The first conversation is free and there is no pitch. You describe what your team does, where time gets lost or things feel stuck and you get an honest read on whether AI fits – and where it does not.
What to expect
- 30 minute call
- Honest assessment of fit – including when AI is not the right answer
- A clear next step
- Reply within one business day
Frequently asked questions
Ask about approach – ‘how do you decide what to automate first?’ and ‘how do you handle the parts AI doesn’t do well?’. About execution – ‘what does your team actually do versus what do we own?’ and ‘what tools will you use and why those?’. About cost – ‘where does the budget typically go, and what surprises should I plan for?’. About track record – ‘can you share a case in my industry where the first attempt didn’t work, and what you learned?’. If they brush off the last one, that’s your red flag – every experienced consultant has stories like that, and the honest ones tell them.
Start by being specific about the outcome you want, not the technology. A consultant who asks clarifying questions about your business in the first call – what problem, what data, what team – is treating this like a real engagement. One who leads with tools, pricing, or impressive client logos before understanding your situation is selling, not consulting. Ask for case studies in your industry with specific outcomes, not just names on a slide. Look for tool-agnostic advice, a clear handoff plan that builds internal capability, and comfort saying ‘this isn’t a fit for AI’ when it isn’t. Those signals matter more than credentials or size.
Share the three things that make a first conversation productive. Your top business pains – the recurring problems or time drains that actually bother you, not a generic wishlist. Your current setup – what tools you use, team size, where data lives. And what success looks like in 90 days – specific outcomes like ‘cut ticket response time 30%’ or ‘get two hours a week back for each salesperson’. A good consultant will ask follow-up questions and push back on anything vague. That’s a good sign. Coming in with this grounding saves everyone time and leads to a much sharper first proposal.
A short list to have ready before the conversation. A list of repetitive workflows or processes that eat time – the top three or four, not everything. An inventory of your current software stack, especially anything AI would need to connect to. Where your data lives (CRM, Drive, SharePoint, Slack) and who owns it. Any compliance or security constraints that would shape what’s possible. And a rough budget range, even if it’s wide – knowing you’re thinking $5K versus $50K changes the conversation entirely. Coming prepared lets the consultant give you a real assessment on the first call instead of scheduling a second one.
Yes, and for most SMBs that’s the right fit. Look for consultants who lead with business outcomes and change management rather than model names and technical jargon. Signs you’re in the right conversation: they explain things in plain language, they ask about your team’s comfort level with new tools, they scope training as part of the engagement (not an afterthought), and their case studies show non-technical teams using the setups afterwards. Consultants who talk mostly to engineering leaders or default to technical language often aren’t the best match for a non-technical team, even if they’re excellent on the tech side.