In a recent LinkedIn post, Dan Sherrard-Smith discusses two critical moves B2B founders should implement immediately to leverage Artificial Intelligence effectively, urging them to shift from mere production to strategic orchestration.
Sherrard-Smith highlights a common pitfall among solo founders: treating AI as a tool for individual tasks rather than a system for comprehensive workflows. He contrasts the traditional approach of using AI to assist with isolated elements of content creation and asset building with a more advanced strategy.
“Orchestration is different. It means directing AI across a full workflow: ideation, drafting, reformatting, repurposing, distribution.”
According to Sherrard-Smith, this shift from production to orchestration is fundamental. He argues that by directing AI across an entire workflow, a single individual can achieve the output previously requiring a team of three or four. This orchestrated output, he explains, transforms into what he terms “pipeline infrastructure” – a system that is continuously operational, tailored to specific personas, and designed to fill the sales funnel.
The Power of Orchestration Over Production
Sherrard-Smith emphasizes that the distinction between production and orchestration is not merely semantic but represents a significant strategic advantage. He points out that founders often get bogged down in the granular tasks of content creation, using AI as a helper for each individual piece. However, he advocates for a higher-level view where AI is managed as a cohesive engine driving a complete process.
“One person orchestrating AI can produce what used to require a team of 3 or 4,” Sherrard-Smith states, underscoring the potential for efficiency gains. He further elaborates that the resulting output is not just more content, but strategically valuable assets.
“The output becomes pipeline infrastructure. Always-on. Persona-specific. Built to fill funnel gaps.”
Building Robust AI Agent Playbooks
The second key move Sherrard-Smith advises founders to make involves building durable AI agent playbooks. He observes that many current AI agent setups are inherently fragile, often relying on a single individual. This dependency creates a significant risk, as the system can collapse if that key person departs.
To counter this, Sherrard-Smith suggests that leading teams are establishing an “AI Operations layer.” This layer is characterized by well-designed agent playbooks, clearly defined handoffs between human and AI agents, and feedback loops that enable continuous improvement and compounding results.
The Risk of Staying in Pilot Mode
A critical mistake Sherrard-Smith identifies is remaining in a “pilot mode” while competitors are actively scaling their AI initiatives. He warns that this cautious, experimental approach can lead to being outpaced and outmaneuvered.
“The mistake: staying in pilot mode while competitors scale.”
To rectify this, Sherrard-Smith provides a clear solution: meticulous documentation of every agent workflow. He asserts that by documenting these processes thoroughly, any team member, regardless of their initial expertise, can effectively run the AI operations. This approach ensures scalability, resilience, and a consistent operational capability.
In Sherrard-Smith’s view, the future of B2B success with AI lies not in using it as a simple productivity hack, but in strategically orchestrating AI across entire workflows and building documented, resilient operational systems.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Dan Sherrard-Smith on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on July 16, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →