Services
How I work
Most engagements start with a straight read on what you've already got — that's the AI Second Opinion below. Beyond it, four advisory engagement shapes, each built around a specific decision or transition, and most now with an AI dimension at the centre. I work at the intersection of strategy and execution: senior enough to hold the full picture, close enough to the detail to keep the builders honest. What I don't do is hand over a deck and disappear — and when you'd rather I build the product than advise on it, there's a hands-on option too.
Start here
NewAI Second Opinion
Bring me what you've got. I'll tell you whether it's right, whether it'll survive, and what I'd do.
Buyer-side and independent. It starts with a conversation — no deck to sit through, no vendor with something to sell you.
What you bring
A build, a vendor's proposal, a plan, or a running system — whatever you're about to commit to, or already living with.
What you get back
A straight read: is this right, will it survive contact with a real business, and what would I do next. Outputs vary by scale — a verdict, a risk map, a recommendation on whether to proceed, who to hire, or what to fix. Examples, not a fixed deliverable.
No fixed price — the shape depends on what you bring and how far you want to go.
Engagement one
FlagshipAI & Platform Opportunity Audit
Where AI and platform decisions create genuine leverage — and where they don't.
For
Retailers, scale-ups and enterprise teams weighing AI tools, replatforming, or technology consolidation.
The problem it solves
Too many vendor pitches, too little independent perspective. The AI market in particular runs on hype — decisions stall, or go sideways, without someone who has actually built this and can tell the leverage from the noise.
Likely outcomes
- A clear, honest view of where AI or platform change creates real business value — and where it's a distraction
- A shortlist of credible options with the trade-offs spelled out
- A decision-ready brief your board or leadership team can act on
Engagement
2–4 week structured engagement, fixed fee.
Engagement two
AI-Era Transformation Blueprint
A programme plan that survives contact with reality — not a deck in a drawer.
For
Businesses planning a major platform migration, operating-model change, or multi-workstream transformation in which AI now changes the shape of the work.
The problem it solves
Transformation fails when the plan is built on vendor promises and internal optimism — and AI has added a fresh layer of both. Most consultants are long gone by the time delivery gets hard.
Likely outcomes
- A sequenced roadmap your team can actually execute, with AI factored in where it earns its place
- A vendor shortlist and procurement framework
- A resourcing model, risk register and business case
Engagement
4–8 week engagement, or ongoing advisory retainer.
Engagement three
Fractional CTO Advisory
Senior technology leadership embedded in your business — including the AI calls.
For
Growing businesses that need experienced technology leadership but aren't at the stage where a full-time CTO makes financial or structural sense.
The problem it solves
Without a senior technology voice, decisions default to the vendor, the developer, or whoever shouts loudest — and AI is where that goes wrong fastest, and most expensively. Strategy and execution drift apart.
Likely outcomes
- A consistent senior perspective across the decisions that matter, AI included
- Vendor relationships managed with commercial discipline
- Team capability built over time, not dependent on a single person
Engagement
Ongoing monthly retainer, typically two days per week.
Engagement four
Interim CTO
Hands-on technology leadership when you need it most — without the lag of a permanent hire.
For
Startups and growth-stage businesses that need an experienced CTO to set direction, build the team and ship — not advise from the sidelines.
The problem it solves
Early-stage companies can't afford to get architecture wrong, hire the wrong team shape, or burn runway on vendors that don't scale — and "what do we do about AI" usually lands on the same desk. Finding a permanent CTO takes months you don't have.
Likely outcomes
- Architecture designed for your next growth phase, not over-engineered for day one
- An engineering team hired, structured and shipping within weeks
- Vendor costs held tight — and a pragmatic line on where AI actually fits
Engagement
3–12 month engagement, typically three to four days per week.
Beyond advisory
Build with me — AI products, shipped
The four engagements above are advisory. This is the hands-on alternative: for founders and operators who need a working AI product in weeks, not quarters. I architect, build and launch — using the same toolchain and discipline I used for ProductMatch.
Who it's for
Founders, operators and product leaders who have a real customer problem that AI can solve, who want a working product rather than a prototype, and who'd rather work with someone who's done it than someone who'll learn on their dollar.
What's included
A scoped engagement, typically 6 to 10 weeks, ending with a live product. We agree the shape in week one, ship in week two, and iterate against real constraints from there. I work alongside your team rather than in a black box — you get the playbook, not just the output.
You leave with a working AI product launched to your customers, plus the technical artefacts and operational discipline to keep building after I'm gone. You're not buying a deliverable; you're buying the capability to ship AI products at this pace permanently.
Typical duration
6 to 10 weeks
Best for
Founders shipping a live AI product
How engagements work
Every engagement begins with an initial conversation, usually 30 to 60 minutes, where we discuss what you're working through and whether my experience is a good fit for your situation.
If it makes sense to proceed, I'll propose a scope, timeline, and fee structure. I work on fixed-fee engagements for audits and blueprints, and on a retained basis for fractional and interim CTO work. No hourly billing, no scope ambiguity.
I take on a small number of engagements at any given time. This means you get genuine attention, not a junior associate and a monthly check-in.
Ready to talk?
The best time to bring in an advisor is before you've committed to a direction — when the options are still open, the money's not yet spent, and the decision still matters.