Business Growth and AI Advisory

Yes, I work with Scottish SME's across Glasgow, Edinburgh and wider Scotland. Most engagements start with a free 15-minute clarity call to quickly scope your needs, then a full on-site AI readiness audit before moving into a practical roadmap. If you need support in development, we move to the deployment phase.

An AI readiness audit is a structured review of how ready your business is to use AI safely and profitably. It covers your goals, culture, workflows, data quality, team readiness, and governance. The report prioritises what to do first, what to avoid, and what will add value the fastest.

Typically it includes stakeholder interviews, a review of key processes, a scan of your data and reporting landscape, and a practical risk check covering governance and confidentiality. The aim is to leave with a clear view of where AI can help now, where it will create problems, and what needs fixing before you adopt or scale.

You receive an in-depth written report. It usually includes a prioritised use case shortlist, readiness gaps, data and process blockers, a risk and governance summary, and a staged plan for the next 30 to 90 days. If you prefer, it can also include a board pack summary for decision-makers.

It suits leaders who want measurable outcomes, clarity in governance and avoidance of cash burn on wasted pilots. It is less suitable if you are looking for a tool recommendation, like how to use GPT without any processes, or if you want to deploy AI without addressing culture, data quality, access control, or accountability.

Unlike other AI consultants, I start by finding the business bleed. Where time, margin, and value are leaking out through manual work, rekeying, reporting churn, marketing processes, and slow decisions. Then I rank opportunities by value, feasibility, risk, and adoption reality. That means prioritising fixes that stop a real leak quickly using data you already have, with clear ownership and low operational and change friction, not ideas that look pretty in a PowerPoint demo.

Yes, if you want that support. Many others are happy to leave you with an expensive report; not us. Some clients use the audit to brief their team. Others ask us for help to design the operating model, set governance, build and run pilots, and move into deployment with clear ownership and controls. We agree on the level of involvement before, during, and after based on your needs.

I treat confidentiality as standard professional practice. We can sign an NDA if preferred. We agree on what data is needed, keep access to the minimum required, and avoid pulling sensitive information into tools or pilots that do not need it. Where personal data is involved, we align to GDPR principles and make sure responsibilities and decision rights are clear.

Usually I need interviews with key people (stakeholders), visibility of the workflows you want to improve, and samples of the reports or datasets involved. I don't need full access to everything. The audit works best when I can see enough to judge data quality, process reality, and risk exposure.

Costs vary depending on scope and depth. My approach is to price a defined audit and be clear on what is included, what is optional, and what travel expenses apply outside the M8 Corridor. Typically most businesses can start with a one-day AI readiness audit at £695. If you share your location and company size, I can advise what level of engagement is likely to fit.

AI adoption is more than just buying subscriptions to tools; it is the strategic integration of AI into your core business operations. It’s the process of moving from "experimenting" with individual apps to "institutionalising" AI – where intelligent systems are woven into your workflows to automate repetitive tasks, improve decision-making, and unlock new revenue streams. Successful adoption focuses on people, process, and technology, not just the software itself.

AI readiness isn't about having a massive IT department; it’s about data maturity. You are ready for AI if you have organised, accessible data and a clear business challenge you want to solve. We often conduct "readiness assessments" to help clients identify if they have the right data foundation and cultural appetite to scale AI effectively, ensuring you don't waste time or budget on solutions you aren't prepared to support.

 A tech roadmap focuses on tools; an AI strategy focuses on business outcomes. A robust AI strategy starts with your business goals—like increasing customer retention or reducing supply chain costs—and works backward to select the right AI models, data structures, and governance policies to achieve them. Without a strategy, most AI projects fail to deliver measurable ROI.

The primary risk is the "Productivity-to-ROI Disconnect". Many organisations invest heavily in AI tools but see zero return because the technology isn't aligned with actual business value. Other major risks include:

• Data Privacy Violations: Using sensitive customer data in non-secure AI environments.

• Governance Gaps: Lacking policies to oversee autonomous agents.

• Cultural Resistance: Failing to train staff, leading to low adoption or "AI anxiety".