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Stage · risk · outcome

Flexible Commercial Models Built Around Stage, Risk & Outcome

Every company is different. DSHG Sonic supports fixed-fee, retainer, cash + equity, and outcome-based engagement models depending on the opportunity all structured using the same orchestration approach and agent governance standard we're preparing to open up to partners.

Fixed Fee

Best for

  • Clear scope
  • Defined product requirements
  • MVP or feature build
  • Known timeline

Typically engaged by: Product or engineering lead with a defined scope.

Cash + Equity

Best for

  • Early-stage founders
  • AI-native startup ideas
  • Strong founder-market fit
  • Long-term studio alignment

Typically engaged by: Founder or founding team.

Retainer

Best for

  • Fractional CTO
  • Ongoing product leadership
  • Monthly development support
  • Continuous improvement

Typically engaged by: CTO or VP Engineering.

Outcome-Based

Best for

  • SMB automation
  • Measurable cost reduction
  • Revenue recovery
  • Sales or operations improvement

Typically engaged by: Operations or finance lead.

At a Glance

Model comparison

ModelBest ForRiskTimelineWhat DSHG NeedsWhat Client GetsTypical Stakeholder
Fixed FeeClearly scoped product or AI workLowDefinedClear requirements & scopePredictable delivery & costProduct or engineering lead with a defined scope.
Cash + EquityEarly-stage AI-native startupsSharedLong-termEquity + founder-market fitCo-builder & reduced cash burnFounder or founding team.
RetainerOngoing technical leadershipLowMonthlyRecurring engagementContinuous CTO-level supportCTO or VP Engineering.
Outcome-BasedSMB automation with clear KPIsHigherMilestoneBaseline data & measurementPay aligned to resultsOperations or finance lead.

Stakeholders

Who You'll Work With

Every engagement model is built around a different kind of stakeholder — here's who we typically partner with.

Founders

For cash + equity co-builds, we work directly with the founder or founding team usually the person who owns the vision, the domain expertise, and the equity decision.

Business Operators

For outcome-based and fixed-fee automation work, we typically partner with an operations or finance lead the person who owns the workflow we're improving and the KPI it moves.

Technical & Funded Teams

For retainer and custom engineering work, we work alongside a CTO, VP Engineering, or product lead often coordinating with the same team's existing developers.

Questions, Answered

Common questions

No. Equity only applies to selected studio co-builds where incentives clearly align. Most client and SMB work is fixed-fee, retainer, or outcome-based.

We reduce our upfront cash fee in exchange for a negotiated equity stake. The exact split depends on the stage, scope, and founder-market fit.

Yes, for all client engagements. For studio co-builds, IP ownership is governed by the co-build agreement we establish at the start.

When there is a clear, measurable business outcome — revenue recovery, cost reduction, conversion improvement — and we can baseline it before starting.

We need access to current workflow data, a baseline measurement period, and agreement on how results will be tracked and validated.

Yes. We work best with non-technical founders who bring strong domain expertise, market access, or distribution. We handle the full technical stack.

Absolutely. AI Systems for Businesses is specifically designed for growing companies that want to automate operations, reduce costs, or recover revenue.

Yes. For studio co-builds we stay on as operators. For other engagements we offer ongoing retainer or support contracts after the initial build.

Depends on the engagement. Most fixed-fee and outcome-based work runs through a single point of contact on each side. Studio co-builds and larger retainers typically involve a small core team usually 2–4 people so specialized work gets the right expertise without slowing decisions down.

Yes. For outcome-based work, we typically loop in whoever owns the baseline metrics — often finance or operations. For equity deals, legal review of the co-build agreement is standard on both sides.

FROM THE STUDIO

What's coming from the studio

Two things we've been building for ourselves — that we're getting ready to open up.

In development

The DSHG Orchestrator

The system we use internally to combine fast-execution AI with deep-reasoning AI into one coherent build, instead of stitching tools together by hand. We're preparing it for select partners.

Coming soon

The DSHG Agent Governance Standard

A published framework for how AI agents should be scoped, supervised, and paused for human review — formalizing how we already run every engagement today.

Want early access? Tell us on the founder call.Book a Founder Call →

Let's find the right way to work together

Tell us your stage, scope, and goal — we will propose the model that fits.

Book a Founder Call →