In this AI AMA webinar, First Focus AI Strategy Lead Jack and host Brendan Ritchie answer some of the most common questions business leaders are asking right now, including:

✅ How to prepare your business for AI adoption
✅ Data governance and AI security best practices
✅ Reducing AI tool sprawl and shadow AI
✅ Measuring AI ROI and identifying quick wins
✅ Real-world AI case studies delivering results
✅ AI agents, automation and productivity gains
✅ Copilot vs ChatGPT – which is right for your business?

The discussion draws on First Focus' own AI journey, lessons learned from internal deployments, and practical experience helping organisations implement AI successfully.

Whether you're just starting your AI journey or looking to scale existing initiatives, this session provides practical guidance on governance, adoption, security, and measurable business outcomes.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome & Webinar Overview
01:04 – How First Focus Adopted AI Internally & Lessons Learned
03:53 – What Does an AI Strategy Lead Actually Do?
07:44 – Why the Traditional MSP Model Is Changing in the AI Era
13:35 – AI Readiness: Data Governance, Security & Preparation
20:33 – Managing AI Risk, Shadow AI & Tool Sprawl
33:34 – Measuring AI ROI & Finding High-Impact Use Cases
43:28 – Real-World AI Case Studies, AI Agents, Automation & Copilot vs ChatGPT

🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS

• AI success starts with clear business problems, not technology selection.
• Data governance remains the foundation of effective AI adoption.
• Shadow AI is often reduced by providing employees with secure, approved AI tools.
• Quick wins and iterative improvements drive stronger adoption than large transformation projects.
• Organisations should target measurable ROI and focus on practical productivity gains.
• Internal knowledge assistants are among the most common and impactful AI use cases.
• AI champions within teams accelerate adoption and innovation.
• Security, governance, and user enablement are just as important as the AI platform itself.
• Copilot, ChatGPT, and other AI platforms each have strengths depending on business requirements.
• AI initiatives should be assessed based on outcomes, scalability, and business value rather than hype.

A $2.5 million cybersecurity penalty has changed the conversation around cyber risk in Australia.

In this episode, we unpack the ASIC vs FIIG case, what actually happened during the cyber attack, and why regulators are now holding businesses accountable for cybersecurity preparedness.

We discuss:

• What led to the FIIG data breach

• Why ASIC imposed such a significant penalty

• The cybersecurity controls FIIG allegedly lacked

• Why incident response planning matters

• What Australian SMEs should do now

• How cyber governance expectations are changing

If your business handles sensitive customer data, this conversation is essential viewing.

💬 What’s your biggest cybersecurity concern right now? Let us know in the comments.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations on cybersecurity, business risk, compliance, and technology strategy.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction to the ASIC vs FIIG Case
01:10 – What Happened During the Cyber Attack
03:20 – How Malware Entered the Organisation
05:05 – Why ASIC Imposed a $2.5M Penalty
08:10 – Missing Cybersecurity Controls Explained
11:40 – The Importance of Incident Response Planning
15:30 – What Australian Businesses Must Do Next

A week ago, the news broke that First Focus and Integris are joining forces to build the global managed AI and IT services provider for small and mid-sized businesses. In this conversation, recorded in Chicago, First Focus CEO Ross Sardi sits down with Integris CEO Rashaad Bajwa to go behind the press release.If you are a First Focus client, the takeaway is short. You keep the local team you already work with. You gain a much deeper bench of specialists, round-the-clock security cover from people who are awake when you are asleep, and faster access to AI use cases proven across a global SMB customer base. Nothing is being taken away. A lot is being added.In this episode, we cover:

• Why First Focus and Integris are the right fit, after years of running parallel playbooks on opposite sides of the world
• How the integration will actually work, and why local teams stay local
• Why scale matters more than ever in the age of AI, and how the combined business will run experiments across both markets
• Ross's new role as Chief Innovation Officer with global responsibility for AI product
• What changes immediately for clients in Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines
• Why the New Zealand market in particular stands to benefit
• A get-to-know-you segment with Ross and Rashaad

