Over a decade ago, I interviewed a young entrepreneur launching a new payroll service for small businesses. When I asked why—given the number of established companies already serving that market—he said most small business owners were still handling payroll manually. His launch was a big success.
Our Future Will Be Digital
That story feels just as relevant today—because small business owners are once again standing at the edge of a major shift: the digital transformation. This will touch nearly every part of our personal and professional lives. For small and midsize businesses, that impact will be profound.
Digital tools have reshaped how SMBs operate, compete, and connect with customers. Tasks that once required big budgets and dedicated teams—such as marketing, e-commerce, or data analytics—can now be handled with affordable technology and automation. This shift has leveled the playing field, helping small businesses reach broader audiences, personalize experiences, and scale faster than ever before.
Automation is one of the most powerful drivers of digital transformation for small businesses. It frees business owners from repetitive, time-consuming tasks, enabling them to focus on strategy, creativity, and growth. From scheduling social media posts and sending invoices to managing inventory and customer follow-ups, automation tools help streamline operations that once required manual effort or extra staff.
It also reduces errors, improves consistency, and ensures that customers receive faster and more reliable service. For many SMBs, adopting automation isn’t about replacing people—it’s about amplifying what a small team can achieve, creating more time to innovate, build relationships, and scale efficiently
Finance Automation “Pays” Dividends
Automation affects nearly every part of a business, but few areas benefit more than finance. By shifting manual processes to digital tools, reducing human error, and increasing efficiency, finance automation can be a true game-changer.
Automating your financial systems makes it easier to track and manage cash flow—vital to every company’s survival. It also reduces the risk of mistakes or fraud (more on that next week). And when finance teams spend less time chasing data, they can spend more time analyzing it, leading to smarter, faster decisions.
You’re in Control
Digital transformation—and automation in particular—give business owners more control over their operations. But the first step is up to you. Your future success depends on how quickly you adopt and integrate these new technologies. Think of automation as a way to supercharge your business.
Learn More
We’re just getting started exploring this topic. I’m excited to partner with BILL to share more insights and resources for SMBs in the coming weeks. Our goal is to help you become a more informed and empowered business owner. BILL’s finance automation tools can make your operations more efficient (BILL users report saving an average of 12 hours per month) and more profitable (saving over $10,000 a month on average).
Next week, we’ll dive deeper into how financial automation can help prevent fraud in your small business.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you—what challenges are you facing right now? Fraud? Inflation? Labor shortages? Let’s keep the conversation going.
Rieva Lesonsky is President of Small Business Currents, LLC, a content company focusing on small businesses and entrepreneurship. You can find her on Twitter @Rieva, Bluesky @Rieva.bsky.social, and LinkedIn. Or email her at Rieva@SmallBusinessCurrents.com.
Photo courtesy: BILL
