Plain Thoughts on Strategy and AI
Short, useful pieces on getting strategy over the line and adopting AI that pays back. No thought-leadership theatre
What We Learned by Publishing Our Prices
Opaque pricing protects the seller, not the buyer. Here's what changed when we put fixed-scope fees and sample outcomes on the website, fewer tyre-kickers, faster trust, better-scoped work.
June 2026 · 6 min readWhy Voice Agents Demo Well and Run Badly
The latency budget, the dialect problem, and the eight things to test before you sign anything.
The AI Roadmap at a Glance
Seven workstreams across week one, the first 90 days and the year after, with what done looks like at each stage.
Why "Exception-First" Beats "Automate Everything"
The fastest AI payback is clearing the clean majority and sending only exceptions to people.
Jul 2026 · 5 minThe Deck Is Not the Strategy. The Cadence Is
Strategies fail in week six, quietly. Build the weekly rhythm that survives contact.
Jul 2026 · 4 minDay-1 Is a Number, Not a Date
Integration value leaks in the first 90 days. A simple operating model keeps it in.
Jun 2026 · 5 minHow to Size a Savings Opportunity in a Week
A repeatable way to put a credible number on manual work, before the build gets a dollar.
Jun 2026 · 6 minBuild, Buy, or B360?
A plain framework for building in-house, buying a platform, or starting pre-built.
May 2026 · 5 minOwners, Not RACI Charts
Accountability is a person, not a matrix. How we wire delivery so decisions get made.
May 2026 · 4 minThe Baseline Is the Most Useful Document in Consulting
Write down what today costs before changing anything. It beats any deck.
Apr 2026 · 4 minFixed Fees Change the Incentives
A day rate pays for time. A fixed fee pays for the outcome. Different businesses.
Mar 2026 · 4 minWhy We Do Not Hand Over PPTs
A deck is finished the day it is presented. Your business is not.
Feb 2026 · 4 minERP Without the Overrun: Strategy First, Then the Build
The overrun happens in the decisions nobody made before the build.
Dec 2025 · 5 minAI Guardrails Are a Speed Feature
One wrong answer in production loses the room. Guardrails keep you moving.
Oct 2025 · 4 minMap the Process Before You Redesign It
The real process is not the SOP. Measure how work actually flows first.
Aug 2025 · 5 minGet the Occasional, Useful Note
No spam, no funnels. Just the thinking, when we have something worth your time.