Our manifesto
We are two practitioners with experience in applied AI, software engineering, scaling startups and, importantly, getting shit done. We’re starting a pro bono experiment with five small businesses in Singapore: understand a real problem, bring expert judgment, and help put a useful improvement into practice quickly.
SMEs are our lifeblood, and time is precious. We diagnose fast, implement fast, and aim for the shortest time to value. No BS.
Impact is the purpose. We want owners and their teams to experience the joy of AI, share in its upsides, and create business value that lasts. In corporate speak: gain time, save time, serve customers better, reduce mistakes or improve performance. We judge our work by what changes in practice.
National service. We’re opinionated, having been operators in startups and business. We want to show what the alternatives look like, and how money can and should be spent. *gag* courses. *gag* consultants.
Start with the business. We listen, observe the work, and understand the problem before recommending technology.
Bring depth to the details. Your actual documents, decisions, exceptions and constraints matter. Our advice should hold up when applied to your business.
Move quickly toward something useful. Whether it’s knowledge, a game plan, an architecture or, where feasible, an actual deployment, we go beyond courses and consulting.
Use the simplest effective solution. AI, automation, existing software and a better process are all options. The problem determines the tool.
Work as equals. We contribute expertise and effort. You contribute business knowledge, access, participation and a willingness to try change. Everyone’s time deserves respect.
Build with the people doing the work. Staff understand details that a process chart can miss, and their participation helps improvements succeed. Our best partners take ownership and accountability.
Be honest about results. We make assumptions visible, test on real examples, and count checking and maintenance effort when assessing benefits.
Leave people more capable. Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime. A useful improvement should have a clear owner, understandable instructions and a realistic path to continued use.
Earn trust through how we work. We protect confidential information, explain trade-offs and costs, and get permission before sharing anyone’s story.
Keep the experiment focused. Our contribution is pro bono, with an agreed scope and end date. Taking part carries no obligation to buy anything.
Learn from each engagement. We want to understand which interventions make a lasting difference, and keep improving how we help the next business.