Technology health check
A written baseline before another tool, vendor, or rebuild.
Map the stack, clarify ownership, find waste, and separate urgent risks from noise.
Tokyo · Independent Technology Advisory
Technology decisions for Japanese SMEs, made safer.
Before you sign the vendor contract, launch the AI pilot, or rebuild the stack, get a clear second opinion. I help Japan-based SMEs reduce technology risk, compare options, and turn messy systems into a written plan.
- You need an independent second opinion before signing the vendor contract.
- AI tools and automation ideas are arriving faster than your team can evaluate them.
- The stack already affects reporting, handoffs, security, or owner confidence.
Best fit
Owner-led or operator-led SMEs in Japan facing a vendor proposal, AI adoption decision, system rebuild, or technology roadmap they need to get right.
40+ SMEs advised
10yr Japan market
60 days Risk map to roadmap
Start here
45-minute decision session ($175). If the issue is structural, the next step is a written Technology Health Check starting at $1,000.
Book a technology decision session ($175) →Need to explain the decision first?
Need to explain the decision first?
Send the vendor proposal, AI idea, stack issue, or rebuild question below. If the issue is structural, the next step is a written Technology Health Check starting at $1,000. If it is smaller, I'll tell you that.
● Reply within 48 hours. No vendor pitch. If this is not the right fit, I'll tell you directly.
¥6.5M annual revenue increase for a community client after payment and membership integration
120× traffic growth for a construction firm: from under 5 to 600+ daily visitors
3+ qualified leads added per month via Reddit outreach automation
Client results
¥6.5M revenue increase Community organization · Tokyo
Before: Collecting payment by bank transfer, running events off a broken website, emailing a messy list with account details, and hoping people paid in advance.
After: Integrated Stripe payments, Luma event management, and membership tracking into one operating system. Revenue became visible and predictable for the first time.
600+ daily visitors, 7 qualified inquiries/month Construction firm · Japan
Before: Under 5 visitors per day. Bloated images, thin content, orphaned pages, off-putting copy, and a generic domain that signaled nothing about the business.
After: Full rebuild with hub-and-spoke content architecture, optimized media, a tighter contact path, and a premium industry domain secured. Top Google placement within 6 months.
3+ converting leads/month from Reddit SME operator · ongoing
Before: No systematic way to reach the communities where qualified buyers were already asking relevant questions.
After: RedditReach monitors target subreddits for relevant posts and surfaces reply opportunities. The client schedules contextual responses and converts Reddit traffic into paying customers.
Industries served
Community & EventsConstructionProfessional ServicesIT & TechnologyCoachingEntertainmentNetworksMedia
Decision risks
Japanese SMEs do not need more technology noise.
They need independent judgment.
01: Vendor Risk
Vendor proposals look complete, but the real risk is hidden in the assumptions.
Cost, lock-in, scope drift, and unclear ownership
I review the proposal, compare the practical options, and turn the decision into a memo your leadership team can understand.
02: AI Readiness
AI sounds urgent, but the safest use case is rarely the loudest one.
Data exposure, workflow mismatch, and weak evaluation
I identify realistic AI and automation opportunities, then separate useful pilots from tools that will add risk without adoption.
03: Modernization Debt
Legacy systems become dangerous when nobody owns the architecture.
Operational drag before the rebuild even starts
I map the current stack, clarify dependencies, and create a staged roadmap before budget goes into the wrong replacement plan.
Advisory proof
See the work before you buy the work.
Premium advisory should leave a paper trail: a risk map, a vendor decision matrix, a roadmap, or a written recommendation your leadership team can act on.
Decision memo
Recommendations that executives can actually use.
You get a clear record of the options, tradeoffs, risk, and smallest useful next step.
Executive briefing
Translate technical complexity into operating decisions.
Useful for owners, finance leads, and operators who need clarity before committing budget.
How I work
Do not buy the wrong level of advice.
The first job is to identify whether you need a quick answer, a written health check, or ongoing governance. Most teams waste money because they skip that step.
- 01
Decision session first
45 minutes to sort the situation properly. You leave knowing whether this is a narrow fix, a structural risk, or a decision that needs a full written review.
Output: clear recommendation · $175
- 02
Health check only if the risk is structural
If the stack, vendor proposal, or AI plan carries real operational risk, the next step is a written health check. That gives leadership a baseline before budget goes into the wrong fix.
Output: risk map + decision memo · from $1,000
- 03
Roadmap or oversight after that
If the issue is bigger than diagnosis, we turn the recommendation into a staged roadmap, vendor brief, or ongoing advisory rhythm. No retainer theater on day one.
Output: roadmap, vendor support, or monthly advisor · from $3,200 / $1,100 month
Best fit
Japan-based SMEs where a vendor, AI, system, or modernization decision already affects revenue, reporting, security, or operator confidence.
Not a fit
Pure software development, vague “digital transformation” theater, or teams that want a magic tool instead of an accountable decision process.
Need to explain the decision first? Send your decision details and I’ll tell you what makes sense.
Advisory offers
Start with the smallest useful advisory product.
You do not need to commit to a large implementation project to get good advice. Most clients start with a fixed-scope decision session or health check.
🔎 Fixed-scope diagnostic
Technology health check
Buy this when you need a written baseline before signing a vendor contract, adding AI tools, or rebuilding systems.
Deliverable: risk map, quick wins, owner summary, and priority roadmap
Review the diagnostic offer → 🧭 Independent second opinion
Vendor and system decision support
Buy this when proposals are hard to compare and you need a vendor-neutral view of cost, risk, lock-in, and implementation reality.
Deliverable: decision matrix, recommendation memo, and negotiation notes
See decision support → 📡 Ongoing governance
Fractional technology advisor
Buy this when technology decisions keep returning and you need senior judgment across vendors, workflows, access, reporting, and AI use.
Deliverable: monthly advisory, vendor oversight, and roadmap control
See advisory support →Best first step 45-minute decision session ($175). If the issue is structural, the next step is a written Technology Health Check starting at $1,000.
Matt Ketchum (MKUltraman)
I've spent 10 years helping Japanese SMEs make better technology decisions across vendor selection, workflow design, reporting, automation, and operational systems. My work is practical, independent, and written for the owner or operator who has to make the call.
I work with a small number of clients at a time because senior judgment needs context. Industries: F&B, media, professional services, events, retail, and founder-led operations in Japan.
Why not someone else?
vs. Internal IT Your IT person maintains what exists. I help decide what the business should change next.
vs. Japanese consultancy Local firms often sell implementation. I help you choose the right move before implementation starts.
vs. Doing nothing Unclear technology decisions compound every month. A health check gives you a baseline before bigger spend.
Field notes
Decision notes for Japan SME stacks.
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