Google Visibility + Practical AI for Established Businesses and Teams
You've built a good business. Let's help people find it.
And get more from the Google tools you already use before paying for more AI.
You want the right customers to find you, understand what makes your business different, and feel confident choosing you. But with Google and AI changing how people search, you may be wondering whether your business is showing up the way it could.
And then there's AI inside your business. It seems like every week there's another tool you're supposed to try, another subscription to consider, or something new your team needs to learn. With so many options, how do you know what's actually worth your time and money?
I'm Maria Elena Duron, Your Google Gal. I've spent more than 20 years building businesses and leading teams, so I understand how much time, money, and attention these decisions take.
Today, I help established businesses strengthen how they show up across Google and AI-powered search, so the right customers can find them and better understand what they offer. I also teach business owners, company teams, and organizations how to put AI to work using familiar Google tools, while keeping their experience, judgment, and customer relationships at the center of what they do.
Want to learn through a webinar or workshop? Bring practical Google and AI training to your team? Or work through your business priorities with someone experienced?
I'll help you find the right place to start. And when technical work is needed, I can connect you with qualified independent professionals who handle it.
Grow with google
U.S. Southwest coach
18,000+ business owners trained and advised
5.0 ★★★★★
370+
Google verified reviews
certified chief ai officer + certified ai executive + certified ai consultant
find Your Starting Point
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET STARTED?
Some things you may want to learn yourself. Some decisions are easier with experienced guidance. And some projects call for a qualified professional to handle the technical work. Choose the kind of help that makes sense for you.
LEARN
Get comfortable with Google and AI, and start putting what you learn to work.
Through live webinars, workshops, and on-demand training, I show you how to improve your visibility, understand new Google and AI capabilities, and use familiar tools more effectively.
You can start with free Webinar Wednesday™ sessions and our Smart Brand Circle community. When you're ready for more, Smart Brand Lab gives you continued learning and resources for $27 a month.
Come with questions. Leave with something you understand well enough to try in your own business.
GET GUIDANCE
Work through the decisions that affect your business.
Maybe you know something needs to improve, but you're not sure where to begin. Or you're looking at several possible investments and want to make a more informed choice before spending more money.
Through the Smart Roadmap™, private strategic coaching, and guided group support in the Smart Implementation Lab™, I help you identify priorities, understand your options, and determine what makes sense for your business.
I also work with companies and organizations that want practical Google and AI education for their people.
GET IT IMPLEMENTED
Find qualified professionals for the technical work.
Sometimes you already know what needs to be done. You just need someone with the right skills to do it.
When a project calls for technical implementation, I can help connect you with qualified independent professionals who provide specialized services.
You'll work directly with the professional on the scope, pricing, and delivery of their services, so everyone understands who is responsible for what.
Your customers are searching. What are they finding?
Someone hears about your business and looks you up. Another person searches Google Maps for a service like yours. Someone else asks an AI tool for recommendations.
Will they find accurate information about your business? Will they understand what you offer and why customers choose you?
Your website, Google Business Profile, reviews, videos, and information published about your business all help tell that story.
But when those pieces don't agree, or important information is missing, people may never get a clear picture of what makes your business worth considering.
I show business owners how their website, Google Business Profile, content, reviews, and online presence affect how they're found and understood. Together, we look at what's working, what may be missing, and where they can make improvements.
You can't control every search result or AI recommendation. But you can strengthen the information those systems and your customers have to work with.
You've already put years into building your business and earning your reputation. I want that work to be easier for people to discover.
HELP PEOPLE FIND AND CHOOSE YOUR BUSINESS
Related reading: AI Marketing Case Studies and Real-World Examples
MAKE MORE OF THE GOOGLE TOOLS YOU ALREADY HAVE
Before you spend more on AI, take another look at what's already available to you.
Think about the tasks that take up your day.
An inbox that keeps filling up. Documents you have to read and summarize. Reports that need updating. Questions your team answers over and over.
Now imagine getting some of that time back without having to learn a completely new system.
Many businesses already work in Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, Drive, and other Google tools. Depending on the features available to you, Gemini and Google Workspace can help with everyday tasks like these.
In my training, I demonstrate what the tools can do and how to apply them to real situations.
You see how things work, ask questions, and decide what makes sense for your business.
Some tasks are good candidates for AI support. Others need a person who knows the customers, understands the situation, and can make the right call.
Use AI to get informed. Use your experience to decide.
BRING PRACTICAL GOOGLE AND AI TRAINING TO YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION
Give your people training they can actually use when they get back to work.
Maybe some people on your team are already using AI every day, while others aren't sure where to begin.
Maybe leadership wants to understand what AI can do for the organization before investing in new tools or changing how people work.
Or maybe you're planning a conference or professional development program and want your audience to learn something useful enough to share with their colleagues.
