Digital transformation for SMEs: AI, cloud, and technology strategy

Over the past two decades, the corporate market has witnessed an unprecedented metamorphosis. IT, which historically occupied the "dark room in the basement" next to data centers and was seen by management as a mere "necessary evil," has risen to the top of the board-level. However, this rapid transition has brought a dangerous paradox for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): the illusion that simply acquiring technology is synonymous with modernization and growth.

In a revealing chat on the Elas em Tech, promoted by Skyone and presented by Thais Rui Cano, guest Camila Santos, Founder and CEO of YLA Tech, an executive with over 23 years of technical and corporate experience (including stints at multinationals such as BASF, Itaú, and Ingersoll Rand), diagnosed the root of this trap in the contemporary market.

“It’s not a lack of technology. Technology is abundant, and you can do anything with it. The main bottlenecks are defining the pain points: what do I want to solve, what result do I want to achieve, and then building the technology.” — Thaís Rui Cano, Commercial Planning Director at Skyone

Expanding on this analysis, Camila emphasizes that current society lives in the "age of superficiality," where managers seek off-the-shelf solutions or current fads, such as Generative Artificial Intelligence, without conducting a deep dive into operational processes and bottlenecks. The result is a convection of expensive projects, team frustration, and a silent accumulation of invisible costs in the organizations' coffers.

1. The invisible cost of technological disruptions in SMEs

When technology is treated reactively and without alignment with business objectives, the company begins to operate in the face of technological uncertainty. In SMEs, a segment that represents the true lever and support of Brazil's GDP, decision-makers are often submerged in daily operations, unable to view the organization in perspective.

The invisible cost of this operational blindness manifests itself in two critical areas:

1. Operational inefficiency and margin loss: manual processes, data duplication between ERP and spreadsheets, and bottlenecks in the Lead-to-Cash consume profitability before the finance department even realizes it.
2. Cyber ​​vulnerability and physical risk: local servers running "under desks" or in rooms without thermal and access control, lacking rigorous backup routines or Zero Trust architecture.

Reactivity is costly. Camila recounts experiencing crises in the corporate world where companies suffered serious cyberattacks and had to run entire factories using manual Excel spreadsheets for 15 consecutive days. The direct loss from keeping an operation shut down for two weeks far outweighs any investment that would have been necessary to structure a secure, managed, and contingency-based cloud architecture.

2. Demystifying AI: Why does your house need to be tidy first?

With the global boom in Generative Artificial Intelligence, there is a frantic race for automation. However, applying AI to disorganized processes and fragmented databases results in a single consequence: the accelerated automation of inefficiency.

For an AI or Machine Learning project to deliver measurable ROI (Return on Investment) and Payback, the company needs to complete a data maturity journey. As reinforced by the Skyone Studio (an integrated platform for iPaaS, Lakehouse, and AI Agents), the reasoning ability of a predictive model depends exclusively on the quality and unification of its corporate data.

The architecture of data governance for SMEs

Beyond internal efficiency, new regulatory and compliance demands reinforce the urgency of data intelligence. Camila highlights imminent transformations such as the Tax Reform (and the impact of Split Payment on operations) and the psychosocial health requirements of NR-1. To meet these standards without inflating the administrative structure, YLA Tech developed productized solutions based on Skyone Studio, enabling anonymous, encrypted diagnoses with AI-driven action plans.

3. The “Individual Contributor” Revolution and Modernization Without Inertia

Another striking phenomenon discussed in the episode is the emergence of the Individual Contributor (Individual Technology Contributor). Driven by No-Code, Low-Code tools and AI agents, this new type of professional or entrepreneur can build complete solutions, from CRM and ERP architectures to marketing automation, without the historical need for large software teams.

Presenter Thaís Rui Cano illustrated this impact by citing a personal case: her husband, a business executive without a technical background in programming, structured his company's digital operation from start to finish—from lead generation to invoice issuance—integrating intelligent tools. This autonomy reduces time-to-marketand puts SMEs on an equal footing with large corporations.

AI-ready cloud: accelerating legacy without risk

For established companies with heavy legacy systems (client-server applications or monolithic ERPs), the dilemma used to be painful: rewrite millions of lines of code or remain stagnant. Skyone Autosky technology solves this bottleneck through "Code-Free Migration" .

• Universal and secure access: transforms any on-premises ERP system into a web application accessible via browser, encrypted and under a Zero Trust architecture.
• Risk mitigation in M&A: In Tech Due Diligence processes , poor physical infrastructure lowers a company's valuation or makes the sale unfeasible. The cloud ensures instant compliance.
• Budget predictability: cost model in local currency and per user, eliminating the exchange rate surprises of traditional cloud providers (FinOps).

4. Intentional leadership, gender equality, and the end of the meritocracy myth

Beyond the strictly technical aspects, Camila's trajectory offers valuable lessons on management, resilience, and career development in technology. In a predominantly male ecosystem—such as the mining, infrastructure, and heavy systems sectors—asserting authority requires more than technical excellence: it demands intentionality and political intelligence.

When discussing the challenges of professional growth, Camila cites the book " How Women Rise " by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith, highlighting the importance of identifying limiting behaviors—such as excessive perfectionism, hesitation in building diplomatic networks of influence, and a lack of sponsors (internal sponsors who advocate for your name in closed-door strategic meetings).

Leadership in practice: building inclusive environments

When Camila decided to transition from the top of her corporate career to entrepreneurship with the founding of YLA Tech, she transformed her values ​​into operational guidelines. Today, her technology team is predominantly female, including in hands-on, proving that gender equality in technology is perfectly viable when there is intentionality in the hiring and training of talent.

3 executive tips for career and leadership by Camila Santos, Founder & CEO of YLA Tech:

1. Build genuine sponsors: Develop trusting relationships with leaders who support and endorse your promotion when you're not in the room.
2. Assess the intangible asset: your work doesn't just pay your salary in money. Constantly evaluate the learning, experience, and strategic knowledge you are accumulating in that role.
3. Practice genuine sisterhood: authentically support other women. Strengthening the female tech ecosystem eliminates sterile disputes and expands leadership opportunities for all.

Conclusion: The path to digital maturity

A company's digital transformation is not just about the software it contracts or the AI ​​model it uses. It is the result of the harmonious convergence of in-depth business diagnosis, resilient cloud infrastructure, rigorous data governance , and intentional leadership.

Whether through business models like CIO/CTO as a Service for SMEs, or the modernization of cloud-based ERPs with Skyone Autosky and Skyone Studio, the key to success lies in stopping the constant putting out of operational fires and starting to use technology as the true strategic lever for generating cash and ensuring brand longevity.

Want to delve deeper into this conversation and hear the full content?

Listen to the full episode of the Elas em Tech with Thaís Rui Cano and Camila Santos on Spotify to absorb all the insights on technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership!

Written by Skyone