Knowledge Base
Build, measure, and own AI — the reference layer.
reference for founders putting AI into their operations and investors evaluating AI companies. No theater, no invented numbers — useful even if you never hire us.
Is your AI feature good enough to ship?
The 8 honest checks before you tell a customer your AI works — measured, tested, human-checked, specific, safe when unsure, owned, private, affordable to run.
6 min Getting StartedGuideFounderAI for small business: a practical, honest starting guide
Pick one repetitive task, use off-the-shelf tools first, and only build custom when a task is core and repeated — with the honest build-vs-use test.
7 min Building & OwningExplainerFounderWhat does custom AI automation actually cost?
Setup fee plus monthly retainer, explained — what each part buys, a real example of build scope, and how to estimate your own scope.
6 min Measuring AIHow-toFounderHow to measure the ROI of an AI project (without fooling yourself)
Pick one number your business cares about, set a clean baseline, measure after on fresh human-checked data, and write down the sample size and caveats.
7 min Building & OwningExplainerFounderWhat "you own it" actually means in an AI build
Real ownership is where the code, accounts, data, and know-how physically live — so you can run it, change it, or fire the vendor and keep everything.
6 min Compliance & GovernanceExplainerFounderWhat is AI governance and compliance — and does your company need it yet?
governance vs compliance, the everyday risks, a minimum viable setup for a small company, and the honest signs you need it now.
6 min Compliance & GovernanceExplainerFounderAI governance framework, explained
A framework is just a written answer to four questions — allowed uses, how you check it's right, what you log, and who's accountable. Plus where NIST and ISO fit.
6 min Compliance & GovernanceHow-toFounderHow to write a simple AI use policy for your team
What to include, plus a one-page starting template — mostly what data is safe to paste, what needs a human check, and who to ask.
5 min For InvestorsExplainerInvestorFlat-subscription dealflow vs. success fees: how a compliant investor service is priced
Why a compliant dealflow service charges a flat subscription — never a cut of a raise — what a subscriber receives, and how it differs from finders and brokers.
6 minNo articles in this topic yet — more are being added.
The knowledge base is growing — new reference articles publish here regularly across measuring, building & owning, compliance, and evaluating AI companies.
Put it into practice
Want this applied to your own build?
These methods are the same ones DPR uses on every engagement — agree one honest number, build on your accounts, measure it in the open, and hand it over.
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