Can AI really replace McKinsey?

Not for everything. Top consultants bring deep industry expertise, research capabilities, political capital (their brand carries weight), and hands-on implementation support. What Board of One replaces is the strategic thinking and framework development—the stuff you're paying $1,000+/day for someone to do. For most founder decisions, that's what you actually need.

What about the research consultants do?

Consultants excel at deep market research, customer interviews, and competitive intelligence gathering. Board of One doesn't replace primary research. What it replaces is the analysis and recommendation layer—taking what you know and turning it into frameworks and decisions. If you need 50 customer interviews, hire a consultant. If you need to decide what to do with the insights you already have, that's Board of One.

My investors want to see a McKinsey deck

That's a credibility play, not a quality play. If your investors specifically want the McKinsey brand on a deck, that's a different value proposition than getting good strategic advice. Be honest about what you're buying—if it's credibility, pay for it. If it's thinking, you might not need to.

What kinds of projects make sense for consultants vs. Board of One?

Consultants: Due diligence for major acquisitions, market entry studies requiring primary research, organizational restructuring with political sensitivity, anything requiring their brand credibility. Board of One: Day-to-day strategic decisions, pricing and positioning, feature prioritization, operational improvements, anything you need to decide quickly and repeatedly.

How does the output quality compare?

For strategic frameworks and decision support, Board of One's output is structured and comprehensive — multiple perspectives, documented reasoning, and clear recommendations. For deep primary research and politically sensitive recommendations, consultants have advantages. For speed and cost, Board of One wins decisively. The question is what you actually need.

What about boutique consultants who are cheaper?

Boutique consultants ($500-1,000/day) are more accessible, but the economics are still challenging for most founders. A week of boutique consulting costs $2,500-5,000. That's months of Board of One access. And you still have scheduling constraints, context rebuilding, and project minimums to contend with.

All Comparisons

Comparison

Board of One vs Consultants

McKinsey charges $5,000+/day. Boutique firms charge $1,000+. What if you could get strategic frameworks without the consulting invoice?

Last updated: 3 March 2026

The reality of consulting costs

$5,000+

Big 3 (McKinsey, BCG, Bain) per day

$1-2k

Boutique consultants per day

$50k+

Typical minimum engagement

For most founders, consulting is simply out of reach—or requires betting a significant portion of runway on a single project.

Quick comparison

	Consultants	Board of One
Cost	$1,000-5,000/day	Fixed monthly subscription
Minimum engagement	2-4 weeks typical	No minimum
Availability	Project-based, scheduled	24/7, instant
Context ramp-up	1-2 weeks to understand you	Instant (always loaded)
Output format	Polished decks after weeks	Immediate, iterative
Research depth	Deep primary research	Works with your data
Brand credibility	High (McKinsey/BCG name)	None

When to choose Board of One

You need strategic frameworks, not primary research

Speed matters—you can't wait weeks for a deck

You have frequent decisions, not one big project

Budget matters—$50k+ minimum is out of reach

You want to iterate quickly, not wait for polished deliverables

When to choose consultants

You need deep primary research (50+ customer interviews)

Their brand name matters (investor credibility, board politics)

It's a bet-the-company decision (major acquisition, market entry)

You need implementation support, not just strategy

Budget isn't a constraint and timeline isn't urgent

The 80/20 reality

Most of what founders need from consultants is strategic thinking—frameworks, analysis, recommendations. That's the 80% that Board of One handles.

The other 20%—deep research, brand credibility, implementation support—is where consultants still have an edge. But you're paying for the full 100% even when you only need 20%.

Use Board of One for the 80%. Save consultants for the rare occasions you truly need them.

Frequently asked questions

Verdict

Most of what founders actually need from consultants is strategic thinking — frameworks, analysis, recommendations. Board of One handles that, for a flat monthly fee. Consultants still win for deep primary research, brand credibility, and bet-the-company projects. But for the day-to-day strategic decisions that founders face — pricing, hiring frameworks, market positioning, feature prioritization — Board of One gives you that thinking instantly, with multiple perspectives debating the same question. Save the $50k+ consulting engagement for when you truly need it.

Strategic guidance without the invoice

Multi-perspective analysis, instantly. No project minimums.