The wealthiest people I work with got burned the worst.
I'm Soaham. I run Audatu, a fee-only technology advisory service. Like a financial advisor who takes no commissions, I recommend technology based purely on what's right for you. Not what pays me a kickback.
That distinction matters more than most people realize.
Why expensive often means wrong
A client once showed me a $40,000 smart home system his integrator had installed. To turn on the living room lights, he needed three different apps. The "premium" components were selected because they paid the highest dealer margins. Not because they worked well together.
I helped him replace the core components with better alternatives. Total cost: $11,000. Everything now works from a single app. His wife can finally use the lights without calling him for help.
This happens constantly. The assumption that spending more means getting more is exactly backward in technology. The people with money to burn get targeted by integrators and consultants who profit from complexity.
Why this business exists
I grew up watching my father navigate manufacturing supply chains for 30 years. Factories in Shenzhen. Suppliers in Taipei. Quality control in Hong Kong. I learned that the products on retail shelves represent maybe 10% of what's actually possible.
When friends started asking me for technology advice, I noticed a pattern. The smart ones were still making expensive mistakes because the incentives in this industry are broken. Review sites optimize for affiliate commissions. Dealers push whatever pays the highest margin. Nobody is paid to simply tell you the truth.
Audatu fills that gap.
The AI tool on this homepage is free for everyone. No sign-up. No data harvesting. No affiliate links. Just useful recommendations.
The consulting service is for projects too complex for any AI. Custom manufacturing. Privacy-first smart homes. Systems that span multiple rooms and dozens of devices. I charge a fee and work exclusively in your interest.
What makes this different
I have real contacts in Shenzhen who can get things made if they don't exist on any shelf. Not "a guy who knows a guy." Direct relationships with factory owners built over years.
I take zero commissions from any retailer or manufacturer. When I recommend a product, it's because it fits your situation. Not because it pays me.
I work across categories. Smart home, audio, video, security, networking, computing. The right solution rarely comes from one niche. It comes from understanding how pieces from different worlds fit together.
The philosophy
Technology should disappear into your life. The best system is one you stop noticing because it simply works. Every recommendation I make optimizes for that outcome, not for impressive specs or brand prestige.
Whether you're using the free AI tool to find a single product or hiring me to design your entire home, that principle guides everything.