About

Why Forge
& Lever?

By Ben Connor, AI Automation Consultant · Updated March 2026

Built by someone who's actually run a business and lived the chaos of manual processes.

Quick Answer

Forge & Lever was founded in 2024 by Ben Connor, an AI automation consultant based in Perth, Western Australia, with 7+ years of experience in operations and technology. The firm helps businesses with 5-50 employees move from AI-curious to AI-native through practical automation that delivers measurable ROI.

The short version

We're not a big agency with a fancy office and account managers. We're a small operation that builds practical tools for other small operations.

I've spent 7+ years in field operations across the Pilbara — iron ore exploration, drill programs, data acquisition. I've wrangled hundreds of spreadsheets, dealt with systems that don't talk to each other, and spent countless hours on tasks that should have been automated. Now I use tools like LangChain, n8n, and Make to build what I wished existed back then.

I've also run a business. Done the quoting, the invoicing, the chasing payments. I know what it's like to be time-poor and need things to just work. In Australia, 28% of businesses now use AI tools (ABS, 2024; verified March 2026) — but most SMBs still haven't started. That gap is where we operate.

That's what we build. Things that work.

Ben Connor, founder of Forge & Lever

Ben Connor — Founder

2-4 Week Delivery
✓ Former Business Owner
● Perth-Based

Our approach

How we think
about our work

No Hype, No BS

The AI conversation has been dominated by hype, fear, and empty promises. HubSpot reports that 75% of business leaders worry about missing AI opportunities (HubSpot State of AI, 2024). We cut through that. We focus on practical applications that deliver real results — not pretty slides and failed prototypes.

Build What Works

We don't talk about what could happen someday. We build what actually works today using proven AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic Claude, deployed on AWS and Google Cloud Platform. Fast. You'll see progress in days, not months.

You Own Everything

Every line of code, every automation, every system we build — it's yours. No vendor lock-in. No recurring fees to keep your own tools running.

Change That Lasts

We don't just implement AI and walk away. We make sure the change lasts by training your team and providing ongoing support options.

Why now

The Game
Has Changed

5 years ago, if you wanted a custom app or workflow automation, you were looking at $50K+ and 6 months minimum. Only companies with dedicated IT teams could play.

AI has completely changed the economics. PwC estimates AI could contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030 (PwC Global AI Study). Frameworks like LangChain and platforms like n8n mean what took a team 6 months, a solo operator can now build in weeks. The NIST AI Risk Management Framework provides the governance structure to do it responsibly. The technology exists — most businesses just don't know this yet.

Forge & Lever exists to bridge that gap. To help forward-thinking businesses turn AI from an abstract idea into a real competitive advantage.

The future has arrived. It belongs to those willing to step off the sidelines and into the action.

Why us

Built on real
experience

Direct
No account managers or handoffs. You work with the person who builds your solution, from first call to final delivery.
100s
Spreadsheets wrangled. I've lived the chaos of manual data entry, copy-paste workflows, and systems that don't talk to each other.
Real
Business experience. I've run a business. Done the quoting, invoicing, chasing payments. I know what it's like to be time-poor.

"AI is probably the most important thing humanity has ever worked on. I think of it as something more profound than electricity or fire."

— Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google

— Ben Connor

Founder, Forge & Lever

Perth, Western Australia

Transparency

How We Write

Every piece of content on this site is written by Ben Connor and reviewed for accuracy. We follow three principles:

  1. Evidence-based claims — statistics are sourced from published research (McKinsey, Gartner, Deloitte, ABS, CSIRO's Data61). We cite our sources inline.
  2. Practical over theoretical — recommendations come from hands-on project experience, not abstract frameworks.
  3. Regular updates — content is reviewed and updated monthly to reflect the latest AI capabilities and pricing.

Last reviewed: March 2026. Found an error? Email [email protected].

Currently accepting new clients

Ready to talk?

Book a free AI audit and let's find out where automation can help your business.

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or email [email protected]

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