Dec. 28, 2025

Embracing AI as Your Creative Partner with T. Renee Smith

Embracing AI as Your Creative Partner with T. Renee Smith

The fear of AI taking over jobs has dominated headlines, but what if we're missing the opportunity to harness this technology as a powerful ally? In this enlightening conversation, T. Renee Smith reveals how artificial intelligence became her unexpected partner in navigating the challenges of raising a neurodiverse child and eventually led to her book, "She Leads with AI." Whether you're an instructional designer, educator, entrepreneur, or simply curious about integrating AI into your life ...

The fear of AI taking over jobs has dominated headlines, but what if we're missing the opportunity to harness this technology as a powerful ally? In this enlightening conversation, T. Renee Smith reveals how artificial intelligence became her unexpected partner in navigating the challenges of raising a neurodiverse child and eventually led to her book, "She Leads with AI."

Whether you're an instructional designer, educator, entrepreneur, or simply curious about integrating AI into your life with confidence and purpose, this episode delivers practical strategies wrapped in genuine warmth and wisdom. Press play to discover how to make technology work for you while staying true to your values, passion, and purpose.

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00:00 - Meet T Renee Smith

09:41 - From Fear to Embracing AI

18:56 - AI for Inclusive Learning Design

25:34 - Work-Life Harmony, Not Balance

38:49 - Passion in Instructional Design

45:03 - Following Your Path with Purpose

WEBVTT

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Hello and welcome to the Designing with Love podcast.

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I am your host, Jackie Pelegrin, where my goal is to bring you information, tips, and tricks as an instructional designer.

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Hello instructional designers and educators, welcome to episode 76 of the Designing with Love podcast.

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I'm thrilled to have T Renee Smith, an author, instructional designer, and the founder and CEO of iSuccess Consulting, with me today.

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Welcome, T.

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Renee.

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Hello Jackie.

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Thank you for having me.

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I'm excited.

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Yes, me too.

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I'm so glad we got connected.

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It's an honor to have you on the podcast because you've done so many wonderful things, so I'm excited to dig in and get to know you a little bit more and have my audience get to know you as well.

00:00:46.652 --> 00:00:48.213
So it's great, yes, well, let's do it?

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Yes.

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So to start, can you share a little bit about your journey and what inspired you to launch your consulting firm and write your book?

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She Leads With AI.

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So actually I say that I came out the womb being an entrepreneur because my parents tell me that I always like to tell everybody what to do, and so my journey started off when I was interning, when I was in college, and I realized that I was walking in AT&T and Coca-Cola at the time and trying to tell them what they wanted to do, what I wanted them to do, and so I knew at that time that I really was not a good employee, and so that started my journey, and so I started my first time that I really was not a good employee, and so that started my journey, and so I started my first company when I was 19.

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And I really just love problem solving and love figuring out how things work, and so that was really the start of the consulting business.

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And then, as far as the book, jackie and I know that we're going to get into it it's called she Leads with AI, and you know how most of the time you don't even start to write a book.

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You really just start researching and deep diving for yourself, and then a book comes out, and so for with me, my son is neurodiverse and so I was sitting in an IEP meeting one time and I was frustrated, I was confused, I didn't know what they were talking about and I said I need to go and get help.

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And so my help came in the form of AI, and I started actually just inputting information, and that is where my love for AI began, and then that's really where the book came from and as your need for what you were looking for for your son, that evolved into what became the book.

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I love that, and so you're able to help other women through this project that you started, and it's become a journey for you.

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I love that.

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It is.

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And what's so funny is, when I first started hearing about AI, I think I had a little fear, like everybody else did.

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They're like AI is going to take your jobs and people are going to be married to robots, that you know just all of these crazy headlines and so I said, well, let me just pull back the layers a little bit, because I'm a the glass is half full kind of person.

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So I'm like, well, let me find the positive in it.

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And so when I started deep diving, I realized like you could use AI in every area of your life as a wife, as a mom, in your marriage and so I said I have to share this with other women.

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Wow I love that that's great.

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I've been able to utilize AI myself.

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That makes me think of this podcast.

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It started as me doing all the heavy lifting, all the work and all the research and I'm like, oh, I'm spending a lot of time.

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I don't think I can do this podcast anymore, with working full time and teaching on top of it.

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So I was actually thinking of giving it up and just abandoning the podcast.

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And then, when AI started.

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No, jackie, not abandoning the podcast.

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I know, don't abandon it Right, especially when it has such a unique name.

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Someone said yesterday to me where did the name come from?

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So I was like but there was this fire that was lit inside me, kind of like with you where you're like let's see what I can do with this technology and see how I can utilize it.

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And I kept working with it and seeing how can I integrate it into what I'm doing, to my teaching and to my daily work, and we use it at work every day.

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And then all of a sudden, I thought, wow, I have all this great content.

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And then an idea popped up from the Buzzsprout who's the provider of my podcast?

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They host my podcast and they had ways to monetize your podcast and one of it was to write a book.

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And I thought, wow, this is great.

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I already have most of the content, it's just I just need to put it in book form, right.

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So now two you know, two weeks later I have.

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Well, it happened over the course.

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It started in August, but I've just kind of refined it and worked with AI, but in no time I have 20 chapters of a book ready to go, pretty much you know.

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So I love it.

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And so let me ask you this question, because a lot of people this is what I get they're like well, I don't want to use AI because I feel like I'm cheating, and I have my answer for that.

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But, jackie, what is your answer?

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Did you feel like you were using AI, that you were cheating and writing the book, or did you feel like it was like your assistant, your writing assistant or your editor?

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How'd you feel?

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Yes, I did.

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I felt like it was the latter.

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It was my writing assistant, something that could come alongside me, kind of like my digital yeah, my editor too.

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Because what I did was the other day I was looking at the chapters and how I had them segmented out.

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Because what it is is it's based on one of my most popular podcast episodes, which is the top 10 ID models and theories, and, as you know, the models are only as great as if you can use them.

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Learning them is wonderful, but putting them into practice is another thing altogether.

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So that's where the idea for the book came from.

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But then it expanded and I was like, oh, you know what I need to include this model or this theory, and so it just expanded.

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But then I, as I was looking at my chapters again, I was like, you know, I wonder if I could rearrange them, because I wanted to go from simple to complex and make it to be in order and make sense, and so I took all my chapters from my proposal, stuck it into AI and I said, hey, can you give me some suggestions on if these chapters are in a good order?

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If there's anything I should switch around, and any way I can make improvements to make it more digestible for my readers.

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And so it said, yeah, why don't you chunk it and put it into parts?

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And so he goes 20 chapters is a lot.

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I'm like, yeah, that's, that's true, it is a lot.

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So it gave me ideas on how to create parts and then put chapters into those parts.

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And then I it helped me rearrange them, and once I did that, I was like, oh my gosh, this is even better.

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I love it.

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So, yeah, that's a good example of how AI can really take what you have and make it even better for your learners or for your readers.

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So it's great.

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Yeah, I love it, and the reason why I asked you that is because it's so important as instructional designers or teachers or coaches.

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Because it really is, ai leverages what you give it, the information that you give it.

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So, jackie, because you gave it great content and great information, it was able to take it and rearrange it and make it even better.

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So a lot of people like I feel like I'm cheating and so I say now when you get in a car and you use the technology of driving a car, is that cheating?

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Because you could walk and you could ride a horse, so you have to just look at it.

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Or when you use a oven or a stove, do you feel like you're cheating?

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No, you use the technology and it enhances what you have or what you give it.

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So I think that that's just really important for instructional designers because it enhances.

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Like you put in great stuff and then it gives you back even greater stuff.

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Like you put in stuff that's not good.

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You're going to get back stuff that's not good.

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All right, oh, so true.

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Wow, I love that.

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That's great.

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And so that's where your book kind of goes into that right Of how we can have that and so, kind of building on that idea, your book shows how AI can help leaders save time and energy while staying authentic.

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I think that's so important, that authenticity.

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We don't want to lose that.

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So for women like ourselves sometimes, where we can feel overwhelmed by technology, what's the first step you suggest to use AI with confidence?

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So the very first thing that I say is you have to shift your mindset, because a lot of people they have like a love, not love I don't say hate like a love, it's your secret weapon and it really can assist you in being able to delegate tasks that you don't have to do.

00:08:30.810 --> 00:08:44.142
So even like you said, jackie, like taking some of that heavy lifting with a podcast, the research and the podcast notes or whatever it is that you're doing, and it allows you to be able to hone your craft and focus in on your craft.

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So I think the very first thing is a mindset shift to understand that it is a tool that can really be able to use to help you in every area of your life.

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So that's number one.

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And then, after you have the mindset shift, number two is really developing a strategy, because if you go online and you research AI tools, it is going to be overwhelming, and so what I tell people is choose one thing like start off simple so that you won't get overwhelmed and quit, overwhelmed and quit.

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What is one thing that you could use the most support in your life with right now, and whatever that is, then let's figure out how AI can help you do it.

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So for me, in the example that I was saying earlier, like how it really drove me, or what really drove me into AI was I was really needing support with my neurodiverse son and figuring out how to teach him.

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So, like my instructional designer brain, you know, kicked in like how can I really help the teachers develop curriculum that he was able to assess?

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So that was my biggest need at the time and I learned how to use AI for it.

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Like for some people, it may be marriage.

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They may be like oh my gosh, I cannot communicate with this man, okay.

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And so one of your biggest things, then would be let's understand how we can use AI as a marriage coach to really help you to be able to communicate differently, identify what some of the challenges are or, if somebody's having a health issue or a health crisis, using AI as a health coach.

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So, number one, do your mindset shift and understanding that AI is a tool to help you You're not cheating.

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And then number two is developing a strategy of just one thing that you can use AI for.

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Wow, that's great.

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So you can utilize it not only as an assistant, but as a coach and a mentor, a digital mentor, and, like you said, it doesn't replace our expertise and our human touch at all.

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It doesn't, because what a lot of people don't understand is that you really have to program AI and you really have to develop a relationship with it.

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So the more that you tell it about yourself, the more that you train it on whatever issue that you're having.

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I remember when my mother was sick during the pandemic, the doctors, they were giving me information that I had absolutely no idea what it meant, but I went in and I trained AI on what her diagnosis was and what was going on, and it actually served as a health coach to me, so I would know what kind of questions to ask.

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So you can use it.

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If you're looking to build generational wealth, it could be a financial advisor, right.

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So you can really use it in any area.

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Like I was talking to my girlfriend earlier this week, her son plays basketball.

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She recorded him playing basketball and she uploaded the video to AI and she said I need you to serve as a sports trainer and I need you to tell me the fundamentals that my son needs to work on and give him a workout plan.

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And it did that so you really can use it in every area of your life did that so you really can use it in every area of your life.

00:11:47.623 --> 00:11:59.303
That's so great, yeah, and I love how you brought up how we need to work with the AI and build that relationship, because that's something I've been doing too, with the podcast and the book, and so now ChatGPT even with the free version, it does a really good job.

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I mean, you have limits per day, but it's really great because it's actually learned my style of writing.

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And it's learned what my podcast is about and who my audience is, and so it's really great.

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So I use it for my scripts to help myself, you know, build my questions to have good lead in.

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So everything flows and, and I ask it to kind of take my initial questions and then build upon that or my, my solo episodes, and I'm like, yeah, here's some ideas, but can you help me kind of refine them?

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And it does a great job of kind of bringing out some things that I wouldn't have thought of.

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So it's great.

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I love it.

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It is, and I'm gonna tell you two little tricks.

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Number one is with the AI tool that you're using.

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It could be chat, gpt, quad, complexity.

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Whatever tool you're using, you actually can go in in the settings and you can program and give it information about yourself, your business, your podcast or whatever.

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So it saves it in memory and then, when you're actually doing chats, you can save the different chats in memory.

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But one of the biggest things that AI does is it teaches you how to teach it.

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So you could actually just put a prompt in there and say, hey, I am new to AI or I need to train you on my voice, my style, my instructional design method.

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What questions do you need for me to answer in order for you to understand my voice?

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And so what it'll do is it'll give you a list of questions, you answer those questions and then you'll tell it okay, now summarize back and tell me what my voice is, what my target audience is, et cetera, and it'll do that.

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And if you need to make any changes or corrections, then you can make those changes and corrections.

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But you can literally use AI to train you on how to train it.

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It's an amazing thing.

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So you don't have to know how to do it.

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You can just sit down and ask whatever question that you need, and then it'll coach you through how to train it.

00:13:55.609 --> 00:13:56.552
So that's amazing.

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Right, because it's never.

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You put in a prompt once and you get the result and that's it and you walk away.

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It's always refining and working with it.

00:14:05.725 --> 00:14:07.710
Yeah, that's important.

00:14:07.710 --> 00:14:12.287
I love that idea of putting those questions in what do you need me to answer for you?

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To help you get to know my voice and what my business is and my target audience.

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I love that.

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I should have done that at the beginning.

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You can use it for anything.

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You can say hey, I'm looking to write a book about blah blah, blah, blah blah.

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What questions do you need to ask me in order to do the research?

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Give me an outline and it does the work for you.

00:14:34.192 --> 00:14:43.222
Wow, that's great, because I was even thinking with my book I could even, down the road, do supplemental resources and do workbooks and things like that, and I had thought about it.

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But then, as I was working with AI and refining all my chapters and stuff and it actually I even asked.

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I was like, okay, so now I want to go to publishers and I'm not sure which publishers would be good for my type of book and what are some things you can suggest.

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And so it's a well, you should have a proposal and write a proposal.

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I'm like, oh great, that's wonderful.

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What are the things that I should include in my proposal?

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And it even gave me suggestions on publishers that would be a good fit for my book.

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So I was like, wow, because I could self-publish and that would be good.

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But then I thought, do I have time for all the marketing?

00:15:17.307 --> 00:15:20.741
I don't know, maybe, maybe not, but who knows?

00:15:20.741 --> 00:15:23.769
I mean, maybe I could go with a hybrid publisher and do that.

00:15:23.769 --> 00:15:27.408
So it's interesting, it's adventure, because I've never done this before.

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So, having that digital assistant kind of guide me along the way, I'm like, oh, okay, it doesn't feel as intimidating.

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Now I think I can do it.

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So it just goes to show that if you're not intimidated by it but you take it as an opportunity to learn and grow, then you can really much pretty much do anything right.

00:15:46.272 --> 00:15:47.732
Tna yes.

