Vanessa Ayres: From Software Architect to Mahjong Lifestyle Brand

Hey friends, it's Flora, and welcome back to another episode of The Human Side of AI. I'm gonna be honest with you, this episode almost didn't happen, and I wanna be real with you about that. Life showed up for both my guest and I this week. Plans move, days got hard, and when we finally sat down together, we were both a little worn around the edges. Vanessa showed up anyway though, and she did with so much warmth and openness, and I'm so grateful she did. Vanessa is a former software architect who walked away from corporate life to put her health first and build a mahjong lifestyle brand for women who love the game as much as she does. She's a Club Jam member. She's building this business as a team of one, and she uses AI every single day to make it work. You'll hear about a teacher named Nancy who gave her a gift she's still paying forward, a glow-in-the-dark mahjong party called Midnight Mahjong, and why Vanessa believes this game brings families back to the table, phones down, fully present. That's what this show is about— technology carrying the load so people can show up for each other. Here's Vanessa. Enjoy. Hey Vanessa, welcome! How are you today?

Thank you, I'm great. It's nice to meet you and see you.

Yeah, nice to finally meet you as well. So you're coming all the way from Houston. Tell us everyone, you know, tell everyone kind of what you're up to and like what's lighting you up these days.

Um, so I am working on starting my own business, um, for a mahjong lifestyle apparel line and, um, a community, um, that I could have and host like every week, similar to what Jam is doing. Um, I— for me, um, I kind of Discovered mahjong, um, in a really, uh, challenging part of my life. Um, I had quit my job. I was working as a software architect, and I quit my job, um, because I was really struggling with, um, complex PTSD and depression. And I just realized that I couldn't like do that anymore and still work, you know, in a corporate role. Um, so I, I just quit and I was like, I'm putting my health and my mental health first. And, um, I also like the idea of if I started my own business, I could, um, use— like call my own shots and have the flexibility of getting online. Like if I'm having a bad day or You know, or I, I have a treatment that day, or, you know, something like that. I could work it. I can work when it's comfortable for me. But the AI part was huge because I'm only one person. And, you know, like anyone else starting a business, like, you have to wear many hats, but you only have so many hours in a day.

Totally.

So you're trying to use AI, or I am now, like, trying to use AI to just You know, get everything done in a small amount of time.

Yeah. So okay. So for those who weren't aren't familiar, and I honestly wasn't. Tell us what mahjong is, and like how.

Oh yeah, it's a game. It's a Chinese game that was brought over from China, but it was Americanized. There was an American man that brought it over from China, and ladies, I believe. On the East Coast started playing it, and and they kind of made their own version of it.

Okay.

Because there's also Chinese mahjong. But it's it's if you can read a deck of cards like a 52 deck of cards, like you know with queen, king, jack, and all the different suits, then you can learn and play American mahjong. It is harder. than Chinese mahjong, but it's—

Yeah. Wow.

Yes, because like Chinese mahjong is just groups of the same number, like 2 of a kind, 3 of a kind, 4 of a kind. Whereas American mahjong, you have to have this card that is put out every year that tells you the combinations of the tiles you need to create a hand. And there's 14 tiles to make a hand.

Oh my goodness. Okay, so let's, let's take it back because this is about you and not about mahjong, right? So, so your bio in school, it lists mahjong and it lists AI, it lists tech. And you kind of shared a little bit about that in the beginning of this call. So how, how did all of those things kind of end up in your life?

Hmm. Well, I've always been Really curious and eager to learn new technology. Um, also, I really love, like, complex games and complex things.

Okay.

And American Mahjong is pretty easy to learn, but it is complex to actually build a hand and win the game. So I like challenging hard things. I mean, everybody, and I know why now everybody says it's really hard starting your own business.

Yeah, yeah. Okay, well, so you shared a little bit about American Mahjong and how it's different, and I really appreciate that. Tell us a little bit about like the first game that really hooked you.

Um, like, that wasn't mahjong or a different—

Oh yeah, like a mahjong game. Like, how did you get hooked to mahjong?

Oh, um, I had posted, um, on one of the, like, moms Facebook groups that there's, like, I don't know, 20,000, 30,000 women in the group. And I just said, hey, does anybody want to learn how to play? American mahjong, and I and this was you know that movie Crazy Rich Asians. They're playing it in the movie.

Okay, I've never seen it, but oh, it's it's it's a really good movie.

I would highly recommend it. They're playing it, but that movie is like ten twelve years old. So I wanted to I've been wanting to play for that long, and I finally posted on. Facebook, and then I got so many comments.

Wow.

Of women, like, were clamoring, and I was like, whoa. So I ended up starting my own Facebook group.

Okay.

And I'm like, okay, like, let's hire a teacher to teach us. Um, but the really amazing thing is, like, it's kind of expensive to hire a tutor to teach you mahjong. But I found this older woman that's been playing for like 40 years.

Oh, wow!

She agreed to teach me and a small group of women, about 8 of— I think there were 8 of us, 8 or 12 of us, every night for like 3 months, I think from like September through November. And we went every Tuesday night and she taught us for free in her home. And I'm like, Nancy, like, I mean, we can pay you a little something, you know? Or she was like, no, no, no, like, this is a gift. This is an awesome game, y'all, and you love it. I just love people that want to learn, and so this is my gift to y'all.

I love that. And like, what— yeah, truly, what a gift. So, so you start this Facebook group, you are really getting into it, you're working with this trainer, you're kind of working with this, this group of, of, of, of other ladies, I assume. And then you join Club Jam in August, and I'm curious kind of what, what What brought you to ClubJam and where— what was it that made you say, okay, I really need to use AI in my business right now?

Well, because as I— well, 2 reasons. Like when you work in like tech or software, you always want to be like ahead and on top of the next thing with technology. Yeah. So that's a given for me. That's one reason. And what else brought me to her and saying like, yes, I want to, you know, be in her awesome club and everything was I had— I, as a small business, I found a resource called the Small Business Association. And then from there it said they had this group called SCORE, which had free mentors and these free meetings, you know, for anything you could think of, like AI, accounting, how to start a business, like everything, you know, everything in between. And so I started attending those free SCORE meetings like every week because they have them like, I don't know, 3 or 4 times a week.

Yeah.

Every week. So I started going, and one day it said like, I think it said like how to use AI in your business. And so I joined, um, the, the meeting, the SCORE meeting, and I was blown away.

I was like, And Jam was leading that one?

Yes. And I was like, I want to be her.

Aww.

I really was. Like, I was just like, oh, because tech is my industry. But like, seeing how she was using it and teaching people and, you know, strangers— we didn't know each other— how to use it for your business. And I was starting my own business. I was like, oh, I got to get all over this.

Super cool. I love that. Okay, so we're, you know, we're going towards mid-October now. Like, where have you been? How has your AI journey been since, you know, from now since August?

Um, so I've built several web pages.

Cool.

Um, like different mockups basically. And then because I am having a Shopify developer, um, because I wanted to do it all like you know, through Claude and AI. But I need like this— there's some features in Shopify that I have to have that only they have. So, okay, what I've been doing is using it to build mockups of the website, and then I give it to my website developer and say, I want this exactly like this, and he just recreates it.

Wow.

And what else am I doing? Oh, I'm using it a lot. I'm using AI a lot for like deep research. On like what I should sell for my business. Like if I, you know, I know I want to design apparel and stuff, but like I also, if I design something and nobody's buying it, then what's the point of it? You know? So I'm using it for research to learn what is profitable to sell historically, you know, in the past, but also what are some upcoming trends in my industry, in mahjong or gaming and things like that, that I can try to get on top of so I can start designing, put something out, and then it's out there for people to buy when the trend kind of starts to blow up.

Cool. Well, Jam is always keeping me super in the loop and what's trending, and she's like, she's like, this is the next thing. Mahjong is the next thing.

So it is. Yeah, I started playing, I guess, like a year and a half, 2 years ago, and then I've only— I, I just had this gut feeling. I was like, man, this is awesome. And I'm like, I think I want to start a business and quit my job, you know? And I just had this feeling, which I don't get. Like, I'm not saying like I have like intuition about business in general, but I did for this.

I love that. So, okay, so we are headed towards mid-August— or nope, October already. Um, and Q4 is going to be your big sales push. So what is your plan Vanessa, and how is AI helping you get there?

Well, so I did ask AI, like, you know, what are some items that sell in Q4? You know, with Christmas and Thanksgiving, all the holidays come up.

Yeah.

And Claude gave me some amazing insights about what items that historically sell this time of year, like ornaments. Well, I can do mahjong ornaments. Yeah, I use a print-on-demand vendor or blankets, holiday wrapping paper. That's another huge thing that's going to be coming. So I've already started designing those things on it with, you know, and getting them loaded into print-on-demand vendors so that I could get those selling. What else? I use it every day, all day throughout the day. Like I— it is a— how did I put it? It's a It's a critical tool for— I, in my opinion, it's a critical tool for any small business owner, like period, the end. Like you have to use it.

