About Steelwise

Why we exist

Steelwise exists because most businesses cannot get a straight answer about technology. The security industry defaults to jargon and fear. MSPs want to sell you a contract. Consultancies send juniors. What is missing is a practice that is experienced, broad, honest, and genuinely interested in your specific problem.

Most advisors specialise in one lane. We deal with security, infrastructure, and AI together, because that is what running a real technology business actually requires. The decisions interact, and treating them separately is how businesses end up with three answers that do not fit together.

The partnership model

We are built on a partnership model: a small, trusted team backed by a network of specialists. You always get senior people who have actually done the work. No juniors, no handoffs, no learning on your time.

When a piece of work needs deeper specialist expertise than we hold, we coordinate it through our network rather than pretending we can do everything. You keep one relationship and one person accountable, and you do not have to manage a group of suppliers who have never spoken to each other.

Vendor neutrality

We are not tied to any product or vendor. We do not take commissions, we do not resell hosting or software, and everything we deliver is yours.

This matters more than it sounds. An advisor who earns a margin on what they recommend is answering a different question from the one you asked. If you want a second opinion on what your IT provider is telling you, that is exactly the kind of conversation we are here for.

How we work

We do not start with a sales pitch. We start with a conversation.

A coffee and a conversation

Free, face to face, no strings. Tell us what is going on with your tech, what is keeping you up at night, or what you are trying to figure out. If we can help, we will say so. If we cannot, we will point you to someone who can.

A first piece of work

A defined engagement: a security review, an architecture assessment, a clear deliverable. Scoped to what you actually need, priced fairly, no surprises. Designed to demonstrate value before asking for commitment.

An ongoing relationship

For most clients, the real value is having someone to call. We become your technology person, across security, infrastructure, and AI. When you need deeper specialist work, we coordinate it through our network. One relationship, no vendor lock-in, and someone who knows your business.

What we will tell you not to do

Not every business needs AI right now, and we will say so. The same goes for certifications you are not ready for, tooling you will not use, and rebuilds you do not need yet. Advice that only ever points towards more work is sales, not advice.

Who runs it

Steelwise was founded by Carl Heaton, who has spent over 22 years working across security, web infrastructure, data, and AI, including CTO, CISO, and DPO roles in regulated sectors. He writes every filing on this site. There is more detail on his background and experience.

The details

Steelwise is a trading name of Technical Director Ltd, company number 08512222, based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. We work with businesses across the United Kingdom, in person around Sheffield and remotely elsewhere.

Get in touch

The first conversation is always free. Email [email protected], call 0114 376 7987, or see the contact page.