The data divide: why SMBs struggle to scale

For an SMB, growth is exciting—until it’s not. Many small and mid-sized businesses reach a point where the business is bursting with opportunities, but their systems can’t keep up. Teams are chasing information, processes slow down, and decisions take longer. Cash flow slows. The tools that helped the company reach its first $10 million hold it back from reaching $50 million and beyond. 

This is the result of a data divide. 

And now, that divide matters more than ever. AI depends on clean, connected, real-time data. When information is fragmented across systems and spreadsheets, AI can amplify confusion rather than resolve it. For SMBs, the question isn’t whether to use AI. It’s whether your data foundation is ready to support it. 

When data becomes a barrier 

SMBs are resourceful. They add tools as they need them: a new finance system, a standalone CRM, a point solution to manage ecommerce, and so on. Individually, these solve a problem. But they also create new ones. 

As data becomes trapped in spreadsheets and disconnected tools, employees bridge the gaps. They enter orders manually, they hunt down shipment status updates, and they build and maintain makeshift reports to keep leadership up to date. People are the integration layer. 

That’s also where most AI initiatives fail. AI can’t reliably replace manual workarounds if the business depends on them. Without a single source of truth, predictions, recommendations, and automation lack context, and leaders stop trusting them. 

This creates blind spots.  

• Inventory surprises that hurt customer relationships 
• Invoicing delays that affect cash flow 
• Decisions made on outdated information 

Growth starts to feel less sure. New technology adds complexity rather than reducing it, and it’s difficult to respond quickly because the business can’t see what is happening until it’s too late. 

A connected data strategy creates one version of the truth. Information flows freely between finance, operations, supply chain, and customer-facing teams. Teams gain greater confidence in the data, and new capabilities strengthen rather than complicate the organization. 

When your data is disconnected, you’ll feel more pain as you grow. E-commerce orders may not sync with the ERP, making fulfillment unpredictable. Inventory visibility declines as new locations are added. Pricing accuracy becomes harder to maintain. What worked beautifully when you had just one location may break when the company becomes multichannel or multi-site. 

Sound familiar? 

How Sikich and NetSuite close the gap 

Scaling doesn’t require a massive technology overhaul. It starts with connecting what already works and establishing a foundation for what comes next. 

NetSuite provides a platform where financials, operations, and customer interactions share the same data. Sikich builds on that foundation with industry accelerators, proven implementation methods, and data connectors.  

Instead of internal workarounds, SMBs gain standardized workflows that are grounded in your industry’s best practices. Instead of spreadsheets, leaders get insight into what’s driving growth or slowing it down. Instead of firefighting, teams spend more time improving performance. 

Why a connected strategy creates scalability 

Scalability isn’t simply a product of growth. It’s a product of control.  

NetSuite’s embedded analytics and AI-driven capabilities build on this unified data model. Instead of relying on static reports, teams can identify trends, anomalies, and exceptions faster—from demand shifts to margin leakage—directly inside the system where work happens. 

Sikich helps SMBs apply these capabilities pragmatically, focusing on use cases that improve visibility, productivity, and cash flow rather than adding experimental technology. 

A connected data strategy also prepares the business for AI-driven automation and insight. AI depends on clean, unified data. When finance, inventory, orders, and customers all live in separate systems, AI can’t reliably spot patterns or make recommendations. 

When data is unified in NetSuite, AI can help surface risks earlier and support routine decision-making, giving teams more capacity to focus on higher-value work. 

A connected data strategy gives SMBs what they care about most: faster and more confident decision-making, stronger control of margins and cash flow, and consistent customer experience. They can see where demand is shifting, when costs are rising, and how expectations are evolving.  

This also strengthens the fundamentals that determine profitability. Cash flow improves when invoicing and fulfillment stay in sync. When pricing, inventory, and supplier data are aligned, margins stay healthy, and AI can help surface exceptions and risks before they lead to missed revenue or margin leakage. 

Scaling should not be about working harder. It should be about removing friction so the company can grow without losing control.  

Bridge the divide before it grows 

Most SMBs aren’t short on software. They’re short on systems that work well together. When each department relies on its own tools and its own data, leaders lose the ability to see the full picture and respond quickly. 

NetSuite provides an operational foundation so finance, supply chain, sales, and service stay aligned. Sikich brings the industry experience and implementation approach to make that shift practical, not disruptive. 

The result is a business that can expand capacity, channels, and complexity without slowing down. 

Learn how you can leverage NetSuite to support your growth.