Turning ‘We Should Use AI’ Into Working Solutions
I bridge the gap between AI's promise and your business reality, with implementations that actually work.
Who I am
I have been on both sides of the table. I have worked in corporate and startup environments, both hands-on and as an engineering lead.
A few years ago, I built an AI-powered project. I wrote the code, hired the engineers, made the architecture calls, and learned firsthand what it takes to get AI from a good idea to a working product.
That experience taught me something most consultants never learn: the hardest part of AI isn't the technology. It's knowing where the technology actually fits.
When I sit down with a founder today, I bring all of that to the table. I've built the systems. I've made the mistakes. I know what works, what doesn't, and how to tell the difference quickly.
The Best Place to Start
AI Opportunity Screening
A structured process to find where AI actually fits your business before you spend a cent on implementation.
For founders and decision-makers at small and mid-sized companies who see the potential of AI but don't have the time to cut through the noise.
Introductory Call
30 min · FreeWe talk about your business, your goals, and what prompted you to look into AI. By the end, we'll both know whether the full screening makes sense.
Deep-Dive Interviews
2–3 hours · RemoteI walk through your operations, team structure, current tools, and what success looks like. A structured conversation that follows the thread of your specific situation.
Tool & Workflow Observation
2–3 hours · RemoteI look at your actual systems and processes. Where time gets wasted. Where data flows and where it doesn't. This is what separates a useful recommendation from a generic one.
Report & Walk-through
1 hour · RemoteYou receive a written report with everything I found. Then we walk through every recommendation, what I suggest, why, and what to do first.
What You Get
- Business Context Summary - your business as I understood it
- AI Opportunity Map - 3 ranked, actionable opportunities
- Tool & Technology Recommendations - actual products, pricing, trade-offs
Plus 30 days of follow-up questions via email, because good decisions often happen after the initial conversation.
Going Further Together
AI Strategy Consulting
Separating real AI opportunities from expensive noise. Get a clear-eyed assessment of where AI creates actual value for your business.
Hands-On Implementation
Building production AI systems that actually work. From architecture to deployment, I provide guidance with the implementation.
Team Training & Enablement
Practical AI skills transfer for your team. From software engineering essentials to using AI on a daily basis.
Fractional CTO / Technical Leadership
Bridging the gap between technical teams and business goals. Strategic direction with hands-on credibility.
What People Say
"I had the opportunity to work with Ilija on integrating AI capabilities into our resource management system. He implemented a solution that connected our internal APIs with large language model APIs and introduced a chatbot-style interface that made navigating our system significantly easier, especially for non-technical users. Ilija delivered the project on time and was great to collaborate with throughout the process. He combines strong technical expertise with a practical understanding of how AI can be applied to improve real-world systems. I’d definitely recommend him to anyone looking to integrate AI into their products or internal tools."
"Ilija is a real professional, focused and skilled in the ML aspects of AI. We built a great very innovative product with him, Ilija was very pleasant to work with and we had a great time on the job. Highly recommended!"
"Ilija brought exceptional expertise to my team at smartocto, driving the implementation of AI capabilities across our product. He combined deep technical knowledge with a strategic eye for innovation, helping us embrace generative AI applications just weeks after these technologies became available. I can only give the highest recommendation, relying on my first-hand knowledge of his work."
"Ilija and me worked together in Smartocto for more than a year. He always delivered high-quality results and respected agreed deadlines. His expertise in ML and AI was evident throughout our collaboration, and his contributions added real value to the Smartocto product. I would gladly recommend him to any team or organization."