Are you spending too much—or too little—on technology in your business? In this episode of Stimulus Tech Talk, host Sherry Lipp sits down with CEO Nathan Whittacre to talk about smart technology budgeting strategies that help small and medium-sized businesses avoid costly mistakes, plan for the future, and cut through subscription clutter.

From creating a realistic tech budget to deciding between in-house IT or managed services, this episode dives deep into what it really takes to optimize your tech spend. They also touch on shadow IT, overlapping tools, and how AI can help automate and streamline operations—plus a fun pancake detour at the beginning!

🔧 Whether you're managing 5 employees or scaling fast, this episode is packed with practical advice to improve your bottom line.

Learn more about Stimulus Technologies: https://www.stimulustech.com/

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Intro & Pancakes: Why “Technology Stack” Made Us Hungry

• 02:30 – Why Every Business Needs a Tech Budget

• 04:46 – Emergency Spending vs. Proactive Planning

• 06:44 – Budgeting for Better Decisions

• 08:01 – How Often Should You Audit Your Tech Stack?

• 10:34 – Common Overspending: Subscription Creep

• 14:19 – Must-Haves vs. Nice-to-Haves: Prioritizing Smartly

• 17:10 – Managed IT vs. Hiring In-House: Real Costs Revealed

• 18:50 – Shadow IT and Redundant Tools

• 20:20 – Are You Underutilizing Your IT Services?

• 21:56 – AI and Automation: Streamlining Operations

• 23:46 – Copilot Studio and Smart Automation for Small Business

• 24:55 – Wrap-Up and Pancake Plans