WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.980 Imagine a world where the very magic we create 00:00:02.980 --> 00:00:06.320 with AI. Well, it starts automating us. Kind 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:07.780 of sounds like science fiction, doesn't it? A 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:09.779 bit unsettling, maybe. It definitely can feel 00:00:09.779 --> 00:00:12.460 that way. But here's where it gets really interesting, 00:00:12.619 --> 00:00:14.199 especially if you're in this space. This isn't 00:00:14.199 --> 00:00:16.640 some dead end, not at all. It's actually this 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:20.859 huge new opportunity opening up. A real lifeboat, 00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:23.980 you could say, in what's already like a $50 billion 00:00:23.980 --> 00:00:27.579 market. Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today, we're 00:00:27.579 --> 00:00:29.219 really going to get into the changing landscape 00:00:29.219 --> 00:00:32.840 of AI services and specifically this crucial 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:36.399 pivot moving away from just building AI automations 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:39.179 towards offering high value AI consulting. That's 00:00:39.179 --> 00:00:41.039 the core of it. We're going to unpack why, you 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:43.020 know, traditional AI development work is becoming 00:00:43.020 --> 00:00:45.219 a commodity, basically. Then we'll hit you with 00:00:45.219 --> 00:00:48.170 some. Pretty surprising stats about AI projects 00:00:48.170 --> 00:00:50.229 that just don't deliver. We'll walk through a 00:00:50.229 --> 00:00:52.270 real case study and agency that made this pivot 00:00:52.270 --> 00:00:54.450 work big time. And finally, we'll break down 00:00:54.450 --> 00:00:56.609 the exact playbook step by step for how you can 00:00:56.609 --> 00:00:58.929 land these high value AI consulting deals yourself. 00:00:59.109 --> 00:01:01.369 Yeah, our mission today is pretty clear. Give 00:01:01.369 --> 00:01:03.369 you a solid roadmap, throw in some surprising 00:01:03.369 --> 00:01:05.670 facts along the way and help you navigate this 00:01:05.670 --> 00:01:08.829 shift. Maybe even claim your piece of this growing 00:01:08.829 --> 00:01:11.939 market. So let's get into it. OK, so for years, 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:14.420 if you ran an AI agency, man, it was like you 00:01:14.420 --> 00:01:17.219 had a golden ticket, right? Businesses were just 00:01:17.219 --> 00:01:19.140 desperate for help. They pay for almost anything 00:01:19.140 --> 00:01:21.540 you could build. Oh, absolutely. The demand felt 00:01:21.540 --> 00:01:24.780 endless. But the ground has fundamentally shifted 00:01:24.780 --> 00:01:27.799 under our feet. The real problem now, the AI 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:30.219 tools themselves, they're eating the development 00:01:30.219 --> 00:01:31.719 work. I mean, think about it. You've got tools 00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:35.159 like Claude. advanced AI assistants that can 00:01:35.159 --> 00:01:38.060 spit out complex visual automation flows like 00:01:38.060 --> 00:01:41.200 NAN workflows from just one sentence. It's wild. 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:43.379 Yeah, or Microsoft Copilot just watching you 00:01:43.379 --> 00:01:44.659 do something and then building the automation 00:01:44.659 --> 00:01:47.319 for you. Exactly. And even for the coders, you've 00:01:47.319 --> 00:01:50.280 got environments like Cursor, these AI coding 00:01:50.280 --> 00:01:52.819 assistants, making developers massively more 00:01:52.819 --> 00:01:54.700 productive. It's a different world than even 00:01:54.700 --> 00:01:56.599 a year ago. And what's really interesting is 00:01:56.599 --> 00:01:58.920 the clients, they're getting smarter, too. It's 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:02.000 not this black box anymore. They're using these 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.939 tools themselves, getting rough drafts of automations 00:02:04.939 --> 00:02:07.340 for free, basically. And they're starting to 00:02:07.340 --> 00:02:10.039 ask, you know, pretty logically, why am I paying 00:02:10.039 --> 00:02:12.500 you thousands for this? Precisely. And that leads 00:02:12.500 --> 00:02:14.800 straight to this race to the bottom on price 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:17.719 for the simple stuff. If your only value is the 00:02:17.719 --> 00:02:21.120 technical build, uh -oh, that's a dangerous place 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:23.560 to be. You just can't compete on price alone 00:02:23.560 --> 00:02:25.680 against an AI. It really does feel like a freight 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:28.439 train. Commoditization just barreling down on 00:02:28.439 --> 00:02:30.259 businesses that are only focused on building. 00:02:30.379 --> 00:02:32.719 It's a real wake -up call. So, okay, if building 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:35.159 is getting squeezed, what is it that businesses 00:02:35.159 --> 00:02:37.240 really need? What are they actually looking for 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:39.939 in this AI space now? You know, it's less about 00:02:39.939 --> 00:02:42.099 just finding a builder. What they're really seeking 00:02:42.099 --> 00:02:45.680 is, well, a guide. Someone to give them a clear 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:48.740 strategy. And crucially, someone to train their 00:02:48.740 --> 00:02:52.340 teams. That idea of a freight train. It might 00:02:52.340 --> 00:02:54.759 sound a bit doom and gloom, but here's the flip 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:58.020 side, the opportunity. While that technical work 00:02:58.020 --> 00:03:00.699 is getting commoditized, the strategic work, 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:03.199 that's becoming more valuable than ever. It's 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:05.139 fascinating, isn't it? Businesses have these 00:03:05.139 --> 00:03:08.060 incredibly powerful tools now, but that doesn't 00:03:08.060 --> 00:03:09.840 automatically mean they have winning strategy. 