Cost Alert

Is Your Agency Overcharging You?

Most consulting agencies charge $300-600+/hour. You might be paying 2-3x more than necessary for the same quality work.

Warning Signs You're Overpaying

High Hourly Rates

Paying over $300/hour? Big firms have massive overhead costs that you're subsidizing. Independent consultants deliver the same quality for 60-80% less.

Junior Staff Doing Senior Work

Agencies often charge senior rates but assign junior consultants. You pay premium prices for entry-level work while they pocket the difference.

Slow Progress

Projects dragging on? Agencies profit from extended timelines. Independent consultants are incentivized to deliver results quickly and efficiently.

Hidden Fees & Minimums

Monthly retainers, minimum hour requirements, administrative fees. These add up quickly and inflate your actual consulting costs by 30-50%.

Limited Direct Access

Can't reach your consultant directly? Multiple layers of account managers and project coordinators add cost without adding value.

Generic Solutions

Getting cookie-cutter solutions? Agencies often reuse templates and frameworks, charging premium rates for work that's not customized to your needs.

The Real Cost of Big Consulting Firms

See how much you could save by switching to an independent consultant with the same expertise

Big Consulting Firms
Deloitte, Accenture, McKinsey, BCG
$300-600+/hour

Often junior consultants at senior rates

High overhead costs passed to clients
Multiple layers of management fees
Monthly minimums and retainers
Limited direct access to senior experts
Cookie-cutter solutions and templates
Example Project Cost:
$120,000 - $240,000

For a 400-hour engagement

Independent Expert Consultant
Senior-level expertise, direct access
$150-250/hour

Direct access to senior expert

No overhead - you pay for expertise only
Direct communication with your consultant
Flexible engagement - no minimums
Senior-level expertise on every task
Custom solutions tailored to your needs
Same Project Cost:
$60,000 - $100,000

For a 400-hour engagement

Potential Savings
$60,000 - $140,000

60-80% cost reduction with the same or better quality

Why Work With an Independent Consultant?

Same Expertise, Better Value

I've worked at top companies and delivered the same high-quality solutions as any big firm consultant. The difference? You get senior-level expertise without paying for corporate overhead, sales teams, and administrative bloat.

Direct Access to Senior Expert

No account managers, project coordinators, or junior consultants. You work directly with me - a senior engineer with proven results including 960x performance improvements, distributed systems at scale, and enterprise compliance (HIPAA, SOC2).

Proven Results

960x performance improvements, distributed systems handling millions of requests, cloud infrastructure optimization, security-first architecture. These aren't marketing claims - they're documented achievements from real projects.

Flexible Engagement

No monthly minimums, no long-term contracts, no hidden fees. Engage for as little or as much as you need. Fractional CTO, project-based work, or ongoing advisory - you choose what works for your budget and timeline.

Technical Excellence

Specializing in distributed systems, cloud infrastructure (AWS, Kubernetes), backend engineering (Go, Rust, TypeScript), DevOps, performance optimization, and security engineering. Modern tech stack, best practices, and hands-on implementation.

Get a Free Cost Evaluation Today

Not sure if you're overpaying? Let me provide a no-obligation evaluation of your current consulting costs and show you how much you could save.

No obligation - just honest advice
15-minute cost analysis call
See potential savings immediately

Common Questions

How can you charge so much less than big firms?

Big consulting firms have massive overhead: fancy offices, sales teams, layers of management, marketing budgets, and administrative staff. As an independent consultant, I have none of that overhead. You pay for my expertise and time - nothing else.

Is the quality really the same?

Often it's better. You get direct access to a senior engineer with proven results (960x performance improvements, enterprise-scale systems). Big firms often assign junior consultants to your project while charging senior rates. With me, you get senior expertise on every task.

What if I need a team, not just one person?

For larger projects, I can assemble a curated team of senior independent consultants I've worked with before. You still save money compared to big firms, and you get a team of experts rather than a mix of senior and junior staff.

What's included in the free evaluation?

A 15-minute call where we discuss your current consulting costs, project scope, and timeline. I'll provide an honest assessment of whether you're overpaying and show you potential cost savings. No sales pitch, no obligation - just straightforward advice.

What if I'm already locked into a contract?

That's okay. We can plan for when your contract ends, or discuss how to supplement your current team cost-effectively. Many companies use independent consultants alongside agency teams to reduce overall costs while maintaining capacity.