# Get Started — SkillMix

> Start an engagement with SkillMix in three steps: free exploration call, paid Scope Sprint, then no-cure-no-pay implementation. The whole sequence is built to give you certainty before you commit real money — and an honest exit at every stage if it isn't a fit.

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## Step 1 — Free exploration call (30 min, no commitment)

Booked via [reclaim.ai/m/skillmix/exploration-call](https://app.reclaim.ai/m/skillmix/exploration-call).

We use the call to:
- Understand your context and the problem you actually want solved.
- Qualify fit — sometimes we'll tell you the work isn't right for us, or that you don't need us at all.
- Outline whether the work belongs in **Automation**, **AI Agents**, **Modeling**, or the **AI Exploration Retainer**.
- Discuss likely scope, timeline, and the rough range of cost.

You leave the call with a clear next step. No deck, no follow-up sales sequence.

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## Step 2 — Paid Scope Sprint (mandatory)

A short, fixed-fee discovery and design sprint. Typically 1–2 weeks. Pricing: **€1,000 – €1,500** for automation work, **€1,500 – €2,500** for agents and modeling.

We sit with whoever does the work today. We map the workflow, shadow the people doing it, and write the acceptance criteria. You leave with:

- **A precise scope.** Exactly what we'll build, what we won't, and what's out.
- **Measurable success criteria.** Written in plain English. The "definition of done" we'll be tested against.
- **A fixed price for implementation.** No T&M, no discovery-phase billing, no change orders without a new fixed number.
- **A delivery date.** Not a quarter — a date.
- **A risk register.** What could go wrong, where, and how we'd handle it.

The Scope Sprint is mandatory before any no-cure-no-pay work. It protects both sides: clear deliverables, no surprises. If we conclude the work isn't worth doing, we say so. Worst case: you walk away with an honest diagnosis and a written plan you can hand to whoever you hire next.

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## Step 3 — Implementation (no-cure-no-pay)

Fixed-scope build against the criteria from the Scope Sprint. Standard engagements use a **50/50 payment structure**: half on kickoff, half on outcome acceptance. The implementation fee is owed only when agreed outcomes are met.

Depending on the practice, this looks like:

- **Automation:** ~2-week prototype (~€8,000, no-cure-no-pay) → 4–8 week build (€10K–€15K, fixed price).
- **Agents:** ~2-week prototype (~€12,000, no-cure-no-pay) → 4–8 week harden phase (€15K–€25K, fixed price) → optional monthly frontier retainer.
- **Modeling:** 6–12 week build (€20K–€90K, fixed price), no-cure-no-pay against acceptance criteria.

Weekly demos throughout. Decisions by end of call. No steerco. If we miss the date or the acceptance criteria, you don't pay — not partial credit, zero.

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## Step 4 — Run (optional)

After go-live, most clients take a small monthly retainer so someone is on call when a model drifts, an upstream API changes, or a new feature is wanted. You can skip it and run the thing yourselves. Plenty do.

For agent swarms, the **Frontier Retainer** specifically tracks model releases, swaps roles when something better ships, and re-runs your acceptance tests before any change goes live. No rebuild fees.

You own everything: code, prompts, infra, models, audit logs. No lock-in.

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## Contact

- **Email:** info@skillmix.eu
- **CEO direct:** xander@skillmix.nl
- **Booking:** https://app.reclaim.ai/m/skillmix/exploration-call
- **Contact form / start a conversation:** https://skillmix.com/get-started

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## Related

- [/automation.md](https://skillmix.com/automation.md) · [/ai-agents.md](https://skillmix.com/ai-agents.md) · [/modeling.md](https://skillmix.com/modeling.md)
- [/service-terms.md](https://skillmix.com/service-terms.md) · [/Collaboration-Framework.md](https://skillmix.com/Collaboration-Framework.md)