00:03:10.199 --> 00:03:12.659 They're often just stuff. And the numbers, frankly, 00:03:12.819 --> 00:03:14.599 they're kind of staggering. Estimates suggest 00:03:14.599 --> 00:03:16.819 something like 80 % of corporate AI projects, 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:19.319 they fail to deliver what they promised. And 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:23.199 get this, in 2024, 42 % of businesses said they 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:25.620 actually scrapped AI initiatives after starting 00:03:25.620 --> 00:03:29.639 them. 42%. Wow. And when you ask why, over half 00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:32.020 point to the same thing. Lack of internal skills, 00:03:32.180 --> 00:03:34.939 lack of expertise. That's the number one barrier. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:36.659 It's like you said before. It's like they've 00:03:36.659 --> 00:03:39.259 got the keys to a Formula One car, super powerful, 00:03:39.560 --> 00:03:42.699 but they have no clue how to drive it or even 00:03:42.699 --> 00:03:44.740 where the racetrack is. What's the goal? They're 00:03:44.740 --> 00:03:47.099 just spinning their wheels. And that situation, 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:50.080 it's created this massive underserved gap in 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:52.120 the market. Businesses don't just need builders 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:54.860 anymore. They desperately need trusted advisors, 00:03:55.139 --> 00:03:57.539 strategic partners, people who can help them 00:03:57.539 --> 00:03:59.819 cut through the confusion, make sense of the 00:03:59.819 --> 00:04:02.800 AI world, and actually create a clear, actionable 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:05.800 roadmap that leads to real results. And that 00:04:05.800 --> 00:04:08.680 is your lifeboat, the AI consulting market. It's 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:11.000 absolutely exploding. We're talking growth projections 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:15.159 heading towards, what, over $73 billion by 2033? 00:04:15.729 --> 00:04:18.870 And here's the kicker. The big traditional consulting 00:04:18.870 --> 00:04:20.810 firms, they're kind of missing the boat here. 00:04:20.990 --> 00:04:24.009 They're too slow, often too expensive. It's genuinely 00:04:24.009 --> 00:04:26.470 a wide open field right now for smaller, more 00:04:26.470 --> 00:04:28.589 agile players. OK, so the need is clear. The 00:04:28.589 --> 00:04:31.389 market's there. How did one agency actually do 00:04:31.389 --> 00:04:33.470 it? How did they make that pivot and start cashing 00:04:33.470 --> 00:04:36.980 in on this? Well, they learned by doing. They 00:04:36.980 --> 00:04:38.819 actually took a bit of a hit up front to gain 00:04:38.819 --> 00:04:41.079 that crucial experience. All right, let's walk 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:42.720 through this agency's journey. It really shows 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:45.060 how you can go from, well, losing money to landing 00:04:45.060 --> 00:04:46.980 these really significant deals. It's quite the 00:04:46.980 --> 00:04:50.860 story. So, stage one. They called it the $30 00:04:50.860 --> 00:04:54.120 ,000 learning experience. Their first shot at 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:56.920 an AI consulting audit was with this big company, 00:04:57.019 --> 00:05:00.160 Asmus Steel, in New Zealand. They were keen for 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:02.079 a big name, right? So they made a classic mistake, 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:04.899 offered an eight -week comprehensive audit, totally 00:05:04.899 --> 00:05:08.860 free. Ouch. Yeah. The result, a net loss of about 00:05:08.860 --> 00:05:12.600 $30 ,000. Painful, for sure, but also a necessary 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:15.379 lesson in valuing your own expertise. But here's 00:05:15.379 --> 00:05:18.769 the twist, right? That $30K loss. Probably the 00:05:18.769 --> 00:05:20.790 best investment they ever made. Because that 00:05:20.790 --> 00:05:24.050 free audit was so good, so thorough, it generated 00:05:24.050 --> 00:05:26.050 a quarter million dollar development pipeline 00:05:26.050 --> 00:05:29.310 for them. They found like 15 high impact opportunities, 00:05:29.350 --> 00:05:32.370 all with super clear ROI calculations laid out. 00:05:32.410 --> 00:05:34.269 The client was basically ready to sign on the 00:05:34.269 --> 00:05:36.370 spot. So the lesson was, sometimes you got to 00:05:36.370 --> 00:05:37.930 invest in learning, even if it costs you up front. 00:05:38.009 --> 00:05:40.569 It was like a real world MBA in AI consulting 00:05:40.569 --> 00:05:44.350 paid for the hard way. Exactly. Then came stage 00:05:44.350 --> 00:05:47.430 two, the first paid success. Armed with that 00:05:47.430 --> 00:05:49.870 experience, those frameworks, they landed their 00:05:49.870 --> 00:05:52.889 first paid audit. This time, they charged $30 00:05:52.889 --> 00:05:56.350 ,000 for a six -week engagement. They were faster, 00:05:56.490 --> 00:05:58.970 more confident, and it proved businesses were 00:05:58.970 --> 00:06:01.290 absolutely willing to pay a premium for that 00:06:01.290 --> 00:06:04.610 strategic clarity. And now, stage three and four. 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:08.180 They've hit the sweet spot. They're consistently 00:06:08.180 --> 00:06:11.800 landing $60 ,000 four week audits. They've even 00:06:11.800 --> 00:06:15.139 got proposals out for $80 plus engagements. They're 00:06:15.139 --> 00:06:17.259 building a multimillion dollar practice, really. 00:06:17.379 --> 00:06:19.240 Yeah. And these high value audits have become 00:06:19.240 --> 00:06:21.199 the perfect way in. They set up these long term 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:23.459 partnerships and the big development deals just 00:06:23.459 --> 00:06:25.839 flow naturally from that initial strategic work. 00:06:25.959 --> 00:06:27.879 That's a serious transformation. But OK, for 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:29.600 someone listening, thinking about trying this. 00:06:30.620 --> 00:06:32.519 Where do you even start? How do you find the 00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:34.560 right clients for this kind of strategic work? 00:06:34.699 --> 00:06:36.759 It really comes down to understanding their size, 00:06:36.860 --> 00:06:38.939 their structure and what they genuinely need 00:06:38.939 --> 00:06:41.000 right now. And what they found, which is really 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.439 useful, is that there are basically two distinct 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:46.949 markets. for this kind of AI consulting. Getting 00:06:46.949 --> 00:06:49.230 this distinction right, it changes your whole 00:06:49.230 --> 00:06:51.170 approach. Right. First up, you've got what they 00:06:51.170 --> 00:06:54.029 call the small smalls. Think businesses with 00:06:54.029 --> 00:06:56.930 maybe one to 50 employees, usually founder -led, 00:06:57.129 --> 00:06:59.449 pretty agile. They're often running on modern 00:06:59.449 --> 00:07:02.350 cloud tools already, Make .com, Airtable, Slack, 00:07:02.529 --> 00:07:04.509 that kind of stuff. What they want, immediate 00:07:04.509 --> 00:07:07.689 ROI, quick wins, now. They don't need a huge 00:07:07.689 --> 00:07:11.129 strategic plan. Exactly. So for them, a shorter 00:07:11.129 --> 00:07:13.970 two -week AI opportunity assessment is the perfect 00:07:13.970 --> 00:07:17.089 fit. price point, maybe $5 ,000 to $15 ,000. 00:07:17.430 --> 00:07:19.910 It's all about speed, tangible results, fast. 00:07:20.269 --> 00:07:21.629 Okay. And then there's the other group. Then 00:07:21.629 --> 00:07:23.649 you've got the big smalls, more established companies, 00:07:23.829 --> 00:07:25.930 right? Maybe 100, 200, maybe more employees, 00:07:26.029 --> 00:07:28.250 multiple departments. Decision -making is more 00:07:28.250 --> 00:07:30.389 complex. And they probably have a mix of systems, 00:07:30.410 --> 00:07:34.790 some new, some legacy. Yep. And while they definitely 00:07:34.790 --> 00:07:37.730 want ROI, too, their primary need is often different. 00:07:37.829 --> 00:07:40.930 It's education. It's long -term strategic planning. 00:07:41.189 --> 00:07:43.430 They need to understand how AI fits into the 00:07:43.430 --> 00:07:46.750 whole picture. So for this group, the full four 00:07:46.750 --> 00:07:49.870 -week AI audit makes sense. And the budget reflects 00:07:49.870 --> 00:07:53.290 that anywhere from $30 ,000 up to $100 ,000 or 00:07:53.290 --> 00:07:56.170 even more. So tailoring your pitch, your offering, 00:07:56.250 --> 00:07:59.680 to whichever group you're talking to. That dramatically 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:02.100 increases your chances of closing, right? Because 00:08:02.100 --> 00:08:04.459 you're hitting their specific pain points. Absolutely. 00:08:04.540 --> 00:08:06.259 You're speaking their language. Okay. Knowing 00:08:06.259 --> 00:08:08.360 your customer is key. So let's focus on those 00:08:08.360 --> 00:08:10.600 bigger deals for a second. What does that full, 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:14.500 say, $60 ,000 AI audit actually involve? What's 00:08:14.500 --> 00:08:16.759 the structure? Right. It's a really structured 00:08:16.759 --> 00:08:19.600 four phase process. It's designed to take a client 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:21.639 from feeling confused and overwhelmed to having 00:08:21.639 --> 00:08:24.759 like absolute clarity on their AI path. So phase 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:26.879 one is all about discovery and scoping, usually 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:28.819 the first two weeks. The goal here is just to 00:08:28.819 --> 00:08:31.040 understand the business like really deeply. You're 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:33.240 doing stakeholder interviews, talking to everyone, 00:08:33.379 --> 00:08:35.840 CEO down to the people on the front lines. And 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:37.980 critically, you're not asking what AI do you 00:08:37.980 --> 00:08:40.639 want? No. You're asking about problems. Exactly. 00:08:40.820 --> 00:08:43.100 What takes up most of your time? Where are the 00:08:43.100 --> 00:08:45.850 biggest bottlenecks? If you had a magic wand, 00:08:46.049 --> 00:08:48.330 what frustrating thing would you just zap away? 00:08:48.669 --> 00:08:50.830 That kind of stuff. And your mapping processes, 00:08:51.009 --> 00:08:54.049 too. Oh, yeah. Visually mapping critical business 00:08:54.049 --> 00:08:57.789 processes, lead gen, sales, onboarding, whatever 00:08:57.789 --> 00:09:01.389 it is, that alone often reveals shocking inefficiencies 00:09:01.389 --> 00:09:03.450 they didn't even know were there. Plus a tech 00:09:03.450 --> 00:09:05.289 audit, right? Yeah. Looking at their current 00:09:05.289 --> 00:09:07.700 stack. Data. Yep. Got to get the full picture. 