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Stop Doing Tasks AI Can Handle: Shauna Sprague on Automation & Human Potential
In this special Innovation Series episode of Parallel Entrepreneur, hosts Mark Cleveland and Johnny Anderson sit down with Shauna Sprague, an AI strategist, architect, and TEDx speaker with 20+ years of experience helping Fortune 500 organizations navigate technology transformation.
Shauna is known for helping leaders move beyond the AI hype and into confident execution—building clear roadmaps, designing intelligent workflows and agents, and scaling automation responsibly. She’s led AI initiatives across 49 business units and brings hands-on experience with tools like AWS, Power BI, Zapier, n8n, and LangChain.
In this episode:
• Why most people aren’t afraid of AI — they’re just overwhelmed by it
• How to move from curiosity to confident AI execution (without getting lost in buzzwords)
• The “automate the mundane” mindset that gives teams time back for meaningful work
• A parent-friendly AI hack: photo → sports schedule → fully automated calendar
• The first practical tools to start with, even if you don’t have a big budget or deep technical expertise
• When to use workflows, automation, RPA, and when it’s time for AI agents
• Why working at the top of your skill set is becoming the new competitive advantage
• How to scale AI responsibly,and why human-centered, inclusive AI matters
Shauna brings clarity, humility, and a deep sense of purpose to a topic that feels overwhelming for a lot of teams. If your organization has been circling AI wondering where to start, this conversation will help you take the next step ,with confidence.
Chapters:
00:00:00 “Eliminate the task — make yourself valuable”
00:01:13 Introducing Shauna Sprague + what this episode is about
00:02:45 Shauna’s core idea: automate the mundane, protect the human work
00:03:34 The parent use-case: photo → sports/school schedule → calendar automation
00:04:02 Daily AI assist: meeting digest + LinkedIn “who I’m meeting with” rundown
00:05:33 Why resistance is normal (and how skeptics become champions)
00:05:52 The low-cost starting point: RPA tools for ~$20/month
00:06:09 When teams “graduate” to agents (LangChain / LangGraph)
00:06:41 Working at the top of your skill set (sales example: stop the busywork)
00:07:50 The empowering question: “Where do I start with AI?”
00:08:15 First recommendation: Zapier + plug-and-play automations
00:08:40 Practical example: Gmail automation + VIP alerts (and filtering sales emails)
00:09:13 Time back unlocks creativity (resources aren’t the limiter anymore)
00:10:02 Upskill move: build something in n8n + become the hero
00:10:26 Closing thought: “They don’t lay off valuable people”
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Shauna Sprague is an AI strategist, architect, and TEDx speaker with 20+ years in technology innovation. She has led AI and automation initiatives across 49 business units, built intelligent workflows and agents, and developed AI personas that streamline operations and increase efficiency. She’s also a board member, STEM advocate, and champion for inclusive innovation.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunasprague/
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Mark A. Cleveland — Managing Director at Kensington Park Capital, entrepreneur, M&A advisor, and host of the Parallel Entrepreneur Network.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/macleveland/
Johnny Anderson — Nashville tech leader, GNTC board member, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the EC, and host of The Impodsters™.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyonbrand/
👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network: https://www.parallelentrepreneur.com/#about-me
👉 Subscribe for more stories from entrepreneurs who thrive across multiple ventures—and live aligned lives.
👍 Like this episode? Leave a comment or share it with someone who leads across lanes.
👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network: (link below)
👉 Subscribe for more Innovation Series conversations with builders and operators.
👍 Like this episode? Leave a comment or share it with someone who’s ready to make AI practical.
#ShaunaSprague #ParallelEntrepreneur #InnovationSeries #AILeadership #PracticalAI #AIStrategy #Automation #AIForBusiness #FutureOfWork #HumanCenteredAI #InclusiveAI #DigitalTransformation #NashvilleTech #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipPodcast
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By Mark A. ClevelandIn this special Innovation Series episode of Parallel Entrepreneur, hosts Mark Cleveland and Johnny Anderson sit down with Shauna Sprague, an AI strategist, architect, and TEDx speaker with 20+ years of experience helping Fortune 500 organizations navigate technology transformation.
Shauna is known for helping leaders move beyond the AI hype and into confident execution—building clear roadmaps, designing intelligent workflows and agents, and scaling automation responsibly. She’s led AI initiatives across 49 business units and brings hands-on experience with tools like AWS, Power BI, Zapier, n8n, and LangChain.
In this episode:
• Why most people aren’t afraid of AI — they’re just overwhelmed by it
• How to move from curiosity to confident AI execution (without getting lost in buzzwords)
• The “automate the mundane” mindset that gives teams time back for meaningful work
• A parent-friendly AI hack: photo → sports schedule → fully automated calendar
• The first practical tools to start with, even if you don’t have a big budget or deep technical expertise
• When to use workflows, automation, RPA, and when it’s time for AI agents
• Why working at the top of your skill set is becoming the new competitive advantage
• How to scale AI responsibly,and why human-centered, inclusive AI matters
Shauna brings clarity, humility, and a deep sense of purpose to a topic that feels overwhelming for a lot of teams. If your organization has been circling AI wondering where to start, this conversation will help you take the next step ,with confidence.
Chapters:
00:00:00 “Eliminate the task — make yourself valuable”
00:01:13 Introducing Shauna Sprague + what this episode is about
00:02:45 Shauna’s core idea: automate the mundane, protect the human work
00:03:34 The parent use-case: photo → sports/school schedule → calendar automation
00:04:02 Daily AI assist: meeting digest + LinkedIn “who I’m meeting with” rundown
00:05:33 Why resistance is normal (and how skeptics become champions)
00:05:52 The low-cost starting point: RPA tools for ~$20/month
00:06:09 When teams “graduate” to agents (LangChain / LangGraph)
00:06:41 Working at the top of your skill set (sales example: stop the busywork)
00:07:50 The empowering question: “Where do I start with AI?”
00:08:15 First recommendation: Zapier + plug-and-play automations
00:08:40 Practical example: Gmail automation + VIP alerts (and filtering sales emails)
00:09:13 Time back unlocks creativity (resources aren’t the limiter anymore)
00:10:02 Upskill move: build something in n8n + become the hero
00:10:26 Closing thought: “They don’t lay off valuable people”
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Shauna Sprague is an AI strategist, architect, and TEDx speaker with 20+ years in technology innovation. She has led AI and automation initiatives across 49 business units, built intelligent workflows and agents, and developed AI personas that streamline operations and increase efficiency. She’s also a board member, STEM advocate, and champion for inclusive innovation.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunasprague/
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Mark A. Cleveland — Managing Director at Kensington Park Capital, entrepreneur, M&A advisor, and host of the Parallel Entrepreneur Network.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/macleveland/
Johnny Anderson — Nashville tech leader, GNTC board member, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the EC, and host of The Impodsters™.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyonbrand/
👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network: https://www.parallelentrepreneur.com/#about-me
👉 Subscribe for more stories from entrepreneurs who thrive across multiple ventures—and live aligned lives.
👍 Like this episode? Leave a comment or share it with someone who leads across lanes.
👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network: (link below)
👉 Subscribe for more Innovation Series conversations with builders and operators.
👍 Like this episode? Leave a comment or share it with someone who’s ready to make AI practical.
#ShaunaSprague #ParallelEntrepreneur #InnovationSeries #AILeadership #PracticalAI #AIStrategy #Automation #AIForBusiness #FutureOfWork #HumanCenteredAI #InclusiveAI #DigitalTransformation #NashvilleTech #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipPodcast