FAQ
The questions founders actually ask.
How much equity are we talking about?
A SAFE equal to the part of the engagement value we did not take in cash. Because engagement fees are modest by consulting standards, the resulting stake is small — the kind of line that sits comfortably next to an advisor pool, not next to a seed investor.
Why won't you publish your rates?
Because every engagement is a different shape — how many operators, how long, how much travel and primary research. Publishing a number would either overprice the simple work or underprice the hard work. You get the full figure in writing after the fit call, before you commit to anything.
What if the recommendation is "don't do it"?
Then that is the deliverable, and it is often the most valuable one. Holding equity means we are indifferent to whether you spend money — we are not indifferent to whether the company is worth more in two years.
Do you want a board seat, votes or information rights?
None of the three. What we hold is non-voting — a convertible note, or non-voting restricted stock where that fits your structure better. No board seat, no consent rights, and nothing beyond the information the instrument itself requires. Founders are right to be careful about who gets a voice; we are asking for economics, not influence.
Will our investors be comfortable with this?
Generally yes — it converts on their terms, at their round, for a small amount, and it replaces cash that would otherwise have left the company. We are happy to walk your lead through the instrument directly.
Can we just pay cash?
Sometimes, and we will tell you when that is cleaner — a very short scope, or a company where the cap table genuinely cannot take another line. It is the exception, not the menu.
A note or a FAST agreement — which is it?
Both, for different jobs. The engagement balance sits in a convertible note, because FAST was written for individual advisory relationships rather than project work. If an operator stays on afterwards as a standing advisor, that part goes on the FAST template at its published rates.
Is equity-based advisory even a real category?
Yes — advisor equity grants, services-for-equity shops and law firms deferring billings for stock have existed for years, and standard paper like FAST has been public since 2011. What is still uncommon, especially in Canada, is a senior operating team offering it at the firm level for scoped growth-stage work. That is the gap we are in.
Who actually does the work?
The named operators you meet. There are no analysts behind the curtain, which is also why we run few engagements at a time.
How long does an engagement take?
Most run about a quarter. Anything longer gets staged so you can stop between stages without losing the value of what is already done.
Are you only doing Southeast Asia?
No. Vietnam and the wider ASEAN region are where we have the deepest on-the-ground network, but the bench works on growth-stage operating problems generally — supply chain, commercial, operating model, capital readiness.
What do you need from us?
Access to the real numbers, a few hours of the decision-maker's time each week, and honesty about what has already been tried. That is genuinely it.