00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:10.080 There's CRM, project management tools, where 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:12.779 their data lives, how clean it is, all of it. 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:14.899 That's phase one. Okay. Then phase two. Phase 00:09:14.899 --> 00:09:17.440 two is the deep dive analysis, usually week three. 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:19.179 This is where you kind of go into your cave with 00:09:19.179 --> 00:09:21.659 all that info you gathered. You identify every 00:09:21.659 --> 00:09:24.419 single task, every process that could potentially 00:09:24.419 --> 00:09:27.799 be automated or boosted with AI. Then you prioritize 00:09:27.799 --> 00:09:31.200 them. Simple grid. Potential impact, one to five, 00:09:31.220 --> 00:09:33.679 versus implementation effort, one to five. Looking 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:36.259 for the sweet spot. Exactly. You're hunting for 00:09:36.259 --> 00:09:38.899 the quick wins, high impact, low effort, stuff 00:09:38.899 --> 00:09:41.240 that builds immediate momentum and shows ROI 00:09:41.240 --> 00:09:43.460 fast. Get those on the board first. Makes sense. 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:46.100 Then week four is phase three. Phase three, opportunity 00:09:46.100 --> 00:09:49.259 and roadmap creation. Week four. This is where 00:09:49.259 --> 00:09:51.340 you pull it all together into that clear strategic 00:09:51.340 --> 00:09:53.980 plan. For the top three to five opportunities 00:09:53.980 --> 00:09:56.720 you found, you flesh out detailed use cases. 00:09:57.120 --> 00:09:59.399 Like, here's the current messy state. Here's 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:01.720 the proposed future with AI. And here are the 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:04.299 specific measurable benefits. Like, this will 00:10:04.299 --> 00:10:06.899 cut client onboarding time by 15 hours a week, 00:10:07.059 --> 00:10:10.000 saving the company $30 ,000 a year. Really concrete 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:12.500 stuff. And then you build the roadmap. Phase 00:10:12.500 --> 00:10:14.460 out, starting with those quick wins you identify. 00:10:14.700 --> 00:10:17.480 Yep. And finally, phase four is the deliverable 00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:20.220 itself, the AI transformation plan. And look, 00:10:20.299 --> 00:10:22.240 this isn't just some dusty report they stick 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:25.259 on a shelf. It's a comprehensive executive level 00:10:25.259 --> 00:10:27.940 presentation. It gives them everything, the audit 00:10:27.940 --> 00:10:31.000 findings, those detailed use cases, the implementation 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:34.559 roadmap, and crucially, a clear financial projection 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:36.960 of the ROI. It really shows them the path forward, 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:39.200 give them confidence. That sounds incredibly 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:42.450 thorough, a really solid structure. But you mentioned 00:10:42.450 --> 00:10:45.029 something like a secret sauce. What really elevates 00:10:45.029 --> 00:10:48.309 this? Yes. It's the depth of that process mapping, 00:10:48.409 --> 00:10:50.529 that forensic level analysis. That's the key. 00:10:50.649 --> 00:10:52.529 This is really what separates, you know, the 00:10:52.529 --> 00:10:54.789 amateurs from the pros in this consulting game. 00:10:55.210 --> 00:10:57.769 The depth of the process mapping you do back 00:10:57.769 --> 00:11:00.009 in phase one. It's not just drawing a few boxes 00:11:00.009 --> 00:11:02.570 and arrows. It's like forensic business analysis. 00:11:02.690 --> 00:11:05.470 You're basically a detective hunting for inefficiency. 00:11:05.570 --> 00:11:07.870 Right. Because without really understanding how 00:11:07.870 --> 00:11:11.360 work gets done, how information flows. Any solution 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:14.440 you propose is just a guess, really, a shot in 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:17.059 the dark. You need to meticulously map out the 00:11:17.059 --> 00:11:19.440 core arteries of the business. Customer acquisition 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:21.960 from that first ad click all the way to a signed 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:24.460 contract. Where does data get dropped? Where 00:11:24.460 --> 00:11:26.360 do follow -ups fail? Service delivery, too, right? 00:11:26.620 --> 00:11:29.320 Sale to project completion. Absolutely. Where 00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:31.259 are the manual handoffs? Where are the delays? 00:11:31.399 --> 00:11:34.019 Customer support ticket to resolution. How often 00:11:34.019 --> 00:11:35.960 does a customer have to repeat their issue? That's 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:38.179 a big one. Even internal stuff, like decision 00:11:38.179 --> 00:11:40.230 -making processes. Where do approval... Tools 00:11:40.230 --> 00:11:44.149 get stuck. And super critical, internal data 00:11:44.149 --> 00:11:46.230 flow. How does information move? Where is it 00:11:46.230 --> 00:11:48.649 created, stored, lost, maybe entered incorrectly? 