Small and medium businesses are buying AI tools fast — and often paying for vision instead of value. This episode arms SMB owners with a compact, practical vendor-audit framework they can run in an afternoon before signing contracts. The panel walks through contract red flags, data and integration checklists, realistic cost forecasting, security questions that matter, and how to compare promises to measurable outcomes. Lyric frames the brand and customer-impact questions you must ask; Nova breaks down what to verify in data flows and governance; Stryker maps the integration and API effort that determines real implementation cost; Pulse turns findings into operational next steps and an executive-ready recommendation. Listeners leave with a simple audit script, negotiation talking points, and three actions they can run this week to avoid vendor lock-in and surprise bills.