Business Consulting: how we work with you
Every engagement follows a five-step process designed to get you from "we have a problem" to "here are the numbers proving it is fixed" in the shortest responsible timeframe. No open-ended retainers, no scope creep, no mystery invoices.
The five steps
From first conversation to measurable outcome, here is exactly what happens.
Discovery call
We start with a 30-minute phone or video call. No preparation needed on your end. We want to hear what is going wrong, what you have already tried, and what a good outcome looks like in your words. This call is free and carries no obligation.
By the end of the call we will tell you honestly whether we think we can help. If the problem falls outside our expertise, we will say so and, where possible, recommend someone better suited. About one in five enquiries ends this way, and that is fine. We would rather turn down work than deliver a mediocre result.
Diagnostic assessment
If the discovery call points to a fit, we spend two to five days inside your business. We review documents, interview key people and observe how work actually flows. This is not a surface-level audit. We look at financial data, process maps, team structures and customer feedback.
The diagnostic costs between £1,500 and £3,500 depending on company size. It produces a written report of 15 to 25 pages covering what we found, what it is costing you, and what we recommend. If you decide not to proceed with a full engagement, you keep the report and can act on it yourself.
We have run diagnostics for companies as small as seven employees and as large as 280. The format adapts, but the rigour does not. Every finding is backed by data we can show you, not opinions dressed up as insight.
Proposal and scope agreement
Based on the diagnostic, we write a fixed-scope proposal. It lists every deliverable, the timeline, who from our team will do the work, and the total fee. No hourly billing. If the project takes us longer than expected, that is our problem, not yours.
The proposal also names the metrics we will use to judge success. These might be gross margin percentage, order fulfilment time, cash conversion cycle, customer acquisition cost, or something else specific to your situation. We agree on the target before work starts so there is no ambiguity about whether the engagement delivered.
Execution and weekly updates
This is where the work happens. Depending on the project, our consultants might be on-site two or three days a week, or working remotely with regular check-ins. Either way, you receive a written progress update every Friday by 5pm. It covers what was completed, what is planned for next week, and any risks or blockers.
We do not build dependency. Our goal is to work alongside your team so they learn the new processes, tools and frameworks as we implement them. When we leave, the knowledge stays. Typical execution phases run six to twelve weeks for strategy and operations work, four to ten weeks for financial advisory and transaction support.
If at any point during execution we discover that the original scope needs to change, we discuss it openly. Scope changes require your written approval and a revised fee before we proceed. No surprises on the invoice.
Handover and 30-day support
At the end of the engagement we deliver a complete handover pack. This includes all models, templates, process documentation and training materials. Everything is in formats your team already uses: Excel, Google Sheets, Word, PDF. No proprietary software required.
For 30 days after the final deliverable, we remain available for questions, troubleshooting and minor adjustments at no extra charge. Most clients use this period to bed in new processes and catch any edge cases we did not anticipate. After that, you can engage us for ongoing advisory on a monthly retainer if you want, but there is no pressure to do so.
What makes this process different
Many consulting firms sell time. We sell outcomes. The fixed-fee model means our incentive is to solve the problem efficiently, not to stretch the engagement. It also means you can budget accurately from day one.
The diagnostic-first approach protects both sides. You get a detailed, data-backed view of your situation before committing to a larger project. We get to understand the real problem rather than the symptom you described on the phone. In about 30% of cases, the diagnostic reveals a different root cause than the one the client initially suspected. Catching that early saves weeks of misdirected effort.
Weekly written updates are not a courtesy; they are a control mechanism. If you read something you disagree with, we hear about it on Monday, not three months later at the final presentation. Short feedback loops prevent the kind of drift that makes consulting engagements feel wasteful.
The 30-day post-project support exists because implementation is where most value is created and most risk lives. A beautiful strategy document that nobody follows is worth nothing. We stay close through the critical first month of adoption to make sure the changes stick.
Common questions about our process
Answers to the things clients ask most before starting an engagement.
Diagnostics range from £1,500 to £3,500. Full engagements typically fall between £8,000 and £35,000 depending on scope and duration. We quote a fixed fee after the diagnostic, so you know the total cost before committing. Transaction support projects for fundraising or M&A sit at the higher end because of the volume of financial modelling involved.
Yes. About 40% of our clients are based outside London. For the diagnostic phase we travel to you. During execution, a mix of on-site and remote work keeps costs down without sacrificing quality. We have delivered projects in Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol, Birmingham and Cardiff over the past two years.
That happens, and it is a good outcome. You walk away with a detailed report and actionable recommendations. Some clients implement the changes themselves using the diagnostic as a guide. Others come back six or twelve months later when a new challenge arises. There is no obligation to proceed beyond the diagnostic.
We usually schedule the discovery call within two working days of your enquiry. The diagnostic can begin within one to two weeks after that, depending on our current project load. If your situation is urgent, let us know and we will do our best to accelerate the timeline.
Always. We sign a mutual NDA before the diagnostic begins. Confidentiality is non-negotiable. We never share client data, financial information or strategic plans with anyone outside the engagement team. If you have your own NDA template, we are happy to review and sign it.
Ready to start?
Book a free 30-minute discovery call. No pitch, no pressure. Just a conversation about what is going on in your business and whether we can help.
Get in touchOr call us directly at +44 20 4866 7982