Bridge the Gap Between AI Hype and Real Results

The AI conversation has shifted from "Will it work?" to "How do we make it work?" Join business leaders who are exploring practical AI applications and benefit from peer learning combined with expert guidance.

Apply to Join Community Focus

An AI-focused Community of Practice for Omaha-area SMBs

Our approach follows the Community of Practice framework—a proven methodology used by leading organizations worldwide to accelerate learning and knowledge sharing among professionals.

Unlike traditional training or networking events, a Community of Practice creates ongoing, structured peer learning where members actively collaborate to solve real problems. Communities of Practice are used by well-known companies and organizations including IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Xerox, Chevron, and the World Bank have used to drive innovation and share expertise across their organizations.

For rapidly evolving fields like artificial intelligence, this framework is particularly valuable because it adapts to the evolving field and your organization's changing needs. Instead of rigid curriculum that becomes outdated, you get flexible, member-driven learning that keeps pace with the technology and your business challenges.

Peer-Driven Learning

Learn from AI experts and fellow business leaders facing similar AI challenges

Structured Collaboration

Tackle implementation, adoption, and risk management challenges each month with peers

Adaptive Content

Stay on the cutting-edge of AI's application to business while maximize its potential

Real AI Solutions for Real Business Challenges

AI Tools for SMBs

Discover and evaluate AI tools that deliver real value for small and mid-sized businesses. Through hands-on experiences and practical discussions, we share what works while covering ROI realities and implementation requirements. Guided by an AI expert as your community facilitator, we help you cut through the marketing noise and find solutions that fit your business needs and budget.

Practical AI Implementation

Move beyond generic advice to develop AI practices that work within the constraints that SMBs face. The community facilitator will help you address common SMB challenges including limited technical resources, smaller teams, and tighter budgets with approaches that don't require a dedicated technical team, consultants or large IT investments.

Strategic AI Pilots

Get practical advice for designing AI initiatives that align with your core business objectives rather than following generic industry trends. Each quarter, our community will help you identify genuine use cases, sett measurable success criteria, and build pilots that prove value before scaling. This is a surefire way of avoiding costly experiments that don't demonstrate clear ROI.

Risk Management & Governance

Understand AI risks and build practical data governance policies that protect your business without hampering innovation. Learn how to create frameworks that keep sensitive data secure while enabling your team to leverage AI tools effectively. Taking a balanced approach ensures your business can adopt AI confidently while maintaining customer trust.

Adoption & Change Management

Address the human side of AI implementation by building sustainable usage habits and calming fears about AI taking employee's jobs. Your community facilitator will help you navigate managing job security concerns, creating early wins that demonstrate value, and developing strategies that drive broader adoption.

How Our Community Works

A structured approach to collaborative learning that fits your schedule and delivers real value

Third Thursday of Each Month

Quarterly In-Person Sessions

90 minutes in the Aksarben Village area • Networking, in-person collaboration, and hands-on workshops

Monthly Virtual Meetings

60 minutes via Microsoft Teams • Focused discussions and expert presentations

Meeting Structure

1

Share & Learn

Recent wins, tool discoveries, and lessons learned from the group

2

Expert Deep Dive

Focused topic exploration with guest speakers or facilitator presentations

3

Problem Solving

Workshop real challenges with group collaboration

Between Meetings

Exclusive Teams Channel

Stay connected with ongoing collaboration, tool discoveries, and resource sharing

Quick questions and answers
Tool recommendations and reviews
Access to all meeting materials

AI Focus Areas

To help you build AI expertise, our Community of Practice rotates through three topic areas each quarter, ensuring you stay current with the latest meaningful developments while building practical knowledge.

AI Pilot Design

Jan • Apr • Jul • Oct

Start with in-person kickoff • Identify opportunities • Design your first AI initiative

Risk Management & Governance

Feb • May • Aug • Nov

Build tailored security frameworks • Establish data policies • Mitigate AI risks

Implementation & Change Management

Mar • Jun • Sep • Dec

Drive adoption • Manage team concerns • Scale successful initiatives

What We're Looking for in Community Members

We're looking for small- & medium-sized organization leaders who are ready to learn collaboratively and share honestly about their AI journey.

Experience Level

You're already applying AI tools or strategies in your business—whether you're just getting started with basic implementations or exploring more advanced applications. We're looking for practitioners who can contribute to peer discussions, not those seeking introductory AI education.

Collaborative Mindset

You believe in the power of shared learning. The most valuable insights come from openly discussing both wins and challenges with peers who face similar decisions. If you prefer to keep all strategies close to the vest, this community isn't the right fit.

Growth-Oriented Approach

You're comfortable discussing what's working, what isn't, and where you're stuck. We learn more from honest conversations about obstacles than from polished success stories. Members who only share victories miss the point of peer learning.

Investment & Benefits

The AI Community of Practice starts on July 17. Join today, and lock in Founder Member pricing for as long as you maintain your membership. It's our way of saying thanks for being one of the first members of our community.

Limited Time

Founder Membership

$99 /month

Limited time for early adopters

Exclusive Founder Benefits

Digital certificate of recognition to share on social media
Listed on our website for the duration of your membership
Become a Founder

Standard Membership

$149 /month

Available starting September 2025

Standard Benefits

All community features included

Everything Included in Your Membership

Monthly structured meetings

with expert facilitation and peer problem-solving — virtual sessions plus quarterly in-person meetings

Real-world AI tool evaluations

from SMB practitioners who've actually tested them in similar business environments

Strategic pilot design workshops

so you can avoid expensive AI experiments that don't deliver measurable results

Risk management frameworks

that keep your data secure without hampering innovation or slowing down productivity

Change management strategies

to get past staff resistance and build AI usage habits that actually stick

Exclusive member community

for ongoing collaboration, tool recommendations, and access to all meeting resources

Expert guidance from proven practitioners

who understand the specific constraints and realities of running an SMB

Peer learning from business leaders

who are dealing with the same AI implementation challenges you're facing

Build Your AI Credibility

Demonstrating AI expertise is becoming essential for career advancement. As a member of the SMB AI Community of Practice, you'll get public recognition that validates your commitment to staying current with AI and developing practical business solutions.

