Working across the West Midlands
Business, AI & automation consultancy for SMEs across Birmingham and the Midlands
We get to know your business and the problems slowing it down, then build the systems around you so it runs better.
- Save time on operations
- Save money on tools and suppliers
- Grow with smarter systems
Delivering solutions for clients
Sound familiar?
Does this sound like you?
- Hours lost to manual admin
- Systems that don’t talk
- Spreadsheets that never agree
- Paying agency rates for design
- Brand rules nobody follows
- Leads going cold too often
Your partner
Up-Stride becomes your partner.
- Small and medium businesses
- Lean teams on stretched budgets
- No in-house tech or AI expertise
- AI-curious, unsure where to start
- Growing without adding headcount
- One partner for ops, sales and marketing
Sound like you? Let’s talk.
A free consultation with no obligation.
- AI insights for your business
- A phased AI roadmap
- A strategic business proposal
- Your AI questions answered
Mark BlakeStrategy and systems
Thomas McElroyCreative and AIWe cover your business from the inside out.
Operations.Sales.Marketing.
01
Operations
The systems that run the business day to day.
- AI consultancy and strategy
- Process mapping
- Proposals and roadmaps
- CRM, ERP and business systems
- Apps and internal tools
- Automated workflows
- Reporting and dashboards
- Data cleansing
02
Sales
Turning activity into booked, won work.
- Automated outbound
- Cold calling systems
- SDR cockpits
- Lead scoring and enrichment
- AI-personalised outreach
- Pipeline and follow-up automation
- AI sales agents and chatbots
- Shopify and ecommerce
03
Marketing
On-brand content and reach, at volume.
- Brand identity and brand kits
- Websites
- SEO and GEO
- Content apps for image and video
- Email and outreach campaigns
- Explainer videos
- How-to guides and videos
- UGC and influencer marketing
- Product and business videos
- Social media content
Process
How we work, for real business results.
- 1Free consultationWe learn how your business runs
- 2Map and planA clear plan with targets you agree
- 3Build and proveOne affordable project, then scale
Our work
Real results from real businesses.
“We worked with Upstride to develop the Buddy Fund portal for the Buddy Bag Foundation, which provides financial support to families fleeing domestic abuse as they move into permanent accommodation.”
01 / 10
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what businesses ask us most. Anything else, just ask.
How to use artificial intelligence in business?
Artificial intelligence is used in business by automating manual workflows, integrating data across systems, and deploying AI agents to handle repetitive operational tasks. Businesses achieve the best results by mapping their existing processes first to find where time and money are lost before introducing software. Up-Stride designs and builds tailored business operating systems, ERP tools, and sales workflows that resolve these operational bottlenecks.
What is AI implementation?
AI implementation is the structured process of integrating artificial intelligence tools, automated workflows, and data pipelines into an organisation's day-to-day operations. It involves auditing current processes, building custom software or agents, training staff, and connecting new tools directly to core systems like CRM and ERP. Up-Stride manages the entire implementation lifecycle, delivering functional operating systems without disrupting live commercial operations.
What is an AI automation agency?
An AI automation agency is a specialised consultancy that designs, builds, and maintains automated workflows and artificial intelligence systems for businesses. Rather than simply advising on strategy, an agency deploys functional software, such as custom ERP tools, automated reporting, and intelligent agents, to eliminate operational friction. Up-Stride operates as a full-service AI and automation consultancy, combining commercial leadership with hands-on technical delivery for UK SMEs.
Is AI worth it for small business?
AI is worth the investment for small businesses when it directly solves specific operational bottlenecks, such as manual data entry, slow customer response times, or fragmented administrative work. Small firms gain immediate efficiency by automating repetitive tasks, allowing lean teams to handle higher commercial volume without increasing headcount. Up-Stride helps SMEs prove commercial value by delivering focused, single-process automation projects before scaling solutions across the entire company.
How do I choose an AI partner for my business?
To choose the right AI partner, select a consultancy with direct commercial and leadership experience rather than purely technical developers. The right partner must prioritise mapping your business processes and identifying operational waste before proposing specific tools or platforms. Up-Stride applies 25 years of C-suite and managing director experience to ensure every automated workflow directly serves commercial objectives.
What are the main differences between hiring a full time data scientist and using an external consultancy to set up AI workflows for a medium sized company?
A full-time data scientist focuses primarily on building custom models and handling internal analytics, which carries permanent overhead costs and potential skill gaps in operational architecture. An external consultancy provides an immediate team of specialists across development, automation, and systems architecture without long-term recruitment liabilities. Up-Stride delivers end-to-end commercial workflows, ERP platforms, and AI agents tailored to medium-sized companies faster and more cost-effectively than a single internal hire.
What are the typical project timelines and costs for an SME in the UK looking to outsource their entire AI strategy and rollout?
Outsourcing an AI rollout typically begins with a focused discovery and initial project phase before scaling into comprehensive system integration over subsequent months. Up-Stride de-risks this process by offering a free initial consultation and proposal with no obligation, establishing the business case upfront. Engagements start small with one targeted implementation to prove measurable operational value before expanding into wider business operating systems.
How can I justify the investment in an AI implementation partner to my board if we have a limited budget and need to see a clear return on investment?
Justify an AI implementation partner to your board by proposing a targeted pilot project that solves an urgent operational bottleneck and measures operational gains directly. Presenting a staged roadmap allows leadership to review concrete performance and administrative time savings before committing capital to company-wide transformation. Up-Stride works as a long-term partner using a business-first methodology, starting with a single focused project to demonstrate measurable value before scaling.
Can you compare the costs and implementation timelines for off the shelf AI tools versus bespoke solutions for a growing UK business?
Off-the-shelf AI tools provide fast setup and low upfront subscription costs, but often create disconnected data silos, ongoing per-user license fees, and limited workflow customization. Bespoke AI solutions take longer to plan and build initially, but they eliminate recurring software bloat and integrate directly into your exact operational processes. Up-Stride builds custom operating systems, bespoke ERPs, and unified workspaces that ensure complete ownership and seamless data flow across the business.
What are the advantages of AI in business?
The primary advantages of AI in business are the elimination of manual administrative tasks, faster operational turnarounds, and unified data visibility across departments. Automated workflows and custom agents reduce processing errors and liberate staff to focus on customer-facing and strategic work. Up-Stride builds systems that leverage these advantages, turning disconnected operations into structured, revenue-driving business systems.
Free consultation
Discover your AI potential.Book a free consultation.
A free session to map where AI can take your business, and the plan to get there.
You leave with:
A taste of how we work: meet us, see how we approach your business, and leave with something to consider.
- A chance to meet Mark and Tom
- AI insights for your business
- A phased AI roadmap
- A short written report to take away
- A strategic business proposal
- Your AI questions answered
- Pick it up again whenever you're ready
Book free consultation
No obligation. The only cost is your time.
Mark Blake · Strategy and systems
Thomas McElroy · Creative and AI