How my passion for Notion Sparked a journey of AI-powered Transformation

What started with a simple ask to build a member portal in Notion turned into a multi-year collaboration to streamline Venwise’s entire business and build a custom AI tool…

My collaboration with Venwise started when a team member scooped me up in a Facebook group for Notion enthusiasts, where I was helping fellow users with their questions on the tool.

At that time, Venwise - a membership community for startup executives - had been forced to move their business online because of the pandemic. They faced a familiar growing pain: systems chaos. Their signature product, small peer-group "pods" led by executive coaches, had moved from in-person to virtual, but the infrastructure to support this shift hadn’t caught up. That’s where I came in.

The Challenge - When Disconnected Systems, Missing data and a lack of Processes Become A Barrier to Scaling

Venwise’s tools were disjointed, data was scattered, and workflows relied heavily on manual labor. They weren’t tracking member engagement, meeting attendance, or key takeaways—leaving valuable insights untapped. Later on they were faced with another challenge, as their long-standing community manager, who was a repository of knowledge, departed. The question wasn’t just how to clean up their systems, but how to make them richer, smarter, and scalable.

My work for them over the past three years can be split up into 4 elements:

Building a Data Foundation: I revamped their data in their membership and CRM database, adding fields and workflows to capture vital metrics like attendance and engagement. This created a clear, actionable data trail. I also implemented an AI tool that transcribed and logged all sales- and member calls.
Documenting Processes: I documented our standard procedures (SOPS), implemented a password manager and created a project management tracker in Notion, which simplified and streamlined the onboarding of new team members.
Automating Repetitive Tasks: From onboarding emails to syncing data between tools, I introduced automation using Zapier and internal automation capabilities of Airtable and Pipedrive. By eliminating repetitive tasks, I freed up their operations team to focus on what truly mattered.
Introducing AI: With a solid data foundation in place, I developed an AI chatbot using only no-code tools (Open AI assistant, Airtable, Zapier and Slack). This tool became a virtual community manager, drawing from a comprehensive knowledge base to recommend connections, track member challenges, and provide actionable insights—transforming how Venwise served its members.

The Long Term Results

The changes we implemented went beyond fixing immediate problems; they laid the groundwork for sustained success and innovation. By addressing inefficiencies and leveraging automation and AI, Venwise was able to:

Increase Efficiency: Manual processes were replaced with streamlined automations, saving countless hours.
Make Data-Driven Decisions: Clean, organized data unlocked insights that had been previously buried.
Implement Scalable Solutions: The AI assistant not only filled the void left by the departing manager but also became the foundation for a new product, offering curated 1:1 connections and personalized recommendations.

On What I Have Learned

I am very grateful to Venwise, for giving me the opportunity to jump on the AI wagon and explore its transformative potential in business operations. It reinforced how essential it is to have someone in a company who can dedicate focus and energy to these advancements. Without that, it’s far too easy to fall into business as usual—prioritizing immediate needs over long-term solutions. Implementing AI and optimizing processes require an initial investment of effort and budget, but the results are worth it: scalable systems, enhanced efficiency, and a stronger foundation for growth. I’m excited to bring these lessons to other organizations who are ready to embrace innovation.