The Converging Anxieties
When Orion was invited into NorthRidge Survey Group, a nationwide land surveying firm with 2,400 employees across 23 states, the request sounded simple: "Help us figure out AI."
Beneath that request sat two converging anxieties, each owned by different people.
The Executive View
Marcus Chen, NorthRidge's CEO, felt a growing fear of being left behind—not through sudden disruption, but through gradual drift into irrelevance. Competitors were talking about AI-enabled efficiency. Clients expected faster turnaround, more consistency, and clearer accountability.
"We have revenue, customers, and a strong brand. But I can feel relevance becoming fragile."
Marcus brought in Sarah Williams, the CFO, who shared his concern but added her own: "Everyone wants to talk about AI, but nobody can tell me what it costs or when we'll see returns."
The Technology View
Inside the organization, Lisa Tran, VP of Technology, knew AI was already entering the business—informally and inconsistently.
A handful of employees were using ChatGPT to clean up reports, summarize regulations, or draft client communications. None of this was coordinated. None of it was governed. Sensitive data was being handled outside approved systems, and there was no audit trail if something went wrong.
"We're not behind on AI. We're exposed."
Lisa needed governance, but she also needed something to govern toward—a clear picture of where AI should be applied.
The Operations View
David Martinez, VP of Operations, felt the daily pain most acutely. His teams were stretched thin, quality was inconsistent across regions, and clients were demanding faster delivery.
"My people are already using AI tools on their phones to get work done faster. I can't tell them to stop—I need to give them something better."
David didn't want a strategy deck. He wanted relief.
The Moment of Truth
NorthRidge didn't feel behind. They felt exposed—caught between executive pressure for AI ROI, technology risk from shadow adoption, and operational teams already experimenting without guidance.
When Rachel Torres from Orion reached out to Lisa with a different kind of message—not promising transformation, but offering to help NorthRidge figure out where intelligence actually mattered—Lisa forwarded it to Marcus.
That email led to a call. That call led to a pitch meeting. And that meeting changed how NorthRidge thought about AI.