00:11:48.990 --> 00:11:51.990 You map it all. And the goal through all of this 00:11:51.990 --> 00:11:54.230 is finding the bottlenecks, the choke points, 00:11:54.370 --> 00:11:57.669 places where things slow down, break, or just 00:11:57.669 --> 00:12:00.710 involve tedious manual work. Exactly. Those bottlenecks, 00:12:00.710 --> 00:12:03.309 they're gold mines. Absolute gold mines for finding 00:12:03.309 --> 00:12:06.750 high impact AI opportunities. Without that complete 00:12:06.750 --> 00:12:09.669 holistic picture, you're just guessing. It really 00:12:09.669 --> 00:12:11.389 is the foundation. It's the absolute foundation. 00:12:11.789 --> 00:12:14.549 Okay. So that deep mapping is clearly the differentiator 00:12:14.549 --> 00:12:16.669 for the big audits. But what if someone's just 00:12:16.669 --> 00:12:18.809 starting? Maybe doesn't have the resources of 00:12:18.809 --> 00:12:21.590 the client for that $60K deep dive yet. Is there 00:12:21.590 --> 00:12:23.850 a smaller way in? Totally. That's where the two 00:12:23.850 --> 00:12:25.649 -week opportunity assessment comes in. It's the 00:12:25.649 --> 00:12:27.870 perfect entry point. Yeah, you're right. Not 00:12:27.870 --> 00:12:30.330 everyone can or should jump straight into a $60 00:12:30.330 --> 00:12:33.149 ,000 four -week monster audit. That's why this 00:12:33.149 --> 00:12:35.429 foot -in -the -door offering is so smart. The 00:12:35.429 --> 00:12:37.730 two -week AI opportunity assessment, it's perfect 00:12:37.730 --> 00:12:40.230 for those small, smalls, remember, the 1050 employee 00:12:40.230 --> 00:12:42.529 businesses. And the price point is much more 00:12:42.529 --> 00:12:45.500 accessible, maybe $5 ,000 to $10 ,000. And the 00:12:45.500 --> 00:12:47.460 goal here is different too, right? It's about 00:12:47.460 --> 00:12:50.399 delivering really tangible value super quickly. 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:53.120 Build that trust. Right. And create a roadmap 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:55.639 that might lead to bigger things later. It's 00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:57.659 a way to prove your value without asking for 00:12:57.659 --> 00:13:00.919 a huge upfront commitment. Exactly. So week one 00:13:00.919 --> 00:13:03.639 is still discovery and analysis, just condensed. 00:13:03.980 --> 00:13:07.480 You'll do maybe three to five focused interviews, 00:13:07.779 --> 00:13:10.580 30, 45 minutes each, really digging into pain 00:13:10.580 --> 00:13:12.960 points. And you'll do that forensic mapping, 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:15.860 but maybe just focus on one core process, like 00:13:15.860 --> 00:13:17.740 their customer acquisition funnel, for instance. 00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:21.320 Map the data flows, find the system. And deliverables 00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:23.299 for week one. By the end of week one, you give 00:13:23.299 --> 00:13:25.460 them something concrete, an interview summary 00:13:25.460 --> 00:13:27.539 document, and a detailed process flow diagram 00:13:27.539 --> 00:13:29.899 for that core process you analyzed. Instant value. 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:32.440 They see progress immediately. Okay, then week 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:34.600 two. Week two is a solution design and validation. 00:13:34.980 --> 00:13:36.860 You take those pain points, those bottlenecks 00:13:36.860 --> 00:13:39.139 you found, and you start brainstorming potential 00:13:39.139 --> 00:13:42.240 AI or automation solutions. Quick wins, mostly. 00:13:42.580 --> 00:13:44.960 Then you refine those ideas based on their feedback 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:47.269 leading up to your final presentation. Right. 00:13:47.409 --> 00:13:49.750 And the week two deliverables are key here. You 00:13:49.750 --> 00:13:52.269 give them the final AI transformation plan report, 00:13:52.470 --> 00:13:55.029 smaller scale, obviously. It includes your top 00:13:55.029 --> 00:13:58.029 three AI opportunities with use cases and ROI, 00:13:58.330 --> 00:14:01.490 a clear 90 -day implementation roadmap for those 00:14:01.490 --> 00:14:04.330 quick wins, and maybe a sketch of a six -month 00:14:04.330 --> 00:14:06.570 strategic roadmap for bigger potential projects 00:14:06.570 --> 00:14:09.190 down the line. That sounds like a really solid, 00:14:09.269 --> 00:14:11.830 manageable starting point. So whether it's the 00:14:11.830 --> 00:14:13.950 two -week or the four -week version, turning 00:14:13.950 --> 00:14:16.769 these findings into compelling pitches. What 00:14:16.769 --> 00:14:19.009 are the crucial strategic tools you need in your 00:14:19.009 --> 00:14:21.570 toolkit? Yeah, you need a way to prioritize effectively, 00:14:21.830 --> 00:14:24.429 calculate that all -important ROI, and position 00:14:24.429 --> 00:14:26.970 yourself not just as a consultant, but as a long 00:14:26.970 --> 00:14:30.029 -term partner, sponsor. All right, let's talk 00:14:30.029 --> 00:14:31.850 about the strategic frameworks. These are the 00:14:31.850 --> 00:14:33.870 tools that take your analysis from just being 00:14:33.870 --> 00:14:36.269 a list of interesting ideas to becoming a really 00:14:36.269 --> 00:14:39.450 compelling business case that executives basically 00:14:39.450 --> 00:14:42.820 can't ignore. Okay, first up. The impact versus 00:14:42.820 --> 00:14:45.500 difficulty matrix. Sounds fancy, but it's just 00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:47.799 a simple two by two grid, right? Super helpful 00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:51.259 for clarity. In that top left box, high impact, 00:14:51.460 --> 00:14:53.720 low difficulty. Those are your quick wins. That's 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:55.879 your goldmine. Stuff that's fast, relatively 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:59.419 cheap, and shows immediate ROI. Like AI transcription 00:14:59.419 --> 00:15:02.320 for sales calls, maybe automated email responses, 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:05.399 cleaning up CRM data, that kind of thing. Exactly. 