About Ential

Builders First

We are practitioners, not followers. Ential works at the leading edge of how businesses put AI to work, and we know how to do it because it is what we do every day.

Ential is an AI automation agency based in Brisbane, Australia, that builds AI agents and automations for small professional services and home services businesses, with clients across allied health, healthcare, trades, business services and real estate.

In AI since
2018
Founded
2020
35 Google reviews
5 stars

Hands-on experience with brands including

How We Work

A practical path from operational diagnosis to a system the client can run without permanent outside dependency.

  1. See Where the Hours Go

    Ential maps the current operation, the bottlenecks, the lost hours and the workflows most likely to produce a measurable return.

  2. Know What to Build First

    Findings become a ranked roadmap with clear outcomes, owners, dependencies and acceptance criteria.

  3. Watch It Work Every Sprint

    Senior builders work in 2-week sprints, talk in shared channels and demonstrate working systems throughout delivery.

  4. Own Every Piece of It

    The client receives the system, documentation, training and full intellectual property ownership, with ongoing support where needed.

Communication
Shared channels and direct access to the builders doing the work
Cadence
2-week sprints, daily standups and working demonstrations
Ownership
Client stack, full IP transfer, documentation and team training

Our Services

6 connected capabilities, from deciding what to build through to adoption and the systems that keep running after handover.

Why I Started Ential

Why I started Ential

Ryan Drake <ryan@ential.com>

Hi, I'm Ryan

In 2020, I found myself automating my entire day job. The work still got done. I just wasn't the one doing it, and for the first time in a long time I could switch off at night.

Then business owners started asking me to do the same for them. That's how Ential started.

Most owners I meet built their business to buy back their freedom, and it has done the opposite. Every quote, approval and quick question lands on their phone. They check it at dinner. They check it on holidays. They check it at 11pm in case something is waiting.

That doesn't fix itself. It gets worse as the business grows, because more customers means more notifications. The longer it runs through you, the harder it is to hand over.

So that's what we build. Systems that handle the follow-up, the reporting and the approvals, so the business keeps moving when you put the phone down. We set them up, train your team to run them and hand the whole thing over. You own every piece of it, and you get to build a life and a business you actually love.

If your phone is the first thing you check in the morning and the last thing you check at night, let's fix that now. Start with the free audit. It takes 5 minutes.

Talk soon,

EntialRyan DrakeFounder and CEO, EntialBrisbane, Australia · ential.com

How We're Different

Deloitte, KPMG, Accenture and PwC are built for enterprise programmes. Ential is built for the owner-led companies below that tier, where a strategy only matters once it becomes a working system the client owns.

  • Proven Before It Reaches You

    Every system Ential sells runs in its own operation first. If it cannot survive real deadlines, handoffs and client work, it does not reach a client.

    Instead of: Advice from consultants who have never shipped

    With Ential: Systems already running inside a working business

  • Direct Access to the Builders

    Clients work directly with the people designing and building the system, not through layers of account management and junior handoffs.

    Instead of: A monthly PDF report on engagement

    With Ential: A shared channel with the engineers doing the work

  • You Pay for Outcomes

    Work is scoped around a defined result rather than open-ended hourly billing. The output, ownership and acceptance criteria are agreed before the build.

    Instead of: Open-ended hours billed every month

    With Ential: A defined result with acceptance criteria agreed up front

  • Priorities Reset Every Fortnight

    Work runs in 2-week sprints, supported by daily standups and real-time collaboration. Working systems are demonstrated as they are delivered.

    Instead of: Locked into a 12-month retainer

    With Ential: 2-week sprints with a working demo at the end of each

  • You Keep the Keys

    Systems are built in the client's stack, documented and handed over with full intellectual property ownership. There is no dependency by design.

    Instead of: Built on their tools, under their logins

    With Ential: Your stack, your documentation, full IP ownership

Who We Partner With

Established teams with real operational volume, a clear bottleneck and an owner who wants the system to keep running without them.

