You should not have to become an IT specialist to make a business decision
Many owners know exactly what is wrong in the business but cannot tell whether the proposed technology will fix it. A supplier may be competent and still see the situation mainly through the product they sell. My role is to stand on your side of the table and connect the business problem with what the technology actually does.
Things you can bring
- An ERP, CRM, website, cloud or managed-service quotation you do not know how to judge
- Two suppliers telling you different things
- A project that is late, confusing or becoming expensive
- Too much manual work, duplicate data or systems that do not talk to each other
- Employees already using ChatGPT or other AI tools without clear rules
- A feeling that you need better IT leadership but not a full-time CIO
What I would do first
I start by understanding how the work really happens: who does what, where information comes from, where it gets stuck and what customers or staff experience. Only then do we decide whether the answer is new software, better use of what you already have, a supplier change, a process change or simply a clearer arrangement of responsibilities.
Independent proposal/quotation review with a short list of gaps and questions to ask.
Fractional trusted advisor for the decisions that do not justify a full internal IT function.
What I do not sell
I do not resell software, take referral fees or earn implementation revenue from the recommendation. That keeps the advice focused on what fits your business rather than what I need to sell next.
