Steve Holland Guide · Cost · SMB · Updated Sep 8, 2026
AI consulting cost for small business — real ranges + a $15k/$30k bet
Most small-business AI projects land between $5,000 and $25,000. Hourly theater runs $150–$350. Retainers sit around $2,000–$8,000/mo. Here the straight alternative is a fixed $15,000 or $30,000 five-day AI Week: make or save the fee within six months under written terms — or we worked free.
If you’re searching AI consulting cost small business, you don’t want a TED talk. You want: what do I pay, what do I get, and when does it pay back on the P&L?
What the market charges for SMB AI consulting (2026)
Honest bands you’ll see when you shop — before anyone sells you a six-month “discovery” tax.
| Model | Typical range | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Project / fixed | $5,000–$25,000 | Best when scope is clear |
| Hourly | $150–$350/hr | Easy to burn on decks |
| Retainer | $2,000–$8,000/mo | Fine if deliverables are real |
| Enterprise firms | $50k–$150k+ | Wrong fit under ~$10M |
Industry write-ups in 2026 still put most defined SMB automation builds around $10,000–$15,000. That’s the band we compete in — without the open-ended retainer theater. Enterprise proposals look impressive and usually don’t fit a $1M–$10M operator.
$15,000 vs $30,000 — pick your AI Week bet
Same five business days. Same intensity. The fee (and the guarantee dollar) scales with the company. Full terms live on the agreement; this table is the owner’s view.
| Standard — $15,000 | Pro — $30,000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Typically leveling up · ~5+ people | $5M+/yr · ~10+ employees |
| Duration | 5 business days | 5 business days |
| Guarantee | Make or save $15,000 in ≤6 months | Make or save $30,000 in ≤6 months |
| If we miss (per agreement) | Worked free / remedy per terms | Worked free / remedy per terms |
| Scope shape | Phone AI, leads, CRM glue, reviews, site hooks as scoped + live training | Everything in Standard — deeper multi-team install |
| Travel | Client-paid if on-site | Client-paid if on-site |
Filter honesty: under roughly $1–2M we usually pass on The AI Week. Not every shop needs this product. Path is checklist → qualify → agreement / pay. Details of the week: The AI Week.
See if you qualify Read the agreement
What’s in the fee vs what you pay separately
No surprises later. Align this with the written agreement.
Included in the $15k / $30k fee
- Five business days on-site or remote: map labor and revenue leaks, including 1:1 time with seats that matter
- Installs as scoped — phone AI, lead routing, CRM glue, reviews, site hooks, workflow automation
- Live training so your people run the systems when we leave
- Exit Value Sign-Off — the payback math locked in plain English
- Make-or-save guarantee on the fee you chose, under written terms
Client-paid (not in the fee)
- Travel, hotels, and food for on-site USA work (remote skips that)
- Third-party software subscriptions / seats you already pay or choose to add
- Any hardware or carrier costs outside the install scope
How payback is measured (Exit Value Sign-Off)
“Make or save the fee” is not vibes. During the week we write down how value will be counted — hours × loaded labor, recovered leads × close rate × margin, reactivation from a cold database, review/Maps lift when it’s in scope. You sign off on that math. Under the agreement: make or save the fee paid within six months, or we worked free / the remedy those terms spell out.
You still have to use the systems. A guarantee without adoption is theater from both sides — the agreement is clear on that.
Illustrative money math (not a case-study claim)
These lines are illustrative — same framing owners use to sanity-check a $15k or $30k bet. Your numbers will differ; week one starts with your map.
| Leak (illustrative) | Example math | Rough annual $ |
|---|---|---|
| Labor grind | 10 hrs/week × $40 loaded | ~$20,800 |
| Slow lead response | 2 extra jobs/mo × $800 margin | ~$19,200 |
| Dead database | 1 reactivation/mo × $600 margin | ~$7,200 |
| Missing reviews / Maps lift | 1 extra job/mo from reputation | often five figures |
Illustrative only — not claimed client results. Run your own numbers on the ROI calculator or score leaks with the checklist PDF.
