AI Transformation
AI transformation partner for founder-led companies
Wayne Fraser is an AI transformation partner for founder-led companies. Fractional COO + AI Transformation costs $10,000–$12,500/month for approximately 2 days per week. It adds AI work to everything in the Fractional COO engagement.
On this page
- What an AI transformation partner does
- What the AI Transformation engagement adds
- AI Transformation compared with the Fractional COO engagement
- Where AI appears in the 90-day method
- The problem this engagement answers
- AI governance and readiness
- Process before technology
- Who this engagement is for
- Frequently asked questions
What an AI transformation partner does
An AI transformation partner typically helps a company decide where AI belongs, then puts it to work.
A problem that looks technical may be a process problem. The same can be true of an AI problem.
I work as a Fractional COO and AI Transformation Partner. My positioning is People + Process + Technology + AI. I treat AI as one part of the operating system.
The engagement is Fractional COO + AI Transformation, at $10,000–$12,500/month for approximately 2 days per week. It includes everything in the Fractional COO engagement. The AI work sits next to the weekly leadership meeting, KPI management and team accountability.
What the AI Transformation engagement adds
The engagement adds eight items to everything in the Fractional COO engagement. The right column describes what each item generally involves.
| AI item | What it generally involves |
|---|---|
| AI opportunity assessment | Finding where AI could help in the business and ranking the options. |
| AI implementation | Putting chosen AI uses into daily work. |
| Workflow automation | Replacing repeated manual steps with automated ones. |
| AI-enabled processes | Redesigning a process so that AI handles part of the work. |
| Technology architecture | How systems, data and AI tools connect and fit together. |
| Vendor selection | Comparing outside providers against a defined need and choosing one. |
| AI governance | Rules for who approves tools, what data goes in and how outputs are checked. |
| Implementation oversight | Watching delivery against the plan and correcting course. |
AI Transformation compared with the Fractional COO engagement
Fractional COO + AI Transformation is the larger of the two engagements, with more time and a wider scope.
| Item | Fractional COO | Fractional COO + AI Transformation |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $7,500/month | $10,000–$12,500/month |
| Time commitment | Approximately 1.5 days per week | Approximately 2 days per week |
| Scope | Weekly leadership meeting, operating system, KPI management, strategic execution, process improvement, team accountability, founder advisory, technology/AI decisions | Everything in Fractional COO plus the eight AI items listed above |
Where AI appears in the 90-day method
AI appears in each phase of the 90-Day Scale-Up Operating System, my main product.
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Diagnose (weeks 1–2)
I assess AI opportunities alongside strategy, organization, leadership, processes, technology, revenue operations, KPIs and founder bottlenecks. The Scale-Up Diagnostic shows what to fix first.
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Design (weeks 3–4)
The design phase produces an AI opportunity map. It sits next to 90-day priorities, an operating cadence, a KPI dashboard and technology priorities.
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Implement (weeks 5–12)
I help execute AI pilots and automation, together with process redesign, vendor management and technology decisions.
The problem this engagement answers
Everyone is talking about AI, but nobody knows where to use it. That is the third of the three problems I solve. The page on AI without a strategy covers it in depth. The symptoms are:
- AI experimentation everywhere
- No AI strategy
- Employees using random tools
- No governance
- Lots of talk, little ROI
- Opportunities for automation have not been identified
AI governance and readiness
AI governance is one of the eight items in this engagement. It generally covers who approves AI tools, what data can go into them and how outputs are checked. A small company can begin with a light version. AI governance for growing companies explains a starting structure.
The AI opportunity assessment is another of the eight. A useful first pass looks at process, data, people, tools, governance and priorities. You can read how to assess AI readiness before you talk to anyone.
Good first pilots are often repetitive, high in volume and measurable. Picking them is a judgment about the company, not a formula. Vendor selection is also on the list. A vendor is generally easier to choose once the company knows the problem it wants to solve.
Technology architecture and implementation oversight are part of the engagement too. In general, architecture covers how systems and data connect, and oversight keeps delivery tied to the plan. Both can matter more as the number of AI uses in a company grows.
Process before technology
The Odoo ERP case study shows a technology project that began by understanding how the business actually worked.
I redesigned accounting, sales, order entry and manufacturing processes around an integrated Odoo ERP platform. Customers could configure products online, and their orders flowed directly into production and billing. Operating efficiency rose 250%, throughput doubled and profitability rose 25%.
The first step was to understand how the business actually worked before choosing the platform. That work covered processes and workflows, roles, data flows, manual and duplicate activities, handoffs and bottlenecks. The rule was simple. If a process does not add value, eliminate it. If it can be simplified, simplify it. If it can be automated, automate it.
The principle below comes from that project.
Who this engagement is for
This engagement suits founder-led companies with $2M–$10M in revenue and 15–50 employees. The founder is interested in AI, and the company has not yet operationalized it. Multiple systems and processes are beginning to break down, and senior operational leadership is missing.
Who I work with describes the full profile, including my initial focus on BC and Canada. If AI is on your agenda and nobody owns it, start a conversation.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI transformation partner?
An AI transformation partner typically helps a company find where AI fits and puts it to work there. Wayne Fraser describes himself as a Fractional COO and AI Transformation Partner. In his engagement, the AI work is added to the Fractional COO work.
Where should a founder-led company start with AI?
A founder-led company can start by finding where AI could help, before choosing any tool. Early projects often suit work that is repetitive, high in volume and measurable. Wayne's engagement lists AI opportunity assessment among its eight AI items.
What is AI governance and does a small company need it?
AI governance is the set of rules for how a company approves, uses and checks AI. A small company can start with a light version. It covers who approves tools, what data goes in and how outputs are checked. AI governance is one of the eight AI items in Wayne's engagement.
How is this different from hiring an AI consultant?
Fractional COO + AI Transformation adds AI work to the Fractional COO engagement. It includes everything in the Fractional COO engagement plus eight AI items, such as opportunity assessment, implementation and governance. An AI consultant may focus on AI alone.
How much does the AI Transformation engagement cost?
Fractional COO + AI Transformation costs $10,000–$12,500/month for approximately 2 days per week. The Fractional COO engagement costs $7,500/month for approximately 1.5 days per week.
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