How we work
Three engagement shapes — pick the one that matches where you are. See full details →
-
Paid Scoping Engagement
Six to eight weeks, fixed fee. We pick a use case, pressure-test the ROI, define a kill criterion, and hand you a written plan you can build with us or anyone else.
-
Pilot Build
Eight to twelve weeks, fixed fee. We build the pilot, instrument it, run the kill criterion, and either hand it off to your team or shut it down honestly.
-
Fractional AI Lead
Monthly retainer. We sit on your leadership team a day or two a week — review vendor pitches, unblock pilots, ship the boring 80% of the work that actually moves the metric.
Case studies and client logos coming soon. In the meantime, our writing is the closest thing to a portfolio — read what we actually think about AI.
Frequent questions
Do you build the AI yourself or just advise?
Both. The Paid Scoping Engagement is an advisory deliverable. The Pilot Build is hands-on — we write code, wire up integrations, and instrument the metrics. Fractional AI Lead is a mix: half advisory, half pitching in on whatever's stuck that week.
Why fixed-fee instead of hourly?
Hourly billing rewards dragging projects out and punishes you for our learning curve. Fixed fees force us to scope realistically and ship on time. We covered the full pricing comparison in our buyer's guide.
Are you a good fit for early-stage startups?
Usually no. Our sweet spot is companies with $10M–$500M in revenue, real operational data, and a P&L owner who can champion the project. Pre-seed and seed startups are better served by a technical co-founder than a consultant.
How is Snow AI different from a Big Four consulting practice?
We're a small studio, not a partner-leverage pyramid. The person you meet on the scoping call is the person doing the work. We publish prices, kill criteria, and dissenting opinions on AI — things big firms structurally can't do.
Recent writing
Plain-English guides for operators. All posts →
-
AI ROI for Business Leaders: A Practical Framework
A no-jargon framework for calculating AI return on investment — including the hidden costs most decks ignore, and the four metrics that actually matter to a CFO.
-
How to Hire an AI Consultant: A 2026 Buyer's Guide
A step-by-step buyer's guide for non-technical leaders: what to ask, what red flags to watch for, and how to scope a fixed-fee engagement instead of an open-ended retainer.
-
Your First AI Pilot Project: A 90-Day Checklist
The exact 90-day checklist we use with new clients — from picking the right use case to defining "good enough" success metrics — so your first AI project doesn't end up in pilot purgatory.