The partnership is pending regulatory approval. More on growth plans, active acquisitions and what comes next is covered in the second half of the conversation.Subscribe for more conversations on managed services, cybersecurity and how AI is reshaping the way SMBs work.Chapters:00:00 News of the partnership and what we are covering00:38 Meet Rashaad Bajwa and the Integris story03:01 Why First Focus and why Australia and New Zealand06:22 What the partnership will actually look like09:15 Pending regulatory approval and the planning window10:31 AI is a big part of this conversation13:33 Ross's new role as Chief Innovation Officer16:25 Why MSP owners are joining rather than going alone19:31 What ANZ and Philippines customers gain23:09 What this means for the New Zealand market24:50 Staying innovative as the business scales30:42 Get to know Rashaad: rapid-fire questions35:14 Get to know Ross: rapid-fire questions42:12 Closing thoughts: only upside

In this episode, we sit down with Phil McCaw from Business Chamber Queensland to unpack how AI is being used to solve a very real executive problem: time lost in governance reporting.

As part of an AI Investment Fund initiative, Business Chamber Queensland is building a solution to automate and enhance monthly reporting processes—freeing up leadership time while improving the quality and depth of insights.

We explore how AI can connect data across teams, reduce manual effort, and ultimately drive better decision-making across an organisation.

If you're thinking about AI in your business, this is a practical, real-world example of where it delivers measurable impact.

Key takeaways:

• AI can save weeks of executive time by automating governance reporting processes
• Centralising data across Excel, Word, and other tools enables better visibility and consistency
• Understanding variance vs plan is critical to maintaining control of business performance
• AI helps uncover hidden relationships and insights across departments that humans often miss
• The goal isn’t reducing headcount—it’s freeing time to improve KPIs and team performance
• Outputs from AI should always be validated by subject matter experts (AI is ~80% accurate baseline)
• Strong governance, security, and training are essential foundations before scaling AI
• AI adoption can become a competitive advantage and inspiration for members/customers

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction to the AI Investment Fund
00:24 – What Business Chamber Queensland Does
01:30 – The Problem: Time-Heavy Executive Reporting
03:19 – Quantifying the Time & Cost Impact
04:47 – How AI Will Solve the Problem
05:03 – The Importance of Variance Analysis
06:04 – The AI-Powered Reporting Experience
07:36 – Seamless Adoption Across Teams
09:45 – Defining Success & ROI
12:41 – Turning Time Savings into Business Impact
14:11 – Supporting Members Through AI Leadership
15:36 – Governance, Security & AI Readiness
16:50 – What Happens Next (Roadmap & Rollout)

First Focus has been selected as an SMB channel partner with OpenAI, joining a small group of experts trusted to help mid-market businesses get real returns from AI.

In this episode, we break down what the partnership means, why adoption matters more than licenses, and how to make sure your business isn't falling behind.

Why this matters for you

Most businesses are already using ChatGPT in some form. Executives are paying for personal licenses. Teams are copying and pasting company data into free tools. The problem? None of that is structured, governed, or delivering a measurable return.

OpenAI knows this. They also know they can't reach every 50 to 200 seat business in Australia themselves.

So they've built a channel partner program, selecting a small number of trusted providers to sell, implement, and support ChatGPT Business for the mid-market.

First Focus is one of those partners.

This isn't a badge we bought. It's recognition of the work we've already done, the AI and automation projects we've delivered, and the investment we've made in getting ahead of where our clients are in this space.

Key takeaways

✓ First Focus is now an official SMB channel partner with OpenAI, selected for our track record delivering AI and automation projects for mid-market businesses.

✓ ChatGPT Business is available on a month-to-month basis. No long lock-in required. You can turn it on and trial it with your team.

✓ Buying a license is just the start. The return comes from adoption, tailoring, integration, and ongoing education, which is exactly what our Core service is built for.

✓ Your AI platform needs governance. A managed rollout gives you data controls at the business level and reduces the risk of staff using unapproved tools.

✓ Adoption is the leading indicator of ROI. If people aren't using it, dig into why. Relaunch and iterate.

✓ Start capturing clean data now. Even if you're not ready to build automations today, the data you collect now is what will power them later.

✓ Think ecosystem, not just model. The best AI platform is the one that connects to the tools your team already uses.

