About Laurel
Build something real – fast.
Without overthinking it into oblivion.
Most entrepreneurs don’t struggle because they lack ideas or ability.
They struggle because they don’t have a clear way to turn what they do into something real – a message, a website, a business that actually works.
So they overthink. Second-guess. Wait until it’s “perfect.” And nothing moves.
That’s where I come in.
Hi, I’m Laurel – AI strategist, Canadian female entrepreneur, living in Europe, and builder of real things. I started my business because I wanted freedom. What I got first was a very rude awakening.
👉 You can always find another way – if you’re willing to think differently
👉 Your “random” skills often become your biggest advantage
The Real Story
I became an entrepreneur for freedom. Then worked harder than ever for way less money.
Here’s the version nobody puts in their bio: I left a well-paid corporate job, moved to Germany for love, and decided to build something entirely my own. I wanted freedom – more time outside, more life in my life. What actually happened? I worked more than I ever had. Long hours, constant hustle, doing everything myself, and earning a fraction of what I used to for years.
I started Monkeys and Mountains as an adventure travel blog. Over time it grew into one of the top adventure travel platforms in Europe, and eventually one of the leading hiking tour companies in Europe. For nearly 16 years, I’ve been building that business, helping over a million hikers explore Europe.
From the outside, it looks linear. It wasn’t. Behind the scenes I was constantly building, testing, and experimenting across very different industries: a social media company, a cat e-commerce brand, AI-generated mountain art. Most ideas don’t work. That’s not the problem. The problem is what you make it mean – and I learned to treat every failure as data, not a verdict. You don’t need everything to work. You need one thing to work. And when it does? It’s pure magic.
And then COVID hit. Borders closed. Travel stopped. Running an international hiking company became impossible overnight. That was the hardest moment in my entrepreneur journey – one I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
I pivoted fast. Leaned into something completely unexpected: hosting online presentations about monkeys, rooted in my background in primatology (yes, I have a degree in it). Not only did it provide much-needed revenue, it helped me through a really dark time – because people who want to learn about monkeys are genuinely wonderful humans.
That gap drove me to become obsessive about systems. If I wasn’t going to get my time back by working less, I had to get smarter about how I worked. Every manual task I could automate, every repeatable process I could streamline – I went after it. First with pen-and-paper frameworks. Then AI changed everything.
When you stop white-knuckling everything yourself and build smarter systems instead, you get your life back. That’s what AI made possible for me. Here’s what I actually want my weeks to look like – and now, mostly, they do:
That’s what I want for you too.
What I Do Now
AI strategist. Builder of real things.
I help entrepreneurs turn messy ideas into something clear, strategic, and real – not just to work smarter, but to actually have a life while they do it. Simple, practical systems and AI strategies you can implement yourself, without sounding generic or like everyone else online.
Turning messy ideas into clear strategy
I see patterns quickly, spot strengths you’ve been overlooking for years, and help you turn those into something that actually makes sense as a business.
Simple systems, real results
Focused courses and clear frameworks so you can take action fast. No endless calls. No overcomplication. Just clarity, execution, and more time for the rest of your life.
AI strategy + practical execution
Helping entrepreneurs make money doing work they love – and get out of their own way so they can actually enjoy the freedom they built this for.
What I’m Really Good At
You don’t need more information. You need direction, smarter systems, and to get out of your own way so you can execute – then close the laptop and go live your life.
Why AI Strategy Actually Matters
AI isn’t just about working smarter. It’s about getting your life back.
I didn’t get obsessed with AI tools because I love technology. I got obsessed because I was spending too many hours at a laptop – and not enough hours doing the things that actually make life worth living.
AI became the thing that finally moved the needle – not just on revenue, but on how I was actually spending my days. Not impressive demos. Not replacing creativity. Just smarter systems so that work takes less of your life, and living takes more of it.
The best businesses are built around you – your strengths, your personality, your energy. Strategy alone isn’t the problem. Execution is. And mindset is usually the real blocker.
Most entrepreneurs aren’t stuck because they lack talent or ideas. They’re stuck because they’re overthinking, second-guessing, and waiting to feel ready. That’s the gap I help you close.When the weather is too good to sit inside, I close the laptop and go. That’s not luck – that’s a system that makes it possible.
I have a degree in primatology. I still take trips to observe monkeys in the wild. AI strategy pays for the flights and handles the inbox while I’m gone.
Friends, a glass of something cold, zero notifications. The business keeps moving. I’m fully present.
My cats have strong opinions about my schedule. I’ve learned to build a business that accommodates them. No regrets.
This is what AI strategy actually means in practice – building smarter systems so that work takes less of your life, and living takes more of it.
If You’re Here…
You’re probably already good at what you do.
But you’re stuck in your head, overthinking, or not fully owning it yet.
Or your business is working – but not at the level you know it could. More time doing work you love. More income. More freedom to close the laptop and actually go live your life.
That’s the gap I help you close.
No more overthinking. No more waiting. Let’s make it real.
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