These are the questions Ontario owners actually ask before hiring us, with direct answers. The full list is in the expandable section on this page; below, we add context on the four topics that come up most: money, commitment, trust and ownership. If your question isn't covered, call, text or email and you'll get a straight answer.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to work with you?
Hourly consulting is $175 to $350 an hour, defined projects $3,500 to $25,000, and monthly retainers $2,500 to $12,000, all in Canadian dollars before 13% HST. The Growth Partner Program is priced on results. The first 30-minute consultation is free.
Do we have to sign a long-term contract?
No. Retainers are month to month with no lock-in. Projects have a written scope and milestone payments. You can stop after any milestone or month.
How soon will we see results?
It depends on the lever. Fixing a website's contact path or a local profile can change enquiries within weeks. Search visibility from new pages usually takes three to six months. A growth plan takes three to six weeks to write and a year to judge properly.
We tried an agency before and it didn't work. Why would this be different?
Often the earlier work wasn't wrong so much as unmeasured or aimed at the wrong towns or services. We start from your numbers, set a few targets you agree with, and report against them monthly. If something isn't working after a quarter, we say so and change course.
Who owns the website, domain and ad accounts?
You do. Everything should be registered in your company's name, with us added as users. If a previous provider controls your domain or accounts, we can help you request a transfer.
What will we see in reports?
A short monthly report showing the targets from your plan, what moved, what didn't and what we're changing. Typical measures include enquiries by source and town, enquiry-to-sale rate, revenue in priority lines and cost per new customer.
Can you promise more leads or sales?
No. Nobody honest can promise outcomes that depend on markets, competitors and your team's follow-up. We commit to clear targets, honest reporting and changing course when the numbers say so.
Do you give legal, tax or accounting advice?
No. We're business and marketing consultants. For incorporation, HST, payroll, contracts or licensing questions, speak with an Ontario lawyer or CPA. We'll flag when a decision needs one.
Do you only work with certain industries?
No. Our published case studies come from HVAC companies, but we work with owner-run service firms, trades, clinics, retailers, B2B suppliers and professional practices across Ontario.
Do you meet clients in person in Ontario?
Yes. Ontario owners can meet with us in person or online by video call, and we also work by phone, text and email. That works well for planning and monthly reviews.
How big does our business need to be?
There's no strict minimum, but our services suit established businesses with steady customers and some budget for growth. If you're still starting out, our sister site for new Ontario companies is a better fit.
What is the Growth Partner Program?
A performance-based arrangement where Ali invests time up front and is paid on measurable results. It's available to a limited number of businesses where results can be tracked clearly.
What happens after we first get in touch?
We reply, usually within one business day, to arrange a free 30-minute call. If there's a fit, we suggest a format and send a written scope and quote. Nothing starts until you approve it.
About cost
Our prices are published, and they don't change because you're in Toronto rather than Timmins. Hourly work runs $175 to $350, projects $3,500 to $25,000, and retainers $2,500 to $12,000 a month, plus 13% HST. The pricing page shows how to estimate payback before you spend anything.
A good test for any consulting fee: divide it by your gross margin to see how much extra revenue it needs to produce. If that number looks unrealistic for your business, start smaller, with a single paid hour.
About commitment
You can leave. Retainers are month to month, projects are paid by milestone, and nothing we produce is held back if you stop. We think a consultant should keep clients by being useful, not by contract terms.
That said, some work takes time to judge. Search visibility, for example, usually needs three to six months. We'll tell you up front when a lever needs patience, so you can decide with eyes open.
About trust, especially after a bad agency experience
Many owners who call us have been burned before, and the pattern is usually the same. They were sold activity, such as posts, ads or a new website, without a clear target or honest reporting. When results didn't come, nobody could say why.
Our answer is structural: start with your own numbers in a growth diagnosis, agree three to five targets, and report against them monthly. If a target isn't moving, you'll hear it from us first. Our results page shows real numbers from our HVAC work, linked to the clients' live sites, and explains which lessons transfer.
About timelines
Different levers move at different speeds, and we'll tell you which is which before you start. Fixing how a website handles phone visitors, or completing a neglected Google Business Profile, can change enquiry numbers within a few weeks. New town pages and content take months to settle in search. A growth plan itself is written in three to six weeks, but it should be judged over a full year, with a check every quarter.
If someone promises you a transformed business in 30 days, ask which lever they're pulling and how they'll measure it.
About reporting
You get one short report a month, built around the targets in your plan rather than a pile of charts. It shows each target, the number this month, the trend, and what we're changing as a result. If a figure looks good for the wrong reason, such as a seasonal spike, the report says so. Our monthly advisory page shows how the review meeting works.
About ownership and access
Your website, domain, analytics and ad accounts belong to your business. We work as users on your accounts, not owners. Before starting, we check who controls each one, because many Ontario SMBs discover that a former web designer or agency still holds the domain.
A quick checklist you can do today:
- Look up who the registered owner of your domain is.
- Confirm you can log in to your Google Business Profile as an owner.
- Check that your analytics and ad accounts list your company as the account holder.
- Make sure at least two people in your business have owner-level access.
About what we don't do
We don't give legal, tax, accounting, lending or licensing advice, and we don't promise results. There are no online forms or chat tools on this site either. You reach us by phone, text or email, or consult by video call or in person, and you talk to a person.
More detail on how we work is on the about page, the regions we plan for are on the areas page, and you can start the conversation through the contact page.