I work with companies, associations, nonprofits, educational organizations, and business groups to make Google and AI easier to understand and use.
That includes interactive speaking sessions, live demonstrations, customized team workshops, leadership education, and practical training in Google Workspace and Gemini.
We can focus on improving visibility, helping teams work more efficiently, or understanding where AI fits into everyday business decisions.
And I always make room for questions. Some of the most useful learning happens when someone asks, "But how would this work in our business?"
That's the conversation I want people to have. I want them to understand what the technology can do and how to use it in ways that make sense for their work.
GET MORE FROM GOOGLE AND AI WITH SMART BRAND CIRCLE
Free tools, practical guidance, and people who are working on their businesses, just like you.
Running a business keeps you busy enough without trying to figure out every Google update or new AI tool that comes along.
That's why I created Smart Brand Circle, a free community for business owners, creators, and service providers who want to make better use of Google and AI without adding unnecessary costs or complexity.
Inside, you'll find practical tools, resources, training, and updates to help you:
Get your business found across Google, YouTube, and AI-powered search.
Build the visibility and trust that help customers feel confident choosing you.
Make better use of the Google and AI tools you already have.
Find simple ways to improve how you market and run your business.
Connect with other business owners who are putting what they learn into practice.
And there's plenty you can get started with without paying for another subscription.
Want to take your learning further? Smart Brand Lab offers additional training and resources for $27 a month.
MEET MARIA ELENA DURON
Your Google Gal. And a businesswoman who understands what's behind the decisions you make.
I've spent much of my career building brands, leading teams, managing operations, and making decisions that affect people, customers, and the bottom line.
Along the way, I helped grow a company from approximately $300,000 to $8.1 million.
That experience shapes how I teach today.
When someone asks me about a new AI capability or a problem with Google visibility, I'm also thinking about the business behind the question.
What will this take to implement? Who needs to learn it? Is there an easier way? And is it the right investment of time and money?
Today, as a Grow with Google Coach, speaker, trainer, and strategist, I bring that perspective to business owners, company teams, and organizations across the country.
I enjoy showing people what's possible with technology. But what excites me most is seeing them recognize something they can actually use.
Grow with Google U.S. Southwest Coach • Certified Chief AI Officer • Certified AI Executive • Certified AI Consultant
Rotarian • Paul Harris Fellow • Committed to service, leadership, and community impact
PRACTICAL LEARNING. REAL QUESTIONS. USEFUL ANSWERS.
When you attend one of my sessions, you won't spend the entire time looking at slides about what AI might do someday.
I open the tools. I show you how they work. We look at examples. And we spend time on the questions you bring.
My goal is for you to leave understanding something you can use, whether you're working on your own business or bringing what you've learned back to a team.
Here's how one participant described the experience:
Maria’s seminars are easy to understand and follow. Every session has great takeaways that are actionable and implementable
- Christie G. | Training Participant
THE S.M.A.R.T. BRAND STANDARD™
Technology changes. Good judgment still matters.
Google and AI can give us access to more information and new ways of getting things done.
But we still have to decide what information to trust, what makes sense for the business, and what we're willing to put in front of customers.
That's why I use the S.M.A.R.T. Brand Standard™:
Source. Meaning. Authority. Risk. Trust.
It's a way to look at the information we use, the decisions we make, and the responsibility we have to the people who depend on our businesses.
Those five principles guide how I approach visibility, AI training, business strategy, and the recommendations I make.
Your experience still belongs in the process.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK ON FIRST?
Maybe you want more people to find your business. Maybe you're ready to put AI to work in ways that save time. Or maybe your team needs someone experienced to help everyone understand where to begin.
Whatever brought you here, we can start with what you're trying to accomplish.
Explore the training and resources available, or schedule a short conversation to see what kind of guidance makes sense.
Show up smart. Stand out. Stay sought after.
CLEARER DECISIONS CHANGE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
You can spend a lot of time, money, and energy working on something simply because it looked urgent. My goal is to help you understand what deserves attention first, why it matters, and what you can actually do next.
“The Roadmap is on point and gives me the perspective and steps to reach my target audience.”
PAUL WISEMAN
“Maria delivered concrete action steps and tangible deliverables we could implement immediately.”
BEN NUNEZ
“I feel like I should have paid more for this.”
SEAN OMOH
Read more from the business owners and professionals who have shared 370+ Google Verified Reviews.
Why Human-Led AI
Maria Elena Duron
LISTEN & THINK DEEPER
THE HUMAN SIDE OF AI, VISIBILITY & BUSINESS
What happens when fast-changing technology meets a real business with real customers, employees, reputations, responsibilities, and consequences?
On #brandchat, Maria Elena talks with experienced leaders, experts, and business owners about AI, visibility, privacy, identity, decision-making, and how we use new technology without giving up the judgment and humanity that make a business worth choosing.