Vs hourly, retainer, and content tools
Hourly ($150–$350) works when every hour ships a working system. It fails when the invoice is mostly strategy decks.
Retainers ($2k–$8k/mo) can be fair if deliverables are concrete every month. They get expensive when “AI support” means Slack advice and no installs.
Fixed project ($5k–$25k) is the honest market for a defined build — and where a one-week bet with a make-or-save rule competes cleanly.
DIY ChatGPT or a cheap content tool helps a person write faster. It is not phone coverage, lead routing, CRM hygiene, review systems, and team training in five days with skin in the game. Straight compare: vs content tools.
Hiring a VA to “do AI” shifts busywork; it rarely redesigns the system. If payroll already pays for grind, automate the grind — then reallocate humans to judgment work.
How not to waste money on AI consultants
- No decks without installs. If the output is slides, you’re buying theater.
- Demand dollar math. Hours saved × loaded labor. Leads recovered × close rate × margin.
- Free audit first. Start with our Labor Leak Checklist — same idea as “revenue leak” audits competitors sell calls for.
- Qualify both ways. See if you qualify for a short pre-qual. We’re not for everyone.
- Read the guarantee before you pay. The agreement is the source of truth — fee, travel, Exit Value Sign-Off, and remedy.
Where this shows up in the trades & professions
Short aside — same cost question, different leak:
- HVAC / plumbing / home services: missed calls and slow speed-to-lead are pure margin leaks. More: HVAC & trades AI.
- Dental / clinics: intake, FAQs, follow-up, and reputation eat front-desk hours.
- Law / professional services: intake and follow-up queues hide billable time and lost matters.
Yorkville, Naperville & Chicago western suburbs
We’re building from Yorkville / Chicago western suburbs outward — then anywhere in the U.S. Local owners who want AI that prints money, not a Bay Area science project. More on the local page: Chicago–Yorkville AI.
FAQ: AI consulting cost for small business
What does AI consulting typically cost for a small business?
Most real projects land $5,000–$25,000 fixed. Hourly often runs $150–$350. Retainers commonly $2,000–$8,000/mo. Enterprise packages at $50k–$150k+ are usually the wrong fit under ~$10M. Our fixed bets are $15,000 (Standard) or $30,000 (Pro).
What’s the difference between the $15k and $30k week?
Standard ($15k) is for businesses typically leveling up with about 5+ people. Pro ($30k) is for $5M+/year companies with about 10+ employees — same five days, deeper multi-team install, and a $30k make-or-save guarantee under the agreement.
What does “make or save the fee” mean?
Under written terms: within six months you make or save the fee you paid ($15k or $30k), measured with Exit Value Sign-Off math — or we worked free / the remedy in the agreement.
Who qualifies — and who doesn’t?
Roughly owners in the $1M–$10M band with a real team and phone/lead/review friction. We usually pass under ~$1–2M for this product. Pro is aimed at $5M+ / ~10+ seats. Start free: checklist, then qualify.
Is travel included?
No. Fee = the week of work. On-site USA: you pay travel, hotels, and food. Remote skips those. Software seats stay yours.
How long does it take?
Five business days — map, build, train live — not a six-month retainer. See The AI Week.
Can’t I just use ChatGPT or hire a VA?
ChatGPT helps individuals. A VA shifts tasks. Neither replaces a scoped install across phone, leads, CRM, reviews, and training with a dollar guarantee. Tool vs system compare: vs content tools. More objections: FAQ.
Next step
Stop comparing hourly rates in a vacuum. Score your leaks, then decide if a $15k or $30k week bet is clearer than retainer theater.
Email steve@stevehollandai.com or hello@stevehollandai.com — Yorkville & Chicago. Related: FAQ & objections · All guides · Home — $15k / $30k bet.
Last updated Sep 8, 2026 · Steve Holland AI