Business Consulting FAQ

It depends on the service and the size of your business. An operational review for a company with 10 to 30 staff typically costs between £4,500 and £9,000. A full growth strategy project ranges from £6,000 to £14,000. Leadership coaching runs at £1,200 per month. We always quote a fixed fee before any work begins, so there are no surprises on the invoice.

The diagnostic phase takes one to two weeks. If you also want implementation support, the full engagement usually runs six weeks to six months. We agree the timeline upfront and give you a written schedule with milestones. If something takes longer than planned because of factors within our control, we absorb the extra time at no additional cost.

Yes. We regularly work with clients in Scotland and Wales. For the diagnostic phase we prefer at least one on-site visit, but much of the engagement can be conducted remotely via video calls and shared documents. We have also worked with a small number of clients in Ireland, though our primary focus is the UK market.

Our clients range from sole traders generating around £500,000 in annual revenue to mid-market companies turning over £30 million. The common thread is that the owner or leadership team is directly involved in the engagement. We do not work with large corporates that have their own in-house strategy teams; our value is strongest where the decision-maker is in the room.

Probably. That is part of what you are paying for. If a product line is losing money, or a senior hire is not performing, or the business model needs rethinking, we will say so clearly and explain why. We try to be direct without being rude. Our job is to give you an honest picture of the situation and practical options for addressing it, not to validate decisions you have already made.

It is a 30-minute phone or video call with one of our senior consultants. We will ask you to describe your business, the specific problem or opportunity you want to address, and any relevant context (recent changes, financial pressures, upcoming deadlines). By the end of the call we will tell you whether we think we can help, which service is the best fit, and a rough indication of cost. There is no charge for this call and no obligation to proceed.

No. We quote fixed project fees. Hourly billing creates a perverse incentive for the consultant to take longer, and it makes budgeting difficult for the client. Our fee covers the agreed scope of work. If we need more time than expected to complete the diagnostic or deliver the report, that is our problem, not yours.

We can prepare the financial section of a business plan, build cash flow forecasts and financial models, and coach you through the pitch or application process. Two of our consultants previously worked as commercial lending managers at high-street banks, so we know what lenders and investors look for. We do not broker loans or take commissions from lenders.

We present our findings in a 90-minute walkthrough session where you can challenge any recommendation and ask questions. If you disagree with a particular suggestion, we will explain our reasoning and, if your objection is valid, adjust the plan. We have never had a client reject a full report, but individual recommendations do get modified based on context we may have missed. The final plan is yours to implement as you see fit.

Yes. Before we begin any engagement we sign a mutual non-disclosure agreement. We do not discuss your business with other clients, and we never use your data for marketing or case studies without your written permission. The case studies on our website were published only after the clients reviewed and approved the content.

In the first week, one or two of our consultants spend time in your workplace observing how things run. We sit in on team meetings, walk the production floor or warehouse, review your systems and interview staff at different levels. We try to be unobtrusive; we are not there to audit people or make anyone nervous. In the second week we analyse the data we have collected, compare your metrics against industry benchmarks, and write the report. You receive the finished document on day 15.

Most executive coaches focus on personal development and mindset. Our coaching is more operational. We work on concrete business problems: how to structure a board meeting, how to read and act on financial reports, how to run a performance review that actually changes behaviour. We bring consulting experience to the coaching relationship, so if a session surfaces a strategic problem, we can help you think through the solution rather than just asking reflective questions.

We advise on technology strategy: which systems to adopt, how to evaluate vendors, and how to manage the transition. We do not write software or configure IT infrastructure ourselves. When a client needs technical implementation, we help them write the brief, evaluate proposals from IT suppliers, and oversee the project to make sure it stays on track and on budget.