Owner-Led Companies Doing $1M-$20M

Established businesses where sales, approvals, reporting or delivery still route through the founder.

Marketing, Sales and Operations Leaders

Teams that need repeatable systems across lead generation, CRM, finance, customer service and delivery.

Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom

Clients and project experience across all 3 markets.

Tuesday Morning in Your Inbox

5 waiting on you
  • J
    Jess· Sales7:42

    Mercer quote is due at 9. Can you price it? They only want it from you.

    Quote drafted from your pricing rules

  • M
    Marco· Ops8:05

    Supplier contract needs your call today. Renewal lapses Friday.

    Renewal terms summarised for approval

  • S
    Sam· Accounts8:31

    3 invoices overdue. Want me to chase, or are you across those?

    Payment reminders sent on schedule

  • A
    Agency· External9:10

    Monthly report attached! Leads are down, but engagement is up 200% 🎉

    Live pipeline dashboard replaces the PDF

  • T
    Tara· Delivery9:26

    Client's chasing their proposal. Where's the latest pricing doc?

    Latest proposal pulled from the CRM

An illustration of the threads an audit usually moves into a system first.

Take Yourself Out of the Approval Loop

If quotes, approvals, client updates and follow-up wait for you, the free audit maps what should move into a system first.

Ryan Drake, Founder and CEO of Ential

Founder and CEO

The Team Behind Ential

A Brisbane-founded team of makers, entrepreneurs and technical specialists.

Ryan Drake

Ryan has worked with machine learning and big data since 2018 across martech brands in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. He automated his own job during COVID, then founded Ential to build the same kind of operational leverage for other owners. Startup, tech and finance tragic.

8 Years of Getting Our Hands Dirty

  1. 2018Machine Learning Before the Hype

    Ryan was deep in big data and machine learning (billions of data points) at an international martech company with brands across the UK, US and Australia. Zapier came calling for an interview that year too.

  2. 2020COVID Opens a Side Door

    When COVID hit, Ryan automated most of his own day job. Then word got around. He started consulting to business owners on their systems, operations and automations, and Ential was born in Brisbane.

  3. 2021Modern Business Accelerator

    Ryan launched Modern Business Accelerator, a mastermind he ran for 3 years, consulting founders at every stage, including businesses that went from zero to 7 figures inside a few years.

  4. 2022Early to Everything

    Writing with Jasper. Generating with early Midjourney and Runway, back when the outputs were still weird. Inside ChatGPT in its first week. Being early is a habit here, not a fluke.

  5. 2023From Projects to Partnerships

    One-off builds turned into ongoing partnerships. Audits and strategy work joined the toolbox, because the biggest wins kept showing up before any automation was built.

  6. 2024Across Borders

    Australian clients were joined by US and UK ones. Same playbook: find the bottleneck, build the system, hand over the keys.

  7. TodayStill Building

    AI agents in production, workshops that fill rooms, and the Ential Marketing Hub running client growth end to end. The rule has not changed: nothing ships to a client until it has been battle-tested inside Ential.

Why Ential Exists

Our Mission

Help usher in the next wave of great Australian businesses by giving owners the systems, skills and AI to grow without everything running through them.

Our Vision

To be Australia's #1 consultancy for small and medium businesses.

Giving Back Is Part of Our Mission

Ential is a B1G1 Business for Good partner. Every project we take on funds 1,000 days of clean water in Tanzania, 10 meals in Kenya and 10 trees planted in India.

Learn more about our mission

The Values We Work By

12 values behind every decision, every build and every hire.

  • We Are Results Focused

    Your results matter to us. We focus on scale and we win.

  • Success Loves Speed

    We decide swiftly and confidently. It's only impossible until it's done.

  • Action Speaks Louder Than Words

    Everything we do, we do intentionally and we do for good.

  • We Sweat the Small Stuff

    The devil is in the detail. We aim to do it right.

  • We Create From Our Genius Zone

    When we work from our zone of genius, incredible things happen.

