📋 Stakeholder Portal

Hybrid pricing: one-time setup + monthly retainer. Setup fee protects cash flow; retainer captures recurring optimization value.

• Launch ($400/mo + $750 setup): 1 use case, 1 integration, staff training, monthly 30-min check-in, 48hr email SLA
• Core Ops ($900/mo + $1,500 setup): Up to 3 use cases, monthly KPI report, optimization session, documented SOPs, 24hr SLA
• Growth ($1,500/mo + $2,500 setup): Up to 5 use cases, quarterly roadmap, prompt library, vendor management, same-day support
• Managed AI Desk ($2,500/mo + $4,000 setup): Cross-workflow orchestration, biweekly optimization, advanced governance, incident-response playbook, priority support

No-custom-code rule. Only sell from a fixed menu in first 90 days:

• FAQ/support chatbot configuration
• Appointment/no-show reminder automations
• Review response drafting workflows
• Basic inventory/expense categorization workflows
• Internal staff knowledge assistant from approved docs

Guardrails: No bespoke app development. No model fine-tuning. No regulated/high-risk decision automation without explicit controls.

Channels: Local networking (chamber, BNI), referral partners (bookkeepers, MSPs, POS resellers), vendor directory profiles, targeted outbound (20 businesses/week).

Funnel: Free 20-min workflow audit → Paid quickstart ($300–$500, applied to setup) → 90-day outcome plan at proposal stage.

Every client gets: Monthly KPI card (3–5 metrics), quarterly "before vs after" savings summary, quarterly staff retraining, tool stack waste review.

Required KPIs: Response time reduction, lead conversion lift, no-show reduction, hours saved per week.

Average retainer (first 10 clients): $950/mo. Average setup: $1,750. Labor target: ≤ 3.5 hrs/client/month after month 2.

Month-6 target: 10 clients × $950 = $9,500 MRR. Gross margin: 60–75% before owner draw.

Days 1–15: Finalize offers, create SOPs for 5 service workflows, draft MSA/SOW, build CRM pipeline.

Days 16–45: Run 20 discovery meetings, close first 3 clients with Launch package, document time per step.

Days 46–75: Launch 3 referral agreements, publish 2 local case studies, test upgrade path.

Days 76–90: Reach 6–10 clients, review margins, kill/trim over-scope services.

Continue if by day 90: ≥6 active clients, ≥65% gross margin, ≤4 hrs/client/month labor, ≥80% 90-day retention.

Rework if any two fail: Pricing too low, recurring value unclear, acquisition too expensive/slow.

Minimum controls: MSA with liability limits, SOW with explicit out-of-scope, client sign-off on human-owned decisions, no guaranteed performance claims, AI error incident log.

WOSB plan: Submit certification through MySBA, prepare capability statement, pursue municipal/school/agency contracts where local presence matters. Federal 5% contracting objective.

The "2 AM Inventory" Hook: You opened your boutique or bistro because you wanted to curate the perfect collection or bake the best sourdough — but now you're an unpaid data entry clerk for an iPad. You don't want a digital overlord; you just want your Tuesday afternoons back.

The Relationship Moat: As generic AI tools become commodities, your local, trust-based enablement becomes your unfair advantage. You need a partner who understands that showing up in person to train your staff is a revolutionary act.

Automate the Grunt Work, Keep the "Gut": AI is a very fast, very obedient intern who doesn't mind spreadsheet drudgery. Standardized services — FAQ bots, no-show reminders, review drafting, knowledge assistants — focus on workflows that actually move the needle.

The "Goldilocks" Pricing: Hybrid model (setup + retainer) ensures your tech doesn't become "abandonware." Start at $400/mo and scale as you grow.

Human in the Loop: We treat our safety model like a fire extinguisher for when the AI gets creative with your refund policy. You stay in the driver's seat.

Conclusion: The future belongs to the "augmented" owner who shifted time from low-value admin to high-value craft. Stay human. Stay local.

Local trust beats remote skills: A local consulting team possesses a "relationship moat" built on physical presence and localized trust. Choosing to show up in person is a calculated strategic move that eliminates the "low-commitment churn" plaguing remote implementations.

Practical beats profound: In the local economy, a "boring" automation saving three hours of admin is infinitely more valuable than a "profound" custom AI build that might break next week. The ideal clients — salons, cafes, boutiques, service shops — value repeatable workflows providing immediate relief.

The adoption paradox: 58% of businesses are "playing" with generative AI, but only 7.6% have integrated AI into production operations. Most are AI-interested but lack the confidence to move into "usage maturity."

The 90-day sprint: Days 1–15: finalize offers and SOPs. Days 16–45: run 20 discovery meetings, close first 3 clients. Days 46–75: establish referral agreements, publish case studies. Days 76–90: scale to 6–10 clients.

The translator, not the technician: The era of the technician who simply plugs in a bot is fading. A new class of "translators" wins not by having the most complex code, but by being the bridge between high-tech promise and high-street practicality.

The death of set-and-forget: Because DIY tools improve so rapidly, the act of "setting up" a tool is a race to the bottom. The real margin lies in recurring optimization — monthly KPI reporting, quarterly staff retraining, and constant updates on how new features solve old problems.

The Human-in-the-Loop legal shield: The FTC is actively targeting deceptive AI claims. Consultants who offer a "Managed AI Desk" with incident-response playbooks provide more than tech — they provide necessary insurance.

The WOSB advantage: With a 5% federal contracting objective for WOSBs, local consultants can combine in-person trust with official credentials to win government set-aside contracts that larger firms overlook.

Conclusion: The future will be defined not by the tools themselves, but by the people who translate those tools into human value. Is your business focused on the "tool" or the "trust" required to make the tool work?