Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

How do I know if I need resilience consulting?

You might need help if:

• Your company has never tested what happens if your main office goes offline
• You're not sure how long you could operate without your key systems
• An auditor or client asked about your "business continuity plan" and you don't have one
• You have plans, but they're outdated and no one knows how to use them
• You're preparing for ISO 22301, SOC 2, or regulatory compliance
• Your team is stretched thin and needs expert support

What's the difference between Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, and Crisis Management?

Business Continuity (BC): Keeping critical business operations running during disruptions. Focuses on processes, people, and workarounds.

IT Disaster Recovery (DR): Getting technology systems back online after failures. Focuses on servers, applications, and data.

Crisis Management: Leading your organization through major incidents. Focuses on communication, decision-making, and coordination.

Most organizations need all three working together.

Which service should I start with?

• Never tested your plans? Start with a Program Assessment
• Need ongoing support? Start with BCaaS (Business Continuity as a Service)
• Preparing for an audit? Start with a Mock Audit
• Building from scratch? Start with Business Continuity
• Not sure? Book a free 30-minute call and we'll figure it out together

Working with PAI

How long does a typical engagement take?

It depends on the service:

• Program Assessment: 2-4 weeks
• Mock Audit: 4-6 weeks
• BC Program Build: 3-6 months
• BCaaS: Ongoing monthly retainer
• Crisis Management Program: 2-4 months

Do you work remotely or on-site?

We work both ways, depending on your needs. Most of our work is done remotely, but we can visit your facilities for:

• Facility tours and dependency mapping
• Executive workshops and training
• Crisis exercises and tabletops
• Kickoff meetings and final presentations

Do I need to hire someone full-time, or can I just use your services?

Most of our clients don't have full-time resilience staff. That's why we created BCaaS (Business Continuity as a Service) — you get expert support on-demand without the cost of a full-time hire.

For larger organizations with internal teams, we often work alongside your staff to build capabilities and provide specialized expertise.

What industries do you work with?

We've worked with organizations across multiple industries including:

• Financial services and banking
• Healthcare and life sciences
• Manufacturing and distribution
• Technology and SaaS
• Professional services
• Government and public sector

What size organizations do you work with?

We work with organizations ranging from 200 to 50,000+ employees. Our approach scales to fit your size and complexity.

Methodology & Approach

What frameworks do you use?

We're framework-agnostic. We have deep experience with:

• ISO 22301 (Business Continuity Management)
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework
• FFIEC (Financial Services)
• DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act)
• SOC 2 Type II
• Adaptive BC
• Unified Resilience

We use the framework that fits your regulatory environment and organizational culture — not the one that's easiest to sell.

What is "Realistic Resilience"?

Realistic Resilience is our methodology for building resilience programs around how organizations actually behave during disruptions — not how textbooks say they should.

It's built on five pillars:

• Product/Service Alignment: Start with what your organization exists to deliver
• Operational Intelligence: Build the information response teams need to make decisions
• Organizational Response: Coordinate through trained, cross-functional teams
• Coordinated Communication: Define communication paths before, during, and after disruption
• Adaptive Recovery: Treat documented strategies as options, not orders

Do you push your own software on clients?

No. We're consultants first, software builders second. We only recommend our applications when they're the right fit for your needs. We regularly work with clients using ServiceNow, Fusion, Castellan, and other platforms.

Pricing & Logistics

How much does this cost?

Every organization is different. Pricing depends on:

• Your company size and complexity
• The scope of work needed
• Timeline and urgency
• Whether you need ongoing support or a one-time project

We provide transparent, fixed-price proposals after our initial discovery call. No inflated day rates. No unnecessary scope creep.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes. For larger projects, we typically structure payments as:

• Deposit upon contract signing
• Milestone payments throughout the project
• Final payment upon delivery

BCaaS clients pay monthly.

What if I'm a small business? Can I afford this?

Yes. We work with organizations of all sizes. Our BCaaS model is specifically designed for smaller companies that need expert support without the cost of a full-time hire.

Results & Outcomes

What will I have at the end of an engagement?

Depends on the service, but typically:

• Program Assessment: Detailed findings report, gap analysis, prioritized roadmap
• BC Program: Business impact analysis, recovery strategies, documented plans, trained team
• Mock Audit: Audit findings report, remediation roadmap, evidence templates
• Crisis Management: Crisis team structure, communication playbooks, decision frameworks, trained leadership

How do I know if the program will actually work?

We test everything. Every engagement includes:

• Validation exercises (tabletops, walkthroughs, or simulations)
• Team training on how to execute the plans
• Clear success criteria and metrics
• Post-exercise debriefs and improvements

What happens after the project ends?

You own everything we create. We provide:

• All documentation and deliverables
• Training materials and guides
• Recommendations for ongoing maintenance
• Optional ongoing support through BCaaS

Still Have Questions?

Book a free 30-minute call. We'll answer your questions and help you figure out the right path forward.

Schedule a call