65% off AWS spend, zero incidents.
We set a 30% AWS cost-reduction target with HEC Media on a full platform decommission — and delivered 65%, cutting spend from ~$3,570/mo to ~$1,250/mo (~$27,833/year saved), on time, with zero downtime.
From a 30% target to a 65% result.
Monthly AWS spend, Jan–Jun 2026: HEC Media’s bill fell from $3,569.68 to $1,250.28 — six months of actual post-cutover billing, not a projection.
Verified via AWS Cost Explorer (read-only), 2026-06-30.
Results at a glance
| KPI | Target | Actual (verified) | Attainment |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS cost reduction | 30% | 65% | 217% |
| Monthly $ saved | $500/mo | $2,319/mo | 464% |
| Zero-impact decommission | 0 incidents | 0 | 100% |
| Timeline | ≤28 days | 28 days | 100% |
| Data backup completeness | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Client deliverables | 6 | 6 | 100% |
The problem
HEC Media needed three things at once: a clear picture of a complex AWS environment, a safe plan to decommission a legacy platform without breaking shared services, and a credible path to materially lowering the AWS run-rate.
The operational challenge was not just cost — it was dependency risk.
- Multiple subdomains pointed at shared infrastructure
- Some services were exclusive to the platform being decommissioned; others were shared assets that could not be touched
- Written, decision-ready deliverables were required before any change execution
The approach
- Inventory — catalog every AWS service and map dependencies
- Separate — split exclusive resources from shared assets
- Document — write down decommission risk before recommending changes
- Quantify — translate findings into dollar-denominated savings
- Execute — cut over on a fixed date, with formal approval gating every change
What was delivered
6 client-facing deliverables across audit, dependency mapping, and the decommission roadmap — each reviewed and approved before execution. Zero production incidents on HEC Media’s operations during or after cutover, and 100% of data backed up and verified.
Conclusion
YT Advisors delivered a full AWS audit, dependency map, decommission playbook, and clean cutover for HEC Media — realizing a 65% AWS spend reduction against a 30% target, in 28 days, with zero production incidents and 100% of data backed up and verified.
“YT Advisors set clear targets and delivered — they cut our AWS costs dramatically with zero disruption to our services, and reported on the actual outcomes, not just activity.”
— Jayne Ballew, Director of Programming, HEC Media
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