Juntos Belize Webinar Series |The New Standard in AI Marketing
John Wagner, Founder of Acana.ai
March 11, 2026 (Transcript)
Juntos Belize launched its 2026 webinar series with a timely and practical conversation on artificial intelligence and its growing impact on small business. This first session, The New Standard in AI Marketing, featured John Wagner, founder of ACANA, who shared insights on how AI is changing the business landscape and how entrepreneurs and leaders can begin using it wisely and effectively.
The webinar opened with a brief introduction to the mission of Juntos Belize. Josh Howard reminded attendees that Juntos exists to encourage, equip, and strengthen entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community influencers in Belize through practical training, meaningful relationships, and faith-based leadership development. He connected the 2026 Juntos theme, the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), to the topic of AI by emphasizing that wise use of technology can help multiply time, effort, and resources.
After opening prayer and a few housekeeping comments, Josh introduced John Wagner and invited him to share both his personal background and professional perspective on AI. John explained that his work focuses on helping small and mid-sized businesses remove inefficiencies, unlock team capacity, and improve sales, marketing, and operations through AI and automation. He also noted that ACANA reflects a faith-informed approach to business transformation.
John began with a straightforward primer on artificial intelligence. He described AI as technology that can learn from massive amounts of information, understand human language, and generate content such as text, images, and video. For businesses, these capabilities can help automate repetitive tasks, reduce human error, improve customer service, and streamline operations. He made the point that AI gives smaller companies an opportunity to operate with the effectiveness of a much larger team, without taking on all the cost and complexity that usually comes with hiring more staff. That is the sort of leverage most business owners can appreciate, especially the kind that does not require a second pot of coffee.
He then turned to current market developments and the speed of change in AI. John explained that the field is moving at an unusually fast pace, with new models, tools, and capabilities emerging constantly. He highlighted the growing importance of “agents,” which are AI tools designed to perform tasks rather than simply answer questions. He also pointed to broader trends such as expanding AI use in healthcare, increased attention from government, and evolving conversations around licensing and intellectual property.
A key theme throughout the webinar was that businesses should not start with tools. They should start by defining the problem they need to solve. John warned that many organizations adopt generic AI tools without clearly defining what they actually need to solve. That often leads to disappointing results. Instead, he encouraged business owners to identify a specific pain point first, then look for the right tool or workflow to address it. In his view, productivity tools currently offer the best immediate return for most small businesses.
John shared several examples of practical AI tools by category. In productivity and research, he mentioned tools like Otter, Fireflies, and Perplexity. For presentations, he referenced tools such as Gamma and MagicSlides. For visuals and marketing, he discussed options like AI headshot tools, AI receptionists, and avatar-based video tools. Still, he emphasized that the real value does not come from collecting tools like a digital garage sale. It comes from applying the right tool to the right need.
One of the most useful parts of the session was John’s discussion of quick wins. First, he encouraged attendees to begin with AI features already built into the software they use every day, especially Google and Microsoft platforms. Many business owners are already paying for tools that now include AI capabilities but have not yet explored them. Second, he explained how ChatGPT and Claude “projects” can help users organize conversations, provide consistent instructions, and produce more useful responses over time.
He gave examples of how projects can be used in both faith-based and business settings. For personal study, a user can create a project with instructions to rely on trusted biblical sources and provide citations. For business, a company can upload internal documents such as HR manuals, onboarding materials, or sales information so employees can ask questions and get fast, consistent answers. This can reduce the burden on managers while improving access to information across the team.
The conversation also touched on common concerns about AI. Attendees asked about energy use, environmental impact, and frustration with early AI customer service experiences. John acknowledged that AI infrastructure requires significant power and water, especially through large data centers, and that many current tools are still immature. He described the technology as being in an early stage and encouraged leaders to set realistic expectations. His advice was to focus less on hype and more on practical application.
Another thoughtful part of the discussion centered on guardrails. Josh raised the question of how businesses, especially those operating from a biblical worldview, should think about responsible AI use. John strongly recommended that organizations establish clear policies for how AI should and should not be used, especially when client work, internal documentation, or sensitive information is involved. He noted that business-grade AI tools can offer more control, but policy and leadership judgment still matter. Technology may be getting smarter, but that does not excuse the rest of us from doing the same.
The webinar concluded with thanks to John Wagner for sharing his expertise and practical perspective. Attendees were informed that transcript and presentation materials would be made available, and John invited anyone interested in learning more to contact him directly.
Key takeaways from the session were clear. AI is moving quickly. Small businesses do not need to master everything at once. They do need to start thinking carefully about how these tools can help solve real problems, improve productivity, and create more capacity for meaningful work. Used wisely, AI can become a practical tool for stewardship, service, and growth.
Looking ahead, Juntos Belize will continue this webinar series in the coming months with additional topics designed to strengthen entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community influencers across Belize. We encourage you to watch for details about the next session and join us as we continue learning together.
Contact information: john@acana.ai ✉