  • Celebration Is Part of Our DNA

    Your growth is our obsession. We celebrate every win.

  • We Make Mistakes and Messes

    We own them, share them quickly and fix them together.

  • Having Fun Is Part of the Process

    Work hard and play harder. Enough said.

  • Mission-Driven Business

    Every time we do business, something good happens in the world.

  • Always Do Good

    If a decision is good for us, our clients and the world, we do it.

  • Future Focused

    We give to the people tackling the largest issues facing humanity.

  • Wealth Is an Identity

    Wealth first for our clients, then for us, then we give back.

Join the Team

Ential hires makers who would rather ship the thing than write a deck about it. Remote, async and AI-first, with your fingerprints on the tools we use ourselves.

Rated 5.0 out of 5

Don't Take Our Word for It

Here's what our customers say. 35 five-star Google reviews across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and New York City.

Came back from holidays to fully booked sales calls

“I loved working with Ential Automated AI Business Solutions. They helped me upgrade my website and automate my business operations, and the whole experience was seamless. They were prompt, and I always had the feeling we were on the same page. I loved the personalised approach and how specific they were, even in their wording – not that generic "ChatGPT" style that no one likes to read anymore. I managed to increase my sales revenue with very little personal engagement in the process. I was actually on holidays and came back to fully booked sales calls. From the moment I sign up a client, I don't need to do any backend work – it's all automated, and I get to have my time back to live my life. Highly recommend.”
Tatiana WilliamsTatiana WilliamsGoogle review · a month ago

Automated a process that eats 5 to 10 hours a week

“Ryan's workshop was genuinely useful. No fluff, no theory for theory's sake. He focused on the actual problems I was dealing with and, by the end of the day, had helped me automate a process that typically eats 5 to 10 hours a week. Beyond the practical wins, his ability to cut through the current AI hype and identify what's actually worth your time is just as valuable.”
Chris ChanChris ChanExercise Scientist

Blown away by how much we learnt in just a day

“Our team recently undertook a full-day intensive with Ryan and were blown away by how much we learnt in just a day. It already feels like I'm finding ways to create the software that didn't exist for our agency. Highly recommend!”
Sam SidneySam SidneyFounder, Milkbar Digital

Custom AI applications we now use with clients

“Ryan is a master of sales, marketing and automation. He helped us understand how to leverage AI to supercharge our business efficiency and create some custom applications that we can now use with clients.”
Lachlan NicolsonLachlan NicolsonBusiness Strategist & Founder of Waymaker Finance

A whole new website, working so well

“Ryan has been amazing to work with; he is very professional and friendly. Ryan created a whole new website for us, and it is all working so well. His back up service and coaching has helped us so much. We couldn't be happier.”
ECEmma ClementCo-founder of Sunshine Coast Coffee Machines

Would do another session tomorrow

“Ryan walked me through a few different levels of using AI products, and he walked me through a few products and systems that will make my work much more efficient and easier to organise and build the systems that I want to. Would do another 3-hour session with him tomorrow if I could. So much to learn from him!!!”
Nicholas LawsNicholas LawsOwner of Laws Electrical Services

Implemented what I learned that weekend, saving hours of time

“I recently did the 'Claude in a Day' Adelaide Workshop with Ryan Drake. AI/Claude was a skill I was wanting to learn this year, and I knew I'd learn it so much faster with the help of someone like Ryan who is a whizz with AI and systems. What I loved about this workshop was working in a small intimate group, where we could be engaged, try things as we learned. There was so much to take in, but it opened my mind to all the possibilities on how to use Claude to make my life and business so much simpler. On the weekend after the training - I spent hours in my office implementing what I'd learned - saving me HOURS of time in the future! 10/10 recommend this training and working with Ryan. He's such a genuine guy, and a great teacher.”
Daniel MarshallDaniel MarshallFinancial Coach & Facilitator

