# be braver now

> be braver now is the trading style of be braver Ltd, a one-person UK practice run by Axel Segebrecht. He is the person whose job a small business's technology is: the website, the domains, the email, the AI questions, and the decisions nobody has been making. Twenty-five years at it. People come to him when nobody owns the technology until it breaks, and then it is the owner's problem at ten on a Thursday night.

It is for small businesses with nobody whose job this is. Five to fifty people, often selling service and maintenance contracts: fire and security, trades, garages, care providers, accountants. Somebody set the technology up years ago and nobody has owned it since.

What it costs is published, which is unusual in this market. A retainer is 600 pounds a month with no minimum term, and that covers the domains, the hosting, the email, the website, the accounts and the renewals, plus the decisions that go with them. Work with a beginning and an end is 1,200 pounds a day, priced by the job wherever possible and quoted before it starts. Domains, hosting and licences stay in the client's own name and on their own card.

Leaving is deliberately easy, and that is the point of the pricing. There is no twelve month minimum, everything is already in the client's name, and being without him for a fortnight should be an inconvenience rather than a crisis.

He sells no licences and takes no commission, so there is nothing he earns more by recommending. The most useful word in the job is no: no to the rebuild that is not needed, the subscription nobody has opened since March, the tool that solves a problem the business has not got. Initial calls are free, about twenty minutes, and sometimes end with him saying do nothing.

## Services
- [Choosing and using AI](https://www.bebravernow.com/ai/): Work out where AI actually earns its place, pick the tool that suits the business, set it up so the data stays yours, and get coached until it feels normal. The honest answer is sometimes not yet.
- [Course: control is what lets you say yes to AI](https://www.bebravernow.com/ai/#course): 60 minutes, 750 pounds, and NO LIMIT ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTEND — one price whether two turn up or twenty, where the rest of this market charges per head or caps the room. Usually delivered online; in person in Milton Keynes and within about ten miles. It is for the owner of a SMALL business making the call, not for engineers and not for medium-sized enterprises. It is a new offering, first sold in 2026. The premise is an inversion: the risk was never adopting AI, it is that staff are already using it unseen and you cannot control what you cannot see. Attendees leave with four things they keep: a 30-day plan with one action already named and dated, started before the session ends; a traffic-light rule classifying every tool red, amber or green so the team can decide without asking; a one-page AI policy template short enough for a new starter to read on their first day; and four questions to put to any vendor before approving a tool (does it train on our data, where is it stored, can it be deleted, who else sees it). Also covered: who owns AI output under UK law and why that is unsettled, why a human must own any decision and be able to say no, choosing vendors you can actually leave, and what to do in the first hour when something goes wrong including the ICO 72-hour breach duty. The handout and the policy template are the attendee's to keep and reuse whether or not they ever work with him again. The right comparison is not other AI training: it is an hour of a solicitor's time, a personal data breach, or a client asking how their data is handled and getting silence. He is not a solicitor and it is guidance, not legal advice.
- [Looking after your website](https://www.bebravernow.com/website-care/): Hosting, domains and renewals, updates, security, backups and the small content changes, all handled. Your site and accounts stay yours.
- [Rescuing what won't work](https://www.bebravernow.com/rescue/): You paid for a tool, site or system and it still doesn't do what you were promised. Axel works out what's wrong and tells you straight whether it's worth saving or replacing.
- [Training and coaching](https://www.bebravernow.com/training/): Get confident with AI, your website, email, kSuite or Google Workspace, SharePoint or WordPress, one-to-one or for a whole team.
- [A new website](https://www.bebravernow.com/new-website/): A fast, secure site you actually own, built on 25 years of knowing what to leave out.
- [Email and collaboration](https://www.bebravernow.com/email/): Business email that arrives and is trusted, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace admin sorted, and intranets and shared drives that earn their keep.

## Pages
- [Home](https://www.bebravernow.com/): Who he works with, what clients say, what a firm with a sales team cannot say, a case study, how to sack him, and what it costs.
- [About Axel](https://www.bebravernow.com/about/): Who Axel is and whether he can be trusted, including what happens if he is unavailable.
- [How to sack me](https://www.bebravernow.com/how-to-sack-me/): What leaving involves, written down before anyone signs up. Everything is already in the client's name.
- [Case studies](https://www.bebravernow.com/case-studies/): Work actually done, anonymised.
- [Get in touch](https://www.bebravernow.com/contact/): Message Axel, or reach him by email or phone.
- [Book a call](https://www.bebravernow.com/call/): A free, no-obligation call to see whether he can help.
- [Book Axel as a speaker](https://www.bebravernow.com/speaking/): Talks, panels, podcasts and interviews on using AI and business technology without handing over control of your data, your money or your judgement.

