Annette Merriman’s Mission to Make AI Accessible for Small Businesses

Please share a brief introduction and your business:

Hi! I’m Annette Merriman. With over 20 years of leadership in Silicon Valley’s tech industry, I’ve spearheaded team deliverables and innovation across data infrastructure, language models, and compute systems. Over the past decade, I’ve specialized in foundational automation & AI infrastructure. My experience spans operations, program management, data planning, mapping, and large language models.

Now, I channel this expertise into helping Small and Medium businesses (SMBs) and Solopreneurs harness AI with clarity and confidence. My tailored process begins with a customized in-depth assessment, and concludes with personalized strategy, roadmaps, training, change management & implementation… I equip leaders with both vision and execution.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and spent most of my career in start-up teams and products inside larger companies.

Take us back to when you launched? What was your marketing strategy?

I jumped all in from the beginning. I studied the marketplace, pursued my passion for helping small and medium-sized businesses, and completed several AI and consulting certifications. I built a strong operational foundation for my business, which has enabled me to continue scaling and helping more clients.

What accomplishments are you the most proud of to date in your business?

I have created my business all on my own, learning what I needed to along the way. Now I love helping other entrepreneurs jump-start their businesses by leveraging the methodology I developed along the way.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

To join Entreprenista earlier.

When hiring, what is your go-to interview question?

Why do you want to work with me? What do you feel makes me and my company stand out to the interviewee?

What did you go before starting your own business?

20+ years in the Silicon Valley technology industry

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

My passion is helping small and medium-sized companies leverage automation and AI to remain competitive, increase revenue, and accelerate growth.

Do you have any recent wins?

Helping other solopreneurs get their businesses operationally solid and increase their leads, revenue, and clients.

What's one app on your phone that you cannot live without?

My calender

Who are your customers?

Small and medium-sized businesses in the verticals of Real Estate, Law, and non-profits.

What's your top productivity tip?

Think about and write down your top three actions every day.

What's your favorite business tool?

My customer relationship management (CRM) system

What's your approach to work-life balance?

Prioritize ruthlessly.

How do you avoid burn-out?

I love taking my dog, SABA, for walks in nature.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Keep moving forward

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