00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:08.340 That stuff forms your 90 -day roadmap. Then you've 00:15:08.340 --> 00:15:10.980 got the top right box. High impact, high difficulty. 00:15:11.259 --> 00:15:14.679 These are your big swings. Complex, longer -term 00:15:14.679 --> 00:15:16.600 projects that can really transform the business. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:19.460 Maybe custom AI agents for customer service, 00:15:19.620 --> 00:15:21.820 integrating multiple legacy systems, stuff like 00:15:21.820 --> 00:15:23.509 that. that. That's your six -month, 12 -month 00:15:23.509 --> 00:15:25.710 roadmap. You briefly touch on the other two quadrants, 00:15:25.769 --> 00:15:27.649 low impact, low difficulty, low hanging fruit, 00:15:27.710 --> 00:15:30.409 and low impact, high difficulty, avoid. But you 00:15:30.409 --> 00:15:32.370 really focus the client on those top two, quick 00:15:32.370 --> 00:15:35.029 wins and big swings. Right. Now, the next tool, 00:15:35.129 --> 00:15:37.990 this sounds like the real game changer, the ROI 00:15:37.990 --> 00:15:40.789 calculation. Oh, absolutely. This is what makes 00:15:40.789 --> 00:15:43.779 your consulting just... irresistible for every 00:15:43.779 --> 00:15:46.100 major recommendation especially those quick wins 00:15:46.100 --> 00:15:49.419 you have to build a clear business case often 00:15:49.419 --> 00:15:51.940 it's time based you figure out okay how many 00:15:51.940 --> 00:15:54.240 hours per week does a team spend on this manual 00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:56.879 task right now what's the average hourly cost 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:58.860 of those employees multiply that out for the 00:15:58.860 --> 00:16:01.120 year that's your annual savings potential then 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:03.059 you subtract your implementation cost right so 00:16:03.059 --> 00:16:05.039 annual savings implementation cost implementation 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:08.600 cost 100 gives you your roi percentage let's 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:10.740 say an admin spends 10 hours a week on manual 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:13.379 data entry Maybe they cost $25 an hour. That's 00:16:13.379 --> 00:16:15.700 $13 ,000 a year right there in potential savings. 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:18.840 If your solution costs $8 ,000 to implement, 00:16:19.059 --> 00:16:23.639 the first year ROI is 62 .5%. It pays for itself 00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:25.970 in, what, just over seven months. Whoa. Okay. 00:16:26.009 --> 00:16:28.970 Just imagining presenting that, showing a client 00:16:28.970 --> 00:16:31.610 that kind of concrete value, knowing your work 00:16:31.610 --> 00:16:33.889 will literally pay for itself in months and then 00:16:33.889 --> 00:16:35.730 just keep saving them money year after year. 00:16:36.029 --> 00:16:38.190 That's incredibly powerful. It shifts the whole 00:16:38.190 --> 00:16:40.490 conversation. It really does. It moves it from 00:16:40.490 --> 00:16:42.490 being seen as a cost to being seen as a clear 00:16:42.490 --> 00:16:44.590 investment. Okay. And the third piece of this 00:16:44.590 --> 00:16:48.009 toolkit, positioning. Yeah. Positioning yourself 00:16:48.009 --> 00:16:50.409 as an AI transformation partner. You're not just 00:16:50.409 --> 00:16:53.450 a vendor selling a one -off service or product. 00:16:53.610 --> 00:16:55.860 You're a guide. You're taking them on a journey. 00:16:55.980 --> 00:16:59.000 Think of it in three phases. Discovery, as your 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:01.279 audit, your road mapping. Then implementation, 00:17:01.620 --> 00:17:03.620 where you actually build the systems or help 00:17:03.620 --> 00:17:06.839 them implement tools. And then partnership, ongoing 00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:09.740 optimization, training, maybe a monthly retainer 00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:12.480 for support. That complete end -to -end journey. 00:17:13.299 --> 00:17:16.019 It offers clients huge peace of mind. They know 00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:17.839 you're with them for the long haul. These tools 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:20.680 are fantastic for structuring the insights. But 00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:22.460 they all rely on getting good information in 00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:25.119 the first place, right? Which brings us back 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:28.039 to those stakeholder interviews. How do you master 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:30.900 that art? You nailed it. Your success with these 00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:34.059 audits honestly lives or dies based on the quality 00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:35.640 of information you gather in those interviews. 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:38.039 It is absolutely foundational. So preparation 00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:40.559 is everything, I guess. Preparation is key. You 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:42.559 got to research the company, understand their 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:44.420 industry, know a bit about the person you're 00:17:44.420 --> 00:17:47.619 talking to, and always, always prepare a structured 00:17:47.619 --> 00:17:50.119 guide with open -ended questions. Don't just 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:52.039 wing it. What are some of those key questions? 