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  • Stop Losing $500+ a Month — The Mistake Starts With a Missed Call

    Stop Losing $500+ a Month — The Mistake Starts With a Missed Call


    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    For many small business owners, the ringing phone is a lifeline. But what happens when it goes unanswered? According to a new survey by my company, Vida, 42% of SMBs estimate they lose at least $500 every month to missed calls.

    That’s over $6,000 a year — vanishing without a trace. Yet despite growing awareness of the issue, only 22% have adopted AI-powered voice agents to help solve the problem.

    What businesses are doing

    When teams are stretched thin and customer demands keep growing, staying on top of inbound calls is tough, and usually means hiring more staff, which drives up costs. That’s where AI voice agents come in. These tools step in to fill customer service and sales gaps, ensuring every call is answered, common questions are addressed, and new opportunities aren’t missed.

    Many SMBs are already putting AI voice agents to work, handling inbound sales, responding to support inquiries and even serving customers in their preferred language, extending accessibility without the need for additional hires.

    Related: Is It Always PR’s Job to Make the Phone Ring?

    Take Larry, for example, who runs an independent cleaning business. Before implementing an AI voice agent, Larry estimates he was missing 8-10 calls a week, often during jobs or after hours. Now, his AI agent books appointments, answers after-hours inquiries and provides updates to clients while his team is en route. He’s not only retaining more leads but also improving customer satisfaction simply by being available, even when he can’t pick up the phone.

    AI voice agents also offer a major advantage when it comes to scaling a business. Whether it’s a seasonal surge or a promotional push, automation helps absorb spikes in call volume so staff can stay focused on more complex tasks.

    And it pays off — according to a global study by Qualtrics, customers who have a 5-star experience are 3 times more likely to recommend a business.

    Overcoming misconceptions

    Adoption still lags in part because many business owners associate AI voice agents with the clunky, robotic systems of the past, or feel overwhelmed by the idea of implementing them. There’s also a lingering concern that customers will reject automation.

    But the reality? Most customers don’t care how they get help, as long as they get it quickly and accurately. Today’s AI tools sound natural, respond dynamically and work seamlessly alongside your team.

    Actually, Zendesk reports that 59% of consumers expect generative AI to change how they interact with companies within the next two years, highlighting just how quickly customer expectations are shifting.

    And the results speak for themselves. With the right setup, AI voice agents quickly go from a “nice to have” to a critical part of the team.

    How to get started

    Bringing AI voice agents into your business doesn’t require a massive overhaul. In fact, the most effective implementations start small and scale up:

    • Start small. Focus on high-volume, low-complexity tasks like scheduling appointments, qualifying leads or answering FAQs.
    • Train your team. Help employees understand how to work with the AI agent, not against it.
    • Scale gradually. As confidence builds, expand the agent’s responsibilities to include other repetitive or time-consuming tasks.
    • Track and optimize. Monitor performance, gather insights and adjust workflows to improve outcomes over time.

    Getting started is easier than many business owners expect. Today’s AI voice agents are built to plug into existing systems, whether a CRM, calendar or phone platform, making the transition minimally disruptive and requiring no technical expertise. Some solutions even allow business owners to simply forward calls to the AI agent.

    For business owners like Larry, setup took just minutes. He provided a bit of background, shared a few of his existing marketing materials and FAQ documents to help train the system, and the AI agent was ready to go. Now, it effortlessly handles appointment bookings, inquiries and client updates. And because these agents are adaptive, they learn and improve over time, creating more value the longer they’re in use.

    According to Vida’s SMB AI Voice Agent Adoption & Impact Survey, 97% of businesses already using AI voice agents reported increased revenue. Another 82% saw stronger customer engagement, and 80% saved five or more hours each week, time that can be reinvested into higher-value work.

    Related: How to Turn Your Key Employees Into Your Business Successors (and Avoid the Headache of Outside Buyers)

    Why it matters

    AI voice agents are becoming a strategic necessity for SMBs aiming to stay responsive and competitive. As more companies embrace digital tools, those who stay complacent risk falling behind. Small slips like a missed call might seem minor, but over time, they lead to lost revenue, missed connections and stalled growth. Forward-thinking businesses go beyond streamlining operations; they embrace intelligent systems that evolve alongside customer needs and technological change.

    In a world where speed, personalization and 24/7 availability are becoming the norm, AI voice agents help SMBs make every call count. Every missed call is a missed opportunity, one that your competitors may be ready to catch. Fortunately, staying competitive doesn’t require a full operational overhaul. It starts with taking one smart step forward.

    And with the right AI voice agent in place, businesses can become more responsive, more reliable and more profitable, without burning out their teams or breaking the bank. The difference between a missed call and a booked customer is often just a few seconds. AI voice agents help you win those moments — and in business, moments matter.

