About Steph
I don't start with AI.
I start with your business.
Hi, I'm Stephanie Zhou. Most people call me Steph. I run Steph Forward, an independent AI consulting practice in Vancouver, BC, working with small businesses on two kinds of problems. The problem comes before the tool. Not every problem needs AI. Sometimes the better answer is a feature you already have, a process change or a simpler automation. If AI isn't the right tool, I'll say so before you spend money on it.
AI Search
How your business shows up in answers from ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Perplexity.
AI Automation
Where software, automation or AI can take repetitive work off your plate, and where it shouldn't.
How I got here
Before AI consulting, I spent more than six years designing software and digital products across SaaS, fintech, education and e-commerce. Before that, I worked in architecture and urban planning, where I learned to make sense of complex systems, real constraints and plenty of moving parts.
Two examples from my product years are below. They weren't AI projects, but the work behind them is the same kind of work I bring to AI consulting: understanding how a system really works, designing around constraints and edge cases, and measuring whether the change actually helped.
SaaS admin tool redesign
Reworked a complex admin workflow across 20+ data-heavy views.
40% → 90%
Reported user satisfaction
Fintech refund flow
Redesigned a refund experience to reduce friction and failed attempts.
84% → 97%
Refund success rate
What I bring to the work
I bring more than six years of product experience to practical AI work with small businesses. You work directly with me throughout the project. I'm the one learning how your business works, doing the research and analysis, and building what we agree on. You bring the business context and make the decisions that need your judgment.
Selected AI work with small businesses
Worked with
Acupuncture & wellness clinics · Dental practices · Architecture & design studios · E-commerce · Creator businesses · and more
Built
Receipt processing · Missed call to booking · Invoice processing · Payment follow-up · Competitor price checks · Social content workflow · Lead research · and more
Let's Talk
Not sure where AI fits in your business?
Tell me what you want to improve. We'll talk through what's happening now and where to start.