Business Focus

Your people are already using AI. The question is whether your business has the visibility, governance and support needed to make that usage safe, productive and scalable. In this conversation, Brendan Ritchie and Jack Behrns discuss how Hatz fits into the CORE managed services model, and why it is a strong option for businesses that already have staff experimenting with different AI tools. Unlike...

In this AI AMA webinar, First Focus AI Strategy Lead Jack and host Brendan Ritchie answer some of the most common questions business leaders are asking right now, including: ✅ How to prepare your business for AI adoption ✅ Data governance and AI security best practices ✅ Reducing AI tool sprawl and shadow AI ✅ Measuring AI ROI and identifying quick wins ✅ Real-world AI case studies delivering...

A $2.5 million cybersecurity penalty has changed the conversation around cyber risk in Australia. In this episode, we unpack the ASIC vs FIIG case, what actually happened during the cyber attack, and why regulators are now holding businesses accountable for cybersecurity preparedness. We discuss: What led to the FIIG data breach Why ASIC imposed such a significant penalty The cybersecurity control...

A week ago, the news broke that First Focus and Integris are joining forces to build the global managed AI and IT services provider for small and mid-sized businesses. In this conversation, recorded in Chicago, First Focus CEO Ross Sardi sits down with Integris CEO Rashaad Bajwa to go behind the press release. If you are a First Focus client, the takeaway is short. You keep the local team you alre...

In this episode, we sit down with Phil McCaw from Business Chamber Queensland to unpack how AI is being used to solve a very real executive problem: time lost in governance reporting . As part of an AI Investment Fund initiative, Business Chamber Queensland is building a solution to automate and enhance monthly reporting processes—freeing up leadership time while improving the quality and depth of...

Pengana Capital Group manages roughly $4 billion across six to seven countries. Their Head of Client Service noticed a pattern. During capital raises, the same questions kept coming in, and his team was spending hours on replies that could be templated. In this episode, we sit down with Gupta from Pengana to talk through the AI project he pitched internally, what it will actually look like in prac...

First Focus has been selected as an SMB channel partner with OpenAI, joining a small group of experts trusted to help mid-market businesses get real returns from AI. In this episode, we break down what the partnership means, why adoption matters more than licenses, and how to make sure your business isn't falling behind. Why this matters for you Most businesses are already using ChatGPT in som...

First Focus is funding a $20,000 AI project with Australian swimwear retailer Seafolly. The goal: build a prompt-based AI knowledge agent that gives casual retail staff instant access to the operational info they need, so they spend less time searching and more time with customers. The problemSeafolly runs over 30 stores globally with a highly casual workforce. New hires and existing staff regular...

How do you scale property development to 1,500+ apartments without scaling your headcount at the same rate? In this episode, we sit down with Peter, Head of IT at Billbergia, to unpack how a leading Australian property developer is using AI to transform defect management, improve customer experience, and drive measurable ROI through the First Focus AI Investment Fund Initiative Billbergia’s custom...

In this episode, Nandita from Lipman Burgon & Partners, a private wealth advisory firm serving ultra high net worth clients, shares how they’re transforming their investment due diligence process using AI .Lipman Burgon & Partners were selected as one of the winners of the First Focus AI Investment Fund initiative, with this project being supported and delivered in partnership with First F...

In this episode, Brendan Ritchie sits down with Ross Sardi to unveil our new service offering 'CORE' and unpack how managed services need to evolve as businesses go all-in on AI, automation, data governance, and security. Rather than bolting AI onto old infrastructure-led MSP models, this conversation flips the thinking completely, starting from a clean slate and designing managed services...

We’ve just completed our 14th MSP acquisition, with more already in motion! In this episode of M&A Focus, Brendan and Ross discuss the exact playbook we use to ensure two things happen every time we acquire a business:- The people who join us feel respected, supported, and excited about the future, and- The customers we inherit become 10/10 fans within six months of integration. Get the real c...

In this episode of M&A Focus, Brendan Ritchie and RossSardi break down the real technology, cybersecurity, culture, and integration risks that determine whether an acquisition creates value or becomes a costly mistake. Drawing on experience across 14+ acquisitions, Ross explains what tolook for in tech due diligence, how to manage post-acquisition integration, and how to decide between single-...

