May 27, 2026

This event listing is sponsored by Expansion Capital Group.

As small businesses nationwide grapple with the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, Sioux Falls-based Expansion Capital Group recently convened a high-impact panel of tech leaders and entrepreneurs to move “Beyond the Hype.”

Held at Startup Sioux Falls’ MarketBeat Theater, the discussion focused on practical, “Monday-morning” applications of AI that are helping local firms outcompete national rivals by streamlining operations, expanding business intellegence and reclaiming lost time.

$25,000 Small Business Spotlight winner

ECG CEO Tim Mages presents a $25,000 check to Nancy Kirstein of The Good Earth Farm. Photo credit: Hannah Schweiss 

In a highlight of the event, ECG presented Nancy Kirstein of The Good Earth Farm near Lennox with a $25,000 check as the winner of the inaugural Small Business Spotlight contest.

• The vision: Founded by Kirstein, the farm is a hub for sustainable living and community connection.
• The impact: The $25,000 grand prize will fund a new commercial-grade kitchen, moving operations out of a residential space to scale the farm’s wood-fired pizza and catering services. This infrastructure upgrade is projected to grow revenue by 50 percent.

Key takeaways: How small businesses are winning with AI

ECG’s CEO, Tim Mages, welcomed over 40 small-business professionals to the event. Chief operating officer Herk Christie then led the panel, featuring experts from Chipp.ai, Five Star Call Centers, AiEdge and DelegateIQ who outlined major shifts in the AI landscape:

• Solve the “desperation,” not the “innovation”: Don’t use AI just because it’s trendy. Panelists noted that the best implementation occurs at a “bottleneck.” Example: One local firm used AI avatars for initial recruiting interviews, reducing “time to hire” by 70 percent and attrition by 35 percent.
• Data is the new oil: To be effective, AI needs context. Small businesses should move away from “messy” folders and toward “AI operating systems” like AI notetakers. This builds a “company brain” that can turn a three-week quoting process into a 30-minute task.
• The “robot-to-robot” economy: Businesses must soon optimize for generative engine optimization. In the near future, one person’s AI agent will negotiate prices and book services directly with a business’ AI agent. “The difference in 12 months won’t be ‘AI vs. no AI’ — it will be margin,” said the panel. “The business that integrates today will have lower overhead and faster response times, allowing them to outspend competitors on marketing while staying more profitable.”
• The “hype” check: The most misunderstood aspect is often that AI is a “knowledge engine” rather than a “reasoning engine.” Business owners try to use it like Google — to find facts — instead of using it like an intern — to follow instructions and process data.
• The human element: Upskilling isn’t about teaching a plumber to code — it’s about teaching them to use natural language prompting. It’s moving their job description from “data entry” to “AI editor.”
• Risk and trust: The “best practice” here is data siloing. Small businesses should look for “enterprise” versions of tools such as ChatGPT Team or Microsoft Copilot, which legally guarantee that your business data is not used to train the global model.

Speakers and panelists

• Tim Mages, CEO, Expansion Capital Group: A 20-year fintech veteran and former investment banker, Mages leads ECG’s mission to provide fast, data-driven capital to thousands of small businesses nationwide.
• Herk Christie, COO, Expansion Capital Group: A seasoned business executive, Herk joined the fintech specialty lender in 2016 and has been a driving force behind the company’s mission to provide capital to small businesses across America.
• Scott Meyer, CEO and co-founder, Chipp.ai: A leader in low-code AI, Meyer helps businesses build and monetize custom AI agents, making sophisticated automation accessible to nontechnical founders.
• Joel Sylvester, partner and chief client officer, Five Star Call Centers: With 25 years of industry expertise, Sylvester champions AI as a tool for efficiency, specializing in sentiment tracking and reducing hiring cycles by up to 70 percent.
• Andy Jorgensen,  founder, AiEdge: A cornerstone of the regional tech scene, Jorgensen’s advisory firm and annual AiEdge Summit help business leaders bridge the gap between AI theory and practical application.
• Jacob West,  founder, DelegateIQ: With a background in software engineering and enterprise sales, West helps businesses operate leaner through AI training, workforce development and custom automation systems built for measurable ROI.

The full photo album will be published at ECG’s News section.

About Expansion Capital Group 

Expansion Capital Group is a Sioux Falls-based fintech company providing working capital solutions to established small businesses across the United States. Founded in 2013, ECG has helped more than 40,000 small businesses access over $1.6 billion in capital, supporting business owners as they navigate challenges, pursue growth and keep their operations moving forward. 

Focused on serving established small businesses often underserved by traditional financing channels, ECG works directly with business owners and through a nationwide network of referral partners, brokers and advisors. ECG combines technology-enabled underwriting, human support and a straightforward process to help established businesses access capital with greater speed, clarity and confidence.