1:1 Working Session

In two hours, know exactly where AI pays off in your business, and what you can do about it.

A two-hour working session that ends with a ranked map of the highest-leverage AI moves for your business, the first one scoped to build now, and a written plan to run with.

Forward Fest price $750 · 2 hours · with Michael Gardon and Jay Fontanini
Book your session
The Real Problem

Execution just got cheap. Strategy is what's scarce now.

When anything can get built, the hard part is knowing what's worth building, what's actually doable, and in what order.

When execution was expensive, the price tag did your prioritizing for you. You only built the few things worth paying a software team for. AI removed that constraint. Now almost anything is buildable, and nothing tells you where to point it first.

That is the new executive problem. Not whether AI can help, but which moves are worth it, which are real, and what order makes the wins compound. That is exactly what this session is for.

Inside the Two Hours

How the session actually works

You are stepping into a system design methodology. We likely won't even touch AI. We'll diagnose, structure and coach through the moving parts of what could move the needle in your org. We ask, you talk, we map and challenge your thinking. Only then do we follow where the map takes us.

1
Aim

Start from where you're going

where you're taking the business
2
Map

Put the business on the board

every lever, in your words
3
Rank

Find the biggest lever

what hurts most vs. easiest to move
4
Trace

Take it down to the ground

numbers, owners, what's missing
5
Scope

Leave with a first build

a v1 and your next move
The Deliverable

What you walk away with

A concrete plan, not a pep talk. It comes in three pieces.

The Leverage Mapbuilt live · ranked by impact vs. effort

Every idea you'd act on goes up. The map tells you what to build first and what to park.

BUILD FIRST PARK IT 1 2 3 EFFORT TO BUILD → IMPACT →
ranked, where you start
your other ideas
v1, scoped to start

The first build, scoped with a PRD you could start on this week or hand off to someone on your team.

The bar to clear
✓  the operation changes for the better
✓  you see what to change and can act
✓  you know your next move
The Roadmap

The vision of where your company can take AI. Wins that compound rather than scatter.

Nowthe first build, live and in use
Nextfoundations to execute the next project
Laterautomating and infusing the Chief method in your org

Delivered as a written plan you own: the scope and the roadmap, yours to run with, with us or without us.

Who this is for

For the people who run things

Business owners and executives who know their domain cold and want AI pointed at real problems, not demos.

The owner-operator

You run the company and you're stuck in the day-to-day. You want AI to buy back your time, you just don't know where to point it first.

The skeptic who tried it

You've used AI and walked away unimpressed. You're open to being wrong, but you need someone to show you, not sell you.

The leader on the spot

Your team and your peers are moving on AI and looking to you. You need a plan you can stand behind.

The strategic thinker

You live in strategy, decisions, and judgment. You don't want AI thinking for you. You want the busywork around the thinking gone.

Who You're Working With

Two operators, in the room with you

Michael Gardon

Founder of Rejoin Coaching, where he coaches executives and entrepreneurs on strategy. A three-time entrepreneur with one exit and an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Edgewood University, he is a systems thinker grounded in human-centered design. He runs his own enterprise-grade AI operating system, built on the deterministic workflows he brings into your business.

Jay Fontanini

Advises executive teams on AI strategy, governance, and enablement through Fontanini Advisory Services, and runs his own enterprise-grade AI operating system. Brings the operator's view from years inside large organizations.

Edit: confirm Jay's bio + 1 credibility line

Proof

What leaders say

James Imhoff
James Imhoff
President · Universal Home Protection

"Mike Gardon changed the trajectory of my business. A single whiteboard conversation with him set me on a path that, within months, delivered measurable savings in both time and money across every part of my operation. His ability to translate AI's potential into practical, immediate action for a small business is rare. Mike doesn't just understand this technology, he makes it accessible to leaders who need real results, not theory. Any business serious about competitive advantage should be talking to him."

Fred Hippo
Fred Hippo
President · Growth Insurance

"Jay has a way of boiling down extremely complex problems into manageable, executable strategic initiatives. He sees where the market is moving and helps his partners stay ahead of their competition. Trusted advisor. Strategic thought leader. Good friend."

Chris Richards
Chris Richards
Managing Director · Colliers

"As someone who isn't incredibly technologically savvy, the idea of leveraging artificial intelligence is a daunting task. Mike has a passion for AI and a unique ability to engage professionals from diverse backgrounds to help them see the potential benefits of AI in their specific business. Whether you are brand new to AI or trying to take it to the next level, your team needs someone like Mike."

What Changes

You'll walk out able to say three things

"If I build this, my operation changes for the better."

"I see what needs to change, and I can act on it."

"I know exactly what to do next to keep moving."

The Session

What it costs

The Blueprint Session
Forward Fest attendee price
$1,250$750

One 2-hour working session. The "Before We Meet" prep. Your ranked leverage map, first build scoped, and build order. All yours.

Book your session Limited sessions each month
Questions

Before you book

Do I need to be technical?

No. If you can manage people, you can direct AI. The whole session is in plain language.

What happens right after I pay?

You land on a short questionnaire to prime your thinking, then pick your session time.

What if I want it built for me, not just planned?

That is a separate engagement, and the Blueprint is usually how it starts. You will leave knowing exactly what that build would be.

How do we meet?

In person at your office, or virtually. When you book, you'll get a virtual meeting link as a placeholder.

Stop guessing. Get the map.

Two hours from now, you could know exactly where to point AI in your business.

Book the Blueprint Session · $750