00:15:48.374 --> 00:16:01.745
Jackie, all you have to do is show up and put your hands on the computer, and actually you don't even have to do that because most I mean all the AIs have voice enabled so you can just talk to it, and so people don't understand how simple it is.

00:16:01.745 --> 00:16:22.783
I'll be driving, jackie, and I'll get to wherever my destination is, and I have an idea and I will talk into AI and I will say this is the client that I'm working with, this is the kind of proposal that I need, this is what they need drafted for me, and so I'll go into my meeting and do something and AI is doing the work while I am in a meeting.

00:16:23.585 --> 00:16:27.769
And AI is doing the work while I am in a meeting Wow, that's great, yeah.

00:16:27.769 --> 00:16:30.630
And do you utilize it with your employees on your teams as well?

00:16:30.630 --> 00:16:32.072
Like in your business?

00:16:32.072 --> 00:16:38.317
Do you allow them to be able to utilize these models and figure out how they can be more efficient?

00:16:38.376 --> 00:16:42.219
right Like, work smarter, not harder as we like to say, yes, yes, yes.

00:16:42.219 --> 00:16:44.808
So we actually have an AI first policy.

00:16:44.808 --> 00:16:47.784
As we like to say, jackie, yes, yes, yes, so we actually have an AI first policy.

00:16:47.784 --> 00:17:07.919
And what that simply means is we want to figure out how to utilize AI to simplify our processes, our workflows, et cetera, and so we've done trainings with our team on the different AI, and then we've had AI to come up with standard operating procedures for all of the different tasks that we're doing up with standard operating procedures for, like, all of the different tasks that we're doing.

00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:14.692
So we encourage it, and we encourage it for fun things, for personal things, as well as for work things, and a lot of times we'll develop trainings.

00:17:14.692 --> 00:17:21.835
And so let's just say, we're on a topic with your listeners that want to learn how to use AI in instructional design.

00:17:21.835 --> 00:17:25.271
We teach our staff how to go into AI and say, hey, I really need to learn how to use AI for instructional design.

00:17:25.271 --> 00:17:30.111
We teach our staff how to go into AI and say, hey, I really need to learn how to use AI for instructional designing.

00:17:30.111 --> 00:17:43.233
I need for you to create me a step-by-step training on all the different things that I need to learn, and so AI would actually come up with a training personalized for you and what you need, and so it is an amazing thing.

00:18:21.629 --> 00:18:22.270
That's wonderful.

00:18:22.270 --> 00:18:22.930
I love that.

00:18:22.930 --> 00:18:33.837
So you talked a little bit earlier about your son being neurodiversive, and I've spoken with other guests that have worked with neurodiversive learners or they have a child that's neurodiversive.

00:18:33.837 --> 00:18:47.505
So, speaking of supporting others in that way, you spent over 25 years creating learning programs and now you're using AI to build curriculums for small businesses and teachers of neurodiverse students.

00:18:47.505 --> 00:18:50.907
So how is AI changing the way we design inclusive learning, do you think?

00:18:51.649 --> 00:19:11.520
So I think the amazing thing about AI and learning within seconds you can actually modify and customize learning for each type of student, and so if you were looking to do this manually or by hand, do you know how long that would take you as far as lesson plans?

00:19:11.520 --> 00:19:25.113
And so one thing that we do is we develop and this is what I did with my son and this is what I do with schools and organizations that we're helping with as far as incorporating AI into an inclusive learning environment.

00:19:25.113 --> 00:19:30.157
We have profiles of the kids, and so we have what do they like?

00:19:30.157 --> 00:19:33.165
What is their learning style?

00:19:33.165 --> 00:19:35.452
What level of learning are they at?

00:19:35.452 --> 00:19:40.209
What do they really enjoy doing, so that we can develop interest-based learning?

00:19:40.209 --> 00:19:49.138
So, instead of just pushing information to them, attempting to get them to learn it, we find stuff that they're very interested in, that they will identify with.

00:19:49.138 --> 00:19:56.659
So let's just say we're doing math, and a student really loves basketball, they really love swimming, so it's just sports.

00:19:56.659 --> 00:20:14.590
When we're teaching them about word problems because sometimes you have issues with reading comprehension we develop all of our lessons and our learning around what it is that they enjoy doing, so if you're able to talk to them about what they enjoy doing how they like doing it.

00:20:14.590 --> 00:20:18.137
They are really connected and engaged with the learning.

00:20:18.499 --> 00:20:25.839
And so for a teacher, if they have a class of 15 or 25 students, it's very difficult to customize it.

00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:36.173
But what we'll do is we take the learning profile one time to do it, we'll upload it to AI and then AI can develop the customized curriculum for whatever subject.

00:20:36.173 --> 00:20:43.173
It is based on the learning path, I mean their interests and what learning level they're at.

00:20:43.173 --> 00:20:52.832
And so you may have somebody that is at a, let's say, a seventh grade level, somebody that has a third grade level, somebody at a fifth grade level, all in one class.

00:20:52.832 --> 00:21:00.442
And so if you, as a teacher, are trying to individually work with each one of those levels, it may be a little different but it's difficult.

00:21:00.442 --> 00:21:04.455
But if you have curriculum customized, it makes it very easy to do.

00:21:04.475 --> 00:21:07.022
Wow, that's great that you know.

00:21:07.022 --> 00:21:32.809
That kind of reminds me of when we create learner personas as instructional designers right, and being able to understand the learners and creating that customized learning for them and those specialized learning paths right Is what it really is doing for them, right, and meeting them where they're at and what they need so that they can thrive as students and later on in life too, because that's so important.

00:21:32.809 --> 00:21:41.035
Because we don't address it at the time of need, then they're not gonna get what they need then and they're not gonna get what they need later on and they're gonna fall behind.

00:21:41.035 --> 00:21:45.915
So and that can be such a tragedy, right, we don't want that for our kids.

00:21:45.935 --> 00:21:57.654
It is, and you know, jackie, especially the gap I think has just widened, especially since you know the pandemic happened and you know kids were out of school and virtual school and it has widened.

00:21:57.654 --> 00:22:26.822
And so one of the things, too, that we've done with AI is you know that they have the different assessments, whether it's iRadial, whatever the assessment is, you can upload the assessment into AI and say this is the assessment, really help me to identify where the gaps are in the skills, like the foundational skills, and then develop me a program where we can close those gaps and we can help to get them back on grade level.

00:22:26.822 --> 00:22:35.003
So you really have a personal education assistant that is going in and figuring out how to customize the learning.

00:22:35.003 --> 00:22:59.178
But one thing that I want to say, and so it's for anybody that's writing a book or using any kind of sensitive information In AI you want to go into the security settings and you want to turn off what is selected for use my information to train the model, and so when you turn that off, then the information that you're putting in there, it stays within your AI.

00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:00.982
So a lot of times people don't know.

00:23:00.982 --> 00:23:05.856
So they're putting all proprietary information into the AI system.

00:23:05.856 --> 00:23:11.223
And so what the system is doing, if that button is still on, is taking it and it's training the model.

00:23:12.204 --> 00:23:18.021
Wow, that's important, especially when it comes to ethical considerations and all of that.

00:23:18.021 --> 00:23:34.618
Wow, that's great to know because the organization I work for we're an educational service provider and we provide services for institutions like Grand Canyon University, which is one of the largest Christian universities, so they were facing this dilemma too.

