AI and technology decisions for businesses that can’t afford to get them wrong.
Community banks trust me with technology decisions their examiners will scrutinize. I bring that same rigor to every client: AI strategy, custom software, vCIO leadership, and audit and cyber-insurance support. Based in Bismarck, working with clients anywhere.
Why SM Consulting
Strategy from someone who actually ships.
Most technology consultants stop at the PowerPoint. I build and ship real software, including a production app that runs AI entirely on the device, fully offline, with no user tracking. When I tell you whether an AI initiative will work, it’s because I’ve built one. When I recommend custom software over an off-the-shelf product, I know what the build costs, because I can do the work myself.
I also bring the discipline of regulated banking to every engagement. Each recommendation has to hold up to an examiner, an auditor, or an insurer. That’s why community banks and other regulated businesses call me when they can’t afford to bet wrong on technology.
What I Do
Four services. One standard: it has to hold up.
AI Strategy & Implementation
Use AI without creating a compliance problem. I help you find where AI actually saves time, vet vendor pitches, write the policy, and deploy private AI when your data can’t leave the building.
Custom Application Development
When off-the-shelf doesn’t fit, I build it. Web, mobile, and desktop tools and data integrations, with access controls and audit trails designed in from day one.
vCIO & IT Strategy
Senior technology leadership without a full-time hire. Roadmap, vendor management, policies, and board reporting, coordinated with your IT staff or managed service provider.
Audit Review & Cyber Liability
A second opinion that isn’t selling you anything. I review audit findings, cyber-insurance policies, and insurer questionnaires so you fix the right things and keep the coverage you pay for.
Recent Work
Strategy that ships.
Banking / IT Strategy
Community Bank IT Roadmap
A multi-year IT strategy and cybersecurity framework for a North Dakota community bank: vendor consolidation, audit remediation, and ongoing vCIO oversight. Anonymized client.
Private AI / Mobile App
Elevated Fishing
A production app that identifies 770+ fish species with AI that runs entirely on the phone: no cloud, no accounts, no tracking. The same approach works when client data can’t leave your network.
Custom Software / Data
Legislative Data Platform
A custom desktop application that aggregates and cross-references state and national legislative data, with intelligent caching, vote analysis across sessions, and AI-assisted summaries.
How I Work
Plain answers. No overselling.
Good technology advice isn’t about deploying more software. It’s choosing the right tools, integrating them well, and building only the missing pieces, then documenting it so an auditor can follow it. You work directly with me, start to finish.
SM Consulting has been an invaluable partner in shaping and guiding our IT strategy. They understand the nuances of our business and crafted a tailored, forward-thinking IT roadmap that aligns seamlessly with our goals. Our IT operations have never been so streamlined and efficient. Thank you, SM Consulting!
What Clients Say
Trusted where the stakes are regulated.
In the intricate world of cyber security, having SM Consulting by our side gave us the confidence and security we sought. Their comprehensive cybersecurity planning approach, from analyzing our existing infrastructure to implementing a robust security framework, fortified our defenses against cyber threats. Their expertise and ability to communicate and simplify cyber security is unmatched, making them the ideal choice for any business prioritizing security.