Most of my clients don’t need a consulting project. They need a senior AI voice they can call when something comes up — a software pitch they’re not sure about, a regulatory change they need to think through, a use case someone on the team wants to try. The retainer is the main way I work. For one-off questions or specific decisions, there are smaller options below.
The retainer, in practice.
Each month includes:
A monthly strategy session (90 minutes, remote) where we go through what’s on your plate — vendor decisions, use cases being proposed, team questions, governance issues, anything live.
An open line for ad-hoc questions between sessions, by email or a short call. If your team lead comes back from a conference wanting to try something, or a supplier sends you a proposal you’re not sure about, you send it to me. I’ll give you a considered answer within two working days, usually faster.
Ongoing vendor and software vetting, as decisions come up. I’ll review proposals, sit in on pitch calls when useful, and tell you what’s real, what’s marketing, what to ask before signing, and what the realistic twelve-month picture looks like.
Quarterly training sessions for your team, on a topic you choose. Typical sessions: “What your team actually needs to know about ChatGPT at work”, “Reading an AI vendor pitch”, “What the Australian Privacy Act changes mean for us”.
Written notes from every session, so your team has something to refer back to.
What the retainer isn’t.
It isn’t a seat on your executive team. I don’t attend every meeting, and I don’t own outcomes — your team does. My job is to make sure the decisions your team makes are as well-informed as they’d be if you had a head of AI in-house. I’m cheaper than hiring one, I’m quicker than recruiting one, and for most mid-market companies I’m all that’s actually needed.
It isn’t a consulting project with a fixed scope. The work shifts as your priorities shift. If you have a big vendor decision one month, we spend the time on that. If it’s quiet, we use the session to get ahead on governance or team training.
It isn’t advice with a disclaimer at the end. I give you my actual opinion. If I think a use case is a bad idea, I’ll tell you. If I think you’re overpaying, I’ll tell you that too.
If a retainer isn’t right yet.
The vendor call sit-in – AUD 1,800 / USD 1,250 / GBP 950
A single AI sales pitch where I join the call, ask the questions that matter, and send you a written read on the vendor afterwards — what’s real, what’s marketing, what to ask before signing, and whether it’s a fit.
Includes a 30-minute prep call beforehand and a written note within two working days.
The 15-minute AI question – FREE
One specific question, one straight answer. Useful when you want a sanity check before a meeting or a decision and don’t need the rest.
Pricing.
Foundation retainer — AUD 4,500 / USD 3,200 / GBP 2,400 per month.
Monthly strategy session, ad-hoc questions within two working days, one vendor review per month, one quarterly team training session. Suited to companies with a handful of live AI questions and no in-house expert.
Standard retainer — AUD 8,000 / USD 5,500 / GBP 4,200 per month.
Everything above, plus twice-monthly sessions, same-day response on urgent questions, unlimited vendor reviews, and monthly team training. Suited to companies with AI already being used or seriously considered in multiple parts of the business.
Minimum engagement is three months. Either side can end the retainer with 30 days’ notice after that. No lock-ins.
Prices are set independently per currency to reflect local market norms rather than a daily exchange rate.
SGD and other currencies are available on request.
The 30-minute call.
If you’re not sure whether a retainer is the right shape, book a 30-minute call. I’ll ask what’s on your plate, you’ll see whether we’d work well together, and I’ll tell you honestly if the retainer is the right answer. Sometimes it isn’t, and I’ll say so.