strengthen Governance and Risk Management
Boards and committees should now treat volatility as a standing agenda item. This includes:
• Regular risk reviews
• Clear financial oversight
• Updated procurement and supplier policies
• Business continuity planning
• Succession planning for key roles
Good governance is not bureaucracy but the foundation for resilience.

This Is a Resilience Moment for SA’s Community Sector
Global events can affect even the smallest regional organisation. But South Australian non profits are no strangers to challenges. We have faced fires, floods, pandemics, funding cuts and volunteer shortages - all have tested our sector before.
The organisations that will thrive in this environment are those that:
• Stay informed
• Plan ahead
• Strengthen partnerships
• Support their people
• Adapt quickly
• Communicate openly
Resilience isn’t about being big but about being prepared.

For a free 45-minute clarity discussion
Contact Michael Brawn at Michael Brawn Consulting (MBC)
Mobile: 0414 987 129
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.michaelbrawnconsulting.com.au

26/03/2026

First attempt at a reel 🙂

26/03/2026

My first attempt at a reel 🙂

26/03/2026

Risk Management Service for non-profit organisations

20/02/2026

Sometimes people’s reasons for resisting change are just plain baffling…

Here’s a great story about one of those times.

He was a fresh young consultant engaged on what should have been the simplest, easiest change program ever. No, really, it should. Well, to be completely accurate, it was, then it wasn’t, then it was.

When I think back on my 35-year corporate career, the story of a few short weeks in the life of an engineering firm near Telford in the UK was, without doubt, mind-blowing. I had no idea just how baffling and bizarre resistance to change could be. Now, older and wiser, I believe I know better.

Here’s what happened. The engineering firm needed to renew its heavy-duty machine tools. Although decent quality, if not fully state-of-the-art, when they were purchased in the mid-1930s, they were by now in urgent need of replacement. The idea had been presented to the employees on the shop floor. The shop floor was generally favourable to the idea but required several union meetings to discuss the matter.

After much discussion and occasional heated debate, their shop steward reported back to management that the workers were able to accept management’s proposal. A few minor allowances would need to be increased to account for the training and increased responsibility each machine operator would be taking on. There was a little dickering this way and that, but by and large the proposal went through on the nod.

Several weeks passed during which a general feeling of optimism grew amongst the shop floor workers and spread by osmosis to the rest of the staff. The new machines were cleaner, quieter and more easily managed than the prewar dinosaurs they were getting rid of. The wives were reportedly pleased that the weekly overall wash would be less demanding. All was well. The chief engineer was finally supplied with detailed specifications, maintenance routines and training cadence which he shared with the machine minders on the shop floor.

Then all hell broke loose. “One out, all out!” The cry was heard. The chief shop steward’s ‘Never since the days of the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ speech was dusted off and put to excellent rhetorical use. The deal was off.

“Management’s duplicitous mendacity about the new machinery leaves the workers no choice but to strike until this unacceptable threat has been removed.” The chief shop steward was in his element. This was like the old days.

The day of the arrival of the new machinery drew close. The machines had been bought and paid for, and there was no option but to commission them urgently into production. The mood on the shop floor hardened. The spectre of panic stalked the management offices. No one knew what the problem was. Not even the loquacious chief shop steward would explain.

It was perhaps three days before the delivery of the new machines that the General Manager, working late, happened to bump into a junior apprentice in the gent’s toilet on the ground floor. As luck would have it, the lad was a close friend of the General Manager’s son. The two played Rugby League together on the weekends. He and the boy had exchanged a few words after matches.
Taking the opportunity for a confidential chat, the General Manager casually asked,

“What’s all the fuss on the shop floor about the new machines?”

The apprentice, confidence boosted by having had at least some social interaction with the General Manager, replied.

“I’m not really supposed to say, sir, but it’s the grease.”

“What’s wrong with the grease?”

“It’s mineral grease, sir.”

“What’s wrong with that? It’s cleaner, and it doesn't go off and stink to high heaven like organic grease does.”

“Well, that’s just it, sir. We’re all fanatical coarse fishermen around here, and we use the old grease to grow maggots for fishing. We can’t do that with the mineral grease.”

With the critical cause of resistance finally surfaced, a solution was soon found. The company would place a barrel of organic grease in the yard, and staff would be free to scoop out as much or as little as they wished. Empty barrels would be replaced timeously with full ones.

My first lesson from this was that surfacing both resistance and the reason for resistance early is critical to the success of a change project. My second lesson was that doing this can be mind-bogglingly hard.

Sometimes our colleagues’ reasons are difficult to fathom, and even more difficult to elicit.
As Blaise Pascal once put it, 'The heart has reasons, reason know not of', or something.

www.michaelbrawnconsulting.com.au
[email protected]

In our view, ALL small businesses should build solid foundations by implementing these six essential areas: 1) Market Positioning 2) Business Strategy and Planning 3) CRM Selection and Setup 4) Risk Analysis and Management 5) Governance and Compliance 6) Policy Development Michael Brawn Consulting s...

10/02/2026

Introducing Our New Social Impact Advisory Framework

Dear Network,

I’m pleased to share an updated outlining the next stage of my advisory services, including a refreshed social purpose business model, mission and vision statements, and a new suite of service offerings designed specifically to support small businesses in building resilience, capability and positive community impact.

This update provides a clear view of how my practice is evolving to better serve business owners who want to grow sustainably, strengthen their governance, improve digital capability and contribute meaningfully to their local communities.

What’s included:
• A social business model explaining the purpose, values and strategic approach guiding my advisory practice
• Mission and vision statements that reflect a commitment to sustainable, community centred impact
• An overview suitable for your quick reference
• I will soon publish a dedicated advisory service menu developed to support social impact, capability uplift and business resilience

My goal is to make high quality, practical and purpose driven advisory support accessible for businesses at every stage. I’d be happy to walk you through any of the materials and discuss how these approaches can support your goals.

Checkout

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