How we work

From conversation to launch in 3–6 weeks.

Every Zylzio engagement follows a repeatable process designed to keep you informed, in control, and confident in what’s being built. No surprises. No mysteries. No “we’ll see what happens.”

Book a Discovery CallSee the steps below
The 5 steps

Our engagement process

Every project moves through these phases. Some take longer than others depending on scope, but the structure stays the same.

  1. 01

    Day 1 · 30 min

    Discovery

    Free 30-min call to understand your business, systems, and goals.

  2. 02

    Days 2–5

    Proposal & Onboarding

    Custom proposal sent within 2 business days. Sign, deposit, kickoff call.

  3. 03

    Weeks 1–5

    Build & Delivery

    Active development with weekly Friday status updates and milestone reviews.

  4. 04

    Launch week

    Launch

    Final testing, deployment, training, and handoff with documentation.

  5. 05

    Ongoing

    Post-Launch Care

    30-day support included. Optional monthly retainer for continued care.

Discovery

We learn your business.

30 min · Day 1 · Free

Discovery is the most important step. We spend 30 minutes understanding your business, your current systems, your bottlenecks, and your goals. Most agencies skip this. We don’t — because recommendations made without context are just guesses.

What happens on the call

  • I ask about your business model, customers, and key metrics
  • We discuss the specific problem you're trying to solve
  • I review your current tech stack and tools
  • We talk about goals — both immediate and 6–12 months out
  • I'll be honest about whether Zylzio is the right fit
  • If we move forward, I'll outline what a proposal would include

What you'll need

  • 30 minutes of focused time
  • Honest answers about your business
  • Authority to make the engagement decision (or to bring in the decision-maker)

Proposal & Onboarding

We agree on the work.

Days 2–5 · Signed agreement

After discovery, I send a custom proposal that includes detailed scope, timeline, deliverables, and pricing. No fine print. No hidden fees. If something isn’t clear, we discuss it before you sign anything.

What's in the proposal

  • Executive summary tailored to your situation
  • Detailed scope of work — line item by line item
  • Timeline with phases and milestones
  • Pricing breakdown (no surprises)
  • What you get, what's not included
  • Payment terms — typically 50% deposit, 50% at launch

What happens when you sign

  • Sign via PandaDoc (electronic signature)
  • Pay 50% deposit via Stripe (auto-collected at signing)
  • Receive welcome email with kickoff link
  • Book 60-minute kickoff call within 48 hours
  • Start receiving access to project workspace

The kickoff call

  • 60 minutes (longer than discovery)
  • Review final scope and timeline
  • Align on communication preferences
  • Identify decision-makers on your team
  • List what we need from you (credentials, content, etc.)
  • Agree on weekly status update day and time

Build & Delivery

We do the work.

Weeks 1–5 · Weekly Friday updates

This is where the actual building happens. You’ll get weekly status updates every Friday, access to a shared project workspace to see real progress, and direct access to me via email or text for anything urgent.

The weekly rhythm

Monday — Plan the week. I plan deliverables for the week, identify any blockers, and prioritize what’s getting built.

Tuesday–Thursday — Execute. Focused deep work. I respond to emails twice a day, not constantly — that’s how I keep building velocity.

Friday — Status update. By 4pm Eastern, you get an email or workspace update covering: what’s done, what’s in progress, what I’m waiting on from you, and what’s planned for next week.

How we communicate during build

  • Email — default channel for documented decisions and async discussion (response within 1 business day).
  • Project workspace — for project-specific questions, file sharing, deliverable reviews.
  • Text — urgent only (site is down, payment issue, time-critical decision).
  • Calls — strategic discussions, problem-solving, escalations (book via Calendly).
  • Loom videos — async walkthroughs and complex explanations.

Handling scope changes

Scope changes happen — that’s normal. When they do, I send a brief Change Order document with cost and timeline impact for your approval before starting any new work. No surprises on the final invoice.

Launch

We ship it.

