Process

Four steps, each one worth having.

Every engagement follows the same path. Each step is defined, priced and approved before it begins, and every one leaves you with something of value.

Stone steps climbing beside an old garden wall

The four steps

From the first call to the first build.

What each step asks of you, what you leave with and what comes next, before you commit to anything.

Nothing starts until you approve it, and every price is fixed before the work begins.

  1. Consult.

    Day one · thirty minutes · free

    A conversation with a partner who has run businesses. You talk about yours.

    What it is
    Thirty minutes on the money, the time and the people: where the business earns, where the hours go and what you would most like back. No slides, no pitch.
    What you do
    Talk about your business. There is nothing to prepare.
    What you leave with
    Within two days, a one-page note on where we see the upside, yours to keep.
    What happens next
    One recommendation: an Assess, a smaller first step, or someone better suited. If it is an Assess, you see the fixed price before anything starts.
  2. Assess.

    Two to four weeks

    A measured look at how the business runs today, with a value on every opportunity.

    What it is
    We hear from your whole team, measure where the time and money go and put a value on every opportunity we find.
    What you do
    Name one person who can make decisions and share access by the dates we agree. Your team answers a short anonymous survey, and three to five people give a short recorded interview, starting with you.
    What you leave with
    The Upside Report: a priced 60 to 90 day plan that shows what each piece of work is worth in your own numbers, yours to keep and clear enough to hand to another firm.
    What happens next
    You choose what to build first, if anything. Each build gets its own proposal with a fixed scope, a fixed price and a finish date.
  3. Build.

    Three to eight weeks · a custom system up to ninety days

    Fixed scope, fixed price and a finish date in writing.

    What it is
    We build around the way you already work and connect the tools your team already uses.
    What you do
    Watch a short recorded walkthrough of the work each week, and reply to questions within two business days.
    What you leave with
    A working system you own: the system, the data and every key in your name, and a team trained to run it.
    What happens next
    We hand it over. Support keeps it running, or you take it from here. Either way, it stays yours.
  4. Support.

    Monthly · month to month after a short minimum

    We keep everything running and bring you the next win.

    What it is
    We keep everything running, make the small changes and check the results against the numbers we started from.
    What you do
    Tell us when something changes in the business, and meet us once a quarter.
    What you leave with
    One named contact, a reply within one business day, and a quarterly review that brings you the next win.
    What happens next
    The next win gets its own proposal, never a quiet change to the current one.

Accountability

Fair on both sides.

What we need from youWhat we owe you
StartingOne person on your side who can make decisions.A fixed price and a finish date, in writing, before work begins.
AccessLogins and data by the dates we agree.Only the access the work needs, and nothing more.
AnswersReplies within two business days.A reply within one business day.
ProgressA look at each week’s short recorded walkthrough.A recorded walkthrough of the work, every week.
PaymentPayment on the schedule we agree.A fixed price for each stage, never billed by the hour.

Process

Common questions.

If yours is not here, ask it on the call.

Book a free consultation
What does it cost?

You will know the number before you commit to anything. Each step is priced on its own, and the Assess leaves you with a plan you can use whatever you decide next.

Do we have to replace our software?

Rarely. We build around the tools your team already uses and connect what is there. Our guide Build it, buy it, or change how you work walks through the choice.

Will this mean cutting staff?

No. The aim is to give your people their hours back, so the business can grow with the team you have.

Who owns what you build?

You do: your system, your data and the work made for you. We keep our own toolkit and license it to you permanently. Our guide What you should own when someone builds for you lists what to ask any firm.

How long does it take?

The Assess usually takes two to four weeks. A standard build takes three to eight, and a custom system up to ninety days. Every scope has a finish date in writing.

Can we skip the Assess?

Sometimes. If the job is clear and small, the note after your consultation may recommend a smaller first step instead. For anything bigger, the Assess makes sure the work will pay for itself before you spend on it, and the plan is yours to keep either way.

Who will we work with?

A partner leads every conversation with you. The team designs and builds what you approve, and you see the work every week.

Is our data safe?

Your data is used only for your work and never goes into our toolkit. We take only the access the work needs, and the terms are in writing. For regulated businesses we build privately; see Private AI.

Is there a long contract?

No. Projects end in writing, and Support runs month to month after a short minimum.

Step one

The first step costs nothing.

A conversation with a partner about your business. Within two days, a one-page note on where we see the upside, and an honest recommendation, even when that is someone else.

Thirty minutes. You leave with a clear next step.