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I’ve been automating workflows since before it was cool.
Back in 1997 (before some of you were born) I was a newly separated mom taking what I thought would be a temporary bookkeeping position at a military base newspaper. The books were manual – and a mess. Fresh out of an accounting program, the inefficiencies were glaring. So I did what would become a pattern in my career: I put my head down and started fixing things.
What I didn’t know then was that this wouldn’t just be about updating some accounting processes. It was the first step in a two-decade journey of turning manual chaos into streamlined systems – first for myself, then for hundreds of other business owners.
The First Pivot: The Print Era
When an unexpected opportunity arose – the desktop publisher going on maternity leave – I jumped in despite having zero publishing experience. I still remember sitting at my kitchen table crying, convinced I’d never “get” Quark Express. Even years later in my 50’s learning Python – and crying twice during the process – I remembered that younger version of myself who thought she couldn’t master publishing software. Both times, I proved myself wrong.
After six months in publishing, I knew there was no turning back – I had fallen in love with the creative process and design. When I learned that the local real estate magazine had changed hands, I reached out to the new partners, offered my services, and was hired.
Everything about this new role fascinated me. I had the opportunity to exercise my creative genius. I taught myself to create filing systems, streamline the building process in Quark, and developed relationships with real estate companies across the province. And when the contract came up for renewal, I took a big leap – bidding against my employers and won.
Taylor Design & PrePress Inc. was born, named after my daughter who taught me more about courage than any business course ever could. Those tears at the kitchen table? They became my gateway to entrepreneurship.
Here’s where my love affair with automation really began. Picture this: three times a month, I’d drive across Nova Scotia collecting envelopes stuffed with polaroid photos and property descriptions scribbled on napkins. Remember, this was before digital was the norm. Back at the office, I’d face mountains of photos that needed scanning. The text was another nightmare – property descriptions like hen scratches written on whatever was handy, each requiring manual typesetting. It wasn’t just time-consuming; it was a recipe for errors. Each magazine took tedious, repetitive manual hours to produce. And I knew there had to be a better way.
So I built one.
Working with real estate admins to develop standardized digital submissions became the foundation for something even bigger: automated InDesign scripts that could place 100 property listings – photos and text – on a page in the blink of an eye. By solving the data input problem first, we’d unlocked the door to true automation.
Over the next 14 years, I transformed that 40-page black and white magazine into a 164-page full-color publication, plus two 80-page supplements. I offered the magazines both in print and online, reaching an even wider audience. But the real victory wasn’t in the page count – it was in the systems.
Every problem became an opportunity to automate, every challenge a chance to build a better system.
The Second Pivot: Web 2.0 Revolution
Then Web 2.0 arrived, and I saw the future coming. The print magazines that had built my business wouldn’t sustain me – or my clients – forever. So I did what any natural problem-solver would do: I learned everything I could about digital transformation.
In 2009, I launched Supernova Media, my second company. While others were just beginning to talk about Web 2.0, I was already diving deep into SEO, WordPress, and even virtual tour technology. But I found my sweet spot when I discovered the power of social media marketing.
This led to ‘Social Ignition,’ my signature program that taught hundreds of entrepreneurs how to leverage social media effectively. Being named one of Canada’s top 10 social media companies was cool, but the real reward? Watching my students transform their businesses. Many of them are still crushing it on social media today, using systems and strategies we built together years ago.
But success had a dark side, as it often does. As a solopreneur with what I’ll admit is an extreme work ethic, I burned out. Twice. It’s a familiar story to many solo business owners – working harder instead of smarter, wearing all the hats, pushing through exhaustion because that’s what entrepreneurs do, right?
The Third Pivot: The AI Revolution
Then in 2023, I tried ChatGPT for the first time.
In that moment, everything clicked. Twenty years of streamlining processes, building systems, and teaching others suddenly aligned with this new technology that could transform how we work. And I knew right away I wanted to get my hands in the “back end”.
So I signed up for a data analytics course to learn Python, SQL, Tableau, and AWS. Yes, I cried again – twice! But I also graduated top of my class with 100% in Python. Those tears at the kitchen table all those years ago? They taught me that feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path – sometimes it means you’re exactly where you need to be.
Today, they call me the ‘Gemini Queen’ and I’ve grown my LinkedIn following by 15K sharing what I learn about AI and automation. I’ve become a sought-after speaker, delivering keynotes both locally and internationally about AI implementation and automation strategies. According to Favikon, I’m ranked second in Canada for AI for women. But rankings, follower counts, and speaking engagements aren’t what drive me.
What drives me is knowing that somewhere out there, a solopreneur is sitting at their kitchen table, overwhelmed by admin tasks, wondering if there’s a better way.
The Birth of AI Advantage Consulting
There is. And after 20+ years of building systems, breaking through barriers, and yes, sometimes crying at my own kitchen table, I’m here to show them how.
I created AI Advantage Consulting because I saw a gap. While everyone talks about AI transforming business, few are showing solopreneurs how to actually implement it in practical, sustainable ways. My signature 28-day ‘Automation Genius’ program combines everything I’ve learned about automation, systems, and teaching over the past two decades.
And here is what I can tell you: automation isn’t just about efficiency – it’s about freedom. Freedom to focus on the work you love. Freedom to grow your business without burning out. Freedom to build something sustainable and meaningful.
So if you’re ready to stop drowning in administrative tasks and start focusing on the business you love, let’s talk. Your kitchen table breakthrough is waiting.