Walked out genuinely blown away by how much is actually possible

“I did the Claude in a Day workshop last week and walked out genuinely blown away by how much is actually possible. Ryan breaks everything down so clearly. I didn't think I could use a coding app until I went through this training, now I know how to use Claude and Claude Code efficiently across my life and my business. Honestly, every individual, every business, and every team should do a session with him. If you want to truly unlock what AI can do for you, Ryan is your guy. Highly recommend.”
Sarah JeavonsSarah JeavonsModel, Actress & Winner of SAS Australia

Changed the way I think about AI

“I did a six and a half hour AI deep dive with Ryan last week, and honestly it's changed the way I think about using AI in my business. He showed me frameworks and little tactics I hadn't seen anywhere else, but the thing that really stuck with me was how patient he was. No question felt too small, he never rushed, and you could tell he actually cared about me understanding why something worked, not just how to do it. I walked away with a bunch of practical stuff I can use straight away, and a much clearer way of thinking about where AI fits in. If you're a business owner trying to get serious about AI, I can't recommend Ryan enough.”
Addison ForbesAddison ForbesFounder of Paidfunnels.com & Meta Ads Expert

A system I can rely on daily

“Ryan was incredibly helpful in setting up AI in a way that actually works for real life. He took the time to understand both my personal and professional needs and tailored the setup so it genuinely streamlined how I think, plan, and work. The result has been more clarity, better organisation, and a system I can rely on daily rather than another tool that gets ignored. Ryan explains things clearly, without jargon, and makes the whole process feel practical and empowering. Highly recommend if you want to use AI properly, not just experiment with it.”
Sammi CulhaneSammi CulhaneMother

Created and implemented a lead magnet within a couple of hours

“I attended an incredibly insightful AI training that completely expanded my understanding of what's now possible with AI for business growth, content creation, and systems integration. I was blown away by the range of tools and software currently available to help create, automate, and streamline almost any idea. Within just a couple of hours, I had already created and implemented a lead magnet for my business, something that would have previously taken me days or weeks. This training gave me not only practical skills, but also a whole new level of confidence in navigating the future of business with AI. It made me realise how important it is to learn how to work with AI as a powerful partner rather than simply seeing it as a tool. I now feel far more empowered, ahead of the curve, and excited about the possibilities AI can bring to my business and creativity.”
Lahaina DaudtLahaina DaudtPhotographer & Confidence Coach

Developed my own app to use with clients

“I recently did an AI Deep Dive session with Ryan and it was incredible. I have now been able to develop my own app which I can use with clients which will streamline the workload for them. Thank you so much Ryan. I couldn't have done it without you.”
Lauren LeeLauren LeeFinancial Coach

Obvious ROI within the first week

“I worked with Ryan at Ential for a 3-hour AI Deep Dive session, and it's been one of the most practical, high-leverage sessions I've done for my business and day-to-day workflow. What stood out immediately was how personalised it was. Ryan didn't push generic ideas but instead took the time to understand how I work, what I actually need, and then helped me build systems I could execute straight away. Within the week I had tangible outcomes: clearer operating systems, better structure across my files and processes, and multiple AI workflows running that I use daily. The ROI has been obvious, in less friction, faster execution, and better organisation without adding more effort. Highly recommend Ential (and Ryan specifically) if you want AI implemented properly and tailored to your actual needs.”
Michelle MontgomeryMichelle MontgomeryFinancial Trader

Implemented tools immediately after the session

“I did a 3-hour AI Deep Dive with Ryan from the Ential team a few days ago and it was genuinely valuable. Ryan broke down how to personalize and build ChatGPT projects step by step, and he also showed us an effective, practical way to use Manus efficiently with examples I could apply right away. The session was well-structured, interactive, and tailored to our goals and questions throughout. I started implementing the tools and workflows immediately after the session. Highly recommend the course, Ryan, and the Ential team.”
Mo J HammoudMo J HammoudGoogle review · 3 weeks ago

