Work with me

Modernize what works.
Rebuild only what's
holding you back.

Forty years in manufacturing and software. I start with how your business actually runs, find where time and money leak, and turn those gaps into systems built to last. AI comes last, once the foundations are right.

Both sides, forty years the manufacturing floor and the software
AI comes last, not first the groundwork earns it a place
Starts with a free 15-min intro no commitment required
Book a Free 15-min Intro

No pitch. No commitment. Just a conversation to see if there's a fit.

This is for you if

  • You run an established business that makes or delivers something real
  • Inefficiency is costing real money, but you can't always prove where
  • The operation still depends on a few people who know how it really works
  • You know AI matters, but you're wary of the hype and unsure where to start
  • You want an honest read from someone who has built, not just advised

This is not for you if

  • You're looking for the cheapest option
  • You want a deck and a promise instead of a real answer
  • Your business doesn't actually produce or deliver something operational
  • You're already an AI-native shop that just needs more hands
  • You're not ready to hear that part of how you work today should change

How to work together

Advisory Call
60-90 min · Remote
€250
Book a call →

Most decisions feel complicated because the real question hasn't been named yet. In 90 minutes we find it and answer it. You bring the problem. I bring 40 years of seeing where these things lead, and no interest in telling you what you want to hear.

Right for you if
  • You're facing a decision (a system, an investment, a restructure, whether to touch AI) and want a senior read before you commit
  • You've been going in circles internally and need someone outside to cut through it
  • You want a clear direction, not a list of options to weigh
What happens
  1. Free 15-min scoping call to confirm the session is worth your time
  2. 90-min focused session on your specific problem
  3. Written summary with concrete recommendations within 24 hours
  4. 7 days of follow-up clarifications via email
Deep Session
Half day (3-4 hrs) · Remote or on-site
€800
Book a session →

Some problems can't be talked through in an hour. They have to be worked through. We map the operation, the data, and the path forward, together. You leave with something concrete your team can act on immediately.

Right for you if
  • You have a specific problem that needs working through, hands-on
  • Your team is stuck at a decision point and needs an outside read to break the deadlock
  • You need a concrete output: a plan, a map, a review you can act on
What happens
  1. Free 15-min scoping call to define the problem and confirm the format
  2. 3-4 hour working session where we actually solve the thing, together
  3. Written document tailored to your situation, delivered within 24 hours
  4. One week of async follow-up
Monthly Retainer
Ongoing · 2-4 sessions/month + async
€2,000/month
Apply →

A senior head in your corner, permanently, without the cost or politics of a full-time hire. I know your operation and your context, so when something comes up you don't start from scratch explaining it. You just ask. Cancel anytime. No lock-in.

Right for you if
  • You're an owner who wants decisions pressure-tested before you commit to them
  • You want someone who can translate between where the business is going and what the systems actually need
  • You're building something that matters and want someone who has seen how it plays out
What happens
  1. Starts with an Advisory Call or Deep Session to confirm the fit
  2. Monthly cadence of 2-4 sessions plus async access between them
  3. No lock-in. Cancel anytime. This only works if it keeps working.
Team Workshops
Half day or full day · Remote or on-site · Groups of 5-15
On request
Get in touch →

For when it isn't one person's question but the whole team's direction. Hands-on working sessions with real systems and the kind of direct feedback polite consultants won't give you. No death by slides. Scope and format built around your situation.

Right for you if
  • Your team is in transition: modernizing systems, replacing what's aging, or figuring out AI
  • You need someone to read the situation honestly and help the team see what has to change
  • You want practical, not theoretical: something useful on Monday morning
What happens
  1. Scoping call to understand your team, your stack, and what success looks like
  2. Custom session design: topics, format, and depth tailored to your situation
  3. Half-day or full-day session with materials your team keeps
Flagship engagement

Legacy System
Re-Engineering

Custom · Project-based

Your system still works. But it's holding you back.

Legacy systems are not failures. They are proof that something worked long enough to matter. But over time, they accumulate complexity: layers of code nobody fully understands, data structures that made sense fifteen years ago, processes that exist because "that's how we've always done it."

I take these systems apart. Carefully. Thoroughly. Down to the last bit and byte.

What I do

I analyze your existing system on every level: the business logic, the technical architecture, the data flows, the processes your team relies on daily. I map what actually happens versus what the documentation says.

From that analysis, I design the target architecture. Not a rewrite for the sake of rewriting. A system that keeps what works and eliminates what doesn't. Then I migrate. Data, processes, people.

10%
of the original system.
Fully maintainable.
22+
legacy systems fully
re-engineered.
40yr
building, migrating,
and rebuilding systems.
AI-accelerated. Experience-driven.

Today, AI accelerates every phase: analysis, pattern recognition, code generation, data transformation. But the fundamental understanding of what a system actually does, and what it should become, requires something no model provides on its own.

The tools are faster than ever. The thinking still comes first.

Start the conversation →

How this works

01
Priced on value, not time
A month spent going the wrong direction costs far more than the work that prevents it. Every engagement is scoped around what you get out of it, not the hours it takes.
02
Every engagement has a deliverable
You leave with something concrete: a map, a plan, a clear next step. Not a conversation that fades by Friday.
03
The content is free. The advice is personal.
Everything I know goes into articles and the podcast, publicly, for free. Working together is that knowledge applied to your specific operation.
04
Fast to start, easy to stop
No long sales cycles. Most engagements start within a week. If it's not the right fit after the first session, there's no obligation to continue.

Frequently asked

Why pay for a call?
Because you're not paying for an hour. You're paying for 40 years of knowing where these problems hide and how they play out. One wrong call on a big system or investment costs far more than the session.
What if it's not a fit?
That's what the free 15-minute intro is for. I'll tell you honestly if your situation is outside what I do. I'd rather point you to the right person than waste your money.
Do you actually build, or just advise?
I've built systems with my hands for 40 years, and I still do. But what I sell is judgment, not hours. Your team builds. Making sure they build the right thing is my part.
Can you work with my team directly?
Yes. The deeper engagements work directly with your leadership and the people who run the operation. The best results come from working with those closest to the work.
I can read your writing for free. Why pay?
The writing is general patterns. Working together is about your operation, your data, your constraints, your people. Generic insight is free. Applied to your business, it isn't.

Ready to talk?

15 minutes. Free. We figure out if there's a fit and which format makes sense for your situation.

Book a Free 15-min Intro

Or email me: chris@chrisbuilds64.com