How I Became a Notion Specialist (and Why I Love Building Systems for Small Businesses)

From Toy Buyer to Notion Specialist: My Journey to Building Better Business Systems

From buying toys in Manchester to building Notion specialist for small business in Scotland (with a detour through Australia!). Here's my somewhat messy story.

Hi, I’m Amy. A Notion Specialist for Small Service-Based Businesses

I help small business owners simplify their work using Notion. But my journey here wasn’t exactly straightforward.

It started with a degree in industrial design, where I discovered I loved combining creativity with logic. My favourite classes were the business lectures, where design met data and strategy.

From Toys to Rugs: My Retail Buying Days

After university, I landed my first job in retail buying, in the toy department, no less.Yes, I actually got paid to play with toys at work.

I remember previewing Bratz and Barbie ranges at the London Toy Fair, they had major security before you could even go into their booth - this was some top secret stuff!

Soon after, I was promoted to Assistant Buyer, responsible for my own range: rugs. I travelled to Belgium every six months to source them and even designed a Jeff Banks rug that was sold exclusively in stores.

It was a dream job… until redundancy hit.

A New Chapter: Australia and Beyond

After being made redundant, my (now) husband and I packed our bags for a year in Australia.I worked in the David Jones buying office in Sydney, taking the ferry to work each day, not a bad commute!

When we returned, we moved to Galway, Ireland, where permanent jobs were scarce. So I decided to start something of my own: jewellery-making parties for kids.

It was creative, hands-on, and fun.

I still have some of those kits in my loft today.

From Handmade to Digital

When my son was born, it became harder to host parties, so I shifted to selling jewellery online.

During nap times, I’d make, photograph, and list pieces on Etsy.

That’s when I discovered the online business world and the idea that digital products and services could be more flexible, cost-effective, and scalable than physical goods.

I experimented with Pinterest management and later Canva templates, until that market became overcrowded.

Discovering Notion

Around that time I found Notion.

Well, technically I found it...

...opened it...

...stared at it...

...and closed it again 😂

A few months later, I joined a course that included Notion templates, and that’s when it finally clicked. I realised how powerful Notion could be for organising ideas, managing projects, and building systems that truly work.

From Product Design to System Design

Looking back, I’ve always been a problem solver.

In product design and buying, I created or refined products to solve specific problems. Now, I use Notion to design systems that do the same. Helping small business owners save time, stay organised, and feel more in control.

Because running a business alongside everything else in life isn’t easy.

But with a system that supports you, it becomes a lot more manageable.

Why I Love Notion (and Why You Might, Too)

Notion combines creativity and structure, the perfect mix for how I think and work.

I love building systems that are flexible enough to fit real people’s lives, not just business checklists.

So that’s what I do now: I help small service-based business owners build Notion systems that work for them, not the other way around.

And I’d love to show you what Notion can do for you and your business.