00:23:34.618 --> 00:23:39.778
They're like we don't want to violate FERPA, we don't want to violate HIPAA, any of those things.

00:23:39.778 --> 00:23:44.661
Right, we've got to make sure we're staying consistent with ethical and privacy with that.

00:23:44.661 --> 00:23:49.855
So they ended up creating a closed system model for AI, and so it's really great.

00:23:49.855 --> 00:23:55.355
And they've actually got different chatbots which are really great for the students.

00:23:55.355 --> 00:24:03.408
So they have one called Mira for the science students, they've got one called Isaac for the math students and they're coming up with one for counseling.

00:24:03.408 --> 00:24:04.552
I don't know what they're going to call it.

00:24:04.552 --> 00:24:09.596
It'll be interesting to see what they end up calling it, but they're going to have one for counseling and doctoral students.

00:24:09.596 --> 00:24:11.135
So it's really great.

00:24:11.135 --> 00:24:12.814
It's expanding and growing.

00:24:12.814 --> 00:24:14.178
I love it.

00:24:14.299 --> 00:24:14.620
I love it.

00:24:14.620 --> 00:24:20.711
So that's why I just want to tell Jackie, because now, after this episode, everybody's going to be going using AI, so we just want to make sure.

00:24:20.711 --> 00:24:28.644
All right and the security setting off, so you're not looking one day and you see somebody with your information.

00:24:29.183 --> 00:24:30.025
Right, exactly.

00:24:30.025 --> 00:24:33.701
Because then, all of a sudden, you're like wait a minute, why did somebody get in my account?

00:24:33.701 --> 00:24:36.453
They didn't have my account.

00:24:36.453 --> 00:24:39.619
Yeah, exactly Right, that is so true.

00:24:39.619 --> 00:24:41.043
Yeah, yeah.

00:24:41.043 --> 00:24:43.658
I love that perspective and being able to have that.

00:24:43.658 --> 00:24:48.775
So you also help women grow their businesses while maintaining balance, which I think is so important.

00:24:48.775 --> 00:24:54.275
So what strategy that leaders can use right away to scale without losing peace or purpose?

00:24:55.038 --> 00:25:09.038
Well, the first thing I would say is understand that balance does not exist, and when I say balance does not exist, I think about it from the standpoint of you are juggling something in both of your hands.

00:25:09.038 --> 00:25:24.649
Eventually, your hand is going to get tired right, and so what I like to use is work-life harmony or work-life integration, and what that simply means is, whatever season of life that you're in, then something is going to get more attention than the other.

00:25:24.649 --> 00:25:31.672
Now you want to make sure that everything that is important to you gets attention, but let's just say that you've had a newborn and you're a new baby.

00:25:31.672 --> 00:25:35.901
That's going to get way more attention than your business or of your job.

00:25:35.901 --> 00:25:46.403
When you just had your child and you're on maternity leave, or if you're dealing with aging parents and you have to take care of them, then something else is probably going to get a little less of you.

00:25:46.403 --> 00:25:52.521
And so what I say is understand what is important to you and what your priorities are.

00:25:52.962 --> 00:26:02.375
So a lot of times for women and Jackie, you tell me if this is you a lot of times we put ourselves on the back burner and we take care of everybody else, and so we are not.

00:26:02.375 --> 00:26:04.837
I don't even want to say we're at the bottom of the to-do list.

00:26:04.837 --> 00:26:07.140
Sometimes we aren't even on the to-do list, right.

00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:18.324
We're taking care of kids or husband or family or job or whoever, and so we'll end up burning out or operating in our reserves, as I like to call it.

00:26:18.324 --> 00:26:29.233
So really, what happens is we're supposed to fill ourselves up, so make sure that we're full mentally, spiritually, physically and then give to people in our overflow.

00:26:29.233 --> 00:26:32.240
But most times we don't have any overflow.

00:26:32.259 --> 00:26:43.717
So the first thing that I would say is understand what your priorities are, and you really should be the number one, top priority, because you cannot give anybody what you don't have.

00:26:43.717 --> 00:26:53.930
And so some people may be like you cannot give anybody what you don't have, and so some people may be like see, renee, that is selfish.

00:26:53.930 --> 00:26:54.411
I am not putting myself.

00:26:54.411 --> 00:26:54.972
Do you know I have kids?

00:26:54.972 --> 00:26:56.074
Do you know that my business or my job needs me?

00:26:56.074 --> 00:27:02.451
But what I say is, if you burn out right, then you're not going to be good to anybody else.

00:27:02.451 --> 00:27:22.533
So the very first thing it kind of goes back to what we were talking about with AI is having a mindset shift and understanding that you have to understand your priorities and you are top priority number one, and it really is a self-full or a self-love when you take care of yourself.

00:27:22.533 --> 00:27:24.582
It's not selfish because if I take care of myself, then now I'm able to take care of yourself.

00:27:24.582 --> 00:27:29.236
It's not selfish because I take care of myself, then now I'm able to take care of other people.

00:27:29.677 --> 00:27:30.840
Right, that's so true.

00:27:30.840 --> 00:27:39.173
One of my coworkers did a professional development years ago and the title of it was self-care is not selfish, and I love that yeah.

00:27:39.754 --> 00:27:40.636
It is self-love.

00:27:41.278 --> 00:27:41.759
Absolutely.

00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:44.471
It's like the oxygen mask on the plane.

00:27:44.471 --> 00:27:45.692
We always use that analogy.

00:27:45.692 --> 00:27:49.820
You have to put the oxygen mask on yourself before you can put it on someone else.

00:27:49.820 --> 00:27:51.603
So it's that same analogy, right.

00:27:52.449 --> 00:27:53.831
But a lot of women are like here.

00:27:53.831 --> 00:27:55.493
Everybody else will get oxygen.

00:27:55.493 --> 00:27:57.775
I'm over here suffocating but it's okay.

00:27:57.775 --> 00:27:58.317
It's okay.

00:27:58.376 --> 00:28:11.529
As long as you all have oxygen, then it's all right right, right, yeah, and then we tend to forget about our the physical wellbeing and spiritual right.

00:28:11.529 --> 00:28:13.074
And then you know, I did this for a while and I'm back at it again.

00:28:13.074 --> 00:28:14.417
I've been doing it for a while, but but it really helps.

00:28:14.417 --> 00:28:20.813
I have the Bible app on my phone and so every day I get the, the notification like go into the Bible app.

00:28:20.813 --> 00:28:23.036
And then, if I happen to forget, it'll remind me.

00:28:23.036 --> 00:28:24.538
It'll say keep your streak.

00:28:24.538 --> 00:28:29.605
And I'm like, oh yeah, I don't, but it's more important than the streak, right, it's keeping that daily.

00:28:29.605 --> 00:28:35.774
Even if it's just a piece of scripture.

00:28:35.774 --> 00:28:46.242
It's something that grounds me and it can ground women so well, because relying on that is the anchor of everything else right, and so even in the midst of a storm or trying time, we can hold on to that anchor.

00:28:47.272 --> 00:28:55.656
So that's so important and people don't understand that being spiritually connected and being spiritually grounded, it is a part of self-care.

00:28:55.656 --> 00:28:59.380
So a lot of people, I think, confuse self-care and self-maintenance.

