Vendors all sound the same
Every software sales call now promises AI. Having someone independent read the contract and test the claim saves money quickly.
Run · AI retainer
An AI lead on call, without the hire.
For businesses that want senior AI judgement available every week without a full-time salary: regular strategy time, one small implementation a month, and someone independent to call before you sign the next software contract.
Why it matters
AI moves monthly. Your team shouldn’t have to.
Small wins compound
One well-chosen automation a month adds up to a very different operation within a year.
Informal use carries risk
Staff are already pasting company data into free AI tools. A clear policy and the right tools make that safe.
What's included
Concrete deliverables, agreed upfront.
Everything below is written into the engagement letter before work starts, so you know exactly what you are paying for.
- Two hours a week of strategy, review and advice, in person in Durban or online
- One small implementation a month: an automation, an integration, a prompt library or a dashboard
- Vendor and contract review before you buy software that claims to use AI
- A safe-use policy and staff training for the AI tools your team already uses
- A short monthly written summary: what changed, what it saved, what comes next
Process
How it starts
Month 1
Baseline
Understand the operation (or start from your AI Operations Audit), agree priorities and ship the first small win.
Months 2–3
Build momentum
One implementation a month, reviewed against the hours or rand it was meant to save.
Ongoing
Review quarterly
Re-rank priorities each quarter, or stop. No long lock-in after the first three months.
- Businesses that have completed an audit or a first build
- Owners who want AI handled properly without hiring
- Teams already experimenting informally who need direction
- Organisations that need full-time engineering capacity
- Anyone looking for unlimited development for a fixed monthly fee
Investment
R12,000from / month
Retainers run R12,000 to R28,000 a month depending on hours and implementation size, with a three-month minimum and monthly thereafter.
- Minimum term
- Three months, then month to month
- Time
- Two hours a week, plus one small implementation a month
- Location
- Durban on site or online
- VAT
- Prices exclude VAT where applicable
Questions
Things people ask.
Do we need an audit first?
It helps, because it gives the retainer a ranked list from day one, but it is not required. Without one, the first month includes a lighter version of the same diagnosis.
What counts as a small implementation?
Something that can be built and tested in a few days: an automation between two systems, a document template, a reporting dashboard, or a set of tested prompts for a team.
Can we pause or stop?
After the first three months, yes, on a month's notice.
Tell us what you're trying to fix.
A 30-minute call is enough to tell whether this is the right build, and whether you should start with an audit instead.