AI & Data Strategy Consulting
Most AI initiatives don’t fail at the idea. They stall between the pilot and real delivery, because the AI was never tied to a business goal, the data wasn’t ready (if AI is the engine, data is the fuel), or nobody owned execution. We build the strategy that connects all three, and the 90-day roadmap to run it.
Book a 30-minute strategy callNK has a body of knowledge, experience, and processes that he applies succinctly. He cuts through things.
— Assistant Vice President, American National InsuranceThe problem
That’s the pattern. A tool gets bought, a proof-of-concept works in a demo, and then it stops, because nobody mapped where AI actually creates value, whether the data behind it is ready, or how it connects to what the business is trying to do. The enthusiasm was real. The strategy was missing.
Meanwhile the big consulting firms will sell you a strategy: six figures, four months, delivered as a slide deck your team can’t execute. For a small or mid-size company, that’s the worst of both worlds: too expensive, too slow, and still no closer to delivery.
Gap 01
Business fit
Nobody mapped where AI actually moves the needle for your business. Without that, every pilot is a science project waiting to stall.
Gap 02
Data readiness
If AI is the engine, your data is the fuel. Build on data that isn’t ready, and the pilot that impressed everyone never survives contact with production.
What changes
We close both.
A strategy tied to your business goals, built on data you can trust, with a roadmap someone actually owns. Not a binder. A plan you can run.
What we do
We build an AI & Data Strategy aligned to your business strategy, then hand you a roadmap you can actually run. Four things make it different.
Business-first, not tool-first
AI that isn’t tied to a business goal is a science project. We start from what your business is trying to achieve, then work backward to where AI moves the needle.
Data-ready, not data-hopeful
If AI is the engine, your data is the fuel: no fuel, no movement. We assess data readiness before recommending anything, so you’re not building on sand.
Governance and people built in
A strategy that ignores governance and talent readiness doesn’t survive contact with the org. Both are part of the deliverable, not an afterthought.
Execution-bound
The output is a sequenced, executable 90-day roadmap, not a binder. Strategy without execution is just a document. You get both.
How we engage
The strategic rigor a big firm brings, without the overhead or the handoff. Start small or go all in. Each stands on its own.
Start small or go all in. Each stands on its own.
You leave knowing where you stand.
You leave with a plan you can run.
The Assessment tells you if it’s worth it. The Strategy tells you exactly what to do, and proves it to the board.
AI & Data Readiness Assessment
2–3 weeks · Fixed price · Scoped to your situation
2–3 weeks · fixed price
Before anyone talks roadmaps, you need the honest answer to three questions: where would AI actually create value, whether your data can support it, and how big is the gap between the two
We map the highest-value opportunities and assess your data readiness against them
You get a straight go/no-go recommendation — if AI isn’t worth the spend right now, we’ll tell you
Best for leaders who suspect there’s value in AI but want proof before committing to a full strategy
You leave with a prioritized AI opportunity map and a clear-eyed view of what’s realistic.
Book a readiness callAI & Data Strategy + 90-Day Roadmap
10–12 weeks · The board-ready plan
10–12 weeks · aligned to your business strategy
A strategy your board will approve. Aligned to business goals, in language leadership acts on, not a technical wish list
A prioritized use-case portfolio. The specific AI opportunities worth pursuing, ranked by value and sequenced for delivery
A governance framework. How AI gets used responsibly, who owns what, where the boundaries are, before you scale, not after
A talent readiness plan. An honest look at the skills you have and the ones you’ll need, so the strategy doesn’t outrun the team
An executable 90-day roadmap. The first 90 days laid out concretely, so execution starts the day the strategy is approved
You leave with a plan you can run.
Book a 30-minute strategy callWho it’s for
CEOs and founders who know AI matters but need a plan they can trust. COOs and CFOs who want the business case before the spend. PMO directors and transformation leaders who have to turn strategy into delivery. Heads of data and IT who need a strategy that survives governance and their board. Leaders who’ve run a pilot or two and are ready to stop experimenting and start delivering.
Best fit: small and mid-size companies, roughly 50 to 2,000 people, who need real strategic rigor and want a focused partner rather than a big-firm engagement.
Industries we’ve served
Best fit: 50–2,000 people. Real strategic rigor, without the big-firm overhead.
Why RefineM
Boutique focus, enterprise depth
You work directly with RefineM’s founder, NK, who has led enterprise transformations for 25+ years, not a junior handed the account. Big-firm rigor, without the big-firm overhead or the handoff.
25+ years of enterprise delivery
IBM, Wells Fargo, Charter, USAA, US Air Force. 200+ teams transformed. The strategy is written by someone who has actually delivered, so it’s built to be executed, not just presented.
Strategy that comes with execution
Most strategists hand off and leave. We can take the roadmap into delivery ourselves, because delivery is the other half of what RefineM does.
MIT-grounded strategy
NK’s approach is grounded in the MIT AI Strategy & Leadership Program, so your plan reflects current frameworks and proven practice, not last year’s playbook.
Hands-on AI, every month
NK leads the 100+ member GenAI POC Group, with 8 shipped POCs across Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, NotebookLM, and Copilot. We know what these tools actually do, because we build with them.
Proof
“NK brings deep AI and data expertise to every conversation, but what sets him apart is his ability to translate complex capabilities into a clear, execution-ready strategy. If your organization is looking for practical guidance on AI strategy, data modernization, or enterprise AI adoption, I would strongly recommend engaging with NK. He combines strategic thinking with execution excellence.”
“NK is one of the smartest and sharpest leaders I have come across. He has championed AI implementation for Project Management and developed many original ideas to improve efficiencies that can be of huge benefit to PMOs and any project management profiles.”
FAQ
If your challenge is getting people to actually use the AI you’ve deployed, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, our enablement work turns paid licenses and stalled tools into measured adoption.
See our AI adoption & enablement workBook a 30-minute strategy call. We’ll talk through where you are, and whether a readiness assessment or the full strategy is the right first step.
Book the call