AI & workflow automation

Make AI useful in the work you already do.

The report someone rebuilds every Friday. The process that lives in one person's head. I help growing businesses decide where AI can take work off the team, and where a simpler process would do the job.

Ask about your workflow Compare ways to start

Two ways to start

Choose your starting point.

Choose a focused build when you've picked the task. Choose an assessment when you need to decide which changes are worth funding.

One-workflow AI pilot

Build and test one recurring workflow.

$1,500 fixed scope

Two-week target once access and sample inputs are ready.

For one recurring task with a staff reviewer. We confirm fit before agreeing to the work.

One agreed input format and output.
A working internal workflow, tested with your reviewer.
A before-and-after check that counts review time.
Written instructions and a staff handoff.

Custom integrations and extra workflows need a new quote. Software fees and ongoing support are separate. Full campaigns and company-wide rollouts are outside this scope.

Ask about a pilot

AI Operations Assessment

Decide which AI projects are worth funding.

$3,000 fixed scope

Three weeks.

For leaders weighing several possible AI projects. You leave with a written recommendation on where to start and which ideas to leave alone.

A map of the selected work processes and where time is lost.
A ranked list of opportunities and estimated time savings. Each includes estimated build and ongoing tool costs.
Clear boundaries for data access and what stays under human review.
A written 90-day plan with a suggested owner for the first project, plus a walkthrough with you.

Includes review and a written plan. No automation is built as part of the assessment. Any build is quoted separately.

If you move into a fractional operations engagement within 60 days, the full $3,000 assessment fee is credited toward it. This credit does not apply to the pilot.

Ask about the assessment See a sample recommendation

The pilot price covers one small build. The assessment price covers the investigation needed to choose among several possible investments. An assessment isn't required before a pilot.

What the three-week assessment covers

Agree on the scope first

Before work begins, we put the process list and participants in writing, along with the time needed from your team. The flat fee covers that defined review. Additional processes require a separate agreement.

Week one starts with the work

You and the people doing the work walk me through the selected processes. We look at actual steps and sample inputs, including where handoffs or repeated effort cause problems.

Then I compare the options

In week two, I weigh likely time savings against build and running costs. I check what needs human review and whether a simpler process would solve the problem.

Leave with a written plan

In week three, we review the findings together and work through the 90-day plan. You can use it with your team or a builder. Any implementation work needs its own scope and price.

See what an assessment recommendation looks like

Fictional assessment excerpt. The figures below illustrate the format; they are not client results or a quote. Actual costs and savings depend on the review and must be tested.

First recommendation: weekly reporting

Test a draft management report prepared from approved exports. A staff member checks the numbers before sharing it.

Estimated time saved: 2 hours per week, after human review
One-time build estimate: $1,500–$2,500
Ongoing software estimate: $25–$75 per month
Suggested owner: Operations manager
Human review: Check totals against the source before sharing
Condition before a build: Confirm the inputs and agree on a test target

Why this comes first

In this example, preparing the report takes four hours a week. The proposed process is estimated to take two hours, including review. The inputs repeat, so a small test is practical. Time saved would create capacity; it does not automatically reduce payroll.

Leave another idea alone

Automating custom pricing ranks lower because the inputs vary and errors could affect margins. Keep that judgment with a person.

First step in the 90-day plan

Confirm one report and a staff reviewer. Then agree on a build quote and test against the current process before expanding.

This excerpt shows one recommendation. Your assessment compares the processes in your written scope and explains which changes to pursue. It also records ideas to leave alone.

Client example · Weekly reporting

Higher account margin. Same client fee.

Problem

A software development engagement needed weekly reporting within a fixed monthly hours allowance. After each check-in, a long transcript had to become assigned action items and updates to the project board. The team also needed an internal recap, a plain-English client email and an hours update.

That preparation took an estimated two to three hours each week. Client updates sometimes slipped into the following days.

Solution

Eddie implemented an AI-assisted reporting workflow that compares the meeting transcript with open tickets and time-tracking records. It identifies existing tickets and drafts new ones where needed. It also prepares the internal recap and client update, with a separate list of unclear commitments or missing information for Eddie to resolve.

Eddie reviews ticket drafts and client-facing emails before use. Hours figures are checked directly against the time tracker. Responsibility for client commitments stays with Eddie.

Result

With the client fee unchanged, fewer hours spent on the account helped improve gross margin from about 40% to 55%, a 15-percentage-point increase.

Client updates now go out the same day as the weekly call. Post-call preparation takes an estimated 30 to 40 minutes, compared with two to three hours previously. Most of that time now goes into reviewing and correcting drafts.

The workflow has been in use since March 2026.

Client work

Custom AI agents for a working marketing campaign.

For a small business, I built dedicated AI agents for audience research and campaign content. Separate agents handled reporting and follow-up. Campaign direction and spending decisions stayed under human control.

That larger engagement had its own scope. A pilot starts with one piece of work.

See a sample output from a one-workflow pilot

Illustrative example using fictional data. This is not a client screenshot or evidence of client results.

Approved weekly export

Total inquiry records: 42
First response sent: 31
Awaiting a response: 9
Flagged as duplicates: 2

Draft for the staff reviewer

Nine records await a response. Check recent activity and ownership before assigning follow-up. Confirm the two duplicate flags before excluding those records.

The source stays available for checking. Nothing is sent automatically. We measure preparation and review time against the old process before deciding whether to keep it.

Where it can help

Start with work your team repeats.

Recurring reports

Prepare a draft from approved sources, with the numbers available for checking.

Process documentation

Turn walkthrough notes into a draft guide, then have staff test it.

Meeting follow-through

Draft action notes. A person confirms decisions and checks the owners and dates.

Onboarding & training

Draft materials from approved policies. Managers keep responsibility for employment decisions.

Before we start

Know what you're agreeing to.

What access and staff time will you need?

The scope sets working sessions and permissions. We identify sample inputs and a staff reviewer before starting. Please keep passwords and confidential records out of the inquiry form.

What happens at handoff?

You receive instructions and a walkthrough. The written scope covers account control and what your team can maintain. It also sets any license costs and the correction window. Ongoing support is separate.

What is outside the pilot?

System replacements and custom integrations need separate scopes. Automated hiring decisions are excluded. Extra workflows need a new quote. We agree on tool costs and ongoing support before starting.

What if AI doesn't improve the work?

We agree on a test before building and count the time spent reviewing and correcting output. Savings are unproven until measured. If a simpler process is the better answer, the recommendation will say so.

Start with a question

Tell me where work gets stuck.

Send a note about the recurring task and the tools you use. I'll reply by email. No appointment is required.

Prefer to talk? Book a call

You can also email Eddie.

Prefer email? eddie@4498north.com
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