rGen

rGen was founded on a simple but transformative idea, AI for the rest of us. The belief is that AI can only reshape a business when it becomes part of everyday work. That idea shapes how the Seattle-based consulting firm partners with organizations to expand the use of AI, automation and analytics across the workforce.

Rather than adding more complex technology, rGen helps employees get more out of the tools they already have. By enabling the practical use of platforms such as Microsoft Power Platform, Power BI, and Copilot, teams are equipped to solve problems faster, simplify processes, and make better decisions within the workflow. This approach is especially valuable in sectors like technology, energy and legal services, where automation is rapidly reshaping operations and elevating the expectations placed on employees.

Many companies continue to invest in digital innovation, yet adoption often remains limited to specialist teams or external vendors, creating a disconnect between business intent and execution. rGen works to close this gap by building confidence, capability and everyday fluency among employees.

“There is an untapped opportunity within almost every organization to exploit AI and automation by democratizing access to those tools and unleashing the potential of all your employees,” says Ray Rasmussen, founder and managing principal at rGen.

A Bottom-Up Approach to Change

Unlike large consulting firms that drive top-down, multimillion-dollar programs, rGen builds progress from the ground up. Its methodology is similar to the Kaizen-like approach of continuous improvement. Small, employee-led projects grow into enterprise-wide transformation, delivering practical results while building internal capability.

rGen’s engagements are low-risk and iterative, typically ranging from $10,000 to $250,000. Each project combines hands-on training with live project execution. Teams gain practical experience as they work, delivering measurable business outcomes while developing skills that endure beyond the project. This approach reflects rGen’s simple business model of modernizing one team at a time, building momentum through repeatable cycles of progress. In Rasmussen’s words, it is a rinse and repeat model that builds capability step by step.

The process begins with an understanding of each client’s culture, workflows and technical maturity. Early initiatives, such as automating reports, optimizing workflows, and creating dashboards produce tangible results while giving employees hands-on experience with AI and automation. Over time, these small wins compound into a culture of continuous improvement, digital fluency and self-sufficiency.

“We work in tandem with our clients. The goal is to create solutions that align with their people, culture and skill sets and to leave behind a team capable of sustaining innovation on its own,” says Margaret Snape, management and operations practice leader, emphasizing partnership as central to transformation.

Turning Pain Points into Progress

Modernization challenges are seldom purely technical. Innovation begins with a strong business understanding and the outcomes that need to be achieved. For example, a global technology client faced a challenge in consolidating 300 to 400 regional PowerPoint reports, a process that consumed more than 100 hours and produced a dense, 30-page document. rGen collaborated with the client to create an AI-powered solution that structured the data and displayed it in an interactive Power BI dashboard – improving the value of the information and the experience of executives reviewing the results.

Employees could view insights instantly and easily explore supporting details, cutting the process to just 10 hours. The project enabled client teams to take ownership of the system, equipping them to maintain and enhance the dashboard on their own. Automation was transformed into a lasting organizational capability rather than a one-time fix.

”Long-term AI is not a bolt-on, it is an integrated approach to lasting business improvement. It requires a partnership with business leaders driving improvements and it organizations providing enablement. And it requires a cultural commitment to embracing change and rewarding innovation.”

The Human Side of AI

Partnership and clear communication complements business understanding and effective design. Consultants translate complex technology concepts into structured narratives tailored to each audience, using visual storytelling, logic and supporting data. This ensures employees understand both the what and the why behind the tools they use.

There is an untapped opportunity within almost every organization to exploit AI and automation by democratizing access to those tools and unleashing the potential of all your employees.

Empathetic execution completes rGen’s approach. Consultants work side by side with client teams, combining deep technical expertise and industry knowledge with a focus on collaboration and shared ownership.

“Our team approaches every challenge with empathy, clarity and a focus on outcomes. That combination produces solutions that are easy to use and highly effective,” adds Rasmussen.

Building Self-Sufficient Workforces

rGen provides their clients with a consistent cycle of training, co-development, enablement and support. Training introduces client employees to existing tools and AI capabilities. Co-development transforms knowledge into tangible results. Enablement ensures teams can sustain and evolve solutions independently.

Employees begin to see new possibilities in their everyday work, recognizing how automation and data tools can simplify tasks, improve accuracy and free time for higher-value activities. As confidence grows, modernization becomes embedded in the organizational culture rather than treated as a temporary initiative. Office hours provided by rGen allow employees to bring in real-world problems, receive hands-on guidance and immediately apply solutions.

“When people start to realize what is possible, their mindset changes. They move from hesitation to experimentation,” states Snape.

Developing Talent for a Digital World

The same principles applied to client projects are adhered to internally. Recruitment at rGen is highly selective and guided by a focus on long-term capability building. Out of about 680 applicants, only 12 were selected for the most recent training cohort. Candidates are sought from diverse academic backgrounds, with a preference for liberal arts graduates due to their strong analytical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving approach and ability to understand business context. The firm recruits from 29 universities known for strong talent pipelines.

”We work in tandem with our clients. The goal is to create solutions that align with their people, culture and skill sets and to leave behind a team capable of sustaining innovation on its own.”

Recruits undergo an intensive eight-week training program that combines technical instruction, consulting practice and human-centered design. Continuous mentorship and project-based learning follows, ensuring that consultants translate technical skills into business value. Each stage reinforces rGen’s emphasis on precision, empathy and measurable impact.

This structured approach ensures consistent quality across engagements and cultivates expertise that bridges technology, business processes and organizational strategy. It also mirrors the client experience, where employees engage in hands-on learning, collaborate across disciplines and build the capability to sustain improvement beyond individual projects. Through this model, rGen builds teams that solve client challenges and empower client employees to sustain solutions and drive innovation within their own organizations.

Transforming Organizations for Lasting Impact

The challenge is no longer about whether or not industries should be modernized, but how. Technology is combined with human-centric practices, continuous improvement and empowerment to create enduring organizational capability. rGen ensures modernization becomes an ongoing competency rather than a one-time project.

Snape summarizes it this way, “Long-term AI is not a bolt-on, it is an integrated approach to lasting business improvement. It requires a partnership with business leaders driving improvements and IT organizations providing enablement. And it requires a cultural commitment to embracing change and rewarding innovation.”

Over the next two years, rGen plans to expand its client footprint and delivery capabilities while continuing to prioritize people-centered transformation. It believes the future of successful organizations will be defined by those that harness AI through continuous improvement, strengthen their competitive position through smarter operations and cultivate a culture that embraces change. By embedding AI and automation into everyday work and enabling true human-AI collaboration, rGen helps organizations continuously evolve and build a workforce capable of innovating, adapting and thriving in a digital-first future.

The future of work is not defined solely by the available technology but by how people use it. rGen’s approach puts employees at the center of transformation, creating a foundation for sustainable innovation, self-sufficiency and measurable impact across industries.