Spend more time doing what I love

“Ential has become the CRM platform for my business. Ryan and the team have been incredible at helping me get it set up and running in a way that serves my business. Ryan has been great at communicating with me different ways that I can incorporate AI into my business so that I can spend more time doing what I love and less time doing tasks that arent generating income or personal impact. Highly recommend Ential!”
Jayde HannaJayde HannaCouples Therapist

A million solutions I am so excited to implement

“Had the BEST experience in an AI deep dive with Ryan today. Totally loved it, he was kind and responsive. Got a million solutions that I am so excited to implement.”
Lisa ZahiyaLisa ZahiyaBusiness Consultant

Every interaction felt completely personalised

“I can't recommend Ential Business Solutions highly enough. They have supported me with everything from creating landing pages and marketing funnels to developing resources and marketing materials, all with an incredible level of professionalism, creativity, and expertise. What truly sets Ential apart is their client care. Every interaction has felt completely personalised never rushed, never generic. They are always available, incredibly supportive, and genuinely invested in helping you bring your vision to life in a way that feels aligned and authentic. If you're looking for a marketing team that delivers beautiful, strategic work and truly looks after their clients, I couldn't recommend Ential Business Solutions more highly.”
Camilla RoweCamilla RowePersonal Trainer & Nutrition Coach

Learned 10x more than I expected

“Incredible workshop with Ryan today!. I was able to learn 10x more than I expected and have learned in a short period of time how to accelerate my business. Hands-on setting up, connecting, and learning. Have already booked for a followup consultation for next week to move into the next part of my business needs which I didnt dream to complete for 6-12months. Highly recommend.”
Sara LiDonniSara LiDonniFounder of Bright Path Creative

Their work is beyond expectations

“I have been working with Ryan and the Ential team to launch my new gym. They have created the website, all the systems, booking platform, app and everything I need behind the scene. Their work is beyond expectations. I absolutely LOVE the branding, marketing, and everything that has been created. They have been amazing to work with, very attentive and reachable and nothing is ever an issue. If you are about to start a business or you already have one and feel the systems need an upgrade then go see Ryan at Ential. I could not recommend him and the team more highly.”
Leah DortmannLeah DortmannMrs. Universal Petite, Bikini Pro & Personal Trainer

Eliminated multiple subscriptions into one platform

“I hired Ential to build funnels and automated systems for my company. The biggest result has been eliminating multiple subscriptions and consolidating everything into one streamlined platform. The team is professional, friendly, and quick to implement changes, whether it's fine-tuning the copy or aligning with the overall funnel vision. I also value the WhatsApp support, which makes it easy to request incremental updates whenever needed. Overall, it's clear that the entire Ential team is genuinely invested in the success of their clients.”
Ana-Maria GeorgievaAna-Maria GeorgievaFounder of Luna Voda Coaching

Greater clarity, confidence, and direction

“Working with Ryan from Ential has been one of the best decisions I've made for my business. He's not only a brilliant business coach but also incredibly down-to-earth, strategic, and supportive. Ryan helped me refine my overall business strategy, streamline automations, upgrade key systems, and improve my website, and that's just scratching the surface. The advice he's given me has been both practical and impactful. I've walked away from the session with greater clarity, confidence, and direction. If you're looking for someone who genuinely knows what they're doing and is invested in your growth, I can't recommend Ryan highly enough.”
Josephine EveJosephine EveLeading Sydney Fashion Stylist

Strategically mapped out and seamlessly integrated

“Working with Ryan and his team to bring my business online has been an absolute game-changer. From the very beginning, they took the time to truly understand my brand, my audience, and the direction I wanted to grow in. Their expertise in online marketing funnels is outstanding — everything was strategically mapped out, beautifully designed, and seamlessly integrated. What I appreciated most was their clear communication and ongoing support throughout the entire process. No question ever felt too small, and every step was explained in a way that made me feel confident and in control. If you're looking for a team that's professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in your success, I can't recommend Ryan and his team highly enough.”
Joni Hodson IliasJoni Hodson IliasOwner at The FaceLift Facialist