00:28:59.380 --> 00:29:03.961
So people may be like I'm going to get my hair done, I'm getting my nails done, I'm getting a massage.

00:29:03.961 --> 00:29:05.813
That really is self-maintenance.

00:29:05.813 --> 00:29:08.238
You are maintaining your physical health.

00:29:08.238 --> 00:29:17.553
When you're looking at self-care, the physical is a part of it, but that spiritual, that mindset, that creativity all of that is a part of it.

00:29:17.553 --> 00:29:19.961
So it's really like having holistic self-care.

00:29:20.769 --> 00:29:21.831
Right, absolutely.

00:29:21.831 --> 00:29:26.639
I love that and that's probably something that you encourage it sounds like with your employees.

00:29:26.639 --> 00:29:35.510
Make sure that they're taking the time they need the to have that.

00:29:35.510 --> 00:29:38.917
That, what you don't, what you you call that not balanced, but just being able to have that.

00:29:38.937 --> 00:29:39.378
What did you call it?

00:29:39.378 --> 00:29:39.779
Work-life harmony?

00:29:39.779 --> 00:29:41.482
I love that work-life harmony.

00:29:41.482 --> 00:29:44.316
I love that because we've been trained to cure work-life balance.

00:29:44.316 --> 00:29:46.640
But I agree, I like work-life harmony.

00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:46.961
That's great.

00:29:46.961 --> 00:29:51.413
I don't have to train myself to switch that out and start using that work-life harmony.

00:29:51.413 --> 00:29:54.692
I love that, yeah, because I think we put so much pressure on ourselves.

00:29:54.731 --> 00:29:58.711
We're like, oh my gosh, you got to be excelling a hundred percent at work or your business.

00:29:58.711 --> 00:30:03.057
Then you got to be excelling a hundred percent as a wife, excelling a hundred percent as a mom.

00:30:03.057 --> 00:30:13.128
And what I say is that you it's unsustainable to have a high level of intensity and being like really successful in all of those areas.

00:30:13.128 --> 00:30:27.151
Like it is a trade-off, meaning like if you're going to be really, really dedicated and focused, you know, in your business and really growing it, if that's the season that it's in, then you may be spending a little bit, you know, less time it's in, then you may be spending a little bit less time with your family.

00:30:27.151 --> 00:30:29.237
Or you may be spending a little less time with your kids.

00:30:29.237 --> 00:30:36.670
Or if you're really, really focused on your marriage and your kids, then you may be spending a little less time with your business.

00:30:37.071 --> 00:30:48.302
So for me, I had to even redesign my business because it was consuming so much of my time and I was like, wait a minute, my family is not getting as much time as they need to.

00:30:48.302 --> 00:30:55.397
So I said I need to restructure my business where it's more scalable, where I have a team, where it now frees up my time.

00:30:55.397 --> 00:31:07.089
So I think when you look at that work-life harmony, you're able to say how much of my time do I want to give to business or work, how much of my time to myself, how much of my time to my kids or to my family.

00:31:07.089 --> 00:31:12.298
So it's really taking inventory of your life and is your life?

00:31:12.298 --> 00:31:17.922
Are you living the life that you want to live or do you need to make some adjustments?

00:31:18.384 --> 00:31:18.986
I love that.

00:31:18.986 --> 00:31:21.855
Wow, that's great, because life passes by so quickly.

00:31:21.895 --> 00:31:29.702
And then before you know it, the kids are grown and my mom says to me all the time she's like I can't believe you're still my daughter, but I can't believe you're going to be.

00:31:29.702 --> 00:31:30.631
I'm telling my age.

00:31:30.631 --> 00:31:33.600
She's like I can't believe at the end of the year you're going to be 48.

00:31:33.600 --> 00:31:42.955
And I'm like I know I can't believe it either, but it just goes by so fast.

00:31:42.955 --> 00:31:43.956
She's like you're a full.

00:31:43.956 --> 00:31:48.899
Telling them she's like please enjoy that time, spend as much time with them as you can.

00:31:48.939 --> 00:31:50.540
Because my mom worked.

00:31:50.540 --> 00:31:56.003
She was a single mom, but then we lived with my grandparents and my uncle so that they could.

00:31:56.003 --> 00:32:08.261
They said you know, when my mom left my biological father and everything and became a single mom, my grandparents were like come move in with us, because we know you can't take care of Jackie on your own.

00:32:08.261 --> 00:32:08.885
That's just not going to work.

00:32:08.885 --> 00:32:10.391
It's not going to be sustainable to work.

00:32:10.391 --> 00:32:15.855
And then where are you going to take her for childcare, you know, and you don't want to just take her to anybody.

00:32:15.855 --> 00:32:17.822
So it worked out really well.

00:32:17.903 --> 00:32:32.220
But at the same time she was working, you know from, she would leave the house at 5am and then my grandparents would see me off to school and then she would get home at sometimes 5 o'clock at night so she'd be doing it because of the commute and everything.

00:32:32.220 --> 00:32:38.980
So it was tough sometimes but she always made time to be at those events and my games and everything else.

00:32:38.980 --> 00:32:40.243
So that's so important.

00:32:40.243 --> 00:32:45.076
So I thank her for that, because it must have been hard sometimes to be a single mom.

00:32:45.076 --> 00:32:51.424
And so to all the single moms out there, I commend any single mom or any single parent.

00:32:51.424 --> 00:32:58.202
Really it could be a dad, it could be a family member that's taking care of the child, that's a guardian or something.

00:32:58.202 --> 00:33:02.399
So it doesn't always have to be a mom, but yeah, it's amazing for sure.

00:33:03.350 --> 00:33:04.211
I commend them too.

00:33:04.211 --> 00:33:07.196
But one thing that you said, jackie, is your mom.

00:33:07.196 --> 00:33:17.630
She was committed to being at those events, so that was something that she prioritized right.

00:33:17.630 --> 00:33:24.211
And so that's why we have to understand what are our priorities and what is important, because whatever you prioritize you give attention to and, as women, unfortunately a lot of times we don't prioritize our health, like our physical health, our mental health.

00:33:24.211 --> 00:33:27.454
Unfortunately, a lot of times we don't prioritize our health, like our physical health, our mental health our spiritual health.

00:33:27.474 --> 00:33:34.160
And one of the things that AI actually helped is really in helping me come up with like a plan for my physical.

00:33:34.580 --> 00:33:39.345
I was like I'm in a season of my life where I'm not going to the gym, I'm not going to be working out three hours a day.

00:33:39.345 --> 00:33:40.926
So I was like I need you to give me.

00:33:40.926 --> 00:33:41.686
This is my life.

00:33:41.686 --> 00:33:47.112
So I kind of put in there what my life was.

00:33:47.112 --> 00:33:58.012
I attached my schedule to it and I said I need you to give me like a plan I call it a physical activity plan, not necessarily a workout plan and it told me like if I'm on meetings and I'm, you know, off camera to get up and do some squats, some stretches.

00:33:58.012 --> 00:34:11.192
It talked to me about, you know, walking up the stairs more when I'm at home and it said get you some little weights, right, the little weights for your arms and for your legs, and so just put those weights on when you're at home and just walking around and walking up and down the steps.

00:34:11.192 --> 00:34:21.262
So it really is again, you're designing your workout routine or your health regimen around your lifestyle, but you can only do that if you prioritize it.

