what I learned running an AI automation workshop

from builder to teacher

Hi friends,

There are so many tutorials online. Why would people want to learn from me?

That doubt stayed rent-free in my brain while I was preparing for my AI automations workshop.

I’ve watched many youtube tutorials and built my own workflows, but standing in front of a room full of people to teach? That felt rather intimidating.

What could I possibly offer that wasn't already out there?

Turns out, that was the wrong question to ask.

The real problem isn't too many tutorials.

It's having the courage, framework, and basic skills to start.

Everyone knows that AI is powerful. They've seen plenty of examples, but they can't bridge the gap between "I know AI exists" and "I can build something useful with AI".

Which means there are a lot of missed opportunities, unsolved problems, and a lot of people feeling left behind.

I feel this deeply, which is how I set my initial doubts aside.

I thought I understood AI workflows pretty well. But translating that knowledge really challenged me to recall what was useful for me in the beginning - as a self taught automation builder.

Referencing other classes I’ve attended, I knew it was important to balance providing enough background knowledge with actually building the automations.

Even after preparing for this, I realised that some students were getting lost.

So I slowed down. I stopped trying to impress and spent more time explaining, supplementing with more guidance.

"If this happens, then do that."

"This is how I usually decide which nodes to add.”

Suddenly, they were asking questions that showed they were really thinking about how to apply this stuff.

Someone asked how they could automate their appointment booking process. Another person wanted to try out other LLMs.

One of my biggest worries was dealing with technical difficulties.

The bugs that popped up actually became teaching moments. Because that's what usually happens during the actual build. You spend more time debugging than you expect.

So troubleshooting in real time was another chance to share more of what goes on behind the scenes when they build.

What shifted for me was knowing that my job wasn't to show people how capable I am.

It was to help them see what becomes possible once the basic concepts click.

Yes, AI tools are getting easier to use. You can now describe an automation you want in plain English and watch it build itself.

But understanding the underlying frameworks and mechanisms means you can customise, debug, and scale those solutions.

You become someone who can solve many problems using AI.

The enthusiasm I feel now comes from watching that lightbulb moment happen for other people. Just like it did for me.

When someone realises they could automate tedious processes and focus on the work that requires more strategic and creative thinking. When they see that building isn't exclusively for developers anymore.

What automation or agent would you build? I'd love to chat about it!

Thanks for reading!

Stay inspired,

Viv