Digital Independence

Practical help relying less on American technology.

For individuals and small-business owners who want to understand what they depend on, keep control of their own data and accounts, and make realistic changes without an IT department.

What digital sovereignty actually means here.

The Government of Canada describes digital sovereignty as staying in control of its own data, technology, and essential online services rather than depending on foreign companies, foreign systems, and foreign laws. That is a fair definition. Almost everyone offering help with it is talking to governments, universities, banks, and large regulated companies.

At the scale of one person or one small business, it comes down to five plain things: informed choice, resilience, portability, clear jurisdiction, and practical control. Knowing what you depend on. Knowing what happens if it changes. Being able to get your work back out. Knowing whose laws apply to it. Being the one who decides.

It does not mean replacing every foreign product, and it does not mean claiming perfect independence. Keeping a useful American service can be a completely rational decision. The point is that you made it, rather than inherited it.

Who this is for.

A good fit

  • Individuals who want their photographs, files, and email somewhere they understand
  • Small businesses whose customer list lives inside somebody else's platform
  • People being quoted a migration and unsure whether they need one
  • Anyone who has just realised how much sits in one account
  • Organisations too small to have anyone whose job this is

Not a good fit

  • Regulated compliance work, or anything needing a legal opinion
  • Formal security audits, penetration testing, or certification
  • Incident response for a live breach
  • Enterprise procurement and vendor-risk processes
  • Anyone wanting a guarantee that a platform will never change

I am not a lawyer and I do not sell compliance or cybersecurity certification. If your question needs one of those, I will tell you that instead of taking your money.

$75 CAD

Digital Independence Conversation

For one immediate question or decision.

What you get

  • A 30-minute conversation
  • One service, problem, or proposed move
  • Practical options explained in plain language
  • Three next steps, sent to you by email afterwards

Questions this fits

  • How do I leave Google Photos?
  • What map should my website use?
  • Is this hosting provider actually Canadian?
  • What is a sensible first step away from Google Workspace?

Not included: extensive research, a full inventory of your technology, or migration and implementation work.

$225 CAD

Digital Independence Checkup

For a person or small business that needs a broader plan.

What you get

  • A short intake and review beforehand
  • A 75-minute conversation
  • A review of the important tools and dependencies in scope
  • A prioritized written roadmap

And

  • Canadian and non-US alternatives researched where practical
  • Clear advice on what to keep, replace, defer, or leave alone
  • One follow-up email

Not included: migration and implementation work.

Common situations worth thinking through.

  • Twelve years of family photographs living in one account you have never exported.
  • A customer list that exists only inside a booking or mailing platform.
  • A website you cannot edit, on a platform you cannot leave, built by someone you cannot reach.
  • A domain registered in somebody else's name, which is not the same as being yours.
  • Business email tied to a service that also holds your files, calendar, and logins.
  • A map, font, form, or chat widget quietly loading from somewhere else on every page.
  • A price that has gone up three years running, and no idea what leaving would cost.
  • A free plan that has started to feel less free.

What neither engagement includes.

Both are advice. Neither one is delivery. This is worth being blunt about, because the gap between "here is the plan" and "the plan is done" is where most people get an unexpected bill.

  • Migration of accounts, files, mail, photographs, or websites
  • Building, rebuilding, or hosting a website or store
  • Changing, closing, or configuring any account on your behalf
  • Custom development or ongoing technical support
  • Legal, privacy, regulatory, or cybersecurity certification advice

What may happen afterwards.

One of four things, and I will say which one plainly:

  1. A separately scoped, fixed-price proposal for specific work.
  2. A narrow next engagement, if there is one worth doing.
  3. A do-it-yourself path, if you can reasonably handle it yourself.
  4. A referral to someone better qualified than me for what you need.

There is no hourly rate, no retainer, and no ongoing contract to decline. If the answer is that you do not need to spend anything else, that is the answer you will get.

Ask about a conversation or a checkup.

Tell me roughly what you are dealing with. I will reply by email, and I will be honest if it is not something I should be helping with.

Prefer plain email? colin@bailefios.ca

Are you asking as an individual or for a business?

Do not send passwords, recovery codes, API keys, or account credentials through this form. I will never ask for them, and I do not need them to answer your question.

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