How We Work

We Do Not Start With a Solution. We Start With Your Situation.

Every engagement begins the same way - a conversation. We listen to what is happening in your business before we suggest anything. The diagnosis comes first. The solution comes second.

The Process

From First Contact to Lasting Results.

Every engagement follows the same five steps - regardless of the size of the business or the complexity of the problem.

STEP 01

Discovery Call

A 45-minute conversation where we understand your business, your situation, and what is not working. We ask the right questions. You talk. We listen. No pitch, no proposal on this call - just an honest conversation to understand whether we are the right fit and what the work actually involves.

No obligation. If we are not the right fit for your situation, we will tell you - and point you toward someone who is.

STEP 02

Operational Audit

Before we prescribe anything, we diagnose. We go deep into how your business currently operates - your processes, your team structure, your tools, and where the real breakdowns are happening. Most businesses come to us thinking they have one problem. The audit usually reveals the actual problem is connected to two or three others.

Duration varies by business size and complexity. Typically 1 to 2 weeks for SMEs, 2 to 4 weeks for larger organisations.

STEP 03

Proposal

Once we know what is actually broken, we put together a clear proposal - the scope of work, the timeline, the engagement model, and what you can expect at the end. No surprises. No vague deliverables. A specific plan for a specific set of problems.

The proposal includes a recommended engagement model - project based, implementation then retainer, or fractional COO retainer - based on what your situation actually needs.

STEP 04

Implementation

This is where most consultants hand over a document and disappear. We do the opposite. We stay in the work - building the processes, setting up the systems, restructuring the team, or embedding as your fractional COO - until the fix is actually working. Not just designed. Working.

We work directly with your team throughout implementation. Change only holds when the people doing the work understand it and are part of building it.

STEP 05

Review and Ongoing Support

Once the implementation is complete, we do not just hand over and leave. We run a structured review to make sure everything is holding - the processes are being followed, the systems are being used, and the team has the clarity they need. Depending on the engagement model, this either closes the project or transitions into an ongoing retainer.

For clients on a retainer, this phase becomes a continuous cycle - review, refine, and improve as the business grows and changes.

Engagement Models

Three Ways to Work With Us. One Right Fit for Your Situation.

The engagement model is always chosen based on what your business actually needs - not what is easiest to sell.

01Project BasedFixed scope - fixed timeline

You have a specific operational problem and you want it fixed with a clear scope, a clear timeline, and a defined outcome. The engagement has a start date and an end date. We deliver what we agreed to deliver.

Works Best When

You have one clear operational problem to solve
You want a defined deliverable with no ongoing commitment
You are testing whether operational consulting is right for your business

TYPICAL SCOPE

4 to 12 weeks

Depends on the complexity and scope of the problem being solved.

EXAMPLES

Process redesign for one department

Tool stack audit and migration

Org structure design and implementation

02Fix It Then StayImplementation - then retainer

We come in, fix the operational problem, and then stay on to make sure it holds. The first phase is implementation - we do the work. The second phase is a retainer where we provide ongoing support, review, and refinement as the business continues to grow and change.

Works Best When

You need a problem fixed and want someone to stay accountable for the outcome
Your business is scaling and the fix will need to evolve as you grow
You want implementation support now and operational guidance on an ongoing basis

TYPICAL SCOPE

3 to 6 months implementation, then monthly retainer

Implementation phase duration depends on scope. Retainer is month-to-month after that.

EXAMPLES

Full process overhaul then ongoing optimisation

Systems implementation then ongoing management

Org restructure then monthly leadership support

03Fractional COO RetainerMonthly retainer

You need senior operational leadership but not a full-time COO. We become your operational partner on a monthly basis - attending leadership meetings, owning the operational roadmap, managing cross-functional projects, and making sure the business runs the way it should. Available, accountable, and embedded.

Works Best When

The founder is still running day-to-day operations and needs to step back
You have just raised funding and need to build the operational foundation
You need a COO-level operator but are not ready for a full-time hire

TYPICAL SCOPE

Month-to-month retainer

Minimum 3-month commitment. Reviewed and renewed monthly after that.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

Weekly operational check-ins

Leadership and team meeting attendance

Operational roadmap ownership

Unlimited async support via email and messaging

What to Expect

Honest. Direct. No Surprises.

We Tell You the Truth

If we do not think we are the right fit for your situation, we will tell you on the discovery call. If the audit reveals a problem that is outside our scope, we will tell you that too. Honest advice is more valuable than a won engagement.

You Always Know What Is Happening

No black boxes. No radio silence. Throughout every engagement you have full visibility of what we are working on, what we have found, and what is coming next. We communicate clearly and consistently.

The Work Is Measured by Results

We do not measure success by hours billed or documents delivered. We measure it by whether the operational fix actually works - processes followed, systems used, team clarity achieved. If it is not working, we stay until it does.

We Work With Your Team, Not Around Them

Operational change only lasts when the people doing the work are part of building it. We work directly with your team throughout every engagement - not just the leadership layer.

Common Questions

Questions We Hear Before Every Engagement.

GET STARTED

Ready to Fix How Your Business Operates?

Book a discovery call. Tell us what is broken. We will tell you exactly what it will take to fix it.