IT consulting is a senior technical advisor sitting down with you to make a technology decision before you commit money to it — choosing a system, planning a migration, vetting a vendor, or finding the weak spot in what you already run.
Most technology problems don't start as technology problems. They start as a quote that felt too high, a vendor that promised everything, a system that worked at ten people and breaks at fifty. By the time it lands on your desk it's a decision you don't have the background to make alone — and the people selling you the answer all have a stake in which way you go. That's the gap I fill. I'm a Chicago engineer who has built and run production systems for twenty years, and I sell advice, not software. Bring me the decision, and I'll tell you straight what I'd do.
What can an IT consultant do for you?
Most of what businesses call me about falls into one of these shapes.
Decide what to build, buy, or leave alone. You're weighing a new system and the options all look plausible in a sales deck. I map the choices against how your business actually runs and tell you which one fits — or whether you need anything at all.
Look hard at the system you already have. Something works today but you're nervous about tomorrow — it's slow, it's fragile, one person understands it. I review what you've got, name the real weaknesses, and lay out what to fix first and what can wait.
Cut through the vendor pitches. You're choosing a platform or a contractor and every one of them sounds confident. I give you an honest read on the tools and the people before you sign, with no commission riding on the answer.
Plan a cloud move that doesn't turn into chaos. Moving to AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure goes wrong when it's rushed. I plan the migration realistically — what moves, in what order, with what fallback — so your team isn't firefighting for a month.
Check what you're really buying. Investing in or acquiring a company that runs on software you can't see inside? I do the technical due diligence and tell you what's solid, what's duct tape, and what it will cost to fix.
Is IT consulting right for you?
A good fit if:
- You're facing a real technology decision — a system, a migration, a vendor, an acquisition — and you don't have a senior technical person in-house to weigh it
- You run a small or mid-size business in or around Chicago and want someone who can sit at your table, not just send a deck
- You'd rather hear an honest "you don't need this" than be sold something
- You want advice from someone who has actually built and operated the systems they're advising on
- You need a fractional CTO — senior judgement a few days a month, not a full-time hire you can't yet justify
Not a fit if:
- You need day-to-day IT support — broken laptops, password resets, help desk — that's managed IT services, a different and ongoing job, not what I do
- You've already decided and just want someone to validate it; if your mind is made up, save your money
- You want a name on a slide for a decision someone else will make — I give advice to people who'll act on it
- You're shopping purely for the lowest hourly rate — that's a fine way to buy, just not from me
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between IT consulting and managed IT services?
Consulting is strategic advice and project-based work — helping you make the right technology decision and, if you want, implementing it. Managed IT services is the ongoing day-to-day support: help desk, devices, keeping the lights on. I do consulting. If day-to-day support is what you need, I'll point you toward a good managed provider.
Do you work with small businesses?
Yes — most of my clients are small to mid-size businesses, roughly ten to two hundred people, who need senior technical judgement but can't yet justify a full-time CTO. That's exactly the gap consulting is meant to fill.
How does an engagement usually work?
It starts with a call to understand your situation. From there I propose a scope — sometimes a one-time assessment with a written report, sometimes a defined project, sometimes an ongoing advisory arrangement a few days a month. You see the shape and the deliverable before any paid work begins.
Are you actually based in Chicago?
Yes. I'm a Chicago engineer, so when an on-site visit helps — whiteboarding with your team, walking your setup in person — I can be there. Most of the work runs fine remotely, but being local and in your timezone means quick answers when you need them.
Why should I trust your advice over a vendor's?
Because I don't resell software and I don't take commissions. A vendor's recommendation is shaped by what they sell; mine is shaped only by your problem. If the honest answer is that you don't need to spend anything, that's the answer you'll get.
Let's talk
Bring a specific decision — the system you're weighing, the migration you're planning, the vendor you're about to sign, the setup that's making you nervous. Tell me what you've already tried and what's pushing you to decide now. A thirty-minute discovery call is free — no deck, no pitch, just a straight conversation about whether I can help.