## How to get in touch
- Book a free call of about twenty minutes at https://www.bebravernow.com/call/. It costs nothing and sometimes ends with him saying do nothing.
- Email or ring via https://www.bebravernow.com/contact/.
- Course enquiries have their own form at https://www.bebravernow.com/ai/#course-enquiry.
- He answers enquiries himself, usually the same day. There is no account manager, no ticket number and no newsletter sign-up.
- He works with clients across the UK. In-person work is Milton Keynes and within about ten miles; everything else is done remotely.

## Writing
Notes on AI, websites, security and keeping control of the technology your business depends on. 28 posts in total, of which the 10 most recent are listed here and the rest under Optional.

- [Writing index](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/): every post, newest first.
- [RSS feed](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/index.xml): the same index as a feed.
- [Substack](https://bebravernow.substack.com): the same writing by email.
- [AI and Automation](https://www.bebravernow.com/categories/ai-and-automation/): 8 posts in this category.
- [Privacy and Data](https://www.bebravernow.com/categories/privacy-and-data/): 8 posts in this category.
- [Security](https://www.bebravernow.com/categories/security/): 7 posts in this category.
- [News and Views](https://www.bebravernow.com/categories/news-and-views/): 5 posts in this category.
- [Escape from the USA: European Alternatives to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-08-25-alternatives-to-microsoft-365-and-google-workspace/): Swiss and German alternatives to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, covering email, office suites and AI. None of them are based in the USA.
- [The AI Bubble Is About to Pop, and That's Good News for Small Business](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-06-17-the-ai-bubble-is-about-to-pop/): The AI bubble is heading for a reckoning. Why small businesses win by running local, open AI they own, and what to do before the crash.
- [Who Decides How AI Is Used? Six Foundations for an Honest Answer](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-06-15-who-decides-how-ai-is-used-six-foundations/): Six questions to settle before your business uses AI for anything that matters: who decides, who is accountable, and what is off limits.
- [Why Your Team Is Pushing Back on AI, and What It's Telling You](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-06-12-why-your-team-is-pushing-back-on-ai/): When staff resist AI they are usually right about something. What the pushback is really about, and how to answer it without a mandate.
- [Why Modern Cars Are a Security Liability, and What I’m Buying Instead](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-05-13-why-modern-cars-are-a-security-liability-and-what-im-buying-instead/): Connected cars expand the attack surface, harvest your data, and can be remotely downgraded. Discover the security risks and how to opt out.
- [The Only Mythos Question That Matters, and Why You Can’t Trust the Answer](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-04-19-the-only-mythos-question-that-matters-and-why-you-cant-trust-the-answer/): Anthropic says its Mythos model can autonomously chain real-world exploits. Only one independent body has tested that claim. Here’s why that matters.
- [Ditch WhatsApp and Discord: Private Alternatives That Don't Harvest Your Data](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-03-23-ditch-whatsapp-and-discord-private-alternatives-that-dont-harvest-your-data/): Explore private, open source alternatives to WhatsApp, Discord, and Slack (from Signal to Matrix to Rocket.Chat) that respect your privacy.
- [Age Verification Isn't About Safety: It's About Data Harvesting](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-03-23-age-verification-isnt-about-safety-its-about-data-harvesting/): Discover why age verification is driven by Meta's lobbying, not child safety, and what it means for your online privacy and anonymity.
- [How to Use AI in Your Business Without Losing Control](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-03-17-how-to-use-ai-in-your-business-without-losing-control/): Learn how to adopt AI safely in your business. Discover why sandboxing, local models, and human oversight beat full automation.
- [Autonomous Robots Are Already Here: Who's Actually in Charge?](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-03-13-autonomous-robots-are-already-here/): Autonomous robots are on our streets and battlefields. But who controls them if a hostile state flips the switch? The risks are closer than you think.

## Legal
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.bebravernow.com/legal/privacy-policy/): How be braver now collects, uses and protects personal data.
- [Terms of Business](https://www.bebravernow.com/legal/terms-of-business/): The terms Axel works under.
- [Cookie Notice](https://www.bebravernow.com/legal/cookie-notice/): What the site stores, which is very little.
- [Imprint](https://www.bebravernow.com/legal/imprint/): Company and regulatory details.

## Contact
- [Email hello@bebravernow.com](mailto:hello@bebravernow.com): The quickest way to reach Axel.
- [Phone +44 (0)1908 95 02 02](tel:+441908950202): UK office hours.
- [Book a call](https://www.bebravernow.com/call/): Free, no obligation, and he will tell you if he is not the right fit.
- [Reviews on Trustpilot](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/bebraveronline.com): What clients say.
- [Mastodon](https://mastodon.social/@bebraver): Where Axel posts.
- [Facebook](https://facebook.com/bebravernow): The company page.

be braver Ltd is registered in England and Wales, company number 06612298, at Crown House, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX.

