FAQ · Ascend Griffin
Common questions.
Answers to what usually comes up before the first Discovery Call. If your question isn't here — drop a line and I'll add it.
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01 About the services
How do I choose between Audit, Discovery, and Recovery?
Quick independent read on a specific decision → Audit. Planning a serious project and need a complete plan → Discovery. Project already in flight but lost momentum → Recovery. We'll figure out the right fit on the 30-minute Discovery Call if the situation is mixed.
What's specifically included in each service?
Audit ($1,000 · 5-14 days) — structured read, 5 deliverables, 60-min walk-through call. Discovery ($4,000 · 2-8 weeks) — full product brief + budget + vendor shortlist + negotiation pack. Recovery ($2,500/month retainer) — diagnostic → stabilize → hand-off, 3 phases. Details on each service page.
Can I start with a pilot engagement?
The smallest format is an Audit from $1,000 over 5-14 days. That's the "first contact." If we're both satisfied with the result — we discuss a broader engagement. Less than an Audit and the economics don't work for either side.
What will the full engagement actually cost?
Depends on the project. Audit and Discovery — fixed price with a transparent range. Recovery — retainer, flexible scope. On the Discovery Call I give a range with reasoning once I understand the context. Any scope changes are discussed before, not after.
02 About the process
How does the engagement begin?
Discovery Call — 30 minutes, no slides, no obligation. You explain the situation, I ask clarifying questions, together we pick the format. If I'm not the right read — I'll say so and recommend someone else. If we move forward — a separate agreement with fixed scope.
Do you sign an NDA?
Yes. Mutual NDA template sent within 24 hours of request. Nothing from your project enters my external content or communications without your written approval. That's the first rule of working together.
How long from first call to result?
Discovery Call within a week of request. After it I take a few days to analyze and come back with a plan. Actual work starts in days (Audit) or 1-2 weeks (Discovery or Recovery). Phase 1 results — end of week 1-2 depending on format.
03 About me and AG
Why "ally" and not "consultant"?
A consultant advises. I stay through the outcome. Practical difference: a consultant writes a report and leaves. I read the project as a system, shape the decision, stay through implementation as a voice on your side of the table. Like a lawyer in negotiations — not advice from the side, an advocate for your interests.
AG just launched — can you be trusted without published clients?
AG as a practice is new (April 2026). The work I do is not new. 8 years of business analysis and product ownership inside IT (AI products, logistics, fintech, B2B SaaS), CEO of active startup TreximAI. Cases on this site are illustrative patterns from those 8 years — not "200 clients", not "no experience." Honest.
Do I have to use your team network?
No. If you already have a team — I work on your side in negotiations, reviews, oversight. The network comes in only when you need to find a team — I shortlist vetted partners I've worked with. No hidden commissions from them.
04 Technical questions
Will someone write code on my project?
I'm not the developer on your project. But I understand architecture well and work fluently with modern AI tools — a quick prototype or small piece of functionality to test a hypothesis I can build myself. For full development we bring in a tech team — yours or from the network.
Do I need to be technical to work with you?
Quite the opposite. AG is positioned specifically for non-technical founders and business owners hiring IT. If you already have a CTO or tech co-founder — I can backstop specific decisions, but the full engagement is usually more useful for non-technical buyers.
05 Adjacent
What if we don't fit after the Discovery Call?
Fine. The Discovery Call is free for exactly that — both of us figure out whether it's a fit. If not — no follow-up pitch. I can recommend someone else from the network if your case fits them better.
Do you work with international clients?
Yes. Based in Lviv, Ukraine. Remote work standard. Travel when it helps. Working languages — Ukrainian and English. Documentation in the client's language. EU + UK + US East time zones fit within the working window.
Do you recommend others if your format doesn't fit?
Yes. If your case fits a designer, BA, lawyer, or another consulting format better — I'll recommend specific people from the network. No referral commissions on either side. The interest is for you to solve the problem the best way, not necessarily through me.