    For many small business owners, the ringing phone is a lifeline. But what happens when it goes unanswered? According to a new survey by my company, Vida, 42% of SMBs estimate they lose at least $500 every month to missed calls.

    That’s over $6,000 a year — vanishing without a trace. Yet despite growing awareness of the issue, only 22% have adopted AI-powered voice agents to help solve the problem.

    What businesses are doing

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  • Learn How to Delegate Now — or Risk Losing Your Business

    Learn How to Delegate Now — or Risk Losing Your Business


    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Successful entrepreneurs often share similar qualities — they’re driven, resourceful and ready to wear multiple hats to turn their vision into a reality. In the early stages of building a business, being a jack-of-all-trades isn’t just an advantage; it’s a necessity.

    Given the nature of the job, it can be challenging for entrepreneurs to learn how to delegate effectively as a company grows — but it’s one of the most important skills to master for scaling a business and sustaining long-term success. The ability to recognize when to seek help, which tasks to delegate and how to lean on the expertise of others is what separates thriving businesses from those stuck in survival mode.

    For me, the delegation lesson came early on in my entrepreneurial journey when I found my startup at a critical crossroads. In the beginning, I was operating as a one-man show, offering my software for free while personally handling support inquiries from our 500 users when I wasn’t at my full-time job. It quickly became clear that it wasn’t sustainable to continue managing this on my own, and I was faced with the choice of either eliminating support completely or finding a way to share the workload.

    I decided to hire my very first employee to manage the increasing volume of support requests so I could focus on further expanding our user base and building a sustainable business model. By delegating support, my business was able to scale significantly without sacrificing the high-quality customer service that continues to define our brand today.

    Related: 5 Reasons Why Delegation is a Must for Entrepreneurs

    Breaking the “it’s easier to do it myself” mindset

    If you don’t learn to delegate, your business growth will always be limited by your own capacity and capabilities. Handling everything on your own may feel efficient in the moment, but in reality, it restricts your potential as a leader and as a business. You only know what you know, and there are only so many hours in the day. Imagine what you and your business could be capable of if you had the right support from the right experts.

    A solo mentality often leads to burnout, missed opportunities and stagnation. Shifting toward a leadership mindset doesn’t necessarily mean letting go of control — it’s about maximizing your impact. By trusting and empowering others, you’ll free up valuable time to focus on strategy, innovation and the big picture, ultimately driving greater success.

    Start small and start now

    If delegating isn’t your strong suit, the most effective way to build the habit is to start small and start now. Pick a task from your list — no matter how small or important — and delegate it to someone else on your team. Then move on to the next task and the next. The more you delegate, the more you’ll lighten your workload while building confidence in your team and their abilities. Over time, delegating will come more naturally, and you will encourage those around you to step up and excel.

    Progress over perfection

    In the beginning, tasks may not be done exactly as you would do them yourself — and that’s okay. Focus on progress over perfection. Effective delegation will be a learning process for both you and your team, requiring some patience, communication and trust. Instead of micromanaging or taking tasks back at the first sign of imperfection, try to embrace these moments as teaching and growth opportunities.

    Building a stronger, more capable team

    Delegation is a powerful tool to help your team grow. By entrusting your team with meaningful tasks and encouraging problem-solving and accountability, you’re creating a culture where employees can develop new skills and build confidence in their abilities. When your team feels empowered to solve problems and make decisions, they are more likely to feel a sense of ownership and pride in their work. This sense of responsibility fuels engagement, motivation and investment in the success of the business.

    Over time, delegation will only strengthen your team to become more self-sufficient and capable. As they take on more responsibility and grow in their roles, your business becomes more resilient with a stronger foundation. This growth enables you to scale your business efficiently without sacrificing the quality that is critical for long-term success.

    Related: How to Delegate Effectively and Unlock Your Business’s Full Potential

    Practical steps to delegate effectively

    1. Choose what to delegate: Reflect on your workload and identify the tasks that truly require your direct involvement and those that don’t. Time to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses — does someone else on your team have the expertise to handle certain tasks more efficiently? Consider the time-consuming or repetitive tasks you could delegate to free up your time for higher-priority work.
    2. Pick the right person: Be intentional about assigning the right tasks to the right individuals based on their skills and experience. Think about those who are capable, eager to learn and show the most growth potential.
    3. Set clear expectations: Clearly define the scope of the task at hand, outlining key deadlines, objectives and your desired end result to set your team up for success. Provide any necessary resources or background context, and be available to answer questions or offer support along the way.
    4. Support without controlling: Trust is the key to effective delegation — which is why it can be such a tough skill to master. Resist the urge to micromanage or demand perfection. Give your employees room and autonomy to complete the task in their own way while you remain accessible for guidance and support if needed.
    5. Follow up and offer feedback: Schedule deadlines or check-ins to review progress and provide constructive feedback. Prioritize recognizing successes as highly as addressing any challenges.



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