Building the Future of Workflows
Make with Notion | September 18, 2025
When I walked onto the Make with Notion stage, I wanted to do more than just show off flashy features, I wanted to show how simple, repeatable systems can completely change the way you work.
My journey started at 18 in a nonprofit that had zero data infrastructure.
We were managing compliance and grant reports out of filing cabinets filled with social security numbers. It was chaos, and I became obsessed with fixing it. I taught myself SQL, built a working database, and realized something powerful: most teams don’t fail because they don’t care; they fail because their systems do.
Years later, when I launched my own business, I made every mistake in the book; missed deadlines, lost communication threads, broken project management tools. And for a while, I thought the problem was me. But it wasn’t. It was the tools I was using. That’s when I discovered Notion. In one afternoon, I migrated everything and finally had a workspace that made sense.
Today, I run my entire business from a single Notion database. No over-designed dashboards, no emojis, no fluff. “You could say my workspace is boringly effective,” I told the audience, “but for me, it’s a personal choice, because I’m focused on creating the highest-quality experience for my clients, not getting stuck in the weeds trying to do it.”
Instead of project “statuses,” I use areas to track work, a strict 10-item rule per toggle, and universal icons. This helps me avoid search fatigue, context switching, and decision overload. Then I layer in automation and AI. My custom agents are, Lizzie (project manager) and Arthur (sales lead). Lizzie runs real-time project standups using Notion AI text properties, and Arthur analyzes sales call notes, researches prospects, and even decides if I should take on a client. Once approved, a single Notion button triggers an entire onboarding sequence through Zapier; for creating contracts, invoices, calendar events, and Slack channels.
These workflows save me five hours per client and keep every project running without me chasing admin tasks. More importantly, they let me focus on what matters most: people. “I care about building relationships; having conversations, creating community, and doing work that matters, not just checking email.”
My challenge to the audience was simple: Don’t add features for the sake of it. Step back and ask, “How can I make my workspace - and my business - more boringly effective?” Because productivity isn’t about more tools; it’s about better systems that give you back your time, clarity, and creativity.
About the Speaker
Sara Loretta is the founder of UNMUTE™, an experience-first consultancy that helps fast-scaling teams systemize, automate, and scale the way they work, together. As a Notion & Zapier Solutions Partner, and experienced operations strategist, Sara builds connected processes that replace scattered tools and fractured workflows that drive collaboration, ownership, and excitement throughout an entire business.
