In this insightful episode of The OhanaPreneur Show, host Sharon Otaguro welcomes her long-time friend and business partner Mary Nunaley—co-founder of Lavender Dragon Team and a seven-figure instructional designer—to talk about AI leadership. Together, they explore how entrepreneurs can leverage artificial intelligence while preserving team culture, trust, and quality. Mary shares her journey from corporate life to co-creating award-winning learning tools with her son, her shift into AI consulting, and how she's helping businesses build practical, human-centric AI strategies. Whether you're new to AI or trying to figure out how to roll it out to your team, this episode offers real-world insights and tested tips to help you lead with clarity, not chaos.
Start with Strategy, Not Tools
Don’t jump on AI trends blindly. Begin by asking: Why am I implementing AI? and What outcome am I expecting?
Protect Confidentiality
AI thrives on data. Leaders must gatekeep sensitive information, especially in fields like law, healthcare, and finance. Consider closed systems for private data use.
Reduce Fear Through Inclusion
Employees often fear job loss due to AI. Involve them early—let them test tools, provide feedback, and see the benefits firsthand.
Fact-Check Everything
AI “hallucinates.” Build a process to verify outputs. Especially in client-facing content, unchecked data can erode trust quickly.
Visit Mary at: https://lavenderdragonteam.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-nunaley/