Consulting uncovers the issues before consequential decisions are made
Consulting
Consulting is the disciplined work of getting beneath the request before a solution is chosen.
We work with founders and leadership teams to examine the brand and business together, challenge assumptions, and determine what deserves attention before time, money, and people are committed.
Consulting may stand alone or continue through Strategic Planning, Brand Architecture, and Deployment Support.
Why consulting matters
A request for a new website, refreshed brand, campaign, system, key hire, or growth initiative may appear to be a single problem. Often, it points to something larger.
The organization may have outgrown an earlier direction. Its promise may no longer align with what customers or employees experience. Priorities may be competing, resources may be stretched, or leadership may be unsure which issue should be addressed first.
Consulting creates room to step back, understand how the parts affect one another, and make the right decision before choosing the deliverable.
Principles of effective consulting
Good consulting does not begin with a predetermined solution. It begins with listening, inquiry, honest assessment, and a willingness to question the obvious answer.
Clarify the issue
The initial request matters, but it may not reveal the real issue. We examine what prompted it, what has already been tried, and what leadership believes must change.Examine the foundation
Brand, leadership, culture, operations, communication, resources, and customer experience do not function independently. We look at how they reinforce or undermine one another.Focus on the critical 20%
Not everything requires attention at once. We identify the decisions and conditions most likely to influence the larger picture.
Process for consequential decisions
We begin with the issue leadership can see, then examine the conditions surrounding it. The goal is not to create more work. It is to determine what matters, what can wait, and what should happen next.
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Discover
We begin with a focused conversation, usually 60 to 90 minutes or longer, to understand the organization’s current reality, goals, challenges, audience, resources, relationships, and constraints.
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Examine
We look at the brand and business together, including the promise being made, what people experience, where communication or systems break down, and what may be impeding progress.
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Define
We present our perspective, options, recommendations, and the most useful next step, whether that means strategic planning, brand architecture, deployment support, or an internal change..
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Advise
We present our perspective, options, recommendations, and the most useful next step, whether that means strategic planning, brand architecture, deployment support, or an internal change.
When consulting helps
Consulting is especially useful when the stakes are high, the issues overlap, or capable people are too close to the situation to see the larger pattern.
Before a major investment
When you are considering a rebrand, website, campaign, technology platform, agency relationship, major hire, or growth initiative and need to determine what should come first.During growth or transition
When the organization has changed, expanded, repositioned, or outgrown the systems, message, structure, or assumptions that once served itWhen the real issue is hard to define
When priorities are competing, decisions have stalled, or leadership knows something is not working but cannot yet see the full cause.
““Maryle brought extensive management experience and marketing expertise to PetDRx. I have met great managers and come across effective marketing professionals. Rarely did I find a professional like Maryle who was effective in both.””
4-hour strategic consulting engagement
When the stakes are high and the right path is not obvious, this focused engagement helps leadership examine the larger picture before committing time, money, and people.
We begin with a 90-minute discovery and consulting session. I then complete independent research and strategic analysis focused on the issue most likely to influence the larger picture. Within approximately two weeks, we meet again to review the findings, recommendations, and most useful next steps.
Includes discovery, independent research, strategic analysis, and a final consulting session with recommendations.
The discovery session
Discovery Conversation (90 minutes)
During the first hour we begin the discovery conversation, examining the challenge you are experiencing and clarifying the underlying concerns.During the next 30 minutes we define the focus for the strategic consulting work and determine the issue most likely to influence the larger picture.
The cost
The 4-Hour Strategic Consulting Package is $3,000.
The package includes discovery, independent research, strategic analysis, and a final consulting session with recommendations.
Before consulting engagements are contracted, a complimentary 15-minute introductory call with Maryle is scheduled to discuss the challenge you are facing and determine whether the consulting package would be helpful.
If the engagement is appropriate and you wish to proceed, a consulting agreement will be provided and the Discovery session scheduled.
The timeline
Most Strategic Consulting Packages are completed within two weeks.
Defining the focus
Not every organization arrives with a clearly defined problem. Many founders and leaders are experiencing several issues at once.
During this phase we identify the issue most likely to influence the larger picture and establish that as the focus of the consulting engagement. This allows the research and strategy development to concentrate on the area most likely to create meaningful progress.
Research and development
Following the Discovery session, Maryle conducts independent research and analysis based on the issue identified.
This work may include reviewing existing brand materials, website structure and messaging, market positioning, organizational communication, or operational systems, depending on the challenge being addressed
The goal is to develop a clear strategic perspective and practical recommendations that can move the organization forward.
Review and next steps
The final 90-minutes is a strategic consulting session where the findings and recommendations are presented.
During this conversation we review the key observations, discuss the strategic direction, and answer any questions you may have about implementation or next steps.