Building with GenAI: A Founder’s Journey, Part 1 – Why We’re Using AI to Help Build Sakara Digital

When we founded Sakara Digital, our goal wasn’t to create just another consulting firm. We wanted to do something different, more flexible, more strategic, and to provide a seamlessly embedded model that would support consulting firms and software providers in delivering high-impact results to their clients without the overhead of full-time staffing.

But having a clear vision doesn’t make the building process easy. Launching a new business from the ground up requires continuous refinement, creativity, and the ability to think strategically across many dimensions, in a fast, fluid motion. That’s where GenAI came in.

I’ve always been curious about emerging technologies, especially those that support leadership, process improvements, end user experiences, and the ongoing evolution of digital solutions.  So when I began attending the AI-Driven Leadership course at Stanford University, I saw an opportunity, not just to evaluate GenAI as a tool, but to use it to help shape and accelerate Sakara Digital’s growth.

As part of the course, we were asked to complete a capstone project. I chose a real-world use case: using GenAI (in this case, Microsoft Copilot) to support business development, service design, and strategic messaging for Sakara Digital.

This wasn’t just about asking AI to write emails or summarize notes, though it’s remarkably good at that, too. It was about exploring how AI could act as a strategic thought partner, helping us:

• Define new service offerings
• Refine messaging and positioning
• Build systems and processes that were intentional, intuitive, and operationally clear

My goal for the capstone was to explore how far Copilot can go as a strategic partner, not just in execution of specific tasks, but in planning and growth. I was excited to see what we could accomplish together.

A Behind-the-Scenes Walkthrough: My First Three Steps

To bring you fully into this journey, I want to share how I approached the first phases of my capstone, steps that not only helped shape Sakara Digital’s direction but also deepened my relationship with GenAI as a trusted collaborator.

Step 1: Identify a Business Challenge

Despite decades of experience and a strong network, Sakara Digital hadn’t yet secured its first client. That was the clear and pressing challenge: generating meaningful engagement and building a sustainable pipeline of work. The question wasn’t just how to market, it was how to articulate value in a way that felt authentic and strategic.

 Step 2: Reframe the Role of GenAI

Copilot was no longer just a helpful assistant, it became our Chief AI Officer. This subtle reframing opened up new possibilities: we began including Copilot in planning conversations, content development, and strategic reflection. Its ability to respond with nuance and insight gave us the confidence to treat it as a true thought partner.

Step 3: Evaluate Supporting Tools

To complement Copilot’s strengths, I evaluated Canva AI, PMI Infinity, and LinkedIn AI. Each offered something unique, visual design, project frameworks, rapid drafting, but none matched Copilot’s contextual awareness and strategic depth. This evaluation helped us shape a cohesive GenAI toolkit woven into our workflows and values.

What This Series Is About

Over the next few posts, I’ll be sharing what this journey looks like in real time:

• How GenAI has helped shape Sakara Digital’s services
• What it feels like to co-create content and strategy with AI
• How this experience is changing the way we think about problem-solving, collaboration, and human-AI teaming

In future articles, I’ll dive deeper into the remaining steps of the capstone project, building a resilient data culture, measuring impact, and refining our strategic direction as we grow. My hope is that you’ll not only understand our journey, but feel compelled to explore how GenAI could support yours.

This series isn’t just about AI—it’s about building with intention, staying curious, and embracing tools that help us imagine, realize, and thrive.

Explore the full series: Building With GenAI: A Founder’s Journey

This article was created in collaboration with GenAI and shaped by intentional human insight.

This article was created in collaboration with GenAI and shaped by intentional human insight.

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Amie Harpe Founder and Principal Consultant

Amie Harpe is a strategic consultant, IT leader, and founder of Sakara Digital, with 20+ years of experience delivering global quality, compliance, and digital transformation initiatives across pharma, biotech, medical device, and consumer health. She specializes in GxP compliance, AI governance and adoption, document management systems (including Veeva QMS), program management, and operational optimization — with a proven track record of leading complex, high-impact initiatives (often with budgets exceeding $40M) and managing cross-functional, multicultural teams. Through Sakara Digital, Amie helps organizations navigate digital transformation with clarity, flexibility, and purpose, delivering senior-level fractional consulting directly to clients and through strategic partnerships with consulting firms and software providers. She currently serves as Strategic Partner to IntuitionLabs on GxP compliance and AI-enabled transformation for pharmaceutical and life sciences clients. Amie is also the founder of Peacefully Proven (peacefullyproven.com), a wellness brand focused on intentional, peaceful living.

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