Small Business B(AI)sics

Overview

The Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to share a new opportunity for small business owners and entrepreneurs in the local community — Small Business B(AI)sics! 

In partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, this national initiative offers free AI (artificial intelligence) training to small businesses to help them grow, stay competitive, and strengthen local economies. In this upcoming training session supported by Google, entrepreneurs can apply AI to real business challenges. On Thursday, September 10, this in-person workshop in Grinnell, Iowa will be led by Doug Zawisza (facilitator bio below). A laptop or tablet is required for this event. Can't make September 10? Another session will be held on November 5, featuring a different presenter, TBA. 

If you’d like to promote this event to your local business community, download and print the Small Business B(AI)sics flier.

Learning Objectives:

• Improving marketing and customer engagement

• Streamlining operations and improve workflow efficiency

• Enhancing productivity and decision-making
• Garner AI tools for a variety of tasks, including scheduling, content creation, data analysis, and more

Why it matters: 

Small businesses power local economies, and AI is already changing how many of them operate. Helping entrepreneurs understand and use these tools can support business growth, workforce productivity, and the local communities they anchor. 

By the numbers: 

• 50% of small business workers already use AI at work 

• 59% of AI users say they reinvest the time savings into producing more or higher-quality work 

• 54% of small business owners say AI has had a positive impact on how quickly employees complete tasks 

This is a unique chance to explore how AI can help you save time, reach more customers, and build a stronger, more resilient business. No previous experience with AI necessary.

Sessions are on Thursday, September 10 and Thursday, November 5, 2026. To sign up, register via the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce website. For program questions, visit www.uschamber.com/co/small-business-ai-training. For local session details, contact the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce, 641-236-6555, or email admin@getintogrinnell.com.

Register Now

Train with Doug Zawisza

Doug Zawisza helps individuals and organizations level up to become the next best version of themselves on the journey to unlocking their potential. 

With over 25 years developing and facilitating award-winning and game-changing leadership development and learning and development programs, Zawisza has been a learning leader in advertising, legal, finance, technology, software as a service (SaaS), consulting, and construction. 

Zawisza focuses on strategic organizational alignment, guiding learning objectives and outcomes to reflect and contribute to attaining and advancing organizational goals and expectations. Often this involves process improvement and even process definition, identifying areas to streamline workflow and excel leveraging expertise. Through strategic alignment, Zawisza has helped organizations mitigate risk, clarify purpose, and receive organizational support.

Coaching is an area that Zawisza enjoys covering, as well. Leaning in to Sir John Whitmore’s GROW model, Zawisza puts the coachee in the driver’s seat, giving them actionable, bite-sized tasks to accomplish as the steps those coaches take in their own development and growth. In every aspect of talent development, Zawisza holds fast to a learner-centric  approach, ensuring the learners opportunities for active, collaborative learning in supported environments. 

Zawisza earned his Master’s in Education with Performance Improvement and Instructional Design focus from University of  Michigan – Dearborn.