Most owners have the same handful of questions before they book a consultation: what it costs, whether they'll be tied into something, and whether it will be any different from the last firm they hired. The answers are above in short form. Below, the trickier ones get the fuller explanation they deserve.
Frequently asked questions
What does a business consultation with Ali cost?
The initial 30-minute consultation is free. Paid consulting is $175 to $350 per hour, projects are $3,500 to $25,000, and retainers are $2,500 to $12,000 per month, in Canadian dollars plus GST/HST based on your province (GST and QST in Quebec).
Will I have to sign a long contract?
No lock-in is part of how we work. Every paid engagement has a written scope, and its notice period and payment terms are stated in your proposal before you agree.
How quickly can we talk?
Send a call, text or email and we usually reply within one business day to set a time. Hours are Monday to Friday, 9 to 6 Pacific.
We tried an agency before and it didn't work. Why would this be different?
A consultation is not an agency retainer. Its first job is to find out why the last attempt failed, which is often a measurement or follow-up problem rather than the channel itself. If paid help isn't the answer, we'll say so.
Who owns our website, ad accounts and data?
You should, always. We advise owners to keep the website, domain, ad accounts, analytics and customer data in their own name, and any plans or assessments we write for you are yours to keep. Specific terms are confirmed in writing in your proposal.
Can you promise more leads or sales?
No. Honest advisors don't promise outcomes. We agree on the numbers to watch, explain the reasoning, and review whether those numbers moved.
How will I know whether the advice worked?
Each recommendation names one to three measures, such as cost per enquiry, close rate or margin, and when to check them. You can see for yourself whether they moved.
Do you only work with HVAC companies?
No. Ali's deepest track record and our published case studies are from HVAC and heating, and we label them as results from our HVAC work. Consultations are open to established businesses in other sectors too.
Can we meet in person?
Yes. Consultations are available in person or online by video call, as well as by phone, text and email, so owners anywhere in Canada are served the same way.
Do you give legal, tax or accounting advice?
No. We give business and marketing advice only. We will tell you when a question needs a lawyer, accountant, lender or other licensed professional.
What should I prepare before the call?
Your average sale value, typical monthly enquiries and how many become customers, plus a one-line statement of the decision you're facing. Our preparation guide walks through it.
Is my information kept confidential?
We treat what you share as confidential and use it only to advise you. If you need a formal confidentiality agreement before sharing sensitive figures, ask in your first message.
What is the Growth Partner Program?
It's an alternative way to pay: Ali puts his time in first and earns his fee from results you can both measure. Partnerships are limited and terms are agreed case by case.
"We were burned by an agency. Why trust a consultant?"
You shouldn't trust anyone on reputation alone, including us. Trust the process instead: a free conversation, a written scope, named measures, and the freedom to stop.
When an agency relationship fails, the cause is usually one of three things: nobody agreed on what success meant, the channel was fine but enquiries weren't followed up, or the budget was too small for the market. A consultation looks at those first. Our guide to vetting any business consultant gives you the questions to ask us, or anyone else.
Ownership of your website and accounts
Own everything that runs your business online. That means the domain registration, website hosting account, Google Business Profile, ad accounts, analytics and the customer list.
A simple check you can do today:
- Log in to your domain registrar. Is the account in your name or the business's?
- Open your ad account settings. Are you listed as an administrator?
- Check your analytics. Can you add and remove users yourself?
If any answer is no, fix it before you change suppliers. Ali can walk you through what to ask for in a strategy session, and the documents we write for you are yours to keep.
Timelines, honestly
The consultation itself moves quickly: a reply usually within one business day, then a 30-minute call. The results of acting on advice take longer, and how long depends on what you change.
A rough guide to how fast different changes tend to show up:
- Follow-up and pricing changes can show up in weeks, because they act on enquiries you already get.
- Paid advertising changes show within one or two billing cycles.
- Organic search and content usually take months. Roma Heating & Cooling grew organic traffic by 400% over 12 months, which is a result from our HVAC work and a fair picture of how long that kind of growth takes.
Price objections
If the price feels high, test it against the cost of the decision. A two-hour session at $350 per hour is $700 plus GST/HST. If the decision in front of you involves $20,000 of spending or a new hire, that is a small fraction of the money at stake.
If it still doesn't make sense for your business, the free 30 minutes may be all you need. The pricing page has worked sales-tax examples for every format.
Results and reporting
Every paid engagement names its measures at the start. In a session, that is one or two numbers in the written summary. In a review, each milestone states what it will tell you. In advisory, you look at the agreed numbers every quarter.
You will not get a vanity report full of impressions and clicks. You'll get the numbers that relate to money: enquiries, close rate, average sale, margin and owner hours.
"Is my business too small, or too big?"
Size matters less than stage. The consultation suits businesses that already have paying customers and a decision to make, whether that's a two-person firm or a company with forty staff and several managers.
Two quick tests help. First, can you name a decision that involves at least a few thousand dollars or a significant chunk of your time? Second, will you be the one who makes it, or can you get the person who will onto the call? If both answers are yes, the free 30 minutes is likely worth it. If you're still at the idea stage with no customers, you'll usually get more from testing demand first, and Ali will tell you so.
Still have a question?
Ask it in the free call. The contact page explains how to reach us and what to include, and the services overview describes each format in more detail.