# How It Works

> Simple, hourly, no contracts.

## The process

1. **Free 20-minute consult** — We talk through what you're trying to solve. If AI isn't the right tool for it, we'll say so directly, at no charge and with no pitch deck.
2. **Scoped plan and rate** — If there's a real fit, you get a short written scope and an estimated hour range before any billing starts.
3. **Hourly engagement** — Work happens at $150–$250/hr depending on the discipline. There are no retainers and no minimum term, so you can stop after the first block of hours if it's not working out.
4. **Handoff or continuation** — You get clean documentation either way, whether your team takes it from there or we keep going into the next phase of work.

## Pricing, plainly

Engagements run $150–$250/hr depending on the discipline and how specialized the work is. Larger or longer projects can be quoted as a fixed-fee scope after the free consult, for clients who'd rather have price certainty than an open hourly clock.

## FAQ

**How is the free consult different from a sales call?**
There's no deck and no script. It's a working conversation about what you're trying to solve, and if AI genuinely isn't the answer, that's what you'll hear. Roughly a third of free consults end without a paid engagement, and that's by design, not a failure.

**What happens if the scope changes mid-engagement?**
It gets discussed and re-scoped before more hours are billed against it. You're never billed for work outside the agreed scope without a conversation first.

**Do you bill in advance or after the work is done?**
Typically in blocks: an initial block of hours is agreed and invoiced up front, work happens against it, and any additional blocks are scoped and approved before they start.

**Can you sign an NDA or use our contractor agreement?**
Yes. Most clients have their own standard agreement or NDA, and that's usually simpler than drafting new paperwork for a single engagement.

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Full page: https://rblackman.ai/how-it-works/
Book a free 20-minute consult: https://rblackman.ai/contact/