Services

How I help

Three ways I help financial institutions move AI from idea to production, starting with the right pilot.

At a glance: Start with AI Pilot Setup. Rescue is for a pilot that has already drifted, and Fractional Lead is for ongoing ownership.

Pilot Setup

Start the right AI pilot

Use this when you want to choose a use case, set success criteria, align the right people, and launch a pilot with a credible route to production.

Rescue

Reset a drifting pilot

Use this only when a pilot, vendor program, or committee-driven effort has already drifted away from a useful milestone.

Fractional Lead

Bring in senior ownership

Use this when the work is real enough to need a leader, but not large enough to justify a full-time hire yet.

Quick compare

Which engagement fits?

Situation Best fit Deliverable Timeline
You want to start with a focused AI pilot AI Pilot Setup Use case, pilot plan + control path 4–6 weeks
A pilot or vendor effort is drifting before production AI Program Rescue Milestone reset + hands-on leadership 2–4 months
The program is real, but nobody owns it at the right level Fractional AI Program Lead Ongoing senior ownership + succession plan 6–12 months

If you are starting from zero or from a loose idea, start with AI Pilot Setup. If the work is already stuck, use Rescue. If the problem is ongoing leadership coverage, use Fractional Lead. If you're between two, send me a note and I'll sort it out quickly.

Operating proof

Cashlytica

Cashlytica is my flagship live case study. It keeps my work grounded in real product decisions, route hygiene, and operational clarity — the same things financial institutions need when AI moves out of pilot mode.

Read the case study → · Contact me →

Best fit when you want to launch the right pilot

AI Pilot Setup

Investment: Fixed-scope engagement  ·  Duration: Typically 4–6 weeks

A focused entry engagement to set up an AI pilot the institution can actually learn from. We choose the use case, define success, identify data and control requirements, align the stakeholders, and create the path from pilot to production decision.

Want to check pilot readiness first?

What's included

  • Use-case selection and problem framing with the business owner
  • Pilot charter with owner, scope, success criteria, timeline, and decision gates
  • Data, vendor, integration, risk, and operational readiness review
  • Lightweight governance path so risk and compliance are involved early
  • Practical pilot plan that can be handed to internal teams, vendors, or implementation partners
  • Working session to confirm whether to launch, change, or stop the pilot

What this is not

  • A vendor pitch in disguise
  • A 200-slide strategy deck nobody will read
  • A generic AI strategy exercise

Best fit

  • Institutions ready to move from AI interest to a real pilot
  • Leaders who need a concrete first use case rather than broad AI theory
  • Teams that want the pilot designed with governance, adoption, and production constraints visible from day one
Contact me about a pilot
Best fit when an existing pilot has drifted and needs a reset

AI Program Rescue

Investment: Fixed-fee engagement, scoped to the situation  ·  Duration: Typically 2–4 months

A targeted intervention for an AI pilot or vendor effort that has drifted before production. I identify the real blocker, align the right people, and lead the work toward an agreed operating milestone.

Common scenarios

  • A proof-of-concept that has not turned into a clear production decision
  • A vendor implementation that's missed multiple go-live dates
  • An internal AI initiative that is stuck between business, technology, risk, and operations
  • A pilot that is technically interesting but not driving adoption or a business decision

What's included

  • Rapid diagnostic of the actual blocker (typically the first 2–3 weeks)
  • Defined success criteria and a milestone-based plan
  • Hands-on program leadership through to the agreed milestone
  • Stakeholder management across executive, technology, risk, and operational teams
  • Vendor and partner coordination as needed
  • Clear handoff to internal teams at the end of the engagement

What this is not

  • A blame exercise about why things went wrong
  • A long-term staff augmentation arrangement
  • A guarantee of any specific business outcome — only that the program will reach the agreed operational milestone
Contact me about a reset
Best fit when you need senior leadership but aren't ready to hire it full-time

Fractional AI Program Lead

Investment: Monthly retainer  ·  Duration: Typically 6–12 months, with a 90-day initial term

Part-time senior leadership for an active AI program. I help run the work week to week: governance, stakeholder alignment, vendor management, executive reporting, and forward motion.

What's included

  • Two days per week of dedicated time, on average (flexible to fit your rhythm)
  • Steering committee leadership
  • Executive reporting and decision support
  • Vendor and implementation partner management
  • Governance and risk navigation
  • Hiring support if you're building an internal AI team
  • A clear succession plan from day one — the goal is to make myself unnecessary

Best fit

  • Institutions with an active or imminent AI program
  • Teams that need senior judgment without the cost or commitment of a full-time CAIO
  • Leaders who recognize that the program management work is genuinely the bottleneck

What this is not

  • Staff augmentation
  • A permanent role
  • A vendor relationship — I work for you, not for any platform or technology
Contact me about fractional leadership
FAQ

Common questions

Which service should I start with?

If you are starting, start with AI Pilot Setup. If a pilot is already stuck, use Rescue. If the issue is ongoing leadership coverage, use Fractional AI Program Lead.

Do you work with banks, insurers, and asset managers?

Yes. The site is written for financial institutions because that is the environment where governance, risk, and execution matter most.

What happens after I contact you?

I read what you send, reply directly, and tell you whether the fit looks like pilot setup, rescue, fractional leadership, or no fit at all.

Is the first conversation free?

Yes. It is a short, practical conversation about what is stuck and what the cleanest next step looks like.

If you still are not sure, send a note and I will sort it out quickly.

Not sure which one fits?

Most clients are not sure at first. Send me a note with the use case, pilot idea, or stalled effort, and I can tell you whether pilot setup, rescue, or a fractional role makes sense.

Contact me