So how is your Facebook group doing?

So I don't really do the Facebook group as much anymore because I've kind of pivoted to working on the business. Yeah, but I have, I have GroupMe now, so I have those same women that they've come to my home or my studio and I've taught them mahjong because I want them, you know, they're the ones like they decided to take a lesson with me and I want to invest in them too. So I use GroupMe now and I use Claude. So I'm planning something called a Midnight Mahjong Ladies Event, and I use Claude to build a website with like An FAQ for this ladies' party event that I'm doing because I knew the ladies would be like, wait, what is Midnight Marge? Are we going to start at midnight?

Yeah, no, I'm like, do you wake at midnight? What is that?

No, it's not like they— so they don't even know what Midnight Marge— like, I've purposely been keeping it a secret, but I said it starts at 5:30. It does not start at midnight.

Okay.

And they've been asking me, like, tell us.

I mean, can you tell us at least? I—

yeah, yeah. So what it is, because I try to think of very unique ideas that no one else has thought of. No one else has thought of playing mahjong in the dark.

Okay.

So I have bought like neon jewelry, you know, the neon tube jewelry. Yeah, like the loops and things. I bought that. Um, I have some lights that I'm gonna put everywhere and Also, I have these headlamps that are like adjustable and you can do different colors. So, and you can like direct it down on the table. So it's gonna be pitch black, it's gonna be dark, but the neon jewelry, the headlamps, we're gonna be playing mahjong in the dark. And then I'll have like, you know, those little glowing ice cubes in the, in our drinks.

Cute.

Like a whole kind of neon after dark vibe.

And do people have to pay to participate? Like, how is this a business model?

Oh, so because I'm going to be showing them before we turn out the lights and do the mahjong, I'm going to be showing them like some samples of my clothing and saying, hey, because they know I've started a business.

Okay.

They do have to pay. But honestly, like, I'm not making any profit. I'm only asking them to pay to cover like some of the headlamps and the food that's being catered. But I'm not making any money on the event except It's more of like me to debut the apparel and the things that I'm going to be selling.

So tell us a little bit more about those.

Yeah. So right now, if you like look for mahjong apparel, a lot of it you can get it, you know, you can obviously get it on Amazon, but it's really cheap and cheesy.

Okay.

And I That's just not my vibe. So I am designing things that look sophisticated, elegant, but they're original designs that I've made and put, you know, on a shirt, a sweater, hat, jacket, cup, ornament, wrapping paper, that kind of thing. And I'm using AI to help give me inspiration for ideas of what patterns— like a pattern for the wrapping paper. Like I asked Claude and ChatGPT, like, you know, show me some inspiration for some holiday wrapping paper that's mahjong related, and then I'll build it in Canva, or, you know, use a connector to help me build it in Canva through Claude. So that's—

yeah. Okay, so you're using these gaming events kind of as like a facilitator, kind of like a lead generator to bring people to your apparel business?

Yes. And also I— there's a marketing coach that I follow, and she says that, you know, if your Facebook, Instagram, whatever, like if you, if you got hacked, or sometimes the algorithm in Facebook or Instagram will shut your page or your profile down because it incorrectly thinks that you're, um, a hacker or it's an inappropriate page, well, you lose your thousands of followers and contacts. And her advice is You have to get people's email addresses because you control that. You can send out whatever you want, whenever you want, and nobody can shut that down. So I— when they buy a ticket for the event, they have to input their email.

Okay. I love it. That actually just clicked for me. So, so you're hosting these events, you're creating these communities, all with this idea of this is lead generation for your mahjong-inspired Clothing apparel.

Yes. And then once the clothing is like up and for sale, like on my Shopify site or whatever, I'm going to be sending emails saying, oh, there's a launch, or I'm going to do a little teaser and maybe show like part of an item and like, hey, guess what it is? Just to generate, you know, the intrigue and captivate them like, ooh, what is she coming out with?

Very cool. So what other mahjong communities are out there that you could be a part of?

Um, well, everywhere now it seems like there are open play mahjong games at restaurants and, um, bars and, um, mahjong rooms. There's a few— there's a— I don't know if you know, but like in Dallas, that is the mecca of mahjong.

I didn't know.

Yeah, it really is. So Every major mahjong tile company is based in Dallas.

Okay.

Now, they're not made in Dallas. They're obviously made in China, and then they get them over here and they mark them up, and they're like $500 for a set of mahjong tiles. Wow.

So if people are spending $500 on a set of mahjong tiles, they can spend X amount on apparel.

Clothing. Yeah, exactly.