00:17:52.619 --> 00:17:54.759 Things like, can you just walk me through your 00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:57.799 typical day? Or, what are the two or three most 00:17:57.799 --> 00:18:00.480 time -consuming, maybe most frustrating tasks 00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:04.279 you do every week? Also, where do you get stuck? 00:18:04.599 --> 00:18:06.339 Like, where do you find yourself waiting for 00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:09.759 information or approval? And the classic magic 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:12.480 wand question. If you could wave a magic wand 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:14.960 and fix one frustrating part of your job, what 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:17.279 would it be and why? Yeah, and also asking about 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:19.980 data. What data do you wish you had access to 00:18:19.980 --> 00:18:21.759 that would help you do your job better or make 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:23.960 better decisions? That often uncovers hidden 00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:26.420 needs. And best practices during the interview 00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:30.279 itself. Follow the 80 -20 rule. Listen 80 % of 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:33.420 the time. Talk only 20%. Your job is to listen 00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:36.599 and absorb. Ask why multiple times. Dig deeper. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:38.900 Don't accept the surface answer. Get to the root 00:18:38.900 --> 00:18:41.640 cause. And crucially, this is hard sometimes. 00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:44.140 Do not pitch solutions during the interview. 00:18:44.579 --> 00:18:47.480 Resist the urge. Your only goal in that moment 00:18:47.480 --> 00:18:50.680 is gathering information. Analysis comes later. 00:18:50.900 --> 00:18:52.680 You know, I still wrestle with that sometimes, 00:18:52.859 --> 00:18:55.980 making sure I ask enough whys. It's so easy to 00:18:55.980 --> 00:18:58.660 hear a problem and immediately jump to a solution 00:18:58.660 --> 00:19:00.660 in your head before you really understand the 00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:02.819 underlying issue. It takes discipline. It really 00:19:02.819 --> 00:19:04.859 does. It's a skill you constantly refine. Okay, 00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:07.059 so we've got the frameworks, understanding the 00:19:07.059 --> 00:19:09.750 client. Mastering interviews. As someone starts 00:19:09.750 --> 00:19:12.049 building this consulting practice, what are the 00:19:12.049 --> 00:19:14.390 common pitfalls they should watch out for? And 00:19:14.390 --> 00:19:16.049 how do they actually scale this thing? Great 00:19:16.049 --> 00:19:17.990 questions. It's definitely helpful to learn from 00:19:17.990 --> 00:19:19.750 mistakes others have made. Based on what we've 00:19:19.750 --> 00:19:21.630 seen with agencies doing this, there are a few 00:19:21.630 --> 00:19:24.369 common traps. Yeah. First pitfall, trying to 00:19:24.369 --> 00:19:27.410 do everything yourself. AI consulting needs different 00:19:27.410 --> 00:19:29.690 skills than just pure development, right? You 00:19:29.690 --> 00:19:32.549 need strong listening, communication, strategic 00:19:32.549 --> 00:19:35.170 thinking. Maybe you need to hire a partner for 00:19:35.170 --> 00:19:38.130 some roles. Absolutely. Second, underselling 00:19:38.130 --> 00:19:40.690 the value. This is huge. You have to price based 00:19:40.690 --> 00:19:42.609 on the value you create for the client, not just 00:19:42.609 --> 00:19:44.769 the hours you put in. Remember that ROI calculation. 00:19:45.190 --> 00:19:47.849 If your audit finds $100 in savings, charging 00:19:47.849 --> 00:19:51.269 $20K for it is a bargain for them. Don't undervalue 00:19:51.269 --> 00:19:54.250 that strategic insight. Third, skipping the deep 00:19:54.250 --> 00:19:56.630 process mapping. We keep coming back to this, 00:19:56.710 --> 00:19:58.869 but it's that important. That forensic analysis 00:19:58.869 --> 00:20:00.710 is your key differentiator. Don't cut corners 00:20:00.710 --> 00:20:03.329 there just to save time. So true. And fourth, 00:20:03.529 --> 00:20:06.849 waiting until the very end, week four, to show 00:20:06.849 --> 00:20:09.509 your work. Keep the client involved. Validate 00:20:09.509 --> 00:20:11.630 your findings along the way. Share early drafts. 00:20:11.630 --> 00:20:13.950 Avoid that big ta -da reveal that might totally 00:20:13.950 --> 00:20:16.630 miss the mark because you didn't check in. Constant 00:20:16.630 --> 00:20:19.569 communication is key. Makes sense. And as you 00:20:19.569 --> 00:20:23.430 start to grow, scaling this. You need a team, 00:20:23.490 --> 00:20:25.609 presumably. Yeah, eventually you'll likely need 00:20:25.609 --> 00:20:27.789 to build a specialized consulting team. Maybe 00:20:27.789 --> 00:20:30.230 a lead consultant setting strategy, a business 00:20:30.230 --> 00:20:32.890 analyst doing the deep mapping, a technical analyst 00:20:32.890 --> 00:20:35.369 checking feasibility, and then implementation 00:20:35.369 --> 00:20:38.289 specialists for the build phase. It's worth noting, 00:20:38.390 --> 00:20:40.990 too, consulting is generally more labor -intensive 00:20:40.990 --> 00:20:43.109 than pure software development, right? It requires 00:20:43.109 --> 00:20:45.910 more face time, more analysis. Definitely. And 00:20:45.910 --> 00:20:48.009 the sales process is different, too. You don't 00:20:48.009 --> 00:20:50.809 lead with, hey, want to buy an AI audit? You 00:20:50.809 --> 00:20:53.930 lead with the problem. You sell clarity. You 00:20:53.930 --> 00:20:57.130 sell navigating the confusion of AI. Use education 00:20:57.130 --> 00:20:59.970 -based selling. Share case studies, ROI examples, 00:21:00.269 --> 00:21:02.710 industry insights. Position yourself as the expert 00:21:02.710 --> 00:21:04.970 guide. And for smaller engagements, maybe that 00:21:04.970 --> 00:21:07.269 two -week assessment, consider a risk reversal, 00:21:07.450 --> 00:21:09.650 like a guarantee. Yeah, that can be powerful. 