Expert consultation with a verified practitioner, booked in minutes
An expert consultation on ExpertMatcher is a paid 30, 60 or 90 minute call with a verified consultant, fractional executive or specialist who has handled your exact situation. You see the rate and the calendar before you book, the expert signs an NDA before reading your details, and payment, invoice and notes stay in one place.
Three call lengths for three kinds of questions
| Length | Best for | Typical outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | One focused question, a quick sanity check, a vendor reference | A clear yes, no or next step |
| 60 minutes | A decision with several moving parts, a plan or model review | A recommendation with reasoning and risks |
| 90 minutes | A working session on your documents, a workshop with two or three of your team | A marked up plan or a short written outline |
Each call is priced from the expert's rate card. Rates are set by each expert, and as a general market range experienced consultants charge about $150 to $500 per hour, with senior executives and rare specialists above that range.
What you get from an expert consultation
- A practitioner who has done the work, verified by identity, work history, references and certifications
- The expert's rate and availability before you book, with no quote round trip
- An NDA signed in the platform before your brief and company name are shared
- A video link and a shared notes space attached to the booking
- One invoice with the call price and your plan's platform fee
- The option to turn the call into a project or a fractional executive engagement with the same expert
How to prepare so the hour pays off
The best consultations start before the call. Experts read what you share, so a little preparation turns a general conversation into specific advice.
-
01
Write the one decision you need to make and the deadline for it
-
02
Share the documents the expert should see, such as a model, a deck, a process map or a vendor proposal, at least a day ahead
-
03
List three to five questions in order of importance, so the most important ones get answered first
-
04
Say what you already tried and what constraints are fixed (budget, team, systems, timeline)
-
05
Invite only the people who will act on the answer
-
06
Agree at the start how notes will be captured and who sends the follow up
Our guide on how to hire a consultant covers the same thinking for longer projects.
How booking works on ExpertMatcher
Describe the question in a sentence. ExpertMatcher turns it into a match brief with the role, industry, weighted competencies, seniority and timing, then shortlists verified experts with a fit score per criterion and the reason for each match. You pick an expert, choose 30, 60 or 90 minutes in their calendar and pay by card or ACH. After the call you rate the expert, and the rating appears on the profile only because the call took place. Step by step details are on how it works.
What an expert consultation costs
You need an active company plan, from $24 per month billed yearly on Starter to $499 per month billed yearly on Enterprise. The call is charged at the expert's price plus your plan's platform fee: 12 percent on Starter, 9 percent on Growth, 6 percent on Scale and 4 percent on Enterprise. All plan details are on ExpertMatcher pricing.
Hypothetical example
Hypothetical example: a 30 minute call with an expert whose rate is $240 per hour costs $120. On the Starter plan the 12 percent platform fee adds $14.40, for $134.40 on one invoice.
From one call to a project
Many consultations end with the realization that the problem needs more than an hour. The expert can send a proposal inside the platform, and you agree a SOW with scope, milestones or days per week, acceptance criteria and IP assignment. Payments for milestones and timesheets follow the same flow as the call. For recurring leadership needs, see fractional executives, and for general business help, our consultants for small business page.
What is an expert consultation
An expert consultation is a short paid call with a practitioner who has hands on experience with your question. On ExpertMatcher it lasts 30, 60 or 90 minutes and is priced from the expert's rate card.
How much does an expert consultation cost
The price is set by each expert. You pay the expert's price for the chosen length plus the platform fee of your plan, from 12 percent on Starter down to 4 percent on Enterprise, on one invoice.
Can I share confidential documents
Yes. The expert signs an NDA in the platform before seeing your full brief and company name, and files shared for the call are visible only to your workspace and that expert. More on ExpertMatcher security.
Can I reschedule or cancel a consultation
Yes, inside the cancellation window shown on the booking. Calls missed without canceling inside that window are treated as completed.
Can more people from my team join
Yes. Invite the colleagues who will act on the answer. Seats in your plan let them see the brief, the notes and the shortlist.
What happens after the call
You rate the expert, keep the shared notes and can ask the same expert for a proposal. A project or fractional engagement then runs under a SOW in the platform.
Do I get an invoice
Yes. Every booking produces an invoice with the call price and the platform fee, and Enterprise workspaces receive one consolidated invoice per month.
Get an expert answer before you decide
Describe the question in one sentence and see who can answer it this week.