Work With Me
Most people start with a free call or the assessment. Everything else is what comes after.
No "tiers." No "programs." No 90-day discovery decks. Just four doors and what's behind each one.
Quick Answer
There are four ways to work with Justin McKelvey: a free 30-minute strategy call (fit check, no pitch), a 2-week AI Readiness Assessment (written roadmap, fixed fee), done-with-you AI builds (custom implementation, scoped per project), and ongoing fractional CTO engagements. Most clients start with the free call or the Assessment, then expand into builds or fractional work afterward.
Author: Justin McKelvey, fractional CTO · 50+ products shipped · Updated May 2026
Strategy Call
Free · 30 minFind out if you're actually behind on AI.
30 minutes. No pitch. If we're not a fit, I tell you who is.
- ▶Honest read on your AI position vs. peers
- ▶Same-day recommendation — named tools, sequence
AI Readiness Assessment
2 weeksStop guessing where AI fits in your business.
Two weeks of focused work on your business. You get a workflow audit, an AI opportunity map, and a 90-day plan you can execute or hand back to me to build.
- ▶Workflow audit — where time leaks and AI compounds
- ▶Opportunity map — 8–12 candidates, ranked
- ▶30-60-90 day plan — sequenced, owned, measurable
Build / Fractional
OngoingFrom where you are to AI running your operations.
Custom AI systems built for how your business actually works. Done with your team, or done for you by my agency.
- ▶Custom systems — your prompts, voice, data
- ▶Connected to your stack — tools, data, internal workflows
Two ways we can do it
- Build with you — I work alongside your team, they own it at the end
- Built for you — SuperDupr (my agency) handles it end-to-end
Or just use the tools I'm building
Some AI workflows don't need a consultant — they need a product. I'm shipping productized AI tools that any business owner can use directly. Self-serve, low monthly cost.
GetLocalCall
AI phone answering for service businesses. Captures leads after hours and texts you summaries.
Email Cleaner
AI that triages your inbox and surfaces only what needs your attention.
Executive Brief
Weekly AI-generated summary of your business — meetings, financials, customer activity — emailed Sunday night.
Common Questions
- How long does an engagement with Justin McKelvey take?
- Engagements range from a free 30-minute call to ongoing fractional CTO retainers. The AI Readiness Assessment is fixed at two weeks. Build engagements typically run 4-12 weeks depending on scope. Fractional CTO is ongoing — most clients work with me for 6-18 months.
- What does it cost to work with Justin McKelvey?
- The 30-minute strategy call is free. The AI Readiness Assessment is a fixed fee (discussed on the call). Build engagements and fractional CTO work are scoped per project — most engagements land between $5K-$50K total. No hourly billing, no surprise invoices, no 6-month minimum contracts.
- Do you sign NDAs?
- Yes — happy to sign your standard NDA before kickoff on any engagement. I send a mutual one if you don't have your own. The 30-minute strategy call is informal and doesn't require an NDA unless you'd like one signed first.
- Can I switch engagement types mid-stream?
- Yes. Most engagements naturally evolve — a strategy call leads to an Assessment, an Assessment leads to a Build, a Build leads to ongoing fractional work. There's no contract lock-in. If something isn't working, we change it or end it without ceremony.
- Are you available right now?
- Booking depends on capacity. Strategy calls are usually available within 1-2 weeks. Assessment slots are capped at 2-3 per month, so 2-6 week lead time is typical. For fractional engagements, lead time is 2-4 weeks. Book a call to check current availability.
Have a vibe-coded MVP (Cursor, Replit, Lovable) that broke in production? Different problem — see the Vibe Code Rescue case study.
None of these fit?
Email me at hello@justinmckelvey.com. Tell me what you're trying to do. Worst case I point you at someone better.