Constant support and results: presentation 10/10

“Absolutely amazed by the constant support and results from the Ential team! Aileen in particular smashed the recent project of creating additional event and service pages to be added to the profile! Presentation was 10/10!”
Stephanie BaileyStephanie BaileyFounder of Aligned Evolution & Inner Child Expert

Invaluable insights around automating processes

“The work Ryan + his team did for us was invaluable - great service + amazing insights around automating processes and digital marketing - will definitely be working with Ryan + the team again :)”
BPBronte Packer-HillFounder of Sonder & Stone

Does everything they say they will do and more

“It's a rare moment when you find someone in business that does everything they say they are going to do and more… Our experience with Ential and Founder Ryan Drake has been nothing short of amazing! They deliver their service in the time frame discussed, they work with you when things arise (not part of the agreement entered into) their service is outstanding and Ryan is a pleasure to work alongside. I highly recommend anyone looking to work with Ential, don't look any further as these guys will not disappoint you!”
Kelly KingstonKelly KingstonFounder of Happy & Well

Full of practical tips and aha moments

“I had such a great experience with Ryan from Ential during an AI deep dive. We went through how much potential GPTs have for my business and Ryan taught me how to create them in an easy way. We also got to build a fun GPT to whip up a Jamie Oliver style recipe from a photo of ingredients in my fridge, which is a very cool conversation starter. The session was full of practical tips, lots of ah ha moments and I've already put a lot of what I learned into action. Ryan is incredibly knowledgeable (and passionate) about AI automations and also made the whole experience fun.”
Kerry WilsonKerry WilsonBusiness Consultant

Operations now streamlined and more efficient than ever

“We recently had the pleasure of working with Ryan and the Ential team to automate our business processes, and we couldn't be happier with the results! Ryan and his team have been incredibly helpful, consistently communicative, and always willing to go the extra mile. They made sure to ask all the right questions, address any concerns, and ensure that we were completely satisfied with their work. Thanks to their dedication, our business operations are now streamlined and more efficient than ever. We highly recommend Ryan and the Ential team for all your business needs if you're looking to achieve seamless automation and process improvements!”
VViaChief of Staff at Virtual Revolution VA Services

Automations that really give me back my time

“After stumbling upon Ryan on instagram I spent a bit of time understanding and wrapping my head around the type of work he does. After reaching out and having a chat about where my business is headed we created a game plan around how i can make my life as simple and stress free as possible with the use of automations and processes that really give me back my time. Already impressed with what has been built so far with the goal of creating the infrastructure to support all my growth ideas. Thank you Ryan.”
Bayley ClarkeBayley ClarkeMortgage Broker

Created my own GPT for my business in one hour

“After spending a few hours with Ryan, I have had a complete foundation to start with AI. I always wanted help with running a starting business, and I had many hours spent researching and planning how I was going to be running my business. As most is online, Ryan was able to create a small workshop for my situation to help. I am in the entertainment industry, mainly independent. Ryan knew what I needed for my specific situation and in one hour we had created my own GPT for my business. Ideal for AI assistance and specifically learning about me and my experiences and being able to produce a result. Highly recommend Ryan to anyone, the future of Automation is going to be massive and I recommend people and businesses get assistance from Ryan as he is able to navigate all angles to help you. Thank you Ryan”
JWJohn WoodGoogle review · a year ago

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions prospective clients and AI assistants ask most often about Ential.

Ential is an AI automation agency based in Brisbane, Australia, that builds AI agents and automations for small professional services and home services businesses, with clients across allied health, healthcare, trades, business services and real estate. Ryan Drake founded Ential in Brisbane in 2020. Its work covers AI consulting, custom AI agents, AI automation, AI SEO and AI training on frontier models such as ChatGPT, Claude and Grok, plus 2 products: the Ential Marketing Hub and Donna, an AI executive assistant.

Build the Next Version of Your Business

Every engagement starts with a map of how the business actually runs, what is slowing it down and what should be fixed first.