Strategy
Retainer
Keep a trusted engineer in your corner as the technology landscape shifts — someone who already knows your business, your constraints, and what you've already built.
What this engagement is
The technology landscape is moving fast. It's not just AI. The tools, platforms, and approaches worth paying for today are different from what was worth it a year ago, and they'll be different again next year. Most small businesses can't afford to track this full-time and they shouldn't have to. That's what the retainer is for.
A retainer keeps an experienced advisor in your corner on an ongoing basis. Someone who already knows your business, understands what you've built so far, and can tell you what to pay attention to as things change. You get both strategic guidance and hands-on implementation time, depending on what you need in a given month.
This works best after an initial audit or implementation engagement, once we've already built a working relationship and I have context on your operations. But if you're coming in with a clear picture of what you need, we can discuss starting here.
The two tiers
Strategy Tier
A monthly strategy check-in plus a defined number of support hours. You get access to me for questions as things come up, and we meet once a month to review what's working, what's changing, and what's worth acting on. Good for companies that have implemented the core systems and need ongoing guidance without a lot of new build work.
- Monthly 60-minute strategy call
- 4 hours implementation or support work
- Email access for questions
- Quarterly review of tools and systems in use
Implementation Tier
Everything in the Strategy tier, plus more hands-on implementation time and a faster response window. Good for companies actively building on their initial implementation: adding new capabilities, integrating new tools, or responding to changes in the business.
- Monthly 60-minute strategy call
- 8 hours implementation or support work
- Priority email and phone access
- Monthly review of tools and systems in use
- Priority scheduling for larger projects
When it makes sense
The retainer is worth it when AI is genuinely doing work inside your business and you want to keep it tuned, maintained, and improving. It's not worth it if you're still figuring out whether AI applies to you. That's what the audit is for.
Companies that get the most from a retainer typically have at least one AI system in production and want to extend its capabilities or add new ones over time. They've already seen what a thoughtful implementation can do, and they want to keep building on it.
Want ongoing support?
Let's talk about what that looks like.
Start with a free 30-minute call. I'll tell you whether a retainer is the right fit for where you are — and if not, what is.
Book a free consultation