🔎 AI Search
When customers ask ChatGPT, Google AI or Perplexity who to choose, is your business named, and are the details right?
INDEPENDENT AI CONSULTANT · VANCOUVER, BC
See the evidence
before you spend on AI
I help small businesses in Vancouver and across Canada get found and recommended in AI answers, and automate repetitive work, including the parts that used to need someone to read, judge or write.
Two ways I help
🤖 AI Automation
What is your team still copying, checking or chasing every week?
Start with evidence
Build only what is worth building
01 · Diagnose first
I first understand the problem, the current process and what a useful result would look like.
02 · Use the right solution
If a feature you already have, a process change or a plain automation solves it, that's what I'll recommend.
03 · Keep judgment human
AI can assist with repeatable steps. Decisions involving context, risk, approval or exceptions stay with the right person.
Meet Steph
I don't start with AI, I start with your business
Hi, I'm Stephanie Zhou 👋 Most people call me Steph, and I run Steph Forward, an independent AI consulting practice based in Vancouver, BC.
I spent over six years designing software and digital products, where technology had to serve real business and user needs. Today I bring that same way of working to AI Search and AI automation for small businesses. You work with me directly, from diagnosis through implementation, in plain language. On YouTube I show every build with what it actually cost. This is where that thinking becomes a service.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm not sure which service I need. Where should I start?
Start with the problem. If ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews or Perplexity miss your business, get important facts wrong or recommend competitors instead, start with AI Search.
If repeatable work is eating up your team's time, start with AI Automation.
Both start at C$350, so you can investigate the problem before committing to implementation.
Why isn't the diagnosis free?
Because it is a standalone deliverable: a written report with evidence and a recommendation you can act on with me, another provider or your own team. Free audits exist to sell you something. This one exists to answer your question. And if you go on to Optimization within 60 days, the C$600 Check is credited toward it.
What kind of businesses are a good fit for Steph Forward?
AI Search fits when customers compare several options before choosing. AI Automation fits when the same digital work repeats every week. For example: acupuncture and wellness clinics, dental practices, architecture and design studios, e-commerce and creator businesses.
Do I need technical or AI experience to work with you?
No. You bring the business context and the decisions that need your judgment. I explain the options and trade-offs in plain language and handle the research, analysis and implementation.
What happens on the discovery call?
The call is free and takes 30 minutes. Bring one thing you want to improve. I'll ask how it works today, tell you what I would look at first and whether a C$350 Snapshot or Scan makes sense.
What happens after the diagnosis?
The diagnosis ends with a written recommendation. You decide whether to continue. Nothing is bundled, and there is no obligation to hire me for the next step.
Let's Talk
Not sure where AI fits in your business?
Tell me what you want to improve. We'll talk through what's happening now and where to start.