There is no single right way to engage an advisor, and we are suspicious of firms that offer only one. Some problems need a sustained partner; some need a bounded project; some need nothing more than an outside pair of eyes for a fortnight. This page describes our three engagement models in detail, compares them honestly, and helps you choose the depth that fits your situation and budget.
Model 1 — Advisory Retainer
What it is. A standing relationship: a fixed number of advisory hours each month, a scheduled check-in call, and access to us between times for the questions that do not wait. We keep a live understanding of your business — its numbers, its systems, its plans — so advice is grounded in context rather than caught up from scratch each time.
Best for. Businesses in a sustained period of change or growth; owners who want a sounding board with skin in the game; organisations whose reporting or governance obligations are continuous.
What it costs. A fixed monthly fee agreed annually, with the scope of covered work written down. Unused hours can typically be banked for quieter months. No lock-in beyond an initial three months — the retainer should earn its renewal every month after that.
Model 2 — Defined Project
What it is. A bounded piece of work with a written scope, a fixed fee or a capped estimate, and agreed deliverables: a system implementation, an automation build, a market entry plan, a reporting overhaul. Projects run through our three phases — Discover, Design & Advise, Deliver & Support — with the phases priced separately so you commit as confidence builds.
Best for. A known problem with a known shape: the process is understood, the outcome is definable, and the business needs it finished — not discussed indefinitely.
What it costs. Fixed price where scope is genuinely fixed; a capped estimate with stage gates where discovery may change the shape. Variations are agreed in writing before the work is done, never discovered on the invoice.
Model 3 — Business Health Check
What it is. A one-off, fixed-price review of a defined area — your whole operation, or one workflow such as quoting, purchasing or reporting. Two to three weeks of structured discovery, closing with a findings presentation and a prioritised action plan you can implement yourself, with us, or with someone else entirely. It is a product, not a sales process.
Best for. A first engagement with a new advisor; a business that suspects problems but wants them sized before committing; due diligence before a purchase, lease or hire decision.
What it costs. A single fixed fee, quoted before we start, with the deliverables listed line by line. If we find nothing worth changing, the report will say that — it has happened, and the certainty alone was worth the fee.
Different businesses need different depths of support — the model follows the need. The model follows the need — and changes when the need does.Choosing between them
| Your situation | Best-fit model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| "We're growing and everything feels slightly out of control." | Advisory Retainer | Continuous change needs continuous counsel, not episodic projects |
| "We know the problem — quoting takes too long." | Defined Project | A bounded problem with a definable outcome |
| "Something's off but we can't name it." | Business Health Check | Structured discovery to size the problem before spending on fixes |
| "Our funder/board needs proper monthly reporting." | Defined Project → Retainer | Build the reporting once, then keep it honest on a rhythm |
| "We're about to sign a lease / hire a team." | Business Health Check | Independent due diligence before the commitment |
Moving between models
The models are designed to flow into one another. A health check frequently becomes a defined project once the findings are agreed; a project frequently ends with a light retainer to keep the improvement monitored. Whichever way you start, the scope of what continues is always your decision — we will recommend, never assume.
What's included in every model
Whichever shape an engagement takes, certain things are not negotiable extras, because they are what make the work durable. Every model includes written scope before work begins; a named senior contact who knows your file; plain-language progress reporting on an agreed rhythm; complete documentation of whatever we build, change or recommend; and a written handover at the end. Data you share with us is used solely for your engagement, and our independence from software vendors applies across the board — recommendations are never funded by commissions. If any of these basics ever feels like an upgrade you are being sold, that is a failure of ours, not a feature of the model.
Switching models when the situation changes
Situations change mid-stream — an advisory client wins a large contract and suddenly needs a delivery project; a project client wants the reporting kept on a rhythm afterwards. Because all three models run on the same method and the same people, switching is administrative rather than dramatic. The only rule we apply is honesty about the transition: we will tell you which model the changed situation now suits, what it changes in cost, and what it does not change at all. Many of our longest client relationships have moved between models several times across the years, and the file knowledge travelled with them each time.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum term on retainers?
An initial three months, then month to month. The retainer should earn its renewal.
Can we move from a project to a retainer?
Yes — and back. Many long-term client relationships have changed shape several times as the business evolved.
How is pricing handled in each model?
A fixed monthly fee for retainers, a fixed or capped price for projects, and a single fixed fee for a health check. All agreed in writing before work starts.
Start where the risk is smallest
Most clients begin with a health check — fixed price, fixed scope, real findings.