Insights
Writing on M&A integration, buying AI and consulting fees.
Five plain-English explainers on the work I do. Every one ends with a tool you can run or a way to work with me.
M&A integration5 minutes to read
Post-merger integration after close: what to do when nobody ran the pre-deal read
What to do when you closed the deal without a pre-deal integration read, and the first 90 days are already moving.
AI procurement5 minutes to read
What is AI vendor diligence, and how do you do it without becoming the bottleneck?
How to read an AI vendor pitch in 2026: the ten red flags, the questions to ask in writing, and the wrapper test.
AI governance4 minutes to read
Writing an AI use policy for a small business: a one-page guide
What belongs on a one-page staff AI policy, what to leave off, and how to have it signed this week without hiring a lawyer.
AI readiness4 minutes to read
What is an AI readiness audit, and what should one actually produce?
What an AI readiness audit should actually produce, the five dimensions worth scoring, and how to tell an audit from a sales call.
Pricing4 minutes to read
Outcome-based consulting versus day rates: which fee fits which work
Which fee suits which kind of work, and how I price mine.
Free checklist
Ten red flags in an AI vendor pitch
A two-page PDF with the question to ask printed next to each flag. Take it into the vendor meeting.
Ten red flagsThree of the ten
- 01The pitch says “proprietary AI” without naming a model.Ask which underlying model they use and what their contract with that provider says about your data.
- 02The demo runs on dummy data.Insist on a paid trial with your real data before any annual commitment.
- 03Twelve-month minimum, no pilot option.Ask for a paid pilot of a month or two at roughly one twelfth of the annual quote.
Seven more in the PDF.
Need someone to run the work?
I take on a few companies at a time as a fractional portfolio, PMO and delivery lead, and I build the AI automations that take manual work off the team. $1,850 + GST a day, billed pro rata on the hours I work.