Contributing Member

After 3 consecutive meetings

LinkedIn recognition highlighting your active participation in AI business learning
Digital certificate demonstrating your commitment to practical AI expertise

Core Member

After 6 consecutive meetings

Enhanced LinkedIn recognition showcasing your leadership in business AI implementation
A framed, physical certificate validating your sustained expertise and ongoing professional development
Featured profile in our Core Member directory, highlighting your early-adopter status

What is the Right AI Assistance for Your Business?

A Community of Practice is a great place for ongoing skill development and peer-learning. Communities of Practice aren't the best fit for every need; to help you assess whether a Community of Practice is right for this point in your business we've provided a few comparisons with popular AI alternatives.

OUR APPROACH

Community of Practice

$99
/month
Best For
Ongoing peer learning & support
Built-in peer community
Connect with fellow business leaders facing similar challenges
Monthly expert facilitation
Guided sessions with practical AI implementation expertise
Real-world problem workshops
Work on actual challenges your business is facing
Ongoing implementation support
Continuous guidance as you implement AI solutions
Duration
Ongoing membership

Workshops

$500 - $2,000 • 1-3 days
Best For
Intensive skill building
Limited networking opportunities
Intensive but short-term instruction
Point-in-time content

Certificate Programs

$3,000 - $10,000 • 3-12 months
Best For
Credential demonstration
Cohort-based peer learning
Academic focus
May become outdated

Consulting

$5,000+ • Project-based
Best For
Custom solution delivery
Minimal peer learning
Dedicated expertise
Project-specific focus

Meet Your Community Facilitator

Skip the AI hype and theory. Learn from someone who's helped SMBs navigate the practical realities of implementation.

Zachary Nelson - Professional headshot
20 Years of SMB Experience

Zachary Nelson

Owner & Principal Consultant
Lantern Strategic

I've worked with more than 120 businesses across various stages and sizes, giving me a unique perspective on what actually works in challenging business environments. In 2019, I founded a fractional marketing firm, which taught me the realities of building and operating a business from the ground up. During that time, I also worked as a disaster recovery consultant, helping community-based organizations build adaptive capacity to support flood survivors and respond to economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, as Associate VP of Operations & IT Solutions at Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, I'm leading digital transformation efforts and spearheading their AI adoption journey.

My AI implementation philosophy is straightforward: start small, measure results, then scale what works. I approach AI through an organizational development lens rather than a technology-first perspective, focusing on how AI can build organizational capacity and solve specific business problems. This means emphasizing measurable pilots, establishing practical governance, and helping teams adapt to new workflows—not implementing AI because that's the hot thing to do right now.

Key Expertise

Organizational Development & Capacity Building
Disaster Recovery & Adaptive Systems
Cross-Industry Implementation Experience
Practical AI Governance & Risk Management
Connect on LinkedIn Schedule a Time to Talk

Meet Our Founding Members

Business leaders who understand that staying ahead means learning how AI can solve real challenges, not just following trends.

[Your Name Here]

[Your Company]

Your Name

Your Company

Available Spot

Join as a founding member

Your Name

Your Company

Available Spot

Join as a founding member

Your Name

Your Company

Available Spot

Join as a founding member

Become a Founding Member

Founding membership demonstrates your commitment to staying on the cutting edge of AI's ability to solve real business challenges. You'll be recognized as an early adopter who understands that practical AI implementation requires ongoing learning, not just one-time training.

Apply for Founding Membership

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about joining our AI Community of Practice.

Yes! Our AI CoP @Work offering brings the Community of Practice model directly to your organization. This private program is designed specifically for your team, focusing on your unique business challenges and AI implementation goals. It's perfect for companies that want dedicated expert facilitation and peer learning within their own workforce. Contact us through our contact form to learn more about bringing an AI Community of Practice to your workplace. Schedule a time to visit with Zach to learn more.

If you're completely new to AI, you'll likely feel out of place in this community until you're familiar with its capabilities. As a community of practitioners, our members are actively using AI either in personal pursuits or in a business setting (or probably both). Once you've got a basic understanding of AI's capabilities and limitations, you'll feel more comfortable participating in conversations during our monthly meetings. If you're unsure about joining, find a time to visit with Zach.

You can cancel your membership at anytime through Stripe. Memberships are paid monthly and are non-refundable. You can manage your subscription here.

At minimum, you'll need to set aside enough time each month to attend our meetings. In-person meetings happen the first month of each quarter. They are 90 minutes long and are held in the Aksarben Village area. The other monthly meetings are 60 minutes long and are held virtually on Microsoft Teams. We have a Teams channel for members where we'll share articles, tools, and updates during the month; you're encouraged to engage with our digital space as much as possible.

Yes! You decide how much detail you want to share during the meetings. That being said, we're looking for members that are willing to be open and candid about their AI journey. If your instinct is to hold everything close to the vest, then a Community of Practice may not be the best professional development opportunity for you. We believe most people will be able to find a balance between keeping company secrets confidential and meaningfully discussing AI in their workplace. If you have questions about our confidentiality practives, you can find a time to visit with the community facilitator, Zach, here.

Still Have Questions?

We're here to help you determine if our Community of Practice is the right fit for your business.

Schedule a Call