Ongoing advisory ยท quarterly commitment
A standing second opinion for AI and systems decisions.
Decisions about AI, automation, and systems do not arrive on a project schedule. The retainer puts an experienced, unconflicted voice on your side of the table when they do.
$3,000-$8,000 per month depending on cadence and scope. Quarterly commitment, renewable.
Discuss retainer fitWhen this is right
You have done a briefing or workshop, the plan is live, and the plan keeps meeting reality: new vendors, new constraints, new opportunities.
You are making five-figure tooling or architecture decisions on the strength of vendor demos.
Your team is capable but has no one senior to pressure-test AI and integration calls before they become expensive.
You want continuity so every conversation does not start from zero.
You leave with
A regular decision cadence that keeps momentum from stalling between workshops or pilots.
Written opinions on vendor proposals and architecture choices before money is committed.
A cleaner build-vs-buy discipline across integrations, automation, and AI decisions.
Operators who level up their own judgment over time, so the retainer makes itself less necessary.
Questions
Why quarterly?
Because advisory compounds. One month is a conversation. Three months is enough to see decisions land, adjust, and prove the cadence pays for itself.
What if we do not use the async access much?
Then the monthly review still carries the value. Most quarters, one prevented mistake covers the fee. If the retainer is not earning its keep, I will say so first.
Can the retainer include vendor meetings?
Yes. Sitting on your side of the table in vendor conversations is one of the highest-leverage uses of the retainer.
How is this different from a fractional CTO?
A fractional CTO owns your systems part-time. I advise the people who own them full-time. If what you need is an owner, I will tell you that directly.
How does it start?
Usually after a briefing or workshop so there is a plan to steward, though starting cold works too.
Closing