Pie raises $19.5M to keep small businesses visible in AI search - TNW

Your competitors aren't just showing up on Google anymore. They're showing up when someone asks ChatGPT "best [your service] near me." You don't have to be a tech wizard to see why that matters. A c

Your competitors aren't just showing up on Google anymore. They're showing up when someone asks ChatGPT "best [your service] near me."

You don't have to be a tech wizard to see why that matters.

A company just raised $19.5M to solve one specific problem for small businesses — getting found when AI tools answer customer questions. Not some bloated enterprise platform. A focused solution for the business owner who just wants customers to show up.

That's actually the lesson hiding in this news. The AI tools worth your attention aren't trying to transform everything. They solve one real problem your business already has — like missing calls or being invisible in search.

The mistake most business owners made wasn't buying AI. It was buying AI that didn't connect to an actual gap. The $200/month tool nobody uses? It probably solved a problem nobody on your team actually felt.

Start here: Write down the single most repetitive customer touchpoint you lose leads at — missed calls, slow responses, getting found locally. That's your first AI target. One problem, one tool, measurable results within 30 days.

No overhaul required.

What's the one customer touchpoint you know is costing you business right now — but you haven't had time to fix?

#SmallBusiness #AIStrategy #LocalBusiness #BusinessGrowth

Original Source

Pie has raised $19.5M led by Lightspeed to help small businesses get found on ChatGPT, Google Maps, and Yelp, and to answer their phones with AI.