MSP and business owners are selling at a rate we haven’t seen in years, but not for the reasons you might think. In this episode, Ross Sardi and Brendan Ritchie break down the real factors driving the surge in exit conversations: generational fatigue, economic pressure, AI-driven change, customer expectations, valuation trends, and the growing awareness that selling is no longer a last resort, but...

In this final episode of the Finance Focus series, Ross Sardi (CEO, First Focus) and Jarrod Morris (Founder & CEO, Bolden) explore what finance looks like in the age of artificial intelligence. From automation and analytics to hiring the next generation of finance leaders, this discussion explores how AI and robotic process automation (RPA) are changing everything and what that means for finan...

In this episode of Finance Focus, Brendan Ritchie sits down with Ross Sardi and Jarrod Morris to unpack one of the most overlooked parts of digital transformation: adoption. You’ve invested in technology, built the business case, and forecasted the returns… but what happens if your people don’t use it? Explore how adoption rates multiply ROI, why executive sponsorship is essential, and how to turn...

In this episode of Finance Focus, host Brendan Ritchie is joined by Ross Sardi (CEO, First Focus) and Jared Morris (CEO & Founder, Balden) to unpack one of the biggest challenges facing modern finance teams — choosing the right technology stack. Together they explore why so many Australian businesses are frustrated with legacy ERPs, what’s driving the shift to modular, cloud-based finance tool...

Most businesses know they need to invest in technology, but few can actually prove the return. In this episode of Finance Focus, Ross Sardi (CEO, First Focus) and Jarrod Morris (CEO, Bolden) sit down with host Brendan Ritchie to break down the ROI gap: why so many technology and AI projects fail to deliver results, and what smart Australian businesses can do differently.💡 Learn how to connect eve...

AI is moving faster than ever – and Adam Spencer is here to help us break it all down. In this episode of the First Focus podcast, Adam joins Brendan Ritchie and Ross Sardi fresh from the IT Nation Connect ANZ 2025 stage to share his take on: • The real story behind GPT-5 (and why it’s more “raise the floor” than “lift the ceiling”) • The race toward Artificial General Intelligence and Superintell...

In this episode of SharePoint Focus, experts Mia Tait from First Focus and Alyssa Blackburn from AvePoint sit down to share practical steps every Australian organisation can take to clean up legacy file servers and manage information smarter within M365 and SharePoint. They also discuss what it really takes to:- Clean up and consolidate data scattered across file servers, Dropbox, Slack and other...

AI rollouts are everywhere—but why do so many fail before they even get off the ground? 🤔 In this episode of SharePoint Focus, Brendan Ritchie, Mia Tait (First Focus M365 Practice Lead), and Alyssa Blackburn (AvePoint) unpack why most AI proof of concepts don’t deliver results and how SharePoint can help set your business up for success. From government Copilot pilots that missed the mark, to the...

In Episode 3 of SharePoint Focus, we’re tackling one of the trickiest balancing acts in Microsoft 365: enabling smooth collaboration without creating security risks.🔹 In Episode 1, we discussed the Privacy Act and why data government in SharePoint matters.🔹 In Episode 2, we looked at preparing your SharePoint environment for AI and reducing storage costs.🔹 Now in Episode 3, we’re getting practi...

If you caught Episode 1 of our SharePoint series, you’ll remember we explored why changes to the Privacy Act — along with a rapidly approaching AI-powered future — have put SharePoint data governance back in the spotlight. We also touched on the growing link between good governance and AI readiness for Microsoft 365.In Episode 2, M365 pros Alyssa Blackburn and Mita Tait shift the focus from 'w...

Welcome to our new mini-series 'SharePoint Focus'. Over the next six episodes, M365 pros Mia Tait McIntyre and Alyssa Blackburn will join host Brendan Ritchie to share practical tips to help you get clarity, get compliant, and get SharePoint working for your business. In this episode, Mia Tait (M365 Practice Lead - First Focus) and Alyssa Blackburn (Program Manager - AvePoint) discuss what...

Is your team maximising AI in sales, or is it just adding to the noise? In this episode, Harriet Mellor joins us to break down why most sales teams fail when adopting AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot. From poor prompts to bland, generic content, we explore the real reasons AI under delivers and exactly how to fix it. Learn how to use AI strategically to enhance trust, personalise messaging, and f...