Practical AI and security help for Oakland and Wayne County businesses.

We help small and mid-sized companies (about 10 to 200 people) put AI to work sensibly, keep their systems safe, steady the network and cloud, and add a virtual CIO when the plan needs an owner. You get clear advice, a plan that fits, and a team that stays until it works.

Book a free 45-minute fit consult

No cost, no obligation. A real conversation with Jeff and Hazem, not a sales script.

See how we help

Organizations our team has worked with

American Axle
Yazaki North America
Carhartt
GM
Ford
Tower Automotive
Lear
Joyson Safety Systems
IAC Group
Inteva
Denso
Superior Industries
Acument
Little Caesars
Roush
Edward C. Levy
Hirotec
Trinity Health
Masco
Penske Automotive
Auria
Dexko Global
BorgWarner
Brose
Altair
Jackson National
Nexteer
Dow Chemical
Kelly Services
TG North America

Names reflect our team members' prior professional experience and do not imply endorsement or a current relationship.

How we can help

AI, without the hype

Find out where AI actually saves your team time, and where it doesn't.

A readiness check of your data, tools, and people
A short list of uses ranked by effort and payoff
A small pilot with clear measures before anything bigger
Simple AI use rules your team can follow

Security, in plain English

Know where you stand and what to fix first.

A security review with a prioritized fix list
Access, backups, and devices done right
Help answering customer and insurer security questionnaires
An incident plan your team can actually use

Senior help, part-time

Experienced technology and security leadership without a full-time hire.

Fractional CIO/CISO-style guidance, month to month
An independent second opinion on vendors and tools
Clear briefings for owners and boards
Roadmaps that fit your budget and timeline

Infrastructure, without the jargon

See what the network and cloud are actually doing, and what should change.

A plain-English look at the network and cloud as they stand today
A readiness check before any cloud move
Reliability and continuity, so the business keeps running if something fails
A clear call on managed IT versus a fixed-scope project

Virtual CIO, in plain English

A technology lead who sets the direction and stays until the work is done.

A technology strategy tied to the business, not a shopping list of tools
A practical choice of software, hardware, and vendors
Someone to see the plan through, including who does what
A check that the setup still fits as the business changes

Book a free 45-minute fit consult

How we work

01
Talk
A free 45-minute fit consult. We listen, ask good questions, and tell you honestly whether we're the right help.
02
Assess
A $1,500 fixed-scope look at where you are today — AI, security, infrastructure, or a virtual CIO — credited toward the engagement if you move forward. The scope is agreed up front.
03
Plan
A prioritized, written plan in plain English, with scope and cost before any work starts.
04
Do
We help you carry it out and teach your team as we go, so you rely on us less over time.

We'd rather teach you to fish than keep you on the hook.

Larger infrastructure and software projects are led by J Scott Briggs and Hazem Barghouty, scoped in writing, from $50,000.

Who it's for

We're a good fit if you're a business owner, operations leader, or IT lead at a small or mid-sized company (about 10 to 200 people), and:

You want to use AI but aren't sure where to start or what's safe
Your business has grown faster than its IT and security habits
Customers, insurers, or partners are asking you security questions
The network or cloud needs attention, and you want a clear path before a move or managed IT
You need senior advice but aren't ready for a full-time CIO or CISO
You want a virtual CIO to own the technology plan and see it through, without a full-time executive

We work most often with professional services firms, light manufacturers, and auto-adjacent suppliers, starting close to home in Oakland County, Wayne County, and Metro Detroit.

Investment

Every relationship starts with a conversation. If we're a fit, the next steps are written down before anything starts.

Fit consultFree: 45 minutes. Our first sit-down, with no obligation. A real conversation, not a sales script.
Assessment$1,500: A fixed-scope assessment of where you are today, including AI, security, infrastructure, or a virtual CIO. Credited toward the engagement if you move forward.
Small and mid-sized businessesAfter the assessment: A teach-to-fish monthly engagement that steps down over time as your team takes ownership. Monthly amounts are set after the assessment. You'll see the schedule in writing before anything starts.
Larger accountsFrom $50,000: Fixed-scope infrastructure and software projects led by J Scott Briggs and Hazem Barghouty. Each project is scoped and priced in writing.

About

J Scott Briggs

Photograph to follow.

Manager, Zen Consulting LLC

A short biography and photograph are still being prepared. They'll be added here. Until then, the fit consult is the direct way to meet J Scott Briggs.

Zen Consulting LLC is the professional consulting arm of Zen Universal Holdings. We keep things calm, clear, and practical: honest advice, fixed scopes where possible, and no pressure.

A few common questions

Is the first call really free?: Yes. 45 minutes with no obligation. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you and point you somewhere useful if we can.
Do we need to be "technical" to work with you?: No. We explain everything in plain English.
Will you lock us into a long contract?: No. Our goal is to get your team running things itself.

Not sure where to start? That's what the first call is for.

Tell us what's on your mind: an AI idea, a security question from a customer, the network or cloud, a virtual CIO, or just a feeling things could be tighter. You'll get straight answers and a sensible next step.