Every pricing model is a question of risk: who carries it and who benefits when things go well. Below are three models I use, and when each makes most sense.
Best for: An ongoing, embedded AI partner with predictable monthly cost
Most clients begin here. A retained arrangement works on an agreed number of hours per week and an agreed term — giving you a consistent, embedded AI partner without scoping a new project every time something comes up.
Retained agreements start at a minimum of six hours per week — the minimum commitment needed to do meaningful, compounding work rather than scattered one-offs.
The main advantage is cashflow predictability: you know exactly what you're spending each month. Over time, many partnerships evolve into a performance-based model once we have the data and trust to structure one.
Best for: When trust and transparency are established and results are measurable
This is how I most like to work. Instead of paying for hours, you pay for outcomes — specifically, a percentage of the measurable profit improvement above an agreed baseline.
Before a performance agreement starts we agree on a baseline. Once the work begins, my remuneration is tied to how much that number improves. If it improves a lot, I earn more. If it doesn't move much, I earn less. It's a fair and transparent model that aligns both of our incentives completely.
Because this model requires financial transparency and a high degree of mutual trust, it typically comes after an initial retained services agreement period — which gives us both the confidence and data to structure an agreement that works.
Best for: Defined deliverables with a clear scope and finish line
The most familiar structure. We agree on a fixed price for a defined piece of work when the scope is clear, the timeline is bounded, and you want cost certainty before committing.
Project work typically begins with a Value & Feasibility Sprint to scope the build — though clients already in a retained partnership often skip this step, because the discovery has already happened as part of the ongoing relationship.
Once the project is complete, we discuss what ongoing support, if any, makes sense.
Get in touch — I'm happy to talk through what makes sense for your situation before you commit to anything.