In this exclusive CanadianSME Small Business Magazine interview, Sarah Baldeo, globally renowned AI neuroscientist, CEO of ID Quotient Advisory Group, bestselling author, and PhD candidate at Middlesex University, shares how a journey that began at 19—shaped by her grandfather’s example, her upbringing in Rexdale, Toronto, and her experience as a lone parent and cancer survivor—drives her mission to protect and upgrade the human brain in the age of AI. Drawing on private fMRI data and a behavioural study of over 1,900 participants, she debunks myths about “brain fry,” shows how generative AI can actually enhance core executive functions when used for ideation and problem‑solving, and explains how entrepreneurs can harness GenAI to scale operations, de‑risk exits, and build resilient, future‑ready businesses—especially women founders, whom she encourages to master their fight‑or‑flight response and take one simple step in the next 90 days: build their own custom GPT to demystify AI and reclaim confidence in their own cognitive power.
You began your journey at 19 and built multiple companies while overcoming major challenges. What inspired you, and how has your journey shaped your leadership today?
My grandfather, Dr Isaac Baldeo was my inspiration from an early age – watching him build his own counselling practice after immigrating from South America. Being a first generation Canadian of Jamaican and Guyanese descent, I was raised with the ethos of being self-made and focusing on my merit to help me build businesses independently. My adolescent years growing up in Rexdale Toronto shaped my leadership style with a balance empathy, accountability, and grit.
Many leaders feel uncertain about GenAI. What are the biggest myths, and how can people use AI in a smarter, stress-free way?
The most significant myth that must be dispelled is that AI use is causing cognitive brain or “brain fry or frog brain” – these headlines are exacerbating public fears. These fears also presented when the telephone and Google entered ubiquitous public access. The data from private fMRIs and the 1923 participants in my behavioural study illustrate clearly that when people use AI for ideation, dialogue, and research we see increases in cognitive capacity and brain activity in three areas: the prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex (self-identity), and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (planning & decision making).
How can GenAI help entrepreneurs quickly build and grow a business? And how has it helped you personally?
We see solo entrepreneurs scaling their businesses 10x as fast as they were without GenAI. The major use cases with the highest ROIC are: Operations, Finance, and HR functions. Sales and Marketing also provide excellent use cases with entrepreneurs analyzing data for tasks like: customer journey mapping, or creating advisory boards from Marketing Gurus. In my last 6 businesses I have used GenAI to minimize my cash flow conversion cycle, to validate DCF calculations for companies we invest in, and to help generate code. Before my 2 exits I used GenAI to help stress-test my data library and balance sheets before due diligence.
What qualities do you look for in founders? And what advice would you give—especially to women—on building strong, future-ready businesses without burnout?
As an equity fund owner I seek a trifecta: Accountability, Ownership, Resilience. As a mother, a cancer survivor, and someone who was a lone parent for 11 years while building businesses I tell women that control over our fight-or-flight response is possible. During chaos and disaster is when the brain is MOST neuroplastic, most capable of building new productive models of reacting to stress and fear.
What is your vision for the future? And what’s one simple step anyone can take in the next 90 days to start using AI with confidence?
A world where merit determines success. A future where we unlock the cognitive potential of 100 trillion neurons of the brain. One simple step – built your own GPT; it takes 5 minutes and will teach you so much about natural language processing, semantics, how to train yourself and a GPT – it truly helps to demystify AI and stop imbuing it with human qualities.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Our platform is dedicated to fostering dialogue and sharing insights that inspire and empower small and medium-sized businesses across Canada.
