Solve the bottlenecks first
Stop losing time and money to manual work.
Most small and medium businesses don’t need “more AI.” They need AI applied to the workflows that matter — meaning work moves faster, with fewer delays, handoffs, and errors.
I help you identify where work is really slowing down, then improve one workflow end to end first — making your existing tools cooperate.
Once that proves value, we expand to the next workflows and train your team to use the improved way of working so the gains stick.
Enterprise experience I now bring to smaller businesses
Who am I?
Enterprise experience for your business.
Hi, I'm Howard, founder of agentnative.
I help small and medium businesses remove manual work, improve handoffs, and use AI in ways that are practical, safe, and easy for teams to adopt.
I've spent twenty years leading delivery and transformation across banks, FTSE 100 businesses, scale-ups, and early-stage ventures. Today, I bring that experience directly to SMEs — helping you find where time is leaking, redesign one important workflow, and make the change real.
What does agentnative mean?
Agentnative means designing workflows around what AI can safely do — while people stay accountable for judgement, relationships, standards, and final decisions.
Why work with me
I know where delivery breaks
I've led delivery in complex environments where delays, rework, and unclear ownership become expensive. I can spot the real bottleneck, not just automate the visible task.
I can make it practical
I still write code, ship product, and use the AI tools I recommend. If I suggest automating a step, it is because I understand how it works in practice.
You work directly with me
No layers, no juniors, no handoff. I help diagnose the problem, redesign the workflow, and guide the first practical implementation from start to finish.
What small and medium business owners are telling us
Small business owners need practical AI that truly helps.
They want less admin, smoother follow-up, and processes that run more reliably.
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Accountants
"We spend too much time chasing records, checking numbers, and repeating the same work."
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Dental practices
"If reminders, forms, and follow-up ran more smoothly, it would support both the diary and the patient experience."
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Law firms
"We would benefit from a smoother way to manage client intake and admin, without so much manual chasing."
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Estate agents
"Leads come in from different places, and we need an easier way to manage viewings and follow-up."
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Trades & services
"Quotes, bookings, and invoices often sit in different places. Bringing them together would save time and reduce missed steps."
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Education
"Our staff would benefit from less admin and clearer processes, so they can spend more time supporting learners."
These are business needs first. Good AI automation should reduce friction, save time, and help work run smoothly in the real business.
Why workflow first
#1
of 25 factors
Workflow redesign had the strongest effect on AI ROI (McKinsey 2025).
3×
more likely
Top performers redesigned how work gets done, not just added tools.
79%
untapped
Of orgs using gen AI haven’t redesigned a single workflow.
What this means for SMEs: start with one important workflow, fix it end to end, then scale what works.
Source: McKinsey State of AI, 2025
How I help
A practical path from bottleneck to better workflow.
Start by finding where work is really slowing down, then improve one workflow end to end. Make your existing tools cooperate, prove the value, then train the team so the gains stick.
Workflow opportunity scan
Find where work is slowing down
Identify the admin, delays, handoffs, rework, and tool friction that are costing time, money, or customer responsiveness.
DetailsSupporting glue
Make your existing tools cooperate
When the bottleneck is copy-paste between email, spreadsheets, and line-of-business tools, add sensible handoffs and lightweight automation so the improved workflow can run properly.
A real workflow
Month-end close reveals where the workflow breaks.
For many finance teams, month-end is where delays, handoffs, and rework become obvious. Reconciliations, commentary, approvals, and exceptions still bounce between people and spreadsheets. The opportunity is not another tool. It is one clearer workflow that moves faster, with AI handling the repeatable work and finance keeping control of the judgement.
Illustrative workflow - month-end close
Close trigger
Scheduled month-end
Pull source data
Ledger - balances - journals
Reconcile & flag
Variance checks - rules
AI draft commentary
First-pass narrative
Finance review
Judgement - sign-off
Board / client pack
Ready to send
Illustrative example inspired by workflow tools - no vendor affiliation.
Find the friction
Where work slows down
Rekeying figures, waiting for updates, chasing commentary, and checking the same exceptions again.
Automate one flow
Where AI helps most
Data pulls, first-pass variance notes, exception routing, and review-ready pack preparation.
Keep control
Where people stay accountable
Material judgement, unusual items, approvals, and the final message to leaders, clients, or boards.
Learn AI at work
Learning sessions that help your team use AI well
Practical, plain-English sessions for owners, managers, and teams. Learn where AI helps, decide who stays accountable, and choose the first workflow worth improving.
- Half day For owners, managers, and teams
Practical AI Foundations for Small Teams
A plain-English session on where AI helps in a small business, where people still need to be careful, and how to start using it without adding more noise.
Agenda & details →You leave with
A shared view of what "AI at work" should mean for your business right now.
- Half day For owners, managers, and teams
Human and AI Roles in the Workflow
Map one real workflow and decide what stays with people, what AI can help with, and where judgement, review, and accountability still matter.
Agenda & details →You leave with
A simple view of how people and AI should work together in one real workflow.
- Half day For owners, managers, and teams
First Workflow Pilot Scoping
Learn how to spot a workflow worth improving, agree what better looks like, and choose a sensible first workflow to test.
Agenda & details →You leave with
A shortlist of realistic workflow ideas scored by value, feasibility, and risk.
All sessions can be delivered in person or remotely. Bespoke learning sessions are available if you need something more specific.
Get in touch
Tell me what you’re trying to achieve and what’s getting in the way. I’ll reply with the most sensible next step.