00:34:21.829 --> 00:34:23.693
Right, that's so true, I love that.

00:34:23.693 --> 00:34:25.978
That's great, I love it.

00:34:25.978 --> 00:34:33.311
So, as we wrap up, many of my listeners, as you know, they're new to instructional design or they're thinking about transitioning to the field.

00:34:33.311 --> 00:34:38.913
I have so many of my students that are in K through 12 and they want to move over to instructional design.

00:34:38.913 --> 00:34:48.519
So, with your experience and the work you do supporting women in business, what's some top advice you would give to help them kind of get started and stay inspired as they're doing the work?

00:35:13.756 --> 00:35:23.588
So the first thing that I would ask, connecting to what are you passionate about with instructional design, what is it that lights you up about it?

00:35:23.588 --> 00:35:31.019
And then really be able to understand what are the different instructional design models and which one of them is the best fit for you.

00:35:31.019 --> 00:35:58.173
Because I think the best instructional designer is the one that's able to bring their personality, bring their experience, bring their passion to it, because you can tell the difference when you have something that was designed by a person that is just checking off the box and that is just doing a job, versus somebody that is really inspired by whatever the topic is, inspired by wanting to transform somebody's life through what is being taught.

00:35:58.173 --> 00:36:07.466
So I would say the first thing is really just to tap into, like, what is the passion that you have in wanting to do instructional design, because that's going to come across.

00:36:08.220 --> 00:36:09.143
Absolutely right.

00:36:09.143 --> 00:36:12.151
Your personality shines through your work, Right, so it's great.

00:36:12.151 --> 00:36:13.461
Yeah, I love that.

00:36:13.461 --> 00:36:29.172
I was even the other day I was reading something, too, where, when I was doing some of my scripts and everything for upcoming episodes, and it said it gave advice on AI and it said make sure that you smile, even if it's audio, only because your smile comes through your voice.

00:36:29.172 --> 00:36:33.742
And I'm like that is so true and something I always tell some of the people I work with.

00:36:33.742 --> 00:36:55.423
I'm like, yeah, even if you're on the phone, and you're like, oh, I'm excited about learning about different topics.

00:36:55.523 --> 00:36:59.873
I'm excited about learning how to help people learn in different ways.

00:36:59.873 --> 00:37:04.711
I'm excited to use storytelling or engage.

00:37:04.711 --> 00:37:08.881
I'm excited to figure out how can somebody be transformed from.

00:37:08.881 --> 00:37:14.713
What it is that I'm designing is totally different output that you're going to get.

00:37:15.521 --> 00:37:17.004
Right, exactly, you're right.

00:37:17.004 --> 00:37:27.564
It shows through the work that you do and even shows in the relationships that you have with others, with stakeholders, with subject matter experts, and how you collaborate with people.

00:37:27.564 --> 00:37:30.251
So, yeah, it really shows in every aspect of it.

00:37:30.251 --> 00:37:43.550
I agree, because, as you know, a big part of what we do as instructional designers is collaborating with others and having to to do that back and forth, cause, as we know, like the SAM model is all about iteration and collaboration.

00:37:43.550 --> 00:37:45.001
It's a big part of what we do.

00:37:45.001 --> 00:37:57.066
So if we don't have those, uh, that that good mindset, like you said earlier, and that, uh that passion for it, then it, then it's not going to work well, we're going to burn out even faster, right?

00:37:57.066 --> 00:37:58.189
If we don't have that passion.

00:37:58.510 --> 00:38:02.289
Yeah, exactly Burn out faster, and then people are not going to want to collaborate with you.

00:38:02.840 --> 00:38:05.166
Right, exactly, I mean, I don't want to work with this person.

00:38:05.166 --> 00:38:06.849
Exactly, right.

00:38:06.849 --> 00:38:10.543
Yeah, I knew right away Team Renee.

00:38:10.543 --> 00:38:19.463
When I wanted to be an instructional designer, I was working at Walden University and I was working in the admissions office and I was sitting at my desk one day this is kind of neat, because then you can imagine this.

00:38:19.463 --> 00:38:32.547
So I'm sitting at my desk, I'm in my early 30s, I had gotten my MBA through University of Phoenix, and so they had just introduced the master's program in instructional design, and I got this email that hey, there's this new program.

00:38:32.547 --> 00:38:33.148
And I'm looking.

00:38:33.307 --> 00:38:40.381
I remember that day that I'm sitting at my computer looking at this program and I'm like, wow, this is really neat.

00:38:40.381 --> 00:38:43.729
Oh, foundations of learning, theories and models.

00:38:43.729 --> 00:38:47.405
And I'm and I'm reading all these courses and I'm like, wow, this is really great.

00:38:47.405 --> 00:38:50.322
I and a light bulb moment went off and it was just this realization.

00:38:50.322 --> 00:38:51.245
Like you know what?

00:38:51.245 --> 00:38:53.030
This is something I've always wanted to do.

00:38:53.030 --> 00:38:58.687
I just didn't know there was a name for it, and so it was really neat.

00:38:58.687 --> 00:39:01.057
And so I thought to myself, should I do the certificate, because they had a certificate option.

00:39:01.057 --> 00:39:02.563
Or I was like, should I do the whole masters?

00:39:02.563 --> 00:39:18.421
But as I was reading the courses and going through the them and getting towards the end I was like I love this course and I love that and I'm like getting more and more excited and I'm like you know what, I just better jump in both feet, because if I do the certificate, I'm just going to only get part of what I want and I'm not going to get the whole thing.

00:39:18.421 --> 00:39:21.288
So it was exciting to actually do that.

00:39:21.428 --> 00:39:32.575
And then six, about halfway through the program, I got the embedded certificate and then they had an opening for an instructional designer to support admissions and I thought, wow, this is like dream come true.

00:39:32.575 --> 00:39:36.766
But then they also had a trainer position open for admissions too.

00:39:36.766 --> 00:39:41.204
And so I went to my manager and I'm like I was asking my manager like Candice, what should I do?

00:39:41.204 --> 00:39:44.499
I love training, but then I also love instructional design.

00:39:44.499 --> 00:39:45.101
I love both.

00:39:45.101 --> 00:39:50.421
And she said ask yourself one question what's one thing that you want to do day in and day out?

00:39:50.421 --> 00:40:04.042
Think about the two things she's like do you want to train people every day, get up in front of you know a training classroom and train them every day, or do you want to do the creative work, the behind the scenes, stuff, and see it come to fruition, and I'm like that's what I want to do.

00:40:04.042 --> 00:40:05.222
I want to do the creative stuff.

00:40:05.222 --> 00:40:06.624
She's like there you go, there's your answer.

00:40:07.425 --> 00:40:10.068
I love that, I love that it's great.

00:40:10.068 --> 00:40:14.092
Yeah, well, what do you enjoy most about being an instructional designer?

00:40:14.731 --> 00:40:33.552
Oh, yeah, I think what I enjoy most is the collaboration and working with people, and I would say also, a close second to that is seeing something that started from nothing and then become something and you can actually see it come to fruition and then your learners or your students actually get to use it and it makes their lives better.

00:40:33.552 --> 00:40:42.807
So being able to, to me it's like giving back, and so it's that servant leadership that's coming to fruition, coming into action.

00:40:42.807 --> 00:40:44.430
So it's great, I love it.

