Audit what's already there.
Before we recommend new hires or expensive software, we audit your existing team, tools, and processes. Most businesses have more capacity than they realize — what's missing is alignment and focus, not resources.
Often there's an underutilized employee whose skills match exactly what you need, or a tool you're paying for but barely using. The cheapest growth is usually unlocking what's already there.
Four things every engagement shares.
Different clients, different industries, different goals. But every engagement we run is built on the same four operating principles.
Our methodology in action.
Independence by design.
Our job is to make ourselves unnecessary. Throughout the engagement we transfer skills, processes, and frameworks to your team. By month six, you own a complete operational playbook plus the trained team to execute it.
By month four or five, your team is running most of the operation while we provide oversight. By month six, we're advisors more than operators. The engagement ends with capability — not dependency.
What actually happens month by month.
Engagement length isn't arbitrary. Six months is the floor because real change in established businesses follows a predictable rhythm — diagnosis, intervention, momentum, ownership. Each month builds on the last.
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Month 1
Diagnosis & baseline
We audit your existing operations across six structural dimensions, interview key team members, review historical performance data, and produce a written diagnostic. Most owners learn things about their own business they didn't know — not because they were hiding, but because nobody had time to look systematically.
See the Full Assessment process → -
Months 2–3
Foundation work
The highest-leverage interventions identified in diagnosis get implemented first. Usually that means brand position clarification, pricing structure repair, lead-flow infrastructure, or operating cadence overhaul. We sit in your weekly meetings, work alongside your team, and start moving the leading indicators that predict revenue.
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Months 4–5
Scale & refine
What worked in months 2–3 gets standardized into repeatable processes. Your team starts running most of the operation while we provide oversight, escalation paths, and strategic review. This is also when we tackle the second tier of issues that were too costly to address in month 1.
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Month 6
Handoff & independence
Capability handover document delivered — every process, framework, vendor relationship, and dashboard your team needs to operate independently. We transition to advisory mode (available for follow-up, no longer running operations). Most clients move to the Advisor Program at this point for ongoing strategic check-ins.
Owner-operated businesses, $1M–$25M revenue.
We work best with established businesses past the survival phase but still personally directed by founders or owner-operators. The approach has been refined across dozens of industries since 2011 — here are the verticals we know deepest.
Restaurants & hospitality
Independent restaurants, hotels, bars, and event venues across the Bay Area and beyond. Heavy operating cadence, narrow margins, brand-driven.
Explore →Professional services
Law firms, accounting practices, consulting practices, real estate brokerages, and other expertise-driven businesses with referral-dependent growth.
Explore →Retail & boutique
Specialty retail, boutique stores, multi-location chains. Inventory management, e-commerce integration, customer loyalty systems.
Explore →Health & wellness
Therapy practices, wellness centers, fitness studios, alternative health providers. Compliance-aware marketing, HIPAA considerations.
Explore →B2B & tech-adjacent
SaaS startups, B2B service firms, agencies, professional networks. Founder-led companies past product-market fit but pre-scale.
Explore →Not listed?
We've worked with insurance, education, construction, marine, automotive, and more. The methodology is industry-agnostic — the principles are constant.
Get in touch →Things founders actually ask.
Drawn from 14+ years of free 30-minute interviews. If your question isn't here, schedule a call — that's the fastest way to get a real answer for your specific situation.
How is this different from other Bay Area consulting firms?
Three structural differences. First, every engagement is led personally by David Mitroff, Ph.D. — not delegated to junior associates after the sales call. Second, the six-month minimum is non-negotiable because real change in established businesses doesn't happen faster. Third, we stay through implementation — not strategy decks and exit. Most agencies do one or two of these. Few do all three.
What does an engagement actually cost?
Engagement costs vary based on scope, complexity, and the level of hands-on work required. The free 30-minute interview is where we determine fit and rough sizing. Standard engagements run as monthly retainers across the six-month minimum. For specific pricing, review the package tiers or schedule a call.
Do you work with businesses outside the SF Bay Area?
Yes. While the firm is Oakland-based and most clients are in the Bay Area, remote engagements work well for businesses anywhere in the US. Modern collaboration tools (Zoom, Slack, shared dashboards) make distributed work effective. Quarterly on-site visits are typically included for clients outside the region.
What happens after the six-month engagement ends?
Three options. Most clients transition to the Advisor Program — a maintenance retainer with monthly strategic check-ins and ad-hoc availability. Some clients extend the full engagement for an additional six months when scope warrants. Others take the documented playbook and run independently, returning for project-based work when needed. The handoff is designed to give you all three options.
How quickly can we start?
From the initial interview to the first working session: typically 2–4 weeks. The Full Assessment runs in parallel with engagement onboarding so meaningful work starts month one. Urgent situations (acquisition due diligence, leadership transition, crisis response) can be accommodated on a compressed timeline.
Can you provide references from past clients?
Yes. Reference calls with past clients are standard for serious prospects after the free interview. We also publish detailed case studies with quantified outcomes (revenue impact, operational efficiency gains, brand metrics) for clients who've consented to disclosure.
See if our approach fits.
The best way to understand the methodology is to experience the first conversation. Schedule a free 30-minute consulting interview — no commitment, real strategy either way.