# Dana Kowalski: AI Consulting & Modernization for Small Businesses

> Dana Kowalski is a senior software engineer based in Central New York who helps small and mid-sized businesses modernize their operations with practical, fixed-price AI and automation projects. Most engagements start with a $300 fixed-price Modernization Audit. Services include AI chatbots, process automation, real-time insights, and smart assistants.

## About

Dana Kowalski is an independent software engineer and AI consultant serving Central New York (CNY), including Utica, Rome, Syracuse, New Hartford, Herkimer, Oneida County, and the surrounding Mohawk Valley region. The focus is helping small business owners move past AI hype and implement practical tools that save time and reduce manual work.

## Services

- **Modernization Audit** ($300 fixed, start here): A 90-minute session by phone, video, or in person, followed by a written report within 48 hours. Scores your web presence and local search visibility, examines day-to-day operations, and returns a prioritized roadmap with an honest verdict on each recommendation (do it now, do it later, skip it, or do it yourself). Implementation is optional and the roadmap works without Dana.
- **AI Chatbot**: 24/7 automated responses on your website and Facebook, automatic lead capture and qualification, and measurable reduction in routine phone calls.
- **Process Automation**: Connect forms to CRM, automate invoicing, appointment reminders, and follow-ups. Save 10+ hours of manual work every week.
- **Real-Time Insights**: Live dashboards for sales and operations, early trend detection, and simple reports that replace spreadsheets.
- **Smart Assistants**: Email, scheduling, and content helpers that connect to your existing tools. No new platforms to learn.

## Service Area

Central New York, including: Utica, Rome, Syracuse, New Hartford, Whitesboro, Clinton, Marcy, Yorkville, Herkimer, Oneida, Oneida County, Herkimer County, Onondaga County, and the greater Mohawk Valley region. Remote engagements are also available nationwide.

## Engagement Model

Fixed-price projects with clear scope and deliverables. Free initial assessment available at [danakowalski.com](https://danakowalski.com/).

## Contact

- Website: https://danakowalski.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danakowalski
- GitHub: https://github.com/DanaKowalski

## Key Pages

- [Homepage](https://danakowalski.com/): Overview, services, portfolio, and free AI assessment form.
- [Modernization Audit](https://danakowalski.com/audit): Deep-dive on the $300 fixed-price audit, the recommended starting point for most clients. Covers the four stages (research into your site and Google Business Profile before the call; a 90-minute session on how the business actually runs; a written report within 48 hours; a prioritized roadmap), what the report contains (scored findings in plain language, named tools including free ones, rough cost and effort, fixed-price quotes with no obligation), who it suits, and what it deliberately is not (no automated scan, no template, no proposal in disguise). Available by phone, video, or in person in Central New York.
- [Services](https://danakowalski.com/services): Detailed breakdown of all five offerings (Modernization Audit, AI Chatbot, Process Automation, Real-Time Insights, and Smart Assistants) with problem/solution framing, example scenarios, deliverables, timelines, and integrations.
- [About Dana](https://danakowalski.com/about): Dana's story and credentials. Started building websites independently for small businesses in 1996; professional career began in 1999 at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, NY (as a Booz Allen Hamilton contractor); moved to Champaign, IL in April 2004 to join the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lab, through late 2014, building accredited applications funded by and tailored for federal agencies including the Department of State, NASA, GSA, and Naval Facilities Engineering Command; fifteen years as a federal contractor in total across the two labs, holding a Top Secret clearance in both the Air Force and Army positions; Adobe Certified Professional, ColdFusion; moved to the private sector in late 2014, spending 7 years as a senior developer at CF Webtools modernizing legacy platforms across industries; currently a Senior eCommerce Developer at Valley Vet Supply. Based in New Hartford, NY. Page also covers how Dana works (direct, fixed-price, uses existing tools, ships in days, selective engagements, honest about AI), and current focus areas (autonomous and agentic workflows, modernizing legacy platforms, eCommerce automation, local and private AI options).
- [AI Chatbot Service](https://danakowalski.com/services/chatbot): Deep-dive on the AI Chatbot offering. Retrieval-grounded (RAG) answers from uploaded content (spreadsheets, PDFs, text, Markdown); configurable system prompt for tone and behavior; editable welcome message; brand-matched widget (custom color, light/dark theme, widget position, header title, no "Powered by" byline); lead qualification with email or CRM delivery (HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho, Monday); conversation history and stats dashboard; per-domain allowlist; tenant-isolated storage with row-level security; bring-your-own LLM key compatible with any OpenAI-style provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, HuggingFace, and others); one-line <script> install on WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Webflow, Shopify, or custom sites; live in ~7 days from approval.