Independent AI project manager · Noosa & Sunshine Coast
I help business owners plan, choose and roll out AI, without the jargon. If it's just you, I'll teach you to use it yourself. As you grow, I'll find the right tools and the right people, check them properly, and keep them honest.
Not sure what AI can actually do?Explore my free, honest map: what works, what takes effort, and what's hype.
On your side of the table.
How I help
Whether it's just you at the kitchen table or a team of thirty, the job is the same: get AI doing useful work, safely, without wasting money. What changes is how much of it I do for you.
"I'm flat out and I know AI could help. I just don't know where to start."
"There are a hundred AI products out there. Which ones are actually worth paying for?"
"We need something built. Who do we trust, and who checks the work?"
Most people start with training, then come back when the business is ready for more. There's no lock-in at any step.
Why independent matters
"If the same person tells you what you need, builds it and checks it, nobody's checking for you. That's my job."
How it works
The same steps I used for 25 years running technology projects, scaled down for a small business. You only take the steps you need.
Half an hour, no pitch. We talk about how the work gets done today and where the time and money go.
We pick the two or three that will make the biggest difference, and I'll tell you straight if something isn't worth it.
A short scope of works that belongs to you: the goal, the budget, the risks, what's out of scope, and how we'll know it's done.
I shortlist two or three, put them through a proper set of questions, and help you choose. Or I set it up myself when that's simpler.
Weekly check-ins, testing with your real work, and sign-off only when it actually works.
Hands-on training, simple rules for safe use, and a check-in after 30 days to make sure it stuck.
AI training for solo operators
No generic demos. We sit down together, about 30% teaching and 70% doing, and you walk away with AI already working on your own accounts.
Not sure what AI can do? Start here
Pick a part of your business and see what genuinely works today, what takes real effort, and what's mostly hype. Australian prices, Australian rules, no sales pitch.
Stories
Coaching clients, course graduates and the crowd at the Dream Lab launch, in their own words.
Reviews
“… His simple, easy-to-follow tech guidance has helped me become more tech-savvy, giving me the tools to help my business to grow and thrive.”
“… During our sessions he inspires me and creates clarity. He makes the complex world of marketing and digital engagement understandable and actionable.”
“Mike and I caught up for a 2hr Power Chat pre-launch of a new business I was putting together, and in those 2hrs Mike gave me so much clarity and direction that I was able to launch with confidence.”
“Even within our first conversation, Mike had already given me valuable insights that I was able to implement to make positive changes in my business.”
“He took the time to understand my business, my blocks/issues and enthusiastically offered a multitude of ideas and solutions. … I can absolutely recommend Mike's services to other small businesses.”
“Mike helped me identify what was getting in the way of me making progress with my business. … Please go and see Mike, he has your back.”
About Mike
I've spent my whole career in the gap between tech people and everyone else.
I started as an engineer and became a project manager because I could talk to both sides. Over 25 years in IT and telecommunications, my teams and I looked after more than 1,000 sites across Queensland, the Northern Territory and Canberra, and I ran big changes like a government organisation's move to IP telephony.
For the last ten years I've worked alongside small businesses here on the Sunshine Coast, and for the last few I've been helping owners put AI to work. I'm not an AI engineer. I know enough to ask the right questions, spot a weak plan, and make sure what you're paying for actually works for your team.
Outside work you'll find me on the beach. I've been a surf lifesaver for about 40 years, so keeping people safe in unfamiliar water comes naturally.
As heard on
Since February 2026 I've been a guest on ten podcasts, talking with hosts about mid-career change, testing business ideas safely, and building something that matters without betting the house on it. Here's what some of the hosts said.
“Mike brought clarity, actionable insights, and inspiration for mid-career professionals ready to launch purpose-driven businesses. His approach to testing ideas safely and leveraging experience and skills makes him an essential voice for anyone seeking meaningful change.”JDS Podcast
“Mike brought calm clarity, practical wisdom, and compassionate insight to the conversation — reframing reinvention as a thoughtful experiment rather than a reckless leap, and giving listeners permission to explore what’s been quietly calling them.”Elsplend Realities
“Mike believes you don’t have to leap blindly. You can experiment your way into alignment …”Conversations with Sekani
“Mike Hunt was insightful and practical. He shared powerful ways to overcome fear and turn ideas into real, purpose-driven businesses.”Wealth & Wellness Explorations
All ten shows
Still dreaming of starting something?
If you're mid-career and wondering "what if?", you don't have to quit to find out. Start while you're still earning, test what works, and build from there.
Questions
Yes. No coding and no jargon. We work on your own devices with your real tasks, and everything is set up before we finish.
I sit on your side. I work out what's worth doing, write it down clearly, find the right people to build it, and keep them on time and on budget until your team is actually using it. Think of me as the person who finds and manages the tech people, not one of them.
You can, and some of them are very good. But when the same company tells you what you need, builds it and checks it, nobody independent is checking for you. I bring them a clear brief and keep everyone honest, including me.
No. I don't sell software and I don't take vendor commissions, so my only job is getting it right for you. If a referral arrangement ever exists, I'll tell you in writing up front.
Yes, that's common. Bring the quote or the tool and we'll work out what went wrong, whether it can be saved, and what to do next.
I'm based in Noosa and come to you anywhere on the Sunshine Coast. Training and planning also work well online, wherever you are.
Let's talk
Pick whichever suits you: call, text or email. It's me on the other end, not a sales team or a bot. Tell me where you're at, and you'll come away knowing what's worth doing next, even if it's not with me.
Not ready to talk yet? Join the free Explorer Collective and come along to a relaxed monthly online call first.
Rather meet in person? I'm in Noosa and happy to grab a coffee anywhere on the Sunshine Coast. Just say so in your message.
You'll be talking to me.Mike Hunt, Noosa
