Services
Three engagements, each with a defined output, a timeframe, and a price or pricing basis. Everything else I do (interim roles, coaching, training, speaking) is on request.
| AI Opportunity Assessment | Fractional CIO / Chief AI Officer | M&A IT Due Diligence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Leadership teams under pressure to “do AI” who want an honest plan first | Companies of 100–1,000 people that need a real CIO, part-time | PE firms, corporate development, owners preparing a deal |
| Main output | Ranked use cases, readiness gaps, 12-month roadmap, one pilot ready to go | Technology strategy, budget, vendor and security ownership, monthly board reporting | Risk and cost report, investment estimate, day-one and 100-day plan |
| Duration | 4–6 weeks | Monthly, 3-month minimum | 2–4 weeks |
| Format | Fixed fee | Retainer, 2–6 days/month | Fixed fee sized to target |
| Investment | from $18,000 | from $4,800/month | from $12,000 |
| Details → | Details → | Details → |
1. AI Opportunity Assessment
Four to six weeks to find out where AI will actually pay off in your business, what is standing in the way, and what to do first. I walk the floor, sit with the people doing the manual work, look at the data where it really lives, and come back with a ranked plan rather than a vendor’s wish list. Fixed fee. Full description, deliverables, and week-by-week plan.
2. Fractional CIO / Chief AI Officer
A named senior technology leader on your team for two to six days a month. I own the technology strategy and budget, manage vendors and the MSP, lead security and AI governance, and report to the CEO or board monthly. The first 90 days follow a written plan you approve before we start. Monthly retainer, three-month minimum, then month to month. Responsibilities, reporting, and the first-90-day plan. Raleigh and Research Triangle clients: local page.
3. M&A IT Due Diligence
Two to four weeks before a deal closes to find out what the target’s technology really costs, what it will take to integrate or separate it, and which risks belong in the price. I have led more than twenty integrations and carve-outs and know where value leaks. Fixed fee sized to the target; post-close integration leadership available as a retainer. What gets assessed and what you receive.
Also available on request
- Interim CIO / CTO while you recruit a permanent leader, or through a transition.
- Post-merger IT integration leadership after due diligence.
- AI literacy and governance training for leadership teams and workgroups, including the algorithmic complacency framework (see the StarFactor case).
- Executive coaching for IT leaders stepping into their first CIO role, as a certified emotional intelligence coach.
- Conference and board presentations on AI adoption, governance, and IT in M&A.
How pricing works
Fixed-scope projects are quoted as a single fee after a short scoping call, so you know the cost before you commit. Retainers are priced by days per month. What moves the price: the number of sites and systems, whether travel is needed, how much of the work is on-site, and how quickly you need it. The full pricing guide explains what a fractional CIO costs and how to compare it with a hire, an MSP, or a consultancy.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work outside North Carolina?
Yes. Most work is remote with periodic on-site days. I have clients and experience across the US and the EU and work in English, German, French, and Hungarian.
Who actually does the work?
I do. There is no bench of junior analysts. Where a project needs extra hands (data engineering, a security assessment tool, a specific vendor), I bring in people I have worked with and tell you in advance.
Can we start small?
Yes. The AI Opportunity Assessment is designed as a low-risk first step. Most retainer clients start there.
What happens on the first call?
Thirty minutes. You describe your situation; I tell you what I see and whether one of these engagements fits. You leave with two or three next steps whether or not we work together.