## Optional
Earlier writing. An agent working to a tight context budget can skip this section.

- [Why Microsoft Is Becoming a Security Liability](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-21-why-microsoft-is-becoming-a-security-liability/): Microsoft's forced Copilot integration processes your confidential documents on US servers. Here is why businesses should explore European alternatives.
- [My Top Censorship-Busting Tools: Stay Private Online](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-18-my-top-censorship-busting-tools-stay-private-online/): A plain-English guide to Tor, self-hosted VPNs, private DNS, and physical media for staying private online, without the jargon or the hype.
- [Why Censorship Doesn't Work, and Australia's Social Media Ban Proves It](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-17-why-censorship-doesnt-work-and-australias-social-media-ban-proves-it/): Australia's social media ban is already failing. From Iran to Syria, history shows censorship never works. Education, not prohibition, is the only answer.
- [Banning Teens from VPNs and Social Media Won't Protect Them](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-16-banning-teens-from-vpns-and-social-media-wont-protect-them/): The UK's plans to ban under-16s from social media and VPNs sound good on paper but miss the point entirely. Education, not prohibition, is the answer.
- [Why I'm Moving My Websites from WordPress to Hugo](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-15-why-im-moving-my-websites-from-wordpress-to-hugo/): Discover why switching from WordPress to Hugo makes your website faster, more secure, and easier to maintain, especially for small business owners and bloggers.
- [Introducing Static Host UK: Privacy-First Website Hosting, Built in Britain](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-15-introducing-static-host-uk-privacy-first-website-hosting-built-in-britain/): Static Host UK: website hosting built in Britain, with no tracking, no cookie banner and no data leaving the country. Why I built it.
- [Is Your Neighbour's Security Camera a Risk to You?](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-14-is-your-neighbours-security-camera-a-risk-to-you/): Is your neighbour's security camera putting your privacy at risk? From Ring's Super Bowl controversy to practical tips, here's what you need to know.
- [Private Security Isn't Just Bodyguards: Your Digital Life Needs Protection Too](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-09-private-security-isnt-just-bodyguards-your-digital-life-needs-protection-too/): What does good cyber security look like for high-net-worth individuals and businesses? Discover why real protection goes far beyond firewalls and tick-box exercises.
- [What if Everyone Could Vote on Everything?](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-09-what-if-everyone-could-vote-on-everything/): What if technology could replace politicians? Exploring how AI, digital identity, and direct democracy could put power back in everyone's hands.
- [Is AI Making Cybercrime Easier? The Rise of the Instant Hack](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-03-is-ai-making-cybercrime-easier--the-rise-of-the-instant-hack/): Discover how AI is transforming cybercrime from a slow, manual process into a rapid threat. Learn how to stay safe in the age of automated hacking and LLMs.
- [The Rise of Open Claw - Brilliant Bot or Security Nightmare](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-02-02-the-rise-of-open-claw--brilliant-bot-or-security-nightmare/): Open Claw can act on your behalf across your accounts. That is the appeal and the problem. What it does, and what it should never be given.
- [Event: Axel talks about AI-Powered Cyber Threats at Biztech Roundtable](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-01-29-event-axel-talks-about-ai-powered-cyber-threats-at-biztech-roundtable/): Talk to Axel live at the Biztech Roundtable event on 4 February. Free webinar.
- [Beyond the “Click”: Why Digital Hygiene is Your Best Weapon Against AI Phishing](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-01-24-beyond-the-click-why-digital-hygiene-is-your-best-weapon-against-ai-phishing/): Protect your SME from AI-driven scams. Learn how digital hygiene, passkeys, and password managers build a defensive shield against modern cyber threats.
- [AI-Powered Cyber Threats: Why Your Small Business Needs to Wake Up Now](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-01-23-ai-powered-cyber-threats-why-your-small-business-needs-to-wake-up-now/): AI-powered cyber threats are targeting small businesses. Learn how deepfake scams, AI phishing, and credential theft work, and how to protect your company.
- [The Power of Compartmentalisation](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-01-16-the-power-of-compartmentalisation/): Stop mixing business with pleasure. Learn how digital compartmentalisation protects your family photos and business data from hackers and compliance risks.
- [Data Minimisation Audit: A Checklist for Businesses](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-01-12-data-minimisation-audit-a-checklist-for-businesses/): A checklist for finding the data you hold and do not need: liability data, third-party trackers, and collecting only what the job actually requires.
- [The Liability of Knowledge: Why Data Minimisation is Your Best Defence](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-01-11-the-liability-of-knowledge-why-data-minimisation-is-your-best-defence/): Data is a liability as well as an asset. Why knowing less about your customers protects you from breaches, penalties and targeted attacks.
- [The Onion Strategy: How SMEs Can Build a Bulletproof Defence in Depth](https://www.bebravernow.com/posts/2026-01-06-the-onion-strategy-how-smes-can-build-a-bulletproof-defence-in-depth/): Protect your SME with the Onion strategy. Learn how DNS filtering, endpoint security, and the 3-2-1 backup rule create a multi-layered defence against hackers.