🟦 Distribution · guide
In-house AI hire vs. fractional vs. MarginArc
Three ways to get AI into your back-office — compared on time-to-value, vertical depth, cost, and whether anyone underwrites the result.
| In-house hire | Generic fractional | MarginArc | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to value | 6–12 months | Weeks–months | ~30 days, measured in ~2 weeks |
| Vertical depth | Generalist, learning | Varies, usually broad | Distribution / insurance only |
| First-year cost | $150K+ salary+ | Variable retainer | Audit $15–40K → sprint $40–120K |
| Owns the financial case | No | Rarely | Yes — the ROI model is the product |
| Underwrites the outcome | No | No | Yes — fee-at-risk, no fit no fee |
The honest version: a point solution or a generalist can work — but only MarginArc puts the dollar number on the table first and ties its fee to hitting it. How we underwrite it →
See your number in two minutes.
Free, no email to start. Then we verify it and tie our fee to hitting it — no fit, no fee.
MarginArc builds AI back-office systems only for wholesale distributors — and underwrites the result. Benchmarks attributed; client results [PLACEHOLDER] until engagement #1.