With so many AI announcements landing each week, it can feel impossible to keep up. Yet the right AI tools can make a small business feel like a powerhouse. This week, two major developments promise to simplify customer service and level up business intelligence for solopreneurs: Crexendo’s partnership with OneReach.ai to bring agentic AI to its communications platform and Mastercard’s launch of the Small Business Navigator. These updates provide step‑by‑step ways for entrepreneurs to build AI agents, access premium resources and stay ahead of competitors.
Biggest AI news this week
Crexendo brings agentic AI to unified communications – On 1 October 2025, Crexendo announced a strategic partnership with OneReach.ai to integrate agentic AI into its unified communications as a service (UCaaS) platform. The deal gives Crexendo’s 300,000 corporate customers and 6 million end‑users the ability to design, train and deploy AI agents using OneReach’s GSX platform. The integration covers voice, chat, messaging and contact centre functions, so businesses can build custom agents that handle routine inquiries, route calls, schedule appointments and even upsell products. Crexendo’s leadership calls agentic AI “the new frontier of workflow automation,” noting that customers will gain enterprise‑level automation without needing to hire a developer.
The partnership highlights how agentic AI can scale across industries. Customers will be able to drag‑and‑drop prebuilt modules or create custom workflows that connect to CRM data, order systems and knowledge bases. Because OneReach’s platform adheres to strict security and privacy standards, businesses can deploy agents confidently. More details will be shared at Crexendo’s upcoming user group meeting, but businesses can already register to join the early access programme.
Mastercard launches Small Business Navigator in Canada – Mastercard is expanding its support for entrepreneurs with a new digital resource hub. According to a press release on 1 October 2025, the Small Business Navigator gathers economic trend reports, market insights, cybersecurity tips and exclusive partner offers in one place. Small businesses across Canada can access resources from partners such as Google Ads, Google Workspace, Extra360, Airalo and Salesforce. The programme aims to address the challenges that 52% of small businesses face in finding affordable tools and the 53% who struggle to locate reliable resources. The hub includes market trend reports, educational content and interactive tools to help entrepreneurs plan for growth and stay secure.
The Navigator isn’t tied to a Mastercard credit card; it’s available to any small business, whether or not they are a cardholder. Partners provide discounts and free trials of their services. For example, Google Ads credits can jump‑start advertising campaigns, Extra360 offers discounted accounting software and Airalo provides eSIM discounts for business travel. Mastercard and partners emphasise that the programme is a practical resource to help entrepreneurs compete in the digital economy.
Tools you can start using today
1. Design your own AI agent with Crexendo and OneReach.ai
- Contact Crexendo: Visit Crexendo’s website or speak to your account representative to join the agentic AI early access programme. You may need to provide your business name, number of users and use‑case ideas.
- Create an account on the GSX platform: If accepted, you’ll receive credentials to the OneReach.ai GSX platform. The interface offers drag‑and‑drop workflows and templates for common tasks like routing calls or creating chatbots.
- Design your first agent: Use prebuilt modules for voice recognition, natural language understanding and integrations. For example, create a customer service agent that answers FAQs about shipping policies and product availability.
- Train and test: Feed the agent sample dialogues and integrate it with your CRM to personalise responses. You can simulate conversations and refine the agent’s actions without writing code.
- Deploy across channels: Once satisfied, deploy the agent to your phone lines, website chat and contact centre. The system will monitor performance and suggest optimisations over time.
2. Level up your resources with Mastercard’s Small Business Navigator
- Register for the Navigator: Visit Mastercard’s Small Business Navigator website and create a free account. Provide basic information about your business to receive personalised content recommendations.
- Explore trend reports and toolkits: The platform offers reports on consumer spending, market trends and cybersecurity. Use these to inform pricing strategies, marketing plans and risk management.
- Claim partner offers: Navigate to the “Partner Offers” section to activate discounts and free trials from Google Ads, Google Workspace, Extra360 accounting, Airalo eSIMs and Salesforce CRM. Most offers apply automatically after registration.
- Join webinars and workshops: The Navigator hosts regular webinars with experts on topics like social media advertising, cloud migration and fraud prevention. These sessions are free and designed for non‑technical entrepreneurs.
3. Enhance your skills with UNO’s AI Essentials series (optional)
- Register for free: The University of New Orleans offers a three‑part online series called “AI Essentials for Small Business Owners.” Sessions cover AI fundamentals, recommended tools and content strategy. Register on the UNO website to receive Microsoft Teams links.
- Attend live or watch later: Live sessions are scheduled in October and November, but recordings will be available. This course demystifies AI and offers practical tips for integrating AI into daily operations.
What this means for your business
Agentic AI and curated resource hubs reduce barriers to entry for advanced technology. Crexendo’s partnership with OneReach.ai gives small businesses access to custom AI agents without the need for developers. This can transform customer service and sales: imagine a system that automatically responds to support tickets, schedules follow‑up calls and guides customers through purchases. Because the platform integrates with existing CRM and order systems, you can start small and scale up without disruption.
The Small Business Navigator complements this by consolidating research and partner offers into one platform. Instead of scouring the internet for reliable guides and discounts, entrepreneurs can access trusted resources curated by Mastercard. Reports on consumer trends help refine marketing strategies, while partner offers reduce the cost of adopting essential tools like accounting software or cloud services. These benefits free up time and budget for innovation.
Together, these announcements underscore a broader trend: AI and digital resources are becoming more accessible, and companies are creating ecosystems to support entrepreneurs. By engaging with these tools, solopreneurs can automate routine tasks, discover new marketing channels and make data‑driven decisions.
Actionable takeaways
- Within the next week: Sign up for the Small Business Navigator and explore at least one trend report and one partner offer. Even if you don’t need all services today, it’s useful to know what’s available.
- In the next two weeks: Reach out to Crexendo to join the agentic AI beta programme. Start by designing a simple agent that answers common customer questions or books appointments.
- By the end of the month: Implement at least one Navigator partner offer, such as setting up Google Workspace or Extra360. Track time and cost savings.
- Ongoing: Attend webinars, read new reports and iterate on your AI agent’s capabilities. Use feedback from customers and team members to refine your workflows.
Final thoughts
Crexendo’s agentic AI integration and Mastercard’s resource hub show that big‑brand technology can empower small businesses. By embracing these tools, solopreneurs can provide better customer experiences, access high‑quality data and compete with larger firms. Try out the Navigator and consider building your own AI agent – it could be the difference between staying afloat and thriving in a rapidly changing market. And remember, SoloAITool is here to help you stay informed and implement the latest AI solutions without the tech jargon.
