Giving employees another AI tool won’t transform a business by itself. Leaders from Homebase, Tiny Health, and Zoom explain the operating changes that turn access into measurable work.
From left to right: Whitney Magnuson, VP of Brand and Media at Zoom; Rushi Patel, Co-founder, Homebase; Cheryl Sew Hoy, Founder and CEO, Tiny Health; and Aaron Mok, Staff reporter, Inc. Photography by Nathan Bajar
Listen to this ArticleMore info
0:00 / 0:00
AI has the potential to help you grow your business. But getting the technology to work for your company’s specific needs can be tricky.
At the 2026 Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala, last week, Rushi Patel, co-founder of Homebase; Cheryl Sew Hoy, founder and CEO of Tiny Health, which ranked 208 on this year’s Inc 5000 list; and Whitney Magnuson, VP of Brand and Media at Zoom, discussed how businesses can use AI to save time, cut costs, and boost productivity.
Their takeaway? AI can free up employees to focus on more valuable work, but making it work takes experimentation and a willingness to rethink how your business operates.
If you want maximize your team’s potential with AI, consider these six tips.
Top Tech
Weekly roundup of the latest in tech news
1. Automate repetitive busywork
Start by identifying tasks that eat up your employees’ time, like screening resumes, answering routine customer questions, or handling incoming phone calls.
At Homebase, Patel said the company uses Sierra AI to resolve 75 percent of its roughly 60,000 monthly customer support requests. He said the technology can answer routine questions and change account settings, freeing employees to tackle more complicated problems.
Magnuson said Zoom’s research similarly found that solopreneurs are using AI to automate administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on creative work and customer relationships.