Small businesses are undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Instead of hiring more people to manage growth, companies are increasingly relying on software ecosystems to do the work that once required entire teams. According to the 2025 State of SaaS Report, the average business now runs on 106 different applications . Marketing automation, payroll, inventory management, analytics, customer service, fulfillment, and compliance are no longer handled by additional employees but by specialized tools plugged into a broader digital stack. This shift is not just about efficiency. It represents a fundamental change in how modern businesses scale, allocate capital, and manage risk. From Payroll to Platforms In the past, business growth followed a predictable pattern. More customers meant more staff. More complexity meant more managers. Today, that model is being replaced by platforms. If there is an operational gap, there is almost always an app designed to fill it. Email campaigns are...