I love it. I love it. Okay, well, very cool. And then, you know, You— your bio names you as a mental health advocate, and is that something that is going to be a part of what you're building here?

Oh yes, for sure. Because I have blogs that I've started writing where I'm kind of integrating mahjong and mental health and how when I was in intensive treatments, for what I was struggling with, I discovered and started playing mahjong. And while it was— I mean, I hated doing the treatments, but I wanted to get better, so I just continued to push myself to do it. But mahjong for me was like that excitement and that glimmer of joy and happiness that I loved and looked forward to every single week.

Wow.

Um, and I'm just using— and I'm intentionally being very open and honest with women that, hey, you don't have to have it all together, and you don't have to fake it and make it look like, you know, because I did— I did that for years, and I wasn't okay. I— and I want to bring awareness, and I want to make it safe for women to say, hey, Vanessa, like Can I pull you aside? Thank you for sharing that, you know, you were struggling with depression, PTSD. Like, what did you try? What worked for you? Or what is working for you? Or, you know, what kind of treatments are you doing? Because I've done all kinds of treatments, and most of them are not medication related and have significantly improved my quality of life. So I'm being very vocal about my struggles because I want other women to feel comfortable opening up, sharing about their struggles too, because it really just brings us together in a much deeper way than like the superficial, like, hi, bye, or, oh, I like your purse, or, you know.

Yeah, very cool. All right, well, when we talk in 6 months, where do you want your business to be then?

Uh, where people are contacting me and reaching out to me and saying, hey, um, did you sell that? Or hey, my friends told me like you design like mahjong lifestyle apparel. Like, do you think you could do that? Like, where they're kind of reaching out to me and asking me about You know, what am I working on next? Or hey, do you think you? What about this? Like, or they give me some ideas about something that they'd like me to design and you know share and sell.

Kind of become this like not necessarily a thought leader, but just kind of this go-to person in this market.

Yeah, because there isn't anyone. So it is a mosh. I say. It's a mahjong lifestyle brand because when you play mahjong, you talk about it, you play it all the time, you think about it all the time. Like, it's— I say it's your life, but it is, but it isn't. But this community of women that I've taught how to play, and we play regularly all the time, like, we're always like texting each other, hey, did you see this new tile set that came out? And I'm like, oh my gosh, no, don't show it to me. I have too many sets, you know?

Um, that's kind of how I feel. I'm like, maybe I don't want to know more about mahjong.

And I, oh, I could teach you. I could teach you even remotely for free. So I just, um, it's a lifestyle. It is not just a game. It encroaches on other aspects of your life in a very good way. And that's what I'm trying to show people is it brings people together. In the most unexpected way. And it is a game that once you learn, you're going to play the rest of your life. I promise you, it is not— it is not a fad or a trend like Bunco. It is something that you will play for a lifetime. And what I love is that I'll teach mostly women, and I teach men and kids too, but mostly it's the women that, you know, they want to learn. They come, I teach them. And then later on they're like, hey, can I bring my son or my daughter? I'm like, yes, like bring them over or I'll go there. And I teach them and then they will teach the dad, the husband, how to play, you know, in their own time. And then they send me pictures and they're like, Vanessa, like, look, like the kids aren't on their devices. We're all fully present. We are fully involved. Well, having family time, playing this amazing game that you taught us.

I love that. I love that. Very cool. No, I, I, and I, I mean, that alone could be such a pitch, you know, like, let me, you know, help you with something that is so much bigger than just, you know, this is for your whole family. So yeah, I, I know that this is gonna be one of those calls that after we get off, I have so many ideas and, and whatnot. But, um, you know, and I'll obviously reach out, um, in school, but if people are interested in learning more, how do they reach you?

Um, I am on Instagram and Facebook under Vasara Mahj, V-A-S-S-A-R-A, and Mahj is M-A-H-J. Um, Facebook and Instagram. And I do also have my website up right now. I have a coming soon page, so if they want to get, you know, on my The Enclave, which is my private email list, so that they can know when things are launching, or they can get You know, first access to things before anyone else. There's a coming soon page that has a contact info form where they can put their name and email so I can keep them in the loop and keep sharing what I'm working on, and they can they can tell other people about Mahjong.

I love it. Well, Vanessa, thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me. I know I know it was a bit of a struggle for us to get here, and I'm really just grateful that you you took the time to share with us, and I'm excited to share your story and all. the facets of it to our community. So thank you again.

Thank you.

Okay, cool. Well, have a wonderful weekend. We'll talk soon.

Okay.

Bye.