00:40:44.430 --> 00:40:46.740
So, yeah, it's wonderful, yeah.

00:40:46.780 --> 00:40:47.282
How about you.

00:40:47.282 --> 00:40:49.509
What are some of the things you love about instructional design?

00:40:49.509 --> 00:40:49.990
The?

00:40:50.010 --> 00:40:51.863
most those two that you had.

00:40:51.863 --> 00:40:54.129
Definitely, I love seeing something.

00:40:54.129 --> 00:40:59.535
It's nothing, it's absolutely nothing and it turns into an amazing program.

00:40:59.535 --> 00:41:10.646
I love the collaboration, but I think my favorite is the transformation that people receive whenever they have taken whatever curriculum that we develop.

00:41:10.646 --> 00:41:18.771
So I think I'm always loving to see how did this impact somebody's life, how did it make it better, how did it change for them.

00:41:18.771 --> 00:41:20.258
So I think that's my thing.

00:41:20.258 --> 00:41:23.988
Like when people have aha moments, I'm like, oh my God, that's amazing.

00:41:24.289 --> 00:41:26.042
That's what I thought of those aha moments.

00:41:26.042 --> 00:41:27.648
Yeah, exactly, I love that.

00:41:27.648 --> 00:41:31.624
Yeah, I do that in one of my professional development sessions.

00:41:31.624 --> 00:41:35.585
Towards the end it's for one, for a one note session, and I'm actually doing some.

00:41:35.585 --> 00:41:55.787
I do a beginner one for people that are just getting started, because it's good for organization, and then I do an advanced one that gives them advanced skills, but in the beginning one I have this picture of Oprah Winfrey and she's when she used to do her show and she'd be like you get a car and you get a car, and so I have this like aha moment thing in her picture and I'm like what was your aha moment?

00:41:55.787 --> 00:42:06.387
So you're right, those are great too, because then you know that you've taken something that people have no idea about, or they just don't understand it very well, and you're able to make it digestible for them.

00:42:06.387 --> 00:42:10.845
And, yeah, it's a great, great feeling for sure, and to see that transformation.

00:42:10.845 --> 00:42:11.827
There's nothing like it.

00:42:17.120 --> 00:42:17.521
Yeah, I love it.

00:42:17.521 --> 00:42:17.963
It gives me that high.

00:42:17.963 --> 00:42:20.510
So that's it kind of goes back to the question about the advice of anybody getting into instructional design.

00:42:20.510 --> 00:42:22.841
That's why, because that passion is going to keep you.

00:42:23.764 --> 00:42:24.045
Right.

00:42:24.045 --> 00:42:43.905
Exactly, it's going to feel your desire and and just keep you going, because, I agree, after you've been doing it for 25 years, I've been doing it now for 15 years and you don't stay in something that long unless you have a passion for it and a desire to really do it and you've found your God-given talent right and you know that this is where I'm meant to be.

00:42:43.905 --> 00:42:58.190
So it's great, because sometimes you go into something and you think you know, when I first came to Grand Canyon University, I had actually lost my contract job at PetSmart and it was so devastating because I loved I love working with animals.

00:42:58.190 --> 00:43:10.681
That's something my grandfather loved working with animals and so I kind of I think I got some of that, that bug from him of loving animals, and so I was like great, petsmart is wonderful, I want to work for them.

00:43:10.681 --> 00:43:21.169
And so they had instructional designer positions open, but they I got through, I think, this two interviews, through the second one, and they said, well, we want someone with banking experience.

00:43:21.169 --> 00:43:24.583
And I thought, okay, well, I can't get to that.

00:43:24.583 --> 00:43:33.590
So I ended up actually checking with one of the different agencies that they have I don't know if they Robert Half International, I think is still around.

00:43:33.590 --> 00:43:37.961
But at that time, yeah, robert Half International, and they have their divisions within that.

00:43:37.961 --> 00:43:38.923
So they have the creative group.

00:43:38.923 --> 00:43:42.184
I don't know if you're familiar with them, but they, they have the creative group.

00:43:42.184 --> 00:43:48.224
And so I decided to go with them and I was working with someone and she said, oh yeah, great, we have, we work with PetSmart.

00:43:48.224 --> 00:43:51.208
I thought, oh, wonderful, maybe that'll help me get my foot in the door.

00:43:51.748 --> 00:43:57.555
And then six months later they got rid of all the contract jobs and I was like, oh my gosh, what do I do?

00:43:57.555 --> 00:43:58.701
I don't have a job.

00:43:58.701 --> 00:44:03.722
And so she said why don't you try Grand Canyon University, because she had worked there before?

00:44:03.722 --> 00:44:09.003
She said just be, just keep in mind, you're doing employee training and development and then you're going to go into curriculum.

00:44:09.003 --> 00:44:10.105
It's very different.

00:44:10.105 --> 00:44:12.228
So I took, took her advice.

00:44:12.228 --> 00:44:15.655
But then when I got there I was just like did I make the right decision?

00:44:15.655 --> 00:44:18.769
I had a coworker that wasn't treating me the best.

00:44:18.769 --> 00:44:23.872
She was kind of a little snooty with me and just kind of like she didn't treat me well at all.

00:44:23.872 --> 00:44:26.229
So I thought did I make the right decision?

00:44:26.229 --> 00:44:30.842
And so I thought to myself you know what I have to let Petsmart go.

00:44:30.842 --> 00:44:33.467
I can't hold on to something that I don't have anymore.

00:44:33.467 --> 00:44:38.535
So I prayed about it and I said, okay, lord, you're just going to have to help me.

00:44:38.535 --> 00:44:43.414
You know, just get rid of that feeling of I want that.

00:44:43.414 --> 00:44:44.557
And so I did.

00:44:44.557 --> 00:44:46.262
And then everything changed from there.

00:44:46.463 --> 00:44:48.630
So yeah, and you love where you are now.

00:44:49.360 --> 00:44:50.624
Exactly so it was.

00:44:50.624 --> 00:44:52.630
It was God's and God's plan all along.

00:44:57.720 --> 00:44:59.485
God, and what's so funny is sometimes we will, like you said, you had to let it go.

00:44:59.485 --> 00:45:01.171
We'll be holding on to stuff and God is attempting to redirect us.

00:45:01.171 --> 00:45:06.849
He is attempting to give us what it is that we want, but we're holding on too tight and will not let go.

00:45:06.849 --> 00:45:10.544
That could be relationships, jobs, anything.

00:45:10.544 --> 00:45:16.153
So sometimes we have to just open our hand and trust God and just walk.

00:45:16.153 --> 00:45:17.162
Just walk in faith.

00:45:17.684 --> 00:45:22.764
Right, absolutely Right, because if we hold on too tight then we choke, whatever it is.

00:45:22.764 --> 00:45:26.773
Yeah, that's so true, absolutely Wonderful, great.

00:45:26.773 --> 00:45:30.951
Well, is there any other advice or any other tips you want to give to my listeners today?

00:45:31.900 --> 00:45:43.224
Well, the one thing that I want to just tell everybody is that follow your passion right, but also really just bring your whole self to whatever it is that you're doing.

00:45:43.224 --> 00:45:50.048
So a lot of times we may find so those that are looking to get into instructional design it may be a path for you, right.

00:45:50.048 --> 00:45:57.615
So sometimes you may figure out the things that we don't like to do or really don't want to do, before we figure out the things that we really do want to do.