00:21:09.769 --> 00:21:12.210 We guarantee you will find at least $6 in potential 00:21:12.210 --> 00:21:15.029 annual savings or you don't pay. It reduces friction 00:21:15.029 --> 00:21:17.609 for that first engagement. And always, always 00:21:17.609 --> 00:21:19.869 have a clear next step to find after any sales 00:21:19.869 --> 00:21:22.240 conversation. Okay, and then long -term scaling. 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:24.940 Once you've got the process down, you can scale 00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:27.180 by productizing it, creating standard templates, 00:21:27.420 --> 00:21:29.819 reusable frameworks, checklists, makes you more 00:21:29.819 --> 00:21:32.119 efficient. You can also specialize by industry, 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:35.000 become the go -to AI strategy expert for, say, 00:21:35.099 --> 00:21:37.519 healthcare or manufacturing. That builds reputation 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:40.180 quickly. And finally, create different service 00:21:40.180 --> 00:21:43.440 tiers. Offer a range from that initial $5K assessment 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:46.720 all the way up to a $100K plus comprehensive 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:49.519 transformation program. Meet clients where they 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:51.920 are. So the path is definitely there from starting 00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:53.960 small to building something really significant. 00:21:54.180 --> 00:21:56.460 With all these insights, what's the big takeaway 00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:59.380 for our listener to really mull over? I think 00:21:59.380 --> 00:22:01.660 it comes down to a choice, really. Adapt now 00:22:01.660 --> 00:22:04.640 or risk getting left behind by this shift. OK, 00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:06.480 let's try and wrap this up. The core message 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:10.500 from this deep dive today. The AI landscape is 00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:14.039 shifting fast. pure ai development work it's 00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:16.279 becoming a commodity right but and this is the 00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:18.880 big but this huge opportunity has opened up for 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:21.660 strategic ai consulting businesses are crying 00:22:21.660 --> 00:22:23.859 out for guidance not just builders and it's a 00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:26.400 massive market 50 billion dollars now heading 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:29.230 towards 73 billion dollars it's real And the 00:22:29.230 --> 00:22:32.089 key to tapping into that, it's having a structured, 00:22:32.269 --> 00:22:35.269 value -driven approach. That means that deep 00:22:35.269 --> 00:22:37.710 process mapping we talked about, calculating 00:22:37.710 --> 00:22:41.109 clear, undeniable ROI, and positioning yourself 00:22:41.109 --> 00:22:45.009 as more than just a consultant as a long -term 00:22:45.009 --> 00:22:47.569 AI transformation partner. And don't forget those 00:22:47.569 --> 00:22:49.750 two customer types, the small smalls needing 00:22:49.750 --> 00:22:51.930 quick wins and the big smalls needing strategy 00:22:51.930 --> 00:22:55.009 and education. Know who you're talking to. And 00:22:55.009 --> 00:22:56.750 remember, there are different ways in that two 00:22:56.750 --> 00:22:59.069 -week assessment is a great starting point. leading 00:22:59.069 --> 00:23:01.710 up to the full audit. Yeah, the window for this 00:23:01.710 --> 00:23:05.230 AI consulting opportunity, it feels wide open 00:23:05.230 --> 00:23:07.630 right now, but it probably won't stay that way 00:23:07.630 --> 00:23:09.769 forever. Now is definitely the time to be thinking 00:23:09.769 --> 00:23:12.130 about this, to adapt. It really boils down to 00:23:12.130 --> 00:23:14.509 a choice for anyone in this space. You can keep 00:23:14.509 --> 00:23:16.690 fighting for those development scraps in a market 00:23:16.690 --> 00:23:18.430 that's getting tougher and tougher on price. 00:23:18.609 --> 00:23:21.630 Or you pivot. You become that trusted advisor, 00:23:21.789 --> 00:23:24.130 the strategic guide that companies are genuinely, 00:23:24.130 --> 00:23:26.369 desperately searching for right now. So the only 00:23:26.369 --> 00:23:29.410 question left for you, the listener, is are you 00:23:29.410 --> 00:23:31.650 ready to claim your piece of it? Maybe take a 00:23:31.650 --> 00:23:34.009 moment after this to reflect on your own business, 00:23:34.109 --> 00:23:37.509 your own services. Could making a strategic pivot 00:23:37.509 --> 00:23:40.579 like this transform your future? Thank you so 00:23:40.579 --> 00:23:42.460 much for joining us on this deep dive into the 00:23:42.460 --> 00:23:44.640 evolving world of AI consulting. Yeah, and if 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:46.299 you found this valuable, please share it with 00:23:46.299 --> 00:23:48.119 anyone else you know who's trying to navigate 00:23:48.119 --> 00:23:51.400 this crazy changing world of AI. Out to your 00:23:51.400 --> 00:23:51.819 own music.