Questions
What most people want to know before we talk.
What do I actually get?
Two things depending on the engagement. The AI Scan produces a structured readiness assessment — a clear verdict on where you stand, what the gaps are, and what to do in sequence before committing to an AI initiative. AI Strategy Design produces a comprehensive strategy report covering prioritised use cases, ROI scenarios, a sequenced roadmap, and a vendor-neutral evaluation framework. Both are built to be acted on, not presented once and shelved.
Why not a large consulting firm?
You could. Expect 3-6 months and significantly more investment. Large firms use senior partners to sell, junior analysts to deliver. Here, there's no handoff.
Why not just talk to AI vendors?
Do—after you know what you're looking for. Vendor conversations without a strategy mean evaluating solutions before understanding problems. You'll compare features instead of fit.
Do you help implement?
No. Vector CXO is strategy, not implementation. The engagement produces a clear plan that your team — or a chosen implementation partner — can execute. If identifying the right implementation partner is part of what's needed, that guidance is included. But the build itself sits outside the scope.
How involved does my team need to be?
3–5 leadership interviews in Week 1, roughly 45 minutes each. After that it's primarily you — reviewing drafts, pushing back, confirming the direction is right. The work happens between those touchpoints, not in them.
What if I disagree with your recommendations?
Push back. Every recommendation comes with the reasoning that produced it, so disagreement can be specific — not just directional. If the pushback changes the conclusion, the conclusion changes. If it doesn't, you'll know exactly why. The goal isn't agreement. It's a decision you can act on with confidence.
Why no handoffs ?
The person who scopes the engagement is the person who does the work. There's no translation layer between the thinking and the output — no account manager relaying your context to an analyst who never spoke to you. The quality of strategy work degrades every time it passes through a new set of hands. It doesn't here.
Why not figure this out internally?
You could. Question is whether that's the best use of leadership time—and whether your team has visibility into what's working elsewhere. Internal teams are often too close to see transformation opportunities. They also have incentives that may not align with the most honest assessment.
What if AI isn't right for us yet?
Valid outcome. Part of what I assess is whether AI is even the right investment—or whether process improvement, better data, or simpler automation creates more value with less risk. If the answer is "not yet," I'll say so.
What industries?
Sector-agnostic. The questions that determine AI value are consistent: Where are decisions slow or expensive? What data exists? What's the cost of errors? I learn your context fast, then apply frameworks that work universally.
What if we already started an AI initiative ?
a common starting point. The assessment works whether you're beginning from scratch or trying to make sense of something that's already in motion. In the latter case, the work includes an honest evaluation of what's worth continuing, what needs redirecting, and what should be cut — before more resources go in.
How long does it take?
The AI Scan runs 2–3 weeks. AI Strategy Design runs four weeks. Your direct time commitment across either engagement is under 10 hours — structured around your schedule, not the other way around.
How does payment work?
Milestone-based. 50% to start, 50% after draft review. You see real output before full commitment. Escrow protected.