Questions We Hear Most

Small and mid-size businesses — typically between $2M and $150M in revenue — where senior operating experience creates the most impact. Our clients are usually owners, founders, or boards facing a specific challenge: a turnaround, a leadership gap, a growth plateau, a planned exit, or a situation that has resisted every previous attempt at a fix.

We offer both fixed-fee and retainer engagements. Fixed fee means all costs are defined upfront — no scope creep, no surprise invoices. Retainer arrangements work well for ongoing advisory relationships or coaching where the need evolves month to month. We will recommend the structure that makes the most financial sense for your situation before any agreement is signed.

With a conversation, not a proposal. We spend time understanding the real situation — not just the symptoms — before we scope anything. That usually means interviews with key stakeholders, a review of relevant financials, and honest questions that other consultants might avoid. Most engagements are scoped and ready to begin within two weeks of that first call.

As long as they need to — no longer. We have run focused assessments that took three days and full turnarounds that ran 24 months. A single coaching engagement might last six sessions. An interim executive placement can run a year or more. We scope to the problem, not to a billing target.

Family businesses are a specialty. The dynamics of family ownership — succession disputes, generational differences, blurred lines between family relationships and business decisions — add a layer of complexity that most consultants are simply not equipped to handle. We have navigated these situations many times. We bring the neutral, professional perspective that makes it possible to have the conversations the family cannot have on its own.

We step into the role fully — not as a consultant observing from the side. An interim CEO, CFO, or COO from our team operates with the same authority and accountability as a permanent hire. We stabilize the function, make the decisions that need to be made, build the processes and team that will outlast us, and then transition out on a defined timeline. The goal is always to leave the business stronger and less dependent on outside help.

Yes — and the earlier you bring us in, the better. Preparing a business for sale is not just about cleaning up the financials. It is about building the operational and organizational narrative that maximizes value in a buyer's eyes. We have prepared multiple businesses for sale, run the process, and helped owners get to the right close. We can also provide due diligence support if you are acquiring.

"I presume nothing" — Sherlock Holmes, A Study in Scarlet. Every engagement starts with facts, not assumptions. We ask uncomfortable questions before we recommend anything. We never arrive with a pre-packaged solution looking for a problem to fit it to. The name is a commitment, not a brand line.