Referring someone to Thirdbrain
What to listen for, what to say, and what happens next. Jump to your line of work:
The short version
For everyone
Who I am
Twenty years building digital products at Woolworths, Blackwoods, nib and Transport for NSW, and hands-on with AI every day. Your client works with me, not a junior. More about me.
Who I'm for
Australian businesses of 10 to 100 people, in professional services, health or e-commerce, that have grown faster than their systems. Big enough that the manual work hurts, too small to have a tech team of their own.
Who it isn't for
If they would rather build it themselves, they don't need me. If nothing about how the work gets done can change, the tools will not help on their own. And I don't work in gambling, tobacco or weapons.
What you'll hear them say
Usually one of three things:
- "Everyone's telling me to do something with AI and nobody's told me what's actually worth doing."
- "We've outgrown our systems. Someone retypes everything, and quotes take a week, so we lose the job to someone faster."
- "I'm still doing the admin at midnight because there's no time for it in the day."
What to say
"You should talk to David at Thirdbrain. He'll give you an independent, honest view of what's worth doing, put a number on it, and build it if it's worth building."
Or introduce us by email
"[Name], meet David at Thirdbrain, cc'd. You mentioned [what they said]. He's worth a conversation."
You can also cc hello@thirdbrain.com.au on any introduction.
What happens next
A free first conversation. Then, if it's worth it, a fixed-price Review: a short, ranked list of what's worth doing, each with what it's worth a year and what the first one would cost. Then I build the first thing, or train the team, or both. They end up running it without me.
What you'll hear back
I'll always let you know whether we worked together. If you'd rather it ran under your brand, it can.
If you're a business coach
What your clients say to you
- "I know I'm working in the business, not on it."
- "We need better systems and I don't know where to start."
- "What should we do about AI?"
What to say
"I keep telling you to work on the business, not in it. David at Thirdbrain makes your technology work as hard as you do, so you've got the time to work on it."
What I'll do
The Review first, so the owner knows what's worth doing and what it's worth. Then the build. I don't coach owners on their business; that's your relationship. I'm the technical part your practice doesn't carry, and you stay in the room if you want to.
What's in it for you
A client who stops firefighting and gets back to the work you set them. And a straight answer from me on what came of it.
If you're an accountant
What you see in the numbers
Margin eaten by hours:
- A day a week on quotes, invoices or a report.
- The same thing typed into the accounting system and the job system.
- One person who knows how it all fits.
- A systems project that has gone over budget.
- And your clients asking you what to do about AI, several times a day.
What to say
"Your systems haven't kept up with the business. David at Thirdbrain helps with process efficiency to drive productivity and give you time back."
What I'll do
The Review, then the one build worth doing. I work from exports and examples, never inside your client's accounting system, so nothing you reconcile changes under you.
What's in it for you
A client whose books get cleaner because the process upstream got cleaner. Under your brand or mine, your call.
If you're a bookkeeper
What you're in every week
- Three systems that don't talk.
- Retyping.
- Chasing.
- The spreadsheet only one person understands, and that person is you.
What to say
"David at Thirdbrain builds the bit that's missing between the systems, and your team runs it. It's built to take the drudge work off people, not to replace them."
What I'll do
The Review, then the smallest build that removes the retyping. One finance team I worked with hand-checked every transaction their staff coded. We captured the coding rules that lived in one person's head, and now a batch sorts itself into three piles: right, needs a tweak, and worth a person's full attention. Nobody was replaced.
What's in it for you
Fewer mistakes to find, more time for the work clients value you for, and a client who thinks you brought them the fix. Because you did. Under your brand or mine, your call.
If you're an IT provider
What your clients ask you
- "What do I need to know about AI?"
- "We're paying for the licences and nobody uses them."
- "Can you build us something for quoting?"
- "Why did we burn so much on tokens?"
- "We really need to replace our old system."
If it's not work you want to take on, send it my way instead of turning it down.
What to say
"I've got your IT covered. David at Thirdbrain works alongside me on the part that makes you money: building tools for the business, and training your team on the AI tools you already pay for."
What I'll do
Training on their real work, over 6 or 12 weeks, their own files, not a one-day workshop. I train on the tools you've set up, and never sell them different ones. Or a custom build that sits beside what you manage: quoting, scheduling, the handoff between systems. I'm not a managed service provider and don't want to be one. That stays with you.
What's in it for you
A build and training capability without hiring it. Under your brand or mine, and overflow when you need it. I'll tell you what came of it.
If you're an HR consultant
What your clients say
- "My team's been told to use AI and nobody knows where to start."
- "Will AI replace my staff?"
- And quietly, from the leaders: "I can't ask a basic question about this in front of my team."
What to say
"David at Thirdbrain trains teams on their own work, hands-on, over 6 or 12 weeks, to take the drudge work off people, not to replace them. For leaders who'd rather learn privately, he does that one to one."
What I'll do
Team training that starts from the work they already do, not from a tool. Private sessions for the leader. We check before and after, so the measure is whether the team is more capable, and still employed.
What's in it for you
An answer to the question your clients keep asking that doesn't put you in the position of recommending a tool.
If you just know someone
A past colleague, a friend, someone at a lunch. You don't need a script.
Listen for
One of the three lines at the top:
- Nobody's told them what's worth doing with AI.
- They've outgrown their systems and it's costing them work.
- They're still doing the admin at midnight.
Say
"You should talk to David at Thirdbrain. He'll give you an independent, honest view of what's worth doing."
And send them thirdbrain.com.au. Or send me their contact details and what they said, and I'll take it from there. I'll tell you what came of it.
Questions referrers ask
What will you tell me?
Whether we worked together, and broadly how it went. Anything more is up to your client, and I'll respect what they're comfortable sharing.
Should I ask them first?
Yes, please. Check they're happy to hear from me, then send me their contact details and what they said.
Will you take my work?
No. I don't do books, tax, IT support, HR or coaching. If your client needs any of that, they already have you.
How does working under my brand work?
We agree it case by case. Usually you keep the client relationship and I do the work behind it. Ask me and we will work it out.
What if you're too busy, or it's too big for one person?
I'll tell you before we start. For large projects or busy patches I bring in senior operators I know and trust, and I'll always say so up front. If I haven't, it's just me.
Do you pay a referral fee?
Yes, for referrals that turn into paid work. We agree it up front, in writing. Thirdbrain's ABN is 86 690 183 343.
Send them thirdbrain.com.au, or send me their contact details and what they said.