Reviewing Digifest 2025: Key Takeaways & Actions

I attended Digifest 2025, and let's be honest, my brain feels less like a brain and more like a freshly rebooted server running on caffeine and ideas. If you weren't there, here’s the summary: AI is everything. Seriously, if you threw a rock, you’d hit an exhibitor pushing a generalised AI solution. The theme was clear: Tech advancement and business investment are now officially spelt A-I.

But the conference was about more than just the buzzwords and talk titles that were clearly AI-generated. I pulled out the most important lessons—the stuff we can actually use to future-proof our businesses and lead our industries.

Ditch the Boardroom Hypotheticals, Serve the People

Turns out, the most advanced tech in the room still needs to cater to actual human people. Go figure! Raff’s Beyond Assumptions talk explained that a truly customer-centric approach isn’t just nice, it’s a massive money-maker. Think of it as giving your customers the VIP treatment they deserve.

So what's the move? Put on your detective hat and get out of the office! We should be officially ditching the boardroom guessing games and prioritising on-site field studies. We need to observe how our customers are actually using our websites, our products, and our services in the wild. Stop assuming what they want; go see what they're clicking!

Hire Your Robot Assistant for the Boring Stuff

The key to AI isn't fearing it; it's finding smart, chic ways to make it do your boring admin work.

Russ Miles’ talk was admittedly a little beyond me (lots of coding jargon!), but the core message wasn’t lost. AI should be seen as an opportunity for growth, not a threat. Its whole purpose is to offload mundane tasks, freeing up your incredible brain for creativity and strategy. P.S. Did you know your brain can only multitask 5-6 things at a time?

So what's the move? Communicate like the corporate rockstar you are. Effectively using AI agents requires us to be hyper-specific and precise in our prompts. The cool side effect? It naturally develops clearer communication and strategic thinking across the entire team. If you can prompt an AI well, you can run a board meeting well.💅

Ethics & Governance: Be the Confident One

Okay, ethics and governance are less fun than playing around with a new chatbot, but they are absolutely vital.

Right now, only about 1 in 5 business leaders feel confident using AI. This lack of confidence creates a huge competitive opportunity if we act fast. AI training is vital to feeling confident, so get those lessons in!

Its also worth noting that incoming AI regulations require vigilance. Leaders need to proactively establish ethical frameworks for AI use across the business. We need to be ready before the regulators show up with clipboards and fines. Get your house in order, girl!

Small Is the New Black

The last talk I attended was Outmanoeuvring Big Companies as an SME, and it was the ultimate morale booster, reminding us that being small is actually a competitive advantage.

Our inherent flexibility and short feedback loops mean we can make service improvements fast—that’s a key competitive edge the big guys can only dream of. For SMEs, hyper-personalisation and personal service are paramount. Remember, we only need a small slice of the overall market pie to achieve massive revenue growth. We’re small but mighty!

Digifest 2025 was a fantastic crash course in future-proofing our businesses. Now, the real work begins—and we’ve got the toolkit to handle it.

What opportunities have you found with AI for small businesses to boost your growth and efficiency? Share your insights and let me know your favourite takeaway in the comments below!