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Setting up HQ yourself vs with a partner.
You don't need a partner to use HQ. Here's when one helps, and when it doesn't.
| Setting up HQ yourself | With Out of the Box | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Your HQ plan plus your time | $500 call, about $3k team day, or $10k build |
| Speed | Depends on your champion | 2 to 4 weeks for a full build |
| Whole team using it | Depends on your champion | Team training is part of every build |
| Skills proven on a live e-commerce brand | You build and test them | 47 skills and 16 agents running Shirt in a Box |
| Ownership after handover | Yours | Yours |
When should you do it yourself?
If someone on your team has the time and the tech confidence, and you're happy to learn by trial and error. HQ's own paid plans can include launch help and training.
When does a partner pay back?
When the founder is the only one using it, when nothing's connected yet, or when you want the skills that already work on an e-commerce brand rather than building from scratch. Not sure? The founder call gives you a straight answer on whether you need us.