00:45:57.615 --> 00:46:20.202
So just understand that instructional design it is a journey and it's so many different aspects of it, and so be patient with yourself, but also be open to explore, see what you like, see what you don't like, and then really let's just embrace AI through the entire journey, because you could even be like, hey, I'm looking into instructional design, I think I'm very interested in it.

00:46:20.483 --> 00:46:23.490
Kind of tell me the pros, the cons, tell me the different aspects of it.

00:46:23.490 --> 00:46:31.425
These are my interests, and so use AI even as like a coach, a career coach for you and helping you to figure out where you want to start in the field.

00:46:31.425 --> 00:46:37.807
So, jackie, just like the person asked you, which one do you like better, which one do you like more.

00:46:37.807 --> 00:46:40.341
Use it as a career coach to kind of help you.

00:46:40.341 --> 00:46:42.545
And if you don't know where to start, what do we do?

00:46:42.545 --> 00:46:47.443
Ask AI hey, I'm interested in instructional design.

00:46:47.443 --> 00:46:50.476
I need to know more about it If it's a good fit for me.

00:46:50.476 --> 00:46:54.809
What questions do you need to ask me to help and serve as a career coach?

00:46:55.380 --> 00:47:00.528
I love that Right Because instructional design it services every industry.

00:47:00.528 --> 00:47:05.095
You know, whether it's K through 12, higher ed, corporate, nonprofit, military.

00:47:05.681 --> 00:47:08.151
It's amazing so government, all of it Right.

00:47:09.460 --> 00:47:16.284
So if you have, if someone's in K through 12 education and they're thinking I want to be an instructional designer, but which path should I go?

00:47:16.284 --> 00:47:17.704
Should I stay in K through 12?

00:47:17.704 --> 00:47:26.911
And they can utilize AI to see where their interests are, where their passions are, and then it can kind of help you, like you said, coach them along and be a career coach for them.

00:47:26.911 --> 00:47:28.512
Wow, I love that.

00:47:28.512 --> 00:47:29.113
That's great.

00:47:29.113 --> 00:47:31.733
Why not utilize the technology toward advantage?

00:47:32.755 --> 00:47:33.515
Why not?

00:47:33.515 --> 00:47:37.698
And my last thing is remember to put yourself on the to-do list.

00:47:37.698 --> 00:47:40.269
You are your priority.

00:47:40.269 --> 00:47:45.104
Self-care is not selfish Right, and we're going for work-life.

00:47:45.164 --> 00:47:50.650
Harmony, jackie, work-life harmony, Because if we don't take care of ourselves, then no one else will do it right.

00:47:50.650 --> 00:47:51.882
So we have to do it.

00:47:51.882 --> 00:47:52.543
I love it.

00:47:53.184 --> 00:47:57.612
And the last thing is we teach people how to treat us based on how we treat ourselves.

00:47:58.393 --> 00:48:04.033
Absolutely Right, because if we show ourselves love, then we can love someone else and they can love us in return.

00:48:04.033 --> 00:48:05.360
Yeah, that's it's.

00:48:05.360 --> 00:48:11.001
It's a reciprocal type of act and it's that's the best act of kindness that we can do Right.

00:48:11.001 --> 00:48:15.930
The best act of kindness that we can do right Is to care for ourselves, because then it shows that we can care for others too and love them.

00:48:15.930 --> 00:48:19.021
Yeah, Love them with intention and purpose right.

00:48:19.280 --> 00:48:20.103
I love that.

00:48:20.103 --> 00:48:21.586
Love them with intention and purpose.

00:48:22.188 --> 00:48:22.890
Oh, I love it.

00:48:22.890 --> 00:48:24.381
You know that just came out.

00:48:24.381 --> 00:48:27.988
It just, it must've just been waiting to come out.

00:48:28.710 --> 00:48:30.413
I think somebody needed to hear it.

00:48:30.413 --> 00:48:33.925
So whoever needed to hear it, y'all message Jackie and say that this was for me.

00:48:34.547 --> 00:48:34.867
You're right.

00:48:34.867 --> 00:48:38.594
Well, you inspired me to put it out there, so I love it.

00:48:39.175 --> 00:48:39.495
Wonderful.

00:48:40.000 --> 00:48:42.727
Yeah, Thank you so much, Team Renee, for sharing your insights today.

00:48:42.727 --> 00:48:48.130
Your experiences, your tips and your expertise are going to inspire my listeners for years to come.

00:48:48.130 --> 00:48:48.550
I know it.

00:48:49.012 --> 00:48:49.902
I appreciate it.00:48:49.902 --> 00:48:50.945


Aw, thank you for having me.00:48:50.945 --> 00:48:52.548


Thank you for sharing my platform.00:48:52.548 --> 00:48:54.172


Sharing your platform with me.00:48:54.760 --> 00:49:03.108


And yeah, we can definitely share, and I'd love to have you back on the show too, because once someone comes on the show then they realize, oh, we could talk about this.00:49:03.108 --> 00:49:09.447


So we can have another episode and we can dig more into instructional design and neurodivergent learners.00:49:09.447 --> 00:49:12.605


I would love that because I think that is an area that needs to be.00:49:12.605 --> 00:49:17.613


There needs to be more awareness about that, and maybe even universal design for learning.00:49:17.613 --> 00:49:21.809


I did an episode on that too, so we could dig more into that, yeah, so.00:49:22.552 --> 00:49:24.900


I can talk, I can talk, so we have plenty of episodes.00:49:26.463 --> 00:49:27.265


Me too.00:49:27.265 --> 00:49:39.661


Yeah, that's, that's one thing my mom said has always told me she's like you're not shy when it comes to talking and I'm like I know I can talk to somebody on an elevator, I can talk to somebody in the car, it doesn't matter.00:49:39.661 --> 00:49:46.581


And I have to learn to like okay, shush, jackie, my mom's driving, I don't want her getting in an accident.00:49:46.581 --> 00:49:49.045


So, yeah, I mean, yeah, I'm the same way.00:49:49.925 --> 00:49:51.489


So Kendrick's spirit's over here.00:49:51.489 --> 00:49:54.975


Jackie, we both like to talk, I know I love it Great.00:49:56.800 --> 00:49:59.709


Well, thank you once again and I look forward to having you back on the show.00:49:59.709 --> 00:50:00.771


Thank you, thank you Appreciate it.00:50:00.771 --> 00:50:06.050


Thank you for taking some time to listen to this podcast episode today.00:50:06.050 --> 00:50:08.347


Your support means the world to me.00:50:08.347 --> 00:50:17.074


If you'd like to help keep the podcast going, you can share it with a friend or colleague, leave a heartfelt review or offer a monetary contribution.00:50:17.074 --> 00:50:24.341


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T. Renee Smith Profile Photo

CEO if iSuccess Consulting and Founder of The Women's AI Revolution

T. Renee Smith is a transformational leader, CEO of iSuccess Consulting, and founder of The Women’s AI Revolution™. With over 30 years of experience, she has guided startups, global corporations, and government agencies—including Delta Air Lines, Chrysler, and the SBA—through culture shifts that align people, performance, and profit. A wife, mother, and author of Evolving and She Leads With AI, she combines hard-won wisdom from personal trials. Her mission: to empower women to thrive in business, life, and love without burning out.