I'm a solo operator, A.I. Consulting LLC, and I help small and medium businesses here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, figure out their cloud and IT stuff. No big teams, no fancy corporate speak, just me. My goal is to cut through the noise and give you some real talk about how I can help your business get its IT house in order, whether that's moving to the cloud, optimizing what you've got, or just making sure your systems run smoothly.
Okay so, you might be wondering why a solo consultant for cloud and IT? Simple. Big firms have big overhead, which means big bills for you. I keep things lean, focused, and honest. I've been around the block a few times with this stuff, and I've seen what works and what just eats up budget. If you're tired of wading through jargon and just want practical, down-to-earth help with your cloud computing or IT infrastructure, you're in the right place.
## What I actually do for Pittsburgh clients
Mostly, I help businesses in Pittsburgh untangle their existing IT setups or get them set up properly in the cloud from scratch. This could be anything from migrating your old servers to AWS or Azure, helping you pick the right cloud services for your specific needs – like data storage, virtual machines, or specific application hosting – or even just optimizing your current cloud spend so you're not throwing money away. Sometimes it's about setting up a more robust network or making sure your data backups are actually working. It's all about making your IT work *for* you, not against you.
For example, I recently helped a small manufacturing firm in the South Hills move their entire legacy accounting system to Google Cloud, which saved them a ton on hardware maintenance and made their data much more accessible. Another project involved setting up secure remote access for a law firm downtown using Microsoft Azure, ensuring their team could work from anywhere without compromising client data. I like these kinds of projects because they have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and you can really see the difference it makes.
## How a Pittsburgh engagement usually goes
1. **Initial Chat (1-2 days):** We kick things off with a free 20-minute call. You tell me what's bugging you with your IT or what you're hoping to achieve with the cloud. I listen, ask a few questions, and we figure out if I might be a good fit. No pressure, just a chat to see if it makes sense to move forward. If it sounds like something I can help with, I'll send over a simple questionnaire to get more details. 2. **Discovery & Proposal (1 week):** Based on your answers, and maybe another quick call, I'll put together a straightforward proposal. This isn't some thick binder of fluff. It's usually 2-3 pages outlining the problem as I understand it, my proposed solution, a rough timeline, and a fixed-fee cost. I'll explain everything in plain English, no tech-speak unless you want it. 3. **Project Work (2-8 weeks, depends):** Once we agree on the plan, I get to work. I’ll keep you updated regularly – usually with short emails or quick calls. You won't be left in the dark. My goal is to get things done efficiently and with minimal disruption to your daily operations. This might involve setting up new servers, configuring cloud services, migrating data, or anything else we’ve agreed upon. 4. **Handover & Follow-up (ongoing):** When the main work is done, I make sure you understand everything. I'll provide documentation and answer any questions. I also typically include a short period of post-implementation support to make sure everything settles in okay. If you need ongoing support, we can discuss that too, but often, the goal is to get you self-sufficient.
## What it costs, roughly
I usually work on a fixed-fee basis for defined projects. That way, you know exactly what you're paying upfront, no surprises. For a typical cloud migration or IT infrastructure optimization project for a Pittsburgh SMB, you're usually looking at something in the low-to-mid four figures, sometimes into the five figures for more complex work. It really depends on the scope. I don't charge hourly for project work because I think that just encourages dragging things out. If it's something super small, I might do an hourly rate for a short burst, but fixed-fee is my preference.
## Who I'm usually NOT a fit for
I'm probably not the right choice if you're a really large corporation looking for a massive team to manage your entire global IT infrastructure. I'm a solo operator, remember? So, if you need twenty engineers on standby 24/7 or a sprawling IT department, I'm not your guy. Also, if you're just looking for someone to do basic computer repair or troubleshoot individual user issues, that's usually outside my scope. I focus on the bigger picture of your cloud and IT infrastructure, not fixing a printer. I'm also not the cheapest option out there if you're just looking for the absolute lowest bid; I focus on value and getting things right the first time.
## Getting in touch
If what I've said resonates with you, and you're a business in Pittsburgh looking for some honest, no-nonsense help with your cloud computing or IT infrastructure, I'd love to chat. Head over to my contact page or shoot me an email. Let's book a 20-minute call to see if I can help you out.
FAQs — Pittsburgh
How do I know if cloud computing is right for my Pittsburgh business?
If you're tired of maintaining physical servers, worried about data security and backups, or need more flexibility for your team to work remotely, cloud computing is probably worth exploring. We can discuss your specific needs in a quick chat.
Do you only work with businesses directly in Pittsburgh?
While I love helping local businesses in Pittsburgh, I can certainly work with companies throughout Pennsylvania and even remotely across the U.S. My focus is on delivering good work, regardless of exact location.
What's the typical timeline for an IT infrastructure project?
It really depends on the complexity. A small cloud migration might take 2-4 weeks, while a more involved infrastructure overhaul could be 6-8 weeks or more. I’ll give you a clear timeline in my proposal.
What if I already have some cloud services but they're not working well?
That's a pretty common scenario. I can help assess your current cloud setup, identify inefficiencies, and optimize your services to perform better and potentially reduce your costs. It's all about making what you have work smarter.
Is my data secure in the cloud?
Major cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud have extremely robust security measures, often far more advanced than what a small business can implement on its own. Part of my job is to ensure your data is set up securely within those environments.