Launch week · Full handoff

Launch is the day everything goes live. It’s not a celebration — it’s a coordinated, methodical handoff that ensures you’re set up to actually use what was built.

Pre-launch checklist

  • End-to-end testing on all deliverables
  • All client edits and revisions addressed
  • Documentation written — how to use, admin instructions
  • Training video recorded via Loom (5–10 min walkthrough)
  • Login credentials documented securely
  • Final invoice prepared

Launch day

  • Flip the switch (deploy to production)
  • Final verification that everything works end-to-end
  • Send launch email with deliverables and documentation
  • Final invoice sent (Net 14 payment terms)
  • Save all files to your folder for permanent access

What you get at launch

  • All code, designs, and IP transferred to you
  • Documentation in plain English (no technical jargon)
  • Training video walkthrough
  • 30-day post-launch support window included
  • Optional rollover to monthly retainer for ongoing care

Post-Launch Care

We don't disappear.

Ongoing · Your choice of tier

Most agencies vanish after launch. We don’t. Every project includes 30 days of free post-launch support, and most clients roll into a monthly retainer for ongoing care.

30-day post-launch support (included)

  • Bug fixes for anything not working as expected
  • Minor adjustments based on real-world usage
  • Email and text support for questions
  • One follow-up call to review performance

Monthly retainer (optional)

After the 30-day window, most clients continue with a monthly retainer for ongoing care. Six tiers available:

  • Lite Care — monitoring plus one fix per month.
  • Care — Lite Care plus one hour of work monthly.
  • Speed-to-Lead — specifically for Speed-to-Lead users.
  • Maintenance — Care plus two hours plus a monthly strategy call.
  • Growth — Maintenance plus five hours plus bi-weekly syncs.
  • Partner — Growth plus strategic advisor and same-day response.

What retainers include

  • Ongoing system monitoring
  • Bug fixes and updates
  • Feature additions and improvements
  • Strategic consultation
  • Performance optimization
  • Quarterly business reviews
Timelines

What to actually expect

Every project is different, but here's what typical engagements look like end-to-end.

Timelines and expectations

Small engagement

Quick wins

AI Audit, single AI feature, landing-page build

Discovery → launch
1–2 weeks
Your effort
~10–20 hours of your time, total
Best for
Validation projects and first AI experiments.

Standard project

Most engagements

AI website, Speed-to-Lead system, industry package

Discovery → launch
3–5 weeks
Your effort
~5–10 hours of your time per week
Best for
Service businesses adding their first real AI system.

Enterprise build

Full transformation

Custom AI OS, multi-system integration, Empire package

Discovery → launch
6–10 weeks
Your effort
~10–15 hours of your time per week
Best for
Established businesses ready for end-to-end change.

All timelines assume responsive communication and timely feedback from your team. Delays on your side delay the project — we’re upfront about that in every kickoff call.

How we stay aligned

Communication that doesn’t waste time

The biggest reason projects fail isn't bad code — it's bad communication. We use a structured approach to keep you informed without overwhelming you.

Communication channels
Default channel

Email

For documented decisions, status updates, deliverable reviews, and most async communication. Response within 1 business day.

Project-specific

Project workspace

Shared workspace where you can see real-time project status, deliverables, comments, and decisions. Updated continuously throughout the project.

Urgent only

Text message

Site down, payment issue, time-critical decision. Response within 2 hours during business hours (10am–5pm ET, M–F).

Strategic

Scheduled calls

Book via Calendly for strategic discussions, problem-solving, or escalations. Office hours available for retainer clients.

Async walkthroughs

Loom videos

A 5-minute video beats a 30-minute meeting. Used for demos, training, and complex explanations you can rewatch.

You’ll never wonder where your project stands. The system is designed to keep you informed without requiring you to chase me.

Ready to start?

Step 1 is

A free 30-minute discovery call. No pitching, no pressure — just an honest conversation about your business and whether Zylzio is the right fit.

Book a Discovery CallOr send a message via the contact form