Timestamps

00:00 Big news: First Focus is an OpenAI SMB channel partner

00:36 How OpenAI changed the way businesses work

02:37 The gap between personal use and enterprise AI

04:05 Licenses vs real ROI

05:02 What changes for First Focus clients now

06:23 ChatGPT Business alongside Microsoft Copilot

07:24 Why every business needs to act on AI now

09:01 What partner access means for our team

10:07 The OpenAI ecosystem and integrations

12:02 What makes an MSP an AI expert

14:09 AI governance and security risks

17:00 Employee experience and the right tools

19:23 Adoption as the metric that matters

22:47 Is AI foundational for SMBs?

23:40 AI vs automation: understanding the difference

25:37 Why your data strategy matters now

26:44 Choosing your AI ecosystem

About Core

Core is the future of managed services at First Focus. It's a productivity-as-a-service offering that ensures your team has the support, education, and ongoing iteration needed to make AI and automation a real part of how your business operates.

If you're investing in ChatGPT Business or exploring AI more broadly, Core is how you make sure that investment delivers.

Want to talk about what this partnership means for your business? Get in touch with your Technical Account Manager, or reach out to our team to learn more about Core here: https://www.firstfocus.com.au/services/core/chatgpt/

First Focus is funding a $20,000 AI project with Australian swimwear retailer Seafolly.

The goal: build a prompt-based AI knowledge agent that gives casual retail staff instant access to the operational info they need, so they spend less time searching and more time with customers.

The problemSeafolly runs over 30 stores globally with a highly casual workforce. New hires and existing staff regularly lose time hunting through SharePoint, group chats, and scattered process documents for answers to everyday questions. That pulls people off the shop floor and puts pressure on support teams.

What we're building

First Focus and Seafolly are developing a custom AI agent tailored for retail staff. Team members ask a question in plain language and get accurate, up-to-date operational guidance on the spot, without needing to raise a support ticket or chase a manager.

What this means for the business

- Faster onboarding. New casual staff get to answers quicker without waiting on someone to walk them through it.

- More time on the floor. Less time searching means more time serving customers.

- Fewer repetitive queries hitting the support desk.

- Better documentation over time. The system tracks unanswered questions, highlighting gaps in internal content.How the rollout works

The AI agent will be tested across five stores over three months. The team will measure adoption and accuracy before deciding on a wider rollout across the full retail network.

Learn more about First Focus CORE: https://www.firstfocus.com.au/services/core/

How do you scale property development to 1,500+ apartments without scaling your headcount at the same rate?

In this episode, we sit down with Peter, Head of IT at Billbergia, to unpack how a leading Australian property developer is using AI to transform defect management, improve customer experience, and drive measurable ROI through the First Focus AI Investment Fund Initiative Billbergia’s customer lifecycle can span up to 10 years — from first sales engagement through to the six-year defect liability period.

When a building launches, hundreds of residents move in at once, triggering a surge of defect tickets. The challenge? Triage them quickly, accurately, and without increasing admin overhead.Instead of starting with high-risk sales automation, Billbergia focused on backend AI-driven defect triage to prove value fast In this conversation, we explore:

- Why backend AI can be the smartest first step

- How AI triages defect tickets and routes them automatically

- The role of human-in-the-loop validation

- Leveraging 10 years of defect photos and data

- Measuring ROI through FTE efficiency and scalability

- Why adoption risk is lower than you think

If you're exploring AI in construction, property development, or any high-volume service environment, this is a practical blueprint for implementation.

⏱ Key Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Billbergia & The Growth ChallengePrivately owned developer scaling high-density projects across Sydney and Brisbane

02:00 – The 10-Year Customer Lifecycle ProblemWhy fragmented systems and manual processes create friction

05:00 – Why Start with Backend AI (Not Sales)Proving ROI quickly through defect and liability automation

06:30 – AI Defect Triage in ActionRouting tickets, filtering non-defects, integrating booking systems

08:00 – Quantifying ROI: Headcount vs ScalabilityHandling greater ticket volumes without linear FTE growth

09:30 – Image Recognition & 10 Years of DataTraining models using historical defect photos

15:00 – Human-in-the-Loop & Continuous Improvement Accuracy safeguards and building a long-term AI knowledge asset

If you're all-in on AI — or soon will be — this episode demonstrates how to move from experimentation to operational impact.

🔔 Subscribe for more AI Investment Fund case studies